Thinking of getting a dog

Oh they sound fun :D I'll be looking into them. Yea it's not much of a comccon for me if I need to move, I always have a place to stay if I have an animal as I look for a new apartment/house. Thank you :D I've spotted a few dogs online that I like and plan to go meet them

I personally have a rat terrier, golden retriever, and a chocolate lab. Although rat terriers are on the smaller side, they are great! If you are planning on keeping the dog inside, I would not suggest a golden. They shed EVERYWHERE! I had my golden inside for a little while and afterwards my couch and all my furniture was covered in fur! XD I would suggest a border collie or australian shepherd. I also think that bull terriers are just the sweetest dogs ever! And they are adorable! XD

I second the Greyhound opinion. My friend who lives in an apartment got one from a retired racing greyhound charity & he loved the breeds quiet chilled out personality so much he got another one a few months later to keep it company! However his are older dogs (7 & 5yo) which might make a difference?? 

Either way they are super lazy & don't need much walking each day & they both go with him practically everywhere too & don't cause any drama. Little kids adore them! They make good cuddle monsters. The only downside is he literally can't use his sofa anymore - its the 2 hounds sleeping/chill zone. He is relegated to the less comfy chair!

Last edited on 2018-06-11 at 08:24:01 by Fabelhaft [WBs/Friesians]

Lol Fabelhalft they sound just like my dog, although he's a barely 15lb Jack russel mix XD he can take up an entire twin mattress if he wants to! ♥ lol 

Last edited on 2018-06-11 at 09:15:29 by ♪ Bandit ♪

Lol I don't mind the fur and it's not hard to clean fur off either :), I'll check those two breeds out for sure. Looking at grey hounds are on my list of possible dogs :D. I actually plan on meeting a boxer mix later today but I plan on meeting a few dogs before I decide :)

If you are still looking, I suggest a Doberman. My girl is between 75-80 lbs. Great dogs.
All the breeds suggested are great though.
Good luck!

I would say find a connection with a dog at the shelter unless you are wanting a breed specifically. I only suggest shelter because it sound like you don't really care what you get as long as it's not a small breed. If you wanted to be specific, then I'd say get a husky. They shed bad, and have a lot of energy but they are really funny and definitely good company if you live in a apartment alone.

Boston Terrier! On the smaller side but not yorkie small. Mine is 3 months old and his parents were 25 and 20 pounds. He is defiantly a big dog in a smaller dogs body. I always had boxers growing up and he reminds me of a smaller version. He is my first but I am hooked I will officially always have a Boston terrier in my life now!

Kinda of forgot about this post but I've decided on a German Shepherd, I plan on putting a deposit down on a litter in the next few months. I know they get a bit bigger then what I want but I love the breed and I've decided to go with a puppy so I can train it the wait I want him to be.

@ Lone Wolf,
I do wish you went with rescue... there's a lot of abandoned GS out there. I also thought you said that you're planning on get adult dog? My shelter got purebred GS on regular basis and we have no idea why they are surrendered because they all are very well behaved (they all are adults, not puppy). I absolutely love to take them out when I volunteered (along with Rottweilers...)

If you are determined to get a purebred GS puppy... make sure to have a lot of money in your saving and get all necessary tests especially for hips, back/spine/tailbone, and joints. GS have long line of crappy breeding so they are at higher risk for a lot of bone-related problem. I don't know what's your lifestyle exactly but you did mention that you are planning on take the dog with you everywhere... if that's true, then there's higher risk for joint issues (probably will need replacement) such as arthritis. Do not assume that the puppy will be fine just because their parents look fine. I had a dog who torn her leg muscle (due to poor developing) at 2 years old and developed arthritis at 4 years old. At 6 years old, she developed back leg paralysis and have to be put down because she was in a lot pain due to arthritis in her front legs. Nobody knew that she was dealing with all of those problems (except for paralysis part cos that one was kinda obvious) because she hid her pain very well and act like a normal dog with a slight limp. My friend also had a purebred GS and she had hip problem at 3 years old despite the fact that her parents is perfectly fine (the breeder did have vet records and both dogs are free from problems at that time) but genes were skipped or that puppy was first sign of inbreeding or something. 

