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• Reputation: 1962 Q&A: 32 0 1 1965 663 0 Classifieds: 0 0 what's this? Follow Following 2 elenchos

  16 0 No. You need to reconsider living with a dog. Either don't move in with your boyfriend or convince him to give up having a dog. Dogs, like kids, are often a deal breaker in relationships, and it's better to face it now than later. Breeding has some effect on a dog's personality, but environment is far more important. Raising a puppy around someone who hates dogs is going to really mess with its head. Dogs are very good at sensing human moods, and one of the ways they instinctively try to make it up to people who seem to hate them is by doing the very things you hate, like licking you. The more annoyed you get, the more the dog is going to try to make you like it, pissing you off even more. You will seethe with resentment and your resentment will make the dog neurotic. There is nothing more annoying than a neurotic dog. Trust me on this. Dan Savage is an infamous example of someone who hates dogs and got one anyway. Have you noticed he never stops bitching about it? There's a reason for that. If you insist on moving in together and getting a dog, you should make a sacrifice for the relationship by vowing to educate yourself about dogs and becoming an expert dog trainer. Start by reading an easy introduction to the topic, like The Art of Raising a Puppy. You can't stop there; it takes a lot of time and learning to understand how to train an animal properly. If you -- don't rely solely on your boyfriend for this -- do an excellent job of training your dog, then it will not annoy you, regardless of breed. It takes tons of discipline and hard work that lasts years. Years. That's why it's probably better not to get a dog at all; even people who love dogs have a hard time with the commitment required. Which is why so many dogs are annoying, if you think about it. elenchos answered in Pets about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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• Reputation: 1610 Q&A: 27 0 12 879 49 0 Classifieds: 0 0 what's this? Follow Following 0 CleverScreenName

  5 0 I love dogs, but I hear you. I can't stand it when an undisciplined dog jumps on me while its owner laughs it off. First priority: you and your boyfriend must agree to obedience training for the dog, whether you do it if you think you can handle it or you take it somewhere. Some breeds are more prone to excitement than others, but all need to learn control, especially when they're young. Obedience training will likely make it easier for you to live with the dog. Both you and your boyfriend should do the training so the dog is used to listening to both of you. It's kind of like having a kid: you can't have a dog that is just your boyfriend's, not if you live together. In addition to training, IME the best-behaved dogs are very well socialized. The more time that you spend with the dog, the more in tune it will be with you and the less desperate for your attention. So while you don't sound like a dog person you'll probably both be happier if the dog spends a lot of time with both of you. CleverScreenName answered in Pets about 1 year ago | Report 3 comments by Vanessa N, CleverScreenName, and Vanessa N… 0 0 Great answer. Vanessa N commented about 1 year ago | Report 0 0 Thanks! Elenchos is right, though: this is a huge commitment and she needs to think about whether it's a dealbreaker. Once you have a dog, life changes for the entire life of the dog, and this will impact her as much as her boyfriend. CleverScreenName commented about 1 year ago | Report 0 0 Absolutely. I just thought you offered some great advice, especially about training, socialization, and attention, as she seems to think the dog is going to happen. One of them is going to have to compromise and it needs to be a positive one if they're going to work out. Elenchos is absolutely correct also. I hope this all works out and she can learn to love a well-adjusted, happy dog-- the way some people hate other peoples' kids but love their own. :) Vanessa N commented about 1 year ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  3 0 DTMFA Jim answered in Pets about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  1 0 IF you consent to get a dog, i'd suggest adopting an older greyhound (over 4 years old, say). super sweet, very mellow - 40 mph couch potatoes. they sleep most of the day away like cats. i can't wait to get one myself. rara avis answered in Pets about 1 year ago | Report 4 comments by Jessica, Violet DaGrinder, and rara avis… 0 0 This was going to be my answer. I love dogs, but we're fairly sedate people and I'll be studying from home for the next two years. I want a companion, not a guard dog, and greyhounds have lovely personalities and are often more docile. The people at Greyhoundpetsinc.org have a pretty informative site, as well as weekly meet-the-greyhounds events at local pet stores. Jessica commented about 1 year ago | Report 0 0 Greyhounds tend to be sweet and calm, but they can also be profoundly neurotic, which is just as annoying to some of us. Violet DaGrinder commented about 1 year ago | Report 0 0 well, sure there are neurotic ones. but most are chill, you get them as adults not puppies, and many have been fostered so you can get an idea about their personality beforehand. getting any dog will be a big risk to the OP. big caveat: I haven't adopted yet, but I've done a ton of research on the breed. psgreyhounds.org is another local rescue group, FYI. go to a meet up for either group and check 'em out. there's nothing to lose. rara avis commented about 1 year ago | Report 0 0 Most are very cool dogs, and I do like the breed, but I've known a lot of them and lived with them before, and a lot of them do have big-time issues from being raised on tracks. I think they're basically good dogs, don't get me wrong, but I think they're often sold as these super mellow dogs, and I don't really think they deserve that reputation. Some are! But many are total head cases who require a lot of patience. Just my experience. If jumping and licking are this person's only concerns, a greyhound probably WOULD be a great choice. They don't tend to be hyper and in-your-face like that. Which I love about them. Violet DaGrinder commented about 1 year ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  0 0 Dogs are 50% training, 50% temperament. There are dozens of behavior tests you can do on a puppy to get a sense of it's temperament, and any breeder who has observed the puppy interacting with it's litter mates can tell you what you can expect. Find a good breed, a reputable breeder, make sure they do temperament tests, let them know you want a mellow, sociable dog. If you do that, that's likely what you'll get given that most other people like the pups who are more assertive and suitable for showing. You'll still have to train it, but the training will be pretty easy. Sean answered in Pets about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  0 0 Dogs are individuals. You should get a mixed-breed adult who has been in foster care, so the person who has been watching the dog can give you a sense of the true personality. You should go along to help choose the dog, and find one who makes a good impression. Your partner needs to agree that the dog will go back to the shelter (the good ones allow this) if it doesn't work out. An annoying dog can ruin your relationship, so don't feel bad about taking the issue seriously. Good luck. :) Violet DaGrinder answered in Pets about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  0 0 Go to barns and noble and read their pet books about dog breeds. It's good to know how that breed came to be, in other words what we humans had made it in to. Regardless, the responsible thing to do when having a dog in the city is obedience school, obedience school, obedience school. Socialize it with lots of people and other dogs. Your boyfriend will have to give it the play time it needs every day. HOURS every day the first 3 or so years. And teach it the difference between play time and house time (obedience school will help w/ this). Have you ever known a well behaved dog? They're not all crazy. internet_jen answered in Pets about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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