My two cents worth, or perhaps a dollar. Many people here have recommended larger dogs, and larger dogs are awesome! The toy breeds, however, have been shot down in this thread so far. I find this to be unfair, and I will speak on their behalf, based on my wonderful experiences with toys.
I have always enjoyed the Spitz breeds I have kept. I have had a Toy American Eskimo that lived for 17 years, and CiCi, the Pomeranian I currently have. The Eskimo was 9 pounds and CiCi weighs 7, which is small, but still large enough that they're pretty hardy. In the Summer and Fall, CiCi would walk with me everyday for 2-4 miles, so she's no poopoo.
If the dog is trained properly, a toy will not be the vicious, yappy monster so often seen. Both CiCi and Pepito (The eskimo) were excellent with children. I was seven when Pepito came to live with us, and we grew up together. CiCi is especially patient and will not bite a child. Training a toy requires a very firm hand and a strong will. If given this firm hand, they become very easy to train and make wonderful pets. They are extremely smart and they learn very fast, especially the small Spitz breeds. Eskimos were used as circus dogs and perform complicated tricks and Poms are often used in agility.
I can't speak for the larger Spitz, but the small breeds I mentioned above are great pets, loyal, smart, out-going, and great with a family.
Another advantage of a smaller dog is a longer lifespan. Smaller breeds can often live past 15 years, and sometimes into their 20s. I remember a toy poodle who lived to be 23. Pepito died because of an accident, but I feel he would have reached 20 easily, since he only had minor catarax and arthritis. They also don't need as much space and consume less food than a larger breed. So they could be less expensive per month than a larger dog. Smaller dogs are also easier to travel with and can often, for a little extra, travel in the cabin of a plane, and are often able to stay in hotels. They are less prone, if from a respected breeder, to debilitating arthritis and the hip problems that plague their larger counterparts. Small dogs have incredible hearing and make excellent watch dogs. Pepito was able to distinguish the motors of about 15 different cars, and would only bark when a strange car approached.
I agree with everyone regarding where to get a pure-bred puppy. I did research on breeders for about 2 months before I settled on CiCi's breeder. I got to see both parents, and the breeder's home. I can't stress enough going that route if you buy from a breeder. I knew exactly what I was getting. Don't be afraid to look for a good deal too. Nicole Ritchie paying $8,000 for her Pomeranian is really silly. CiCi looks a lot like hers, and I paid 5% of what she paid. You can find an excellent example of a pet-quality purebred dog without breaking your bank account.
There are several tests on the internet that after a series of questions, matched your needs to a particular breed. I found these useful tests on Google. Poms, eskimos, schnauzers, and poodles were top on my test results.
However, whether you choose to rescue a dog or puppy or purchase from a breeder (both have their merits), I highly recommend when you finally get the dog, to sit down with it and take the Volhard Puppy Aptitude test. This test is available free online, it doesn't take much time, and it is a great way to determine how your dog ticks. It is so much easier to train your dog, when you know what motivates it.
I hope this helps and I'm not knocking anybody else's recommendations, which are all great. I'm very glad that you're thinking about getting a dog, they are great pets. Please let us know what you decide and post pics of the new arrival when you get him/her.
My two cents is over. All rejoice!
I have always enjoyed the Spitz breeds I have kept. I have had a Toy American Eskimo that lived for 17 years, and CiCi, the Pomeranian I currently have. The Eskimo was 9 pounds and CiCi weighs 7, which is small, but still large enough that they're pretty hardy. In the Summer and Fall, CiCi would walk with me everyday for 2-4 miles, so she's no poopoo.
If the dog is trained properly, a toy will not be the vicious, yappy monster so often seen. Both CiCi and Pepito (The eskimo) were excellent with children. I was seven when Pepito came to live with us, and we grew up together. CiCi is especially patient and will not bite a child. Training a toy requires a very firm hand and a strong will. If given this firm hand, they become very easy to train and make wonderful pets. They are extremely smart and they learn very fast, especially the small Spitz breeds. Eskimos were used as circus dogs and perform complicated tricks and Poms are often used in agility.
I can't speak for the larger Spitz, but the small breeds I mentioned above are great pets, loyal, smart, out-going, and great with a family.
Another advantage of a smaller dog is a longer lifespan. Smaller breeds can often live past 15 years, and sometimes into their 20s. I remember a toy poodle who lived to be 23. Pepito died because of an accident, but I feel he would have reached 20 easily, since he only had minor catarax and arthritis. They also don't need as much space and consume less food than a larger breed. So they could be less expensive per month than a larger dog. Smaller dogs are also easier to travel with and can often, for a little extra, travel in the cabin of a plane, and are often able to stay in hotels. They are less prone, if from a respected breeder, to debilitating arthritis and the hip problems that plague their larger counterparts. Small dogs have incredible hearing and make excellent watch dogs. Pepito was able to distinguish the motors of about 15 different cars, and would only bark when a strange car approached.
I agree with everyone regarding where to get a pure-bred puppy. I did research on breeders for about 2 months before I settled on CiCi's breeder. I got to see both parents, and the breeder's home. I can't stress enough going that route if you buy from a breeder. I knew exactly what I was getting. Don't be afraid to look for a good deal too. Nicole Ritchie paying $8,000 for her Pomeranian is really silly. CiCi looks a lot like hers, and I paid 5% of what she paid. You can find an excellent example of a pet-quality purebred dog without breaking your bank account.
There are several tests on the internet that after a series of questions, matched your needs to a particular breed. I found these useful tests on Google. Poms, eskimos, schnauzers, and poodles were top on my test results.
However, whether you choose to rescue a dog or puppy or purchase from a breeder (both have their merits), I highly recommend when you finally get the dog, to sit down with it and take the Volhard Puppy Aptitude test. This test is available free online, it doesn't take much time, and it is a great way to determine how your dog ticks. It is so much easier to train your dog, when you know what motivates it.
I hope this helps and I'm not knocking anybody else's recommendations, which are all great. I'm very glad that you're thinking about getting a dog, they are great pets. Please let us know what you decide and post pics of the new arrival when you get him/her.
My two cents is over. All rejoice!
