Puppies in the office!

lkristenj

jenna8984 said:

@katwag Thanks! That is so sweet of your little guy to be there for you and that is why dogs seem like way better companions than cats. My cat barely gives me the time of day unless her food bowl is empty lol.

If I were to get any dog, I would want a big one, not massive, but large enough to be a running buddy. But now that you've all scared me with stories of how rambunctious labs are, I'm erring towards a big fat no. Maybe when our next home has a big fenced in yard or basement play area but I don't want my current house ripped apart lol.

I have an Australian Shepherd mix. They're known for their energy and intelligence too. I have lived with him in apartments for the past 4 years. He has gotten into some things, but nothing bad. He also is crate trained and loves it. Then again, he is an adult dog. My FI's ex-roommate had a Golden puppy that took forever to potty train and ate the carpet and the faces of the kitchen drawers. But, he also didn't ever walk her or attempt to train her, so it's his fault. If you put the time and effort into a puppy, there shouldn't be too much damage. Mistakes happen, but with proper supervision and care, puppies, even energetic ones, don't have to be destructive.

It's actually better to take dogs on walks than let them run in the backyard. I mean, I am going to love actually having a yard when we move, but I know it's not a replacement for a walk. The new sights and smells on walks actually help make them tired. Dogs get tired by using their brains too, and processing smells on walks uses their brain much more than a familiar backyard. So, having an energetic dog in an apartment isn't impossible and might actually be better for your dog's socialization and energy if it has to go on regular walks.

If you're a runner, a Lab or Lab mix might be good for you. They do take really well to it and can be great running companions. But, if you insist on getting a puppy (which I understand), you need to be mindful of their limitations and development. You can cause joint damage and injury by exercising puppies too much too young. Labs don't fully mature for about 1 year. Smaller dogs mature faster than big dogs. Great Danes aren't mature for closer to 2 years. Young dogs' growth plates and joints won't be able to handle the stress of long hard runs. I went to a 5K earlier this year in which someone brought a 3 month old boxer puppy to walk with them. After the first half mile, the energetic puppy was dragging along, tired. She tried to force him to keep walking, but ended up having to carry him most of the way. Just do some research on when is a good time to begin running with a younger dog. There's plenty of information out there.

Unrelated, but FI and I have been considering fostering for a group that transports puppies from our city shelter to Colorado where there are less problems with overpopulation. The puppies already have a place to go when they are pulled from the shelter and the short-term foster (2 weeks) just ensures that they're healthy to travel and don't have any disease. I wonder if we might be a little bit crazy to bring in a fourth dog (and a puppy!) into our home, even if on a temporary basis. They also sometimes transport adult dogs, which I would much prefer.

lkristenj

KatWAG said:

jenna8984 said:

@katwag Thanks! That is so sweet of your little guy to be there for you and that is why dogs seem like way better companions than cats. My cat barely gives me the time of day unless her food bowl is empty lol.

If I were to get any dog, I would want a big one, not massive, but large enough to be a running buddy. But now that you've all scared me with stories of how rambunctious labs are, I'm erring towards a big fat no. Maybe when our next home has a big fenced in yard or basement play area but I don't want my current house ripped apart lol.

Consider a terrier. They have great energy. We considered an Ariedale Terrier for awhile, but decided that the dog wouldnt love city living.

FI's dog is a terrier-ish dog. Corgi Pit is the best guess, though we have no idea. She sees nothing above her head/eye level and is incredibly tenacious. She is our most energetic dog, and also our smallest dog. The other two consist of an Australian Shepherd mix and a German Shepherd (and possibly Heeler?) mix. The Aussie is energetic, but slowing down at the age of 7. The German Shepherd is super lazy. He watches the others run like crazy from the comfort of his own bed.

theartistformerlyknownas

We have an English pointer/lab mix. Extremely energetic but just so far beyond stupid. She'll chase the reflection off my ring, watch and phone until she runs face first into the wall. Repeatedly. I think if we tried to take her running she'd try to bite my shoelaces.

lkristenj

@lolo883 - That's funny! Despite being super trainable, my Aussie mix is, as FI likes to say, "special". He is super clumsy and runs into walls and furniture. He misjudges things and can be easily faked out. His favorite thing is trying to catch dust particles in sunbeams. Still, he is rather quick to pick up on training and is very smart in that way. He knows more tricks than the other two dogs and could compete in Rally Obedience if I ever actually signed up. He is a lot like me in that way. I'm book smart but don't have a lot of common sense or social skills.