Cross Breeds - What breed of dog would you recommend?

What breed of dog would you recommend?

I am looking to get a puppy but not sure of the most ideal breed I should get that will be compatible with my lifestyle! Basically I need a dog that is happy to spend long hours of the day on his own as i am a uni student and a few days of the week i spend most of the day at uni (obviously when i first get him I will not leave him alone for so long). I also want a dog that does not need tons of exercise. Ideally a dog that would be happy to be taken for walks 2 or 3 times a day for half an hour each time would be suitable for me! And also I would prefer a breed that is not prone to illnesses/disabilities as I don't want to be frequently taking him to the vet. For example I know that dalmations are prone to obesity so i wouldn't want that breed of dog. I am thinking that I would want to get a cross-breed dog, but I can't seem to find any websites that have mutts for sale! Does anyone know of any sites that has mutts for sale?

Public Comments

check out your local human society, they have awesome pet who would love to be loved by someone. Most shelters have purebread puppies too, check it out, plus they are not expensive.
Dont buy dogs! Go to a rescue centre, you'll find one to meet your needs. Look in the local paper or search on line, there are more puppies in the world than there are owners.
Miniature pinchers are good dogs. i have 2. they are lovable.
aspca.org is a good place to look for a mixed breeds i would recomend a smaller dog
yorkie or carin terrier
Try a lab!
I would look at a shelter. I have two chihuahua doxi pups who are amazing.
Keep in mind that if you are going to get a dog, you might want to wait until you have a lifestyle suited for that dog. Most dogs don't want to spend long hours of the day on their own, so keep in mind that dogs need to be let out about every 4 or 5 hours to use the bathroom comfortably, particularly if it is a smaller dog. Try this web site for some help on selecting a breed: http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselector.do
It sounds like you are very busy. Maybe too busy for a dog. However, my sister has a King Charles Spaniel. It's a quiet breed, very friendly, relatively lazy. Remember, puppies need a lot of attention...just like children! They will get lonely and bored if left alone too long. That translates into destructive behavior...(just like children).
You should get a pomerainian dog they are cute fluffy and lovable.
Be honest with yourself. Between classes, studying, dates, maybe working too, going out with friends, how much time would you have for your dog? Not much. Wait until you graduate. You will be happier and have a happier pet. Most students end up rehoming a dog within a year or 2 because they do not have the time for it.
You do not need to own a dog. At all. Maybe a stuffed animal would suit your needs. . maybe a fish? I'm just being honest. Dogs aren't for your entertainment. They need your time, attention and love. Leaving them to sit in a house all day long like a picture on a wall is not fair.
I'm a West Highland White Terrier and we are ideal for your situation. We are perfectly happy with 2/3 decent walks a day. We also live to a ripe old age (many of us reach our 17th or even 18th birthdays). And so long as you feed us a good diet and exercise us (so we don't get fat) we are very healthy. I'm 10 and have never had a day's illness in my life. Also we are loyal and loving and adaptable. And very cute.
i recommend buying a slave man. LOL! ( : short haired Chihuahua puppY!! ( :
Go to your local SPCA or dog pound. Also do an Internet search for rescue groups for various breeds you might be interested in.
Definitely go to a rescue organization, you can find one's in your area at petfinder.com. That site will list available rescue dogs in your area and have pictures of most. I caution you tho...keep the kleenex handy! I've had rescue dogs before and they are the most loving wonderful dogs. Rescue dogs usually spend time in a foster home so they learn not only obedience and house training but socialization skills. All you have to do is feed them, love them, excercise them and maintain their health! Good luck and lots of doggy kisses in the future!
Like the other good answers, I say get a pet from a rescue or humane society. The adoption fee usually pays for spaying/neutering, vaccines and basic tests. So you really get your money's worth and are saving a life. I'd pick a small to medium sized mixed breed. I would also recommend getting a little older dog. As a student, it's hard to spend the time a tiny puppy needs. Plus, you can tell better what the energy level and attitude is like with an adult or "teenage" age pet. Puppies are all puppies, no matter what their breed is. Also, lots and lots of college students each year get pets then end up abandoning them when they move on in their lives. You may not be one of these types, but everyone should remember, pets are a lifetime commitment...ten to twenty years with money to be spent every single year. Only get pets when you're able to make the time and resource commitment they deserve.
wait til after university. 2 0r 3 times a day is a lot of walking, most ownners barely manage once a day. I don't think you know what yoiu are talking about. Get some human friends.
