Dog To Coax Me Out Which breed for me?

Okay, if its too long then just read the bullet points at the very bottom. If you want full details on my life situation read on! But please bear with me!

Dogs are an investment and I know I can't get one for at least another year or so, but I need to do research!

Background:
My family owned two dogs before, a shi-tzu when I was 3-5. Then came a pekingnese mix. He was horrific. He bit randomly and freaked me out so much. He was the reason I started hating dogs - I was still young (6-13) and forced to live with a creature I was scared of. It got to the point that when he was dog-napped I was actually relieved. How sad is that?

Looking back on it now I realize just how we messed up. It was our fault. I failed him. I have since re-learned my love for dogs and would love to try it again at 26.

Experience:
I am more confident now and I am fascinated by dog behaviour and pack mentality. I am going to be helping out a humane shelter in 3-4 months which I hope will give me even more experience in dealing with various types of dogs and their energy levels. Plus I watch dog documentaries/shows/read books.

Living Environment:
While I live in a large house the dog will be limited to one floor (the second) which has a 'wing' (bathroom, livingroom, bedroom) that can be closed. There is a medium to smallish yard but the fences are not too high (5f) and the poles are kinda far apart (cats get in and out very easily.) There is an air-conditioned 'shed' the dog can probably use when outdoors to escape from the insane heat at times. We have a lot of feral/stray cats in the neighborhood and they are not shy at all (one cat 'claimed' our welcome mat, we need to actually nudge her off to get in.) I DON'T want a dog to chase them out. There is also a 5km 'walkway' by the house and a lot of empty plots or parking lots to play fetch in - but unfortunately no dog parks or tightly fenced parks, strong recall is a must in this case.

Lifestyle:
I'll probably be the primary caretaker and there will always be someone in the house. I can't guarantee they will give him as much attention as me since they aren't 'dog people'; but he will being taken care of when I'm not around. Now my work schedule is wonderfully simple (assistant professor) so I won't be away for more than 4 hours for 3-4 times a week. I would love a dog I can take with me to my friends' houses so he has to be pretty inactive indoors. Learning clear boundaries is a must; there will be some rooms he can never enter (but can sit at the door and wait). Low to no separation anxiety is preferred (I might have to travel for a week or so a few times a year - though I will strive to go for dog-friendly vacations to take'em along or put him in a kennel or at home if I have my doubts about his needs.)

Exercise/Energy Level:
I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I have to take pills every day but I swear some days I just don't think its working (while other days I am bouncing around listlessly). I used to live a sedentary lifestyle but now I am trying my best to change it. I have been doing brisk walks every day for 10-20 minutes twice a day, and jog for 30 minutes 3 times a week (I am slowly building it up to be a runner/jogger) and would love the company. I admit one of the main reasons I want a dog is to force me out of those house on one of my 'down days'. A couch potato dog would just entice me to stay in.

A dog that needs 30-60 minutes of exercise a day OTOH will force me to get that leash in order to ensure the safety of my sanity, his sanity and the furniture's sanity. I can also drain some more with a few games of fetch/frisbee in the empty plots or force him to run up and down the stairs or treadmills if its too hot outside.

Size:
Considering that the dog will be confined to basically a 'wing' (although the attic is kinda fun too) he has to be content with an 'apartment' arrangement with the occasional supervised romp in a medium yard. BUT! I still have my little uh...wariness of toy/yappy dogs. I swear I don't mind the gentle giants but those bug-eyed snarly yappers tense me up so fast...

My Ideal Aesthetic:
I basically like 'gruff' dogs; not frizzy hair, no poodles, no 'cute fuzz balls' but something masculine or at least fearless enough to cause a pause when first seen (since I am such a reserved and sweet looking girl who gets herself in stupid situations.) Examples of what I like:

English Bull Terriers are perfect for me in terms of appearance and size; unfortunately I hear they are very high energy and incredibly stubborn to train - considering this is my first dog I am worried his bull terrier stubbornness may out bull my own Taurus stubbornness.

Doberman Pinschers. Velcro dogs but still protective of the family. Highly trainable, smart (although I worry that I may fall into a routine and bore the **** out of him.) They look /gorgeous/, but...Some sites claim they are moderate energy, some claim they are very high (up there with border collies!). Which is true?? Will my exercise schedule listed above be enough? We don't have 'dog parks' much less dog courses to get their energy out.

