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The W - Random - A dog or not a dog?
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DMC
Liverwurst








Since: 8.1.02
From: Modesto, CA

Since last post: 6919 days
Last activity: 6913 days
#1 Posted on
My wife and I are considering picking up a free dog out of the newspaper. We've had some trouble in our neighborhood recently and would feel better if we had a dog in the house. Does anyone feel its a good move to get a dog just for that reason, and a free one out of the paper? Anyone have any experience picking up pets that way?

The one I'm considering right now is a lab mix who apparently likes to play alot. Unfortunately my wife and I would be out of the house most mornings and afternoons and we are afraid of what a lab might do to our place if it sat inside all day. Any suggestions on what kind of dog to look for if you want a "low-maintenence" dog that is good for house watching?

DMC



"It's too bad that all these things, can only happen in my dreams. Only in dreams, in beautiful dreams." -Roy Orbison
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Brian P. Dermody
Liverwurst
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Since: 20.9.02
From: New York, NY

Since last post: 4381 days
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#2 Posted on
You might be in the market for a dog, but I doubt it. And even if a dog is the way to go, it's not that one.

If the dog likes to play a lot and you can't give it the time it needs, nobody involved in the arrangement is going to be very happy. The dog will be lonely and sullen and could take it out on your furniture or something even worse for it.
Electrical cords, for instance.

Figure the current owners are giving it away for the same reason, they can't handle a dog that active.

Regardless, you'll have to work to get the dog you want. Training a dog is harder than it looks, too.

As for a low maintenance dog that's a good guard dog, you may try a security system.



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brick
Bockwurst








Since: 17.1.02
From: Pittsburgh, PA

Since last post: 3983 days
Last activity: 3979 days
#3 Posted on
My family used to breed labs and whenever there was only one in the house for any extended period of time it was bad news for furniture, books, shoes, whatever you left out. Labs are definitely not for someone looking for a guard dog as their reason for buying.
But I really can't think of a dog that is, especially young dogs. I currently own a pit bull and if it wasn’t for my neighbors who are in college and watch him most of the day I’m sure he would be a holy terror on my apartment.
A security system is your best bet.




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Since: 11.7.02
From: MD

Since last post: 4713 days
Last activity: 3168 days
#4 Posted on | Instant Rating: 7.29
Also consider signage that says "Owner shoots every 10th intruder; 9th one just left."



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Guru Zim
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Since: 9.12.01
From: Bay City, OR

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#5 Posted on
I can't think that getting a large dog for an apartment would be a good call. Are you renting a house or an apartment? Actually, dogs in apartments are really not fair to the animals.

I doubt you will do it, but you would be better off with an alarm and a gun.

//edit: And go down to the Modesto Rifle club or some other organization like that and learn how to shoot. The worst thing you can do in an apartment is miss the intruder and end up killing your neighbor.

(edited by Guru Zim on 15.1.03 1340)


Your analogy is similar to:

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"I can already write with my hands, why not my pancreas?"
"They already have beef that I can eat, why not granite?"

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Dagent913
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Since: 18.11.02
From: Strong Island

Since last post: 7116 days
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#6 Posted on
I say booby traps. Now those are the answer!

Or a security system. Whatever.



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astrobstrd
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Since: 13.3.02
From: Loveland, OH

Since last post: 6024 days
Last activity: 5991 days
#7 Posted on
Heads impaled on stakes outside your apartment. Along with hundreds of vietnamese villagers ready to die for you. And Dennis Hopper. It would scare me away at least.

There are "lower" maintenence type dogs, but they usually aren't very intimidating. Dachsuns (sp?) for example.



"All we are is meat."

-The Deftones
DMC
Liverwurst








Since: 8.1.02
From: Modesto, CA

Since last post: 6919 days
Last activity: 6913 days
#8 Posted on
I don't know, I still think a dog is the way to go. I don't have a problem with a gun, but we're looking for something that says "Intruders stay out," not "Man just killed intruder." Alarms are the same thing--we want people to just stay away, not hurry up real quick and get stuff and leave, or waking us up once they're already in. I realize a dog isn't going to stop everyone, but it may deter some, and good ones that bark at just about anything give you great amounts of warning time which you can use to prepare for someone coming in (like 911 or getting a weapon ready).

