Selecting a Dog Breed

[zestylemon]

Hi guys!

I am currently thinking of becoming a dog owner, however I have had trouble finding a breed that suits me, so I would like to receive some input from this forum.

I live in a suburban area with a large house and small/medium yard. I would like a dog that is a companion, so happy to cuddle on the couch when I return from work, small or medium and does not require more than a brush a day grooming wise. I have people who are mildly allergic to dogs come over sometimes. However, I will be at work from around 8am to 4:30-5pm, so the dog would have to be alone during the day. My work gives my large holidays, so I will be able to teach the dog basic commands during that period. The dog (preferably) will spend the time that I am not home outside, and will sleep outside. I am ready to purchase dog bedding/cabin and the items needed for the dog's warmth. I do not mind adopting.

Cheers!

[Dogsfevr]

Limited choices if you want it to sleep outside ,Companion breeds are exactly that thrive on human comapny ,people can certainly work but want there humans when you get home .
Is there a reason it must sleep outside .What is your winter weather like.

What protection will it have overnight for warmth (especially a small breed)

[persephone]

Which breeds attract you generally ? Do you like fluff, or huge, or stocky, or working , or racing sleek ? 

night time is when there are odd noises/stray cats /possums etc around , and pup/dog learns very quickly  to bark and/or chase , because there's nothing stopping them  Being outside alone all day and all night is an excellent way to teach a dog bad habits  .

being a dog owner  can be an amazing experience  because of the bonds which grow  These bonds, and mutual understanding , mean that training/communication becomes second nature ..and you become a pair . 
Sadly , only physically being in the same space for 5 or so hrs a day   will slow down this process  somewhat , IMHO . A dog who shares resting/sleeping time with its human, and vice versa, absorbs the sounds, scents and rhythms   
A dog who spends nights indoors is not annoying neighbours  with its barking , or learning to chase cats  either LOL.

Millions of dogs have humans who work ... then those humans spend hours walking/training/visiting friends/shopping etc with their dog  when not working ! That's how a good dog+human relationship works  :D 

[zestylemon]

2 hours ago, persephone said:

Which breeds attract you generally ? Do you like fluff, or huge, or stocky, or working , or racing sleek ? 

night time is when there are odd noises/stray cats /possums etc around , and pup/dog learns very quickly  to bark and/or chase , because there's nothing stopping them  Being outside alone all day and all night is an excellent way to teach a dog bad habits  .

being a dog owner  can be an amazing experience  because of the bonds which grow  These bonds, and mutual understanding , mean that training/communication becomes second nature ..and you become a pair . 
Sadly , only physically being in the same space for 5 or so hrs a day   will slow down this process  somewhat , IMHO . A dog who shares resting/sleeping time with its human, and vice versa, absorbs the sounds, scents and rhythms   
A dog who spends nights indoors is not annoying neighbours  with its barking , or learning to chase cats  either LOL.

Millions of dogs have humans who work ... then those humans spend hours walking/training/visiting friends/shopping etc with their dog  when not working ! That's how a good dog+human relationship works  :D 

Being energetic but soft/cuddly is something I would like in a dog. Sleeping outside would only be a rare thing, but I dont think that having a dog inside while I'm away, for the first few weeks would be safe for the dog

[zestylemon]

1 minute ago, zestylemon said:

Being energetic but soft/cuddly is something I would like in a dog. Sleeping outside would only be a rare thing, but I dont think that having a dog inside while I'm away, for the first few weeks would be safe for the dog

Also, if I kept the dog inside when I'm out? Where will be she go to the bathroom?

Cheers

[persephone]

3 hours ago, zestylemon said:

The dog (preferably) will spend the time that I am not home outside, and will sleep outside.

This is what we are working on   

Is your future dog  handbag sized? Fox sized? labrador sized? larger ? 
you've never had a pup or dog before at all ? 

[persephone]

You might find the following  some good reading    CLICK HERE     also .. CLICK HERE   puts things in perspective

[sandgrubber]

I'd say rescue an adult.  Staff types tend to be both cuddly and robust, and there are many in rescue.  You do need to be cautious about dog aggression with any bull breed type...not always a problem, but common enough. 

[zestylemon]

8 hours ago, persephone said:

This is what we are working on   

Is your future dog  handbag sized? Fox sized? labrador sized? larger ? 
you've never had a pup or dog before at all ? 

Nope, never had a dog before. I would like my future dog to be fox-labrador sized

[persephone]

4 hours ago, sandgrubber said:

I'd say rescue an adult.

Think I'd agree

[juice]

If you go to a good rescue ( and there are plenty of bad ones around so take advice), you can tell them what you are after, the dog will be in foster care, so you can get one that lives a similar life to the one you are offering so its easier. they will be full grown so no surprises with how it turns out and you will know its exercise requirements and sleeping habits, toilet trained etc

[persephone]

..and spend time wandering around dog parks/shows/shelters  looking, asking questions  and learning  most folks love to talk about their dogs , and you will pick up all sorts of pointers  to help in your choice of companion . 

It can also come to pass that one day , after months of searching .... one will find you . and YOU WILL KNOW . 

