My family is poor. Were moving into an apartment kind of thing with full ownership of the backyard of the house, thanks to the charity of a family friend.
While I learn programming and skills for job, family stays there, parents will be dependent on me.
My godfather and godmother want to get me a dog, I'm 19, been pretty depressed, going through a lot and had a nervous break down. I think a dog would be nice, force me to be responsible for a life in a way. Not sure if I should get a pup or anything, going to have to read up on all this stuff. Also used to have bad allergies as a kid but I figured zyrtec and a hypo-allergenic dog would do the trick, right? Don't worry about food costs, my parents can afford since we don't have to worry about rent.
Advice on where to start? If this is even a wise decision? Should I try to explain to my (emotional Brazilian Christian) family this might not be too good for me? In the end I know whats best for myself, but perhaps input from others can sway my opinion.
Also we live in NY now, can get cold, and my parents probably wont let me keep the dog inside. Will have to build warm house for it out back, and I'm not sure if its possible to train dogs to shit in a specific place?
Pic related, a Samoyed.
Get a dog that's easy to train and that can endure a bit of cold. After that it's all about how you treat the fella.
You might have second thoughts, but having a pet to take care of and it to take care of you (in a way) is a great thing. Plus it opens up a ton of options for socializing and meeting new people.
My advice would be to go for it.
Anons pls I dont know how to into an dog.
Not liking what I'm hearing, frankly. Dogs are not cats -- they're a lot of work. It's not just enough to keep them alive, you have to exercise them, and not just physically. If you're a responsible dog owner you need to provide them with plenty of mental stimulation too. A lot of people don't realize that. You have to play with them and challenge them and if your breed isn't particularly playful (some aren't) you have to come up with other clever ways as well.
Also, frankly, I don't believe it's appropriate to keep a dog outside all the time especially given the temperature extremes in your area. If you do, obviously you HAVE to get a heater. But I still don't agree with the practice at all. I'm sure some anon will yell at me "oh I've had five dogs and all of them stayed outside and they were fine you softie hippie"; sorry, but the general opinion of the veterinary community is also on my side.
You sound unsure and that worries me. I love dogs but a dog is a huge, huge commitment, not something you get to "teach yourself responsibility." Perhaps a cat would be a better choice right now, as they're far less work but provide some of the same benefits.
On my phone right now but I'll post more actual care advice when I can if you maintain committed.
>>16602848
Thanks anon, appreciate it.
Know of any resources for first timers like me? From what I've been looking at a Samoyed might fit the bill after all, playful, fluffy, happy most of the time, just gotta watch for genetic problems.
Always wanted to live in the cold too, so I'll be moving somewhere colder than NY eventually. Maybe Washington? Maine?
>>16602874
No no I agree with you completely, were talking about a living being here. This is why I'm unsure. Should I shoulder this responsibility if I'm unsure of a lot of things myself? Is it right to bring a life into my life and not dedicate myself to it completely? Its been rough for me but the idea of having a companion like a dog seemed really nice, especially to take the loneliness away from learning programming all day (yeah, this means I'll stay outside with my laptop all day if I have to, and no, I wont just sit there looking at the dog).
Thanks for posting anon, please do post more. I'm not set on buying just yet, even if my family is.
When I talk about building a "house" I mean a literal miniature house. I used to work construction so it really wouldn't be hard for me, I've roofed a little bit, mainly built decks and balconies, some insulation and real carpentry here and there. This dog house would of course be insulated well, have a normal house roof, a little door I'd lock up at night, enough space for the dog to move around inside and get comfortable, in terms of size I'd probably make it within the vicinity of 6' x 6' x 6' at the largest points. Get the idea?
Pic semi-related, I'd build it better.
>>16602898
Actually I don't think the door will be lockable. I just realized it would be a death trap if anything happened. Will make a simple floppy kind of door that keeps heat in but at the same time lets the dog go in and out on their own free will.
>>16602831
>and I'm not sure if its possible to train dogs to shit in a specific place?
It's not really possible but from my experience dogs have a favorite place to shit, usually in your neighbor's garden. They don't like shitting their own property up.
>I'm 19, been pretty depressed
It might not be the best idea really, maybe try acting like you have a dog (walking yourself every single day etc.) for a while and see if you can take it for the next 15 years?
