when to get another dog and what type

[LittleB]

Me and dh have been talking about getting another dog this summer - would rather get one in the summer as I think its easier to get puppy housetrained when the garden is less muddy and wet and it'll be fine for the puppy to play in before its had all its jabs too. we've got a dd who'll be 2 in May but is very good with dogs, and a collie cross whose almost 15. I don't know whether we should wait until we no longer have our old collie or not. The puppy will want to play with her, but she still likes to play and run around on her walks and will presumably tell it off when she's had enough, I think it'd be good for her, but she does have a couple of naughty habits, can be aggressive toward strange dogs etc, is the puppy likely to learn this behaviour from her or will my training (we'll go to training classes) override this?
Before someone tells me to get a rescue dog, I've had them in the past, my collie cross is a rescue dog, but I just wouldn't trust a rescue dog with a toddler and the local centres won't let you have a rescue dog with a pre school child anyway, so this will probably be our only puppy in our lifetime of dogs.
I'd like suggestions for breeds too or mongrels. The mongrels I've come across are generally healthier (I know others will disagree but this is personal experience) but also thinking about working breeds such as Coker spaniels, springer spaniels, collies, or crosses including things like labradors and retrievers. What are peoples experiences of these with a young family? It would also need to be an adabtable and easily trainable dog, I work as a Countryside Ranger 3 days per week, so it would come to work with me, therefore need to be happy travelling in car, and waiting in car at times and easily trainable as would need to be well behaved on farmland, also small enough for me to pick up to lift over ladder stiles or electric fences, (could manage about 25kg but Labs and retrivers pure bred are too big!) but not a small yappy dog as thats not really our type. Can anyone come up with any other suggestions, breeds we haven't thought of and feedback on what they are like? Sorry to waffle on, just want as much advice as I can get. I;m quite excited about having a puppy!

norwigian elk hound????

We're big fans of terriers in this family! grew up with a Kerry Blue, who was the loveliest dog imaginable. Mums just got a welsh terrier - full of mischief - my 3.5 dd is smitten. They are the best of friends.

What about a border collie? They learn incredibly quickly and are generally very friendly. He/she would probably get on well with your other dog. Only "problem" is that they need an incredible amount of stimulation and if you can't give it them they become depressed or neurotic. But it sounds like you would have loads of time to spend with him/her so that wouldn't be an issue.

(And the puppies are so cute and fluffy!)

Sorry I meant to add, we have one bc, Merlin, and one mongrel, Arthur. Arthur has some behaviour problems, we have managed to train him out of most of them but when we first "rescued" him he had loads.

Merlin didn't pick up a single bad habit and in fact I think part of the reason Arthur's behaviour wasn't too difficult to train away was because Merlin was so well behaved. Almost like he set an example, unless that sounds too anthropamorphic (sp??)Having said that, Merlin was "rescued" too, and we had him a year before Arthur so who knows?

Don't know what a norwegien elk hound looks like but they sound a bit big! Not sure about terriers aren't they a bit yappy? My friend had a Jack Russell and it was a bit snappy and would also attack anything living in his garden, killed slow worms, blue tit chicks etc, which has put me off terriers a bit, wouldn't really want anything smaller than a cocker. We have talked about border colies but I've just come across quite a few with behaviour problems, its good to know there are some good ones out there, they're on our short list. Its good to know that Archie didn't teach Merlin bad habits too! (We used to look after a dog called Merlin, named by my dh, he was lovely, my fil's GSD, poor thing had to be put to sleep because of cancer when he was only four though). We have thought of a name - a potential name for dd before I knew she was a dd was Jack, but as our surname is Russell we thought it wasn't a good idea, but Jack Russell for a doggy is fine, although it will confuse the vets when it isn't a Jack Russell!

Hi. We've got border collies and personally I think they are the best dog possible given the right home.

We've got six now (all competing dogs) and thankfully we have no major problems with them behaviourally or otherwise, and two of them are rescues.

When we had our first dog, she used to go to work with my DP. He was out and about in his van and used to stop off at lots of different places to exercise her. She absolutely loved doing this and they were good company for each other. From my experience of collies, they pretty much fit in with your lifestyle - so long as it's busy and includes them!

Good luck

LittleB I think the reason that some BCs get behaviour problems is that not everyone has the time to give them the attention and stimulation (physical, but also mental) they need, so they become bored and a bit neurotic.

They are so clever (imho I think a lot of them are cleverer than their owners ) and just love to learn and love to impress.

This link is helpful for looking up information on breeds Kennel Club Discover Dogs . If you could make it to Crufts this year they have a Discover Dogs area where you can meet every single breed of dog and get more information on them, speak to owners etc. The main Discover Dogs event is held at Earls Court, London but its November, so a while to wait. It is helpful, I have Dalmatians and they have been on our club stands at Discover Dogs over the years and its amazing the things that people don't know about the breed and sometimes the incorrect information they have.

