Dog advice please.

[HeyWayne]

The Labradoodles are going for about £700 around here...but not only out of our price range also bigger than we want.
I'd like something about knee height...(not Wayne's knees).

Great Danes can be a bit of a handful I hear. I'd have to call it Scoob though.

[di]

I've never met an unfriendly Great dane...soft as...guessing they'd cost a little more to feed than our whole family put together...and you probably would be asking for Shaggy comments.

Excited???...give you a clue,I'm meant to be helping out at school this arvo and just spotted the time

[OverWyreGrower]

The other thing I can't believe is how 'in' mixed breeds are now...I always thought of them as Lovable mutts but some of the names...the poodle ones are best...cavapoo,Jackapoo(or Jackadoodle if you're American)...which are actually quite cute looking...schnoodle...also pretty cute...but the prices...they're often more expensive than the pure breeds.

Personally, and this is just my opinion, I would go for a pure breed every time (of whatever kind you fancy).

You are more likely to know what you're getting - cross breeds (whatever the cute name) have no proven track record. No one can say which traits they will take on, or what size they'll get to, or what their coat will be like for example. There is no guarantee of temperament (v.v.v. important), even if the breeder knows both parents.

The majority of X-breed breeders aren't breeding to improve their breed - they are doing it to get some nice puppies and make money.

I would advise that you find a breed you like; contact the breed club (most have websites etc) and use them to be put in touch with a reputable breeder, who breeds to improve the breed, undertakes all the relevant health tests etc.

There is such a huge market for backyard breeders to make pots of money from selling 'designer' crosses, these days. With the advent of tests against various hereditary/genetic illnesses, and the price of vet bills, I would say that people that don't test, and then breed from carriers/affected dogs, are ignorant, and setting up potential puppy buyers for a lifetime of heartache and empty wallets.

My sister has a dog who, at 3 years old, already needs a double hip replacement. She is on medication for pain caused by arthritis and will be for the rest of her life. She was bred from parents who had not been hip-scored, and both had severe hip displaysia. It has cost my sister thousands of pounds to keep her dog from constant pain, or being euthanised because of her health.

Sorry if this offends anyone, however, I do feel very strongly about it.

[weekendwellies]

Its the age old nature v nurture thing.

Terriers hunt and whippets run.
This is what they were bred to do and they cant help it.
However, with the right training, it can be curbed, but it is always there in them.

I have had several dogs over the years and I am very glad that my first was a collie/alsation cross. She virtually trained herself, even though I put what I thought was a lot of training in with her.
My little JR cross did her very best to behave as she knew was expected of her, but there were times, mostly when she was younger, that she just plain forgot her training. Luckily no serious harm was done.

If you have never had/trained a dog before get professional help so you do it right.

[di]

...although I think the kiddies are expecting to find the new addition to the family sat wagging it's tail to welcome them home tonight!

.

I know them so well...Ash's first words when I picked him up were...'so have we got a dog yet?'...and Daisy has been a little more sensible a brought a Dog book home from the library....spookily,without speaking to me first,the only one that caught her eye in it was a Springer Spaniel

[FionaH]

Wonderful news Di! Some really good advice and suggestions on here so I wont add to it. To be honest I have only ever had x breed mongrels as a child due to lack of cash and have been really lucky with them.

Best of luck with whatever you get hon. Bless Daisy for getting a dog book out, how cute is that?

[di]

Well...we 'might' have found one.
But got that niggling feeling we're just rushing into the first one available...or as Andi puts it fate may have played a part in us coming across the right one when we needed it?

Here's where I'd appreciate any views/advice.
It's a Springer and 11 weeks old.The lady apparently bought it and then got offered a full time job so can't keep it....which obviously means the parents can't be viewed but she has the number of the breeder and all the paperwork.
She wasn't sure if it was show or working line but guesses working as the mum is a working farm dog and they hired a working stud.(and she told me that before I told her which I'd prefer)


I know as far as the breed they can be hard work and very energetic...it's what we like about them and training would be top priority...just do you think it sounds dubious or a genuine reason for sale?

[TEB]

I know as far as the breed they can be hard work and very energetic...it's what we like about them and training would be top priority...just do you think it sounds dubious or a genuine reason for sale?

