Anyone have a beagle or other medium sized dog?

[GeeP]

Go to the pound and look at some dogs.  You'll likely see a small dog that catches your eye.  Don't corner yourself into one breed, and don't buy from a breeder.  There are tens of thousands of dogs and cats out there that need homes as it is.  Why put more out on the street?   

The best guard dog I've ever had wandered into the hangar while I was working and stole my lunch.  She escaped from the local pound and was leading a pack of wild dogs two and three times her size.  She never needed house training, and she's a natural guard dog.

My other dog is a little poodle.  He got dumped outside my shop at 2am in a blizzard.  I heard yapping outside and opened the door.  Damn poodle looks at me, walks inside, sits down, goes to sleep.  He's a suprisingly quiet poodle unless he gets excited.  Talk about a CHICK MAGNET!  When I put that little poodle on a leash and go up town you'd think I was a rock star.  

One little thing:  NEVER hit the dog, and don't use one of those electric collars.  All you're going to do is take the soul right out of the dog.  He won't look at you as a friend, he'll look at you as a necessary evil.  Training a dog takes a lot of patience, a lot of love, and a lot of time.

[aaronstj]

Training a dog takes a lot of patience, a lot of love, and a lot of time.

Bacon helps, too.

[ninja_steve]

hey brian...what apartment are you moving to?  avoid crossing place/riverside at all cost 

[Codger]

Alpha,

I'll ask sort of a dumb question, is your roommate allergic to YOUR cat?

I knew a girl that was pretty significantly allergic to cats, but she spent a couple of days with us and said that until she saw the cat, she didn't even know we had one.
This is not one of the stupid naked nonallergenic cats, it's just a shorthair fully faired one that wandered up to the house 17 years ago.  Different cats have different dander, hair and levels of cleanliness. 

If they are not deathly allergic, let them meet the cat, away from home so you don't have cross contamination from the others in the house.  If all goes well, everybody can live happily ever after.

[Alphamazing]

hey brian...what apartment are you moving to?  avoid crossing place/riverside at all cost 

We're staying away from Riverside. I'd rather not get shot, thank you very much. I think we're going to look around Speedway or Duval area, somewhere around 50th street? My roomie doesn't have a commuter tool, so he needs a bus/shuttle back and forth from campus.

I'll ask sort of a dumb question, is your roommate allergic to YOUR cat?

Yeah, he is unfortunately.

[mike_mike]

check out

jack russell terrier - fun active little dogs

shepherd collie mix (if you can find one) - this was by far the nicest, most friendly dog we have ever had, and most people had ever met, it was a great pet. They can be a bit bigger becuase of the shepherd in them, but generally they're much smaller than normal shepherds due to the collie.

[fordtech]

you really should not get a dog till you have a house,i have a boxer and she is the best dog i ever had worth every penny of the 450.00 i paid for it ,but i have a back yard to leave her in during the day,if you are not home alot the dog will suffer by not getting out side enough,but dogs are great for meeting girls at the beach or the park.

[Alphamazing]

Yeah, but here's the thing. I don't exactly "go out" much. I'm either in class or in my room usually. That's the reason why I think It'll be okay in the apartment because I'll be there most of the time (only a few hours of class per day).

[mike_mike]

Yeah, but here's the thing. I don't exactly "go out" much. I'm either in class or in my room usually. That's the reason why I think It'll be okay in the apartment because I'll be there most of the time (only a few hours of class per day).

Do you want to get a dog to force you to get out more?

Dogs make terrible house cats, they want to do things on a daily basis and need attention outdoors.

[Alphamazing]

Yeah, but here's the thing. I don't exactly "go out" much. I'm either in class or in my room usually. That's the reason why I think It'll be okay in the apartment because I'll be there most of the time (only a few hours of class per day).

Do you want to get a dog to force you to get out more?

Dogs make terrible house cats, they want to do things on a daily basis and need attention outdoors.

I've got a cat. He is fun sometimes, but kinda boring. I wouldn't mind being outside more, though. It'll get me into shape, at least.

[makenzie71]

Alpha, Kalee has a beagle, Zoe.  She's a wonderful dog but you really muct be prepared for a number of things...primarilly being the dog will be a leash dog, a "beigh" dog, and a very energetic dog.  Once Zoe is off leash, she's off into the wild blue without a care in the world.  She's scared us a couple times running in front of cars when she'd gotten loose.  She's very smart, though, so in the confines of the home or the yard she's very well behaved.  Beagles will bark a lot...everything moving and making noise is quary and they will let you know "they've caught onto something"...which makes them not suited for appartments and "quiet" communities.  They are very energetic and hyper, especially if they spend any amount of time couped up and they'll eagerly use up a couple miles worth of jogging without getting really warmed up.  They do NOT appreciate being left alone in the yard or house.

