Dogs and Pets...

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teenage_parent

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Apr 15, 2011
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Hi... i'm back... again... sorry, life has been crazy.

Need some inputs. My kid wants a pet and she wants a big dog. I'm good with it. i like dogs. i started reading what kind of dog would be good. the darn internet can't get it straight. conflicting "facts" about different kinds of dogs.

does st. bernard really have a tendency to "bite his own master"?

and in general, what would you recommend to to someone who likes doing outdoor activities?
 
bssage

bssage

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Oct 20, 2008
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I have heard that. Most Benards I know have been very well behaved. They do tend to knock stuff off the tables and slober excessively.

I like a good size dog. Big fan of lab's and retrievers for families. We have a labordoddle. He is pretty big and lots of fun. I recomed them also.

The two big things to consider is the type of energy the breed has and how it will work with your family. Some dogs are high energy and you need to play and exercise them. Especially if you have confined living spaces.

The second is you have to be committed to training the dog. Dont expect your kid to do it. Sure they may promise to train it. But dont bank on that. An untrained dog is not fair to you: your family: or the dog. A well trained dog with a energy level you all can live with adds so much to a family. Its hard to explain.

The training does not need to be a big elaborate affair. Sit, Stay, and to come when called. I took our dog for walks infront of the entrances of WalMart to lead train him and sit/stay train. I also am a big fan of "the dog wisperer" He makes training easypeasy.

Have fun and post a pic when you have some.
 
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cybele

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Feb 27, 2012
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I've noticed that many people argue this fact, but the truth is that some dogs are more prone to biting than others. Sled dogs, attack dogs, guard dogs and so on have been specifically bred to bite, yes you can train them and yes you can have one that is wonderful and never bites anyone it's entire life, but it doesn't change the fact that the breed itself was bred to bite. I usually find that some of the worst dog owners I encounter are those who own these dogs, and will not accept that fact. There is nothing wrong with owning them, but you need to be aware of what your dog is capable, and is intended to do.

Meanwhile, there are a few other things you need to consider when buying a dog in addition to what bssage said, particularly one as large as a Saint Bernard.

1. Is there someone in your household with the strength to lift the dog, should the dog become injured and need to be transported to the vet? Is your car big enough to accommodate this? Saint Bernards are VERY heavy and you should never own a dog you cannot physically lift when it is a dead weight.

2. Can you afford to feed a dog of that size? An adult Saint Bernard requires up to 12 cups of food per day. They're not cheap to keep.



Personally, and this is purely my own preferences here, I am a big fan of gun dogs for kids (such as bssage's dog actually, both labs and poodles are retrievers, a type of gun dog). They were not bred to attack, they were bred to obey commands, they are very loyal dogs, easy to train, and if you go for a shorthair breed, low maintenance. They also have slightly longer lifespans than other large breeds.
 
TabascoNatalie

TabascoNatalie

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Jun 1, 2009
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If you go for a purebred dog, also be sure that they may be inbred and carry certain genetic illnesses. Vet care can be very costly.

Also with large dogs its is a thing that they mature slower. They will be grown to full size but still act like puppies.
 
singledad

singledad

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Oct 26, 2009
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Also - try to buy directly from a registered breeder or adopt from a shelter. Online sales and pet-stores often source from so-called "puppy-mills", which not only is a very cruel practice, but may also give you a dog that is not what you paid for, either in bloodline on in health. Puppy-mill dogs also often have behavioral problems. So beware!
 
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Shaun Austin

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Oct 22, 2012
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I agree with Single dad above. Breed wise I would look at Golden retrievers - we have one called Marley (named after the book/movie) hes great with the kids and they are also amazing guard dogs they like most dogs have protective instincts and are very protective over the masters/families. We also have had various border collies (sometimes called sheep dogs). These working dogs like a lot of excersize and need it as they are born to be working dogs. our current Border is called shep he is three and very active.
 
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Mom2all

Mom2all

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Nov 25, 2009
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My favorite so far is the lab. They are like big babys. The love attention. Love to play. Love being outside and swimming. Our Benson is like another kid for us. He wants nothing more that a toss of the ball or a little cuddle time. He's not shown any agression at all. In fact.. even when he's scared and barking at something, he hides behind us. :D
 
bssage

bssage

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Oct 20, 2008
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You all are makeing me want a puppy. I have had labs since childhood. Greeeaaat family dogs. They do have a lot of energy and need played with and exercised a lot.

Another thing I forgot about about. Pay attention to grooming. The short hair labs are really easy to clean. If you plan on having the dog inside. You dont want a bath to be a huge chore. Labs like to hide there scent by rolling in dead things. Yummy.
 
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Shaun Austin

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Oct 22, 2012
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TabascoNatalie said:
Many dogs like to roll in something smelly. It is a dog thing, regardless of breed.
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Yeah our two love rolling around in all sorts of stuff. Cleaning it out of their fur is not the nicest of tasks but thats all part of getting a dog ay?

(sorry about my British accent coming out there in that last line)
 
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NancyM

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Jul 2, 2010
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We had a black lab and she was just a giant love muffin. lol She had the gentlest nature, and was great with my son. She was the only dog I trusted him with when he was little.

The only thing with the Labs is that they have powerful jaws, and will eat everything they can get when they are young, like your wooden door edge, a couch cushion, leather shoes, belts, wallets, ...this dog ate everything and we bought her 'dog toys' and she was well trained by my husband.

She grew out of it, thank goodness..

Just their nature, but very nice gentle dogs with kids.
 
bssage

bssage

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NancyM said:
The only thing with the Labs is that they have powerful jaws,
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Thats true but their teeth also round out quite quickly. There sharp when puppies but dull before they reach adult hood. They can still break the skin because they are so powerful. But the breed is about returning game. Chip used to be able to pick a thrown water balloon without breaking it.
 
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cybele

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We had a golden lab many years back and she was pretty good with not rolling in things. Didn't eat anything that wasn't food either, but that was probably because we adopted her when she was already 4 years old, so we missed the puppy stage.

She did love sitting in our tomatoes that we grew though. She would come inside with tomato juice all over her belly.
 
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Shaun Austin

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Oct 22, 2012
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cybele said:
We had a golden lab many years back and she was pretty good with not rolling in things. Didn't eat anything that wasn't food either, but that was probably because we adopted her when she was already 4 years old, so we missed the puppy stage.

She did love sitting in our tomatoes that we grew though. She would come inside with tomato juice all over her belly.
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I Love Choc Labs too they are really sweet. Our neighbour has one called Coffee (lols) her daughter named him. They are quite common these days
 
mom2many

mom2many

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Jul 3, 2008
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Well we have the brother and sister duo, pit/border collie mix. They are great, the male is threatening, but not aggressive and really a big ole' baby. The female is neurotic but minds exceptionally well. Then we have her son, the zombie dog, and he is really good also, but we have no clue who his dad was cause he could easily be mistaken for a coyote. then there is jockamo, our German Short hair/dachshund mix. He looks like a weiner dog on steroids, he cracks us up.

Oh and the dynamic duo..............loves to roll in cow shit and skunk. So many nights cleaning those two, it's crazy!
 
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