Expanding Our Family
September 8, 2009 · Posted in hasel, pets by hasel
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Like many newlywed couples, Nick and I are looking to expand our family. No, no, we are not expecting nor trying to conceive. We’re trying to decide on a dog–and whoa boy–is it a hard decision.
I have wanted a dog since we moved to Mississippi two years ago. Most of our friends had pets (some of them multiple) and we really enjoyed our role as dogsitters/Aunt Allison and Uncle Nick to their pets. At the time, I freelanced from home, and I desperately wanted a dog to hang out with during the day and to motivate me to get out and walk. I couldn’t sit and veg on the sofa knowing I had a sweet pet relying on me for exercise. However, we decided financially and logistically we couldn’t get a dog until we settled in our next location. So here we are… I’m working from home full-time and available for a pet, we’re settled (somewhat) in Las Vegas with our own home and no issues in our way, but one – we cannot decide what kind of dog to get.
We have some guidelines: smaller than 45 lbs*, low-maintenance coat, somewhat easy to train, medium energy, and other pet and child friendly. (*Because we know in a few years we’ll be moving around quite a bit, it is best that we get a dog that’s size is acceptable at many hotels so we can avoid kenneling our pup.) At some point we agreed on a Beagle because of experiences with a friend’s dog and a neighbor dog in Mississippi. I’ve heard a bit about Beagles and their howling can be annoying and sometimes they are difficult to train, so I’m not so sure. I thought I would see a shelter dog here and absolutely fall in love, but most of the ones we’ve seen here are too big or too small. We’re like the Goldilocks of future dog owners, looking for a dog that is “just right.”
In an effort to narrow our decision down, I’ve taken every what-dog-breed-is-perfect-for-your-family quiz (try this one at Animal Planet) and these breeds keep appearing (to learn more from Animal Planet, click on the breed name beneath the photo):
Surprise, surprise! The Beagle is one of the top options no matter what selections I make. The other breed, Brittany, shares characteristics with the Beagle. Most importantly, they are both adorable! ;) We’ve ruled out the French Bulldog officially because of the breed’s common health issues and intolerance to heat, but the Beagle and the Brittany keep looking better than ever. I’ve done a bit of research and they require daily exercise, but Nick and I are comfortable with that. Both breeds are friendly, affectionate dogs. Both require obedience training, but we would want to do that with any dog. The Beagle can be a bit more rambunctious, but I think we can handle it. As far as selecting our actual dog, we are planning to look at shelters and rescue organizations, as well as responsible breeders. We’ve been searching on Petfinder.com to find adoptable pets in our area. Responsible breeders can be found on the American Kennel Club’s website.
Before we make any final decisions I will be reading this book: How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend: The Classic Training Manual for Dog Owners. It was recommended by my dog-loving best friend whose mom trains and breeds dogs. It isn’t the most exciting read (it’s definitely not chick lit!), but it will really put you in a good mindset to be a great dog owner. She also recommended the book, Good Dogs Bad Habits, which is an A-Z guide to “troubleshooting” problems once you have your pet.
How do you decide on a pet or a specific dog breed? How did you prepare for pet ownership? Do you have any tips or hints for future dog owners?
Photos from AnimalPlanet.com
My husband and I are big dog people. We picked up our new German Shepard puppy the day after our honeymoon and I came into the relationship with a Yorkie. My biggest advice is that if you go through a breeder, make sure you visit the breeder numerous times and do your research on the type of breeder you are going through. Also, if you are getting a small puppy never take them home before 10 weeks no matter what the breeder says (My Yorkie almost died because I took him too early).
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I grew up around my grandfather’s Brittanys and they are the sweetest dogs and SO smart (he has always used his for bird hunting and they’re brilliant)! Great family dogs and I’ve never met one with an “odd” personality!
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We have a brittany and my parents have two brittany’s. They are GREAT dogs and so fun to have around. I would TOTALLY recommend them!!!
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I vote shelter dog! You can find many purebreds in shelters and if you keep looking, I bet you can find one you like. Have you tried using petfinder.com?
We have an English Bulldog and a husky/shepherd mutt who are both rescues. The mutt is the best dog I’ve ever had and so smart! We love the bulldog too, but much like the french bulldog, he has health issues and isn’t tolerant of the heat. But he sure does like to snooze!
Good luck and just realize it’s a committment for the animal’s entire life, but it sounds like you are doing all your research.
I would never try to discourage someone from getting a dog on which they had their heart set, BUT, that said, everyone I know who owns a beagle has been in way over their heads. Without thinking, I can name 7 families who have TERRORS of beagles — rambunctious does not begin to describe it. Gnawing off legs of chairs, destroying kitchen floor linolium, clawing up the living room carpet… if this is your definition of rambunctious, then by all means, go for it, but it is not mine. I have never heard anyone as dissatisfied with the behavior of their dogs as I have heard from the beagle owners that I know!
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My husband and I got a brittany about 3 years ago. He is by far the sweetest, most loving, smartest dog I’ve been around in a long time (but I’m a lil biased!) But Brittany’s are great companions. We’re actually thinking about getting another one next year! We too the “which dog is right for you quiz” too, and the recommendations were similar. But after I did more research the Brittany was the way to go. I found a breeder that was in Indiana (we lived in Florida at the time), who also happens to be a vet, so that helped my anxiety about getting from an out of state breeder. My main advice though, is once you get your pup, be sure to socialize him/her early, so they will be friendly when they grow up. We know too many owners who sheltered their dogs as puppies and now they have bad social skills and can barely be around people. Our Brittany love everyone! Good Luck!
My aunt had 2 Brittany Spaniels while I was growing up, and I adored them. They were both very sweet and playful and seemed obedient enough, but I don’t know what kind of training it took.
My fiance is dying to get a Beagle, but I have the same concerns you do. And now that we finally have a yard, I think we’ll end up with a dog sometime in the next year.
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We have two Beagle pups that are around 8 months old- and I love them both. Our girl, Zuzu, is the sweetest thing and loves to cuddle. Orson, our boy, is a little more independent but we chalk that up to being the first born. They are high energy dogs and left alone, will chew up ANYTHING. We’ve all lost several pairs of shoes, they’ve knawed my Hancock dining room chairs, and even a couple of corners on my wooden china cabinet. I don’t blame them (too much) because they really need to be kept busy or be outside to play. If you can devote a lot of time to them until they calm down, they’re super great dogs and very loyal. But whatever breed you get, I highly recommend crate training- it makes life soooo much easier! Good luck :)
I’ll have to reiterate what other comments have said - beagles have reputations for not only destroying things but they bellow! Which is probably why you see so many beagles and beagle mixes in shelters. Sad but true. :(
Where in Mississippi are you?!?! My husband just got a relocation offer with his company to Vicksburg and we’re going through the decision process…would love to know more about it!
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You should reconsider the French Bulldog…my husband and I got a frenchie puppy this past June and he has been the sweetest pup I have ever met (totally objective, of course). We also have a pug, and the frenchie does much better in various climates than the pug does. We have not found him to overheat. Also, as far as health problems go, many pups can can have health issues and I think if you generally keep your dog in good shape that will take care of many of the issues. French bulldogs have great personalities…they are very playful, but also LOVE cuddling up afterwards. I would recommend trying to spend some significant time with the litters and doggie mommas you are considering so you can get a better feel for what fits you best.
