what kind of dog should i get?

i live in a one bedroom apartment with my mother i can walk my dog for 20 minutes in the evening and about 10 on weekends, im in eigth grade. Should i even get a dog?

- monali hannahs friend

on another note, who has puppys for sale?

Well there are lots of rescue organizations that you may want to consider!  Your best bet though might be to just go to your local shelter and “save” a dog from there.  Since you’re in a relatively small place, you might want to consider adopting a dog that’s not a puppy, maybe you could find one that’s nice and mature and calm and won’t destroy your apartment during puppyhood.  I’m sure some others could do a better job of suggesting a breed… personally, I’m a big fan of the common all American Mutt.  You can find one with a personality that you love, and you don’t have to spend a fortune!

As for your question, should I even get a dog?  If you believe that you’re mature enough to make sure he’ll always have food and water and get enough exercise, and you can afford healthcare when he needs it, I would say absolutely yes.  I believe pets should be part of every childhood because there’s so much you can learn from having a pet, but only in a situation where they’ll get appropriate care.  A dog will be your best friend!  But you have to remember it’s a huge responsibility- sometimes I feel like I have a kid, not a dog.  It’s a big commitment and something to really consider before making a decision, and I commend you for asking questions before just jumping in and bringing home the first cute face you see.  In addition to the 20 minute daily walk, your dog will likely need to go out first thing in the AM to go potty, and depending on the dog, may need another trip or 2 outside each day for a potty break.  I live in a 2-bedroom apartment so I don’t have a fenced yard, so I have to put my dog on his leash and go with him everytime, wait till sniffs around and finds JUST the right place, then he’ll go… it gets really annoying, especially when it’s early AM and I’m late for work.  Not to mention having to pick it up afterwards.  But you can get past these things- it’s all worth it to me… but things you should consider before you make a decision.  Good luck… let us know what you decide, and ask all the questions you want… this site is a great place to find the information you need!

Good job Olie’s Mom!

Thanks Olie for sharing your thoughts on this subject. I totally agree with you. However, I do have another point to make which can be best described by an experience a neighbor of mine had with her daughter and her daughter’s dog. The dog was adopted from a shelter, a very sweet dog. At the time their daughter wanted this dog as her very own and promised to care for it, etc. Well, after a couple years, the daughter became a full fledged high schooler and became too busy with “boys” to be able to give her dog any time at all. Her mom told her that if she didn’t care for the dog, it would have to go back to the shelter. Well, after a couple of months, that is exactly what her mom did, brought the dog in for adoption. How sad! So.. another question for you to ask yourself is can this happen to me? Afterall, the teen social thing is a very strong tug and only you know how much you are commited to caring for this dog for the rest of his/her life.

Also, there are small dogs available at shelters, but don’t get a puppy as mentioned above. Good luck to you.

Monali ~ since you asked, I might not say what you want to hear, but know it is from the heart. .....why not try being a dog walker/petsitter for friends’ and neighbors’ dogs or even volunteering at your local shelter?

Your whole life is going to be a wild rollercoaster ride over the next few years, with friends and a social life. There would be nothing more heartbreaking (for you or the dog) to feel neglected/be returned to the shelter.

If there’s one really good bit of info here (siding with Ln), it’s that: A REAL friend will tell you the truth, NOT necessarily always what you want to hear.