[RuralPug]

2 hours ago, zestylemon said:

Nope, never had a dog before. I would like my future dog to be fox-labrador sized

Sorry? Do you mean between fox terrier sized (small) and Labrador sized (large? ) Do you mean in between, meaning only a medium sized breed or any size bigger than a toy breed and smaller than a giant breed?
 

I agree an adult as a first dog is ideal. So either a fostered adult from a rescue (NOT from a shelter or pound) or an adult from a breeder.

You want a dog with a fairly low activity level, so that is important to know. A dog that will be comfortable being alone for the working day and will welcome you in the evenings and on weekends.
I wouldn't worry too much about your occasional visitors with mild allergies, to cater to allergies you will need a poodle-coated type dog which will need much more grooming than just a brush over which doesn''t fit with your needs - and you are the one who will be living with the dog 7 days a week. You are looking for a smooth coated breed, or a single coated medium to long hair breed (think cavalier king charles spaniel type coat).

 I would avoid all the toy breeds, as they are companion dogs first and foremost and often don't adapt well to being alone for large parts of the day (although there are exceptions and you might get lucky and strike one who knows?) I would also avoid all of the terriers and working breeds as are they are high activity in most cases.

Of the top of my head, smaller breeds that might suit are Dachshund (standard size smooth or long), Whippet; some medium breeds that might suit are Basset Hound,  Xolo (standard or intermediate size coated version); larger breeds include Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever (NOT from working lines though). 

There are no doubt heaps of mixed breed dog currently in rescue that would also suit you.

[persephone]

RP, WITH FOX I meant vulpine fox, not terrier

 

[Two Best Dogs!]

Picking an adult based off their desired temperament might be best , rather than jumping into a puppy of a breed you aren’t familiar with. There’s rescue and pounds of course, but also retired purebreds in rescue and owners onselling. 

 

Find one one with the temperament and personality to match your living and the external appearance can follow later 

Edited September 21, 2018 by Thistle the dog

[juice]

i wouldn't suggest a whippet, they will die out in the cold at night. I think the criteria is hard, a companion dog won't go well being chucked outside to sleep, and the ones that will be ok will be too high energy.

Have you considered fitting a dog door so it can sleep inside and go outside to pee?

[zestylemon]

5 hours ago, RuralPug said:

Sorry? Do you mean between fox terrier sized (small) and Labrador sized (large? ) Do you mean in between, meaning only a medium sized breed or any size bigger than a toy breed and smaller than a giant breed?
 

I agree an adult as a first dog is ideal. So either a fostered adult from a rescue (NOT from a shelter or pound) or an adult from a breeder.

You want a dog with a fairly low activity level, so that is important to know. A dog that will be comfortable being alone for the working day and will welcome you in the evenings and on weekends.
I wouldn't worry too much about your occasional visitors with mild allergies, to cater to allergies you will need a poodle-coated type dog which will need much more grooming than just a brush over which doesn''t fit with your needs - and you are the one who will be living with the dog 7 days a week. You are looking for a smooth coated breed, or a single coated medium to long hair breed (think cavalier king charles spaniel type coat).

 I would avoid all the toy breeds, as they are companion dogs first and foremost and often don't adapt well to being alone for large parts of the day (although there are exceptions and you might get lucky and strike one who knows?) I would also avoid all of the terriers and working breeds as are they are high activity in most cases.

Of the top of my head, smaller breeds that might suit are Dachshund (standard size smooth or long), Whippet; some medium breeds that might suit are Basset Hound,  Xolo (standard or intermediate size coated version); larger breeds include Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever (NOT from working lines though). 

There are no doubt heaps of mixed breed dog currently in rescue that would also suit you.

Do you know any reputable dog rescues in Victoria?

Also, why not from a shelter or pound?

 

Edited September 21, 2018 by zestylemon
Missed a detail

[juice]

Because you have no idea what the dog is like in the pound, yuo wont know if its an escape artist, aggro with other dogs, house trained , nothing at all. In foster care the dog is living with someone who will have got to know it and all its traits so you know what you can expect.

[_PL_]

Rescue Network - VIC dogs

[RuralPug]

8 minutes ago, zestylemon said:

Do you know any reputable dog rescues in Victoria?

Also, why not from a shelter or pound?

 

Yes there are quite a few reputable rescues in Vic - let us know what general area you are in and we can recommend some. One that springs straight to mind as a good ethical rescue that covers most of Vic and is careful in rehabilitating dogs and then matching them to adoptive homes is Victorian Dog Rescue - they have a web page and a facebook page.

The reason that I don't recommend a pound or shelter in your instance is due to you needing a low activity dog that is content to spend several hours a day alone. What you don't need is a dog that is going to need a lot of man hours of rehabilitation because it is bored and destructive or constantly escaping or howling etc.
Pounds and shelters are simply not in a position to assess dogs to see if they match criteria - the dogs are all kennelled with other dogs and people nearby during the day. Pounds in particular very rarely try to match dogs with homes and simply sell to who ever is first in line and willing to pay. That is fine for those who can accept the work that might be required if the dog doesn't match their criteria. Some shelters are a bit more discriminating but again cannot assess due to kenneling.