HELP: What breed of dog best suits this lifestyle??

Question

Ok, just to say firstly, I'm adopting a puppy from a shelter, but obviously there's a lot of litters, and the litters have come from different breeds and I'm just trying to find a puppy thats good for me :)

Ok, I live in flat that has a medium sized garden and i live with my room mate who is going to get a puppy after ive got mine.

I work 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, and I'm getting the puppy when im on a week break. and yes i am AWARE one week isn't long enough to fully train a dog! When i go back to work after that one week, the pup will stay in the kitchen with a potty pad, food and water, and toys etc. Please dont tell me i should take 6 months off work because 4 of my friends have done this before (1 week off work, apart from one who took 3 days off work) and they all have wonderfully behaved dogs.

The dog should be medium/large sized dog (but i dont want anything exceeding 110lbs) and the dog will have a 20 minute walk in the morning, and a 20 minute walk in the evening on-top of fetch sessions in teh yard throughout the day.

I was thinking of a spaniel mix?? what do you guys think?

Answer 1

Well first of all well done for adopting from a home!

I work 7 hours a day, 5 days a week with an hour for lunch each day.  I have a cross whippet (I'm 5ft 8 and he comes to my knees well just about!)

I think you should get a small to medium dog.  Personally I would go for a cross breed rather than a pure breed. But obviously the decision is up to you, don't leave it to long before your flatmate gets there puppy otherwise dominance could become an issue, but if they grow up together they should be fine.

I exercise my dog for an hour most evenings and at weekends, weather permitting as he doesn't like the rain... he won't even go out for a wee when it's raining!! We take him out for a good few hours on both days, some weekends he gets to go out twice it really depends on how much house work I have to do LOL :-)

At the moment when we are not in the house we have to keep him in his cage as for some reason he's become very destructive again, possibly because he's bored, but he has plenty of toys to keep him occupied.  Fortunately as I live quite close to work, I come home at lunch time and let him out and give him a dog biscuit or 2 for being good and not ripping up his blanket.

Anyway good luck and I hope you find the right puppy for you.

Answer 2

No not a spaniel and not any working breed, that isn't enough exercise for them. They need 2 -3 hours of hard work every day. No sheepdogs or terriers either. Perhaps one of the heavier guarding breeds would be better like a Rotty? Or a 'decorative' breed like ...er... a chow. Or a gaze hound (not a scent hound), they don't need much exercise, just a fast run.How about a rescue greyhound or lurcher? I think that would be perfect, they like to sleep a lot and they like to run a bit. 20 minutes twice a day would be perfect. And they are very lovable dogs.  And they don't bark, so won't annoy the neighbours

Answer 3

it is unfair to leave a dog that long! talk to your RSPCA if ur unsure  

Answer 4

do you live an active lifestyle or laid back  

Answer 5

I would suggest maybe a beagle or a corgi.

Both dogs are very smart and only need a 20

minute walk. If you wanted a medium sized dog

then you might want a beagle. But, corgi are

super cute, much of a lap dog and are surprisingly

a guard dog.

Corgi:

Corgis rage from 25 to 30 pounds in weight and height is 10 to 12 inches

Beagle:

Beagles rage from 20 to 25 puonds and height is 13 to 16 inches.

Answer 6

got to be a.............COCKA SPANIEL!!!!!!!!!!!!! there so fluffy and lovely and mine are fine and I have a very similar life style to you!

Answer 7

To have a dog and leave it 6 hours a day 5 days a week isn't fair to the dog, so please think very carefully. As for Spaniels they are a very energetic dog who likes to be occupied all the time, they can be very disobedient so needs a lot training. There are different types of Spaniels; Springer, Cocker and King Charles this being the smallest and probabley the most suitable especially for a flat.

Remember puppies arn't always cute and cuddley they can be very smelly and destructive.

Answer 8

I think that you are being very selfish. The fact that your friends have adopted dogs and left them alone all day simply proves that they are also selfish. Did you and all of your friend think that you all wanted a dog?. The shelters are full of dogs that have been bought by young people who are in rented accommodation. They buy a dog and leave it alone all day, it then chews the furniture, pees on the carpets and the other tenants complain about the noise. You will be resposible for the expence and the damage.

