Puppies are always filled with what ifs. Adult dogs have their personalities set, so you can sometimes find a better fit. Adult dogs can come with baggage so be careful of which you pick, and spend a lot of time with it. It will be a rough couple of weeks as it adjusts.
I personally so far prefer puppies that I can shape and teach. Adult dogs would not fit in to my current situation with having a pack of female dogs.
I know you will be the best owner. My dogs get pretty upset when I have to go away. They won't even settle for my husband who they also miss, but they expect him to go away for a bit but not me. My dogs are tightly bonded with me.
I definitely know that dogs can give back. Everyone is different. Some follow you everywhere, some talk to you, some sit with you when you are sad and some just make trouble. I could never predict as puppies which would be which.
So many people romanticize dog ownership. I guess I was thinking about others who get upset because their puppy is 4 months old and not completely house broken, or that their puppy is destructive at 8 months. Puppies are lots of work and some adult dogs are work, but I would be lonely without them. I don't understand people who get rid of dogs or "rehome" them. I hate that term. Dogs don't do well with that traumatic of a change in their lives. It all so sad.
That's not directed at you, but at the whole culture in this country of people getting dogs than dumping them because they didn't live up to their expectations. My dogs are mine for their lives.
Labs and goldens are popular because they are good all around dogs. You will be happy with any breed you eventually choose. Are you thinking male or female?
Keep researching and looking. You will find what you want, and you will know it when you see it. I wish I could go to all these events with you, they sound fun.
Yeah, that is my exact reason for wanting a puppy, I want a dog that I can finally shape my own way, but I also want to save a dog and I could probably get it well trained pretty quick but it's also a lot harder to introduce adult dogs to each other which is my concern.
And yeah, I hate when people do that and I could never do it. And usually the dog just needs more exercise and/or training if it's a destructive terror. It's not usually the dog's fault it's being rehomed. Especially when so many people always say I'm moving, having a baby, landlord won't let me keep the dog, etc. And that's why I'm still not 100% sure if I want a dog yet because I'm young and want to travel and go to concerts still and/or want to move to a cheap city where I can. So I may wait. But honestly I would go homeless/live in a car and/or starve before I would let the dog starve or rehome it and meanwhile there's literally people that have a puppy for a week or two and then rehome it cause they changed their minds or realized it was too much work. I would never do that. They are not disposable. And it annoys me especially the having a puppy one week or landlord not approving because I'm always like... why didn't you ask your landlord BEFORE you got a dog? Or think about the commitment before getting a puppy. I feel like some people just impulsively buy puppies from pet stores. But that's also why I'm torn on breeds because some apartments say a dog has to be below 50 pounds or 25 pounds more commonly and they often have breed restrictions. Like even Huskies and GSDs aren't usually allowed. But I could never do that to a dog. Or if I ever did move or start working, it would be a year or two and fully trained already. But honestly the only reason I really want to move is because family stuff which you already know about but if I could build a tiny house or make an apartment on our property, I'd be perfectly happy staying here a while because I also don't want to leave the garden or chickens behind. Or I might move to my brother's basement, they have a bed, separate bathroom, walk out, etc. And it's separate from the other half of the basement. Only thing is no kitchen but I don't mind sharing aha but honestly I actually want to stay here at least a little while longer anyway because minimum wage here is much higher than a lot of places and if I'm at home, I'm not paying rent so I can save up a lot faster and then move somewhere cheaper. I kind of want to move to PA or OH, I have a lot of friends in Pittsburgh and family in Erie and OH. And there's a lot of good concerts in the area but it's not super expensive to live like here. But idk yet. I wouldn't move for a while and I wouldn't ditch a dog. Sorry, completely random now lol
Anyway, I'm not sure on gender yet. I was thinking female because I read that it's easier for opposite sexes to get along so thought it'd be the best chance with Gator? Plus females are generally, but of course not always, smaller than the males. But then I also love male dogs and almost all of our dog friends are female so I wasn't sure if that would be too many females? I mean, Libby, Sammie (their neighbor's dog and Libby's best friend), my friends 2 Goldens, one of my brother's friend's dog, etc. So I just don't know. But I feel like Gator wouldn't really appreciate another male on "his" territory/property. But maybe if I got them as a puppy it'd be better? But idk. Once it hits maturity, it might be an issue. But then again, Gator is getting older and if I don't get a dog until spring at least or later then he will be 7 by then and if the dog reaches maturity/becomes a threat around 2 years old, he'd be 9 by then, so maybe he would be more mellow and chill.