As for coming when they're called...they will if enclosed and not preoccupied.  Taking a beagle to a dog park isn't a "bad idea"...but it might tend to be a hassle because you WILL have to go get him.

As for other breeds...I wouldn't suggest any working or hunting dog for appartment life.  There's a number of mastiffs that would suit appartment life, but they'll tend to be large and "aloof".  A lot of spitz dogs might suit as well, but again, for the most part, they're very aloof and tend to be dog aggressive.

If you DO decide on a beagle, I can get you a show-winning bloodline for a good price.

Go to www.chazhound.com/forums and ask there.  Some of them are fanatical zealots, but they all have a good grasp of what they're talking about.

As for the husky/lab guy...if you want to let your husky run, tie them together.  Give them a 4ft tether and let them run somewhere.  Works especially well if the lab is teh dominant one.  I do this with my two huskies all the time...one is very responsive to commands and comes and stays when called, the other is a recent adoptee and hasn't learned the commands propperly yet.  If you tether them and need them to come back or stay, call the lab and they'll lead one another back.  You should really also work on your commands when the husky is off leash and make it known when is a time to play and when is a time for business...it seems your dog isn't trained propperly and remedying that situation is likely the best thing you could ever do for him.

[Alphamazing]

Dude Mak. I was totally going to name my beagle Zoe if it was a girl. Dayum.

So no other breed suggestions? I'll look into the collies and the like, and see what else my roommate and I think will work best 

Thanks for the good info!

[makenzie71]

One little thing:  NEVER hit the dog, and don't use one of those electric collars.  All you're going to do is take the soul right out of the dog.  He won't look at you as a friend, he'll look at you as a necessary evil.

Not really trying to start a debate here, but all of my dogs get a spanking when they're bad.  Knowing the difference between a spanking and a beating isn't exactly something you can trust everyone to know, but some form of physical deterent isn't always bad.  You'll be very hard pressed to find anyone that thinks or convince anyone that my dogs are soulless or that they look at me as anything resembling "evil".

Ultimately, all dogs react different to different methods of training and punishement and no particular method is 100%.  No form of "posative reinforcement" is going to have much of an effect on Makenzie (my eldest), a spanking puts an end to the problem (typically permanently).  My newest adoptee tends to fair well of posative reinforcement.

[makenzie71]

Alpha, collies are bigger with more excercise requirements.  They're herding dogs.  Border collies and small sheperds will "herd" anything...cows, sheep, people, cats, ducks, children and even cars (attempt).  They were bred to be used all day without needing long breaks and the breeding was successful.  Boundless energy...off the walls energy.

If you start leaning toward collies and sheperds, then do look at the australian cattle dog.  They are very cute as pups (look like little bears), they're very loving and they're described as "velcro dogs" due to their desire to go EVERYWHERE with you from the kitchen to the bathroom.  You'll have to make a lot of personal time for them but it will pay off in companionship.  They're very intellegent, as well.  Awesome dogs.

I have been and always will be a huge fan of both huskies and wolf hybrids.  Makenzie is actually a 90/10 grey wolf hybrid.  My newest, Buddy, is an Alaskan husky.  Makenzie is a combination of aloof and "velcro"...he likes to keep my within his sight or at least earshot, but he has seldom feels obligated to be right beside me.  He was by far the easiest dog I've ever trained and he takes to other dogs really well.  I had to get onto him a few nights ago for some food aggression...something that promptly ended...I think that's the first time I've punished him for anything in years.  Makenzie hasn't been demanding of excercise but he needs it...he gets chubby if not ran, but he doesn't care.  He's just as content running outside after cows and bunnies as he is lying on the porch in the shade.

Buddy is my adoptee.  He spent the first week or so with me being "velcro" but he's grown out of it slightly.  If I'm not in eye or earshot, though, Makenzie needs to be or he cries (he has some abandonment issues).  He's been very eager to learn and he's very smart and willing to please that I'm baffled someone just let him wander off.  He is demanding of excercise, though.  He not only needs it, but he wants it and loves it.  He's a runner and absolutely loves to run.  The only way I get him excercised thoroughly is by either letting them out in the yard with Zoe or tethering him to Makenzie and letting them both boogy.