We live in a duplex and will have to get the owner's permission. I agree though that a needy lab is not the way to do, so I'll have to keep looking for free doggies.

DMC



"It's too bad that all these things, can only happen in my dreams. Only in dreams, in beautiful dreams." -Roy Orbison
Ana Ng
Blutwurst








Since: 6.8.02
From: Naples, FL, USA

Since last post: 7281 days
Last activity: 6855 days
#9 Posted on
I have a Beagle mix who isn't any more than 25 pounds, but his bark has always been loud enough to scare the fuck out of just about anyone. When I was living in the SERIOUS ghetto last year, no one messed with me as long as I had my dog with me. And no one would have thought about coming into my apartment with the way he could bark. Of course, he's *completely* harmless, but other people don't know that.

The question is, is the ONLY reason you'd ever want a dog to scare people away? Because that isn't enough. You have to love the animal enough to put up with the occasional stinky mess (more than occasional if you're getting a puppy), and you do have to devote time to your dog every day. My boyfriend and I are both out working during the day, but he's got a nice window to look out (which keeps him pretty entertained even when we ARE there to play with him). Also considering fencing in your backyard, if it isn't already. Ours is fenced in, but we can't leave our dog out there because the neighbors on the other half of the duplex have a psychotic pit bull (but I won't get started on THAT).

Just remember that the reason to get a dog is to have a friend and companion, and if your dog can also manage to deter miscreants, that's just a bonus.

(edited by Ana Ng on 15.1.03 1750)


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kazhayashi81
Potato korv








Since: 17.6.02
From: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Since last post: 6145 days
Last activity: 6096 days
#10 Posted on
DMC, get a dog from a shelter. It's cheap($75-125, definitely won't break the bank), and you will get a report on how the dog does in confined spaces, behavior report(housetraining, ability to gel with small children, other animals, etc.), and you will get them sterilized(or you should, at any respectable shelter).

Plus, the money goes to a good cause.





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The average age of the world's great civilizations has been two hundred years. These nations have progressed through the following sequence: from bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependency, from dependency back to bondage.

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MoeGates
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Since: 6.1.02
From: Brooklyn, NY

Since last post: 23 days
Last activity: 1 day
#11 Posted on | Instant Rating: 6.73
Good call on the "pound, not newspaper." Definitely hit the pound.

Try a Mastiff or Bullmastiff. They are

a) huge
b) scary looking
c) lazy as shit (low-maintenance, you can have them in a decent-sized apartment)
d) very loyal and protective

If you have kids or other pets, they're good around them also.

Drawbacks are that they drool like hell, and essentially will just sit around and fart all day if you let them.

EDIT: Also they're dumb. Really dumb. The kind of dog where you'll work on "sit" for 6 months, and the dog will still be more likely to respond to "sit" buy looking at you blankly and licking your face.

(edited by MoeGates on 16.1.03 1601)


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HrdCoreJoe
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Since: 29.4.02
From: Jax, FL

Since last post: 4502 days
Last activity: 4502 days
#12 Posted on
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the cunning, savagery that is the BullDog. Well, actually neither of those is entirely true, but they still "LOOK" intimidating! Next to Dachshunds I find them to be the sweetest puppies on Earth.



Andy Richter does indeed control the universe.
SmoovyG
Haggis








Since: 9.1.02
From: LA

Since last post: 7736 days
Last activity: 7561 days
#13 Posted on
Go to the pound, adopt a young dog - about 1-3 years old - and crate train them. After a while, the crate will become like a bedroom to the dog, and be their safe place. If your dog is crate trained, it's not a punishment to leave them in there all day, as long as it's the proper sized crate.

