Thinking about getting a dog

[SuperBowlNachos]

I've been thinking about getting a dog. I want something medium to large, no pansy lap dog, but no great dane. I live with my brother and he has a blue heeler, so I'd need a breed that gets a long with other dogs. First on the list is a golden retriever or a lab. I'd want a pure breed.

• Any suggestions for breeds that may not be well known, but are cool? Something that doesn't shed a lot would be nice(I know goldens shed a lot)
• How big of an initial investment will it be for shots and stuff like that?
• Is pet insurance a good deal? I couldn't afford to get stuck with a $1,000 vet bill if something happened.

I want something playful. My brother got the king of the litter when he got his heeler, this dog is very nice and is probably 3-4 inches taller then most other heelers and could go all day catching a frisbee.

[Knight165]

Quote: Originally Posted by olliethebum85

I've been thinking about getting a dog. I want something medium to large, no pansy lap dog, but no great dane. I live with my brother and he has a blue heeler, so I'd need a breed that gets a long with other dogs. First on the list is a golden retriever or a lab. I'd want a pure breed. Any suggestions for breeds that may not be well known, but are cool? Something that doesn't shed a lot would be nice(I know goldens shed a lot) How big of an initial investment will it be for shots and stuff like that? Is pet insurance a good deal? I couldn't afford to get stuck with a $1,000 vet bill if something happened. I want something playful. My brother got the king of the litter when he got his heeler, this dog is very nice and is probably 3-4 inches taller then most other heelers and could go all day catching a frisbee.

I'm not trying to dissuade you from getting a dog, but they can get expensive, if you want to be a responsible owner. It's an unknown with dogs as I've seen friends who have had the dogs checked out very thoroughly have to turn around and spend double what you're saying you can't afford to properly care for a medical problem with a dog. Bottom line is any medical procedures will cost you ....and I'm not sure what exactly insurance would cover, so you'd have to check that out.

That being said....I would always go for the runt of the litter. Call me nuts, but they know that you "saved" them and their loyalty is unmatched IMO.
If you need "the best" by all means, but don't discount the little guy(or girl).

Startup costs can be quite a bit with the initial shots....buying the proper supplies(leash, collar, bowls, bed etc) and the cost of food is up there if you want to give your dog the better quality food(which if you get the "king",you would, right?).
I'd say a 300-400 start is not out of the question.

M.K.
Knight165

[PVarck31]

If you are gonna get a dog rescue one. And yes, pet insurance is a good idea. jmo

[SuperBowlNachos]

Forget the king comment, I didn't mean he picked the physically biggest dog, it was actually the very last pup left in the litter. It just turned out to be a badass dog is what I meant.

[mjb2124]

Dogs certainly can get expensive. We got a Golden Retriever a few months ago. He's 16 weeks old now and is a handful. My wife and I both work so he's in a playpen in the kitchen for a minimum of 9 hours per day (I let him out at lunch)....so he has a lot of pent up energy when we get home from work which means 45min walks minimum. The biggest thing with a young dog is they require a lot of attention. Think about it... A dog is basically a walking baby. New to the World, investigating everything and getting into everything all while on the move. We're going through the stage now where my dog is teething...he's lost 4 baby teeth and his adult teeth are coming in so he wants to chew on everything (furniture, carpeting, base boards, clothing etc...). With a new house, we have to stay on top of him every second we're home because we don't want him destroying the house.

We paid $800 for him. Add in toys, food, bed etc... It was around $1100 right off the bat. Then after 2 weeks he had his first set of shots that ran $140. 2 more weeks and he had another vet checkup for about $70. Another 2 weeks and he got his final set of shots that was $140.

One Sunday about 1 month ago after I let him outside, he came back in and wouldn't open his eyes. I thought something got into his eyes or he was allergic to something. Within 10min it went away and he was himself again. 30min later and he started doing it again, except this time, he laid down and wouldn't move...almost like someone gave him a relaxation pill. My wife and I were concerned so we took him to the emergency vet. $400 and a blood test later, they found nothing. All of the symptoms he was experiencing went away 2 days later and have not reappeared. I'm not sure if it was an allergy or something on the grass or what....just glad he's OK. But that's what you can expect to spend for an emergency visit (minus anything major of course). We do not have dog insurance as we don't think it's needed. We believe we'd spend more on the insurance over the long run than we would on vet bills.

With all that said, dogs are great, but they are a lot of work. It's nice coming home to a dog that is really excited to see you. It was also nice a few weeks ago when I was sick and stayed home from work and my dog curled up beside me on the couch the entire day (which is abnormal because he's usually running around the house at all times...he knew I was sick and IMO was staying with me to make sure I was OK).

[JohnnytheSkin]

We have a goldendoodle and while we initially feared he would shed a ton when we picked him up at eight weeks, two months later we brush him and get nothing as his "adult" coat has grown in.

I know it's a mixed breed, but our little guy is friendly as hell, nice, and has a good temperment, as well as being pretty smart (when he wants to be).

[fishepa]

Quote: Originally Posted by mjb2124

Dogs certainly can get expensive. We got a Golden Retriever a few months ago. He's 16 weeks old now and is a handful. My wife and I both work so he's in a playpen in the kitchen for a minimum of 9 hours per day (I let him out at lunch)....so he has a lot of pent up energy when we get home from work which means 45min walks minimum. The biggest thing with a young dog is they require a lot of attention. Think about it... A dog is basically a walking baby. New to the World, investigating everything and getting into everything all while on the move. We're going through the stage now where my dog is teething...he's lost 4 baby teeth and his adult teeth are coming in so he wants to chew on everything (furniture, carpeting, base boards, clothing etc...). With a new house, we have to stay on top of him every second we're home because we don't want him destroying the house. We paid $800 for him. Add in toys, food, bed etc... It was around $1100 right off the bat. Then after 2 weeks he had his first set of shots that ran $140. 2 more weeks and he had another vet checkup for about $70. Another 2 weeks and he got his final set of shots that was $140. One Sunday about 1 month ago after I let him outside, he came back in and wouldn't open his eyes. I thought something got into his eyes or he was allergic to something. Within 10min it went away and he was himself again. 30min later and he started doing it again, except this time, he laid down and wouldn't move...almost like someone gave him a relaxation pill. My wife and I were concerned so we took him to the emergency vet. $400 and a blood test later, they found nothing. All of the symptoms he was experiencing went away 2 days later and have not reappeared. I'm not sure if it was an allergy or something on the grass or what....just glad he's OK. But that's what you can expect to spend for an emergency visit (minus anything major of course). We do not have dog insurance as we don't think it's needed. We believe we'd spend more on the insurance over the long run than we would on vet bills. With all that said, dogs are great, but they are a lot of work. It's nice coming home to a dog that is really excited to see you. It was also nice a few weeks ago when I was sick and stayed home from work and my dog curled up beside me on the couch the entire day (which is abnormal because he's usually running around the house at all times...he knew I was sick and IMO was staying with me to make sure I was OK).

Sounds like he got bit/stung by somethign. Glad he's okay.

[LetsGoBucs]

Quote: Originally Posted by 31

If you are gonna get a dog rescue one. And yes, pet insurance is a good idea. jmo

This. My wife and I rescued our dog from the local humane society, and she has been great. It would be a good idea to take the other dog there as well to see if they get along before you decide to adopt (if you go that route).