Though I was in a similar position as a teen and was convinced I'm gonna be fine (had dogs before etc.), but I ended up having my depression get worse and unable to take care of my dog at all, my parents did it for me but if I could take back time I wouldn't do it. Honestly even with their help he ended up kinda neglected
Also if you're planning to move out consider the fact that dog will think of your parents as its close family if you still live together.
Honestly if I were you I'd make sure get my shit together first, dogs are kinda like kids that die instead of moving out, are you ready to have a child now?
>>16602876
>Know of any resources for first timers like me? From what I've been looking at a Samoyed might fit the bill after all, playful, fluffy, happy most of the time, just gotta watch for genetic problems.
Watch out for barking too, they're talkative af.
I have a samoyed actually, if you have any questions about that breed specifically I might be able to answer
>>16602876
it would probably be better if you adopted a dog that was already trained. I believe (could be wrong) that samoyeds are suppose to be a lot of work and shed a butt ton. youre going to have a hard time keeping your place clean with one. I use to have a husky, I would spend about 1-2 HOURS a DAY cleaning up after it. he wasnt even particularly that unruly or messy- just fur EVERYWHERE
>mfw still waiting for replies
OP you might also want to consider adopting an older dog
>most likely will have better life with you than in a shelter even if you fuck up
>often less active/more tolerant to lack of exercise so if you were a coach potato before it's cool
>less likely to be adopted so you're saving someone in need
>only have to commit for a few years before they drop dead
Though of course there's the downside of having to go through your pet dying much earlier than you would if you got a puppy
>>16602932
>I believe (could be wrong) that samoyeds are suppose to be a lot of work and shed a butt ton. youre going to have a hard time keeping your place clean with one. I use to have a husky, I would spend about 1-2 HOURS a DAY cleaning up after it. he wasnt even particularly that unruly or messy- just fur EVERYWHERE
You're right, they shed a fuckton, I never counted but 2 hours seems pretty accurate.
I love brushing and the yarn they make is godlike tho so it's worth it
They're fairly easy to train though, very communicative. Seriously I don't think the breed has any flaws besides the fur getting everywhere, just certain characteristics that aren't for everyone
>>16602978
About what specifically? Resources?
>>16602903
>>16602932
Thanks for the input anons, and the reality check. Don't think I'll follow through but still considering it.
Not sure what to ask, is it true how they like cold temperatures? I like the cold a lot myself, so I figure going camping here and there would be fun. Its fine, actually better if they're talkative, I don't talk enough on my meds so it'll be good.
Playing music to them alright?
And yeah, I think I'll get my shit together before considering a dog. Again thanks.
Please do tell me about your Samoyed, I wanna know more just general stuff I guess. Any health problems?
>>16602986
Oh no I posted that without realizing some anons had posted, my page didn't refresh fast enough. But resources would be great, everything so far has been great. I can't expect this kind of input from people I know.
>>16602978
Hey man, I'm a little relieved you're moving away from the idea (I'm sure you'll be a great dog owner at some point; I don't even have a dog anymore much as I love them because my life situation just isn't where it should be for one) but nonetheless I will post more general dog advice later in the day. Busy with Christmas and all that, but I hope it helps you decide (and take care of a dog someday!)
Merry Christmas dude.
>>16603003
Back at ya. Thanks in advance for advice! Bump.
>>16602831
Read up carefully on the different breeds and think carefully about what you can do. For example, Chihuahuas are notoriously hard to train, they're actually pretty demanding dogs, very stubborn and territorial, and they require consistent, capable, strict training. Or do you have time to run with the dog for a couple hours every day? Then don't take a sporting or hunting breed that likes to run - the dog will get restless due to the lack of excercise and start to take the frustration out in different ways. If you're moving to an apartment, definitely don't take a territorial hunting dog that'd like to roam free, those will "defend" the apartment from "intruders" like anyone moving in the staircase, loudly.
Remember that a dog is a long commitment. It ties you down, someone will have to be there to take the dog out regularly at least twice, preferably three times every day. The dog is also a social animal and requires company.
However, dogs are also pretty awesome. Their love does wonders to a human.
I'd recommend starting by reading up on different breeds, consider a mix since those tend to be healthier, think carefully and try to pick an easy breed that's pretty mellow and doesn't require intense training. Stay away from sporting, hunting or fighting breeds, I think. Then try to hang around some dogs to see if your allergies act up, maybe offer to watch someone else's dog for a week-end or something. Figure out if you really want to take on the responsibility.
