First time dog owner, what to expect? (small breed)

[Rhini]

I do know that Italian Greyhounds can be prone to fracturing those thin legs of theirs so insurance is a must. Heartworm meds for a small breed will run around $60 to $70 per year and flea meds around $120 per year (get 6- 12 months at a time to save $$)
Most smaller dogs will to fine if you can walk them twice a day for 20 minutes and one to two 15 minute training sessions.

Yeah, we actually had a member here not that long ago whose dog did just that. He was just running around and all of a sudden *snap* @_@

I second the coat idea for such a fragile dog, though I think even little dog with lots of hair could do without one. My silky never had a problem, but he's a hardy little fellow in general. The salt is definitely something to be wary of as well though.

[ButtercreamDream]

If you're going to get a dog while working 8-5, be sure to budget $60 per week for a dog walker.  It's not just for going to the bathroom, but dogs need something to do for their bodies and minds all day (just think about sitting in you bedroom with no books, tv or computer for 9 hours every day!).  Making sure your dog gets exercise while you are away is the best way to avoid destructive behaviours like chewing stuff, peeing, barking etc. 

"Most smaller dogs will to fine if you can walk them twice a day for 20 minutes and one to two 15 minute training sessions. "

I've actually found that most smaller dogs have WAY more energy than big dogs, and don't tire as easily.  They should have at least two walks, with one 45min walk every day.  This is coming from my experience, the many training books I read before getting my dog, and from my dog trainer friends.

"How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond"  by Ceasar Millan is a must read.  I also recommend "a member of the family".

I second what everyone is saying about vet bills and pet insurance.  I have an automatic withdrawl set up for $50 per month (because I have ferrets as well, and they are hard to insure).  It goes into a seperate savings account for emergency vet visits, and I've had to use it many times over the years, including yesterday =(.

[stopxmotion]

... and flea meds around $120 per year (get 6- 12 months at a time to save $$)

It has been my experience having owned dogs for 14 years that fleas are never an issue in the winter months. $120 is really high and it's unnecessary to be trying to repel fleas when there aren't any.

[kaoskat]

... and flea meds around $120 per year (get 6- 12 months at a time to save $$)

It has been my experience having owned dogs for 14 years that fleas are never an issue in the winter months. $120 is really high and it's unnecessary to be trying to repel fleas when there aren't any.

That depends on your climate. We have fleas year round here.

[HavACrumpet452]

Hardly any fleas in WI. I spend like $20 a year on flea meds per dog. Best treatment is catching them early so they get a comb through with a flea comb after dog park visits to check their coat.

A dog walker depends on how willing you are to give your dog to a stranger of questionable intent. I'd never do it. Not even if they had insurance in case something goes wrong. Being with a good owner and being alone for 8 hours is better then being tied outside 24/7. Great dog owners can work a full day and as it was said, almost all good dog owners are also working persons. There's nothing wrong with that.

[Kiwi]

Sounds like you've got a lot of advice here. Good luck with your decision.

[ShannonInPonyland]

I have 2 Italian Greyhounds, they are GREAT companions and love to cuddle    One of them (my oldest) really enjoys just sleeping in his crate most of the day, he actually prefers it to laying anywhere else. My other, not so much because he's gotten way to used to going everywhere with me but he's quickly learning to stay in his crate when I need to go places. In less than a week he went from crying in his crate to just laying down and chewing his bone no problem.
I live in a condo with no backyard/front yard so I was a bit concerned when I got my first because they're more energetic dogs, but a walk or two a day keeps them both nice and content. Plus they love just running around my room and playing by themselves. They both pretty much keep themselves occupied.
As far as cost goes, since they're smaller breeds, food lasts longer. I would recommend getting a harness rather than a collar since they have very slender heads and necks and a lot of the time can slide right out. I would also recommend getting them a couple of sweaters if you live in a place where the climate can get colder. They're not too partial to cold weather. Obviously flea/tick meds are a must but I only apply it to them in the warmer months.
Overall, I've found that they don't really cost much BUT you have to be VERY careful when they are puppies. Since they are so slender, they are extremely partial to breaking their legs within the first year or so. Trust me, I have a little pup sitting right next to me as I type with a broken leg from jumping down 2 stairs.
Since you said you won't be home as often, I would definitely recommend you getting a little bit older of a dog or at least trying to keep them in crate when you're gone so he/she won't get themselves hurt. My baby's vet bill is pushing $500 for the whole broken leg incident, so it does get pricey. You just have to watch out for them jumping off high places (ie. beds, backs of couches, etc).
Other than that, I would definitely recommend Italian Greyhounds to anyone. They are just such loveable dogs. I've had a few different breeds in my lifetime but IGs are by far my favorites   
IGs are very smart dogs so training has been pretty easy for me so far. Things like sit, lay down, stay, have been learned in as little as a night. They sometimes have a short attention span so teaching things over a period of time and not tiring it out is the best way to go about it.

