All that is going to depend on you and your family. You got to remember that dogs are a great responsibility. It can sort of prepare you for taking care of kids. Because like little kids, dogs need a lot of attention, esp. if hes the only dog in the household. If you start to neglect him and give him some attention, he'll become bored and resort to bad things like digging up holes or chewing stuff up. Also, he may also have a desire to "run-away" if he gets a chance. They also need daily excersize. No dog wants to be couped up in a cage or backyard all day long. Since this would be your first time getting a dog, I suggest getting it trained or training him yourself. You'll be much more pleased with a trained pouch than a wild untamed dog. And the most important rule, let the dog know whos boss! I know several people where they spoil their dog which leads to dogs getting their own way. I know from personal experience because my mom spoiled my Pitbull.
Thanks. I agree with everything you said. In fact, if anyone has suggestions for trainers, they would be appreciated too. I'm of the school of thought that dogs prefer to be trained than wild.
Love 'em. My family has always had 3-4 dogs at a time and we're on our second Schnauzer, this one a mini. She is freaking adorable. They don't shed, but it's best that you buy a set of clippers and learn how to cut their coats yourself. Well worth it. And yes, they're yappers. They love to bark and they seem to think they're bigger than they are. Our dogs aren't crate trained, but they're house trained and love to spend all day on the couches while nobody is home. They're very loyal, not really high maintenance and I've yet to have one that was destructive. Both of our Schnauzers have had allergy problems, but nothing serious. They just love to breath funny I guess. Awesome dogs in my opinion.
since you aren't set on any breed, go get a mutt from a pound or adopt something from an adoption group. the dog will worship you forever for doing it. Something to keep in mind, not getting a puppy avoids the puppy potty training etc. I know everyone overlooks this but its something that should be considered strongly, get a 1 year old mutt from the pound
About 18 months ago, my now-wife and I adopted a mutt from a local shelter that appears to be some sort of Pug/Daschund mix. She's the best dog I've ever seen. Hardly ever barks, doesn't tear anything up in the house, gets along really well with the cats and was pretty easy to train. Earlier this year, we got a second dog. An American Eskimo puppy we adopted from the Dallas County Shelter. She's definitely more hyper than the first dog was at the same age, and the Eskimo puppy is more destructive. She gets along with the cats just fine, though not quite as well as the other dog. She's also been harder to train for some reason. But she's still been a good dog (and she's getting better, it's just been more difficult).
