Looking for input on possible dog breeds

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mistervero
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26 Jul 2017, 7:12 pm

Hey! Hopefully this is the right place to put this, as it sort of has to do with being active outdoors :D
I have AS and social anxiety, and at the moment I have an older dog (cardigan welsh corgi) that I'm looking after until she passes. Having her here has made me realize that I really want to keep having a dog after she's gone, but I don't know which type of dog would fit my lifestyle..

I have started enjoying going on walks. Hiking on trails, going up mountains, just having a blast. However, I can easily spend 10 hours in front of the computer, not really interacting with the dog. I'm here, and if the doggo I have here now shows me she's EXTREMELY bored, I will try to finish what I'm doing and take her for a walk. I do however not really have "time" for playing around or cuddling. I have no job so I am almost always home, but sitting here staring into a corner of the room playing world of warcraft isn't really the same as being there with the pets :P

The social anxiety also makes it so that I'm not very firm outside when we meet people. If the doggo is being mischievous and I want her to come to me, I almost can't make a sound. I basically whisper "please come back", which doesn't really do anything :roll:

So basically: I love having a dog that drags me out every day, that allows me to expand my horizon (almost literally, exploring the area where I live, realizing what it looks like around the corner) and hopefully get more fit, buuuut I also enjoy sitting in front of the computer just gaming all day every day. Also: I live in an apartment without access to a yard, and nonstop barking and "unfriendliness" when meeting other people/animals outside stresses me out to the point of meltdown.

Do anyone have any tips on a breed that might work for someone in my situation?



Amity
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26 Jul 2017, 7:48 pm

All pets have basic needs, and all dogs will have similar requirements; as a priority consider how/if you can realistically change your lifestyle to meet the needs of a dog, things like routine daily walks, access to a suitable outdoor space, regular training and affection etc.
What you want from pet ownership can be a consideration after you establish how/if you can meet their needs.



mistervero
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26 Jul 2017, 8:02 pm

I walk my current dog every day, generally two walks since she doesn't have to go to the toilet too often. We tend to average about 7-8000 steps a day on our walks, right above 10k now recently since the weather has been nice. Doing some light obedience training while walking, though not too much since she's old and has selective hearing



Last edited by mistervero on 26 Jul 2017, 8:04 pm, edited 2 times in total.

kraftiekortie
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26 Jul 2017, 8:04 pm

Some breeds are more good-natured than others.

I find one cannot go too wrong with a Shih Tzu. They are good-natured dogs, highly patient with klutzy humans LOL



Amity
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26 Jul 2017, 8:12 pm

Ah I misinterpreted your post, apologies.
Working dogs large and small tend to be high energy and it can be more complicated to meet their needs.
Companion breeds/lap dogs might be a better match.
My favourite is the Lhasa Apso http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/lhasa-apso#/slide/10
Sites like ^that one are nice for an overview of different breeds.



mistervero
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26 Jul 2017, 8:17 pm

I've been hesitant to look too closely into those breeds before because of all the grooming needed, but I'll give them a chance and consider what it'd mean for me :p thanks for input.

Working breed I definitely can not have. The corgi I have now, I doubt I could have had when she was young, they are just too active for me :D



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27 Jul 2017, 11:49 am

Beagles are one of my favorite and most beautiful breeds. Not too big and not too small. They love moderate exercise and have lovely personalities!

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31 Jul 2017, 5:10 am

Have 3 english staffies myself :)

Love them to bits as individuals but also the breed. Emotionally aware, expressive and at times are soft and openly love unconditionally... but also love nothing more than to play rope/stick/ball, go for walks and play fight with each other. They dont loose hair, make good inside dogs at night and happily cuddle up to you and watch tv. Great with kids, never hurt another human even if babies pull their ears and tails, they just get up and walk off when they've had enough although not that great with other dogs unless socialised early. In oz they're one of the most common and popular family dogs for this reason.

Be it breed or just being animals, looking after dogs (and being looked after by them at hard times) has been instrumental in me learning about compassion. Something i struggled to learn with people for a long time.



BirdInFlight
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31 Jul 2017, 6:00 am

Perhaps you could volunteer to be a temporary foster carer for dogs, similar to how you are currently looking after this dog near the end of her life?

I don't know much about animal fostering programs but I'm assuming local adoption shelters arrange them, and you could look after one dog at a time serially. They probably can fit the most appropriate dog to the foster carer as they would have more than one foster home on their books I think. If you need to foster a less active dog you could probably sign up for that.

The situation would usually be temporary, you would be helping out homeless animals waiting for adoption, and this way you could even find out which type of dog might suit you best for permanently giving a home to one day.



mistervero
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31 Jul 2017, 10:54 am

BirdInFlight wrote:
Perhaps you could volunteer to be a temporary foster carer for dogs, similar to how you are currently looking after this dog near the end of her life?

I don't know much about animal fostering programs but I'm assuming local adoption shelters arrange them, and you could look after one dog at a time serially. They probably can fit the most appropriate dog to the foster carer as they would have more than one foster home on their books I think. If you need to foster a less active dog you could probably sign up for that.

The situation would usually be temporary, you would be helping out homeless animals waiting for adoption, and this way you could even find out which type of dog might suit you best for permanently giving a home to one day.


Fostering wouldn't really work. They want people with more experience, and the only dogs that are really in need of fostering where I live, are working breeds like german shepherds and border collies.

I have looked into staffordshire bull terriers before, but they might require more than I am capable of giving at this point in my life, especially if I only have one dog.

The best breeds for me would probably be these dogs that suit senior citizens, like two mentioned above, and maybe cavalier king charles spaniel, they also seem like they could potentially work. Thanks a lot for input guys, appreciate it :mrgreen:

(about the foster thing: I live in Norway, which is a pretty low populated country compared to many others. So we don't have the same big problems with strays, and if I went to a shelter to find a dog, it'd most likely be big working breeds there. Sometimes there are smaller dogs as well, but if they're not messed up from not being worked with/mistreated, they get waiting lists)