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Posted: 6/27/2002 7:53:53 AM EDT
[#1]
I like AKC ( or the Canadian version CKC)..
However first I must try to stop you from buying a punt puppy!! You know she will want you to walk the beribboned creature and your friends might see you and laugh!! |
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Posted: 6/27/2002 8:04:10 AM EDT
[#2]
Unless you are planning on breeding the dog, the certification has no relevance whatsoever.
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Posted: 6/27/2002 8:05:47 AM EDT
[#3]
Don't do it. We had several when I was a kid. If she has to have a small dog, get a Fox Terrier or a Jack Russell. Actually any Terrier would work, they are cool and honestly believe they are big dogs. Lots of attitude!
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Posted: 6/27/2002 8:07:13 AM EDT
[#4]
Quoted: Unless you are planning on breeding the dog, the certification has no relevance whatsoever. It is, however, at least a slight indication that the breeder isn't operating a "puppy mill". |
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Posted: 6/27/2002 8:09:08 AM EDT
[#5]
The American Kennel Club, (AKC), is nothing more than a breeding registry, to assure you of your pup's bloodlines. They offer nothing in the way of confirming that your pup is of *good* stock, merely that it is a purebred.
What you need to do is a Google search on the breed, and find out what genetic disorders they are prone to. There are health certifications that can be done on the parents to reduce the chances of your pup winding up with some of the nasty genetic flaws, such as hip dysplasia, blindness, bad elbows, etc. Many of these disorders develop after a few years, so just having the pup vet checked is insufficient. OFA certificates are issued after the sire and dam's hips are X rayed after the age of 2. These X rays are evaluated by veterinary orthopedists, and a rating is given, i.e., Poor, Fair, Good, Excellent. Find out what your breed is vulnerable to, and go from there. I recommend you DO NOT buy from a pet store, a puppy mill, or most "backyard breeders". Their stock is usually without health certificates, and it can cost you a fortune later when your darling dog develops lameness or blindness. *Some* folks are "hobby breeders", and although done on a small scale in their yards, they will have the correct health clearances on their stock. These folks are generally fine. Hope this helps. |
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Posted: 6/27/2002 8:11:26 AM EDT
[#6]
Quoted: Quoted: Unless you are planning on breeding the dog, the certification has no relevance whatsoever. It is, however, at least a slight indication that the breeder isn't operating a "puppy mill". Only slightly, however. There are quite a number of registered breeders that do not conform to AKC regulations. |
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Posted: 6/27/2002 8:19:02 AM EDT
[#7]
The Shihtzus are pains in the ass. While they're cute, they are a bit hyper as small dogs are wont to be. My parents have one, and if they don't bathe it every 5 days or so it STINKS like crazy, even though it's an indoor-only dog.
Their skin secrets oils that end up smelling, which isn't uncommon among longer-haired dogs like a shihtzu. I have heard that the Japanes Chins (sp?) are supposedly the only "odorless" dog. They are small and cute...perfect for an indoor dog. Personally, I like bigger dogs like Boxers. But larger dogs eat more, crap more, and die sooner. ABOVE ALL ELSE...get ANY dog started on dog training at 10-14 weeks. Many pet stores have group lessons where the owners and dogs learn together (that is, the owner it taught how to train the dog). Worth the effort. |
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Posted: 6/27/2002 8:19:04 AM EDT
[#8]
Quoted: check the akc [url=http://www.akc.org/breeds/recbreeds/shihtzu.cfm]Shih Tzu[/url] [img]http://www.akc.org/images/breeds/shihtzu.jpg[/img] WOW looks like a lot of brushing! 1hr a day three days a week? i dont know about you but that's a lot of brushing. i like Pugs [img]http://www.akc.org/images/breeds/pug.jpg[/img] or Poms [img]http://www.akc.org/images/breeds/pomer.jpg[/img] because they are big dogs in little packages. here is the breed standard for the Shih Tzu: The Shih Tzu is a sturdy, lively, alert toy dog with long flowing double coat. Befitting his noble Chinese ancestry as a highly valued, prized companion and palace pet, the Shih Tzu is proud of bearing, has a distinctively arrogant carriage with head well up and tail curved over the back. Although there has always been considerable size variation, the Shih Tzu must be compact, solid, carrying good weight and substance. Even though a toy dog, the Shih Tzu must be subject to the same requirements of soundness and structure prescribed for all breeds, and any deviation from the ideal described in the standard should be penalized to the extent of the deviation. Structural faults common to all breeds are as undesirable in the Shih Tzu as in any other breed, regardless of whether or not such faults are specifically mentioned in the standard. Temperament As the sole purpose of the Shih Tzu is that of a companion and house pet, it is essential that its temperament be outgoing, happy, affectionate, friendly and trusting towards all. |
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Posted: 6/27/2002 8:20:00 AM EDT
[#9]
Hmph, I would reccommend you do not buy a dog. Go on down to the local pound and adopt one. Find yourself a nice puppy. Love it and treat it well and it will return the same.