I have to say that most of the things in this thread that I'm reading aren't particularly true. I think people are getting actual Greyhounds and Italian Greyhounds mixed up lol

Italian greyhounds are notoriously hard to housetrain.  I looked into getting one myself, but decided not to after I kept running into reputable breeder websites that said things like "Sometimes, no matter how much you housetrain an Iggie, they will refuse to pee outside when it's raining."

I trained both of my IGs in less than a week    One of my IGs is 100% housetrained and the other is trained to go on puppy papers during the night and outside during the day. They are very smart dogs and learn very fast.  As for rain, one is a little more resistant than the other when it comes to rain but I recently bought him a little raincoat from Petco and now he goes out in the rain no problem.

[Aster]

I agree with others, on that you should set aside money each month- in general, dogs aren't too expensive but you never plan on accidents happening. Anything from getting in a fight with another critter, to accidental poisoning, to ..whatever you can think of, vet bills can EASILY become very expensive, so it's always good to have at least a few hundred in savings for them. And I disagree with whoever said no to flea/tick medicine in the winter- you don't know about any other dogs yours will come in contact with, maybe it just vacationed in the south and picked up fleas and now spreads them to your dog...

Also, just something to keep in mind, adult dogs are way more relaxed and sleep much more than young ones, but also small dogs are MUCH more hyper and harder to tire than big dogs.
And most shelters, if you can prove that you'll provide financially and talk with them about how you can work around your schedule (ex. come home on lunch to let the dog outside for a few), they shouldn't have a problem with you living in an apartment. (though you DO need to talk to your landlord before, some have very steep costs for pet deposits)

I know plenty of dogs that do well with people who work full-time jobs, my main concern is the fact that as you said, you JUST graduated and got a new job. The new dog WILL need a good deal of attention, especially in the beginning, which means that even if it would be good for your career if you stayed later or worked overtime, it won't be good for the dog. But even more importantly, you're young in life. I don't mean that as a bad thing, just that if you have a dog waiting for you at home, doing things like going out to the bar and drinking after a long day at work... not the best plan. Especially since you should be getting up early to make sure to take the dog out before going to work. Trying to restart a good social life and taking care of a dog can get hard- you shouldn't agree to go out to dinner after work, or go out to the movies, or spend the night at someone's place getting frisky.. I'm not saying you can't have any fun, just that your dog is fully dependent on YOU, and it's not fair to the dog if you end up being gone 12 hours most days and then want to crash soon after getting home.
There are ways around it, of course. I know a couple who both are in grad school as well as working, which does mean they're gone from home a lot and so when they want to see friends, they invite us over to their place- whether to grill out food, or watch movies, or drink.. that way, they're still home with their dog but they also can see other people. I'm just saying it's another thing you should think about and plan for.

[Knibitz]

I'm working with the michigan italian greyhound rescue right now to plan a shopping list, and planning costs, and making sure it's the breed for me.

The woman says that she thinks my living situation would be great or an adult (4-7 year old) iggy with a snuggly lazy personality.

Definitely know to get a jacket   Already found a shop on etsy that sells coats and sweaters made specifically for iggies.
I asked about booties and they said that they've never been able to keep them on their tiny little feet   Good point about the salt though - I"ll have to ask about that.

[ShannonInPonyland]

I'm working with the michigan italian greyhound rescue right now to plan a shopping list, and planning costs, and making sure it's the breed for me.

The woman says that she thinks my living situation would be great or an adult (4-7 year old) iggy with a snuggly lazy personality.

Definitely know to get a jacket   Already found a shop on etsy that sells coats and sweaters made specifically for iggies.
I asked about booties and they said that they've never been able to keep them on their tiny little feet   Good point about the salt though - I"ll have to ask about that.

