Dog advice!

Hallo my lovely Duders,

My girlfriend is obsessed with dogs, and I want to get us a dog at Christmas as a surprise for her. I have been purposely poo-poo-ing the idea to throw her off. However, our living and employment situation is kind of unique. While I would love to adopt straight from the shelter, I have some concerns about appropriate breeds to suit our situation. My number one priority is that the dog is comfortable and happy.

We work in a bar, and live above it. Our opening hours are from 18:00 - 23:00 Tuesday to Thursday, and 18:00 - 05:00 Friday and Saturday. The apartment is directly above the bar. During the week it is fairly quiet, however it is definitely quite loud in the evenings at weekends.

Can anyone recommend a particular breed that may suit our situation? A breed that is suited to am active environment and known to be friendly with people. Here in Germany it is not unusual for people to bring their dogs to the bar, and I would like our dog to be able to hang out with us on the quiet evenings.

Also, a dog that needs just a modest amount of exercise. We will be spending a lot of time with the dog, on walks etc, but we do not have time for a dog that requires a huge amount of exercise.

I want to pick the right kind of dog so the dog will be happy. Any advice would be appreciated!!

(Also if anyone of you are worried about me getting a dog "just for christmas", dont worry! I grew up with lots of pet dogs and cats, and was always in charge of training our dogs. I understand fully the responsibility involved! :) )

Get something small and just make sure that they are well trained and well socialised. Maybe some type of Terrier or a small spaniel. I have always steered clear of pure bred dogs, I'd go for a nice mongrel where the parents breeds are known.

The breed of the dog is no where near as important as proper training and socialising, if you have never owned a dog before you may not understand this.

Depending on size of your apartment basically any mid-size breed would be fine. I would suggest either a Golden Retriever or a Pitbull mix.

Almost every Golden I have ever met has had the same personality of just being goddamn happy all the time. Plus people seem to be more lax around a Golden because they are often goofy and playful.

As for the the Pitbull, they are about the sweetest dogs on the planet and would be perfectly fine being left alone while you guys work and so happy when you get back. They are often mislabeled for being an aggressive breed (thanks media). Depending on the age you get it training it to be social wouldn't be a hard feat.

I also suggest setting up a "quiet" space in the bar so the dog has their own area that they can access at anytime when you guys are working. Like a nice dog bed in a quieter corner of the office area so it can go nap or just get away if it feels like there is too many people.

My gut reaction is that none of your requirements seem specific enough to seek out a particular breed. It's also probably too late to arrange for a pure-bred puppy for Christmas. Years ago, I got my wife a puppy "for Valentine's Day" and we picked him up from the breeder in May.

Dogs adjust fairly well to a schedule - especially if the schedule doesn't really change, and it sounds like your work schedule is consistent. As far as friendliness, I believe that ANY dog can be friendly. I have a Doberman Pinscher that is the sweetest dog I've ever known. He LOVES meeting strangers - even the ones that are initially scared of his appearance.

I think I'd visit the shelter and see what kind of dogs need homes. Look for one that is the size (perhaps the most important factor, in many cases) that you're looking for, and is outgoing and friendly with strangers (you). An added bonus of adopting is that many of those dogs are already housebroken and/or trained.

Greyhounds make good apartment dogs. Sleep most of the day, and one or two sprints before being ready to go lay down again. They're known as 45mph couch potatoes.

They don't need constant attention. Gentle giants really. They don't bark a whole lot, but will do rooing (YouTube it, singing). They also like rolling and laying on their backs, which is called roaching.

In the winter time in temperate climates, they can't stay out for long periods of time, plus might need a throw over jacket; short hair dogs with thin skin.

A lot of retired racing greyhounds are available; so ages anywhere from 2 and up. They are all crate trained from racing.

Based on your situation, the best breed would probably be a retriever of some sort (golden, lab, etc.). They're very goodnatured, easy to train, and generally don't bark as much as other breeds. They do require a little bit of exercise and mental stimulation, but they're more than likely your best bet. They tend to be more expensive than other breeds because of their popularity though, so keep that in mind.

As an alternate, if you're willing to put in the time and effort, I'd suggest a sheltie. I've had five of them over the course of my life, and they're overall the best breed out there. They're almost as smart as border collies, but they're much more docile and less prone to destructive behavior. They tend to bark more than most breeds, even with training. It's just in their DNA, so you're mileage may vary. But for my money, shelties are number one without a doubt, overall.

You also need to keep grooming requirements in mind. Breeds with a heavy undercoat require much more brushing, etc. than short-haired or curly-furred breeds. You may consider getting a golden retriever/poodle mix, as they have the good-natured personality of retrievers and the intelligence and hypoallergenic hair coat of poodles.

Hope that helps.

*Also, quick note. While there is individual variation in any dog, the breed does determine a lot of the dog's behavior patterns and tendencies. Training goes a long way, for sure, but (for example) I wouldn't get a high-energy breed and expect to completely override its genetic makeup.

I have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Though I can't imagine him being in a bar environment, I think that breed would be perfectly suitable. Biggest issue with that breed (which isn't really an issue for me) is that they always want you to be around, even if they don't want you to bother them. They're also very good with other animals (though as mentioned, it's really about training). Actually, when I said 'biggest issue', I wasn't taking into account health problems. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are prone to heart issues, and mine has a heart murmur. I got my dog on July 17 of last year, and to be honest, before that, though I liked dogs, I wasn't that knowledgeable of all the different types of breeds as I am now, and so I wasn't really aware of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Why I say this is because before we got him, I had looked up online to see what the best breed would be for the family, and yet Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was never a choice, but once we got him, I couldn't imagine a better dog for us. And yes, they're friendly with everyone, so if you want a guard dog, this one isn't that. He'd rather jump up and lick the face of an intruder.

