now i''m scare!!! a dog?? .....

[Dancing Fire]

my wife and daughter is thinking about getting a Golden Retriever

i heard them saying it would cost like $600?? does that sound right ? they know i'm scare of dogs.i ask them who's gonna clean up the poops? if the dog decides to go on the carpet

i told them, don't count on me to clean up the mess.

 

[JulieN]

Golden retrievers like water...you have a koi pond.

 

[MiniMouse]

DF, $600 sounds very reasonable if it''s a top notch pedigree Golden Retriever. They are a wonderful breed, very loyal, placid and devoted. I bet you will become its number one fan.

 

[blodthecat]

DF I am not sure why they are doing this, when you are scared of dogs.

Golden retrievers are a wonderful breed, but like all animals they need looking after and regular exercise. You are right to insist that it is there responsibility. Other wise you could end up ''holding the pooper scooper''

Good luck! Blod

 

[diamondlil]

To quote my husband so eloquently . . . . . "Big dogs make big poop. Just say no."

 

[Patty]

Date: 2/12/2006 8:06:45 AM
Author: diamondlil
To quote my husband so eloquently . . . . . ''Big dogs make big poop. Just say no.''

LOL dl on the big poop!

DF...IF they get a dog, you must start watching The Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic channel. I absolutely love this guy! As he says, he rehabilitates dogs and he trains people.

He teaches you how to act around dogs so that they see you as the pack leader and they behave. If you get a dog and he knows you are afraid of him, he''s more likely to take advantage of you and act onery.

 

[Gemklctr]

Date: 2/12/2006 5:11:33 AM
Author: JulieN
Golden retrievers like water...you have a koi pond.

Yes, be very careful. My son''s girfriend''s lab jumps in with my Koi every time he comes over. What a mess for him, for the pond, for the patio, and especially for the house if he gets in.

 

[AndyRosse]

My parents had a golden retriever, and he was an absolutely loving, gentle dog. But of course, they are large dogs! And he LOVED water BTW

 

[Mara]

Purebred dogs can definitely cost..Portia wasn''t cheap but some people pay double even what we paid!! Even regular ole dogs without a pedigree can cost too. Would they consider a rescue that maybe already may be trained?

If you are scared of dogs, getting a big dog may not be the way to get adjusted to them...small dogs sometimes tend to make people feel more comfortable...I adore dogs but I still do have a tiny bit of big dog fear, not because I think they are going to bite me but rather just fear of the actual MASS of the dog, nothing like 100 lbs of happy yellow lab puppy hurling itself at you to say hello!!

Also yes, watch out for your koi pond!!

 

[JCJD]

In my experience, big dogs are actually somewhat safer than little dogs. In my experience working in a boarding kennel in HS and volunteering at humane societies, the smaller the dog, the more likely it is to bite when scared. The larger dogs I handled, including huge untrained Great Danes, rottwielers, dobermans, and labs, never bit anyone at the kennel, even when they were scared. The little ones, the mini pinchers, dachsunds, and bichons were the ones who nipped and growled. Of course, the little ones don't inflict as much damage either.

Also, as a former owner of a golden, I can tell you that they are the sweetest breed ever! I picked out my Cara as a puppy when I was about 7, and picked her out of the litter because when I picked her up, she didn't squirm or struggle, she just looked up at me with her sweet brown eyes. The only time she ever showed aggression towards people was minutes after she birthed her first litter and my sister tried to pick one up. She snapped her teeth several inches from sis's hand, and that's it. Cara was a pretty small golden too, about 70 pounds at her heaviest.

If your wife and daughter are dead set on getting a dog despite your fear, they should really look for a smaller, older (2+ years) already trained golden with a sweet temperment, and YOU should be the one to say yay or nay. The last thing you want is to take the dog home and find out weeks later than you can't bear to be in the same room with it. Goldens love being outside running around and getting dirty, and they typically love water, so grooming will be a concern along with the poo.

