Friend needs help picking dog breed

[ScotiaDuckToller]

Hey everybody, I need some suggestions. My friend ( who owns a farm) is all most for sure going to get a dog. As I just said, they live on a farm so they have lots of room for a dog to run. Here are some drawbacks and goodthings :

1. It would be an outside dog.

2. Thier not very good dog trainers.

3. A 4 year old lives there and is very scared of big dogs.

4. They have outside cats, turkeys, and chikens ( in day.)

5. They have people over almost every othere day. Thier very busy. They don't need another thing to add to thier busy life. By this I mean a very hyper dog.

6. They want a friendly with all strangers dog, playful, healthy, relaxed, laid back dog.


Right now they have poodle picked out. But i don't think thats best. thanks for any ideas.

[aly]

I think a Great Pyrenees would be a much better match, but I hate to suggest anything because outdoor only dogs make me sad

If they got it as a puppy, I am sure the 4 yr old would adjust to a big dog slowly as the dog grows.

Were they planning on getting a miniature poodle and trying to make it a farm dog?

I hope their busy schedule allows for them to take proper care of a dog. What is their main motivation behind wanting a dog?

[sabies]

hmmm, a poodle doesn't sound like an outside dog, do you mean outside all the time, day and night? I hope they realize that all dogs will require time and attention, especially at first.

When I think of a farm dog I think of a border collie - the herding dogs. They are extremely smart but have a lot of energy - which is why a farm would be good for them if the dog was allowed to run.

However it sounds more like they want a dog that just kind of hangs around the outside of the house to greet visitors - I would suggest they find an older dog at a shelter that fits the personality and size they want. From the conditions you have stated it sounds like a puppy would be a bad idea.

[aly]

Info from a website:

Pyrs combine a great intelligence with a deep devotion to family and home, and a natural-born instinct to guard and protect. While trustworthy, affectionate, gentle and tractable, they can become, when and if the need arises, protective guardians of their family and their territory. Thus, they command respect as watch dogs as well as admiration as pets.

Adult Pyrs are placid by nature and calm in the house, enjoying quiet periods in which to rest and sleep. But they are a large breed and as such are not always suited to life in a small apartment or urban setting with little yard space and lots of activity around. They want their life to be consistent and predictable.

The addition of a dog to your family is a major decision and deserves a great deal of time and thought. A Great Pyrenees is placid by nature, so despite their size, they are excellent house dogs. Yes, an adult Pyr is a beautiful, calm dog, but there are other considerations-have you thought of these?

Considerations
Are you physically able to handle a very large dog? Basically gentle, they are strong, and during the phases of puppyhood can be a real challenge.

Does dog hair around the house bother you? If so, forget the Pyrenees. While with routine grooming they are not much different than any other breed, they do shed and there are white hairs in Pyr homes and on Pyr people.

A Pyr needs love and attention on a daily basis. Are you and your family able to provide this? A lonesome Pyr is a bored dog, and a bored dog can become destructive.

Great Pyrenees are at heart guard dogs and members of the great family of livestock guardian dogs. As such, they share with them certain strong characteristics. Pyrs were bred to be left alone with the sheep up in the mountain valleys. They are a guard dog by instinct, not by training. Their basic personality is different from most breeds, since most breeds were bred to take commands from people, while Pyrs were bred to work on their own.

A Great Pyrenees is an intelligent, sometimes willful animal. They have minds of their own and are not easily obedience trained. Things that you consider important may not be the same things your Pyrenees considers important. Many are almost cat-like, in their independence.

If you require a dog who will be a great "off-leash" companion for your outdoor activities, if you want a dog who will follow your every command, or if you want a competition obedience dog, the Pyrenees is probably not for you.

Do you have room for a Pyr? They are large and must be confined in a well fenced area, or they will exercise their powerful instinct to establish and patrol a large territory. When out of the fence they must be kept on lead at all times.

Like all livestock guardian breeds, Great Pyrenees are barkers, especially at night. The amount of barking varies from individual to individual, but the instinct is there and in some cases can cause major problems. Most Great Pyrenees in urban or suburban settings must be kept indoors at night.

The Great Pyrenees is a guard dog and as such cannot be expected to welcome uninvited intrusions onto your property. They will accept anyone whom you invite into your home. They are not "attack" dogs, but can be very intimidating to the surprised visitor. It is an owner's obligation to maintain a Great Pyrenees so that his guarding instincts can be exercised in a responsible way.

[Cincy'sMom]

I would not think a poodle would be a good outdoor dog. I would agree a collie or great pyr, or some other dog with a heavy coat that is meant to be outside. I have to agree with Aly, I am not fond of the idea of outdoor only dogs, but I suppose they have their place. Will they have a warm area for the dog to sleep, like garage or barn?