Thanks everyone! I understand that socializing is extremely important, and I hope that aspect will be easy enough with the dog getting accustomed to strangers and customers in the bar. Are there any particular breeds that are physiologically more sensitive to loud noises? I know that all dogs are to a certain extent, but is there a breed I should avoid?

Going by your advice and some I have recieved form friends I think I will be contacting the shelters around here and seeing what the story is.

Edit - also I might possibly be able to get a corgi, anyone have any experience? They seem perfect for our situation, although I have read in a few places that they require extreme amounts of exercise. That does not seem to make sense with their build.

As far as loud noises go, you just need to desensitize them to that type of environment. The most important aspect of training is to practice commands and whatnot in unfamiliar environments with plenty of distractions (once you get the basics down) in order to ensure they obey in any environment. If they only obey commands in their "safe zones," they are more likely to panic or become distracted when around strangers or in unfamiliar territory.

Also, this is probably obvious, but try and get as much info as possible about potential dogs if you're going the rescue route. Dogs with a history of abuse or things like that will be much more difficult for inexperienced owners. Just something to keep in mind.

I work in a shelter. most won't adopt out during Christmas. Also the chances of finding a pup in a shelter at Christmas are not very good. If you get a pup it will get used the noise. Pups grow up with their environment. Greyhounds need a fenced in yard. They do still like to run, plus they are animal aggressive. Corgi's are mean little shits. Not a fan. King Charles Cavaliers are neat little dogs.

My question for you is.

1 Do you have a fenced in area for the dog to run around in?

2. Does your landlord have any breed restrictions. In Philadelphia most landlords do not allow Pits. The bigger apartments do not allow most working breeds.

@splodge: I was gonna come in here to mention corgis. My gf recently got a corgi and he's been well-behaved indoors but excited to be outdoors. He likes to run around and play fetch, but he was fine on a 5 hour car ride and hasn't caused any trouble when left alone. Granted, he had some great training in his early days.

A few of my friends have shih tzus and they they seem to be ok in a condo sort of environment.

@splodge: Hey man, a lot of people are recommending getting a retriever, don't get a retriever. They are lovely dogs but they are big, require a lot of exercise and are not suitable for someone who lives in an apartment.

@marcsman We don't have a garden as we live in the center of town. There is a nice park right beside us though and some great places nearby to walk a dog. The landlord is fine with whatever dog, the previous tenants lived here for four years with a great Dane.

@csl316

She loves corgis. If I can get my hands on one I might go with that.

@splodge: I still would give warning about a Christmas dog. Growing up with them is one thing, but raising on on your own is another! Expect your lives to be ruined for quite some time and prepare for tears for the first week. As a second gift, get a journal, and in this journal, log how much you loathe your new puppy. You'll see that number go down and down ever so slowly, but you'll need a place to vent! As a third gift, get a nice camera and take so many pictures and videos, you won't know what to do. Your pup will grow fast, and in the blink of an eye go from a tiny lil thing to close to its full adult size.

For the first few weeks/months, you'll need to be able to take the dog out every 1-2 hours to potty. Since you work beneath your apartment, I think you've got that covered.

Do you plan on crating? We've found this a lifesaver for our pup, who is a mega-high energy german shorthaired pointer.

Let your neighbors know you'll be getting a pup. The first few weeks are going to be hell for anyone living near you. Please give advance warning, apologies, and cupcakes.

If you want a friendly, bombproof dog, you really need to work on socialization when they're young. Their biggest socialization window also happens to fall during their vaccination period, so talk to your vet ahead of time about that. They may offer puppy classes where other under-vaccinated pups can play together and meet non-family humans. There are socialization check-lists out there.

If you're going the breeder route, call multiple breeders up. They should want to meet you in person and should want you to view their facilities. You should be able to at least meet the female dogs and see what their temperment is like. They should be able to provide you with papers going back generations for the dogs bloodline, medical testing, etc. Ask the breeder which vet they use and then contact that vet. The breeder should be breeding just one breed and should make sure that breed is in fact, for you.

Find a vet before you get your pup and find out how much your first year will cost you. Your dog's going to cost a big chunk of change upfront, and the first year is going to be super pricey.

Greyhounds are awesome, and are super cool looking. If you can find 10-15 minutes to let it run off-leash as fast as they can, you'll have a fuzzy doorstop for the rest of the day.

Pitbulls are human-friendly. If you intend on having this dog interact with other dogs though, I would research this breed very, very thoroughly to make sure it's right for you. Also, check with your insurance company and your employer's insurance company. At least in the US, some companies won't cover a pit.

If a trainer mentions the words: alpha, wolf, dominance, choke, roll, e-collar, spray-bottle, find another trainer.

@Zelyre thanks for the reply! No need to worry, I am very familiar with raising pets :) helped raise a beagle from a pup, which included constant training and reinforcement. My girlfriend however has little experience but I am going to get her some excellent reading material. And thanks for the advice about neighbors, thankfully we don't really have any where we are situated so the little tike Can make as much noise as they want :)

Researching the vetinary And insurance costs as We speak!

Nothing wrong with using a choker on a dog to teach him how to walk.

Husky is the best brand of dog. Efficient too. They do like 40km per pound of food.

@ntm: I recently adopted a CavaPoo. She is the most unbelievably sweet natured creature you could imagine.

Though looking at her, you'd be hard pressed to detect any poodle.

Grew up with Corgis, they are great but shed enough to make a new one of themselves every month or so. Greyhounds are great (as previously mentioned), though they have breath that would knock you out and are tall enough to steal food from your kitchen table.

My wife and I are talking about a dog, and are interested in something small and relatively content/dumb.

Shiba Inu