What breed of dog would you recommend for a pet?

birds

I can imagine that people may think initially that it is a radical view but unfortunately it is not.

The vast number of dogs are bred for financial gain at cost of the those wasting away in shelters. People that use to take local dogs now take pedigrees. The pedigree would not have been born if there was no demand for it. So literally the pedigree takes the place of a local that has to die instead. So, yes indeed you will have blood on your hands if you buy a pedigree.

And this is without getting into the horrors that are entailed into breeding pedigree dogs. I can show you horrific photos, taken in India, from puppy farms, half dead pups brought into crates with 20 or 30 together from abroad. I can also show you photos of female pedigree dogs that are physically completely worn out by having to produce one litter after another, of male dogs that are forced to mate but get no care and are full of open sores or of heaps of female pedigree pups that are killed because nobody wants them. So please realise that by buying a pedigree you are always a passive participant in animal cruelty, even if basically you love dogs but chose to ignore the above.

Unless you get a pedigree from the shelter. I do not agree that all pedigrees that end up in the shelters are difficult to manage. Most are good, well-behaved dogs that end up in the shelter for sad reason (some because owners die/get sick, others because people move, others because people lost their dog, etc.). I see daily pedigrees in the shelters and many are loving dogs that just need a home.

So if you really feel you need a pedigree please get one from a shelter, that is the only way the own a pedigree without having blood on your hands.

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Of the estimated 500 million dogs in the world, approximately 75% are strays, of which about 25 million live in India.

birds

Sorry Priya was out of station but now back in full force .
Thanks for the support .

machadinha

Keep in mind that contrary to popular perception, many if not most small breeds have been bred to track or hunt (small) game. (The dachshund has that shape because he was sent after badgers and rabbits and the likes in their warrens. Like the ridgeback, they in fact belong to the hound family. Poodles it may surprise many to hear are actually hunting dogs [gun dog, or retriever]. They were bred as water dogs, so to assist in hunting waterfowl.) It follows they actually need a lot of exercise (and, being smart dogs, generally plenty of challenges), and so are often kept under the wrong circumstances, and for the wrong reasons. To stereotypically sit in granny's lap all day is not ideal for such dogs, in short (and they may well get neurotic because of it). It may also explain why some of them tend to be noisy; they were bred that way, to alert you to where your prey had fallen. So you can't blame them for something that is natural behavior to them, nor can you expect them to behave differently. If you do, you'll be the one at fault for misunderstanding them.

(The beagle btw is another type of hound, bred as a scent hound, so to track game.)

Several super-large breeds in contrast and despite their size are pretty laidback and so in fact do not need a lot of exercise. The great dane, as long as you have enough room, is said to be ideal to keep in an apartment three flights up in that sense (well, hip dysplasia, a common problem in esp. larger full-breds, because of climbing stairs would be a real concern to me for them). Because of their growth, too much exercise is actually not recommended for these dogs.

Well, just saying that all is not so clear-cut. Ask yourself if you will have the time and devotion to properly train the dog (and if you know how to, or if not, get yourself informed before you start; someone around you who knows the drill will be of great help, or where I live there will be training courses, but in Chennai I wouldn't be so sure), to make both your and the dog's life easier. Too many end up being abandoned because they "don't behave"; more often than not, the owner's fault, of course.

Another common mistake, but one which you don't seem to be about to make, is to just go for (one's infatuation with) a dog's breed or looks. After the live-action 101 Dalmatians came out, shelters were classically flooded with dalmatians a while later, acquired on impulse and their owners then not knowing what to do with them.

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Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

danield

I would actually caution you about the whole concept of getting a dog. This is from a person who owns a Japaneese Chin and a Sheba Inu.

The main issue with owning a dog is whether you as the owner (and the family) are willing to be trained. By training I mean do you pick a breed based on actual living circumstances and not in the vacuum, like say at a distance, or because the pet looks so very cute. It means do you have the time and prepared to make the effort to habilitate your dog.

Remember the proper order for proper pet ownership is 1. Discipline 2 Affection. Most owners switch this around with affection being the basic way they relate to their pet. Discipline covers so many areas I can't get into.

I would wait for awhile before getting a dog, whatever breed it might be.

__________________
Stuck on India

Sama

adopt a street dog and give it a forever home

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MY INDIA, 2005-2008
"Once you have felt the Indian dust, you will never be free of it." (Rumer Godden, 1975)

machadinha

<cross-posted with Sama>

Yup; can only agree with Daniel here. (Not sure about the discipline for all pets, but it certainly holds up for dogs. You're not doing them a favor by not playing boss either; you're the alpha male of the pack [whether you happen to be a woman or not], and they need you to fulfil that role, or they will be quite lost. There's no room for anti-authoritarianism here.)

danield

Mack is right. Not only should you be the alpha but every member of the family (pack) should be the alpha towards the dog. This is the fundamental issue of what is meant by disciple. The roles should be consistent so the dog understands its place. Disciple doesn't mean heavy handedness. We have owned dogs for 20 years and have never ever struck a dog in our lives, even with the proverbial newspaper.It is all about voice commands, body posture & gestures and emotive communication.

Anyways hope this helps a bit.

birds

Fully agree with the last four posters.

Training a dog takes some time but it can be fun for both the dog and owner as long as it is clear that the owner is the boss.

