Getting A 3rd BIG Dog
 

My hubby, Jim, has always wanted a big dog. So we've been researching breeds that will fit into our lifestyle. Since we just got our new little girl, Tee Tee Mouse, we're not looking to get another dog for at least 1 year because we want to give Tia and Codie enough time to bond. We also want to have Tia spayed and up to date on all shots before we bring home a new family member. :p But since I am a planner, I'd like to pick out a breed so that I have a game plan in mind when the times comes.

Here are 2 breeds that I absolutely LOVE:

Schipperke
http://www.akc.org/breeds/schipperke/index.cfm

Shiba Inu
http://www.akc.org/breeds/shiba_inu/index.cfm

The only problem is that Jim and I both have pretty bad allergies. We need a dog that does not have a thick double coat. So more than likely these 2 beautiful dogs are not an option for us. :( :( I'm so bummed because these 2 breeds are so beautiful and sweet. But I can't get a dog only because it's beautiful -- I have to get a dog that fits into my lifestlye and that includes health.

The other breeds that we're looking into are:

Boxer
http://www.akc.org/breeds/boxer/index.cfm

Brittany
http://www.akc.org/breeds/brittany/index.cfm

Bulldog
http://www.akc.org/breeds/bulldog/index.cfm

Labrador Retriever
http://www.akc.org/breeds/labrador_retriever/index.cfm

Rottweiler
http://www.akc.org/breeds/rottweiler/index.cfm

My hubby and I are considering adopting a dog from a rescue group or a shelter. My hubby keeps saying that he wants to save a homeless dog. So we're going to look into breed specific rescues as well as mixed breed dogs in shelters. The only problem I have with adopting a shelter dog is that I worry if the dog was abused and will one day take that out on my 2 precious babies and try to hurt them. Some may think my concerns are silly but I MUST put my 2 pooches best interest first. I will never put their health and happiness at risk for my own selfish reasons.

Can you guys give me some advice about each specific breed and how they would get along with a male Maltese and a female Yorkie? I know each dog is different but I'd like some general info about these breeds. I've read some info on-line but it's always better (in my opinion) to hear about the breeds from actual people who have owned them. Are these breeds gentle with smaller dogs? Are they friendly and mild or are they aggressive and known to attack others (dogs as well as people)? Any other info or advice you may have is greatly appreciated.

Also, anyone who has adopted a dog (large or small) from a shelter or rescue group, please tell me about your experience. Was the dog overly aggressive? Did it ever attack you? If you had other dogs in your house, did the shelter dog ever attack your other dog(s)? Please remember to mention to breed or mix of breeds that the dog was.

I'm also open to suggestions of other dog breeds to adopt -- just keep in mind that Jim and I both have allergies, so we need a dog who does not shed a lot. Thanks in advance everyone! :p :p

ummm...I did rescue a puppy about 3 years ago...who now lives with my ex but she was a very bad dog...lol...God bless her, she was very dominate and doesnt like other dogs at all.....so I think rescuing might not be the best solution for your case...but dont get me wrong I think rescueing is a very very good thing....

I persoanly would go with a lab!!!! such sweet dogs!

Thanks for the input. :p :p What breed was the dog?

she was a mut!!! lol...sooo cute but she was a mix b/w a st. bernard and collie...at least that is what we thought! the only reaon I say dont rescue in your case is b/c you just really arent sure what they will be like and Tia is so tiny and precious..... :)

My sister has a boxer, she is a great dog. But I have to watch her very closely around Rocky, she is hyper and jumps around a lot. My sister says most boxer are hyper and jump around. If you cannot have a dog with double coat I would not get a Lab, but they are great dogs. Have you thought about a Chinese Shar-Pei? We have had two in our family and they great. They are a good mid size dog, and the one my mom has now gets along great with Rocky. She is gentle with him and watches for him when she playing around. She also gets down to his level when she is playing with him. It is soo cute, I'll have to post some pics. I think she thinks Rocky is her puppy.

oooohhhhhh ya, I have heard good things about this breed!!!! Good call!

Thanks for the info. It's very helpful. :D :p Do Labs shed a lot? I bought my mother-in-law a female Chocolate Lab last year and she said her Lab -- Kailua -- doesn't shed a lot. But she said Kailua is very playful and energetic. I'm just worried that a big dog will play too rough with my babies and accidentally hurt them.

We think the Shar-pei is great. They are very attached to there families (human and furbabies), and they are very good protecters. Plus they are so darn cute when they are pups.

I had a lab when I was in high school, and he shedded alot. Plus his tail would clear off the coffee table in a heart beat. Plus the males can get pretty big. They are still really good dogs with kids and other animals. Mine loved to chase the cat, but the cat showed him who was boss.

Boxer
 

I have a boxer right now, about 8 months old. She is the best! She is pretty mellow, hyper at first around strangers. After her hyperness wears off, she is a big cuddle bug. She sleeps in between my husband and me in bed every night. Boxers in general are supposed to be very good with kids, but protective. GOOD LUCK!

In my experience (several people I know have labs and I grew up around one and with a lab mix)... they shed A LOT. It's a lot of upkeep in your home and brushing.

I think whether or not a lab would mix well depends on the dog itself. They can be very hyper, but sometimes you come across one that is laid back. Penny has play days occasionally with our friends' two yellow labs. One is about 3, and she doesn't mind Penny. She will play with her and be as calm as possible. The other, however, is under a year and is very pushy. She's still a puppy herself, so her advances threaten Penny.

Good luck with your search. I don't know anything about the other breeds (the first two I didn't even know by name), but I :heart to boxers. I think they are beautiful!!

Of your list, I love Labs the most. They will amaze you with their intelligence and loyalty. I think rescuing is the best thing you can do. I had a black Lab mixed with a tiny tiny bit of something else (she had a little bit of a bushy tail that is uncharacteristic to a Lab, so I think she was a little bit Shephard). We rescued her at 6 mos. It was a great thing. It's so rewarding. You get to look at a dog everyday who may have died if it wasn't for you saving them.

I don't think that rescues are more prone to "attacking"; of course it all depends on their histories. My Lab was afraid of hair brushes her whole life and we think she may have been hit with one as a puppy.

I like all the breeds you mentioned except Shiba Inu. Of course it depends on the dog, but the two I know are very people- aggressive. Shar Pei's are great dogs as someone already mentioned. My brother's Shar-Pei is VERY good with Stewie and their infant. They're docile and trustworthy.

I'd say boxer or bulldog. :D

I've never had a Maltese, but my very good friend had one and she said it was the best dog ever. He passed away 10 years ago and she's still mourning. She got a Yorkie later, but never really like her and finally gave June Bug (isn't that a cute name?) to her sister. I've forgotten the Maltese's name, but he really was a sweet dog and I thought about getting one but I didn't want a white dog. If they came in black or brown or blonde, I'd have gotten one.

I don't think I'd get a Lab from a shelter. Lots of Labs are unstable and wild and that's why they end up in shelters. Mom and Dad have one with their Yorkie and their Lab is WONDERFUL but it's hard to know if you're going to get a great one or a lousy one. Apparently they're absolutely terrific or absolutely unbearable without much in between. If you could get one and be able to meet the parents and see that the parents are calm and steady, that would be different.