What breed of dog should i get? Please Help!!?

Question

I am 12 and i live at home with my mom and stepdad and my older sister. My mom said that i could get a dog, but i dont know what dog would suit my life style the best. My mom said i would have to pay for it on my own, but money is not a consern. i need a SMALL dog, this is the most important part. the dog also has to be remotely independent. there is no one in the house from 8:30 to probably 12:30. i get home from school at 4:00, so i would beable to walk the dog before and after school. i have a preety big fenced in back yard. i would give it plenty of love and attention and i would want it to sleep with me at nite. if thats not going to happen thats ok too but i have been used to a cat sleeping on my chest all nite every nite for 5 years until last Independance day when she was frightened by the fireworks, ran away and never came back :( please help me!!!

Answer 1

Adopt a mutt. They are the best dogs. Purebred dogs are over-priced and tend to have a lot of medical problems because of inbreeding. Mixed breed dogs don't have the same kind of issues.

There are many rescue dogs that need a loving home. Go to Petfinder.com to find a dog that would be a good fit for you. Once you have one, be sure to take it for Good Manners Training. This will be of benefit to you as well as your dog.  

Answer 2

Sorry for your cat, I think you should get a pug, I too am about to get a dog and I'm 13 and i have  heard on here  they are good lap dogs.  

Answer 3

I have a Cockapoo. He's a wonderful, amazing dog. He's the light of my life, my 'baby', and my best friend. Honestly, I don't know what I would do without him- he has changed my life in so many ways, all for the better. That being said, that is just MY dog. Who knows? If I had picked a different dog, it might have been different. It's important to pick the right dog for you, your family, and your situation.

Have you considered adoption? Before you buy a dog, go to the local pound. See if there is a dog there that will fit your 'ideals', or what you want/need in a dog. Keep in mind that there is most likely a REASON why they are in a shelter- get a complete, detailed history, with a temperament anaylsis, from the shelter.

If you're looking for a purebred, or a specific breed, go to the links below. The links below are online quizzes that you can take, and they'll tell you which breeds are most compatible for you.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/search.htm

http://animal.discovery.com/breedselecto...

http://www.teststeststests.com/dogbreedt...     (Click on the 'dog breed selector' button. In the middle of the screen, it says 'Featured Pet Selector' in green. Under that, it will say 'Pooch Picker Quiz'. Click that.)

I hope you make a very informed decision, and are completely ready to take this on. Owning a dog is a huge responsibility, and not everyone is physically or emotionally prepared to do it.

Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:-)

Answer 4

I have a dachshund (weenie dog/weiner dog/hotdog are some names you may be more familiar with for it) and she is the best lap dog I have ever seen. She is in my lap more than the cat is. She sleeps with me or my mother every night..whoever goes to sleep first haha and then when one of us gets up she will get in bed with whoever is still asleep! Make SURE that your parents will help out and take the doggie to the bathroom and give it some love while they are home and you arent, and when you get home you need to give it alot of love. My dog loves belly rubs more than anything! If you do get a dachshund, I have heard the long haired kind are friendlier than the short haired and the wire haired are the least friendly. That may not be true I am not sure. I have the short haired and like i said, she is a lap dog for sure. They do not train very easily. If you want one from a puppy thatd be better for you bonding wise but I got mine after she was about 2 years old and she was already trained not to go to the bathroom inside the house. This was good for me! I have taught her to sit and am working on shake. This wasnt as hard as i thought it would be, since everyone says they arent easy to train so i guess just some of them are easier than others. They are also fragile dogs, you have to be very careful picking them up and letting them jump off of furniture because their elongated spine makes it very easy to get back injuries. This has not been a problem for my dog yet since I have made sure to pick her up the right way (the right way is explained here: http://www.wikihow.com/Hold-a-Dachshund     )

but anyways she is a truly great and VERY loyal dog and perfect for just sitting around being lazy and getting petted OR playing around with you or a rubber toy (they like to chew on things so a few rubber toys are good to have around)

Answer 5

hi,

to know what type of dog will suit you, you can use this dog finder match up http://tinyurl.com/6gkcok

the goal here is to help you figure out what type of dog best suits you and your personality. The results of the match up will suggest certain breeds.

hope this helps

Answer 6

First off, if you want to be the "pack leader" (have control over your dog) DONT sleep with it.

Secondly Try a terrier (eg. westy or foxy), Mini schnauzer, Bichon, Mini poodle.

Thirdly, go down to your local pet/animal shelter they are bound to have a lil dog that's perfect for you (trust me, I know.. I got a border collie mix from the pound and she's still young enough to train)

Lastly, If you were to leave the dog at home, and it's small it's best to keep it in a kitchen, wash house or bathroom (somewhere with lino) to keep it from escaping (just in case)

Answer 7

You need to be 13 to use yahoo! answers!!! Ugh... Too many kids on here!

Get a stuffed dog if you can't take the time to train a dog properly.

Answer 8

Check out one of the breed selectors, like this: http://animal.discovery.com/breedselecto...  There's a lot of small breeds that would meet the minimal requirements you have given, maybe a breed selector will help you to think of other characteristics you want and narrow down the number of different types you are looking at.  Alternately, visit your local shelter!  They have dogs in need of homes, and maybe there is a mixed-breed or even a purebred one there that would be just right for you!  If the dog will be home alone for 4 straight hours every day, then you really need to be looking for an adult or older puppy anyway unless there is a neighbor or someone willing to help you out for a while, as a young puppy will need to go out hourly at first.  

Answer 9

A Maltese dog would probably fit your type of lifestyle best :).

Check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maltese_(do...

You might also consider a Boston Terrier.

I have had experience with both, and they're both really loving small dogs.  Look into it, maybe go to an animal shelter and look at the small dogs.  The people there would be able to tell you the dog's temperament :).