Are Dogs a Good Pet for an INFJ?

Stillwater

Stillwater

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As an INFJ I often feel misunderstood by friends, my family members, and even my therapist! I'm wondering if owning a dog would be a healthy way to help with this problem.

Any thoughts? Also, is there any particular type of dog that would be best?. I think a very needy dog would be hard but I'd be interested in anyone's thoughts or experience.

Thanks.
 

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[MENTION=4108]Radiant Shadow[/MENTION] uses dogs to help with anxiety. Perhaps he can come over and talk about his experiences.

As for whether dogs are good pets for INFJs - I've had dogs my whole life and cannot imagine being without one. My most successful relationships ocurred whenever I was able to get the dog early in their life. This gives one a chance to bond in love with the animal and this strengthens their ability to think and respond to you. Mixed breeds - Mutts - have made some of the best pets....although one breed in particular bred for it's intelligence and gentleness....the English Mastiff.... was the best. He was most difficult to care for, however, as he weighed 185 lbs and drooled. I suggest you seek breeds bred for intelligence and responsiveness to humans.

I live at the end of a long dirt road in a timber forest and people often dump their unwanted dogs out here. I call them "throw-away" dogs. One of my favorite dogs was one dropped off at around 8 to 9 weeks old. He was combative and very aggressive when it came to eating food. Evidently he was in a large batch of puppies and had to fight to eat before he was dumped off around my place. I decided to bring him in the house with me and made him sleep with me for a couple of weeks so he could be close to my heart. Then I weaned him to sleeping on the floor in my room and later another room in the house as he grew more socialized and confident. It was basically an intensive time of me loving the puppy and training him to respond to a human. He and I are so bonded now I can link with his mind sometimes when everything around us is clear and calm with no other dogs around. He follows my eyes and responds to my directions. He is now several years old and a wonderful dog. We have four "throw-away" dogs now and they make me laugh.

Good luck.
 
Dogs are good pets for just about anyone. Nothing to do with type. Sounds like you might like Retrievers; very loyal, kind dogs.
 
Dogs are very much an "investment" type of pet. They bond with you over time. This bond strengthens through training, working, caring, and nurturing. Dogs are often used as service dogs for people with either mental or physical disabilities, I've seen them be used for the blind, as well as a veteran with PTSD. I believe it would be an excellent option for you, just be wary that they do take up time from your day for activities geared towards them, as you can infer from Kgal's post. If you put in effort and care into this animal it will be a life long companion.
If you haven't owned a dog before, I would recommend any "family" dog type of breed. Labradors are great because they are friendly, mostly gentle, trainable. These are the dogs that you'd be comfortable with around a baby.
There are a few options when getting a dog. You can buy a puppy that is pure bred, or adopt one through a shelter. I would very much recommend the shelter, as there are trained staff that can tell you about the personality of each dog. These dogs need a home, and they want someone to care for them.
 
Well, I would first suggest talking to your therapist about how you feel that they're missing you. It's hard to do therapy if you're not seeing each other clearly. Or ask them for a referral to another therapist. Having a dog can be a great idea, but it does not replace being able to communicate yourself and your needs.

Now, about dogs. I have a Great Pyrenees who functions as my affectionate companion and service dog for PTSD. I really cannot overstate how helpful he has been in managing my anxiety and helping me feel more at ease in and outside of my home. Knowing that I have a 115 lb cuddlefiend in my house who really, truly cares about me is refreshing and motivates me to get out and do more than I would otherwise to take care of myself, so that he can have the best handler possible, and of him, so that we can both enjoy our time together for as long as we can. From the hours of reading and researching information, I can give you several resources to look through.

But you obviously don't need a mental illness to enjoy having a dog. The scientific literature indicates that having any companionate animal can help improve your wellbeing physically, emotionally, and psychologically. If you want some references, I'd be happy to give them to you.

If you are looking for a purebred dog to bond with, I would echo others who have said Goldren Retrievers and Labradors. In general, they're family dogs who enjoy being with people, learn quickly, and want to be part of your life. If you have or want a physically active lifestyle, then Collies are another solid option, from my experience; Border Collies are particularly adept at soaking up information from their environment, making them easy to train. If you would be just as content with a mixed breed (they tend to live longer), then a trip to your local Humane Society and SPCA would be a good idea. If you're not sure what kind of dog you want, I would recommend checking out this video series on Youtube. The videos are short and give general information about many different breeds, their characteristics, and their optimal living conditions. Your living space and lifestyle *must* match the needs of your dog if you're both to be happy together.

