Alright my family has bin looking at dogs lately and we don’t know what type of dog to get do any of you guys have any ideas?
note: we are not looking for a specific pure bred or dog but if you have an idea let me know in the comments!
Shih Tzu were believed to be kept as pets or ‘ornamental’ dogs in Tibet for more than 1000 years. There is nothing to back up the story that they were once considered sacred by Buddhists and kept in the temples. This idea may have come from a legend that Manjusri, the Buddha or god of learning, carried a very small dog with him and this was known as the ‘Lion Dog’ as it was believed to turn into a lion and carry Manjusri on his back. Despite the Shih Tzu shaggy hair and flat face it would be a considerable stretch of the imagination to assume this small dog was the lion dog in question, but as there were no Lions in Tibet few Tibetans would be sure of what the Big Cat of Africa looked like.
Get a Shih Tzu. Seriously.
Don’t waste an adoption on a Shih Tzu.
I used to have a German Shepherd. Amazing breed. Fast, strong, can be used a guard dog, responds incredibly well to training, and yet still very family-friendly. The only way we were able to tire our’s out was by playing fetch with him in the water for like 2 hours. They have a lot of stamina.
You need a dog that matches your familys energy level. If you get a high energy dog and you can’t walk or run him daily, it’s a huge problem. Do you want a calm dog or an energetic dog? What size of dog do you want? Do you want a house dog or an outdoor dog? Getting a dog that fits well with your family and life style takes some serious work and thought.
Good luck!
I have a silky terrier. LOVE IT TO DEATH.
Very cute, brown and black, and you can always tell what he’s thinking! Tons of good times with him, I love him! Loves to cuddle, too. They never get too big, always cuddleable. I can post a cuter picture of my own personal dog tomorrow, but for now:
Don’t waste your brain cells reading his post.
Shih Tzu’s are always the way to go. They are loyal, fun to be around, and extremely adorable with a bow in their hair.
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Alright since I’m getting lots if different responses I think I might want to give you guys a description of what we are kinda looking into
What were looking into is
Short hair (it’s easier to clean up)
A nice reasonable size dog ( a toy size or small dog is a little too small for us)
Needs to be friendly (nobody needs a mean dog)
Many years ago I was living in the heart of Des Moines, Iowa and walking to my car one early summer morning on the way to work. Suddenly, zip, something shoots out from underneath my car. A mangey, flea-bitten scraggly little black cat. It was all sickly looking and I couldn’t get within 30 feet of it it was so skittish. The next morning there it was again, coughing, hacking and running away in fear. I told my girlfriend it look sick enough to be a health menace, maybe I should have animal control come and collect it. Instead I stop by the store on the way home that night and bought some cat food. The little thing wouldn’t come near the bowl with me around so I just went back upstairs and talked to it out the window while it ate. The next night I sat at the top of the stairs and talked to the cat while she ate. The following night I sat half way down the stairs. On the forth night I sat at the bottom of the stairs and pet her while she ate. The next night she came to my apartment door and meowed a request to come inside. Scout and I were together for over sixteen years before thyroid cancer took her life three years ago.
I tell that long story to make one small point. I did not pick Scout, she chose me. And she loved me more than I could have possibly have hoped from any pet. Here is my recommendation for your family Abby. Go to your local animal shelter or rescue league and visit the different dogs they may have available. Drive around to different places in your area. Somewhere out there is a dog, it may be big, it may be small, but there is a dog who will meet your family and say with it’s lolling tongue, big doggie smile and wagging tail I want the Brodsky’s to be MY forever family.
Worry not so much about breed, breed profiles can be deceiving sometimes. The cat I have now is a pure bred Abyssinian and worth over $800. Scout came to me for free off the street. However Pogo Joe will never love me nearly a sweetly as my little Scout did. I would trade my $800 Abby in a heartbeat if I could just have my little Scoutie back. Trust me on this one, once a pet has picked you out of the crowd and chosen you as it’s forever family, a greater love you will never know from any other pet.
My advice to your family is to visit your local shelters and find that special someone who is just waiting for you to come by and let him love you.
(As a side note, my mother has had three Shih Tzu’s. Q is right, they are an incredibly loyal and loving breed.)
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Okay thanks for the tip banjo and we have checked the shelter or pound but the dogs aren’t the best there were mostly pit bulls (my mom can’t stand them she doesn’t like the look of them for some reason)
Short haired dogs tend to shed more.
And the friendliness of a dog depends on the dog, not the breed.
My silky terrier is hypo allergenic so he doesn’t shed at all. I would know, I’m allergic to animal fur.
Very friendly
They aren’t too small, you’ll see. Just right.
And they LOVE to play or cuddle depending on how you interact with them. Mine actually has learned to play soccer against me and he’s VERY good, surprisingly! Has learned how to move his body and maneuver the ball with his paws and escape my clutches.
Wonderful companion.
P.S. they are really friendly. ( At least, mine is. Just raise them right!)
This right there, excellent & important counsel no matter what type of dog you choose.
Very true!
Yeah your right banjo that’s why we are thinking a bout a puppy so we can make it fit our family by how we react to it (then again a puppy could be a big mistake we make) that and dog wise I just don’t one that eats my yoyos!
I have a Rat Terrier. On the small size, only weighs like 30 pounds. But he’s such a love. Rat Terriers are known for their general nice demeanor, even though they’re small. Seriously, he’s the perfect dog. Doesn’t need too long of a walk, and always wants to cuddle.
You’re right in the idea that getting a puppy will help instill a deep bonding with your family right from the start. It is also true puppies come with a whole set of unique puppy problems. House training alone can be a huge challenge. They can decide lamp cords and dress shoes are fun things to chew on. (And yes, plastic yo-yos can be a tempting teething toy for a growing puppy dog as well.) Initial introductory veterinary care such as shots can be a financial shock right off the bat. And their energy level, oh boy! 2:30 am can be their idea of the perfect play time and your toes the perfect chew toy.
Yet there is nothing like the joy of having a puppy in the house! Some of my fondest life memories are those times when we had a brand new baby dog come into the house and become a member of our family. I just know whatever your family decides to do you’ll be so happy with a loving canine addition to the household. Our home would never have been complete without the dog family members we had with us along the way.
Pogo Joe is insisting I clarify some of my previous remarks. If anyone were to come by and offer me $2000.00 for my abyssinian cat I wouldn’t take it. He’s my wonderful little loving companion and we’re real good buddies. (He was threatening to sleep on top of the kitchen cupboards for the rest of the week if I didn’t set things right. Don’t let your pets read your posts over your shoulder, they understand more than you think.)
This is also why we are planning on if we are adopting a puppy to have it crate trained and house trained before we buy it (if there are any dogs in the area)
You need a mutt. Plain and simple. Pick a mutt with fur that seems to match your needs, and adopt it.
Do NOT get a husky-type mutt (or pure husky) if fur is a concern. They leave fur everywhere, and as a side un-bonus, the closer they are to pure husky, the more likely they are to run away if they ever get off leash.
This from a guy who adopted and loves a husky-like mutt with every ounce of his being.
But yeah, a mutt. Ie. a mixed breed. A Heinz-57.
Yeah we are looking into a few mutts but still aren’t sure, but on the bright side we know what type of thing that should not be in a dog no matter how cute it looks! (it’s weird my brother says awww at the puppies!)
I second this. My dad had one growing up. From all the stories, I can tell she was a great dog. If I were to get a dog, it would be a German Shepherd.