Would you date a guy who owned a Puli? (type of dog)

[cashew]

I want one but don't wanna be perceived as a fruit. Here's a pic. http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/breedinformation/herding/images/puli.jpg

 

In my neighborhood, growing up, the only men who had Pulis were married and had a bunch of kids. I'd think twice. They loved "herding" us kids.

Edited February 5, 2010 by cashew

[JamesM]

Overall, labs are great dogs and quite adaptable. They are a high energy dog but they are very trainable.

 

As for your lifestyle, it is good to make changes for a dog, but (you knew that was coming ) be certain that they are something that you can stick with.

 

As for what you will do when you graduate, prepare for Plan B. If you cannot take the dog with you, which I am guessing you will at that point if at all possible, could your mother/parents "board" him? And plan for vacations.

[Trialbyfire]

Good thought about who and how the dog will be taken care of, when you're away. If your dog isn't well socialized with other dogs, he won't be welcome at most kennels, if you have no friends/family who can take care of him.

[hersmudders]

 

And yes, there are many pure breds, too. Although in a number of breeds, this may not be the most healthy of dogs. Take boxers for examples. My very first one died at seven, and she was a purebred. I know of others who had a boxer mix, and they lived much longer. I have had boxers with the shorter (as is best according to standard) muzzle, and I have had one with a longer muzzle. Guess which one lived a better life? She had very little drooling and hardly any panting from hot weather. She had less stomach problems (ie stinky gas ) as compared to my "correct" boxers.

 

So choose a dog after much research. Hopefully, this dog will be with you for many years. My folks had dogs that lived fifteen to twenty years. Mine have only lived to be around ten. But still, if those years are not enjoyable, then neither the dog or the owner will be happy.

 

This is so very true. I had a boxer for 7 years. She died a couple months ago just after her 7th birthday from intestinal cancer. I got her when she was a puppy...got a boxer b/c of the way they looked. I didn't research the breed at all, didn't realize there were thousands of dogs in shelters that I could have gotten, didn't realize that boxers are cancer factories. My biggest advice now to potential dog owners is to adopt, not buy, and to research research research!!!

 

 

 

With all due respect to your opinion, boxers cannot be classified as a vicious dog. And I don't say that only because I own them. I say it after researching the breed and being around many before I got my first one.

 

Boxers and children mix incredibly well...even when the dogs have not been raised with children. My current dog is a great example of this. While boxers can be good watch dogs, they are not known to bite. This is a case of the "bark is worse than the bite." I could get way off topic by telling stories how gentle our boxers have been with out kids as babies and toddlers.

 

My MIL bred boxers and hers were one of the reasons I chose this breed. When we visited, her dogs while not having been around children, became as children when our kids were there.

 

You may have had a bad experience with one (as I did with a collie) which may influence your opinion, but based on my research and experience (almost two decades), I have seen this breed completely differently.

 

 

Well-said!! My boxer was incredible. I myself am not a fan of children in the least. When my dog and I would be in the park playing with her tennis ball, and kids woudl come up, they would literally try to take the tennis ball out of her mouth (without asking me if they could or if my dog would bite, and even one parent told little Kayla to take the ball out of my dog's mouth and throw it for her!!). After I warned the many children over the years never to go right up to a dog and to talk to the owner first, I would allow them to pet my dog, who would give up her tennis ball willingly. After she'd look at me with a look of "are we done, now, mom?", we'd walk away from the kids after they had their fill. I suppose she could sense from me that kids were tolerable but not something to be around for long She never once evn so much as jumped on a child in her 7 years. Never growled or barked at one. She was a gentle giant in a way. Such a perfect dog. Boxers are not vicsious at all. I was a dog walker/pet sitter for a few years professionally and I had lots of boxer and lab clients. By far my lab dog walks were the hardest and the boxer ones were so carefree and easy and just fun. I'm definitely a sucker for the breed.

 

Hey thanks for the help everyone.

 

I've decided to adopt. Thing is about 60% of the dogs in my area are pitbull mixes which are banned in my apartment, then there are a few lab mixes, and like one great dane mix.