some thing with blue tice in it would be good for u it sounds like and just try the pound
Dogs need attention and excercise. Dont put a puppy through that misery of being all alone all the time so you can just "own" a dog. you need to wait till you can have ample time to spend with it. Beware...some dogs will act out when you leave them alone....they will chew, eat, and destroy precious items. It's not fair to make a dog hold its pee and poop till you get a chance to come home for a min every 8 hours or so. thats miserable. I know how you feel, I love dogs but dont have time to dedicate to it between school and work and two kids. I barely have time to bathe them and myself
I really think you should pass on getting a dog. You would do more harm than good to one. I don't know why you would want to do this to any animal. I am not sure of you reasoning on getting one. I really hope you not this picky when it come to finding a husband. No, do a favor for all pet lovers do not get an animal. You not really an animal lover. Not sure of your reasoning on this. Think about what you are doing and put yourself in the dog place. Would you really want the life you are going to give him or her. To many unwanted dogs as it is. I also can see if you do get one you would not keep it for to long. I really don't think he will stand up to your standards. Please do not do this to a dog.
get a west highland terrier !!! best dogs on the planet !!!
Labs are great, we have our 2nd one and she is well mannered, smart, and never gets upset. She is always up to play and such, and she seems to give it her all. She loves to please the alpha in the pack which is me, and she is starting to please my son instead of those two seeing each other as competing for the number two in the pack. Our neighbors have a golden retreiver and she got nailed by a lab, nice pups and they are a bit smaller than a lab, but have most of the traits. Our dog also likes to keep ones feet warm. They are loyal, trustworthy, and dependable.
Sorry but no dog is happy to spend long hours of the day on its own unless he has a friend to play with. http://www.epupz.com is a good website if you decide to get a dog in the end. As for breeds French Bulldogs, Pugs, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, West Highland terriers are all nice dogs. You said you wanted a cross breed, try Battersea dogs home or your local animal shelter or RSPCA as they have a lot of cross breeds and they usually end up having fun personalitys.
To be honest it sounds like you shouldn't get a dog. Wait till your circumstances allow you to care for it properly, otherwise you'll just give an animal a bad life.
Daschund (aka sausage dog) or (wiener Dog) I got mine in 1994, such a great dog, very small, but they have such big hearts. If you like small dicks, you will like Daschunds. Note: They dont like to be alone!
Hamster...
I feel as though these breeds could be great options for your lifestyle. Most of these are PUREBREDS but you can go to your local RSPCA/ASPCA to find mutts. They are around $100 for an adult and $200 for a puppy. Cairn Terrier: Can gain weight fairly easily, sometimes prone to flea allergies. http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/cairnterrier.htm English Cocker Spaniels: Prone to ear infections. Ears must be cleans regularly. http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/englishcocker.htm Australian Terrier: NO major hereditary diseases, a very healthy and hardy breed. http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/australianterrier.htm Lagotto Romagnolo: NO major health problems at all. http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/lagottoromagnolo.htm Mountain Feist: NO health problems at all. Look a lot like a JRT. http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/mountainfeist.htm These are the HEALTHIEST purebreds I have found on www.dogbreedinfo.com when searching for a dog that would match your lifestyle. Remember, when you buy a mutt, if it is a cross between two pures (Lab x Poodle= Labradoodle), they will have twice the ammount of health problems. People thing just because they get a Poodle x, it won't shed; that isn't the case at all. The likelyhood of the dog shedding isn't as high as it would be if it wasn't Poodle x. Getting a dog thats sheds a LOT and crossing it with a dog that doesn't shed at all (or sheds very little) will only decrease the amount of fur shed. If you were to get a Labradoodle (example) you would have to remember that Labs are prone to A LOT (and I mean a lot of SERIOUS) hereditary health problems and so do Poodles. So, if you crossed them both, the pups might be just as un-healthy as a dog with tons of health problems. Go to http://dogbreedinfo.com/search.htm and take the "quiz" to see which dogs would match your lifestyle.
I think you should ask yourself why you want a dog. They are great fun I have a 10 month old puppy, who is really cute, BUT he needs hours of attention especially in those vital first few weeks when you have to socialise him, toilet train him and learn how to handle him. If it's for company you want a dog for, maybe a kitten would be better, once it's house trained you can leave a cat for ages and it would probably fit your life style better. Good luck, please think carefully before you decide.
For anyone else who is reading this question, I would recommend a course haired terrier. We have a rescue mongrel, mostly a border terrier, maybe crossed with a cairn. Very good with children, very good with people, very bad with other dogs, though. Feisty, and not too big to manage. There are all sorts of terriers of different sizes, and by and large they are pretty healthy. In your situation, I agree with all the other people who have said it would be better for you to wait until you are able to provide the right environment for your pet. You could end up with an unhappy animal that will make your life miserable (they can really do that!). You won't be able to just scoot off somewhere for the weekend, for the next 10-20 years without thinking of your animal. Can you really commit to exercising a dog even once a day? I would never recommend getting a bred puppy. There are so many unwanted dogs. Pay the money to rescue one of the poor unfortunate rescue dogs instead of lining the pockets of a breeder.
