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Anonymous
Okay /an/, I'm considering delving into dog ownership.

I'm just wondering for suggestions as far as:
a) Good breeds for beginners
b) Some direction in (general) training resources

Picture possibly related.
>> Anonymous
A) Golden Retriever

B) Food and Water
>> Anonymous
a) as a personal opinion. Standard Poodles make very good beginner dogs. They learn things quickly, and housebreaking is as simple as just making them go outside. You'll probably turn it down because lolpoodle, but just wanted to throw that out there.
b) you could literally just go to the pet store and; if you're getting a popular purebred, just hunt for books on how to deal with that particular breed.
>> Anonymous
What kind of dog do you want? One that goes jogging with you every morning, or one that chills on the couch more often? Consider how often you'll be home every day. Will you be crate training?

Things to do, regardless:
- Read, read, read. Pick up some dog training books from the library BEFORE you get a pet. Also get some books on general dog psych/behavior.
- Buy supplies beforehand. Toys, a crate, bowls, blankets, leashes, grooming supplies. Obviously there will be some things you can't buy beforehand (collars) but there's plenty of things you can.
- Research the vets in your area and choose one that best fits your requirements.
- Research different brands of food. Once you settle on a specific breed join a breed-specific forum for general support, tips and advice.

DON'T GET A DOG IF YOU DON'T PLAN TO WALK IT EVERY DAY OR IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS NEEDED TO CARE FOR IT.

Also consider adopting an older dog from a local rescue. Adoption counselors will help you pick out a dog that best suits your needs and wants.

And if you're going to watch dog-themed tv, watch It's Me or the Dog with Victoria Stilwell, not Cesar Milan. Victoria is a trainer, while Milan is a behaviorist. Two very different things.
>> Anonymous
A) Get a Mutt with short fur. There are three reasons for this:
1. Mutts are not the genetic abominations that their purebred cousins are and will be smarter and have less health issues.
2. If you get a mutt from the pound you'll be saving a life and you wont have to pay out the ass to some asshole breeder to get one.
3. Short hair so you don't have to drag it to a groomer all the time.

B) Treats I guess, you'll only need them at first.
>> Anonymous
>>288152

Only get a golden if you're planning to adopt a middle-aged one. Goldens are fucking piss and vinegar until they're like, four or five years old.

Get a standard poodle or a springer spaniel. Both are medium sized, intelligent dogs who (unless you're a small woman) won't plow you over, and are easily trained, in addition to being really sweet and friendly.
>> Anonymous
Whatever you do dont get a Hovawart.
>> Anonymous
>>288212

our short-haired mutt showed up at my dad's work without tags or any sign of ownership so he took him home. considering it was a complete spur of the moment thing and we'd only had outside dogs (yearsss ago) before, it worked out pretty well. he's well-behaved and pretty smart, as well as being adorable and also a baller.

tl;dr: listen to this guy.
>> Anonymous
>>288219
My friend has a dog that is part wolf and was found in a cardboard box on the side of the expressway and hes a real nice friendly dog.
>> Anonymous
TL;DR

Make sure to get the proper food as well. Shit like Kibble and Bits, Beneful, Old Roy and other crap is pretty bad for your dog. Iams is an okay standard food, but I wouldn't settle for that really.

One thing about higher priced dog food that isn't advertised as often is not only will your dog benefit from it more and suffer from less health problems, it'll also eat less of the food. Since there are more nutrients in the food itself, there's less of a need for it to eat as much of it. When you have a low priced bag of food that lacks nutrients, the dog will end up eating more of it, because it's trying to get more nutrients from the food itself. So what it ends up being is the bag of food may be higher priced, but because your dog is eating so much less of it, it actually turns out being only a difference of some change higher.

Guess you can think of it as eating McDonalds for all of your life or having a good delicious turkey dinner for the rest of your left. McDonalds would kill you at a pretty early age. :P As humans we get to switch meals, but dogs generally don't. So it's best to pick out something you want your dog to stick to forever that won't completely suck ass.
more...
>> Anonymous
Also list of good dog foods:

* Artemis
* Blue Buffalo
* California Natural
* Canidae
* Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul
* Eagle Pack Holistic Selects
* EVO
* Fromm
* Innova
* Merrick
* Nature's Variety
* Orijen
* Solid Gold
* Taste of the Wild
* Wellness
* ZiwiPeak
>> Anonymous
bull terriers are fun and loving dogs
they are also energetic
>> Anonymous
goldens are fucking awesome dogs, have had them all my life. two catches, though: they are extremely clingy and energetic so be ready to pour out attention, and they are prone to seizures, so be on careful watch if you get one. that being said, there's still not a day i ever regretted having goldens
>> Anonymous
OP please email me I would love to help you out but it needs to be a long discussion with lots of questions on both sides. vertexff@gmail.com (I am a dog trainer, former groomer, and breeder)
>> Anonymous
OP here.

Thanks for the general tips. I have a decent amount of savings, and I'm really considering going to a shelter more than anything else at this point. Of course, I'm still at the "research" point, which means that actually getting an animal is a good year off, if not a bit more.

Thanks again.
>> Anonymous
>>288613
If your shelters are anything like ours, it'll be 99% American Staff Terriers or Pitbulls.
>> Anonymous
>>288640
Long Island? lols.
>> Anonymous
Don't overcomplicate it. There aren't a whole lot of common breeds that aren't okay for a beginner - probably shouldn't do a hound (stubborn) or terrier (hyper).

It is more about your personality. If you're a computer/gamer/lazy person, look up smaller non-terrier dogs at dogbreedinfo.com like pugs, bulldogs, hairless... Most small breeds are automatically adjusted to living in the house when you buy them, they're also usually less active after puppyhood. But some big dogs make excellent pets for anyone too, I personally love German shepherds and shepherd mixes. Standard poodles are highly intelligent, but their coats are annoying and the one I grew up with was 10x more hyper than any puppy I've ever met (very charming, though).

Spoiler: all puppies are going to be insane and have high energy levels, it will take work no matter what breed you pick.
>> Anonymous
>>288654
Nope, Chicago Ridge, IL
>> Anonymous
German Shorthair Pointers are perfect for beginners and families. Calm yet fun, protective, friendly, loving and loyal.