Getting a new dog: any advice?

[camera_mama]

We are wanting to add a new pet to the family, and I was hoping that someone here could offer some advice. A little about us:

-Dog must come from the shelter.
-We currently have 1 dog (lab mix ~15 years old, deaf), and 1 cat (good friends with the dogs, but takes a bit to warm up to new people/animals)
-1 child, DD, aged 5
-No problems with pet allergies, etc.
-Live close to a dog park, and our schedules are flexible enough that someone is home most of the time, and we can easily get the dog out for exercise/playtime on a frequent basis; however, I do not want a dog who is overly hyper.
-No preference when it comes to breed or large vs. small dog. I don't necessarily want a puppy, but I don't want an old dog, either. But someone that DD can run with and play fetch with is important.

[Pepper44]

Yay for adopting from a shelter!!

My tips, from our experiences would be...Avoid anything with shepherd or herding bloodlines. Collies, border collies, etc. They make lovely loyal pets, but they require so much work due to their high energy.

Retriever mixes and lab mixes love to play fetch and aren't usually hyper.

My personal favorites are hound dogs! We have a coonhound and even though he was wild at first, he was easy to train. He likes to snooze, a lot, but he also loves to run and play. He's loyal and loves to cuddle too! The only downside to hounds is their nose. Make sure you have a well fenced yard. (Mine can climb the fence!) Also be aware that they follow their noses sometimes and run off, that's why our guy is microchipped. There are lots of hound mixes in shelters and they make wonderful family dogs.

When you are choosing a dog ask about its history and how it gets along with other dogs. If you feel your dog would be up to it, bring your dog to the shelter and let it meet the dog you choose in one of the private petting rooms or outside one on one.

Tug on the dogs ears and tail and hug on it like a little kid would and test the dog's reaction.

What else...make sure establish yourself as leader of the pack right away. Don't let the dog jump on you, tug on your clothing, or anything like that. Try to wait until it is calm before you give attention. (Might be hard when it is full of energy from being cooped in the shelter!) Let your DD feed the dog so the dog knows she is above it in the pack also.

One last thing--as long as the dog doesn't have any nervous issues, we've found that a coffee can filled with bolts and screws is a great way to train. Anytime my coonhound is getting in the trash or doing something bad we gently rattle the can and he jumps 40 feet in the air and slinks away. After a month or two of using the can he stopped nearly all bad behavior and now all we have to do is say the words "the can" and he immediately shapes up!

[Nicole915]

I think you'll find that having a dog is a LOT like having kids, everyone has what they think is bullet proof theory and wisdom, but only you'll know what works for you. There are lots of breed selectors on the internet that will look at your lifestyle and preferences and give you a list of compatible breeds (Google "Breed Selector").

When you do have a list of preferences, make sure to give yourself lots of time and not to get pressured into picking a dog the first day. Talk to the shelter workers about what you're looking for. Visit the shelter on off peak hours. You may also want to look into things like Greyhound Rescue (awesome dogs!) that are foster based rather than shelter based.

There are lots of good books out there about proper training, my favorite being "Good Owners, Great Dogs". You will spend the majority of your time on socialization, which is the key to life long doggie bliss.

Finally, if you need help finding a good vet, feel free to send me a private message, I'll see who I know in your area.

Have fun!

[tug]

you might want to check out the non-profit animal protection groups in your area. we've adopted three dogs from two different ones here and have had really, really good luck with the dogs. i've also fostered for another group. the people in the groups often foster the dogs for some period of time and therefore know them really well. the last time i looked to adopt a dog, i checked about one that i saw on petfinder (which lists for a lot of shelters and groups) and the lady warned me that that particular pet would need a lot of working with. she later emailed me that they had another dog who seemed perfect for our needs. and he is. he's adorable.

petfinder.com is a good resource for finding the groups and if you want, you can also look at the dogs in your area.

[camera_mama]

Thank you all for the suggestions, keep them coming!