OT question

[Reba 2]

Westies are probably the only kind of small dog I like. I love their faces

I'll disagree about Danes eating a whole lot. Or any dog for that matter. It really depends on the food you're giving them. Danes are not a high energy type of dog, so unless you're taking it out for agility competition, it probably shouldn't be eating any more than a good quality food of 5 cups per day. If you feed it ####### food (Ol Roy, Purina, pretty much anything that contains corn and doesn't have meat listed in the first 3 ingredients) its going to need to consume more in order to get the nutrients it needs. ANY dog really, not just giants or large active dogs. And you can actually save money by spending money on a good quality food, because you'll need to feed less. And spend less time at the vets too.

And if you get a giant as a puppy, if you over feed it a poor quality food, then its bones are not going to develop properly and this will significantly shorten the dogs lifespan, and with cause all sorts of health problems. Giants already have shortened lifespans just because of their size, but if you take proper care of them you can double the expected.

If anyone were to consider adopting any sort of giant breed dog, I would strongly suggest hours and hours and hours of research so you know what you're getting into. They're not easy in the least, they grow about 3 to 5 pounds per week for the first year, and will cost about 4 times as much for any vet visit, even routine vaccinations and check-ups. If they ever require maintenance medication (as both my Saints do for arthritis and dysplasia), expect to be shelling out about $200 per month on meds. They also require obedience training. And Lots of it! That'll cost quite a lot as well.

Saints, Danes, Mastiffs, Newfies, Mountain Dogs, Pyrenees, Wolfhounds etc etc etc...they're all great dogs, great family pets and wonderful companions. But I wouldn't recommend them in a small space (just for tripping factor alone! we have a big house, but those two are ALWAYS under foot!), not to anyone who doesn't have time for them, (maximum alone time for ANY dog should be 7 or 8 hours, any more than that, get a cat) or for anyone who has little or no experience with dogs.

I'm totally a dog person obviously, but when I lived alone in an apartment and worked and travelled alot, I had a cat. I'd like to have a cat now too, but we're not sure what Bruno would do with it

[Maeve 2]

Wow - thanks for all the advice, everyone!!!

I knew you guys were good for this question

The cat option is starting to sound like the better one...The difficult streatch of time will just be his training period, after which we'll probably be moving out of the apartment and (hopefully) into base housing, and then I won't have to work for a while! Yeah! But still, it's probably best to wait on the dog until we've got more space for it to run around.

I'll have hubby take a look at this thread, tho, and see what he thinks. We've been visiting the rescue animals at PetSmart for a while now, and a few days ago he actually took a shine to one of the kitties Perhaps he'd be willing to compromise if he got to pick the cat

[Reba 2]

Sometimes that's the best thing to do. Just keep going to see the cats until one of them tugs at your heart strings and says "hey, take me home".

[Flames9_RN 358]

u don't pick cats---they pick u!!! and u dont own a cat, they own u,lol We have 1 dog and 2 cats

[Donna A 4]

i have one of each and find the dog has more personality where the cat just lays around and sleeps. they do have dog litter pans and dog litter if u want to go that route. my dog is litter trained and i love it. no pooo pooo to have to hunt down and clean up...its all right there in the pan and no need to take her outside in the middle of a snowey day just to bring her in with wet paws.

so there is ways around it if u want a dog.

[Maeve 2]

Sometimes that's the best thing to do. Just keep going to see the cats until one of them tugs at your heart strings and says "hey, take me home".

My problem is that whenever we go to look at animals, they all seem to say, "Take me home!" lol

I'd totally take 'em all if I could. Hubby is fond of saying that if we hadn't met, I'd have turned into the crazy cat lady

[DeadPoolX 9]

I don't know if you and your husband will go for this idea, but since you're in a small apartment, get a cat right now. Maybe a dog later on. However, since your husband really likes dogs -- and he's bored out of his mind waiting for the time in which he can work -- why doesn't he volunteer at your local animal shelter? This way, he can spend some time with dogs (many of them need help!) and do something during the day that keeps him busy.

[Maeve 2]

I don't know if you and your husband will go for this idea, but since you're in a small apartment, get a cat right now. Maybe a dog later on. However, since your husband really likes dogs -- and he's bored out of his mind waiting for the time in which he can work -- why doesn't he volunteer at your local animal shelter? This way, he can spend some time with dogs (many of them need help!) and do something during the day that keeps him busy.

We were talking about volunteering at the shelter, actually! Altho his driver's lisence has expried and we're waiting on the EAD to get a new one, so I'd have to drive him But still might be a good idea - gets him out of the house and he's got a puppy fix too! lol

[CDAgirlMI 51]

If I were in your position I would get a dog. Nothing against cats, but I'm a dog person. My favourite breed is the Dobermann Pinscher. However, in your situation, I wouldn't really recommend it. I would not pick any breeds from the "working" group.

I'm going to suggest the Boston Terrier. Here's a clip:

"The Boston has been nicknamed "the American Gentleman" because of his dapper appearance, characteristically gentle disposition and suitability as companion and house pet. They require only a moderate amount of exercise and a minimum amount of grooming. The breed is easy to train and they are easy keepers, preferring to remain by their owner's sides".

I like the look of the breed, and its size for a smaller home. Short coat for minimal grooming, and doesn't need hours & hours of exercise.

[trailmix 77]

If I were in your position I would get a dog.

I am fluffy...and I do not approve this message ^^^^

[Marilyn. 340]

a cat requires a lot less responsibility then a dog... but a cat still needs love and attention but they are usually perfectly content to spend time alone too...

Edited October 26, 2008 by *Marilyn*

[thetreble 19]

they do have dog litter pans and dog litter if u want to go that route. my dog is litter trained and i love it.

Wow-I did not know this! That's cool.

[thetreble 19]

If I were in your position I would get a dog. Nothing against cats, but I'm a dog person. My favourite breed is the Dobermann Pinscher. However, in your situation, I wouldn't really recommend it. I would not pick any breeds from the "working" group.

I'm going to suggest the Boston Terrier. Here's a clip:

"The Boston has been nicknamed "the American Gentleman" because of his dapper appearance, characteristically gentle disposition and suitability as companion and house pet. They require only a moderate amount of exercise and a minimum amount of grooming. The breed is easy to train and they are easy keepers, preferring to remain by their owner's sides".

I like the look of the breed, and its size for a smaller home. Short coat for minimal grooming, and doesn't need hours & hours of exercise.

The boston terrier is not a bad option, really. It's small and supposedly has a good temperament. However, many of the terriers and bull dogs have several health issues! We got to the dog park often and we are always hearing stories from the owners of terriers and bull dogs about how they have severe allergies, skin problems, eye problems, etc. They can be very costly animals. If you were going to get a dog like that I'd say you would have to consider a few things.

1. Do you have time for a puppy? If you don't, then adopt an older pet.

2. Does your apartment even allow pets?

3. Do you have enough money that if something happened to the pet medically, you could afford the medicine? My dog is pretty hearty and hasn't needed any medicine up until now. But if you get a dog that is prone to health issues, you have to consider those things.

[Reba 2]

Plus, if you're going to be gone for more than 7 or 8 hours per day, get a cat Even with a litter pan, I wouldn't recommend leaving a bored dog alone for 12 hours per day.

[thetreble 19]

3 days a week my dog is left home for 8 hours. I hate it but there isn't much I can do about it. I have to puppy proof everything!