getting a dog

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Its only a thought at the moment, I have never had one before do you think dogs are a good companion for someone with AS? The commitment scares be a bit, any info from experienced dog owners would be gratefully received ..regarding breeds etc

I've got three little dogs and they're the worst. One in particular never shuts up no matter what, they're all quite messy, and they're just plain annoying. They were even worse as puppies! The only reason they're even still here is because my mom loves them so much (especially the yappy one )...

I have 2 dogs and I love them to death! If one didn't shed constantly(I have asthma and allergies) and I could afford to send them for weekly baths(I hate bathing them myself), they would live in my house 99% of the time, sleep with us, and do everything with us. They are wonderful dogs. Both are mutts we rescued from the pound. They are mainly outside dogs that come inside to visit and sleep. They live inside when it's really hot, raining, or really cold too.

Research dog breeds thoroughly. If you have sensory issues, be sure to get a non-yippy dog. We lucked out in that our older dog is lazy and mellow. The younger one is a bit more high-strung, but not too bad. HE does bark a lot because we live on a corner lot and the sidewalk borders our fence and he's very territorial. But he doesn't bark when he's in the house.

The dog we have has been an absolute nightmare, but we were particularly unlucky with her, and now after months and months of care, she is improving. She has anxiety problems, and her socialization with other dogs is seriously lacking. Her anxiety is so bad we've got her on Prozac right now (yes, actual honest to God Prozac). Which is not a recommendation against getting a dog, but bear in mind if you get one from a shelter they have a higher chance of being disturbed or having other problems. Some rescue groups house dogs in their own homes, and if you can speak to someone and explain your situation, they may be able to better match you with a dog that'll meet your needs and, importantly, whose needs you can meet, too. Be totally honest, they'll want to make sure you get a good match, because the last thing these groups want is for a dog to come back to them.

Your other option, and the one I'd recommend, is to get a pure breed from a professional breeder in your area. That means not from a pet store. But these dogs will have grown up with their mother and handler, will be well socialised and are very unlikely to be disturbed. Individual "hobby" breeders really care about maintaining the integrity of the breed they work with, so you know you're unlikely to be getting an animal with genetic diseases, too. Look through info on the AKC's website to start with, or look for an individual breeds' society or club online to try and find a reputable breeder. It'll probably cost you more, but you know what you're getting this way.

As for which breed? What do you want in a dog? Answer that question, and it'll be easier to figure out the direction you should go in. Think in terms of how much time for exercise and training you can devote per day, size, energy level (not the same as exercise requirements - greyhounds go very fast and need a good run every day, but are lazy as hell the rest of the time, for instance), whether you want the dog to be friendly or standoffish, and if there are any activities, such as agility training (those doggie obstacle courses you'll sometimes see on TV) you'd like to do with the dog?

My mother has 8 dogs, and I thoroughly enjoy visiting her to see them (5 are hers, and she has 3 rescues at any given time waiting to be adopted out to good homes ). They are a lot of fun-for me at least. I guess personality plays a part, as I'm much like a big kid, so I enjoy running around with them like an idiot, throwing frisbees for them and such. The responsibility of a dog is what scares me from getting a dog. They require so much hands-on attention (all of hers are collies).

Personally, I love dogs, but they are a lot of work.

If you get a puppy you have to house train them, feed them regularly (puppies need breakfast, I can't remember if they eat twice or three times a day, though, as the only dog I've owned from a puppy we got when I was nine, so my parents had much more responsibility for him than I did initially), play with them and basically keep them stimulated because if they get bored they can become very destructive. And dogs can take years to grow out of that. Our boy ripped up the mail, chewed holes in the walls, dug up the garden, emptied the fridge, ate phone cords, and was basically a nightmare for the first four years. Again, I remember everything but didn't mind the destruction, but my mum was VERY bothered by it.

You can't leave a dog at home for too long. Generally, if you adopt a dog (I'm in England btw) you're not allowed to leave them alone for more than four hours a day. Obviously if you buy your own dog then you can leave it for as long as you like, but I wouldn't advise that as, apart from the potential destructive side of a young dog/puppy, it's just not really fair to leave a sociable animal like a dog alone for too long.

Also, you have to take into consideration health. If a dog develops bad health you then have to be able to take it to the vets (sometimes regularly). Our boy had a skin condition and was prone to ear problems, meaning we had to clean his ears out every day (very difficult for a long time at first when he'd misbehave), and give him antibiotics when his allergies caused skin problems. He also had arthritis when he got older, meaning paying out for injections, and pain medication, and general worry over him (if he was bad one day it meant someone staying home with him to keep an eye on him).