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Posted: 6/27/2002 8:25:33 AM EDT
[#10]
If you don't know anything about dogs and "your lady wants a dog" I would get a big dog. When the newness wears off and you get tired of it crappin on the floor and chewing up your house you can stick it in a 4 x 4 fenced in area with no shade and give it food and water every once and a while for the next 10 or 12 years.[;d]
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Posted: 6/27/2002 8:28:29 AM EDT
[#11]
Quoted: Hmph, I would reccommend you do not buy a dog. Go on down to the local pound and adopt one. Find yourself a nice puppy. Love it and treat it well and it will return the same. a pupy may be ok but if you get a full grown dog they will have baggage just like any human and you may not want to deal with their crap. my aunt got my grandma a dog from the pound that had a fear of loud noises. thunder, garbage trucks and loud car radios would make him pee or take a dump on the floor. he was hyper all the time and could not be trained. so there may be a reason a dog is at the pound. |
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Posted: 6/27/2002 9:16:54 AM EDT
[#12]
Check out some of the breed rescues and get one that way. There are rescue groups for about every darn breed you can think of and alot of them are registered asd already house trained. I have gotten my last two Chessies that way and they have been great!
Later IAJack |
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Posted: 6/27/2002 9:27:31 AM EDT
[#13]
Quoted: If you don't know anything about dogs and "your lady wants a dog" I would get a big dog. When the newness wears off and you get tired of it crappin on the floor and chewing up your house you can stick it in a 4 x 4 fenced in area with no shade and give it food and water every once and a while for the next 10 or 12 years.[;d] Thanks for your contribution. Actually, once the novelty wears off, I'll use it for extensive ballistics testing, then as a pinata. In all seriousness, I'm very excited about the prospect of a new family member. I'm simply trying to understand how to get the buying process started. Thanks to everyone above for the crash course. I'll start investigating the options in my area. |
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Posted: 6/27/2002 10:06:32 AM EDT
[#14]
Everything that Hannah said (especially about the AKC and OFA certificates)! The AKC is all about looks and conformation, not about health and performance.
For a smaller dog, I like the Beagle and the Jack Russell Terrier. Eric |
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Posted: 6/27/2002 10:12:45 AM EDT
[#15]
try a maltese, they don't shed and they aren't hiper. for a small dog they are pretty good pets.
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Posted: 6/27/2002 10:21:53 AM EDT
[#16]
Quoted: Don't do it. We had several when I was a kid. If she has to have a small dog, get a Fox Terrier or a Jack Russell. Actually any Terrier would work, they are cool and honestly believe they are big dogs. Lots of attitude! WARNING! Do not get a Jack Russell "Terrorist" unless you have extreme patience, and a lot a crap for it to chew up. These dogs are wild. Fun, but wild. I have one and it is a hoot to watch, bit I don't think we'd get another one. |
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Posted: 6/27/2002 2:24:08 PM EDT
[#17]
entropy- amen to the J.R. comments.
We have greater swiss mountain dogs. The way we found ours was to first go to dog shows and talk to some of the different breeders. We found a good breed website that talked all about the good and bad aspects of the breed. We then searched online for other breeders and got on a couple waiting lists. And I participated on the Greater Swiss forum. We actually found our breeder by accident as my wife was ordering a calendar from her. When we purchased we got information about both parents showing that they both got their championships, a couple working titles, OFA hip and shoulder clearances, eye clearances, and family history for epilepsy. We also had to sign a 3 page contract delineating our care for the dog and what should happen in different contingencies. Make sure to find out what health problems are prevalent in the breed and ask about the dogs history. An AKC championship just means the dog conforms to the breed standard, but shows nothing of health or temperment, or means that the puppy would be of championship quality. Like anything, do your research. That said, there are a lot of good dogs in the pound waiting to be saved. Yes we bough two from a breeder, but we did rescue one as well (though it turned out very unpleasant. Choose whatever would make you and the S.O. happiest. BTW, my breeders husband has a yorkie named Dolly which holds it's own with four large greater swiss. |
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Posted: 6/27/2002 2:34:43 PM EDT
[#18]
I prefer the Shiba Inu for a small dog, looks like a mini-Akita, doesn't shed much, active and not a barker.
