Hello, any advice for first time owner?

[venusandromeda00]

I really want a companion. Interested in a male dog. It would be my first dog besides a family dog that passed years ago, I'm a bit nervous to own my own pet. I have a one bedroom apartment. My activity level is on the lower end. Any advice on which breed, and how to obtain a dog? Craigslist? Is there a dog specifically for someone who wants a more relaxed dog? One that will lick and want to mount, of course thanks!

 

[btwiamazoophile]

You never really know what a given dog is going to be into until you start forming a relationship with them. Owning a dog, even one that's not got intense energy requirements, will still also probably require some lifestyle changes to account for giving your dog the exercise they need to thrive. Sex alone definitely isn't adequate.

Both of my dogs are craigslist rehomes that I adopted around 10-14mo when I got them. It's been years now, and I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[egoldstein]

I really want a companion. Interested in a male dog. It would be my first dog besides a family dog that passed years ago, I'm a bit nervous to own my own pet. I have a one bedroom apartment. My activity level is on the lower end. Any advice on which breed, and how to obtain a dog? Craigslist? Is there a dog specifically for someone who wants a more relaxed dog? One that will lick and want to mount, of course thanks!

I would advise yo uto not get a dog off craigslist. Not that ecconomic concerns are most important, but think carefully about the health of any companion. Do you know what health issues exist in the parents, their parents, etc? Take a very close look at the lineage for problems, you may end up paying for them over and over for many, many years to come...or perhaps worse, only a few years.

Make a list of the various dog breeds you like, I recommend looking at the AKC site (doesn't matter if you're in the US, they're breed generalities) and compare the expected exercise and other aspects with what you want. Having had both long haired and short haired dogs, I am unlikely to ever have another long hair due to the shedding. Some breeds socialize better than others, some are stubborn, etc.

There are a lot of dog breeds, so here's a list that shows typical weight ranges to help you sort and find possible good candidates to later lookup and see how they match your lifestyle and expectations.

Also, here is a thread for advice to first-time dog caretakers, "So now you have a dog..."

 

[btwiamazoophile]

I would advise yo uto not get a dog off craigslist. Not that ecconomic concerns are most important, but think carefully about the health of any companion. Do you know what health issues exist in the parents, their parents, etc? Take a very close look at the lineage for problems, you may end up paying for them over and over for many, many years to come...or perhaps worse, only a few years.

Make a list of the various dog breeds you like, I recommend looking at the AKC site (doesn't matter if you're in the US, they're breed generalities) and compare the expected exercise and other aspects with what you want. Having had both long haired and short haired dogs, I am unlikely to ever have another long hair due to the shedding. Some breeds socialize better than others, some are stubborn, etc.

There are a lot of dog breeds, so here's a list that shows typical weight ranges to help you sort and find possible good candidates to later lookup and see how they match your lifestyle and expectations.

Also, here is a thread for advice to first-time dog caretakers, "So now you have a dog..."

On the flip side, both of my dogs were $50 or so and they're both quite healthy! I guess in that sense, I have had to pay for them many times over in caring for them lol. My husko has a few lipomas in his age but they don't hurt his mobility so there's no reason to operate on them.

It's certainly a bit more of a gamble not having a well-known lineage to back up the health of a dog when you're looking for specific breeds, but it's not like you're purchasing a grenade. There's a lot of dogs out there looking for an owner to love, and there's a lot of different ways to end up connecting with them.

 

[egoldstein]

On the flip side, both of my dogs were $50 or so and they're both quite healthy! I guess in that sense, I have had to pay for them many times over in caring for them lol. My husko has a few lipomas in his age but they don't hurt his mobility so there's no reason to operate on them.

It's certainly a bit more of a gamble not having a well-known lineage to back up the health of a dog when you're looking for specific breeds, but it's not like you're purchasing a grenade. There's a lot of dogs out there looking for an owner to love, and there's a lot of different ways to end up connecting with them.

Yeah, I didn't mean to imply that just because a doggo doesn't have a known lineage they're inferior, just that sometimes it's a gamble and for me that's a gamble that needs serious consideration. I've done the cancer dance; we won, but the cost was high (not just economic cost) and I'd rather not do it again. I can't guarantee a dog won't have any issues, but I want to have as many assurances as I can get that my companion's parents were tested for major inherited issues.

One of my dogs is a mix, we have a good guess as to what's in there, much of it border collie I think, who aside from a hpyerplastic prostate has been a paragon of canine health.

 

[SaltyDog]

I really want a companion. Interested in a male dog. It would be my first dog besides a family dog that passed years ago, I'm a bit nervous to own my own pet. I have a one bedroom apartment. My activity level is on the lower end. Any advice on which breed, and how to obtain a dog? Craigslist? Is there a dog specifically for someone who wants a more relaxed dog? One that will lick and want to mount, of course thanks!

Hello @venusandromeda00
Over the decades of my Zoo Life, I have had dogs from high end breeders, mom & pop breeders, neighbors and friends and in more recent years CraigsList. If you have the money, then by all means go to a Top-End breeder that can guarantee their health, in writing, long term. And good luck finding one that will not obligate you to neuter him in the contract that you will have to sign. And remember... "no nuts, no glory!". Meaning if he's neutered, he will not have the same sex drive and you will be disappointed.

I have found absolutely wonderful dogs from friends, neighbors, and CraigsList. However, you must do your homework by asking questions, and lots of them. Are the parents on the premises? Why are you selling? Look at the environment/home. Are there any redflags? Things like: no shots, deplorable conditions, cheap broken down cars in the driveway, etc.

Plus, are you able and willing to train your new dog? Take him on long walks? Vet bills, grooming, etc?

You asked about how to get "a more relaxed dog". If you buy an adult dog, let's say on CraigsList, you can see the temperament of the dog before you buy, as he's already grown. You can buy a pup, also from CraigsList, and you'll have to spend more time raising him and grooming his personality traits and behavioral habits; but because you are guiding his life from an early age, you have the best chance at raising your pup to become the adult dog of your desires... And you also have a real good chance at raising a total brat and out of control beast if you don't know how to raise a dog properly from a pup. If you buy some books on the subject and use high quality experts, either in-person or online, to guide you through the puppy times, you can certainly raise a very good boy, even without any prior experience. I have recently used SpiritDogTraining for my new girl with good results.

Do you have anyone you know and trust, to help you IRL? This can always be a life saver. Vets often can refer you to a good dog trainer as well. Good books can be found at your public library, as this will help with not having to pay for expensive books.

Hope this helps...