The next step is eviction, the tenant then has to find a landlord who will home them and their dog. So what, they just dump their dog.

Perhaps this is a "send up" and I have fallen for this.  

Answer 9

what about a good old mongrol, i have never had a pedegree dog, all my dogs have been well behaved and loyal, you must be prepared that a puppy left alone will get up to mischief, but if you excerise before you go to work it may sleep for a while, dogs love routine so if you keep to one all should go preety smoothly, good luck  

Answer 10

A labrador or lab cross of some sort may be ideal. Spaniels can have a lot of energy unless you for ENglish springer spaniels, which are meant to be more laid back, or Englsih cockers. Labs are generally laid back dogs that are easy to train and do not need too much exersise, they just take what you give them =]

Answer 11

if your a leaded back person you will wont a lead back sort of dog therefor i would suggest against a spaniel as there nuts!! great if you can spend most of your day in a big feild with him!!! i would go for a labrador type as they are loyal and quiet!! if you wont a little dog(which are great) i would get jack russles!! yes there nuts and have what most poeple call JRT's (Jack Russle Turbo's) where the just run full speed round in a circle, over you and your furniture for bout 10 mins ( very funny to watch!!) but they can entertain them selves pritty well!!

Answer 12

Check out petfinders.com you can type in your living situation, home or apartment and level of activity and grooming desires and it comes up with a list of good matches.

Answer 13

There aren't many medium size dogs that will live with that level of exercise and you may find you come home to a chewed kitchen as they have excess energy,

First thing to consider is a dog to get on with others if your flat mate is getting one go a more docile breed a spaniel would be a good plan but they can run all day long!

Secondly can you take 1/2 days.  If so I would take 2 weeks of half days so dog only on its own for 2 and a bit hours.

A giant breed needs less exercise than a lot of medium sized dogs but will exceed 110lbs.  Best bet is really a small breed as they can then partly exercise themselves.  A small terrier or dog like a cavalier will cope with the small amount of exercise and if introduced correctly will get on with most breeds.

Answer 14

http://www.animalhospitals-usa.com/dogs/...

that site has everything you'll want to know about tiny- large dog breed out there.  But from my experience owning a mix is the best way to go.  I have a mini schnauzer/chow mix and a red heeler/chow mix and they are both incredible and intelligent.  You can't go wrong with having the best of two breeds in one dog!!!  Don't let anyone tell you that you getting a puppy is a bad idea because it will be in your kitchen during the day.  Dogs don't need us around 24/7 to survive.  They can handle being alone just like we can.  Your puppy will be fine and it sounds like youre going to give her plenty of attention and love.  Plus it only took me about 2 weeks to potty train both of my dogs.  And I got them when they were puppies so yours will probably do just fine with potty training.

Good luck!!!!

Answer 15

i wouldnt have a spaniel mix they are really hyper and enegetic i would see about a bull dog as they are quiet lazy and like to have 10 min walk a day and lay around most of the day and there bloody lovely

Answer 16

jack rusul

Answer 17

CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL would suit your lifestyle and they are easy to house train

Answer 18

well if your gonna be away for that period of time i sugeste that you get an adult dog from a pound not a puppy because puppies need lots love and attention.  so please consider an adult dog before a puppy.

PS: try a cat.  seem more your life style!!

Answer 19

s**z tue. It adapts to your life style if you want to sit at home he will sit at home to. If your always gone he makes do with what he has until you get home. Once potty trained it won't go in the house again.

Answer 20

I know you have mentioned a medium/large dog in what you are looking for but I personally think you would be mad to get a dog any bigger then a terrior if you are living in an appartment, with a medium back garden and hope to keep the dog in most of the day.

I would recommend a West Highland Terrior purely because I have one (3 year old Oscar :) ) and I have a lifestyle like yours (same type of hours etc). They are very friendly, loyal, nosey, humerous dogs and they are small yet fiesty enough that you feel you have a dog rather than a moving sofa cushion. Great temperment and good to train too. If you introduce your puppy to another within a short time (you mentioned your roommate...?) then they would get on great too.  

Answer 21

Well, i have a springer spaniel and i don't think that would be the best type, mine needs constant attention and exercise.

I would recommend a labrador, they can be quiet and playful, as well as not minding time on their own.