Dogsrawesome Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Hello my name is brittney im planning on getting a dog at the end of the year or start of next year and i need help picking a breed hmmmm? I have read a lot about dogs but ive only ever had 2 in my family. I watch a lot of the dog whisperer and plan to be a dog trainer when im older. so maybe i could have some opinions. i really want a big dog i know they cost a lot more but of course i would make sure i wait until i get my job and make sure i get paid enough for a big dog. Oh i only just graduated school im 18 years old I want something to protect me because i when i get my dog i want to walk everywhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) Apart from big and protective what do you like in a dog? Long hair, short hair, what conformation types appeal to you - big teddy bear looking dogs or big regal looking dogs. If you have very little experience with dogs and zero experience with large dogs I'd be very cautious about going out and buying a large breed guardian or guard breed - in the wrong hands (even just lax hands) they can become a liability to everyone. You plan to become a trainer, what actual experience do you have in training any dog to prepare you for your new purchase? By big what do you mean? A Borzoi is a very tall dog which doesn't weigh as much as a Saint Bernard which might be a little shorter. How big is BIG? What sort of environment can you offer the dog? I'd guess you'll be off flatting soon - what happens if you can't find a suitable rental? Edited January 23, 2011 by Sandra777 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsrawesome Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 Apart from big and protective what do you like in a dog?Long hair, short hair, what conformation types appeal to you - big teddy bear looking dogs or big regal looking dogs. If you have very little experience with dogs and zero experience with large dogs I'd be very cautious about going out and buying a large breed guardian or guard breed - in the wrong hands (even just lax hands) they can become a liability to everyone. You plan to become a trainer, what actual experience do you have in training any dog to prepare you for your new purchase? By big what do you mean? A Borzoi is a very tall dog which doesn't weigh as much as a Saint Bernard which might be a little shorter. How big is BIG? What sort of environment can you offer the dog? I'd guess you'll be off flatting soon - what happens if you can't find a suitable rental? hey oh where do i begin haha i have done work experience at the RSPCA I did train my family dog (australian silky x) i taught him basic obedience myself i rescued him when he was 5yrs old and pretty much trained him straight away that was when i was 10yrs old i am now alot older now and i have read alot more i own a lot of books on training dogs and just applied for a job at a doggie day care , i did own a rottweiler x cattle dog but she passed when i was 7yrs old, i have a medium size backyard. I do not mind if tall like a borzoi or heavy like saint benard. prefrably short to medium coat i do not want to spend hours on grooming but i would if i had to. I really really like the german shepherd but i dont want to get one for my first dog i will be bringing, even though i have a medium sized yard i plan one walking it for atleast an hour a day. I just need peoples opinions on like experience wise what would be better for me i really dont want to do wrong by the dog because of me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harley Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I don't have a suggestion yet, but wanted to say good on you for doing some research and thinking ahead :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsrawesome Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 I don't have a suggestion yet, but wanted to say good on you for doing some research and thinking ahead well thank you and if you think of any be sure to message me :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMAK Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 make a list of PROS and CONS and certain breeds of dog you like.. maybe that might help us help you? A big dog will take a lot of money for a 18 year old, and say good buy to some of your social life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esky the husky Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I'm a similar age to you. Just make sure you think beyond the dog to your living situation, and how it may change over the coming years. It's hard enough for someone young to find a rental (if this is what you plan to do) I couldn't live without a dog but it does come with compromise! My sister in law had similar ideas (protection etc) when she chose out her breed. She ended up settling on a boxer. Might be a breed for you to look into Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsrawesome Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 make a list of PROS and CONS and certain breeds of dog you like.. maybe that might help us help you?A big dog will take a lot of money for a 18 year old, and say good buy to some of your social life. That is a very good idea, thanks heaps cant believe i didn't think of that -.-. All my friends know im a dog freak and the would expect me to drop everything for my pooch haha, and i plan on spoiling him/her like crazy. I'm a similar age to you.Just make sure you think beyond the dog to your living situation, and how it may change over the coming years. It's hard enough for someone young to find a rental (if this is what you plan to do) I couldn't live without a dog but it does come with compromise! My sister in law had similar ideas (protection etc) when she chose out her breed. She ended up settling on a boxer. Might be a breed for you to look into I plan on moving out with my brother and if that doesnt work i can live with my parents until i have enough money to get a loan. Boxers are good dogs but im planning on doing the whole pros n cons thing lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixie_meg Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 You say you like to do obedience but does that mean you'd prefer an easy dog to train or wouldn't mind a challenge. Do you want/need reliable recall? So you want a guard dog. Many dogs will protect their owners. Maybe you just want the perception of a dog that will guard you if the wrong person meets you on your walks. So a dog thats large can look threatening to many but isn't really. Generally the lighter a dog is, the cheaper it is to feed and medicate. Worth keeping in mind. I know i cant afford a great dane or mastiff. My borzoi is the limit to that kind of cost for us. He's 38kg and will probably get to about 44kg when fully grown. He costs about $5 per day in food. Do you want a dog that needs your attention a lot or more independant? