YY1
Well-Known Member
In 2015, we lost my wife's 15 year old chihuahua.
Honestly, he was a little dick (although his actual dick was disproportionately HUGE), and we didn't really care for each other but tolerated.
My wife now wants to get another dog.
She used to enjoy going for walks, and thinks a dog would help motivate her to start walking again.
Fine with me, but...
I must have had a back-asswards experience with pets as a child.
I had a super stoopid dog, and a super smart and cool cat.
I'm kind of a cat guy, at least partly because of that.
I know there are smart dogs, and I've known some.
What I'm not crazy about is the almost constant need for attention and the jumping and knocking things over and tearing things up.
I'd like to get a dog that's super mellow, but active enough to walk the 1.5 mile neighborhood circle.
I'd like to get one that's smart and easy to train.
Of course I need one that gets along with cats.
I don't want one that constantly stares at us waiting for us to interact.
I'd also like one that is big enough and of a temperment to be somewhat protective if my wife goes out without me (The neighborhood is fine, but you never know), but without being aggressive.
We don't want a big dog, either. I LOVE labs and retrievers, but they are out by the wife's veto power. She wants something small like another chihuahua or a pekingese, but they are out by my veto.
From what I know about collies, I think a smallish one might fit the bill.
Checks off the boxes-
Smart
Easy to train
Loyal and protective
Reasonably mellow
Might herd but wont maim or kill our cats
Likes exercise but does not demand it
From what I know, shelties are similar but slightly more high strung.
Not sure if the size trade off would be worth it to also lose the kind of iffy protectiveness factor.
We have a relatively large yard (1/2 acre) with a cat door so those guys can come and go as they please. We could either enlarge it and allow the dog to do the same, or not and the dog could be inside during the day, and in and out when we get home. We both work "normal" hours, but are gone at the same time during the day.
Any comments appreciated.
Honestly, he was a little dick (although his actual dick was disproportionately HUGE), and we didn't really care for each other but tolerated.
My wife now wants to get another dog.
She used to enjoy going for walks, and thinks a dog would help motivate her to start walking again.
Fine with me, but...
I must have had a back-asswards experience with pets as a child.
I had a super stoopid dog, and a super smart and cool cat.
I'm kind of a cat guy, at least partly because of that.
I know there are smart dogs, and I've known some.
What I'm not crazy about is the almost constant need for attention and the jumping and knocking things over and tearing things up.
I'd like to get a dog that's super mellow, but active enough to walk the 1.5 mile neighborhood circle.
I'd like to get one that's smart and easy to train.
Of course I need one that gets along with cats.
I don't want one that constantly stares at us waiting for us to interact.
I'd also like one that is big enough and of a temperment to be somewhat protective if my wife goes out without me (The neighborhood is fine, but you never know), but without being aggressive.
We don't want a big dog, either. I LOVE labs and retrievers, but they are out by the wife's veto power. She wants something small like another chihuahua or a pekingese, but they are out by my veto.
From what I know about collies, I think a smallish one might fit the bill.
Checks off the boxes-
Smart
Easy to train
Loyal and protective
Reasonably mellow
Might herd but wont maim or kill our cats
Likes exercise but does not demand it
From what I know, shelties are similar but slightly more high strung.
Not sure if the size trade off would be worth it to also lose the kind of iffy protectiveness factor.
We have a relatively large yard (1/2 acre) with a cat door so those guys can come and go as they please. We could either enlarge it and allow the dog to do the same, or not and the dog could be inside during the day, and in and out when we get home. We both work "normal" hours, but are gone at the same time during the day.
Any comments appreciated.