New dog

billyhead

Hi,

Just a query. I was thinking of getting a new dog. I live on my own and work 9 to five. I have a garden so the intention was to get the best type of keenl I could afford and have the dog out the back. I would walk it before work and in the morning and obviously spend most of my time at the weekend with it. I would like a mediaum sized dog and was thinking of a collie or Australian Sheperd. The neighbour next door has a labrador that they leave in the Garden during the day while there at work so I was hoping that the dog sening this on ethier would not cause any problems. I am not dure of the breed of dog that would suit me. I suppose the reason I suggested the 2 above was becasue they were friendly, loved exercise i.e walks (whick I enjoy myself) and are not tempermental. As I said unfortuantely I work 9-5 but I have a load of time of this summer to take aswell asguaranteeing to be able to afford any expenses relating to vets bills, food etc and walks before an after work. Would this justify my quest for ownership of a adog. Also what other breeds would suit do you reckon and I was considering getting a pedigree dog. Where would be the best place to look for one.? Any advice would be appreciated

moving_home

this is a bit of a hot topic here - leaving dogs alone during the day.

If you are prepared to walk the dog before and after work everyday and spend most of your free time with it in the evenings and weekends my personal opinion is that the dog would be fine. I am basing this on my personal experience with own dog who is now just over a year old.

Although you would be better off with an older dog rather than a young puppy or two dogs together. When I got my dog I was unemployed so was lucky that she was over 8mths when I went back to work and well able to cope with more time alone. it gave me loads of time for bonding and training. I can't imagine leaving her outside alone all day as a tiny pup.

if you leave the dog with kongs/bones etc during the day and they are well walked you should be fine.

billyhead

Thanks for the info

I would like to get a pedegree dog. What type would you suggest. It would have to be a medium sized one. Not small and not large i.e Collie, Golden Retriver. Australian shepered etc. I would like a boxer but believe they are very active and it would be unadvisable to leave it unattended in the garden for 7-8 hours a day i.e it would probaly rip up my plants etc.:)

ISDW

billyhead wrote: »

Thanks for the info

I would like to get a pedegree dog. What type would you suggest. It would have to be a medium sized one. Not small and not large i.e Collie, Golden Retriver. Australian shepered etc. I would like a boxer but believe they are very active and it would be unadvisable to leave it unattended in the garden for 7-8 hours a day i.e it would probaly rip up my plants etc.:)

I think that most dogs left in a garden for that length of time would rip up your plants I'm afraid.

I'm not against people getting a dog and working during the day, when I got my first dog (as my own, not a family dog) I was living in London and working. I got a second one for company for her within a few months and they were fine together, they would get walked in the morning and then again in the evening and we would have huge walks then at weekends. But, I think if you're getting one dog and leaving it in a garden all day, it will get bored and will be destructive, Murphy destroyed our garden. Then when she had Bramble for company they played together all day in the garden, it still got destroyed:D Then I bought my own ground floor flat and put a dog flap in, they were very happy, still played outside when they wanted to, but also had the house to chill out in.

Whereabouts do you live, would doggy day care be an option for you, or even a dog walker to come in while you're out at work and take the dog out for a walk?

I'm not saying that you won't be committed to the dog, but if you work 9-5, you also have to add the travelling to work time on, so you'd be out walking the dog around 7am each day, would you be able to do that?

EGAR

billyhead wrote: »

Thanks for the info

I would like to get a pedegree dog. What type would you suggest. It would have to be a medium sized one. Not small and not large i.e Collie, Golden Retriver. Australian shepered etc. I would like a boxer but believe they are very active and it would be unadvisable to leave it unattended in the garden for 7-8 hours a day i.e it would probaly rip up my plants etc.:)

Collies, Shepherds etc are highly intelligent dogs and need stimulation, they will get bored very fast.

billyhead

EGAR wrote: »

Collies, Shepherds etc are highly intelligent dogs and need stimulation, they will get bored very fast.

Thanks for the info folks. Yes I would be committed to walking the dog twice a day even at 7am in the morning. What type of dog would you think then would be suitable? As I said I would like to get a mid sized dog

moving_home

I just posted this on another thread but it is relevant here:
i can see where you are coming for but i can assure you my dog is very content. i think it is all down to routine - she knows exactly what time things are happening so she is quiet content. she gets a 3k walk + swim at 8.15, 20min game of fetch at lunchtime, 5k walk in evening and 20mins of fetch before bed.
she does be waiting at the gate for us at 5.30 only cos she knows this is the time we get home. OH got home at 4.30 last week and had to wake her up in her kennel. we have decking and plants out the back and she hasn't got destructive with them at all because she knows exactly when she is getting out. if we were an hour late home from work I wouldn't put it past her to get destructive but I think routine is key. we went away for 5days in Jan and boy did we know about it for about a week afterwards so she can get bratty when she wants but she is a very contented dog as we base all our plans around her.
weekends are long walks to beach/forest park etc. when visiting parents/friends etc she comes with us

I cannot recommend a breed as I have a cocker and am cocker obsessed don't have much knowledge of other breeds. my dad has a boxer and she is very quiet and would never have destroyed anything so think it depends on the personality of the dog as much as breed

ISDW

What breed of dog you get depends on lots of things, do you want to have a dog with lots of hair that you will spend a lot of time grooming? Or would you rather have one that needs to be clipped every so often, necessitating a trip to a groomer? Do you want a dog that you can train to be offlead, so will have good recall? What kind of exercise or activity do you want to do with the dog, just walking, or try things like agility, flyball, canicrossing?

sotisme

Okay so I would really recommend heading to your nearest animal shelter. Many people just assume you would never find a purebreed dogs in shelters but about half the dogs I have seen in shelters are purebreed. You need to do a lot of research before getting a dog.
Who would mind the dog if you went on holidays?
Are you willing to take care of this dog for up to 20 years?

If the dog will be home alone for a long period of time, I recommend doggy day care or a dog walker to walk your dog when you're at work. Don't jump into buying a dog unless you're fully prepared to take on one. If you think you are ready and can afford all the time and work involved go for it

Good luck

billyhead

Thanks for all the info folks.

I am seriously considering a rough collie. Where would the best place be to get a pedigree collie in the North Dublin area. I have a car so if there are breeders in the country that have a good reputation I could travel . As you say I will not get a puppy due to my circumstances

ISDW

billyhead wrote: »

Thanks for all the info folks.

I am seriously considering a rough collie. Where would the best place be to get a pedigree collie in the North Dublin area. I have a car so if there are breeders in the country that have a good reputation I could travel . As you say I will not get a puppy due to my circumstances

Breeders will have pups, not adult dogs, unless they've had to take one back from someone they sold it to. If you have a look on the IKC website, there will probably be a breed club and you could talk to the secretary, they will give you details of any breeders, or if the club has a rescue side to it.

billyhead

Thanks for all the helpful advice folks. I am still confused about which breed would be ideal also what age of a dog I should think about. Would it have to be at least a year old?

billyhead

I was considering a border collie or preferably a boxer. Would there temperament be suitable to leave out the back garden during the day. I suppose all dogs would have different personalities. As I already said the dog would be taken for a walk before and after work and then would have access to a kennel and toys and obviously food and water in the garden while I would be at work.

MsFifers

As EGAR has told you already Collies are highly intelligent and energetic dogs and are unlikely to react well to being on their own in a garden all day. Boxers are also energetic from what I'm told.

Greyhounds I've heard are generally quiet dogs and like to sleep a lot - as long as they get their regular exercise - so one might suit your situation.