Introduction

1) Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs? **No, I owned and trained a personal GSD with basic commands, food training, and leash training.

2) Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a reputable breeder? **No preference

3) Describe your ideal dog. **Low activity/physical needs, known for being friendly, good with other animals and kids, and easy/moderate training difficulty

4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why? **Bernese Mountain Dog because I love big dogs and for the reasons above. Maltese also for the reasons above

5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do? **Basic commands (sit, stay, etc), training with food to prevent aggression issues, recall training,leash and off-leash

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? **No

Care Commitments

7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day? **For training about 20-30 minutes a day. Interacting with the dog though would be at least a few hours (play time, petting, etc)

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?
**Physically, by myself, about 30 minutes. Exercise would include short walks, fetch, and of course dog parks.

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? **I'm willing to brush a couple times a week, clean ears and teeth, and clip/grind nails. I absolutely would pay a professional groomer for regular maintenance.

Personal Preferences

10) What size dog are you looking for? **I love big dogs, the bigger the better. I'll go as small as medium.

11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle? **Shedding and slobber don't bother me. I'd prefer a dog that doesn't bark much. I work from home and can't have a dog barking constantly.

12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area? **It's important to me because I think they need time to sniff and walk around freely and my yard is currently unfenced. Plus, if something should happen, such as the leash breaking or getting dropped I want to ensure my dog wouldn't run off and would come back to me easily if separated.

Dog Personality and Behavior

13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space? **Snuggly for sure. I love having my dog on the couch with me. And I have friends that have kids and kids don't understand personal space.

14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please? **Either is fine with me. As long as I can train it and have it listen to me.

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?
**I would want the dog to alert and come to me, not bark out of control or charge at someone. When there are strangers or visitors I would like my dog to behave similarly. I want my dog to trust me and stay by me for both our safety but not be afraid of people if I tell them it's ok.

16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs? **No. Ideally this would be prevented with proper training and socialization, but I'm not seeking a breed that is solitary. Physically I don't think I could manage this if something were to happen.

17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid? **Excessive barking/howling, separation anxiety, chewing/biting, digging, resource guarding, marking, begging. Which again should be included in training but I'd like to not have an up-hill battle.

Lifestyle

18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone? **Maybe a few times a month for anywhere from a couple hours to overnight. I work from home so I only leave the house to run errands or meet with friends sometimes.

19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog? **My boyfriend is an inexperienced dog owner without any set preferences. He would assist with maintaining the dog (feeding, activity, grooming), assist me with training when a second person is needed (such as someone knocking on the door/entering), and will also play with and cuddle our dog, of course.

20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they? **I currently have 3 indoor cats which have all been around dogs.

21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly? **Not regularly, but it will come up.

22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease? **No, I own my home and would only move into another owned property.

23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds? **USA, state: South Carolina. No breed laws as far as I'm aware.

24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live? **Summers get to be 80°F or higher. Winters are usually mild, with a short period of freezing temperatures.

Additional Information and Questions

25) Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant. **I have mobility issues but not such that I'm unable to walk unassisted.

26) Feel free to ask any questions below.