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I need help choosing a puppy


Pragmatic Bus

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i have no experience with dogs, i never owned one.

i am looking at 2 breeds of dogs right now.

German Shephard and doberman

i called up the breeder who sells german shephard. he said he has been selling "very large" german shephard for over 31 years. he has a few pups. they are black and tan.

then i went to this guy who sells doberman pups. i saw the mother, the father and the pups. the father(doberman) is black+tan and weighs about a hundered pounds and an absolute alpha male stud, the mother(doberman) is also black+tan and wieghs about sixty-five pounds, none of the dogs barked at me but the mother seemed a little protective(not out of the ordinary) the father, however, looked very huge, he was locked up because him and the mother dont get along. strange thing though, the pups are both black+tan and brown+tan. i dont know if that is normal.

help me decide please. if you need more information i can get more info from the breeders.

thanx in advance.

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Two things:

1. DO NOT BUY A DOBERMAN.

(I just had to post that to piss off Verde).

2. DO NOT BUY A RESCUED DOG, DEFINITELY BUY FROM A PUPPY MILL

(I just had to post that to piss off all the dog lovers).

Otherwise, good luck. Personally I like Australian Sheperds (frisbee dogs).

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Two things:

1. DO NOT BUY A DOBERMAN.

(I just had to post that to piss off Verde).

2. DO NOT BUY A RESCUED DOG, DEFINITELY BUY FROM A PUPPY MILL

(I just had to post that to piss off all the dog lovers).

Otherwise, good luck. Personally I like Australian Sheperds (frisbee dogs).

i was going to say "dont make me send verde after you!" but then i thought to myself "that wouldn't exactly hurt you in a bad way. :winking0001:

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My neighbor had a Golden Retriever when I was growing up, but she spent half the time in my house with me. She was the coolest dog I've ever met, still to this day. If I ever get a dog of my own, it will certainly be a Golden Retriever, so that is the way I would go.

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My neighbor had a Golden Retriever when I was growing up, but she spent half the time in my house with me. She was the coolest dog I've ever met, still to this day. If I ever get a dog of my own, it will certainly be a Golden Retriever, so that is the way I would go.

good advice. i will look into golden retrievers also.

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Not sure how to phrase this but are you looking for a dog that would lick your privates? If so I could post a different list. But this is slightly off topic so nevermind.

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good advice. i will look into golden retrievers also.

She was very, very playful, and this was when she was "an adult". I can't imagine how playful they'd be as a pup. Best of luck in your search.

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I have had german shephards for the majority of my life and they are by far my favorite large breed dogs. Dobermans are great animals who have a bad reputation that they absolutely do not deserve. Either breed would be loyal protectors and more importantly great members of the family.

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i actually did go to a shelter, but they only had those freaky little chihuahas that growled at me even as i walked by there cage.

But then you could not only save a life but support Mark Sanchez and you can name him/her Sanchez. ;)

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Shepherds are great, but they tend to have hip problems. It seems that they breed them to have shorter and shorter back legs for some reason and it looks unnatural to me. German Shepherd mutts actually look more normal to me than many of the purebreds I see over here. When you see a dog with hip dysplasia it's heartbreaking. Great Danes are awesome dogs, (I had one growing up) but they are big enough that it can be a pain going anywhere in the car and they have a comparatively short life expectancy.

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Dobermans are definitely not for inexperienced owners. They are VERY high maintenance and require constant attention, exercise, training and mental stimulation. Working breeds need a job, they don't do well strictly as companions.

I may also add that they are expensive to own (Dobes not only have a list of potential health problems inherent in the breed but as a very active breed they routinely sprain and tear muscles and acl's etc.. this makes for expensive vet bills).. if you are not prepared for this than a Doberman is not for you.

If you are certain that you can provide all of those things, I would seek out a reputable breeder or a local Doberman rescue. NEVER get a dog like a Doberman from a backyard breeder (newspaper).. someone who will split on you once they get their money.. You risk an improperly bred dog that could have a slew of health and temperament issues this way and then you have no support.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Dobermans and would never own another breed (loyal, fun, and bond with their people like no other) but they are a breed that you can't just make an impulse decision on.

I can give you links to great resources if you are really serious about making this kind of commitment.

My girl:

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As usual, Verde has excellent advice on Dobeys. I love them too, but they require more attention than Paris Hilton. Shepards are great dogs, but keep in mind the hair shedding nusance of a long haired dog.

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i actually did go to a shelter, but they only had those freaky little chihuahas that growled at me even as i walked by there cage.

Try this website:

http://www.petfinder.com/

You can search for any dog, including breed, and they will match you in the area.

Here is a link to a results page for shelters (over 100) in the NYC area. I'm sure you can find something that isn't a chihuaha on one of these locations...

http://www.petfinder.com/awo/index.cgi?&lat=40.7483&lon=-73.9934&limit=100

My mother found her dog at a place in queens, right near JFK Airport. My family has owned dogs forever, and they all agree that this is the sweetest dog we've ever owned.

