[Breeds] Dog for Early 50's Married CoupleDog Talks

**Introduction**

1) Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?

Full disclosure, I am filling this out for my parents, not for myself. Thier previous dog was a lovely Siberian Husky female who died at 10 years of age from hemangiosarcoma.

2) Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a [reputable breeder]( http://ownresponsibly.blogspot.com/2011/07/identifying-reputable-breeder.html)?

Mom has a preference for a rescue, dad has a preference for a breeder but would not be opposed to a puppy from a rescue.

3) Describe your ideal dog.

Medium-large size, human-oriented, able to walk ~3 miles/day on an average day and join longer hikes/walks on weekends. Biddable, but not Border Collie levels of engagement.

4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?

I think various retriever breeds may be a good fit, but honestly I am not sure! My mom loves a sweet ol staffy but my dad is very wary of them.

5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?

Housebreaking, basic obedience (sit, stay, down, wait at doors), potentially train off-leash recall

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?

N/A

**Care Commitments**

7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?

Any time that they're not at work, so...8+ hours/day

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?

My mom goes on a 3 mile walk every day. My dad goes on runs and bike rides frequently. Bike rides would probably be sans dog, but a jogging companion would be well received. They could take the dog to a dog park but honestly, I wouldn't recommend it...I'm not a fan of dog parks in general.

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?

They would prefer minimal grooming maintenance. That being said, previous dog was a husky, so they are used to a fair bit of hair.

**Personal Preferences**

10) What size dog are you looking for?

Flexible, but generally between 40 and 100

11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?

They would prefer less shedding than their husky. Minimal/absent barking and slobber.

12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?

It's a plus, but not a necessity. Their previous dog was NOT AT ALL EVEN REMOTELY CAPABLE of being off leash, so they're used to it

**Dog Personality and Behavior**

13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?

Their previous dog really loved having her own personal space, and I think they really wished she was a bit more snuggly

14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?

I think a biddable dog would fit them well

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?

An alert bark or two would be acceptable, but basically nonchalance or friendliness towards visitors would be preferred.

16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?

Their previous dog was quite dog reactive, and did bite another dog (more prey drive than actual dog-aggression), so they would be capable of managing an aggressive dog - but would prefer to avoid it

17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?

Obsessive licking, humping, separation anxiety

**Lifestyle**

18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?

They are intermittently working from home with COVID and their jobs have no plans to bring them back to the office full time. They will be eligible for retirement in the coming years. That's a convoluted way of saying - anywhere from 0 to 8 hours/day.

19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?

Two adults live in the house full time, three adult children visit occasionally. All are dog people.

20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?

A crested gecko. I do not believe the dog will interact with the gecko.

21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

Not at the moment, but one of the adult children may be planning on having kids of their own in the next few years so visiting children may be on the horizon

22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?

They own a house with a fenced in yard; no breed restrictions

23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?

Mid-atlantic, United States. No BSL.

24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?

Winters around 30F, Summers around 90F

**Additional Information and Questions**

25) Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant.

My dad would prefer a puppy, my mom would be happy with a puppy or an adult dog. They do have experience with house-breaking a puppy (their husky) but it was a while ago. I don't know if they remember how frustrating it can be!

26) Feel free to ask any questions below.

Submitted November 04, 2020 at 12:46AM by SharpCandle https://ift.tt/362ewiL