I have found that female stray dogs are relatively easy to train. Training also tends to be easier if there is more than one dog around.

And if you do not want to get into the training stuff too much, take one from a shelter where many perfectly well trained former owner dogs are just waiting for a new owner to obey.

Lastly, be careful with so called dog trainers. Nobody can train your dog for you, they may be abe to help but you need to get involved. Also note that there are quite a few people that claim to be dog trainers but the only thing they do is trying to beat the dog into submission. To be avoided at all cost as it will only result in aggressive and unpredictable sad dogs.

Nattusbs

I completely agree with the last 5 posters! The concept of "pack animal" and looking for a "leader" is very true. Nattu for example, loves to obey commands. He "serves his master" and he enjoys it. I fully agree with the rule of strict discipline, something that many people do not understand since their immediate reaction is "isn't he cute". I have told my parents on many occasions, that as far as Nattu and I are concerned. I am the boss. Jokingly I added, if this were not true, then I would be on four but, I do not have a tail to wag!!!!

Coming to think of it, I have a book by ? - I forget -got it - I did a search on Dog Whisperer and found this link about Cesar Milan - http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/.

He is Mexican, who makes LA his home now, in the Hollywood Hills area. He has an unusual knack with dogs - he is extremely successful, has written books, has videos and even a TV show (ah, ha, The Dog Whisperer). Truly awesome, he goes for a run or "in-line skates" with a pack of 10 dogs each morning. Funny thing is that he makes his wealth by training dogs of Hollywood celebrities - he said on one of his shows, "I train the owner, not the dog".

Cheers

Nattusbs

danield

Cesar Milan is frankly the best as far as I am concerned. I have seen him do things that have blown my mind away. I have tried to use some of his techniques. But one I can never duplicate. He makes a noise with his tongue that gets the attention of any dog. Trust me I have tried to imitate it and my dog just looks away. May be my dog is deaf....

Sama

actually there is controversy about Millan's tactics. My friend is a dog trainer who believes Millan is abusive.

http://www.4pawsu.com/cesarfans.htm

(and no, this is NOT my friend's website.)

danield

I am sure like with most things there will be detractors. I am not in the industry; just a person who owns dogs and found him helpful. I have also used the perspective of the Monks of Skete, somewhere in the state of new york.

There are many reasons for detractors and so I leave that up to them. I am not that sure however that how large this controversy is.

luckyshibu

Hi

Tried to go through whole thread.. but either missed or guess it wan't there, are you staying in an apartment or house. Its not the size of dog iam worried about. Recently Lots of apartments associations don't allow dogs in aprtment anc cause trouble. The main catalyst being a death of boy because a pet dog was off the leash and he tried to chase the boy and boy fell of the aprtment roof. So nowadays some associations create issues even if the dog is well trained.

But if you are lucky like me (i have two labbradors myself in an apartment in chennai) then association won't create problems, so if it is apartment, whatver the breed be just make sure association doesn't have problem with it.

As to suiting your criteria, labraors are good till you can give them enough physical exercise (45 mins to 1 hour) either in evening or morning to keep them healthy and tired. otherwise they can create a ruckous in house.

Beagle is a good option if pampered a lot otherwise they can whine and howl at times..

Pug is another option. Do not get a pet there and come.. Travelling can be issue with all paperwork and when you buy here make sure its not a puppy mill!! my first one was from puppy mill.. i didn't know

gobbledegeek

I second that. Indian mongrels are sturdy, need little or no medication, cheerful and playful and have some great qualities that will surprise you. Like these articles demonstrate and in the words of a counter terrorism and jungle warfare expert:


"the mongrels, picked from streets in Chhattisgarh, a hotbed of Maoist insurgency and where the Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College
( CTJWC ) is based, have exceeded all expectations. One drill found that three of the four original street dogs out-sniffed the two pedigree labradors they had been trained alongside. "

"they were found to be “tougher, harder and sharper in battle” than their pampered pedigree peers, there are plans to collect more for similar work. "

“They may have been a little temperamental at times, but they hardly ever require a vet, they never fall asleep on duty and their endurance over jungle terrain is formidable. They are, after all, locals. They won't let you down.”

And a more context specific para but relevant to how sturdy these local mongrels are comapred to western pedigreed breeds:

"“There is always a big gamble for the security forces taking labradors and alsatians to thick forested areas like Bastar where you can’t come out of the war zone for three to four days because they have a lot of veterinary problems. “But street dogs hardly fall sick and can walk long distances in jungle terrain plus they are low maintenance and entail no purchase cost whereas one labradors or alsatians cost about Rs.85,000 each.”

Read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle4552895.ece

Of course you only need them as pets but in todays busy world zero maintenance deals are guaranteed to be a big hit.

The red coat Indian mongrels are some of the the most attractive ones you will find.

Cheers

Long live the Indian Mongrel!!

edwardseco

Very well put, it changes your life much like having a child. It changes where you stay & eat & imposes limitations on where & how you travel. Medical expenses can approach that of a child. One of chins ran into some furniture. I had no idea there were specialists in dog eye surgery! Big lifestyle impact.

Discipline wise, I had less success, my pint size one is certainly the boss. He staked out his claim, decides everything for the big bruiser & indeed us. He decides when its time to wake up & enforces it by jumping onto the bed and staring into our faces from 6 inches away..