Olde Boston Bulldogge seems to have the best of everything I could want. The easy, affectionate, trainable personality of the Boston Terrier but with the fearless, compact strength of the Staffy. Small enough for a girl to control but fierce looking enough for a pause. Moderate energy from what I can see but...Well there doesn't seem to be much info and it gets muddled with the Olde English Bulldogge a lot (which I /hate/. Goddamn squished drool face.)

Alright! Those are my thoughts and well gosh, if you're still reading I'm impressed, glad and grateful!

Wants:
*High recall (trainable but tendency for it would be nice, I'm guessing most hounds are out?)
*Moderate to low energy (indoor calm, outdoor for 60 minutes - two 30min walk/run, 15-30 min games)
*Tolerates hot weather (80-100f summer is 90% of the year, but air condition indoors.)
*Low shedding and grooming needs
*High Trainability (my first dog, he should be forgiving.)
*Apartment space but within a large house so unset boundaries of where to go and not go.
*No to low separation anxiety.
*No large dogs; small to medium is fine (NO TOYS)
*Preferably 'tough' looking (though a sweetie at heart!)
*Child safe - there will be no children /in/ the house but they will visit weekly; youngest is 5, oldest is 10. I will supervise.
*Dog & Cat tolerance: A lot of my friends have Staffies and French Bulldogs, so playdates.
*Low barking! One warning bark is fine but I really don't need to know about every freaking leaf that flutters.
*Low prey drive, like I said, lots of stray cats that claimed our yard.

Any advice? What do you think fits my situation?

I know my best bet is to find a dog in the shelter I'll work for, but I have 3-4 months of anxious 'I WANT A DOG' voice screaming in my head until then, so I figured 'ideal breed' research may calm it down until then.

As you want a dog that doesn't need excessive exercise, I would have said a retired Greyhound - but then you say the dog must not chase the cats.... Not sure but I suspect it might be tough with a Greyhound, but there are folk on this forum who know far more than I do about this breed - so they may disagree with me

I understand that you really, really want a dog, but I can't help wondering: what about the days when you are really fatigued, and your dog is desperate to go out...?

Even a dog that needs moderate exercise will also have other needs for attention and stimulation and play - and when one is low on energy, it can be exhausting...

Might it be an idea to speak to the rescue about maybe fostering a dog for a short while, to see how you get on? That way you could also 'road test' a few different breeds/sizes/cross breeds.

I'm a bit confused your profile says you're located in the UK but it's written like you're in the states and the temperatures given are not typical of the uk either.
You love Dobermanns but say NO Large dogs my male is 46kgs. NO Barking then forget the Guarding breeds. Like I said I'm confused :?

Also the term apartment and yard, unless the OP is an american living in the uk. But it doesn't feel right to me.

I'm a little confused too, most of the 'problems' you don't want will be down to you as a trainer of your dog to ensure these do not escalate.
You say you want low shedding yet don't want cute and fluffy, most low shedding breeds fall into that category. I think you need to have another sit down and really think about what it is you want.
Bull Terriers may not be big but they can be incredibly powerful and put that with their stubborness and you may have problems!!
Becky

80-100f in summer which lasts 90% of the year, me thinks that's not any part of the UK I've ever visited.

Oh! Sorry for the confusion! I wanted to make it as short as possible (failed horribly) and cut off a lot of the details.

I am in the UK at the moment but I am moving in 3-4 months to a desert country (Middle East to be specific.) Hence I can't own one now but will be able to in a while after my move back home (UK is temporary). I'm just here for college but my experiences in the UK with how well they treat their dogs made me love them once more.

Low shedding and no extra fluff meaning less maintenance - I figured dogs like rough collies, samoyeds (although large), pekingnese (definitely a no-no but long haired /and/ a shedder) sussex spaniels, etc. won't fit.

I suppose its the difference between a single layer coat and a double layer coat? I'm still not sure what makes a 'smooth' or 'short-haired' dog shed as much as say a shetland sheepdog. I don't mind the occasional fluff of fur on my shirt or bed, but I don't want to deal with a dog that sheds like a long-haired cat (which I used to own...I think that's what made me wary when I see 'shedding', I /drowned/ in cat fur.)