I have a yellow lab, jack Russell terrier and a Caucasian ovcharka. My Ovcharka is the best with my chickens. He lays by the brooder inside and walks around the run outside. He protects them. He does not like strangers. He weighs over 200 lbs and is a gentle giant. My lab is scared of small animals but she is a very well trained, loving dog. I highly recommend labs for people who have time to train them. Jack Russell's are hard wired vermin killers and mine cannot be within earshot of the chickens or he goes craazy. He is more like a cat. I love all my dogs but my lab rates on top. She is very wanting to please and super affectionate.
Your dogs are beautiful!! Do you find the Lab easy to train? I've heard they can be a bit more stubborn/hard headed than Goldens.
I would say no matter what you choose the line the dogs come from is important too. There is a huge difference between American labs and labs bred from English lines. Especially the differences between the working and show lines.
How much grooming are you willing to do?
How much training and playing with the dog?
Most of the terriers could be a problem with smaller animals and the chickens due to what they were bred for. Yes socialization helps but if you adopt an older dog and even if it's a puppy it may not always be okay with the cat and chickens.
We have a great Dane and a sheltie and they get along very well. The sheltie wears the pants. I've also worked at a shelter and with countless other dogs.
Molly, the sheltie, was mine before DH2B and I got together. I got her when I was in high school and she's been with me ever since. I did extensive training with her at the time and although she's 12 now she's still doing great and smart as a whip. Molly is high energy but does settle.
DH2B got the Dane when he moved out. She unfortunately was beyond a handful when we first got together. She's quite stubborn. Unfortunately he's a farmer and was gone for many hours a day it wasn't ideal. More than that though she isn't quite like the Danes his family had previous experience with. She's sweet but trouble. Always into something. Even at 5 years old which is getting up there for Danes. When she was a year old she got hit by a car it has of course had an impact on her life.
I think most terriers it's very easy for people to let them get away with naughty behavior and for them to be seen as babies.
I think a dog from the herding or gun dog/sport group makes a better dog for someone's first solo dog.
Don't forget to take into account all the veterinary care and set aside some money in savings as a pet emergency fund. Don't forget larger dogs eat larger amounts. You don't want to know how much we spend on food for the Dane lol. Medications are also more expensive for larger dogs.
When you move out you'll likely be working a lot to pay for rent and such that's a lot of time for a dog to be alone especially a young puppy.
My brother and sister in law got a gsd a couple months back and are now overwhelmed with their two little boys and another on the way. I worry that dog will be put outside and left there. If given the chance we'll bring her home. We're not searching for another dog mind you but I also wouldn't let her live her life outside.
It's so easy to forget about things that are important. Westies and Cairns and many of the other terriers are prone to dental problems. Dogs with fuzzy faces get bits of food and saliva and then also water in their beards and they can get pretty nasty even with regular washing.
Certain breeds of course slobber more. Shed more. Need more or less brushing.
Also yes think about your location and your winters and the coats of the dogs you're thinking about. Many dogs get taken for grooming which can easily be 40-50$ or more a time locally near me.
We do all of our grooming ourselves working with them on everything from paw handling to ear handling. Some dogs have ticklish feet and that can make it more difficult.
Also think about your summers and the temperatures.
Also remember that even if you go to a brerder and buy a 3000$ puppy there's no guarantee of what that puppy's personality is going to be like. My sheltie is a dog very food motivated but her greatest desire is to please me. She sticks to me like glue most of the time.
Our Dane is less food motivated and is much more likely to do her own thing especially outside she may completely disappear for up to half an hour.
My brother's gsd is so sweet and amazing of course her personality is still developing but she's much more timid and unconfident at the moment.
Some of the most hyper dogs I've ever met included jack russells, untrained border Collies(not their fault), working line Labradors that just couldn't settle(would seriously intently focus on and fetch a bottle lid for hours and hours).
Of course mostly it really depends on on the dog's training and environment as well as it's mental stimulation. With i think about 40-50% the dogs actual personality and maybe less.
I agree with some of the above posters it's best to give a second chance to a dog but wait until you're ready. Be realistic about how much time you'll really have to spend with the dog especially once you move out, life will change.
Keep researching and deciding what you like and what you don't. I would definitely narrow down your breeds before you choose.
I have met some English shepherds and they were great dogs but did need a firm hand and an owner that understood dominance. One of them was also prone to some aggression and actually went after an insurance claims guy when he showed up. Still I think I would probably get one.
I also grew up with an American cocker spaniel and he was great. Protective of us kids with strangers but he was a great dog. He did need regular trims as their hair grows continually and he liked to chase cars but he was dropped off at our farm so we didn't exactly choose him. He also had seizures which they're prone to.