I can tell you that if you run with a husky variety you're taking a 75/25 shot in the dark chance in favor of NOT having a dog that's aloof and willing to loaf around.  There's the odd exception, but likely not going to be a good idea for apartment living.  Hybrids, with a high wolf percentage, have a tendency to be den-critters...they like being home and not far from it and have a good chance of being lazy dogs with the abillity to excercise (as opposed to the opposite).  However, they require VERY special handling and needs and a tremendous amount of attention until they're about 9 months old....so it's really hard for me to make many suggestions.

Seriously, though...sign up at www.chazhound.com/forums and ask...they see these questions every day and you'll get a ton of feedback.

[LPC2104]

As for the husky/lab guy...if you want to let your husky run, tie them together.  Give them a 4ft tether and let them run somewhere.  Works especially well if the lab is teh dominant one.  I do this with my two huskies all the time...one is very responsive to commands and comes and stays when called, the other is a recent adoptee and hasn't learned the commands propperly yet.  If you tether them and need them to come back or stay, call the lab and they'll lead one another back.  You should really also work on your commands when the husky is off leash and make it known when is a time to play and when is a time for business...it seems your dog isn't trained propperly and remedying that situation is likely the best thing you could ever do for him.

That is a great idea about hooking the dogs.  I most definitely will do that. 

My husky isn't trained properly.  I spent the 1st 6 months of his life training him (consistantly) and improvement wasn't what I had hoped so I sent him to doggy school because I'm a huge believer any dog can be trained, you just have to find it's niche.  They sent him back.  He was too distracting and the other dogs would follow his lead, and he wouldn't respond to correction.  I still kinda laugh when I think my dog was kicked out of obedience school.  He's very headstrong.  Here is a quick example of our early years.

I hate when dogs get in people's faces for food and stuff like that.  One of the first things I do is teach what is the dogs and what is not, plus it helps establish the pack position.  I get on my knees put a piece of food (non dog) in front of me on the floor.  I wait until the dog catches wind and comes over to check it out.  Dog goes for it and I'll correct with a "no, bad dog".  And we repeat, usually I'll stand after the first few times.  I'll give him a little smack on the nose after 3 strikes so he knows I mean business.  We did this for 4 months straight for 30 minutes a day.  Know what my dog learned?  Only take the food when people aren't looking and if they catch you, save time by not chewing and swallow whole before they can get you and put you in your den.  Also it helps to squish your face because you're probably going to catch one on the nose.  This stopped when he hit 3 1/2. 

I wouldn't feel comfortable attempting to train him in an uncontrolled setting where he can outrun me.  He is extremely smart and is great when the leash is on him.  Won't pull too hard, comes when I tell him to.  Once he sees the leash is in my hand and he's free, he's gone.  I have a fenced in area where I take him and he's alright there.  Won't come to me unless I have a treat for him, and then it's only 50% of the time. 

He has gotten better in the last few years, he won't jump on people anymore, he typically leaves food alone.  He actually responds to "no", which is an absolute blessing.  Some house dogs aren't meant to be let run free and I think Maverick (and alpha huskies in general) are one of them. 

If you have any tips I'd love to hear them.  I don't put the blame on the dog and I know even if I've done everything I can do, it's still possible there is someway to train him that he'll respond to.  I'd love to let him explore when we are hiking.  He isn't a bad dog at all but he isn't an angel either.  Here he is.  Even in the picture, he kinda has that effe you look to him.

[makenzie71]

He's gorgeous!

Yeah huskies have a tendency to be very head-strong...from what I've read, especially with what the AKC has been encouraging with them.  Persisitance and consistancy will win over in the end, as you're noticing.

I wouldn't begin to know where to telll you to start with training him, though.  Buddy is my first adult husky trainee.  Luckily he's not very strong willed or anything...he's actually really eager to please me.  You can hit up that chaz forum I posted links to and ask them for tips...I'm sure they'd love to help.  My only suggestion is to maybe look into a 2 hour 1-on-1 session with a trainer for some brief, distraction free education for both you and the dog.

[Onlypastrana199]

Yeah Alpha we've had several border collies and I def wouldnt recommend one that'll be living in an apartment. They can be hyper and are very very intelligent and get themselves in trouble alot.

[Kee]

Like it has been said, beagles bark a lot. In an apartment, they willl probably bark at anyone walking down the hall. Probably a good way to piss off your neighbors.