What's Important to You in a Pet?

[Weedhound]

And what do you not like? Or can't deal with?

Do you want friendly? Self-reliant? Pretty but needs work? Easy care hair, gills, or scales?

A pet that doesn't need to be walked? Or one that does? Or how about they walk and you don't have to?

[stinkyattic]

Trainable
Good house manners
Playful
Less time grooming, more time playing
Minimal health problems
Calm temperament
Easy to socialize

[Weedhound]

So you like the pot-bellied pigs eh? (j/k):D

[dylan]

I am a dog person myself. Preferably working dogs that are smart, capable and have a strong desire to please. Also, VERY low maintainance (ie. few to no health and grooming problems).

[Chronisseur]

Healthy bloodline
Intelligence
Temperment
Obedience
minimal fur
I like the fact that my dog is able to be independant without makin' puppa mad!
She also has the PRETTIEST smile in the WHOLE WORLD!:D

[Weedhound]

chron....that sounds exactly like me....:D

[Chronisseur]

:wtf:...an ancient prophet DID say that I would one day encounter a canine spirit whos coolness levels are nearly equivical to my own!:D

[Weedhound]

Lol, its hard to be so talented isn't it? :S2:

[slipknotpsycho]

healthy
(dog) playful BUT obedient
housebroken -.-


pretty much it... i've owned alot of stuff... lizards, snakes, dogs, cats, rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, birds, fish, even bugs

[Weedhound]

BugS???? What kind of bugs???? :eek:

[birdgirl73]

Trainability
Intelligence (but not the point of it being destructive if it's bored)
Ease of grooming (I prefer short-haired animals)
Calm temperament
A sweet facial expression
Relatively small size. I don't want any enormous animals around that are going to eat me out of house and home. I have enough trouble with that having my husband and son in residence.
A protruding snout such as is seen on a tabby cat or a Labrador retriver as opposed to a pushed-in face like is seen on a Persian cat or a pug or bulldog.

[Zcomp]

My pets cannot hog my attention(have a little girl for that!! :) )
Caring for them should be soothing for me.
I should be able to lapse a little between caring.
I love cats and my fish for being all that and more. Working with my fish is very relaxing. pouring water and replacing anew. watching another whole environment evolve, with me in the drivers seat.
I don't have a cat right now but soon. :hippy:

[THClord]

All I have is fish.
I have 1 Betta, 5 phantom tetra, and 5 neon tetra.

I love my Betta, Jimmy. Jimmy bullies around everyone. He's like this is my tank bitch, get out of my way. I love him for that. And he is actually really smart for a fish. He is sooo agressive, I had to spend a lot of time at my friends house seeing what fish he will not kill if he is put into a tank with them. He's a beast.

[xcrispi]

Ease of training
Companionship
Inteligence
Theraputic Qualities
Home Protection
Playfulness

Yay for Bully Dogs !!!
Crispi :jointsmile:

[stinkyattic]

Crispi, I never get tired of seeing your pup's baby pic.
Yay for bully dogs. They have it all- health, brains, loyalty, trainability, cleanliness, and the sweetest faces- I was downstairs chilling with my tenants and their sweet 1 year old AmStaff pup yesterday and he is just the ideal of what a pitbull type dog should be, not a scrap of aggression in his wiggly body! Just sweet and playful and very people-oriented. I totally have to post a pic of the little rascal when I get one.

[Weedhound]

i love all those bull type dogs, the pits, staffs...any of them. I absolutely LOVE their attitudes on life. The ones I've come in contact with haven't been the sharpest tools in the shed...(including mine) but their zest for everything more than makes up for it.

I DO think you have to be a good owner with these types of dogs or they'll go sideways and get out of control quickly. And when a dog like that gets out of control.....they can be very dangerous.

[the image reaper]

loved my Rottweillers (2), but next dog will be another Doberman (3) ... none of my dogs would harm a fly, great around kids ... I liked having my Doberman in my semi-truck with me ... great security, as EVERYBODY knows what a Doberman looks like, but, since they were raised with love, never had to worry about them biting anyone, and getting me sued ... I was asked, "why have the dog, if she doesn't bite ?" ... replied, "she will wake me up, so I can grab my gun, and keep them distracted, if I have to reload" :D ... I love dogs, and think there's not many good reasons to have a vicious one :jointsmile:
P.S. ... the really good dogs crap in the neighbors' yards ... :D

[Weedhound]

I usually ask....why have a dog that bites?...so I'm the opposite. I LOVE dobies....had a lovely red/tan that someone dumped at my work. Very smart, sensitive dogs. (Also had a blue with a terrible heart problem...also dumped) I'm back into the GSD's these days...love the intensity of these guys and just how much they connect with their people. And like reaper said.....they don't need to do anything....everyone just assumes they bite....so they just have to sit there. I consider it safer to have my boy with me than a gun.....despite the fact that he doesn't bite....and I do alot of driving by myself at 3-4 am in areas with no phone service. Best protection I could have and can't baby-talk a gun.....(well...maybe you can...:D)

[Chronisseur]

I commend the state of New York and the American humane society for, not the name, but the IDEA of renaming "pit bulls" to "New Yorkies".

My little girl is more of a "Fairy Bull":D

[birdgirl73]

I love your dog's picture, too, Xcrispi! I always have.

When I said in my post earlier that I didn't like the skull shape of bulldogs, I didn't mean pit bulls or most other bully dogs. I mostly meant the classic English bulldogs with those abbreviated muzzles and that underbite (mandibular prognathism).

When y'all were talking about your fiercely loyal Rottweilers, Dobies and pits, I couldn't help thinking about the fierce loyalty of my smaller breed. I swear, this doggie thinks she's a German shepherd, and you could never meet a more ferocious guard dog, either at home or in the car. At 10 pounds, she doesn't pack as much punch as a bigger dog, but she can definitely let someone know she means business. And when she's not on duty, she has the sweetest face in the American Southwest.

[Weedhound]

She's ADORABLE.....look at that face. :postgood: They have all the heart of the bigger dogs in a little package. And THANK GOD they aren't the size of X-Crispi's pup, eh?

Ps...We have four.... :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[4twentE]

i like pets that are largely independent and low maintenance, particularly cats. and one that will show me some affection in return for taking care of it every once in a while.