Dog Advice

MeaghanandMichael

Currently we have a 2 year old male miniature pincher. He is very well behaved, but easily excitable (if something is new he must inspect it.) He also loves playing with other dogs and when friends with dogs come to visit they always get a long great. However, short visits are very different then long term.Anyway, DH and I are thinking about getting another dog. We want a medium size (boxer is the top of the list right now) and the hair has to be short due to family allergy issues. Does any one have any advice on the type of breed I should be looking into. Which breeds get along best with toy dogs? Or would my toy dog suffer more in the long term with another dog in the house since they are so used to being the center of attention? Advice? Experience?

mandysmear

My friend has a min pin and she is really aggressive with other dogs... always wants to play.  I don't have any advice though.Also my friends dog's name is also Spike.

vallyhoo

I have two dogs and have always said getting the second dog was the best decision we ever made. The two of them always have a companion when we leave the house, and a constant playmate. It is a lot more work though, especially if you are getting a larger breed dog. Boxers are very high energy from my experience, and would require at least a 45 minute walk everyday.

sammi1285

I am allergic to dogs and my allergist told me that the allergy actually comes from their skin, not their fur, so lenth doesnt matter. I would look into it that before you get another one. Are you looking at getting an adult dog or a puppy?

Soon-to-be Mrs. Vogt

I don't know if I would consider a boxer a medium sized dog...I think of them as more large/medium But boxers are very high strung. Do you have plenty of room in the house for them to play and a yard that they can run in? Boxers tend to get along well with other dogs, in my experience. Every min pin I've been around though has been agressive toward other dogs, especially when they come into their space. So...that's what I might be more concerned about.

MeaghanandMichael

Mandy, I find basically one out of three minpins is named Spike. The breeder we got him from had already named him and we liked the name but we had no idea every one would too. We are considering getting a girl one and naming her Roxy, I wonder if that is popular too.But yeah, I am worried about Spike never giving the other dog a rest. All he wants to do is play or sniff the other dogs butt. I wonder if that would wear off in time?

Soon2BKelHdz

We had two dogs for the longest time: a toy fox terrier and mini dachshund.  We decided to get a third dog as a guard dog, and we ended up getting a pit bull/boxer mix.  He is great with the little dogs.  He never plays too rough, and he always lays on his back or belly to play with them so they're the same height.  I think it's really important to keep them around each other all the time so they really get used to one another.

MeaghanandMichael

We did just move and now we have a big yard with tons of space so that is why we are seriously considering a bigger dog. No clue on the allergy though. My mom just always says she can't do a long hair length without her eye watering constantly. Since she is our care provider for our pooch when we go away I need to take that into consideration.And we would be getting a puppy.

TheSaltyPeanut

I too agree that boxers are rather large Maybe a beagle? I know someone who has a beagle and a pincher without any problems.

MeaghanandMichael

Salty, we both love beagles but Mike's childhood dog was a beagle and he says nothing could replace Willy. He is such a sap like that.LOVE pitbull/boxers mixes and I have seen many at our shelter. I didn't know if the pitbull part might be too much...

x.Brittany.x

We have a 12 week old boxer. I love him but he's a handful. Boxers are very energetic dogs and they require a lot of attention. I don't know if it is Diesel's temperament or because he is still a puppy but he is very agressive towards other male dogs. He is great with our daughter and cats even though the cats try to beat the crap out of him all the time.

Soon2BKelHdz

I was extremely hesitant getting a pitbull mix but FI really wanted one, and fell in love with Brutis when he first saw him as a puppy.  He's protective but not overly protective.  He's extremely smart too. 

clseale13

Boxers are extremely high strung (although this might work w/your min pin)...and pitt mixes (love them) can get pretty big. How big do you want? We adore our American bulldog...but research the parents b/c the size of this breed varies greatly. Brodie is purebred and 110lbs...but I've seen a lot that are smaller. Getting a bigger dog w/a smaller dog is hard. You don't really know how gentle the bigger dog will be and if it's a dog that's really hyper like a boxer it might accidentally hurt the smaller one. GL!

brittjoy84

There are much more variations in temperament and activity level between individual dogs than there are between breeds. You can start looking at what is available at your local rescues or animal shelters and make sure you have some meet and greets with Spike and your prospective dog before you decide to bring him/her home. As far as the allergies, no dog is completely hypoallergenic, but long haired dogs do bother me much more than my short haired dogs.