I would be slightly worried that the age gap between a pup and your oldie is a bit much. Be prepared for the oldie not to want to play as much and would you be able to do separate walks for the pup? At first the pup won't need huge walks, in fact might not be good for it depending on the breed, but as it grows and needs more and longer walks could your dog keep up? If you do decide on pedigree, make contact with the Breed Society for that breed (number can be got from Kennel Club again). They should be more than willing to maybe send a member round to see you with their dogs so you can get a feel of what that particular breed is like, see what your dd is like etc. Most people want you to find out as much as you can about their beloved breed before you take the plunge. You can imagine with Dalmatian's how may people with young kids want them. Sometimes the reality of having my 2 charge round their house like maniacs, stealing food, bursting footballs makes them realise what they are actually up against! I am quite taken with Border Terriers at the moment. Don't seem quite as vocal as Jack Russells and from those I have me, lovely temperament but with a bit of a spark still. Having said that when my 2 have gone it will definately be another Dalmatian

Thanks for the advice, Discover Dogs sounds like a good idea - when is crufts? Thanks for the ideas about my older dog and walking I think my old dog will be ok as when pup is little they will have short walks together and as it gets older we'll probably walk pup twice a day and my old dog will come out on just one walk and she probably won't be around for that long. This sounds a bit negative but she is almost 15 and has gone downhill quite alot this winter so I really don't think she'll be around much longer - not wishing her away just trying to be realistic. I do like Border Terriers but dh isn't so keen, we both like Dalmations but I think they're a bit big aren't they? I've just spent all afternoon with a collegues springer spaniel who is also a lovely dog. I googled and found Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers who also sound great but cost about £800 which is more than we can afford - we're thinking max of £400 really although a little more for the perfect dog - I guess it depends what we decide on. Any more ideas anyone?

LittleB, Crufts is 8-11th March at the NEC Birmingham. Its a great day out if you are doggy . Loads to see and loads to spend your money on. Discover Dogs is obviously a smaller section than the main one in November, but really useful still.

Dalmatians can be quite big, my dog is 33kg and not an ounce of fat on him so quite a big boy. They are not the easiest to train, they get a bad name as being stupid and scatty. Not the case at all, they just need constant calm reinforcement as they are complete clowns (bit like the kids really)! I have friends that do obedience, agility, flyball and more recently Carriage Dog trials with their Dals. What can put some people off is not realising they shed little tiny white hairs all year round. Everything you own will have hair on it!! I rarely buy the kids any navy clothes as it shows so much.

What about a Hungarian Vizsla. Follow that Kennel Club link and look in Gundogs. I would say they are smaller than Dalmatians and a bitch of course would be smaller than a dog. If you can shortlist before Crufts than you could go on either Gundog Day, or Working day or whatever so not only see your chosen breed in Discover Dogs but also see loads of them in the ring and chat to their owners on the benches.

Thanks Wags, I'll see if I can persuade dh to come to crufts - I'd love to go. A friend of mines parents breed and show vizslas but I don't know much about them, I don't even know if I've ever met one - i'll look into them - see if I can meet her parents dogs!

If you're going to go to Crufts make sure you wear flat shoes! I wore heels and by the end I had to sit on the floor I was so tired.

Don't miss the dancing border collies!!

elk hound is a medium dog so not to big look a bit like gsd crossed with a wolf. very good temp very loyal to his family.

"I do like Border Terriers but dh isn't so keen, we both like Dalmations but I think they're a bit big aren't they?"

A bit big for what LittleB? I'm not being facetious - genuine question.

Handlemecarefully - 'a bit big' for me to pick up and climb over an electric fence or a ladder stile - part of my job as a ranger (and I'm only 5ft2), I can just about manage my colli x GSD who is 24kg, kennel club class Dalmations as alarge breed we're looking for something medium. Border Collies are top of our short list - I'm hunting for good breeders now.

Summer is a great time to get a puppy. I've had a winter puppy and a summer one, both springers, and the summer one was much easier (so horrible going outside all the time in the cold weather with the winter one).

I love springers, but sadly only have one now. They do need a lot of exercise though and mental stimulation. Before having ds I used to take them for 2 hour long walks a day. Now I can only manage 2 x 30-40 minutes, and it really isn't enough (dh takes him for long walks at the weekend to try and compensate). He's older now, so its not so bad, but he'd have destroyed the house if I hadn't walked him enough when he was younger.

Springers are great fun and always do silly things that make you laugh. As with most breeds you get some that are good with children, and some that aren't.

Mine loves going in the car. Not sure about trainable though. I've seen people with very well behaved springers but mine isn't, despite countless training classes, and he definately couldn't be trusted around farm animals etc.

my frind has a dalmation, who is jealous of the baby (age18 mths) and has now just started a grumbly growl in his throat at her. Before this I think he was lovely, but very daft and energetic.

I love springers too, definitely on my short list. I think we'll wait until summer, but I think I need to get searching for good breeders now to get on their waiting lists. Excercise shouldn't be a problem as it will come to work with me 3 days a week and gets lots of excercise there, long walks at the weekend, and when I'm at home alone with dd, dh will walk it before work, then me and dd will take it for a walk and to the park later in the day. Cairn Terriers do look very sweet, but heard mixed reports about terriers with toddlers so we won't get a terrier this year - maybe one day in the distant future.
Thanks for the info about dalamations, although I think alot of dogs can be like this if the dog was around before the child. My old dog grumbles at dd if she's too rough with her, and will bark if she does something she doesn't like, she'd never growl or snap though (she's never growled or snapped at anyone - she's just whingeing) so dd is very good with her. very gentle.