If you have your puppy checked on regular basis, you will be able to catch on any potential hip/backbone/joint problems early and develop a plan with a professional to manage it so it won't deteriorate as fast to ensure that the dog can live for long time.

We received a lot of adult purebred dogs due to those problems especially with labs... owners brought a purebred puppy and never have them checked. The costs of surgery/treatments are so high by the time they realized that their dog have a problem. To save themselves money and give their dogs better shot at life, they often dumped the dog at shelter. Looking back... Now, I am thinking about it... that's probably the reason why we keep received well-behaved GS dogs... they all are little wobbly on their hips...

My plan had been to get an adult dog but I've decided to go with a puppy instead so I can train it the way I want, I know they can be expensive and what I'm getting myself into to with their possible health problems. I've done alot of research and know a fair bit about the breed :). As for adopting yes I could have waited and hopefully found one there but there is no guarantee on how long it would of taken and puppies tend to go fast after all. Plus just as a rescue needs a home so does a pup coming from a breeder either way a dog gets a home. I've done alot of research on the breeder I've chosen to be sure it's not some backyard breeder wanting a quick buck. I know the parents of the litter I'm hoping for has been tested and I'll be making sure the pup I choose gets tested as well and I plan on getting him checked regularly to catch any problems he may have. Yes the dog will be going just about everywhere I go as long as it's dog friendly, my life isn't super busy so aside from the dog park,pet store and a few other places he won't be going to alot of places to put to a big of a toll on him.

I work in a vet office and have a lot of experience with a vatiety of dogs. Also have 4 rescues myself. I would like to add my thoughts here.

In my experience, German Shepherds can be great dogs. *BUT* they usually DO NOT make good companions in apartment situations. They are a very intelligent breed and if not able to have a constructive way to their release energy (please note, they are also a very high energy and very powerful breed!), do have a tendancy to develop behavior issues. Like dog aggression. Seperation anxiety. Anxiety in general. Etc.

PLEASE do some *SERIOUS* research into the GS breed if you are seriously interested in it! Like someone else suggested, the breed is also notorious for serious health issues like elbow and hip dysplasia which are chronic issues that WILL require a lot of money to treat as they are issues that do not heal and only worsen with time.

ALSO, like someone suggested about Pits, probably a good idea to make sure that you would be allowed to have a German Shepherd dog in your particular apartment complex.

There are a variety of dogs that are suitable to an apartment situation with the proper exercise, discipline, and attention. It is not fair, in my opinion, to set a dog up for failure just because a person has an unrealistic expectation for a dog or a breed that is not suitable to their lifestyle.

You say you plan to take it everywhere with you. That is great. But what will you do when you go to work? Do you have a crate of adequate size if that is something you are interested in using? What is your plan for training said puppy? Will you seek assitance via puppy obedience classes (highly recommended!)? What will you do with the puppy when you have to go to the grocery store? Travel? What will you do if your GS does develop behavioral issues? Puppies alone need at least 2 visits to the vet for shots and boosters. Monthly heartworm preventative and flea medication are also highly important (and stupid expensive). Do you have a vet in mind? Spay/neuter costs? Yearly visits required. More if the dog gets sick (hopefully not but it can happen).

Some of these things are a necessity with any dog. But should ALWAYS be considered before getting a dog.

I hope, for the dog's sake, that things work out. There are too many that get the boot because their owner's had unrealistic expectations and the dog pays the price.

I know exactly what I'm getting into, I know when it comes to any dog(this wouldn't be my first) need proper training, exercise, nutrition exc. I hate how people assume just because I or anyone else chooses a breed or any dog for that matter they have no idea what they're getting into. I have been thinking through this for months with getting a dog, I now have plans to move into a house in the next month (mainly wanting a change). Yes I have a vet picked out and I have the money for any and all medical cost for the animal, I personally perfer to train him myself and not have a trainer but it wouldn't stop me from getting one if needed for a behavioral issue later on. I have read up on the breed I know they are strong and how much engery they can have, I actually work at home so leaving for work isn't a problem for me. I have everything planned for my new furbaby and again know what I'm getting into.

Sorry if this seems a bit rude or blunt but I have come across way to many people assuming I have no idea what I'm getting myself into when I do.