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How Do You Decide Which Breed To Get


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I have narrowed my choices down to 3 options. I do not know how to narrow it down any further.

I have always liked Frenchies and was going to get one a few months ago and have been talking to the breeder about getting a pup.

My dad before he passed away was going to get a boxer with me, so I would like to do that sort of in his memory, but I love them as a breed too

and my rottie Abby is my whole world and I love for, and would love a male rottie as well....

So here is my problem. How do I limit it down further?

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Guest hankodie

I think lifestyle and time are 2 things to consider as well as living conditions. I got my frenchie when I was living in an inner city apartment in Sydney as I read that they make great apartment dogs. Well they do, but my frenchie was incredibly high energy so a lot of my time was devoted into wearing her out so she wouldn't tear up our apartment! Luckily I was able to devote the time into training and exercising her.

For our second dog, I really wanted something less high maintenance and easy to train so we chose a golden retriever (after we moved into our present house with a big yard).

They are 2 extremely different breeds and I did spend a lot of time researching them but I think Hank the golden would've been an easier "first time" dog than Odie due to a number of reasons but I love them both the same.

Also, just a note about the frenchie - they have different exercise requirements and they need extra attention in the warmer months (though from reading your OP I'm sure you know this already :)) this often means I have to leave my frenchie at home to take my golden to the beach in the mornings. I usually try to walk her before the sun comes up after sundown in summer just be safe (though she doesn't have any breathing problems to speak of).

As for getting along with larger breeds, I think the frenchie is a fantastic small dog addition to a big dog house :laugh: they are little but robust enough to wrestle and roll with the big guys.

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I kicked around a few different breeds before I got Willow. I wasn't going to go with another Rottweiler for a number of different reasons. Some of those reasons being the cost vs longevity, renting with a large breed dog, and how I would feel if the worst case scenario in terms of HD/ED were to occur.

But after coming into contact with a few different Rotts over the last 12 months, I was reminded of why I loved them so much as a breed and, well....we have Willow now. :D (love love love her to bits, and if the worst did happen I might not be able to get another dog any time soon...so I'm soaking up all the Rottie Loves now).

So if you can, spend some time with those breeds on your short list and see which one resonates with you the most.

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The breeds you've listed are all lovely, so I can see why you're having a hard time narrowing it down. Something you wrote struck me though:

Luckily Abby is great with small dogs too. She isn't a rough and tumble play type of dog.

Gah, its all too hard!

I love Boxers, but typically their play style is rough and tumble. I know that they can be taught to tone it down, and some adjust their play style to suit other dogs (particularly as they mature). But inherently, they tend to play roughly. I wonder if Abby would find a Boxer a bit too much? Just a thought. :)

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I say never go with your heart always with your head .

How to narrow it down.

What are your expectations from the second dog.

What activities will you be able to do together or want the dogs to do together .

I would say your heart isn't in the Boxer by what you wrote .

So it would seem the next too are what your looking at .

Has your Rotti meet Frenchies ??

I ask this because my guys see them at shows & in boarding but actually dislike them (not fight) They actually don't deal with there snorting noises well & there sometimes attitude boldness.

I think there great dogs but mine wouldn't enjoy there company

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You possibly may be right about the rough play, and I have to do the right thing by Abby first and foremost. OK, so maybe I'll get a boxer one day but not right now....

Which leaves the question, rottie or frenchie....

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I want to get another dog as my partner will be leaving and taking his dog soon, and she had become accustomed to having him around, so I think having another dog for company for her while I am at work might be good for her. She loves the cats but it's not really the same

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Why not plan to get them all, just one at a time? Which one would you buy first?

This is what I'm doing. I narrowed my list down to Whippets and Dachshunds, I even narrowed it down to a breeder from each. Then it was just about waiting for the right dog, I didn't mind which breed since the plan was to raise the first to a point and then get the other one. My dachie showed up first :thumbsup:

I think I was helped a long a lot by meeting as many of my potential breeds in person, it gave me a great feel to the energy and general presence of each breed.

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If it's to keep your current dog company during the day, a smaller pup like a frenchie won't be able to be left alone with a bigger dog for quite a while, until it's grown up some. So that might not meet your requirements right now?

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