Introduction

1) Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?

• No, I personally have a duel purpose bred Labrador retriever.

My family also had a cocker spaniel. I’ve pet sat a husky, pom, malamute, westie, and shih-tzu before. I’ve worked at a puppy store (all breeds). And, I use to help an ex with their german pinchers at dog shows (they also had an acd).

2) Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a reputable breeder?

• Reputable Breeder

3) Describe your ideal dog.

• • Confident, adventurous, playful, a little sassy, drivey, trainable, friendly but handler focused, versatile, stable, pack compatible • Sensory friendly (no greasy coats, no constant whining or yapping, no super itchy high shedding coats, no slobber, prefer to avoid constant licking, prefer to avoid constant loud mouth breathing) • Small enough to be easy to transport, big enough to not be squished by big dogs • Healthy, long lived, not prone to allergies (my lab already has a ton) • No super high grooming needs • Can live with cats and be taught to leave animal cages alone

4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?

• I have a preference for the more biddable terrier and spitz breeds, I’m not a fan of hounds or spaniels. Here are the breeds I’m most interested in, in order: • The rat terrier breeds ( Rat Terrier, American Hairless Terrier, Teddy Roosevelt Terrier, Decker Rat Terrier) • Icelandic Sheepdog • Parson Russell Terrier or Russell Terrier • Miniature or Standard Schnauzer • Australian Cattle Dog • Carin Terrier • Manchester Terrier • Swedish Lapphund

5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?

• Advanced trick training, intermediate obedience, off leash recall is a big plus, rodent control is also a plus

6) Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?

• I like to be involved in sports but I’m not looking to get into sport’s competitively right now, a breed that can dabble but not not excel in anything is fine. A good rodent control ability might be nice too.
  

Care Commitments

7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?

• A couple hours every day

8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?

• An hour or two. I provide my lab with backyard play, fetch, tug, agility equipment, a scent work kit, dabble in sports, trick and obedience training, walks, puzzle toys, a flirt pole, brain games, scatter feeding, hikes, a dig box, and occasional beach trips.

9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?

• No haircuts but hand stripping a couple times a year is fine. Brushing twice a week at most. Would like to avoid breeds that need extra ear and skin fold cleaning. Would like to avoid breeds that have extra fast growing nails.

Personal Preferences

10) What size dog are you looking for?

• Small and durable! I will go medium sized for the right breed, just would like something that isn’t real tough to carry like my lab is.

11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?

• Highly prefer a dog that sheds less than my lab. I can handle alert barking and play barking, honestly prefer a dog I could howl with, but no yapping or regular whining.

12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?

• I would strongly prefer it but it’s not crucial

Dog Personality and Behavior

13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?

• In between is ideal, my lab likes a quick snuggle but prefers to just stay in the same room with me. I don’t want a dog that cries when it can’t have skin to skin contact.

14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?

• I like a bit of spice but overall I want my dog to listen to me, I don’t mind putting in the training

15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?

• Alert barking that stops once I give the command for strangers. For visitors they should be able to accept them as long as I give the okay.

16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?

• I’m willing to look at breeds with a slight risk of same sex aggression, but i’m always going to have at least a couple dogs so, no general dog aggression.

17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?

• I would like to avoid shyness, anxiety, and very sensitive breeds

Lifestyle

18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?

• Around 20 hours a week

19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?

• Not applicable

20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?

• I have my lab and some small caged pets, I would like a cat someday

21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

• Potentially some but any interaction will be under supervision and will be treated as a training experience

22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?

• I already bit the bullet and got a 71lb lab 🤷🏻‍♂️

23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?

• No breed bans, I’m in Connecticut

24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?

• Winters are usually in the mid 30’s and summers are usually in the low 80’s

Additional Information and Questions

25) Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant.

• I’m interested in showing so, an AKC recognized breed with a beginner friendly conformation community is a plus but not a requirement

26) Feel free to ask any questions below.

What breeds do you recommend I add to my list? And which breeds on my list might I be unhappy living with?