Looking to adopt a dog...suggestions?

i think that as long as you were able to take it on daily walks and exercises it would be fine. huskies and malamutes can get really big and are very powerful and strong dogs. i might be a little scared to have one in my condo. i would try some sort of spaniel, they are a little smaller but are energetic and very loving. heres a site that will pick your perfect dog. you just fill out the survey and voila. check it out. good luck on finding a great new companion!!!!

http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselec...

It depends on your lifestyle.

For example, do you live in a house with a lot of yard space? Or very little yard or an apartment? If you have a lot of yard then getting a big dog would be ok but if you don't have much yard or none then you should get a smaller dog that would require less space.

Also How often do you go for walks and excersize? If not a lot then you should get a less active dog.

Also do you want one that is good with kids and strangers? or do you want a one person dog? If you have a lot of family or kids or if you have a lot of young neighbours then I wouldn't recomend a one person dog.

There are quite a few sites out there that has information about different breeds. Also the local humane society or animal shelter should have lots of dogs that fit all these discriptions.

Most importantly however PLEASE be sure to get your dog spayed or nutered! There are to many unloved animals out there that need homes as it is and it would be wrong to add to that number.

I would suggest a smaller-medium sizeddog, much like the other answers, it's difficult to keep a large dog inside or in a small area. Maybe you could look into adopting from the local humane society, they have many medium sized mixed breeds that need loving homes. Try Petfinder.com.

Good luck--dogs are a lot of work too, I hope you know what you are getting youself into!

You guys have already gotten some GREAT information from a lot of people already. It isn't so much the size of your place but how much you intend on being there for the dog. Dog crates are wonderful for those days you work and no one will be home. The crate can become the dog's safe haven so to speak. Are you upstairs or downstairs? Keep that in mind when you're looking for a dog also. Might make a huge difference in potty training.

I live in a two-bedroom townhouse that is just under 1100 sq ft. I would LOVE more space but its all I've got to work with right now. I own a 55lb APBT and she does fine. It's all in the amount of exercise you can commit to the dog.

Also, and maybe this is out of line but might as well try; we rescued a young pup from the local landfill (my boyfriend's coworker found her there) and we've nursed her back to health. She's up for adoption because of the lack of space in my home and that I have no private yard. One dog in this townhouse I can handle, but I'm not sure about two.

http://www.dogster.com/dogs/449355/sniff

Anywho, good luck and listen to everyone's advice because it's all good stuff. Great question.

Large dogs need LOTS of yard space and exercise time or they will get bored and become destructive. House square footage should be much of a factor as long as he is getting the proper exercise (walked everyday and outside time).

You may also want to research the temperament/personality of the breeds you are interested in to see which will make the best fit.

Check around for a suitable dog at your local animal shelters and Humane Societies. It would be great to rescue a dog in need if you find one that is compatable.

I currently live in a small, one-bedroom apartment with THREE Shepherds. 2 White Shepherds, and 1 German Shepherd. We all get along fine. They are well trained, loyal, and laid back dogs. Some German Shepherds from working bloodlines can be very high energy though and probably wouldn't be good apartment dogs. White Shepherds tend to be good in any situation.

I would think a Husky may be too high energy to live in a condo unless you can get it out for daily exercise. Probably at least one hour, twice daily. Huskies love to work and play, they are very energetic. But who knows, you may happen to find one that is suitable.

My personal breed of choice is White Shepherds. I own, breed, train, and show them. My website is www.kerstoneshepherds.net if you are interested and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have privately - about any breed of dog or where to get a good puppy or adult.

Good luck!

I have a whippet pitbull x in a 600 square foot apartment. People in my building also have a lab collie cross, several small dogs and someone recently got two 4 month old german shepard pups.

The size of your house is NOT an issue for any size of dog as long as you are willing to put in the extra work. My whippet needs to exercise daily for long periods of time, and NEEDS to run around. To achieve this, we bought 100 ft of nylon rope and a clip to put on her leash and take her to the park to run. Also, because you are in an apartment you need to be careful of the activities you do inside. Getting your dog to run into the walls, jump on the door, or bounce around on the floor will NOT be funny to your neighbours.

Also, know that you have now committed yourself to taking the dog outside every 5 hours or so on a lead, making sure she/he doesn't try to jump all over the neighbours.

Basically, if you get a lab or a husky, it isn't much of an issue as long as you know that you will be outside a LOT more than most dog owners. Personally, I think you get a better connection with the dog that way because you are never letting them go anywhere unsupervised, are able to see every aspect of them (if they are having odd bowel movements... you will know!) and they accept you as the dominent leader a bit better since you are in complete control of their lives.

The space inside I am not to concerned about. But you need plenty of room for large dogs to run outside. If you don't have that you may want to consider a smaller dog. We have a Shih Tzu/ Lhasa Apsa (sp?) mix. Einstein is cute and still fairly active, but can still run inside the house and can be very happy.

your local humane society or SPCA will know be the best bet to help you with your problem, they know all about the dogs that they have and also you need to go online and check out their websites and see what dogs they have available and what their personalities are and that will help you decide too. Good luck and smart thinking on ADOPTING a dog that is badly in need of a loving home.

No, you should not get a large dog when you live in a small home. Just running around he could knock over furniture, etc. Also, a large dog needs to be let out for exercise several times a day. Get a small dog that can be paper trained.