Finally, I would really look into Golden rescues in your area or even the pound for a purebred before buying. You can find older (read: calmer, less psycho) dogs that are desperate for a loving family that are already trained. Also, make sure you bring the dog to an independent veterinarian to check its potential for hip dysplasia and other genetic conditions. HTH

 

[Kaleigh]

Methinks your wife and daughter don''t love your Koi. A golden retriever will go right after them. Yikes. They are lovely dogs a little hyper but gorgeous. $600 sounds about right. Actually some breaders charge more. Oh I feel sorry for your fish!!

Or you can say THIS: You can get your golden retriever when you buy me that diamond I''ve been wanting or she can get the dog if she wears her beautiful rings. Humph,

 

[monarch64]

DF I once saw a show on t.v. where this couple had a koi pond and a big dog, and their dog loved to visit with the fish! They showed the dog "kissing" the fish--they would pop their heads up out of the water so the dog could come over and "play" with them! It was so cute!

I agree with all of the above comments, make sure you are comfortable with the whole idea of the dog before you go ahead and get one...it would be awful if you got a dog and had to give it back!

 

[Diam100]

Whatever dog you get I think your going to have to train it to stay out of your pond. The temptation is going to be so hard for any hunting/retrieving dog to not go in "Fishing".. I know my dog threw himself into my aunt''s Koi pond & she nearly had a heart attack. He was thrashing & snapping like a gator in that pond. Took my husband & myself to drag him out (he''s a pinscher).

 

[Dancing Fire]

guys,thanks for the warning.i guess koi pond and dogs don''t mix

will a dog eat my fish? my neighbor''s little dog sometime comes over to my side of the yard and poop

can a dog drown?

 

[Kaleigh]

Golden retrivers swim instinctively. My SIL has one that swims in the ocean in Nantucket where they live. That dog even rides the waves!! If you teach it as a puppy the fish are off limits then that could be a way around it.

 

[mrssalvo]

My lab loves to swim but never even pays any attention to fish. I definitely think you can train them to stay out of your fish pond. At our old house Zoe had free reign except she was not allowed in my husbands office. she would go right to the door and lay down on the outside but NEVER went in. Retreivers are very smart and train easily and well. They are not aggresive and very loyal. That's why they along with labs and German Shepards are often used as seeing eye dogs. My biggest complaint is that they shead like crazy, so if the puppy will be inside, tell your wife to be prepared to vacuum and sweep everyday.

 

[Sparkster]

My brother is afraid of dogs but his son really really wanted one. So they chose a golden retriever. They are the most gentle placid dog around. And remember, if you buy the dog as a puppy, it will be less scary when he gets bigger, but if you bought a full sized dog from the start......

My brother says that if someone ever broke into the house, the dog would lick the burglar to death!

Just remember, a dog that size requires a lot of work and exercise. If your daughter isn't prepared to exercise the dog regularly then don't bother getting one because it's just plain cruel.

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 2/12/2006 4:18:04 PM
Author: Sparkster
My brother is afraid of dogs but his son really really wanted one. So they chose a golden retriever. They are the most gentle placid dog around. And remember, if you buy the dog as a puppy, it will be less scary when he gets bigger, but if you bought a full sized dog from the start......

My brother says that if someone ever broke into the house, the dog would lick the burglar to death!

Just remember, a dog that size requires a lot of work and exercise. If your daughter isn''t prepared to exercise the dog regularly then don''t bother getting one because it''s just plain cruel.

Good point Sparkster. They do need lots of excercise.

 

[monarch64]

We know two couples who have Labs...their favorite training trick to keep the dogs away from anything (furniture, rooms in their house where the dog isn''t allowed) is to take an empty soda can, put loose change in it and duct tape the top of it. Then when the dog gets on the furniture, they throw the can from another room so the dog can''t see where it came from, (don''t HIT the dog) and it scares the dog so it associates the couch or whatever with the scary noise. After the scary association has been established, they leave the can on the couch and the dog won''t go near it. I think you could try the same thing with the koi pond.

No, they don''t have houses littered with soda cans! After a while the dog just knows not to go around places they don''t want him to go.