My partner son has 3 springers and we have looked after a springer for a weekend (not partners son's) basically because it was a breed that I have always wanted. But after looking after one for the weekend and seeing "the sons three" then I quickly changed my mind, not an ounce of sense between them and energetic is too mild a word, in a nutshell nutty as fruitcakes. However, with training (and you may need to get professional help) it maybe a different story but I do know the one I looked after was turned down by the Police as they couldn't control it either, so it may have been a "one off" but I somehow doubt it.

Next dog for me (if I have another) will be a cocker, I have had them before and never had any problems, my current dog a schnauzer is beautiful.a good companion and a great family dog, but I have been injecting him every 12 hours for the last 2 years and its not something I want to repeat even if the likelihood is small of the next one having Diabetes.

[di]

Schnauzers are handsome dogs.Sorry yours has been poorly.A friends cat had diabetes.

I know to some it may sound odd,but we want a dog with energy and some spirit to it.I'm not into twenty minute walks.
I can't remember if I said earlier but a family I nannied for had one and other than the weekends I wasn't there to take it out it was a really fun loving dog that really took wwell to training.
It's not so much the breed I'm worrying about now,more the circumstances that this one has come up for sale.

[weekendwellies]

Springers are full of fun. Its like having a juvenile delinquent in the family. They get up to all sorts of mischief but it isn't meant to be malicious, its just how they are. Hope that hasn't put you off, they are bags of fun if you have the right temperament for them. And they have soft mouths being retriever types so they generally get on well with kiddies.

[OverWyreGrower]

It's not so much the breed I'm worrying about now,more the circumstances that this one has come up for sale.

Maybe ask for the breeders contact details and phoning them before you agree to give rehome the dog? The breeder may not know that the dog is being rehomed, and may want to take him back; or may be happy for you to rehome him.

Springers are real clowns, very energetic; however, they benefit as much from mind-training as they do from a good romp around the woods. They love finding things, and fetching things and can (eventually) be trained to find keys, or shoes etc!

[di]

They love finding things, and fetching things and can (eventually) be trained to find keys, or shoes etc!

Sounds like just what our house needs

[SueA]

As OWG says I'd maybe ask if you could have the original breeder's details to check out the parents etc. It could be a genuine reason for sale or could just be that the person can't cope with a lively dog, it would be hard to find out. If the dog is from working stock though it will need a lot of exercise & training as they need something to occupy them & don't like being left alone. A friend of mine got a springer years ago & ended up giving it to a farm as they couldn't cope with it, she worked part time & it tore the house to pieces when she wasn't home!

[di]

I still can't get in touch with the lady in question...maybe I put her off with all my questions

Where things stand in my head now.

I called our local vets to see if they had any ads,they just had Westies and Labs...neither are what I'm looking for...labs too big and Westies conjure up memories of the few snappy ones I met as a kid...apologies to anyone with a much loved Westie...I'm sure they can be lovely
I got chatting to her about breeds and what her thoughts are...she prefers proper mixed breeds but has reservations about the new trendy designer mixes.Springers she has 50:50 feelings over,some soft as brushes and other have 'that' look in their eye.
She also has noticed that where Jack Russels used to be snappy she can't remember the last snappy one she's seen.

If money were no obstacle and I was to go for a pure breed then it would be a Border Terrier...friends had them when I was little and I fell in love with them then.Although little they have a bit of substance to them.

Unfortunately it's not going to be a day of much searching on here as I woke up with a horrid head and sicky feeling and fear a migraine is on it's way.
Cheers all for your advice.I'll keep you posted.xxx

[TEB]

My neighbour has 2 border terriers and if you read in the papers that "someone" has shot his neighbour and his 2 dogs then it will be me.

When the owner isn't there you get either incessant yapping or whining, when he is there the female dog tries to escape into my garden, gets into the house and eats my dogs food if he has any left and then pisses on the carpet, the other dog (still a puppy) a male and son of the female has "went for" my dog and at least 2 labradors, they have only been here for 9 months but lately he has shown some signs of calming down so maybe it will turn out alright.

A breed that's good with kids apparently, so your kids will be happy and your neighbours will want to shoot you