Okay, so I just found out yesterday that my friend might be getting a dog next year. At first I was really jealous – I mean, I’ve been researching and planning for over a year now, and then suddenly she might be getting a dog at the same time. Then I decided just to help her make the most of it. So I started off by asking what type they have in mind. She said maybe some sort of Spaniel. Then I asked her to tell me what she wants in a dog. Then I asked where she would be getting it from, and she said they hadn’t thought about it. So then I told her not to get one from a backyard breeder or a pet shop, and she got all huffy and asked where to get one from (she thought every breeder was a backyard breeder, so I had to explain that for her), and I told her either from a reputable breeder (but I get the feeling the family doesn’t want to spend that much) or a rescue, pound, shelter, etc.
Anyway, so what I wanted to ask is: do you think this family is ready for a dog? Do you think they have unrealistic expectations? If you think they’re ready, what kind of dog do you think would suit them? (I realise that if they get one from a shelter, etc, it may not be a purebred, but this is just a rough starting point)
Okay, here’s what my friend said she wants in a dog:
*Something energetic, but only when she wants it to be (i.e. not hyper)
*Something around the size of a Jack Russell or Cocker Spaniel (maybe a little bigger)
*Something with short hair
*Something that doesn’t shed (because they already have a cat that sheds…?)
*Something that will get along with cats, and the dogs next door
*Something that is intelligent, but not so intelligent it will get destructive if left alone
*Something that’s easy to train
*Something that doesn’t require much grooming
*Something that can be left alone for a while (as in, sometimes up to a day by itself)
*Something cute (how shallow is that?)
*Something that is able to live entirely outside (as in, rarely ever coming into the house, sleeping outside, eating outside, etc)
*Something that is a puppy (even though they are quite a busy family)
*Something that is easy for people who have never had dogs to handle
*Something fairly common, and pretty cheap
*Something that’s good with children (my friend is fourteen, and her sister is about twelve)
Okay, so do you think they should get a dog? Also, when I asked my friend which of these traits were more important (like, did she really want a small dog, but not so much mind about the shedding?) she said they were all as important as each other. Which means she pretty much wants to find a dog that exactly suits their lifestyle. Which I can’t find.
These are the breeds I’m thinking of, but not one of them meets all the criteria:
Jack Russell, Border Terrier, Cavalier King Charles, Cocker Spaniel, Springer Spaniel (both types), Welsh Corgi (both types), Papillon, Poodle (all types), Schanuzer, Beagle, Schipperke, Shetland Sheepdog, Norfolk/Norwich Terrier, Staffy, and Brittany.
What do you think? Sorry this question is so long, but I always make sure everything is detailed, so as (hopefully) not to be misunderstood. Any serious answers are appreciated. Thanks.
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