[ilovehounds]

Don't get mad but I would try and talk them out of getting a dog. A dog takes alot of time and training and needs lots of love and attention and it seems that they may not have the time to give a dog what a dog needs.

Just my suggestion

[quanzhan]

If they were my friends, I will definitely tell them, they should not get a dog.
Their attitude makes me soooooooo veryyyyyyyyyyy upset, read this list I dont know why they want dog at first place. They ask and expect too much from a dog..that explains why a lot of cute puppies and dogs end up with no homes at all.

Very sadly

[Deb Motter]

[QUOTE.

6. They want a friendly with all strangers dog, playful, healthy, relaxed, laid back dog.


QUOTE]

Most dogs don't come "ready made" like this they need lots of care, training and socialization. Your friends need to realize this.

[Karen]

Why do they want a dog? That's the first question. Do they want it as a herding, working dog?
Do they want a guard dog?
Do they want it as a companion?
Do they just think it's a nice idea - a farm should have a dog?
Do they want it as a playmate for the child?

I forget - what part of the US do you live in?
A dog that would appropriate for an "outdoor" dog inMaine is diffent that Miami.

Why do they want it to be an "outdoor" dog. And do you mean an all-the-time outdoors dog, or an outdoors during trhe day, sleeps inside at night?

And as nicely as the GP fits some of your criteria, every GPyr I've known wants love, most of all.

And most important, it sounds like they are NOT ready for a puppy (they want calm, they want to not have to do much training), so an adult dog might be a better choice for them.

[Angels3]

My first reaction was that these people don't seem to have the time to put into owning a dog. And their expectation that a dog will come 'ready made' to suit their wishes & wants is unrealistic.
Maybe they should speak to an experienced person at a dog shelter who could ask them the kinds of questions Karen has suggested...& counsel them about what is involved with responsible, caring dog ownership. Then the shelter person might suggest a dog that might match their situation.
Marie

[purrley]

THEY DON'T NEED A DOG!!!!!!!

[xoxjoaniexox]

I AGREE! I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD GET A DOG. WHY ARE THEY THINKING OF GETTING ONE IN THE FIRST PLACE? THEY DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THE DOG, THEY DON'T WANT TO BRING THE DOG IN THE HOUSE, SO THE POOR DOG WILL JUST ROAM AROUND BY ITSELF. I THINK THAT'S AWFUL. TELL THEM IT'S A BAD IDEA! DOGS ARE MEANT TO BE COMPANIONS NOT STAY OUTSIDE BY THEMSELF.

[AdoreMyDogs]

How about trying to talk your friends out of getting a dog and trying to talk them into getting a pet rock instead? Rocks can be kept outside and neglected. Rocks don't have to be trained and rocks don't bite, or misbehave.

Personally, I don't feel that any dog would feel "at home" or happy in a house where it is confined to the outdoors, not trained, and generally mistreated.

Sorry. I would never, ever suggest a living creature to be subjected to that type of life.

[Owned-By-A-Rat]

[FONT=arial][COLOR=royalblue]In my opinion, I think that some dogs do very well outside. If the dog has proper shelter and lots of attention, some dogs like it better outside. I think that an Australian shepherd (are very active but would do very well outside) or some type of sporting breed or hound. Since they don't want a big dog I think that a Beagle would be great. Beagles are very sturdy and love the outdoors (owner of 2 Beagles). If there was a fence or a lot of land (where no roads were nearby) I think that the dog would be fine-that's the way it has been with our family until just recently. Maybe they should consider going to the humane society and looking for an adult dog that would fit their lifestyle. Hope this helps...

[jennifert]

IT CERTAINLY SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THESE FOLKS SHOULD NOT EVEN CONSIDER A DOG!! Would the dog be tied up all day outside? Or allowed to roam free? Besides the obvious fact of the weather in your area, what about other animals or roads nearby? Why get a dog if it is just to live outside all day? In my state, it is illegal to keep a dog outside without any shelter. I could understand if they needed a dog like a border collie or an australian shepherd to help on the farm but otherwise, what is their motivation? They don't want a "pet" obviously. It is very detrimental to a dog's health to be tied up all the time. They are also susceptible to attack from other animals. Who is going to take care of the dog? Feed it, cleanup after it, take it to the vet, bathe it, cut his nails, give him flea/tick medication, heartworm medication? If they are responsible pet owners, they will need to have it neutered/spayed to avoid more homeless animals. What if the dog attacks/kills the chickens and/or the turkeys? Or the barn cats? What will happen to the animal then?
In my opinion, these people do not need a dog. If they want one, perhaps they should get a small house pet, like a dachsund. Or if they have their heart set on a poodle, get one. But make it an inside pet that they will love and cherish and treat like a member of the family.