>>16602831
Also, It's very possible to teach dogs to shit to a specific place. You do this by watching the pup carefully, and physically lifting it to the shitting spot (on top of a newspaper, for example) when it starts to get to the shitting crouch. Then when the dog shits a bit on the correct place, you praise it a lot and tell it it's a GOOD DOG. If it shits somewhere else, say no, maybe even say bad dog in a disappointed voice - but first always try to lift it to the preferred shitting place. Don't punish the dog for shitting, we all have to do it.
Obviously if the dog wanders to the shitting place on its own to do its business, you act as if it'd both learned to speak and cured cancer; ecstatic with joy over your dog being SUCH A GOOD DOG. Eventually the dog will figure it out.
It's good to keep reinforcing this by praising the dog whenever it shits where it's supposed to.
would your parents be alright keeping the dog inside the house if it was a small breed? pugs are pretty low maintenance and tend to adopt to its humans lifestyle. as in if youre active it will be active, if youre a lazy sack of shit it will be a lazy sack of shit as well.
theyre pretty clean, and no-fuss. you just have to make sure to keep its wrinkles clean and inside with you
>>16603098
nah, chihuahuas are pretty easy to train. theyre not as stubborn as some of the other dogs ive worked with. you just have to get started early in their life. they like to cling onto ONE person and only one person though so they come off as standoffish and everyone other than their owner wont care for them since they wont like playing with anyone else but their one and only. they are horrible with children though.
With any breed its going to feed off the energy of its person.
>>16602996
>Not sure what to ask, is it true how they like cold temperatures?
Yeah, they love snow too
My dog doesn't really go inside during winter, he just stays in the garden and chills
They take summer pretty badly too, you'd need an air conditioner
>Playing music to them alright?
I guess, usually dogs don't really care about human music unless it's some kinda harsh noise with cat samples
>Please do tell me about your Samoyed, I wanna know more just general stuff I guess.
I don't really know what you might mean by general stuff though, sorry
The only thing I think might be worth telling is that samoyeds in general are nothing like huskies if you think they are, I know a lot of people do.
>Any health problems?
Cushings and kidney failure, but it's more of a bad luck thing than a breed thing. Nobody in his family has that issue as far as I know
>>16603117
>Obviously if the dog wanders to the shitting place on its own to do its business, you act as if it'd both learned to speak and cured cancer; ecstatic with joy over your dog being SUCH A GOOD DOG. Eventually the dog will figure it out.
This, dogs love when you exaggerate, especially puppies.
>>16603098
>>16603117
Really appreciate the info, thank you. Will shower doge with love and praise like a child.
By the way guys I'm really looking for a deep connection, no intention of "just getting a pet" I want this dog to be family at the minimum, life bond kind of thing at the best. So if I do this, I'll be 100% dedicated to treating it like my son and friend.
>>16603128
My living situation is six people in a one bedroom floor of the house, and a 20' x 30' backyard. I'm building a place for the dog if I go through with this about 4' x 5' x 4' in the back yard. I'm staying for about a year or so during this time I will continue learning shit to make dosh.
I'm not making the doge live with my family. Thats my burden to bear.
>>16603138
Not going to get a chihuahua regardless, but thank you.
>>16603152
During the summer can I cut down the coat a bit to make it more bearable? The dog house will have AC and Heating, insulation, etc etc. Worse comes to worse, the dog stays in my room during the really hot days or I find a way to spend summer in a cold area.
And I'll be sure that if I do go with that breed that the family doesn't have a history of that. The reason I wanted a breed like this is:
>I intend to move to a rural, cold area within the next few years
>I intend to hunt
>I intend to keep livestock
>Supposedly this breed is good for herding and allergy fags like myself
Just hit a few bumpy roads and had it rough until now. Going to really work hard. Also, my family is a rural farming family in Brazil, so I've got that end of the knowledge covered, just no dog experience. Milking cows is tougher than it seems folks.
>>16603202
*throws banana*
I don't recommend a samoyed for a first time dog owner. Not only is it hard work maintaining their coat, but they're pretty high energy cold-weather dogs and very intelligent, so they require a lot of training or they will run wild. Most importantly, do NOT cut their coat. You will utterly ruin the undercoat, and there's a chance it won't even grow back correctly. This would stop the dog from keeping out the cold and venting heat properly. DO NOT SHAVE THIS BREED. /groomer advice
My advice to you is to start with something much lower maintenance with high trainability. If you plan on hunting, get a hound! Arctic breeds are working dogs, not hunting dogs.