 

[gracie007]

my golden retriever was 325 or 350 i think. wonderful wonderful dogs. great for kids and families.

 

[MrsFrk]

I would also encourage you to get a rescue dog, from a breed rescue organization or the Humane Society.
Goldens need to swim like birds need to fly....it would be cruel for them to be around a body of water and not be allowed to swim.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 2/12/2006 9:02:06 PM
Author: gracie007
my golden retriever was 325 or 350 i think. wonderful wonderful dogs. great for kids and families.

350 lbs

that''s not a dog

that''s a GORILLA.

 

[Mara]

actually i think she was talking about DOLLARS, as in cost, DF...not pounds as in weight.

 

[Sparkster]

If you do get a golden retriever, be mindful that they shed a lot of hair. When we brush my brother''s dog, the brush is full of hair just after one stroke.

The hair can get all over your clothes and furniture and you might find yourself having to always brush your clothes to get rid of it.

But on the plus side, they have the most beautiful personality and are very tolerant of children.

 

[MiniMouse]

Date: 2/12/2006 9:13:10 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 2/12/2006 9:02:06 PM
Author: gracie007
my golden retriever was 325 or 350 i think. wonderful wonderful dogs. great for kids and families.

350 lbs

that''s not a dog

that''s a GORILLA.

Oh DF, I''m crying with laughter.... a 350lb retriever - I''d be scared of a retriever that size!!! Mara''s right, Gracie means $s. Oh dear my tummy hurts from laughing so much.

 

[koko]

My dtr. dated a guy in high school with the exact same dilemma. His family was Chinese & they had never had an indoor pet, very minimalist decor & immaculate home. George''s father was scared of dogs also and very against getting one. He told George that it would have to stay elsewhere because they didn''t have a fenced in yard. Well, George proceeds to bring home a Boxer puppy!! Eventually the dog won over George''s parents, and I think they ended up becoming more attached than George & of course the Boxer moved in & made himself right at home. I think crate training is crucial to housebreaking. We also have a Boxer (after seeing George''s pup), and although my husband & I have opposite work schedules, we kept Bailey in her crate while we were gone. If she would be alone longer than a few hours, we set up a "play pen" that we got at Petsmart in the kitchen w/ newspaper. It''s basically a metal fence you can set up indoors. She''s so polite & clean. The perfect indoor dog. And her two Siamese cat "brothers" love her too!

 

[pricescope]

DF, i was thinking about your situation a lot and finally decided to suggest this:

Why don''t you explore an option of fostering a golden for a local shelter? This way you can see how your family will adjust to a dog without taking responsibility for a life. Or your daughter may offer puppy-sitting (boarding) to friends and family.

Some dogs will drawn, my swims like a rock, but i have a very weirdo dog.

 

[Caribou]

Congrats (I guess) on the puppy...they''re so great.....well congrats to your wife and daughter...hopefully this puppy will help your fears.

I agree with the poster that said big dogs are safer than little ones. I''ve been around pitbulls, rotts, bulldogs, labs, St Bernards, dobermans, Weimaraner ...never once been afraid. Of all the dogs to be nervous around...a pug. I find that big dogs usually want to please you, while small dogs have something to prove, so they want to be and sound as mean as possible. Never been bit by a dog before that d*mn pug.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 2/13/2006 8:54:34 AM
Author: Pricescope
DF, i was thinking about your situation a lot and finally decided to suggest this:

Why don''t you explore an option of fostering a golden for a local shelter? This way you can see how your family will adjust to a dog without taking responsibility for a life. Or your daughter may offer puppy-sitting (boarding) to friends and family.

Some dogs will drawn, my swims like a rock, but i have a very weirdo dog.

well...it is up to wife and daughter to decide. if it was up to me

no dog .

 

[websailor]

Then I''d suggest you buy a dog house...a large one.... big enough for you to sleep in!

Sooner or later the dog (if it is a golden retriever) will be in your koi pond. And if you say anything afterwards, you will be in....


....the dog house!