Hi all! Thanks so much in advance. I'm starting my breed research process and would love some suggestions to look into before I fully get my heart set on anything.
1) Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?
Early childhood to tweens, my family had mutts. I was always very involved, but I was a little kid, so this only counts for so much.
As an older teenager, I bred AKC Labrador Retrievers for about half a decade (I was breeding intentionally for family temperament + high trainability. Several of my pups went on to be service dogs and ESA, a few onto be hunting companions/duck retrievers, but most were family pets). I was the primary caretaker and trainer for 5 adult labs, and did basic socialization with all pups before they went to forever homes. I did everything from advertising, booking vet visits, budgeting, making sure potential owners passed background checks, etc. Even though I was a kid myself, I took it seriously. I took classes to learn how to train dogs through positive reinforcement. The five adults retired from breeding as they dog older and remained as my family pets for many years, though 3 of them have passed from old age. My parents still own the remaining two labs who are in their mid teens. I don't live with my parents (or live in the same country as them), and as much as I miss the both of them, they are very much my parents companionship dogs.
As an adult, I have lived with a GSD/Boarder Collie cross, but her owner made it very clear that he didn't want any help with care/training, and that his dog was perfect (read as: separation anxiety mess with 0 manners).
Worth mentioning, I have two partners, both who have much less dog experience than I do. They've had dogs as the family pet, but were never a primary caretaker or trainer. I expect them to be involved, but I'll be the primary dog person.
2) Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a reputable breeder?
I prefer reputable breeders. I like knowing the health and temperament history of previous generations.
3) Describe your ideal dog.
I want a companionship dog who's capable of learning both basic obedience and fancier tricks. I want a dog who encourages me to be more active, but doesn't outpace me completely. Biddability, affection, and trainability are all important to me - I want a dog who loves me and wants to do what I ask.
4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?
I'm very partial to retrievers, setters, and pointers in general. This is a generalization of a bunch of different breeds, but overall I find or have heard that they're eager to please. I love a dog who loves to fetch. Aesthetic wise, I'm a big fan of Brittnays Spaniels and Irish Red and White Setters. This said, I don't think I could do labs - I worry they wont "live up" to my previous labs.
I have had so many friends/family who have had nightmare terriers. I do not want terriers.
This is a bit of an odd thing, but I cannot do breeds where every dog has the 'same' color pattern, like Rottweilers or German Pinscher (nothing against either breed and I know that each individual does look a little different). I've got autism and bad eyesight, I'm bad at facial recognition, even when it comes to dogs. Dog breeds that have spots or other markings that make it very easy to say "yep, that one's mine" from a distance is an important factor for me.
I'd also prefer to stay clear of any breed that is highly known for health issues, particularly breathing difficulties (think pug).
5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?
Basic obedience and leash manners are a must for me. I don't hunt, but have done mock-hunting/retrieval of a duck-like object and really would love to do that again. DPT is something that is not on my 'must be able to' list, but is on my 'would be nice' list. I'm not after a service dog, but the ability to preform that task and possibly others (such as being cued to fetch my fanny pack with my meds) would be cool. My dog will likely be a registered ESA.
6) Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?
I did a couple small show rings with the labs, it just wasn't my tea / made ME anxious. Generally not super interested in this area.
7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?
I myself would likely be directly 1-1 engaged with the dog 2 - 4 hours per day, but my two partners would also spend time with the dog. The dog would only be alone about 3-5 hours a day, but I do have to do things like house chores/WFH that are easier if the dog is content to play with a puzzle toy for a little while.
8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?
I am physically disabled and currently in physical therapy trying to regain control of my mobility. The idea of being able to get a dog is currently a huge motivator for me to actually get through the physical therapy. At present, I can do about an 30minute to an hour SLOW walk on sidewalk once per day. My partners would be willing to walk the dog a 20-30minute each per day as a mild-moderate pace. Dog parks are readily available in my area and I want a dog who is friendly with other dogs (though I know a big chunk of this is proper socialization).
The plan is for the record, not to actually get a dog until I'm a bit further along in my physical therapy. Thinking about/doing research is serving as my main motivator right now. If my mobility doesn't improve and I can't routinely
9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?
Grooming is a once a week activity in my book. I don't mind light brushing more often than that, but anything intense needs to be either once a week or every other week. One of my partners does haircuts and grooming our long haired cat at home, so we will likely not be paying a professional.
10) What size dog are you looking for?
The smallest dog I want is 25-30 lbs, biggest is 90 - 110 lbs, or anything in between. The labs I raised averaged in the 80s (not fat, just a larger sized line). I am not a fan of dogs small enough to be carried in a purse.
11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?
I would prefer a dog that sheds less than 5 labs in the hot and humid Florida summer. I feel like this is a doable ask.
Dogs bark. It isn't a huge deal breaker one way or the other. Quieter than a husky would be nice, I've known some very talkative huskies.
One of my partners is fairly drool-adverse. Low drool is good.
12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?
Not important. I do not foresee my dog being intentionally off-leash in unfenced areas. That said, I like recall training because it's good to have in an emergency.
13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?
Snuggly. The labs, despite being bigger than I was, were lap dogs and this is something I miss a lot.
14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?
Eager to please! I love dogs who light up when you ask them to do something.
15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?
A couple barks are okay, but I am not looking for an alert or guard dog. These should be "Oh boy a new friend!" barks and not "INTRUDER ALERT!" barks.
16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?
I would greatly prefer to avoid dogs that have tenancies towards aggressive. I've been around mildly reactive dogs before, it's something I'm aware of how to handle, but it isn't my ideal.
17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?
If I ever have to live with a collie who thinks she can herd me like I'm a sheep ever again I will lose my mind.
18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?
The dog will be alone in the house, very likely crate trained or confined to a dog-proofed room, for 3 - 5 hours per day, excluding weekends.
19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?
Mostly included these in with my answers, but a big one is that one of my partners cannot stand curly/wiry coated dogs. It's a texture issue. This partner really loves the coat texture of pit bulls, but I prefer fluffier dogs.
20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?
We currently have a long haired, indoor-only cat. He lived with the GSD/Boarder collie and was best friends with her, but the cat does not like my MIL's yorkiepoo (she jumps and yaps). We plan on having a fishtank, and possibly rats.
21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?
We plan on having kids in the next 5 to 8 years. I have family members who have young teenagers, but no little kids.
22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?
We're currently renting an apartment and will likely be renting apartments for the foreseeable future. We live in a city with a lot of forested and paved trails / outdoor spaces. Weight restrictions are likely not an issue due to the dog ideally being a registered ESA.
23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?
I live in Ontario and the following breeds are banned: Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?
Summer is 20c - 30c ish, and humid. Winter is below 0c, we had a good few "feels like -20c" days. It snows, and walk ways are commonly salted.
25) Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant.
As I mentioned, I am physically disabled and currently trying to get back control of my mobility. I currently use a cane and braces. This said, I am not looking for a dog that is capable of mobility support. I'm mostly looking for a dog that's a companion/reason to keep up with physical activity.
Texture wise, I cannot handle hairless breeds. Something about the skin just weirds me out.
26) Feel free to ask any questions below.
I used to live in Florida, but now I'm living somewhere that has real winters. What do I need to know about dogs in winter?