>>16603289
Nigger I'm a first generation American, jokes on you. Raised burger, going to breed burger, gonna shoot like a burger, and Ill protect the constitution like a burger.
p-pls no, pls Im not hue, pls ;_;
>>16603318
*throws burger*
(I'm just joking with you. No worries.)
>>16603317
Alright, I'll consider a hound, any specific you have in mind?
If it helps I'll be running frequently with this dog, parks, and when I can will go camping and maybe hunt small game, but I just prefer chilling and running when camping.
>>16603336
It's just that with a hound or some kind of gun dog/retriever, you're sure that they'll do what you want them to, because they're bred for it. A Labrador Retriever is going to be all too happy to retrieve that duck you just shot, and a hound is happiest helping you track game. I can't imagine hunting with like a husky or samoyed, they'd get way too excited and scare everything away, and they don't have too many 'features' that makes them good hunting companions.
You want to consider the size of the game you're hunting and what aspect of hunting you'd want assistance with. If you're going to be hunting fowl, try a lab or a golden, they retrieve well in water. If you're going to be tracking and hunting rabbits or foxes, a basset, blood, or foxhound would work awesome. If you're looking for a dog that can course after deer, the scottish deerhound is a GREAT companion to have.
Do some research on the AKC groups, they're pretty in-depth and designed to help you select the dog that is best for both your working and family life.
Good luck anon.
>>16603138
well, but relative to their size and the common perception of them (awww they're so cute and small, all the celebs have one in their purse, surely they're easy and effortless, kinda like cats) they're surprisingly hard to train and require actual effort. It's true that I'm sure there are harder to train breeds out there
>>16603336
Consider a spitz, some of 'em are great hunting dogs.
Pic related, Finnish Spitz, a godtier dog that'll hunt anything from rodents to bears and is a loyal, playful, happy, brave, persistent, intelligent and independent breed. They're faithful to their "family" to the point of being distrustful of strangers so they're good at guarding, too
If you want to do stuff with your dog but have to get them fixed, make sure you get them off at least once before you do it
Don't try anything penetrative with a spayed female
>Research breeds
>Dog-proof the house/garden
>Prepare yourself for rough nights
I've got two Basset Hounds and an English Mastiff.
Walking the Bassets is a pain since they follow their nose and walking the Mastiff is a pain since she's huge and also follows her nose as she thinks she's a larger Basset Hound.
>>16603202
your current living situation and your future living situation are so different that I cant imagine a dog that would like to join you hunting is going to be able to live in the environment youre describing now.
unless like another anon said they'll just be so happy to at least not be in a shelter kennel anymore, but it will still be a handful to take care of regardless
it would probably be better to wait honestly unless its a super old dog that will pass away soon...
>>16602831
get a disabled dog, give something broken a nice home.
my dog is blind and happy, he loves me and hes my only family this xmas.
>>16604147
he looks like a sweetheart anon
would pet and cuddle/10
>>16602831
Whats really going to make you happy man? Is a dog fill the void in your heart? Or will getting a job, being successful, having friends and a stable life? You're only 19 my friend... theres plenty of time for dogs... you have more important things to deal with. Dogs are a lot of work AND money. If your parents buy the food and your friends buy the dog, how is the dog really yours? You'll be responsible for it but you won't have the same feeling of responsibilty going into it.
If you really love dogs my friend, my advice would be to use it as motivation to save money, work hard and one day get the dog of your dreams.
>>16602874
Get a job, even if its part-time minimum wage. I know people are apprehensive about it, but you are shitting on your future.