I love dogs, and I think that they're worth all the effort you have to put in. My boy was my little brother, my best friend, and pretty much my soulmate. I adored him and I always will. But because dogs are so dependent I would never literally advise anyone to get one, because if it turns out to be the wrong decision it's not fair on the dog.

Certain large breeds are prone to arthritis and hip dysplaxia (I think I spelled that right, I'm not sure) and certain breeds are prone to behaviour problems. Rottweilers are quite dominant dogs, generally, from what I've heard, so you need to be able to be pack leader. Labradors get a mixed review - sometimes described as intelligent and easy to train, sometimes described as very destructive. My boy was a black labrador... he was very intelligent, and that's why he was so destructive. He would rather make you work than let you make him work (if you played ball he'd expect you to go and get it, and would rather play a game that meant he was manipulating you - I found that a loveable quirk, and I often said that he was like me in dog form and he probably had doggy AS, haha). Some bigger breeds can be overbearing if they're not castrated. My boy had to be because he was such a dominant dog, but he was still a force to be reckoned with - full of character. So you might have to pay for that. Girl dogs seem to be far more laid back, from what I've heard, but as I say I've only had one dog from a puppy, and I'm not an expert, this is all stuff I've read or heard.

There's too many breeds to choose from, really, and dogs are individuals inside their breed, so I'd advise you to do all the research you can into different breeds, make sure you can afford a dog, make sure you have the time for a dog, and make sure you can handle a creature being as dependent on you as a dog will be (for both survival and socialisation), then take it from there. Also make sure you have the time and knowledge for training.

A lot of aspies seem to like cats. I can appreciate that it's much easier to own a cat, with them being so independent and not being as clingy as a dog. I've never had a cat, though (well, I sort of have some at the moment, a mother and four kittens seem to have adopted us somewhat).

reasons why dogs can be problems for some people with ASD-
sensory-the noise,the smells etc.
the looking after
motor skills

if able to cope with a dog,the taking them for walks would keep both fit,as well as stroking them being good for both as well.

need to look at what size dog would cope better with,before choosing breed,do have any neighbours/family who could take their dog for a walk to get an idea of what is best?

Gotta watch out for the breeders sometimes though. Make sure to check 'em out, ask if the dogs have ever had any problems and all. My mother gets a lot of dogs from "professional" breeders, and has had to report some of them as they were bred in such horrible conditions. Professional doesn't always mean they care about the animals-some are just considered professional because nobody's had the opportunity to check out what is actually going on, and a lot of pups have issues from those homes even though they were considered professional. The last breeder my mom got a group of pups from was awful, and all 3 of the dogs wound up dying due to health problems. One had a misplaced hip and some internal damage because the dog was kicked and all. The ones before that all had people issues because they had never been handled much at all. The people didn't want to create a bond with them when she knew they would be adopted out, so they never adjusted to it...

Not saying all of them really are professional, just saying be careful of taking another's word for it if you hear someone is a professional, because that gets thrown around a lot and a lot of people like to claim they are professional.

As far as what breeds? I've only really been around collies for the most part, and very few others. Shelties are HORRIBLE, so are terriers, lol. They are sweet, and cute, but they bark a LOT and are very protective of people. They also tend to be pretty food aggressive (all of the ones I've seen come in and out of my mom's home over the years). Her sheltie chases me around the house barking just because she up and decided one day she didn't like me, lol. They're really picky about people. Her terrier used to bark at everything-including the wind, lol. I'm sure there are those that are not, I'm only speaking from my own experience with shelties and terriers. The collies are awesome-super tolerant of things, they don't bark a ton, and they are very smart and like to please their owners.

Last edited by nobodyzdream on 14 Sep 2007, 5:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Yes, definitely. I'll just repeat one of the things I originally said:

The key is finding someone who is breeding occasionally only, who cares, and that means getting references, checking them out, and consulting with the club which deals with the breed. There are a lot of "cowboys" out there who're just in it to make a quick buck.

lol, yep. Sorry, I must have overlooked that in the other, or it slipped my mind when I started thinking, lol. But I also tend to have a negative view of breeders anyway if you couldn't tell, lol. It's kind of sad there are so many breeders out there, and so many of their pups wind up on the street as soon as someone gets tired of them Not their fault, sure, but if they stopped breeding it would happen less at least

Professional breeder's dogs can still have problems, as mentioned above. My boy was a pedigree, but (as I mentioned) he had allergies (to fleas and grass, meaning he had to have flea drops more often than dogs normally need it) which caused skin problems, ear problems (although that's part and parcel of his breed, I think), and cost us a lot over the years in vet bills and treatments (ear drops, the flea drops, etc.). He was on starflower oil (which made his coat and skin lovely, I must say) and glucosamine sulphate for his joints (as well as the injections he had for his arthritis). His father died at the age of eight, but my boy lived to eleven. I'd be interested to know how his brothers and sisters turned out.

