jorgelito

Minis tend to have bad temperments and need a lot of room for exercise. Don't be fooled by the small size. EX: Jack Russell Terriers are small - BUT they are high energy and need tons of room!! Minis may not like cats either. All the ones I've seen/met were terribly irritable. My staffie loves cats - as in love to kill them. And squirrels, and small dogs etc..... Staffies were bred to be a fighting breed. Think about it. A dog's intended use (what they were bred for)will tell you a lot about what their behavior may/can be like. EX: Herding dogs will try and herd other animals, even small children. Guard dogs guard (may attack people etc), watch dogs watch (bark, howl), sporting dogs will want to fetch, run, dig, etc - water dogs will take every opportunity to jump in water, including water bowls.

I walk my dog in the morning everyday around 7am. Come back from school around 2-3pm to walk her again. Then back to school. Come home. Then walk again around 10pm. In the 2-3 years I've had her, I've spent thousands on her for food, toys, treats, shots, vet bills (dogs inevitably get into mischief and have to go to the hospital). She consumes my life. Everything I do has to revolve around her. Sitters cost $35 for 9-5pm time slot. Overnight costs more. Dogs are very different than cats. My friend can leave his cat alone for weeks. He just leaves food and water and a litter box.

It definitely has affected my college life. I had to come home early from the big UCLA basketball chamopinship game because I had to feed her. Talk about missing out on an event! I tried to go to some after parties but then I had to come back early to walk her.

Before I got the dog, I researched for 2-3 years on breeds etc to see what kind of dog I wanted. I talked with dog experts, trainers and spent a year and a half at the shelter. Then I spent some time as a dog sitter. Finally, after all that, my ex and I adopted a dog from a rescue.

Taking a dog everywhere is not easy, especially in uptight conservative cities like LA wher I live. My dog also hates escalators. Many places don't allow dogs and leaving the dog in a car is not the best idea either. Instead, i take my dog to the park. Every day. Even then, she has to be on a leash. Before, we used to go to the off-leash park everyday where she could socialize with her doggie friends.

Also, a staffie may cause your insurance to go up or you lease may not allow that breed. For some reason, my dog's papers have her listed as a lab mix (!). My guess is for the insurance and lease reasons.

Hope this helps.