As far as living with a dog, the first thing to know, as others have mentioned, is that they are kind of like furry children. They require time, energy, money, and patience if you are to have a quality relationship with them, and they with you. If you have never had a dog before, I would strongly advise you to pick up the books "The Power of Positive Dog Training" by Pat Miller and "Dog Sense" by John Bradshaw. There are a lot of misconceptions about the nature of canine behavior and how to train and behave around dogs, and these books - especially the second - correct them. If books aren't your thing, then this website, Dogtime.com, is another wonderful resource for selecting, training, and caring for dogs (and cats).

 
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This is very helpful everyone. Thank you. There is so much here to start with.

I'll bring up with my therapist the idea of a dog (and also the difficulty connecting with him :). A different therapist some time ago said a dog would be great for me. In general I love dogs, and active, and am curious about the bonding that can take place between a dog and human.

I will refer to this thread often.
 
Awesome said:
Dogs are very much an "investment" type of pet. They bond with you over time. This bond strengthens through training, working, caring, and nurturing. Dogs are often used as service dogs for people with either mental or physical disabilities, I've seen them be used for the blind, as well as a veteran with PTSD. I believe it would be an excellent option for you, just be wary that they do take up time from your day for activities geared towards them, as you can infer from Kgal's post. If you put in effort and care into this animal it will be a life long companion.
If you haven't owned a dog before, I would recommend any "family" dog type of breed. Labradors are great because they are friendly, mostly gentle, trainable. These are the dogs that you'd be comfortable with around a baby.
There are a few options when getting a dog. You can buy a puppy that is pure bred, or adopt one through a shelter. I would very much recommend the shelter, as there are trained staff that can tell you about the personality of each dog. These dogs need a home, and they want someone to care for them.
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I agree. Mutts have made some of the best dog companions ever. My best friend of 35 years rescues and fosters dogs and she'd agree some of them are the best she's ever seen.
 
Radiant Shadow said:


As far as living with a dog, the first thing to know, as others have mentioned, is that they are kind of like furry children. They require time, energy, money, and patience if you are to have a quality relationship with them, and they with you. If you have never had a dog before, I would strongly advise you to pick up the books "The Power of Positive Dog Training" by Pat Miller and "Dog Sense" by John Bradshaw. There are a lot of misconceptions about the nature of canine behavior and how to train and behave around dogs, and these books - especially the second - correct them. If books aren't your thing, then this website, Dogtime.com, is another wonderful resource for selecting, training, and caring for dogs (and cats).

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This is a great Idea. Don't listen to Cesar Millan (The Dog Whisperer) and don't use pronged collars.
 
My sister has a toy poodle, and he's the friendliest dog. Look at the little pup.

Dusty.webp
 
Dawww look at duh adorable PUPPIES
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10981194_10152797781371483_1443950373556215120_n.jpg

Pitbulls wearing flowers <3
 
I don't know. I like alone time, and pets to me are a full-time investment, like a child or a tv show on Netflix. Also, they go straight from licking their butts to your hand! As a germophobe I can't have that.
 
Stillwater said:
I think a very needy dog would be hard but I'd be interested in anyone's thoughts or experience.
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I'm not too sure about other dogs, but my family's toy poodle is a furry bunch of neediness. If that's an issue, perhaps you might want to consider a cat?
 
Interesting comments everyone. Thanks.

I once watched my brother's Golden Retriever for a few days and it was a real handful. I walked him when the streets were wet in the winter once and afterwards had to rinse him off. Then I had to grab some large towels and dry him off before he entered the house. All the while getting him to sit still.

I'd say that's too much dog for me. Interesting call Heiots about the cats. I've never thought about this one until now...still a bit too early for either type of pet but fun to think and talk about.
 
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My dog comforts me and keeps me distracted from my inner thoughts hahaha xD very helpful
 
Stillwater said:
As an INFJ I often feel misunderstood by friends, my family members, and even my therapist! I'm wondering if owning a dog would be a healthy way to help with this problem.

Any thoughts? Also, is there any particular type of dog that would be best?. I think a very needy dog would be hard but I'd be interested in anyone's thoughts or experience.

Thanks.
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*cough cough*

I'd say I think dogs are kinda cool, lol
 
Stillwater said:
I'd say that's too much dog for me. Interesting call Heiots about the cats. I've never thought about this one until now...still a bit too early for either type of pet but fun to think and talk about.
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I always thought if I did want a pet, it'd be a cat because it would go about and be happy doing its own thing and not need people too much. My family has a dog now because my sister wanted one and it has seven people in the house to entertain the little guy. :)
 
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