Hi ! I'm planning on buying a small house in Skyrim. I also plan to adopt a pet dog as company for my character , I read that there are pet dogs in Markath (?) Anyway, do I need to worry about feeding the pet dog while my character is away on long quests? Do dogs feed in this game, do I need to store food for it? Will the dog wander and leave (like followers who disappear) ? Any one who had an experience with pet dogs in Skyrim? Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

There is no care taking with pets, though can rp a bit by leaving a piece of meat in a bowl or plate. The dog in Markarth is at the stables; you just need to buy, or should say rent it seems, that animal. From some experience, dogs tend to be like followers where they get "distracted" easily enough, especially if your PC tends to sprint a lot (most times a quick fast travel tends to cure that issue).

The Stray Dog has AI problems, and will often disappear. The Stray is a good test of tolerance for the Barking.

Meeko, Vigilance, and if You have Dawngaurd the Huskies make good Pets. I have never tried the Deathounds on the Vampire Side.

What does it mean, "Dogs tend to be like followers" ? Will it not stay at home? Will it follow my character around in dangerous quests? That's not what I wanted...

In vanilla Skyrim, dogs are not essential or protected, so they die very easily (with the exception of one temporary dog follower). If you are on pc, you might want to set them as essential or get a mod, especially if you live in a Hearthfire home, because of attacks.

I found that the dog always blew my cover when trying to sneak. He also barked at innopportune moments.

Can you bring one of these dogs to your home in Hearthfire and keep them permanently there without them being classified as a follower?

I do not know, My character with children and Pets lives in Hjerim. Meeko just gets recruited and told to wait again

LOL no this game is not that deep.

If you get a dog - buythe one in Markarth, ask a stray dog to follow you, or take car of Meeko (he's in a cabin west of Morthal), they will follow you until you tell them to wait. The Stray Dog has a tendency to disappear when told to wIt. And I think both Meeko Nd Vigilance will return to their original locations after three days of waiting, just like human followers.
Mods can fix this. Also, if you bring a dog home and IF your kid ask to adopt it, it should stay in your house.