As for the apartment, I am moving back in with my parents (can't live alone as a female) and I have one 'wing' that I can use as sort of a small apartment within a larger house. My mother hates animals but with basic training I can have him respect the spaces she does not want him in.

And yes, I understand most of the problems is something a trainer needs to handle, but I figured some breeds were more 'apt' for certain things than others? For example a Saluki has a high prey drive that I will need to train very hard to override, which may be more difficult with all the feral cats around my house and the shortish fence.

This is my first time dog as primary caretaker so something that is more...obedient and less dominant might be best? A hardy dog that I can train to be good off-lead (so hounds may a bit difficult) not because I want him off the leash while I walk, but just in case he got out or does a behavior I don't approve of, I could still have control or dominance over him.

Its why I'm here after all. I keep reading all this information from all these sites that clash that I'm kinda confused myself!

...dogs in general dont just 'get out' and u dont need dominance over them either :?

my advise is forget looking for one now,it really doesnt seem the right time in your circumstances or your understanding of dogs to think about it.....yet.

go do your voluntary work at the shelters,learn from it and enjoy it.

then think again

...Don't just get out?

I don't understand? High prey drive is not exactly that uncommon. I read on so many boards or just hear from people about how their dogs 'bolted' and since they didn't learn proper recall the trainers/owners had to chase after them.

I /am/ doing my research. I am /not/ buying this dog within this year. /This/ is part of my research. This is why I am here. It just makes it easier to know what I am looking for I suppose?

And I thought you do need dominance over some dogs? Come on, some dogs are known for their dominant nature (as opposed to submissive) and if you don't show them that you are alpha of the pack they will jump all over you. Are you denying this?

I don't mean by yanking them around on the chain of course! Or hitting them or whatever! No! I mean by simple displays of 'toy ownership' (making them understand that as alpha you can claim any of their territory without aggression on their part.) Making sure you are always in the lead when walking the dog. No jumping or humping on me or others, etc. No displays of domination/alpha.


...Hell, I thought you're supposed to be the boss, not the dog. I thought it's /not/ an equal partnership but a pack hierarchy? Thats the problem with today and dogs? People keep treating them like humans when they should treat them like dog.

I would suggest you put getting a dog on the back burner for now. I don't mean to be rude but I don't think you or your circumstances are a good fit for a dog - there just seems to be too many "dont's".

You have to accept a dog for being a dog and everything that comes with it. Obviously you can train some things - but don't expect a 'robot' like in the movies - that's just fantasy. You can't reprogram a dog not to be like a dog; they'll want to follow you everywhere, to be part of the family, to want to go out in the yard and play, etc etc.

See how your job goes at the shelter, and if after that you are willing to cut down on your 'rules' and accept a dog for being a dog and everything that comes with it, then consider one.

Good luck.

If you are wanting a dog to go running with you then I would consider a slightly older rescue
Not only will this mean you wont have to wait a year or more for him to be able to run with you but you will have a better idea of the temprament

I instantly thought of a staffy cross for yyou

But I agree I would wait till you are settled and got some experience with the shelter dogs
- you may well find the right dog for you finds you there

Sorry if I am being defensive but I /completely/ agree with you! I am not looking for a robot at all! But I do believe in training and obedience, our last dog had absolutely none and this time I want to make sure that I won't get a stubborn one, that's all. I suppose I figured if I just vomited out as much information as I could I would receive a better answer - instead it made me look like a fool who didn't know what she was talking about. My apologies. :/

I'm just worried I gave off the wrong impression when I had no intention. I really am not that ignorant of dogs, I know a lot of my 'don'ts' are more things you train a dog but whenever I read up on breeds a lot of them have 'tendencies'. I KNOW these are all very very very highly dependent on the dog but...why put tendencies if they aren't a high factor in decisions?

Alright, looking over my list I will take out the things that I believe are purely trainable and break it down to make it easier? (the barking thing for example I know is something you train, but you can't deny that some dogs are prone to more than one bark/bawl while others are less...enthusiastic.)

*Low prey-drive.
*Low-to-Moderate energy.
*About small-to-medium
*Tolerates heat. (Though my friends have brachy dogs I'm worried about the heat if I go for walks/runs.)
*Not overly protective/guard dog.
*Tolerates other animals with proper socialization (dogs, horses, cats and rabbits. Horses aren't a must but bringing him to the stables would be wonderful...)
*High trainability

Yes! I admit I love my friend's Staffy to bits! He is what turned me onto Olde Boston Bulldogge - I am hoping they make good jogging/running partners for a slower runner.

