Posted by Dinah on December 7, 2003, at 10:16:49
In reply to another dog-related question, posted by Psychopoppy on December 7, 2003, at 2:43:19
My advice would be to research, research, research. There are enough breeds out there that have been developed for enough different purposes that if you know what you're looking for, you can find out what breeds will have that. For example, it would appear that you wouldn't be comfortable with a dominant dog. But my little ones just never bite humans. When my Harry bit me, the relief vet just didn't understand the significance of it. She said he wasn't feeling well and was snappish. But my regular vet knew at once it was the narcotic pain reliever. We made another choice and he hasn't bitten again. It was completely contrary to his personality and the vet knew it.
I have a couple of books that I've bought several of and loan out.
"The Right Dog for You" by Daniel Tortora (my favorite)
"Your Purebred Puppy" by Michelle Lowell.
If you're planning to get a non-purebred, those books are still helpful because the temperament of your "All American" will be influenced by the breeds of dogs that he comes from.
If you rescue from the SPCA, that's great. Make sure to look the dog over carefully for health and temperament.
If you get a purebred, make sure you get one from a responsible breeder where the pups are raised underfoot. Not from a puppymiller or someone supplied by a puppymiller (pet shop pups often are). No matter how cute the puppy, puppymill pups come from awful circumstances. If you've got a strong stomach, you can do a Google search on it.
Getting a little one is fun, but exhausting and can be nerve wracking. Getting an older dog sometimes, but not always, means getting a package of behavioral habits. One of my girls came to me from an elderly relative who went in a home. She got her from her breeder who took her back from an very abusive situation. Yet this dog fit seamlessly into our house and is the best behaved of the lot.
Be careful choosing and you're likely to be happy with the result.
Although I must confess that my worst dog experience came from buying a male puppy at eight weeks from a giant breed that had a reputation for being very gentle. But he had no more respect for me than for the door. He needed a strong male figure and ended up living happily with my very tall deep voiced dad, with whom he was completely docile. So, ok, occasionally even careful preparation doesn't work. But that was the only time that happened.
poster:Dinah
thread:287337
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20031207/msgs/287395.html