I want a dog.

[jonathan_matos5]

but i live in an apartment.

would it be wrong to crate a dog while i am at school and at night so it doesn't mess the apartment?

is there a breed of dog that is lazy enough for life without a backyard? particularly a real dog one that doesn't have to fear the local alley/ house cat?

i'd love to have a beagle but they need a yard to sniff around and the occasional squirrel to chase, and i cannot promise that in my current living condition?

[iamlowsound]

English bulldog or a pug.

lowsound

[Pacman]

Crating a dog is fine - they actually prefer the "closed in" feeling of a crate. All of my dogs are crate trained, and now they go into their crates on their own.

[jonathan_matos5]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

English bulldog or a pug.

lowsound

i am not pretentious enough to own either breed

[GeneralElectric]

I have a mutt. He's big and he sleeps all day. You should get one of those.

[jonathan_matos5]

Originally Posted by GeneralElectric

I have a mutt. He's big and he sleeps all day. You should get one of those.

is it some kind of dog intentionally bred for laziness?


can you be more specific than mutt? i will head to the pound to see what dog needs rescuing.


i watched my friends basset hound for a week when he went on vacation those seem lazy enough

[GeneralElectric]

Originally Posted by jonathan_matos5

is it some kind of dog intentionally bred for laziness?


can you be more specific than mutt? i will head to the pound to see what dog needs rescuing.


i watched my friends basset hound for a week when he went on vacation those seem lazy enough

Its a Great Dane, Huskey, Shepherd, Lab mix. All active breeds, but I guess they cancelled each other out. He's a jerk though.

If I were you, I'd get an older dog. Its probably already trained and it could use a good home more than anything else.

Here's my pooch. He's 15 now.

[ryco]

You may want to check with your local humane society about the possibility of volunteering.
These shelters are usually understaffed and underfunded and a lot of them will let you take the dogs out walking.
This way some dog will get some attention until he is placed and you don't have to worry about leaving your dog confined for hours.

Just a thought.

[FL Knifemaker]

Originally Posted by Pacman

Crating a dog is fine - they actually prefer the "closed in" feeling of a crate. All of my dogs are crate trained, and now they go into their crates on their own.

+1 All but our two big dogs sleep in crates. We hardly ever close the doors on them, they just go in their to sleep. Sometimes 3 in one crate It's THEIR space.

[Scarlet Fire]

Originally Posted by jonathan_matos5

is it some kind of dog intentionally bred for laziness?


can you be more specific than mutt? i will head to the pound to see what dog needs rescuing.


i watched my friends basset hound for a week when he went on vacation those seem lazy enough

Basset hounds can get overweight very easily, so you actually do need to exercise them regularly.

[Munjibunga]

I'd suggest a smaller, non-yappy kind of dog. We have a long-haired dachshund who we leave unattended in the house whenever we're out. There are usually at least three pairs of shoes lying around, and she never messes with them. Even as a puppy, she only chewed one shoe, for which she was "corrected." The key is to give them things they know belong to them, like ropes, balls, chew bones, etc.

Now, we even take her on vacations, and leave her uncrated in the hotel room. She likes her crate, though, and we take it along so she can sleep in it. She spent a week on a houseboat with us on Lake Mead, and had a great time.

All dogs need some exercise to stay and shape and recognize you as the dominant wolf (dogs are wolves, and need to know who's the leader). Never let the dog think it is number one over you or anyone you know. Ours recognizes she is lowest on the totem pole, and loves knowing what we expect of her. You'll have to take it on at least one walk every day. Our dog takes at least two walks a day, and goes to the park every evening to run with her friends.

She's 2 and a half now, and we don't even need to use the formal commands she learned at puppy school, which I highly recommend. Usually just a look or hand gesture will get her to do what you want.

Here she is swimming in Lake Mead. My daughter didn't believe dogs automatically know how to swim, so I threw her (the dog) in the lake. We still have her (the dog ... daughter, too).





Nap time.

[Pacman]

Originally Posted by GeneralElectric

Its a Great Dane, Huskey, Shepherd, Lab mix. All active breeds, but I guess they cancelled each other out. He's a jerk though.

If I were you, I'd get an older dog. Its probably already trained and it could use a good home more than anything else.

Here's my pooch. He's 15 now.

Great Danes are NOT active dogs! they're huge, but they don't require a ton of exercise. My family raised them when I was a kid, and they're awesome dogs!