Also, sign up for obedience classes. You can get cheap, effective training form the classes at most PetSmart stores, in the evenings or on weekends.

If it's going to be an indoor dog, I recommend a female. Even neutered males will occassionaly mark their territory, and it really sucks to have to punish a dog for pissing on the couch, or on some DVDs left on th coffee table.

Whatever you get, neuter them. It'll make your life easier, and it has the added bonus of keeping the dog in better health throughout the course of it's life.

As for the breed, if the landlord is OK with it, I'd go for a pit mix. We have a pit/lab mix and a pit/sharpei mix. Both are extremely sweet and playful, but they still scare the hell out of people that don't know them. The pit/sharpei mix, in particular, is a huge wuss. If you happen to have a kid, pits normally have the added bonus of a high pain threshold, allowing a little more leeway for kids playing with them without pissing them off.

Finally, don't forget that you're not buying a weapon or a security system. The dog will be a member of your family, and needs love and care, just like a person does.


(edited by SmoovyG on 16.1.03 1428)

Steve Gerding
--------------------
4-Color Review: The Comic Book Site for Comic Book READERS
http://4colorreview.com
Parts Unknown
Lap cheong








Since: 2.1.02
From: Darkenwood

Since last post: 1763 days
Last activity: 1448 days
#14 Posted on
NOT A DOG

My wife begged and pleaded for a boxer puppy when we first got married. I eventually gave in, but didn't know the dog was completely retarded.
I tried and tried to train him, but to no avail. He was an idiot. He could not follow any commands.
He ate my couch. He literally ate my couch. When I was gone, this retarted dog showed his TRUE EVIL intelligence and UNZIPPED the couch cushions, pulled out the stuffing and shredded it all over the place. I came home and rushed to clean it up and broke the vacuum cleaner.
Later, I left the dog in the living room while I went to take a leak. He came into the bathroom and cocked his head to the side and I noticed a bit of paper hanging from his jowell. I took it out and immediately recognized it as being Isaiah 6:5.
Yes, my brothers, I went to the living room and this SATANIC, EVIL, DEMON-POSSESSED life-destroying dog had dragged my brand new, forest green Bible from my chair and SHREDDED the Word of God into a zillion pieces.
It took all I had to keep from shooting him.
We gave him away to a couple who owned a HUGE ranch. I can imagine him now: I bet it's like the dog on Funny Farm that never quit running. Just running, slathering, barking and being retarted. I hated Buddy. Never get a dog.
Get a big-ass loud bird before you get a dog. Get an attack cat. Get a python. GET ANYTHING before you get a dog.




"Also, don't incur the wrath of P.U. It can only lead to trouble." - Torchslasher
DMC
Liverwurst








Since: 8.1.02
From: Modesto, CA

Since last post: 6919 days
Last activity: 6913 days
#15 Posted on
Thank you Parts for bringing a smile to my face this morning! I needed it. (Probably one of the overall funniest posts I've read on Wienerboard!)

DMC
(P.S. Alas, we're still debating about the dog. We'll see what happens.)




"It's too bad that all these things, can only happen in my dreams. Only in dreams, in beautiful dreams." -Roy Orbison
Pool-Boy
Lap cheong








Since: 1.8.02
From: Huntington Beach, CA

Since last post: 206 days
Last activity: 163 days
#16 Posted on

    Originally posted by Parts Unknown
    NOT A DOG

    My wife begged and pleaded for a boxer puppy when we first got married. I eventually gave in, but didn't know the dog was completely retarded.
    I tried and tried to train him, but to no avail. He was an idiot. He could not follow any commands.
    He ate my couch. He literally ate my couch. When I was gone, this retarted dog showed his TRUE EVIL intelligence and UNZIPPED the couch cushions, pulled out the stuffing and shredded it all over the place. I came home and rushed to clean it up and broke the vacuum cleaner.
    Later, I left the dog in the living room while I went to take a leak. He came into the bathroom and cocked his head to the side and I noticed a bit of paper hanging from his jowell. I took it out and immediately recognized it as being Isaiah 6:5.
    Yes, my brothers, I went to the living room and this SATANIC, EVIL, DEMON-POSSESSED life-destroying dog had dragged my brand new, forest green Bible from my chair and SHREDDED the Word of God into a zillion pieces.
    It took all I had to keep from shooting him.
    We gave him away to a couple who owned a HUGE ranch. I can imagine him now: I bet it's like the dog on Funny Farm that never quit running. Just running, slathering, barking and being retarted. I hated Buddy. Never get a dog.
    Get a big-ass loud bird before you get a dog. Get an attack cat. Get a python. GET ANYTHING before you get a dog.


