What breeds?

Hi

I am looking for a pet dog but not too sure what breeds are suitable for me, prefebly small to medium size, low maintenance and not barkish.

Also, I have heard of genetic problems in pedigree dogs. Can anyone tell me how to ensure my prospective pet dog is free from the genetic problems? Any reputable breeders in Singapore?

Thanks in advance.

Even top show quality dogs are not 100% free from genetic diseases. It is just that dogs bred by reputable breeders will have a lower possibility of getting genetic diseases early on in life. This is because they will have their breeding dogs tested for these genetic problems before they are bred. Normally, from what i've read, genetic diseases "hit" dogs after the age of 1 year. I'm not sure about this, you'll have to wait for other people to reply.

Different breeds are prone to different genetic peoblems so i don't think i can say more till you have determined a breed of dog that you like. Are you looking for HDB approved dogs? If so, you can refer to the list of dog breeds on their website.

Will this be the first time you keep a dog? And do you, or any family member have any allergies towards fur? Certain breeds are okay for allergy prone people so you might want to only consider these breeds if there are people in your household that have these problems.

Hope this helps.

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Thanks for your reply, chinsandhollandlops.

I am living in a private apartment and I am quite interested in Shelties, German Spitz, Border Collies, Beagles..Do you have any information on these breeds or any good suggestions? I will like me pet dog to be able to walk long distance so maybe small dogs like chihuahua are not suitable for me.

Yes, this will be my first dog. My family has not allergy to fur, but I would prefer short-haired doggies or dogs which don't shed much.

Beagles tend to howl when they are about 7 to 9 months..They can also be very stubborn. As for shelties, my personal experience is that they tend to be attention seeking. For more information about dog breeds, you can refer to this site, I've always found it to be very interesting.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/a-z.htm

About where to get a show dog, or a dog from a registered breeder, just email SKC and they will pass you the contact info of breeders that have recently had puppies. Alternatively, if you don't mind waiting, you can wait for the next dog show and go talk to the many breeders personally. If cost is not a factor for you, you can import a dog. Of course, this will be very troublesome and costly.

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Chris is spot on abt the genetic diseases.Purebred dogs hv the tendency to develop some sort of genetic problems. This is not to say all do or *most* do but they have a higher chance of developing them compared to mix breeds.
Out of the breeds u suggested I think the beagle would be best.Small & short coated..I'm not sure abt their noise but if u can tire them out,I don't think they'll be too noisy.IMHO,beagles tend to be "stubborn" because they are more independant.I would not say they are more difficult to train but they require a slightly different approach to training.
Border collies have very high energy levels (I'm not sure abt your lifestyle). Where as shelties & german spitz's have a mane I don't think a pitubull would be your cup of tea would it? They are small-medium sized,short coated & quiet with a reasonable-high (depending on the individual dog) energy level

Pitbulls are actually very nice dogs and are not as fierce as they seem. However, the overall disposition of the dog will depend on the owner. If proper training techniques are used, you won't have any problems with your dog regardless of breed.

I'm not sure if pitbulls are banned in Singapore, even if they are not, they would most probably be categorised as Cat B. Hence, a muzzle would have to be used whenever you walk him or her. To check if it is indeed banned in Singapore, you can check the AVA website.

From your list, my preferred choice would be the border collie. Once properly trained, they will be extremely loyal dogs. However, as mentioned, they have a high enerygy level. They also appreciate firm owners. I think they shed quite a lot though, so if you like border collies but would like a smaller version, i would say that shelties are more suitable.

HTH

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There was a 'Responsible Pet Ownership' exhibition at Ngee Ann Civic Plaza organised by AVA and the various Animal Welfare Organisation Sat 26th and Sun 2th Nov. You could have all your questions answered there. There were also the 'Singapore Specials' up for adoption. These dog would be really hardy and little to worry about genetic defects and worth consideration.

Actually my understanding of a Pedigree dog would be that it is your insurance, if you like, against unknown genetic defects in the dog. There are the known inherent genetic defects which is hard if not impossible to get rid. The purpose of pedigree certification is to ensure that a pup comes from good blood also of pedigree stocks. The responsible breeder will not use a dog that is known to have a genetic defect for breeding. If strict adherence to this is followed you should end up having better, healthier pups. Of course there are always the irresponsible breeder so you could still have a pedigree dog that is 'less than perfect'.

Behaviour wise I am a strong believer that Nurture is equally if not more important than nature. I like to put it this way ... "there are no stubborn, stupid, lazy, demanding dog, only untrained ones and ignorant owners.

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Thanks for all the advice and information.

I have got a labrador puppy coz my wife prefers bigger dogs. Now I am trying to train her to do her business outside. Today, I managed to get her to pee two times outside. Till now, she has not pooed yet. I think she must have got good bladder control.