As for the doge, get it on preventative medicine for parasites (worms, fleas, ticks, etc.). They are extremely difficult to get rid of and manage if they take hold. And its easy to ignore a dog who is suffering from them, but if you've never been eaten up by fleas yourself, you wouldn't know how awful an experience it is.
as someone who's studying to be a CVT, worked in two shelters, an emergency vet, and has experience with dog training, let me put this in the kindest way possible
you should probably not be getting a dog. ESPECIALLY not a puppy. puppies are an extreme amount of work, the level of care and attention they NEED can and will overwhelm someone who already actively has depression and other issues of the sorts (Not being mean, I'm diagnosed with BPD myself and have an emotional support animal and have been hospitalized several times)
they are not something you can put off if you're having a bad mental health day or tired. they are a literal infant that needs someone who can spend pretty much all of their time and energy tending to them while in that infancy. while pets are great emotional support, they are not a cure or a crutch, and you will only get worse if you bite off more than you can chew. it is not responsible or smart to get an animal that's life DEPENDS on you completely to try and force yourself to change. it's on the same level as a fat person getting an athletic dog to force themselves to work out. nine times out of ten, it does not go that way and the dog ends up getting the shit end of the deal. the number of people I've seen get dogs with this mindset then returning/surrendering them to shelters, or worse, putting them through rehoming roulette on craigslist, is just damn sad
1/2
>>16604949
2/2
>used to have bad allergies as a kid but I figured zyrtec and a hypo-allergenic dog
one of the most common reasons pets are surrendered is allergies, just saying you'll constantly keep yourself medicated isn't a permanent or practical solution. and "hypoallergenic" is a bit of a myth. there is no truly hypoallergenic breed, just ones who produce much less dander than others. and that comes at a price, are you willing to have them groomed? because it really is not something you can do yourself. and these dogs do have HAIR, not fur. while causing less dandar, they need to have it cut and groomed like human hair does or else it will be a matted mess. my friend is a dog groomer and sees at least one heavily matted "hypoallergenic" dog per week, one was so bad that maggots were living under the mat. these dogs need to be professionally groomed. end of story.
>can get cold, and my parents probably wont let me keep the dog inside
do not get a dog then. dogs are domesticated to such ridiculous lengths that being left outside alone like that is horrible for them, and is why dogs involved in fatal bites are almost always "resident dogs" (dogs who spend their lives living outside, typically confined to a yard or chain) as opposed to "family dogs" (pets who get to be inside and live as family pets)
plus, depending how cold it gets, this can be legally seen as neglect and you could get into some trouble for it. however I'm not completely familiar with how NY animal control handles those situations
>Don't worry about food costs, my parents can afford since we don't have to worry about rent.
okay, but what about toys, parasite preventative, possible e-vet costs, and other unexpected costs? if they aren't willing to keep the dog inside, what makes you think they'd pay for an extraction surgery if your dog swallows who knows what while alone in the yard?
sorry to rain on your parade, but all this makes it sound like you really shouldn't do it at this time
I live in NY too, it's been pretty warm during the day, but at night it drops. Probably not the best Idea to keep the pupper outside
>>16604949
>>16605007
I don't think you understand, this is what I was looking for. Being mean doesn't matter at this point, and you've shown me why I would not be a good dog owner.
I'm not getting a dog. End of story.
I've seen what you've described with my brothers. When I was a kid, I loved animals despite the allergies. I rescued a budgie and with help from parents, nursed it back to health but it was very old and frail, the vet said it wouldn't have much longer.
My brothers went on to buy budgies for themselves, and after dealing with years of mental, emotional, sometimes physical abuse from them, it seems the birds suffer a semi-similar fate. Irregular feeding times, a dirty feces filled cage that rarely is cleaned, lucky if its a monthly clean, improperly cleaned water, etc etc. But surprisingly the birds are resilient.
Point being, no matter how much I "feel" owning a dog would make me a little happier, the truth is I don't know, and I wouldn't be a good owner.. Not knowing isn't worth making the dog suffer. Thanks anon. I'm out.
>>16606070
No problem. If everyone was like you and could accept that they shouldn't own a dog, at least at that point in their life, so many wouldn't end up in shelters and unwanted. Good on you anon
>surprisingly the birds are resilient
Yeah, budgies are hardly little fuckers, for birds that is. It's why they're a go to for pet stores trying to move stock
>>16606070
>>16606287
I'd just like to chime in and agree that you being able to admit you're not ready to have a pet speaks very, very well of you. I've known plenty of (older) adults who weren't capable of that level of objectivity (nor possessed the humility and moral courage to actually change their minds.) I'd really like it if everybody was that mature, but the fact is most people aren't and if they were, we wouldn't need so many pet shelters.
Today anon was a solid, brave and trustworthy dude. I have no reason to flatter you -- I'm just genuinely impressed.