 

I'm looking at the lab mixes, I've found 5. A lab x hound, a lab x boxer, a lab x american bulldog, and two full blooded labs.

 

What does everyone think about labs? It says on DBI that they will do OK in an apartment, not great but ok. I'll probably end up getting one of the mixes beceause I've read that mixes tend to be healthier overall.

 

Also my mom had the great idea that I buy one of those cheap netbooks with a 3g modem and do my schoolwork at the dogpark. 4+ hours at the dogpark every day, I don't see how the dog could be happier.

 

I'm SO happy to read this!! Adopting is always the way to go. You will often find purebred dogs, young ones even, in shelters looking for homes b/c people have bought them and then realized they're not as cute and cuddly as they look on the Westminster dog shows and then they give them up b/c dogs are actually WORK!

 

As for labs, they are high energy and need to be stimulated, at least the ones I've known. They sometimes dont' know their own strength so be careful during walks and make sure they know you are on the other end of that leash

 

I miss having a dog so much.

It aches to talk about this, you know?

Really, it does.

You have no idea....

Our circumstances mean that right now, it would be completely impossible for me to have a dog.

Environmentally, work-wise, time-wise.... really.

Out of the question.

 

But I do so miss having my own dog....

I envy people who have that opportunity.

you're so lucky!

 

Cherish it!

 

God, I know...I lost my dog to cancer at the same time I gave up my pet sitting business to move out of state so now I am dogless and it's the worst feeling ever. I get so bored. My roommate has 2 Italian Greyhounds but they're so badly behaved and small and fragile that they're just not fun and I don't even count them as dogs. My boxer was the most perfect dog ever and I miss her so much. I caught myself talking to her like she was there the other night b/c I used to make conversation with her. I asked her what movie I should watch before bed and then I realized she wasn't there...I'm still getting used to it, as it's been just a couple months. I hate hate hate not having a dog but I'm definitely not ready emotionally for another.

 

This was my girl...who could ever think that wasn't a friendly dog?

 

[Butterflying]

What I'm trying to ask is, if a guy approached you on the street, let's say he was attractive, well dressed, AND had a Puli. What would your initial reaction be when you saw a guy with such a fruity looking dog.

I would think, "Awww what a cute dog. It probably belongs to his girlfriend or his wife and he is soooooooo sweet to walk it for her." And then I would smile and pass right by him. But if he stopped me, I would ask more info about the dog....and the guy of course:D:rolleyes:

[zebracolors]

This was my girl...who could ever think that wasn't a friendly dog?

 

 

hersmudders, she was adorable. I'm sure she enriched your life greatly.

 

I helped take care of my grandparent's dogs for about six years while I was living with them after HS. They were Pembroke Welsh Corgi fans. Talk about a small bundle of energy. They had a older male dog already when I move in who was supposed to be a Corgi, but the mother messed around so he was a mixed breed, looking alot like a terrier except he acted nothing like a usual terrier. He was very calm and definitely submissive.

 

While I was there, they got another female puppy, this time, a proper Corgi. She was very energetic, and actually often kind of bullied the male trying to get more attention and so on. They were always interesting to be around anyway.

[JamesM]

This is so very true. I had a boxer for 7 years. She died a couple months ago just after her 7th birthday from intestinal cancer. I got her when she was a puppy...got a boxer b/c of the way they looked. I didn't research the breed at all, didn't realize there were thousands of dogs in shelters that I could have gotten, didn't realize that boxers are cancer factories. My biggest advice now to potential dog owners is to adopt, not buy, and to research research research!!!

 

Thank you for your heart felt post. I understand your loss. My first boxer (a white one, too) died from kidney failure.

 

And when she died I was not sure I was going to get another boxer either. I researched every possible breed that I could. I talked with breeders of many breeds from whippets to poodles, from dobermans to pharoah hounds...and a number of rare breeds. I also talked with boxer breeders, and I complained about the short life that a boxer has. One said it so well: "Do you want a breed that you enjoy ever day even if it is a short life, or do you want a breed simply because it lives a long life? If a boxer has everything you want, then it doesn't matter how long they live. The loss will be just as painful."

