Not sure how to specify that characteristic.

We're not ready to get another dog but I can't help but look at petfinder just to check it out. Found a two year old Australian Shepherd mix. Surrendered because he reacts "too much" to the doorbell. I don't think there is such a thing.

Dang! I want that dog! Argos would let me know when my husband was a minute out. He could hear that car. He knew when the neighbors came home. He would tell us when packages arrived. He told us about every animal that came on our property. I miss him for so many reasons but that is definitely one of them.

So when we are ready and we specify what we're looking for in a dog, how do we say "We want who one alerts to absolutely everything!" Or do we say just that? Is that really superficial?

Ya wanna borrow Danny?

If you are going to rescue and the dog's traits are known, there is no reason that you can't specify that. Some would see it as a "safety" factor. You want a dog that alerts due to needing to know if anyone is around on your property. :)

If you think you might change your mind about being ready for another dog, since he sounds so appealing to you, what does "reacts too much" mean in real life? Barking? Barking and snapping at anyone who comes up next to him to open the door or snapping at the person who has just arrived? Racing out the door and down the street when you let the person in? Grabbing the nearest item he can pick up and racing around inside the house bouncing off walls and furniture? Their too much might be your pretty much perfect.

I don't know how else to say you want a dog that would alert you to people coming up to the house. I don't look through Petfinder ads but that doesn't seem like an attribute they would often put down on a dog's description anyway, since it may not be seen as a positive thing. You may need to check into this fellow a bit more...

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Originally Posted by smartrock

If you think you might change your mind about being ready for another dog, since he sounds so appealing to you, what does "reacts too much" mean in real life? Barking? Barking and snapping at anyone who comes up next to him to open the door or snapping at the person who has just arrived? Racing out the door and down the street when you let the person in? Grabbing the nearest item he can pick up and racing around inside the house bouncing off walls and furniture? Their too much might be your pretty much perfect.

I don't know how else to say you want a dog that would alert you to people coming up to the house. I don't look through Petfinder ads but that doesn't seem like an attribute they would often put down on a dog's description anyway, since it may not be seen as a positive thing. You may need to check into this fellow a bit more...

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Good points! We have two doors to get into the house. I used to have four dogs body slam the inner door whenever someone showed up, barking their heads off. I think this is ideal. Now though, we're lucky if our two get up. Zo will have her say at times. I hadn't thought about snapping at us though. All of ours just had the best personalities but it was like purely competition barking. The fact of the matter is that people show up on our property who have no business being there and I've always felt that the first line of defense is a barking dog.

Thanks for the tips. Glad I posted.

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Originally Posted by SunDance

Ya wanna borrow Danny?

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Sure! :D

Have you thought about maybe fostering the Aussie? not sure how that would work for you or for him, but thought I would just float it out there.

The neighbors behind us have two aussie girls one is 12 years old and they got a puppy last year. The puppy is full of energy and mischief, she has one blue eye and one brown very cute.

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Originally Posted by labsnewfy

Have you thought about maybe fostering the Aussie? not sure how that would work for you or for him, but thought I would just float it out there.

The neighbors behind us have two aussie girls one is 12 years old and they got a puppy last year. The puppy is full of energy and mischief, she has one blue eye and one brown very cute.

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No. We would love to but Nikki's vertigo comes and goes and even though she's cancer free at the moment, she's easily stressed to the point that we are pushing out ultrasounds to every three months now. She just needs some peace and quiet.

That is understandable, we are pretty much doing the same thing here, just spending time with our girls. Ginger is very clingy to me right now, i have to make sure she sees me leave the room or she just carries on until she finds me. Give Nikki extra hugs and kisses from us.