Dog or no dog?

[babyharley]

My parents have a 2 year old purebred chocolate lab - and they've had it since he was a puppy. He's is very very trained, for hunting purposes and he's a great pet - very laid back, loves people and is a calm animal - never barks!

He lives outside in a caged area in our backyard - in a huge insulated kennel with hay on the bottom to keep him warm, and a big area in the kennel to let him run around. My brothers and parents take him out of the kennel for at least 3 hours a day (if not more) to play with him and what not. He's a huge responsibility, but a lot of fun!

When he is taken indoors, he doesn't like it, he wants to be back outside again. He's really a great dog.

Good luck picking out a dog, labs are great and very gentle!

 

[sharky]

I have have herding dogs , guard dogs, sporting dogs and toys around my Kandie and not one gave her trouble... shell be 18 on the 30th...

For the last five yrs she has lived with a yorkie ( whom was adopted and was cat checked ) .. Not one issue cept for the dog give s way to many kisses ..

Use caution with a dog like you would another cat ...

I personally on recommend no pits unless they are puppies , this is not a hard fast rule as I know several pits that love kitties but most are too rambocous for a kitty..

 

[brick]

My girlfriend's mother currently has three cats and three dogs living with her, and they get along pretty well. The black lab is about a year and a half old, and really good with the cats. Her only fault is being a little **too** friendly, and the big pink tongue sometimes scares them off. The jack russell is about 8 years old and extremely good, too. However she grew up with cats and I have no idea how she was as a puppy! But she just hangs out as if the cats aren't there at all now. Finally, there's the toy fox terrier. She's only a couple of years old and still "puppyish." The cats don't really like her because she's fond of chasing them, whereas they are not fond of being chased. She has never hurt one, though. I think she understands that they are not prey. Again, though, no idea how she was as a young puppy.

As for leaving the dog outside, I personally wouldn't do it. Letting them outside to romp while you are around is just fine as but just leaving a dog unattended can be problematic. Except for a ratter that wants to hunt vermin, it's possible that he may wonder why he is being punished. (Depends on the dog, of course.) Owning a dog is like having a small child when it comes to the amount of attention and energy that you should be prepared to put into it. When my parents got their puppy last year, my mother claimed that it was just like having a human two year old, and she knows what she is talking about!