Very funny - my aunt had the same problem with her dog - this long-legged beagle looking hound dog who ate the brand new couch and also consumed her grandmother's leather-bound bible...
Firghteningly similar...



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SmoovyG
Haggis








Since: 9.1.02
From: LA

Since last post: 7736 days
Last activity: 7561 days
#17 Posted on
Something a lot of people don't understand is that it's not a bad thing to crate train your dog. It's not a punishment, and it's not cruel. Best of all, it prevents your house from being ripped to shreds when you run out to the store or have to go to work.

As long as you buy a crate that's the appropriate size for your dog, it's one of the smartest moves you can make.




Steve Gerding
--------------------
4-Color Review: The Comic Book Site for Comic Book READERS
http://4colorreview.com
count olaf
Goetta








Since: 15.7.02

Since last post: 6933 days
Last activity: 6929 days
#18 Posted on
What is crate training? What does that mean?
Parts Unknown
Lap cheong








Since: 2.1.02
From: Darkenwood

Since last post: 1763 days
Last activity: 1448 days
#19 Posted on

    Originally posted by Pool-Boy
    Very funny - my aunt had the same problem with her dog - this long-legged beagle looking hound dog who ate the brand new couch and also consumed her grandmother's leather-bound bible...
    Firghteningly similar...



Weird. I talked to my wife about this last night and guess what? When she was a little girl, her dog ate her grandmother's heirloom Bible! What is it with dogs destroying the scriptures? Do they dig the leather cover?




"Also, don't incur the wrath of P.U. It can only lead to trouble." - Torchslasher
emma
Cherries > Peaches








Since: 1.8.02
From: Phoenix-ish

Since last post: 445 days
Last activity: 167 days
#20 Posted on

    Originally posted by count olaf
    What is crate training? What does that mean?
Since SmoovyG hasn't been by to answer, I'll take a whirl at explaining it. The idea is that the puppy gets to feel like his crate is his own private den. The term "crate" means a large (compared to the dog) cage, comfortably set up for the dog. The crate should be plenty big for the dog -- he should have plenty of room to stand comfortably, walk around, lay in any postion he likes. You generally will set up the crate with blankets, padding, pillows -- whatever he likes to be comfy. (Our dog liked to have half the crate floor padded for softness, & half just finished particle board for coolness. Whatever works for your dog.) Many dogs like a sheet or blanket across the back half of the crate to be more den-like. The crate should always be a good, happy place, so he should also have assorted good toys available there -- chew toys, safe squeaky toys, a Kong toy, whatever.
(Note that the crate is bigger than a "pet carrier" that you'd use to transport the animal.) Puppies don't "go" in their den (unless they're really desperate, which of course, you should never-never allow to happen) so that gives you a good start on housetraining. So if the puppy thinks that hanging out in his crate is a good thing, you have a good way to keep him contained & out of trouble when you can't keep an eye on him.


    Originally posted by Parts Unknown
    Weird. I talked to my wife about this last night and guess what? When she was a little girl, her dog ate her grandmother's heirloom Bible! What is it with dogs destroying the scriptures? Do they dig the leather cover?
Yup. Anything leather is going to be interesting. Plus, something leather that's an heirloom besides is going to have all sorts of wonderful smells from lots of handling, which makes it even more interesting. This is the same reason that your favourite leather shoes/slippers are so terribly yummy.
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