Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Actually, a Cavalier King Charles is what we wanted, but so many people here are against us getting a dog that we are having second thoughts. Is 45 minutes in the yard in the morning, 1 hour walk mid-day, and a walk in the evening enough?

Are you going to be out in the yard with your dog for 45 minutes? Playing fetch? Because in that case, assuming those other walks happen (our dog-walker does either a 15-minute quickie or a 30-minute walk, are you sure you'll be getting an hour?), you're fine. But you can't just turn the dog out and expect it to pursue exercise for its own sake. Our dog will play fetch forever, but the only way it's going to run on its own is if it spots a squirrel, in which case he not only runs but barks. A barking dog at 5:30 am is a quick and efficient way to make your neighbors hate you.

I am all for dogs, but I think you should wait until your youngest is 5. It is much easier to give a dog enough attention when the kids are more self-sufficient.

Anonymous wrote:

Actually, a Cavalier King Charles is what we wanted, but so many people here are against us getting a dog that we are having second thoughts. Is 45 minutes in the yard in the morning, 1 hour walk mid-day, and a walk in the evening enough?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:a stuffed dog! Actually I think it is great to get your kids a dog. How about a king charles? Very low key. or a english bull. tough, loves kids and really lazy. I would stay away from jack russel, Goldens or labs because they need lots of time. My little morkie is the easiest dog I have every had. Mix yorkie and maltese. Very laid back, loves everyone and can let her self out via a dog door. We both work but she seems good.
good luck

Actually, a Cavalier King Charles is what we wanted, but so many people here are against us getting a dog that we are having second thoughts. Is 45 minutes in the yard in the morning, 1 hour walk mid-day, and a walk in the evening enough?

Anonymous wrote:If you get pug, you better have Dyson vacuum with multiple attachments as you will vacuum your 5 year olds' weight in pug hair off the furniture and any rugs every.single.day.

Anonymous wrote:a stuffed dog! Actually I think it is great to get your kids a dog. How about a king charles? Very low key. or a english bull. tough, loves kids and really lazy. I would stay away from jack russel, Goldens or labs because they need lots of time. My little morkie is the easiest dog I have every had. Mix yorkie and maltese. Very laid back, loves everyone and can let her self out via a dog door. We both work but she seems good.
good luck

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lab, golden, tolerant mutt pup. It'd get a young dog or a puppy from a reputable breeder or a good byb who raises hunting stock, since most of the show stock i see is structurally unsound. I'd trade the inconvenience of a pup for the luxury of knowing exactly what training it's getting: make the pup everywhere you can past its shots. Do some research as well, because the recommended amount of shots and such has changed and not all the vets are aware. Be prepared to keep your pup on the lean side, and DON'T spay or neuter until it is well over a year old.

Please don't say this as if it's a universal recommendation. The issue is very controversial, with evidence both for neutering early and for neutering late. I suggest people do their own research, talk to their vet, and come to their own decision about what age to spay/neuter their pet.

Neutering early is in fashion due to the volumes of dogs/cats in shelters. Good professional breeders of AKC registered breeds don't charge $2500 for large dogs and deliver them fixed at 8 weeks. Designer breeders do often deliver them fixed since they know their market-people who want no bother even with a vacuum cleaner.

Why in the hell would you not neuter or spay until a year old?? This is worst advice I have ever read on this forum

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lab, golden, tolerant mutt pup. It'd get a young dog or a puppy from a reputable breeder or a good byb who raises hunting stock, since most of the show stock i see is structurally unsound. I'd trade the inconvenience of a pup for the luxury of knowing exactly what training it's getting: make the pup everywhere you can past its shots. Do some research as well, because the recommended amount of shots and such has changed and not all the vets are aware. Be prepared to keep your pup on the lean side, and DON'T spay or neuter until it is well over a year old.

Please don't say this as if it's a universal recommendation. The issue is very controversial, with evidence both for neutering early and for neutering late. I suggest people do their own research, talk to their vet, and come to their own decision about what age to spay/neuter their pet.

Neutering early is in fashion due to the volumes of dogs/cats in shelters. Good professional breeders of AKC registered breeds don't charge $2500 for large dogs and deliver them fixed at 8 weeks. Designer breeders do often deliver them fixed since they know their market-people who want no bother even with a vacuum cleaner.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lab, golden, tolerant mutt pup. It'd get a young dog or a puppy from a reputable breeder or a good byb who raises hunting stock, since most of the show stock i see is structurally unsound. I'd trade the inconvenience of a pup for the luxury of knowing exactly what training it's getting: make the pup everywhere you can past its shots. Do some research as well, because the recommended amount of shots and such has changed and not all the vets are aware. Be prepared to keep your pup on the lean side, and DON'T spay or neuter until it is well over a year old.

Please don't say this as if it's a universal recommendation. The issue is very controversial, with evidence both for neutering early and for neutering late. I suggest people do their own research, talk to their vet, and come to their own decision about what age to spay/neuter their pet.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, early spay may decrease he chance of mammary tumors but it increases the chance of hemangiosarcoma and several other cancers.

Early neutering---before the growth plates close at 15-17 months---increases the chance of hip dys

Just don't get an monstrously over bred dog like a GSD, Golden, or Lab and neuter it at 7 months, you'll be fine. And labradoodles and goldendoodles are mostly like having a high strung, thoroughbred foal in your living room. They literally do not calm down unless asleep.

Anonymous wrote:You do need consistent freezing to kill ticks and such, you do not need freezing temps to disrupt the fertility of microfilariae in a mosquito.

Please be aware that the institutions telling you to give your dogs a poison monthly are financially invested in selling you that poison. The AHS is funded by vet med companies, the pet food companies teach nutrition at vet colleges----would you accept Arthur Daniels Midland telling you about the glories of high fructose corn syrup or a tobacco company telling you that their product was harmless?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The American heartworm society is funded by the manufacturers of heartworm medication. I'm sure they are an impartial source: not.

If the temp drops below 57 degrees, microfilariae cannot reproduce or spread from the mosquito to the dog. So you don't need to give your dog poison all winter as well as in the summer.

There is no month in DC without a day above 57. And you can't predict that.

Read much? Below 57...so if it goes below 57 at night, you are good for two weeks. There's lots of days that it gets below 57 at night....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The American heartworm society is funded by the manufacturers of heartworm medication. I'm sure they are an impartial source: not.

If the temp drops below 57 degrees, microfilariae cannot reproduce or spread from the mosquito to the dog. So you don't need to give your dog poison all winter as well as in the summer.

There is no month in DC without a day above 57. And you can't predict that.