Hey everyone...
I just found this forum today. There is a ton of great info here that I wouldn't have gotten if I hadn't stumbled across it. Honestly, I think I got here from FamilyDobes - they had a rebuttal to a bad review thread so I decided to check it out. I'm glad I did. My wife and I are looking at getting a Dobe. She grew up with one - I've had other dogs growing up but I would love to get a Dobe. We want to make sure we get a great dog and that we know what we are getting into.
I'm a bit of a noobie when it comes to all of this stuff. After reading the forums all night tonight I know now that the puppy mills (like FamilyDobes and HOH) have their health problems and I want to stay away from a BYB. I'd like to get everyone's feedback based on what we're looking for.
I would like to have a basically trained dog (sit, stay, don't jump on me, basic tricks etc.) but right now I'm not interested in shows or competitions (that doesn't mean I'm opposed to it, just right now I have too many hobbies and not enough time
). We would mainly be looking for a companion type dog.
I'm not looking to breed dogs (I don't want to be a BYB). We'd probably want to neuter our dog but we're not sure yet. What do you think?
We'd like a black male.
We'd like to have a reputable breeder local to AZ that knows the tricks of the trade due to the excessive heat here. I believe it's cruel to keep a dog outside for a long time in 100+ degree heat.
We don't have a huge backyard, we have a pool that takes up most of it, but we do have a park down the street where we can take the dog to go play. I'd also like my wife to take the dog with her when she goes running. Will that be ok for exercise assuming regular runs with my wife and trips to the park down the street?
My wife is worried about our dog smelling bad and making the house stink. What can we do to avoid that? (beyond the obvious regular bathings)
Neither my wife or I have ever trained a dog - I'm open to learning but my wife may not be so willing. Where is a good resource for training techniques and methodologies?
Last (but not least) what should we expect to pay for a good dog? I've seen pricing for FamilyDobes at around $2500 HOH is $3000. Everyone seems to think that's outrageous pricing. What should we plan on?
I know I asked a ton of questions, and I appreciate everyone's feedback in advance. I want to make sure we are educated owners and that we are ready willing and able to provide a loving home for our new dobe.
I just found this forum today. There is a ton of great info here that I wouldn't have gotten if I hadn't stumbled across it. Honestly, I think I got here from FamilyDobes - they had a rebuttal to a bad review thread so I decided to check it out. I'm glad I did. My wife and I are looking at getting a Dobe. She grew up with one - I've had other dogs growing up but I would love to get a Dobe. We want to make sure we get a great dog and that we know what we are getting into.
I'm a bit of a noobie when it comes to all of this stuff. After reading the forums all night tonight I know now that the puppy mills (like FamilyDobes and HOH) have their health problems and I want to stay away from a BYB. I'd like to get everyone's feedback based on what we're looking for.
I would like to have a basically trained dog (sit, stay, don't jump on me, basic tricks etc.) but right now I'm not interested in shows or competitions (that doesn't mean I'm opposed to it, just right now I have too many hobbies and not enough time
I'm not looking to breed dogs (I don't want to be a BYB). We'd probably want to neuter our dog but we're not sure yet. What do you think?
We'd like a black male.
We'd like to have a reputable breeder local to AZ that knows the tricks of the trade due to the excessive heat here. I believe it's cruel to keep a dog outside for a long time in 100+ degree heat.
We don't have a huge backyard, we have a pool that takes up most of it, but we do have a park down the street where we can take the dog to go play. I'd also like my wife to take the dog with her when she goes running. Will that be ok for exercise assuming regular runs with my wife and trips to the park down the street?
My wife is worried about our dog smelling bad and making the house stink. What can we do to avoid that? (beyond the obvious regular bathings)
Neither my wife or I have ever trained a dog - I'm open to learning but my wife may not be so willing. Where is a good resource for training techniques and methodologies?
Last (but not least) what should we expect to pay for a good dog? I've seen pricing for FamilyDobes at around $2500 HOH is $3000. Everyone seems to think that's outrageous pricing. What should we plan on?
I know I asked a ton of questions, and I appreciate everyone's feedback in advance. I want to make sure we are educated owners and that we are ready willing and able to provide a loving home for our new dobe.