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Original poster

Tell me about your dog

149 replies

KenAdams · 16/04/2020 16:59

DH is likely to work from home for good after this so we could finally get a dog.

We're after something that's not too big - we have a medium sized garden and an 8 year old DD so will need to be ok with those. We live semi rural so lots of open space around.

We looked at a beagle but thought its tendency to run off might be too strong so currently thinking of a cross breed, maybe a beaglier.

DH isn't keen on cavapoos or cockapoos which I quite liked.

Ideally it won't shed too much either.

If you have a dog that might suit our lifestyle please tell me about him/her.

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ChestyNut · 18/04/2020 09:39

@MortyFide just to reassure you I was exactly the same!
Our darling boy died at 12 in the September and we were devastated, I really didn’t cope well. We got ChestyPup in the December and it was a good 6 months before I enjoyed her and could say I liked her
The puppy days were relentless and I even considered sending her back when she stripped wallpaper and plaster from kitchen wall
She’s two in September and my WORLD.

MortyFide · 18/04/2020 10:37

Really, that's a relief @Chestynut - I love all puppies and all dogs, no questions asked, I feel affection for all of them just because I'm an animal lover. But I suddenly realised I felt oddly distant from him, no matter how cute and funny he is when he's being lovely. I look dispassionately at him and think, you're still not her - it's like he belongs to someone else and he's just staying here temporarily. He's 15 weeks.

He had me up at 4am today, so I was trying to sleep a bit at 6am when I heard DH downstairs losing his temper because the dog had jumped up and pissed on the sofa. So I had a good ugly cry at how shit everything is and how much I miss my dog and wish we hadn't got another puppy, then I got a grip and got up.

I'm sure it'll improve, once we're past this point of the fairly standard backward step in toilet training.

Zaphodsotherhead · 18/04/2020 12:31

@MortyFide @ChestyNut

Ah, this is where I scored with my Patterdale. She wasn't a replacement dog - I already had her when my two older dogs left us, one after the other but two years apart. So she was already bedded in before she became an only dog.

I think it's common when you get a puppy on the loss of an old faithful dog to compare them. What can be helpful is to remember what an utter tosser the old dog was in his puppyhood.

Of course, the Patterdale has been an utter tosser since day one, but I'd got used to her. When it's just me and her in the house, she's adorable. Outside, or if we have visitors..well, I apologise a lot.

Interested in this thread?

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Dogs

ChestyNut · 18/04/2020 12:43

@MortyFide yup! I felt totally responsible for her but didn’t like her much, the relentless biting, scratching, standing in the snow waiting for a wee or poo for her to come in and do it on the carpet, zooming around
But I wouldn’t be without her now! We did lots of training classes and socialisation which really helped the bond.
At first it’s just like being a slave to a cute biteyshark

@Zaphodsotgerhead she never replaced him, even now I love her but differently to my boy. I don’t remember him being such a tosser! Guess it’s like child birth or dental extraction....you forget how bad it is

MortyFide · 18/04/2020 13:13

@Zaphodsotherhead @Chestynut I keep remembering my old girl as being the perfect puppy - she wasn't destructive, she got toilet training really quickly, she was quick to learn and walked beautifully on a lead from the start.

But actually, I recently found a huge series of posts I wrote on a once popular dog forum 12 years ago, when she was tiny, and actually she was a colossal wanker as well - she wasn't that bloody perfect!

Yes she was fine in the house with us, never any trouble, but strangers/visitors/other dogs - all bets were off, she was aggressive AF. Glad the pattertwat mold is fairly universal!

She was operated on by Noel Fitzpatrick you know, back when she ruptured a disc when she was 4. That was an expensive week I can tell you.

ChestyNut · 18/04/2020 13:18

@MortyFide our old boy developed epilepsy at 2....wasn’t insured! I can’t even begin to imagine how much he cost us over his life time! £100 a month in meds, plus 3 monthly bloods, admissions for cluster seizures. He ruptured both cruciate ligaments and had recurrent eye ulcers....I swear I could have bought a small house on what he cost me

Zaphodsotherhead · 18/04/2020 13:19

@MortyFide I lost the dog of my heart nearly four years ago now and I STILL shed the odd tear about him.

They never really leave us, do they.

MortyFide · 18/04/2020 13:22

They are a financial drain when they have long term conditions eh Chesty - ours had chronic spinal troubles after her disc op, and at the end her cocktail of painkillers was costing a fair bit every month.

No Zaphod she was my first and she'll always be my special knobhead girl. I can still feel her all the time.

Beamur · 18/04/2020 22:16

Not sure I get the love for mini schnauzers. A friend of mine has one - it's a nightmare, she loves it to bits but it's neurotic, needy, barks a lot and smells...
Another friend has border collies, a breed I'd been quite nervous of but they are by far the best dogs ever - if you get a puppy or well socialised dog. Absolute pleasure to be around, smart, loving, excellent recall. Far too many end up as rescues though, such a shame.

Zaphodsotherhead · 19/04/2020 21:18

Mostly, Beamur because border collies need a LOT of time! They are incredibly high needs dogs because of their intelligence. If you don't train them and give their brain something to do they can turn inwards and become neurotic and destructive. You really need to be with them a lot of the day ; like most working breeds if they aren't doing the job they are bred for, they can be a nightmare. I used to have one, gorgeous girl and the most willing dog I ever trained, but my god, if you didn't keep her busy...

steppemum · 19/04/2020 21:29

We have a springer spaniel, he was a rescue. Lovely lovely dog.
i think a lot of spaniels are good with families.