And I admit, older dog is a must. The bones /must/ be formed or will very soon - plus older dogs need a loving home too and puppies are a /nightmare/ to raise properly. Puppy will be something I'd consider in say...5 years.

Good post Azz

Yea, I /adore/ Dobermans. Trust me, when I get married and in my own place I am getting a Doberman. I love their loyalty, their intelligence, their guarding abilities, everything. But I /also/ know that they /do not/ fit my current living situation, which is why I can't own one. It was under 'Dogs I love' not 'Dogs I'm considering', sorry for the confusion!


ETA: Just to let you guys know and not worry too much that I may be damaging a poor animal so soon, I won't actually own the dog until next year. You guys are my new research team to correct all my faulty knowledge until then.

I just don't want to be one of those people who buys a dog cause they're so cute, or cause they OMGWANTONENOW! I am trying to figure out what is necessary and you guys are my outlet until I can finally volunteer. Consider it 'window shopping'

Basically? Train me to be the ultimate dog owner XD

Hmmm well I'm not sure how you can lurve Dobermanns and hate dogs that bark, Dobermanns are very vocal dogs they can talk all day long, not necessarily barking but they whine, moan, yodel, yip and even howl lol and that's a happy content Dobermann.
Staffies don't do well running about in the heat either, mine vomits if exercised in the heat of the day in the uk let alone wherever you have 80-100f for most of the year.
I think you need to spend some time with some adults of various breeds before you can know what you really love about any particular breed.

dominance and pack theory are old fashioned and been proven to be a load of tosh.Mutual respect is order of the day, i suggest you wait until you get back home and have a look at whats available, please be warned however, dog hair and dog smells get everywhere, if your mother doesn't like dogs you may hit a brick wall. Also consider the countries attitude to dogs, if you were staying here then i would say a greyhound would be great.

Oh and remember dogs end up in rescue for a reason, some genuine. some not so

I don't mind barks and yodels and yips. Hell I don't mind Beagle's baying and the there was this one dog with the most unusual sounding bark I've ever heard. Barks don't bother me at /all/ which is why I wouldn't mind for a future dog.

Its just my current situation is not bark friendly unfortunately. One or two warning barks are fine, I don't want a /voiceless/ dog!

Dobermans and Bull Terriers are my ultimate 'dream dog' to own, but ONLY when I know I can handle them and live in a situation that would suit them. Their needs come before my own selfish gratification of 'owning a dog'.

If you are permanently locating to the Middle East may I suggest that you wait until you are out there and then consider a native breed, one that is used to the environmental conditions and that suits your purposes. You can then ask around people who have dogs as to how they fit into the lifestyle you want.
Becky

I've lived there most of my life. The only native breed there is the Saluki (not counting feral dogs). I'm not a hunter or a sporting person, nor are there any courses there aimed at dogs with such for me to help him/her let it out. I considered taking a Saluki to the desert to run but again I worry, the dog's safety and health is my main concern.

They are gorgeous dogs though and very friendly, quiet, sweet dispositions (that I saw), latches onto you (so I can take him/her wherever I go, which is ideal) but I doubt they fit my lifestyle; their energy may end up killing me or them.

The people with pets there have Staffies, French Bulldogs, Pugs, GSDs, Chihuahuas, hell I even saw a Siberian Husky (/that/ broke my heart) so all sorts come and go. It helps to have air conditioned indoors and just limit their time outdoor when the sun isn't at its strongest, especially at night. Still, a dog meant for the snow and frigid air being brought to the desert is just cruel.

I have to wait either way, and who knows, my current favorite dog of choice for next year may change as soon as I encounter a more fitting breed - but if I can find an 'ideal' one to focus on until proven otherwise (by a rescue dog, a better fit, whathaveyou) would be nice; if only so that I may understand how to best deal with /that/ dog. ...Does that make sense?

I realize I am putting the cart waaaaay ahead of the horse, but the horse is soooo tempting that I would rather do that and slooowly nudge the cart closer until it is in position.

Until I can volunteer in September, I'm not sure how else I can prepare myself. Any suggestions?