 

So we got another boxer. And it was the best decision for myself and our family. What I did differently was to get a younger dog instead of a puppy (or older puppy as boxers are never "mature" ). And when I need to get another one (which I hope is many years, I will adopt a dog (probably a boxer) from the shelter through a rescue group.

 

You don't need to get just any breed or any mix available at a shelter. You can wait until you find the dog that best fits you.

 

 

Well-said!! My boxer was incredible.

 

I'm definitely a sucker for the breed.

 

I have no doubt that there are boxers who do not like children, but I have not met one yet...including the house where we got one of our boxers. It was a house with six of them, and they were not raised with children and rarely saw them. Yet when we walked in with ours, they seemed to light up with excitement. Next thing you know, six dogs and almost that many children were rambunctiously playing.

 

Yet I can say that they can turn off the energy, too. The negative is that you need to give them an outlet for that energy.

 

BTW, what is it about parents? WHY would you let children walk up to strange dogs and just pet them?

 

My boxer was the most perfect dog ever and I miss her so much. I caught myself talking to her like she was there the other night b/c I used to make conversation with her. I asked her what movie I should watch before bed and then I realized she wasn't there...I'm still getting used to it, as it's been just a couple months. I hate hate hate not having a dog but I'm definitely not ready emotionally for another.

 

This was my girl...who could ever think that wasn't a friendly dog? ]

 

She is a beautiful dog. As we all know, everyone has their own tastes in what they thing is a beautiful dog, and that is why there are so many breeds. But what is most important is that our dogs are perceived as sociable and friendly.

 

How many times (like I did when I had a white boxer) did you get "Is that a pit bull?" The reason that people assume that your boxer is not friendly is because of that error in identifying the breed many times.

 

I feel your pain. And take your time to grieve before getting another dog. For me, I couldn't wait long. Six weeks after I lost the last dog, I had a new one. For me it was a great help in moving on, and for the kids it was even a better way.

 

Normalguy, as you can see, a dog will enrich your life in many more ways than you may know, BUT the key to a happy life with a dog is in choosing the breed that best fits you and training it to be well mannered and well socialized.

[TaraMaiden]

Normalguy, I bet you never thought that your primary post would lead to 4 pages (so far) of sensible, informative and fascinating talk about dog care, breeds and affection! I'm sure you actually thought it might lead to more of a discussion surrounding ladies and your dog.

my original points still stand, though.

Most people would say they love dogs, but some people love dogs more than others do, and in different ways.

You've only got to go to these animal programmes on 'Animal Planet' or 'Nat Geo' to witness how many people own dogs, and how they treat them.

The stories are endless.

 

so the important thing is not so much what a woman would think of you - and your dog - but whether any lady you meet fills the criteria you have - including how you would like her to feel about your dog.....

[JamesM]

so the important thing is not so much what a woman would think of you - and your dog - but whether any lady you meet fills the criteria you have - including how you would like her to feel about your dog.....

 

...and before you know it, your thinking will not be "Do you love me because I have a particular dog?" but instead it will be "If you don't love my dog, then you don't love me."

[hersmudders]

...and before you know it, your thinking will not be "Do you love me because I have a particular dog?" but instead it will be "If you don't love my dog, then you don't love me."

 

I so very much love this b/c it is so true.

[sunrae]

Hey thanks for the help everyone.

 

I've decided to adopt. Thing is about 60% of the dogs in my area are pitbull mixes which are banned in my apartment, then there are a few lab mixes, and like one great dane mix.

 

I'm looking at the lab mixes, I've found 5. A lab x hound, a lab x boxer, a lab x american bulldog, and two full blooded labs.

 

What does everyone think about labs? It says on DBI that they will do OK in an apartment, not great but ok. I'll probably end up getting one of the mixes beceause I've read that mixes tend to be healthier overall.

 

Also my mom had the great idea that I buy one of those cheap netbooks with a 3g modem and do my schoolwork at the dogpark. 4+ hours at the dogpark every day, I don't see how the dog could be happier.

 

 

YAY!!!

Adobting is the way to go... I rescued my dog, and have never regretted it. I will never buy a dog from a breeder or puppy mill, I will only rescue or aboubt from a pound...

See yay at the dog park!!