BUT he needs a lot of walking. A lot of the breeds mentioned on here need a lot of walking. Border collies are working dogs, and should be wlked/run for 2 hours a day. I knwo many collie pets don't get that, but they are veyr intelligent and if bored/under exercised, they will be 'naughty'

So I would think hard about how much walking you really want to do. many dogs, 45 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening, and most are fine. Springer spaniel, he needs over and hour proper running /sniffing in the morning and another 40 minutes in the evening.

My frend has a boxer. It is a breed I would never have thought of having , but it is truly the nicest dog I have ever met.

Do think about a rescue, many are just there to be rehomed, eg elderly owner etc. They aren't all abused and don't all have problems. We used to foster and all the dogs that came through our house would have made good family pets, apart from one that was too old and needed a child free house.

Dreamscomingtrue · 19/04/2020 21:37

We rescued an Olde English Bulldog, he’s clever, loving and well trained at 11 months. He doesn’t moult and is good with other dogs and children.

steppemum · 19/04/2020 21:40

and every dog is different, good and bad in every breed. Don't look for a breed, look for a personality.

if you get a puppy, look at the personality of the parents.
The lovely boxer I know, the owner bought her because the mum was a sweet natured gentle dog. The daughter is the same.

My friends have a lovely lovely black lab. they did the same, found a lab mum who was known for being sweet natured and gentle. The puppy is the same. She is now 2 and has been a dream dog.

pepperpod28 · 19/04/2020 23:15

Have to agree, parents temperament is usually a good indicator of what the pups will be like, which is why it's vital to see mum and also dad if possible if you're getting from a breeder. My boy's mum was very calm and gentle and so was he, from day one. Of course upbringing plays a huge role but getting from a good tempered mum usually starts you on a good footing.

Ken1976 · 19/04/2020 23:55

Check out Many Tears dog rescue . They're based in South Wales but have foster homes all over the country. Lots of them have been rescued from illegal breeders and can be very timid . Some are suitable for homes with children , especially the puppies and others need a home where there is another dog who can show them the way . We have a Shih Poo at the minute and she is gorgeous, very well behaved and very gentle . Before her we had a bichon Friese and he was the most loving gentle dog ever. He also was non moulting which is a bonus .

Krabapple · 20/04/2020 01:01

We have a cocker spaniel. Fantastic dog, very clever and very loving. He does have boundless energy though and needs lots of walking. He also needs lots of stimulation in the house.

AmazingAardvark · 20/04/2020 01:32

I have a cavalier King Charles spaniel (got as an adult from a rescue). Lovely little dogs but I would not recommend anyone buy one as the breed is riddled with genetic health issues - heart and neurological problems especially - which can cause huge suffering and premature death. At this point I think it’s verging on cruel to keep breeding them.
I very much doubt crossing them with another breed will eliminate the risk of those issues (and the breeder is unlikely to do expensive specialist testing to screen for them) so I’d steer clear of buying cavalier cross puppies too.

Beamur · 20/04/2020 21:13

Zaphodsotherhead
Totally agree with you. Border collies are not a breed for everyone and are very needy! I'm not sure I could actually have one myself as I'm out of the house too much. But they can be a delight, I have the pleasure of occasionally dog sitting a particularly nice one so I may be biased.

Tatiebee · 20/04/2020 21:29

I have adopted two retired racing greyhounds and they are the sweetest, gentlest dogs ever. They walk beautifully on the lead, barely shed, don't jump or lick and are extremely low maintenance. One wasn't a very successful racer but this made him easily trainable, his recall off lead is very good. My female though did well in her racing "career" and so her prey drive is very strong and she can't be let off the lead. There are thousands of these dogs in rescues all over the country just waiting for someone to go e them a chance.

hiredandsqueak · 20/04/2020 21:34

I have a rescue Lhasa Apso. The good is she is small and doesn't shed and she loves people, the bad is she barks at anything that moves, the ugly is that she is compelled to roll in anything that stinks.

Zaphodsotherhead · 21/04/2020 09:43

I think some breeds are better suited to 'first time' owners than others. Anything that's too intelligent (like border collies and a lot of working breeds) can be tricky to manage if you're not used to dog behaviour.

My first dog was a crossbreed. He trained me more than I trained him!

gracielooloo · 21/04/2020 12:50

Lab, no really don’t!

Windyatthebeach · 21/04/2020 14:41

Tatiebee when you say retired do you mean nice and calm and chilled? How long do I need to wait until dpuppy greyhound cross isn't a lunatic??

Original poster

KenAdams · 30/04/2020 14:38

Thank you all - I've been reading threads about puppies all over MN!

Current favourite is a CKCS - the only thing putting me off is potential health issues.

Re rescues it seems to be almost a blanket approach to the point that the criteria "can live with young children" doesn't even seem to exist. They all seem to only want people with children over 10, adults only in the household or for you to have another dog in the household.

I'll be a first time dog owner but DH has had dogs all his life.

Puppies are eyewateringly expensive at the moment, particularly KC registered. Some breeders are charging around £2,500 for a CKCS!

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