[WickedPissah]

Kid I know has a chihuahua/greyhound mix. he's a lot of fun. but he barks a lot.

[iamlowsound]

Get a pointer of some sort.

lowsound

[Gard]

I know I sound like a broken record...but...BEFORE you go one step further toward getting a dog, go directly to your local bookstore and purchase Cesar Millan's first book "The Dog Whisperer". You will find it to be VERY informative and useful in selecting the right dog for your lifestyle, in addition to giving you a solid understanding of what your responsibilities to the dog are.

Dogs are great, but as Munji pointed out, even "lazy" dogs require a good deal of attention and at least some exercise, daily. They also not only require, but prefer discipline and order, as they are pack animals. If you don't make the dog understand from day one who is the alpha male (or female) in your pack is, it will never be happy. If you can't give the necessary attention to the dog, don't get it, seriously. You will only harm the animal. Remember, you are not getting a fashion accessory, you are taking responsibility for another life. It's almost like becoming a parent, in my opinion!

If you're unable to give the necessary time to a dog, do both yourself and your potential packmate a huge favor and get a cat, which I believe will fit your lifestyle much more easily. They don't require a lot of attention to be content and happy, they're good with unstructured environments and time (they pretty much sleep...a lot... ). They make wonderful pets as well, just different than dogs.

Either way, PLEASE go to your local shelter and find your new roommate, as there are far too many unwanted and unloved creatures there every day. The Cesar Millan book will guide you on that as well, if you do, you can learn to quickly "read" a dog's temperament and energy level, and find one that will fit yours.

Good luck no matter what you do!

[Stigs]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

Get a pointer of some sort.

lowsound

I have an american pointer and a Drathaar (German wirehair pointer straight from Germany) and they are extremely active and love to run, also my grandfather has a kennel and many different breeds of pointers which are all very active and spend much of their time running around, I wouldn't suggest getting one for his current situation.

[Gard]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

Get a pointer of some sort.

lowsound

Very bad advice.

Pointers are very active dogs, and would never fit into Johnathan's lifestyle! They're great dogs, but not right for an apartment dweller.

[MAJOR METAL]

I too would like a dog animal.

[Indiana Mike]

Originally Posted by ryco

You may want to check with your local humane society about the possibility of volunteering.
These shelters are usually understaffed and underfunded and a lot of them will let you take the dogs out walking.
This way some dog will get some attention until he is placed and you don't have to worry about leaving your dog confined for hours.

Just a thought.

+1

I would recommend this prior to getting a dog just to feel it out . You may even be able at some point to foster care for dogs and get an idea if it is right for you .

You may even get some dates out of it.

dogs can live for 15 years +++

My kids want a dog really bad but right now it is just not a good time as we are to busy to give a dog the attention and care it needs and deserves.

We take the kids to the humane society once a month or so and let them have fun . Afterwards we go home and have gained zero added responsibility.

[jonathan_matos5]

Originally Posted by Gard

I know I sound like a broken record...but...BEFORE you go one step further toward getting a dog, go directly to your local bookstore and purchase Cesar Millan's first book "The Dog Whisperer". You will find it to be VERY informative and useful in selecting the right dog for your lifestyle, in addition to giving you a solid understanding of what your responsibilities to the dog are.

Dogs are great, but as Munji pointed out, even "lazy" dogs require a good deal of attention and at least some exercise, daily. They also not only require, but prefer discipline and order, as they are pack animals. If you don't make the dog understand from day one who is the alpha male (or female) in your pack is, it will never be happy. If you can't give the necessary attention to the dog, don't get it, seriously. You will only harm the animal. Remember, you are not getting a fashion accessory, you are taking responsibility for another life. It's almost like becoming a parent, in my opinion!

If you're unable to give the necessary time to a dog, do both yourself and your potential packmate a huge favor and get a cat, which I believe will fit your lifestyle much more easily. They don't require a lot of attention to be content and happy, they're good with unstructured environments and time (they pretty much sleep...a lot... ). They make wonderful pets as well, just different than dogs.

Either way, PLEASE go to your local shelter and find your new roommate, as there are far too many unwanted and unloved creatures there every day. The Cesar Millan book will guide you on that as well, if you do, you can learn to quickly "read" a dog's temperament and energy level, and find one that will fit yours.

Good luck no matter what you do!

no worries about the dog being starved for attention my disabled mother lives with me, so i would be more worried about the dog being spoiled. i would have to walk/run the dog but i have plenty of time to do that when i get home.