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If your sticking to either a German Shepherd or Doberman...I'd recommend the Shepherd. We have a miniature Austrailian Shepherd and find the breed very friendly and loves kids. The mini-Aussie is easily trained, excellent natural guardians of the home and has strong herding instincts. They are entirely devoted to their family and will go to great lengths to please. We also have a beagle...another breed we can easily recommend...very loyal dog with a great disposition and when my son plays his saxophone he can howl with the best of them.

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Try this website:

http://www.petfinder.com/

You can search for any dog, including breed, and they will match you in the area.

Here is a link to a results page for shelters (over 100) in the NYC area. I'm sure you can find something that isn't a chihuaha on one of these locations...

http://www.petfinder.com/awo/index.cgi?&lat=40.7483&lon=-73.9934&limit=100

My mother found her dog at a place in queens, right near JFK Airport. My family has owned dogs forever, and they all agree that this is the sweetest dog we've ever owned.

i actually tried that. didn't find any thing good. my area is full of pit bull muts.

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the doberman mom and pops both looked purebred to me and i think they have papers as well. the communication between me and the dobe breeder was hampered due to the fact the guy was mexican and couldn't speak a lick of english. one of the guy's sons had to translate. it seemed like they had gotten the father dobe from Colorado and they mother dobe was from Fresno CA.

the german shephard breeder told me he has been breeding dogs as a profession for over 31 years. he said that he is also open for a trade (dont know what that means). although when i asked him if i can see the dogs he started acting really wierd, telling me that he has the flu and he is on bed rest, and instructed me to call him in a few days. :confused0082:

i have a feeling i would have to go to Los Angeles or San Jose to find a good Breeder

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Verde's picture is the # 1 reason not to buy a Doberman. Any dog that lets an owner dress it up like that can't have good instincts.

Says the man with a Bichon Frise. :roll:

btw, that coat she's wearing keeps the dog from overheating in the summer. It's called a cool coat.. made of chamois. You soak it in cold water and it stays cool for hours.. keeps the dog's temp down.

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the doberman mom and pops both looked purebred to me and i think they have papers as well. the communication between me and the dobe breeder was hampered due to the fact the guy was mexican and couldn't speak a lick of english. one of the guy's sons had to translate. it seemed like they had gotten the father dobe from Colorado and they mother dobe was from Fresno CA.

Papers mean sh!t. That SCREAMS backyard breeder to me. PASS.

I know you don't like me but I really think it would behoove you to take my advice or you might be sorry in the long run.

If you really want to educate yourself on the breed, this is an excellent forum.

http://www.dobermantalk.com/forumindex.php

Here's The DPCA (tons of info as well):

http://dpca.org/index.html

Here are a list of some reputable breeders in Cali..

http://dpca.org/BreedRef/index_html.htm#California

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when did i say i dont like you? :1cry:

I just get that vibe.. and you totally ignored my post (when I was trying to help you).

btw.. I updated my above post with some additional resources if you are interested beyond the, "Dobermans are cool looking dogs" impulse.

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I just get that vibe.. and you totally ignored my post (when I was trying to help you).

btw.. I updated my above post with some additional resources if you are interested beyond the, "Dobermans are cool looking dogs" impulse.

Lol... i did not ignore you on purpose. i'm sorry. Hug? :biggrin:

seriously, thanx for the advice, i will look at those forums and with a new wealth of knowledge (thanx to everyone here especially verde \:D/) i will try my best to make a sound decision.

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Here's another option you could try.. Doberman rescue orgs in Cali.. you can contact them and they might help you find a good Dobe (young or adult) that was dumped for any variety of stupid reasons (too much to handle, allergy, owner couldn't afford vet bill, etc etc etc). You can get a great dog this way without the heavy price tag. They also try to match dog to owner depending on your experience/environment.

http://www.dobierescue.org/ (not sure what part of Cali)

http://www.dogworks.org/ (Northern Cal area)

http://www.dobermanrescue.net/index.html (LA area)

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Here's another option you could try.. Doberman rescue orgs in Cali.. you can contact them and they might help you find a good Dobe (young or adult) that was dumped for any variety of stupid reasons (too much to handle, allergy, owner couldn't afford vet bill, etc etc etc). You can get a great dog this way without the heavy price tag. They also try to match dog to owner depending on your experience/environment.

http://www.dobierescue.org/ (not sure what part of Cali)

http://www.dogworks.org/ (Northern Cal area)

http://www.dobermanrescue.net/index.html (LA area)

go verde! thanx for the links.

on a side note: nobody likes Pitbulls? :confused0082:

a lot of people here own pitbulls

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For shepherds you want: confidence, not fear. Fear biting can happen with this breed. I have a shepherd and she is extremely protective but she's very confident and we've never had an unjustified bite (she did bite a dude who tried to walk in my front door when I stupidly left it unlocked and tore the back of his jeans off as he was high-stepping down the street).

If you see any fear at all from a shepherd you must AVOID.

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