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Posted: 6/27/2002 2:49:11 PM EDT
[#19]
I'll vote for a pound puppy or a rescue org puppy. I got one of each, and they couldn't be better dogs (well, ok, one or two small things). both of you should agree about the kind of dog you want to get, or it'll be "my dog" and "your dog" kind of crap.
Find a reputable breeder, though if you do decide to get a purebred. A certified dog is a part of that, as mentioned before. Also decide real fast on whether or not you want to bred it, and if not, then spay/neuter the damn target, er, dog. |
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Posted: 6/27/2002 2:59:44 PM EDT
[#20]
Quoted: Thanks for your contribution. Actually, once the novelty wears off, I'll use it for extensive ballistics testing, then as a pinata. ROFLMAO!!!!! Bwah hah hah hah!!!!!!!!OMG! I was thinking more along the lines of a football. Actually not, but I will agree that you should adopt one. While there are some bad animals in the pound, there are some good ones too. Above all: 1. Do your homework! Research the breeds that interest you extensively. Find out what they are like, and what to look for as far as physical attributes and temperament. This isn't the only site to get good advice, there are quite a few about dogs. 2. When you do commit, MAKE DAMN SURE you have at least 3-4 hours a day to just play with your dog and do your obedience training. It makes all the difference. Any dog of sound temperament will want to please you! Playtime is when you and the dog will bond. 3. Remember to take your time, be consistent, and have lots of patience! You will be rewarded with a friend and companion like no other. |
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Posted: 6/27/2002 3:16:35 PM EDT
[#21]
Get a Yorkie,
Any dog breed to kill rats on their home ground it a "must have" in my book. |
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Posted: 6/28/2002 5:41:06 AM EDT
[#22]
Quoted: Get a Yorkie, Any dog breed to kill rats on their home ground it a "must have" in my book. Wow...sounds like a CAT! I personally prefer cats over dogs anyway. Anyone else agree? If so, let's exchange recipes. |
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Posted: 6/28/2002 3:04:06 PM EDT
[#23]
Quoted: Quoted: Get a Yorkie, Any dog breed to kill rats on their home ground it a "must have" in my book. Wow...sounds like a CAT! I personally prefer cats over dogs anyway. Anyone else agree? If so, let's exchange recipes. Clearly you are a communist. |
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Posted: 6/28/2002 6:25:37 PM EDT
[#24]
I had a Lasa Alpso very simular to the Shitsu. I really enjoyed the breed.
Does you lady friend like grooming dogs. It is necessary to to keep the hair out of there eyes. People usually pull there hair up in little pony tails on the top of there heads or little barettes. Many of them have allergies to there own hair also. You have to keep the face shaved to prevent an asthma like problem. Mine was also very temp. sensitive. |
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Posted: 6/28/2002 6:40:58 PM EDT
[#25]
If that is the breed you want, get only that breed. AKC is the most popular. REGISTERED MEANS SQUAT unless you want to raise pups or show dogs. Save the cash and get one that is not registered if possible. I have registered and unregistered hounds. The unregistered ones sometimes come closer to the breed standard than those that are AKC. It is only papers.
Don't adopt, unless you can find your breed. Do not sacrafice...this animal will be a part of your family for a long time. |
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Posted: 6/28/2002 8:01:40 PM EDT
[#26]
I guess it's up to me to be the sourpuss ... don't get the dog. From my observations of dogowners and their pets, they are a lot of trouble, expense, and a potential nuisance for your neighbors. And if you have small children, they are potentially dangerous. If something happens to the child, whose fault is that - not the dog, not the child, that leaves the owner, who probably does not know squat about training it anyway.
Now when you ignore this sage advice and get the dog anyway, get it in writing, preferably notarized, who will take care of the dog. Seems fair to me, you clean and feed the AR-15s, she cleans and feeds the dog. |
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Posted: 6/28/2002 8:35:07 PM EDT
[#27]
Quoted: Quoted: If you don't know anything about dogs and "your lady wants a dog" I would get a big dog. When the newness wears off and you get tired of it crappin on the floor and chewing up your house you can stick it in a 4 x 4 fenced in area with no shade and give it food and water every once and a while for the next 10 or 12 years.[;d] Thanks for your contribution. Actually, once the novelty wears off, I'll use it for extensive ballistics testing, then as a pinata. In all seriousness, I'm very excited about the prospect of a new family member. I'm simply trying to understand how to get the buying process started. Thanks to everyone above for the crash course. I'll start investigating the options in my area. |
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