That sounds awesome! I hope you get the perfect dog for you 
As for booties, there are actually this brand at Petco that I found that fits my IGs feet perfectly, which is bizarre because like you said they have such tiny feet. They zip up and velcro so they stay on really well. I tried them on my pup but he wanted nothing to do with them    they still fit none the less so if you do buy a pair be aware that there is more than likely going to be a chance that your dog will either refuse to walk or walk funny with them on lol
Hm.. I was going to post a link but they don't seem to have them on their website. Either way they're adorable and red lol
Also as far as sweaters go, there are plenty of sweaters/jackets you can find for them at places like Petco or Walmart for cheaper prices. IGs do have strange body types but occasionally you can find one that fits their long bodies 

[Knibitz]

yeah, the coat I'm looking at has a funky hood/scarf thing it can either be pulled up over the head/ears  or pushed down so it's a gathered scarf kinda thing around their neck, and some types also have sleeves that cover their little legs.

  Starting to get really disappointed though. I'm moving to east lansing, MI (don't know if I already said that) and there seems to be hardly any apartments in the area that accept dogs and very few accept cats.
I have to have a washer/dryer in the unit, so that's really cutting down on my options >.<

  Really hoping we find the perfect place.


I also started talking with a chinese crested rescue and they are recommending Caine, http://www.adoptapet.com/pet6765384.html , to me. So we shall see! I'm not going to rush to bring anyone home right yet, will probably be a month or so after living there that I'll start seriously considering. Right now I'm just getting to know the rescues in the area, getting to know about different breed needs etc   It's been a fun process, but I think everyone around me is taking me to seriously   I think everyone is expecting me to pop up in michigan and have a dog next day pft, yeah no.

[ZennaBug]

I think it's awesome that you want to adopt.  Everyone has brought up some good points, so I'll just add a tidbit of my own experience.

Make sure you buy pet insurance right away.  It may seem silly, but it will save your butt in an emergency.  I adopted my sweet little Ava in July and she was in great health.  Since then, she has had intestinal parasites (she came home with them), 2 seizures, a broken leg (sleeping under a computer chair), a burned head (hiding behind a running dryer), infection, reaction to antibiotics, food allergies, skin conditions, baby teeth that didn't fall out and needed to be pulled because they were messing up her jaw, a trip to the emergency room after she inhaled water during a bath (all the freak accidents seem to happen while I'm not home), an eye condition that is incurable (but treatable, with lots of expensive eyedrops that are keeping her from going blind), and possibly a liver illness (we need to do an ultrasound as soon as we have the money).  She's about a year old (her estimated birthday is Wednesday) and has cost me about $3,000.  I adore her, but it's been really tough.

That's a worst-case scenario though.  Our other dog is a dachshund and he's 2.  His only vet cost (besides routine vaccinations, heartworm meds, and his neuter... the usual stuff) has been a tooth extraction for a couple baby teeth that wouldn't fall out.  He's healthy as can be.

But it's always smart to be prepared for the worst-case scenario, like my little Ava.  Just so you aren't caught off guard.  Better safe than sorry.

Post Merge: May 12, 2012, 08:43:27 PM

Oh, after reading your post.  The dry eyes that require drops will probably be the same condition my Ava has.  It's called KCS and can cause serious vision problems if you aren't careful with the drops (Ava's eyes only produce about 15% of the normal tear range and she has 2 drops 4x a day and one 2x/day.  But she's still healing and they will be reduced soon.  A trip to an animal eye specialist is EXPENSIVE)

[Knibitz]

yeah, I'd asked the woman about that. I'm not sure if I feel comfortable with that kind of financial commitment, but something about getting a sepcial needs dog appeals to me.
I've come across a chi with a deformed leg that I've added to my list of maybes. Story behind the chi is that it had to be given up after the owner was moving into a homeless shelter so it's really sad.
The profile on the dog says it's 6 and doing well aside from being a little afraid of other people.


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I'm going ot hold off on messaging people though, I think, from now on. I get anxious o learn about the dogs because I really want to take time to learn about each different dog I might be interested in. I just worry that I might be giving people the wrong idea, even though I do point out that I'm just wanting to know about the dog. The people I've been talking to seem really eager and anxious to get help for the poor dogs, and I don't want to let them down >.<
Makes things really hard though because I want to know everything about several options before picking the perfect dog for me, just so I can rest assured that I've picked the best option, since I doubt that I'll find perfect.