Not forgetting the usual vaccinations, and in certain areas in America I know you have to use heartworm prevention treatment as well, so I'm not sure what other things might crop up that a dog needs in certain areas that they don't in others. I forgot to check where you are.

I think a well-balanced, calm dog who will be forgiving if your signals aren't entirely consistent would be a wonderful thing to have.

On the other hand, we have one (border collie/golden retriever mix), and she's a total hellion sometimes (well-behaved most of the time, but insane a significant portion of the time). My husband (who has AS) both has trouble reading the signals she sends, and has trouble projecting the proper "I am the leader and I am in control" attitude that dogs need, particularly if they're young, headstrong, or both. So for example, he has a lot of trouble training her, and she acts up more for him on walks than for me. She also is very sensitive to things like tone of voice and facial expression, which is common in border collies, and while dogs do naturally understand human facial expressions and tone of voice, it can be confusing to her if (for example) my husband uses the "wrong" tone of voice, like if he sounds (to me and apparently to her) angry when he means to be praising her. Whereas other breeds of dogs might focus more on the actual words (or hand signals) than the tone.

On the other hand, if you were to get an adult dog that was already fairly well-trained, dogs are very "what you see is what you get." They're very straightforward about what they need if you know what to look for. And they're very forgiving of human foibles. They're also a heck of a lot of fun to play with—so I can see how it would be great for someone who wants a lot of contact, but isn't sure they want a lot of contact with people, to have a dog.

Have you thought about getting a cat instead? To me, cats are much more willing to accept people as-is than dogs are. Dogs prefer for their person (i.e. leader) to have a certain attitude (authoritative yet calm, or in more practical terms, sitting/standing up straight without being tense), and if the person can't project that attitude properly, the dog will either be confused or try to take over the "leader" role itself, unless it's a dog that's *very* sure of its place in the world. Cats just want food and water and a clean litterbox and a warm place to sleep, and if you give them that, they will love you forever. Plus, they purr. (And, y'know, all cats have Asperger's ... just kidding.)

In any case, I'd recommend either getting a pet that's been living in a home--either from a breeder or from a rescue organization that fosters all its animals rather than having them live in shelters--both because that way you'll have someone who knows the dog's personality and can help you make sure it's a good match, and because you'll know the dog is used to being around people and animals.

And think about your needs—like don't get something that yips if you have sensory issues, as was mentioned above. (Border collies, despite being fairly large, do have a very high-pitched yelp when they get excited, and ours really upsets my husband when she yelps.) It might be a good idea to make a list of your concerns and email the rescue group or breeder. And Animal Planet also has a great dog breed finder.

Also keep in mind if you are looking for a big dog, they tend to have a lot of arthritis problems when older. My mom has to carry her 85 lb. collies up and down steps when they get too old, lol, and they are a fortune in medical as well.

Most of the really good ones will require a contract stating that if for some reason you're unable to keep the dog, it has to go back to the breeder. You can't pass it on to anyone else, send it out of your house, etc. It either stays with you for life, or goes back to the breeder. And they do check up on their pups. That's the sort of person you're looking for. And they'll want to know a lot about you to try to make sure that the dog will be happy in your home. That's all good - it can sound a little intimidating, but the best thing really is to do everything possible to make sure both you and dog will be happy. (And, on that basis, I'd be completely up front about your AS.)
That's what reading PetConnection online has taught me, anyway.

Yeah, that's what my mom has even just doing rescues. She has a V-chip thingie injected so if the person does ditch the dog, they can track it and locate it to get it back to her house. She has them sign a contract as well, and contacts them regularly to see how the dog is doing-usually the people are more than willing and very friendly to keep her posted.

Oh, and as a bonus, if you get a dog and your dog becomes one of your interests, you are absolutely guaranteed to meet people who want to talk to you about your dog and things like dog training and so on ... which means a dog is a guarantee that people will talk to you/listen to you talk about a subject you find interesting. And if you're out with your dog, you also have a legitimate reason not to look at anyone you're talking to ("I need to keep an eye on my dog") and to end the conversation at any time ("She's getting fidgety, we better go"). So it could also be a relatively low-stress way to get some human contact, as well.