Thank you so much for all the info and such a detailed response! So much to respond to I don't know where to begin lol definitely a lot to think about and I have thought about a lot of it. For example, grooming, theoretically I'm like oh I love grooming and spending time with the dog but in reality, I think hand stripping a terrier coat would be kind of a pain. But maybe not. But brushing I don't mind and love/am obsessive about getting the undercoat out haha and I would work with them from a young age about getting their nails, ears, and teeth done or at least letting them be checked by strangers, etc. Because Gator won't let us cut his nails at all and barely lets the vet check his teeth (he lets me). So I plan on working on that extensively. So I'd likely just do all grooming myself. Training and play, I love that sort of stuff and would probably spend like legit all day doing it haha I'm constantly thinking up or trying training games or random stuff or working lessons into every day life. Plus I want to try nosework and/or dock diving. And with the current job, I could take the puppy/dog because it's just walking my brother's puppy. If I ever get another job, it will either just be part time retail, or more dog walking and pet sitting jobs and possibly training (want to eventually get certified) so I could probably either take the dog with me to those or if not, it wouldn't be all day/full time and even if it was, I would still make time before and after for the dog. As for weather, we are in Massachusetts so do get fairly cold in winter and hot in summer but our climate is somewhat changing imo as the winters have been milder and summers hotter lately. If I ever move, it would likely either be New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Ohio, or Idaho, so all places with snow and cold. I hate the heat haha so the dog would have to probably have a double coat but I also don't mind buying coats or sweaters for it if necessary. Meds and food are definitely more expensive with large dogs though which is unfortunate but I don't mind it and am used to it with Gator lol also used to slobber and hair so that's also not an issue.
And I plan on trying to train a dog how to settle or at least self control/impulse control but obviously that's easier with a calmer personality to begin with. I do think a sporting breed may be the best fit, I love them.
Oh and speaking of the lines, I tend to prefer the English Labs just because the calmer yet goofy personality, otter tail, big blocky heads, are kind of ehat a true Lab is to me as opposed to a narrow tail or triangle head or hyper and crazy. BUT. I have found in looking at breeders that they seem to have gotten more stocky or shorter or something over the years and some look almost obese to me so I don't really like that look and I've seen some say the Americans train easier/are more focused and calm down faster but the goofy puppies till they're 5 thing is part of what I love about Labs so idk. Maybe I could find either a mix of American and English or at least a more moderate/medium build English. I do think the English in general is a better fit though.
I have had 2 Rat terriers and one JR. 2 were great. The other rat terrier or rat terrier mix, tormented and launched attacks on the other dogs, food aggressive and a bully. Once my birds put their head thru the fence to eat grass and terriers grabbed his neck. They backed off when I yelled. But I hotwired the dog yard to keep them from eating the birds. Now I did not have these terriers from babies, they all came as adults.Terriers are hardwired to go after small varmits. I have heard not to trust them around cats. We had a laid back cat, and did have to watch one who would growl at her if she rubbed up against them. Too be honest, I am done with terriers; getting older and don't want the 'concerns' I have about their hunting other small animals...If you have them from babies and train them well...may be different...I have read that terriers have been bred for generations to be more aggressive than wolves... I have a hobby farm and grandkids and raise rare birds, I am sticking to sheparding type dogs, not hunting or killing ones. I am looking into the poodle mixes, like Schnauzer, sheepdog,lab,aussie,etc. for hybrid vigor and coat care...(had a Schnauzer once; good dog, but you have to be careful about over exciting terrier breeds...ie , kids). I have heard Aussies having been ruined with health issues yet, but may need lots of 'work' ... it does depend on the dog and training, but genetics is an issue. I had shelties once , and one was great, the other couldn't tolerate me having too many kids, and had to go to an adult home. Had labs too, hard to keep them home, and one tried to eat a goose, but then became friends later. I want a smart dog, without the drama myself that will alert, but not be a danger to my other animals and family.... age does that to you...
Thanks for all the info!! Yeah, I'm thinking maybe terriers wouldn't be the best even though I love them because of the small animal thing. I'll probably always have small animals. Have chickens and a cat now and might eventually get gerbils, guinea pigs, or a rabbit, or parrot/parakeets. This could be years down the line and I may not ever get them but even if I only had cats and chickens, terriers do seem risky. I have actually also thought about a Labradoodle or Goldendoodle because they seem like great dogs and very smart and sweet but it can be hard to find reputable breeders. Bernedoodles are another adorable one, Bernese Mountain Dog and Poodle, and they seem like very sweet, calm dogs but likely big with the Bernese in there and expensive.
but they're amazing. And some love to please. And plenty score very high in competitions. But I guess at the end of the day, they still are dogs and would rather be dogs doing dog things.