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsrawesome Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 pixie meg, i honestly i don't mind a challenge but as it will be my first dog probably not the best option so probably something inbetween if that makes sense but i intend on taking it to puppy school, obedience etc i will try my very hardest to have a well behaved dog. I do not want something that will just protect me from anyone just the wrong person. I want a dog that seeks attention and affection so yeah i have thought about a lot of like the costs and stuff and i will calculate all that once i have a job and before i get my dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Fox Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Try some of the online breed selectors. Not the ideal way to choose a breed but they will give you some ideas. http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselector.do http://www.selectsmart.com/dog/ http://www.purina.com.au/BreedSelector/Dog...campaign=Purina http://www.petnet.com.au/selectapet/choose-a-pet *plenty more if you Google "dog breed selector". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Black Labrador! Big, "look" the part (which is really all you need), and a lot easier to manage in group houses and changes of domestic situation. Very capable obedience dogs and you could always think about Gundog working tests too. I honestly think that for a young, first time dog owner, a "protective" breed might be a bit of an ask. Any big black dog is a pretty good deterrant. You don't need to have one that's going to regard strangers with suspicion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 australian shepherd or a med drive border collie sounds like something good for you. I think any of the guarding breeds might be a little out of your experience level. There;s more to big breeds then money. Also get the idea you want a dog to protect you when you walk about out of your head. That is not a great reason to purchase a dog and not a fair thing to throw on your dog either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raineth Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 pixie meg,i honestly i don't mind a challenge but as it will be my first dog probably not the best option so probably something inbetween if that makes sense but i intend on taking it to puppy school, obedience etc i will try my very hardest to have a well behaved dog. I do not want something that will just protect me from anyone just the wrong person. I want a dog that seeks attention and affection so yeah i have thought about a lot of like the costs and stuff and i will calculate all that once i have a job and before i get my dog. that sounds sensible I agree with Poodlefan (and others) - You really just need a dog that looks the part. Most breeds that were bred to guard are more challenging to manage. And yes people are much more wary of black dogs, so that is definitely something to consider I have a big (well giant) black dog. He has no guarding instinct whatsoever, and is as meek and mild as they come. Yet people cross the road when they see us and make all sorts of ridiculous comments about how he'll probably eat their dog before eating them. Its actually quite annoying, but at any rate, it certainly illustrates what a detterrant he is ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsrawesome Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 Thought id say i dont just want a big dog for protection i just prefer larger dogs and i know its not fair on the dog if i just get him/her for that reason haha. I also like labradors especially the black and chocolate ones ^^ I live in brisbane do i just google gundog courses cause i think that would be interesting to try if i decide to get a labrador , If i got a border collie i think my brother would steal it from me haha cause he loves them. I rescued a chocolate and white border collie once because the owners "claimed she wasnt theres" Thankfully my aunty offered to look after her, she was a great dog ^^ so they are always an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss BeRidgierent Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 A ridgeback sounds like your description. They are big, short haired and protective breed. However they do need a strong hand as they can be very suborn so be prepared for training. But if you are taking it to puppy pre school you should be ok. http://www.ankc.org.au/Breed_Details.aspx?bid=23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenkins Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 HiMy young girl is in season and is normally allowed to swim daily in our salt water chlorinated pool. I have phoned my vet but he is currently on holidays, so I thought I would throw the question out to all on DOL. This girl is my Swedish import so I am needing to be very careful and obviously don't want to risk pyometra! I have received mixed opinions from other breeders I have spoken to. Thanks for any input haha one of those selectors was actually pretty good. Dogs I was considering getting: Dobermann Rottweiler another Pointer (have a 2yr old male pointer-x at the moment) Dogs it gave me as matches: German Shorthaired Pointer 97% Rottweiler and Dobermann 93% Pointer 90% haha thought that was interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue.amstaff Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 What about an American Staffy? They aren't exactly big but they are a great dog and I personally think they are a protective breed. Or maybe I'm just biased Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 (edited) What about an American Staffy?They aren't exactly big but they are a great dog and I personally think they are a protective breed. Or maybe I'm just biased A correctly bred, well socialised American Stafford should show absolutely no aggression towards people. They were not bred to function as a protector. Edited January 24, 2011 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 wouldnt consider an amstaff a beginners breed either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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