[MishFish]

Hi,
I moved to the city last year and am going to be getting a puppy next year after I move out of this place that I am in right now. The problem is that I don't want to get a very large dog that is going to need ALOT of exercise.I would have preferred to have a border collie but it's not fair to have that dog in a city.
Basically, I'm looking for a small, friendly, un-yippy dog that is going to be okay with a small backyard, able to withstand cold weather and is not too hairy.
What does everyone think I should get?? Oh, and I'm not going to be getting a pure bred dog(can't afford it), I'm just going to get something that is at least as close as possible at the pound.

[jojojo]

Hi Mishfish, I too was looking for that kind of pup at the pound and looking at all the SPCA WEBSITES across Canada it looks like it's very hard to find puppies,especially small breeds. You can leave your name and ph.# and they will contact you if any come in. I,myself would put an ad in the paper and any free bargain books or a local classifieds on the net then you can describe what you want but be prepared to pay something because even at the SPCA they charged up to and over $100.00. Happy hunting!

[MishFish]

Hey, thanks,
I looked at the prices at the pound...which is a bit out of my price range for a pup right now. I think the best thing that I'm going for is looking for someone giving away pups...I'm definately going for a mutt. I've never had a purebred animal except for the one at my farm right now...well, she's close enough....
I definatly need an idea of what breed to look for though, has to be at least average intelligence, and good with kids and other animals.

[chh]

This is just something to think about, I don't mean it to be judgemental in any way. If the amount of money it would cost to get a puppy from the pound is out of your price range, are you sure you'll be able to afford the basic stuff like vaccinations and flea preventatives? What will you do if the puppy gets sick and needs even more vet care? Of course I have no idea what the pound you looked at charges, but in my experience, the $$ from well-visits plus even a minor illness (say an ear/eye infection, worms, owie on the paw, whatever) quickly add up to well over whatever the dog originally cost. Layer on the food and treats and toys and rug cleaning stuff...it adds up fast! Again, just throwing it out as something to consider if you haven't already. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[MishFish]

Don't worry about that, I think about ALL those things beforehand. It's irresponsible to get a pet if you can't take care of it. Right now, I'm unfortunately a poor college student but will be done next summer...so at least all my money won't be going to school anymore. I'm not getting this puppy until I'm done school and have the time to properly train it. I'm not much into paying that much for an animal when I can get it for free somewhere. We are considering getting a Bulldog at the moment, they seem perfect for what we are looking for...except, I don't know if they drool alot.
As for the vet stuff, in my experience, we have never taken our pets to the vet very often....mainly to just get their rabies shots. I have enough experience to take care of an animal if it gets sick(unless of course it was something extremely serious)...I know the basics, so i'm not really worried much about that. The only thing I'm worried about is how much it costs now-a-days to get your dog spayed/neutered....I really don't know anymore. I definately don't want to be having them making any more puppies out there.

[choklitbean]

If you want to get a dog that won't have to make to many trips to the vet I don't think you want a bull dog. From every thing I've read and heard they tend to have a lot of health problems.

If you are very active and have always wanted a border collie you may wish to look into getting a mix. Just because you live in the city doesn't mean that you wouldn't be able to provide a good home for one. There are many people who have given not only part border collies good homes in town but also purebreds (this requires more commitment though). I know of several people who keep them successfully in apartments as well.

If, however, you only dream of being active you are wise to leave the breed alone. If you look into rescue you can sometimes find collies that are listed as lower energy. This doesn't mean couch potato, but these dogs are great candidates for the city dweller who loves the breed.

I live in the country and have three border collies. One of them could live in town if I were excedeingly active and made a special point of taking her out and doing things with her, other wise she would drive me stupid on her way to going crazy. The other two would make fine pets for town living if I chose to move.

The most important thing is to keep thier minds busy. Dog sports are great for this, especially if you find a place that will let you use thier equiptment more than once a week (for higher energy dogs). If you are into it there are also people who do hobby herding. That is to say that they go take lessons in herding just for the fun of it. I know of several town folk who do that just because the dog loves it.

So yes, keeping a border collie in town is a commitment, but it is not an impossibility.

[MishFish]

Hi,
thanks for the advice!!! I really do love Border Collies the most and I am still really worried about having one in the city. I might take your advice and try to find one that is crossed with something else...and hopefully isn't as enegetic. I just don't want to be away all day to have the poor dog alone with nothing to do. Wouldn't be very fair to it. I would be very active with the dog when I was there, I would just hope the dog wouldn't take apart my apartment when I was gone due to boredome.

[choklitbean]

Thought you might enjoy this site. www.bordercollie.org

[MishFish]

Nice Site...I"m starting to lean towards a border collie again.
On other news, my dog at home, who is a border collie, has adopted 3 lil kittens.

[Randi]

I know this is a somewhat older post, but if you're still looking for a breed you should check out Animalplanet.com, under pet help go to "dog breed selector" and take their quiz. After the 10 questions it gives you the breeds that fit your answers the most, with percentages on how well they are for you (ie 100%, 90%, etc). It also gives a breed profile, if you click the breed. Just a suggestion that will make choosing a dog simpler.

Smile-It's Contagious!

[img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] :-) ;-) :~) ;~) '-) =)
=-) =~) >_<

[Rottnbelle]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MishFish:
Hey, thanks,
I looked at the prices at the pound...which is a bit out of my price range for a pup right now. I think the best thing that I'm going for is looking for someone giving away pups...I'm definately going for a mutt. I've never had a purebred animal except for the one at my farm right now...well, she's close enough....
I definatly need an idea of what breed to look for though, has to be at least average intelligence, and good with kids and other animals.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Okay, not that I want to holler on you, but the dog is the cheap part. I don't mean to rain on your parade. But if you cannot afford to pay the pound for a puppy, you cannot afford to own a dog! Sorry, but sometimes we have to put things on hold and be patient a little while. The puppy will need monthly visits to the vet for shots and worming until it is 4 or 5 months old. Then there is a yearly rabies and tags which cost. Then of course, we are assuming you have a totally healthy puppy. Around here healthy puppy visits are typically $40 to $50 each.

Think on this for a while. You can find a perfect breed for you, but the timing is not right. I would not give you a dog because I know that its upkeep would be too much for you which would be a recipe for disaster for my puppy, who might be looking for a new home when the vet starts giving you the heartwork and flea prevention meds which are very expensive.

Owning a puppy is going to cost you about $500 to $1000 the first year, especially when you factor in neutering or spaying.


Lynn, Jugendliebe Rottweilers
Moderator, "The Dog House" and its forums
Breeder of Oz the Amazing", who is owned and loved by Dawn Fillips
Inga at Westminster