With your schedule of being gone so much I would tell you to buy a stuffed plush doggie. No dog wants to be alone for long hours at a time..dogs are pack animals so either wait until you can spend more time with the dog training and socializing it or you'd better get two dogs so they can keep each other company. A dog left alone for too long will end up causing you problems.
You would be better getting a toy dog maybe from toys-r-us and you're a student - would you be able to afford keep a dog? You cannot always judge a dog by its breed as to whether or not it will get ill. I don't think you are responsible enough for a dog and I own two dalmatians and have never heard before that they suffer from obesity - I think that would be more down to the owners than dog breed.
I recommend a cross breed dog as you mentioned - look out for ads in local papers, www.loot.co.uk and www.epupz.co.uk for dogs that interest you. Try visiting a local rescue centre after Christmas when they are briming with unwanted but lovely doggies and pups. They will help you choose a dog with the personality that suits your lifestyle. First of all, 2 to 3 half hour walks a day is a good amount of exercise. If about 20 mins of that is free running off the lead, you would be able to get a reasonably active type of dog like a labrador or collie cross breed. The main serious breed problems are physical deformities like blindness and hip abnormalities - obesity is something that you can control as an owner so don't let that put you off a certain breed. When they say a breed is prone to obesity then what they mean is that its a greedy pig and doesn't have a high metabolic rate - basic storing food as fat! Good breeders will have tested the dogs they breed from for the problems that breed is prone to so you can ask them for the results of those tests. However, good breeders also charge a lot of money and your student budget may not stretch that far! You say you want to get a puppy. I do feel that I should warn you that puppies need constant supervision for many weeks - depending on their personality - even months. I'm not sure that it would be a good idea for you to get a demanding puppy - it will really tire you and impact on your studies. Plus, if you leave it at home for several hours while you are at uni - it will eat your home. This is normal puppy behaviour and it would hardly be fair to crate it for long periods of time. If you get an older dog when you have reading weeks or a longer break like over christmas you will have time to settle it in before you have to go back to lectures. Perhaps you can get someone to pop in and take it out for a quick walk on the days you are out for a long time. If someone you know might be willing to do this then have a chat with them before you choose a dog and get them involved in the process. If they feel part of it all then they will be far more willing to help out! Hope it all goes well!
Please think twice about getting a dog until you feel you can give it the time and attention it needs, especially if you are thinking about a puppy. Would you leave a child on it's own for 8 hours? Think about the consequences and stress the poor dog would suffer. Like a child needs love and attention so does a dog. If you want you're place of digs to reamain in one piece avoid getting a dog at this time in your life and when you're all graduated and settled into a less erratic lifestyle then you will be ready to give a dog a loving home. Good luck.
Have you really thought about this? When would you get your dog? How can you say at first it won't be alone for long - you sound very busy and I don't think as a student you should be comitting to owning a dog as you may find your circumstances change - why don't you volunteer at your local dog shelter and walk dogs in your spare time. I have two dogs and it is very difficult running our lives around them - they are lovely but we don't leave them for longer than 3 hours a day. We work shifts that accommodate very well. They have a big garden and get walks. There is no time for social unless we get someone in to sit - or we don't do a long session out. As a student you may find there are nights you want to spend round a mates and who would have the dog then? Please take the advice of the dog owners and wait until your circumstances are much more settled. (Try a Nintendog!) Also - 3 x 30 minute walks a day could be quite a klot of exercise for some dogs - do you have a garden. If not then don't even consider a dog yet. I think a dog should have freedom to go out and play and do business without being on a walk as such. Good Luck with your studies!
maybe you would be better with a cat it is cruel to leave dogs in the house all day with out companionship and if going to the vets alot bothers you then i would reconsider getting a dog as all dogs become ill sometime or other and need the right treatment
If your looking for a cross breed why not rescue one from battersea dogs home?? iv got 2 rescue pups from there, i would also recomend a cross because they are less prone to illness because off their mix in breed makes them more imune. good luck x
You have a busy lifestyle, so think carefully! puppies are hard work, I have just gotten a border terrier x lakeland puppy. He's sooo cute. We got him because they are very laid back dogs, don't demand excersise and are very quiet. I have 2 young children and he fits in perfectly. But he does need a lot of time and attention, toilet training, obedience training to name but a few. Try your local free ads papers or local paper that's how I found my dog. And I would also say to get him insured just incase you encounter any huuuge vets bills. It will save you a lot of heartache in the long run. good luck puppy hunting!
the dog you want is a collie cross lab they can be left at home for a long time, there not little and sissy there proper dogs ,and they need walking a couple of times a day and only for around half an hour that is the dog you need its also gd at agility and good company