AlexiaANDRobert

I just both of my Boxers down last fall and can honestly say they were awesome dogs.  Boxers require training and entertainment.  They are high-strung if you let them be.  They get hot easily and I never walked my dogs for 45-minutes.  We had the two Boxers with small dogs and they all got along perfectly.  My sister has one now and she's an angel as well. I've always been a believer in two is better than one (when it comes to dogs) because when you're not around, they can keep each other company.  They play more with each other and that does count as excercise. After the way you describe your dog, I'd look into a puppy and def. a female so there aren't any dominance issues later.  It doesn't matter if they're neutered or not, they'll still fight. Be careful of Pits only because some HOAs and Apartments DO NOT allow them... Those are also wonderful dogs if raised right.GL!

BrittBritt22

Hi, I am a lurker who hasn't posted on this board before but I thought I'd throw my two cents in.  If you are looking at getting a pit mix you should check out the laws in your area.  Certain states require you to have additional or greater insurance coverage because pit bulls are considered a "vicious" breed... just something to keep in mind:)

cdeshane

I am a huge Boston Terrier fan, I just got a second one. They look like miniature boxers, about the same size as a min pin. They are good little dogs, they love to play. My original dog took it kind of hard at first because he was completely spoiled, but they are finally coexisting.

MeaghanandMichael

Thanks ladies, this is great food for thought.Brit and cls, your dogs are simply gorgeous!

vallyhoo

There are many breeds, actually, that insurance companies and apartment complexes deem 'dangerous'. Great danes, bulldogs, bull terriers, staffordshire terriers, Cane Corsos, and yes, sometimes even boxers.

MeaghanandMichael

Cdeshane... what was your original dog that you introduced your Boston to?

cdeshane

Adding to BrittBritt, the other dogs that may do the same are Akita, Alaskan Malamute, Chow Chow, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, Presa Canario, Rottweiler, Husky and Bull Terriers.

cdeshane

Another Boston, the original is the one in the photo. I just got another one about 2 weeks ago. But my original Boston was completely spoiled because I got him while my husband was overseas and he was basically my companion while he was gone. So he was slightly territorial at first but never mean, he growled a few times if he was sitting by me when the puppy would come by me. They are really good dogs, they are pretty smart too.

brittjoy84

Thank you! Keep in mind, just because someone elses x breed got along with y breed, doesn't mean your little guy will get along with that breed. Every dog has its own personality. Also pit bulls are not the only breeds that have restrictions on insurance or apartment leases, that can include lots of larger breed dogs like Shepherds, boxers, bulldogs, etc.

jasmineh7777

The dogs shane mentioned are all breeds that need a clearly defined pack structure. Boxers, like pitbulls, akitas, etc. need to learn at a young age that humans are higher up in the pack order, or they may at some point challenge you. (This doesn't have to mean aggression, it can just be stubborness.) If you get a boxer, you should train it to always walk behind you or at your side, that you always enter a door first, etc. FI and I are considering a boxer as well right now. They are supposed to be great with children and fairly easy to train. I've always heard that min. pins are territorial, so perhaps getting something more in its size range would be good. Boxers get very large. I also agree that a female might be your best  choice.

jilybeans4

If you are getting a puppy, probably any big dog puppy would be fine with a little dog. I got a golden retreiver puppy several years ago, and her best friend was my BFF's pug. The pug was bigger than my puppy when I got her, and as she grew she got bigger than the pug. I don't think either of them really realized it, though....since my golden grew up with a small dog, she knows how to play nice and doesn't hurt the smaller dog. A puppy is a lot of work, but I wouldn't say just a 2nd dog in general is. I have 2 dogs and haven't noticed the extra work with having the 2nd. However, I adopted an adult as my 2nd dog, and I love him like crazy so I may not notice the work if there is more : ) 2 dogs are definitely more expensive though!

AlexiaANDRobert

I have a Boston too and she's awesome.  I just thought you wanted a bigger dog so I didn't even go there.Lola is 3 and she's hilarious and fun and smart and sweet.  She is too smart sometimes.We JUST got a min schnauzer two weeks ago and they're learning to be around each other.I will second the Boston vote if you're thinking about a smaller dog.Also, BOTH my boxers only weighed about 50 lbs.  They're not all huge - it depends on who the parents are and all that.

clseale13

Thanks! Spike is looking pretty distinguished in his little suit!

cdeshane

See mine are both males and they get along fine. They both also get along with my mom's male Boston. I think male dogs are more laid back. This may all be in my head but small female dogs seem to be snippy. But I have always owned males. (only issue we had was with 2 unfixed males) All of ours are fixed though.