I think we might get a dog. Is there ANY alternative to a labrador?

[Enid]

I'd prefer something smaller

but it has to be 100% kidproof, clever and active, preferably with no hair at all or low shedding...

ok, so I can't go to bed until someone humours me....

a little 'ahhhhhhh isn't she sweet' will do....

ahh
she is!

I can't see your pic either, preggers.

countess is kidding on, humouring you

I don't understand, it's there when I click... oh i'm so rubbish at computers.

no I did see it

The first time I clicked on it I got Tech's profile
Then went in again and got what looked like a very small jack russell puppy with coloured browny big spots I think on grass sort of lying down

and a bent tail!

so ner
I did see it!

I have recently described myself as a converted none-dog-person.

I am now making myself sound like a weird-mad-dog-lady, the type that will be pushing her pooches round in a pram when I'm 98, and school kids will laugh at me

better go to bed.

woohoo! thanks cd I can sleep happily now! night night

sorry countess for doubting your integrity

(still can't see it but v tired now)

so Enid - what did the 6 year old boy do?

I have been thinking about your puppy question all night and feel I have to recommend caution.

We got a labrador puppy a year ago and I have spent a lot of time regretting it. I expected to love him and have this wonderful relationship but I found all his (natural, normal and healthy) behaviour exhausting when pregnant and just plain annoying after I gave birth.
These are the things which have continually stressed me out:

toilet training. Only took about a month to stop him pooing in the house but he still goes on the grass which means I have to check it over before I let the children out to play.

vets bills. Not counting the routine vacs and sterilising there have been several little appointments which aren't expensive enough to be covered by insurance but still cost at least £25 a time. Mainly things like him hurting his leg, cutting his face on the lead harness thing etc.

humping. We didn't get him done till he was almost a year (as recommended) and during that time he would hump everything, but especially the children's backs. It was really distressing for the children because he is quite powerful and for me because I was pregnant and it was just horrible and distasteful. And it wasn't even a sex thing - he did it as a power thing. He stopped doing it to dh fairly quickly as he recognised him as the alpha male and then me and then dd. But he did it to ds for ages and to every new person who came to the house.
And I hate seeing his red willy hanging out. Yuck. And sometimes it gets stuck out and won't go back in...

chewing. For months he ate everything he could find. It meant we could never let the children leave their toys on the floor and it felt like he was ruling everything in our life. It's the children's home, ffs! (can you tell I'm getting riled?)

walking. he pulls like mad and walking him makes me want to cry. We spent a year following a dog trainer's advice to walk him with a gentle leader harness and encourage him with food. Complete waste of time. Dh is now trying a technique from BBC3's Dog Borstal which (touch wood) seems to be working better. I gave up trying to walk him when pg and am not doing it now either as I had to grab hold of a lamppost the other day to prevent him from pulling me over.

The only reason we have persevered is that dh and the children (well, ds more than dd1) love him and I feel we made a commitment to him in buying him and I have to honour that. Also, over time I can see an improvement and round the house he is now generally very good and the chewing incidents are few and far between. I know he will get better with time and also I know I have to put more time into him and play with him more but I have 2 older children and a six week old baby and so that isn't going to happen for a while.
I would not wish to go through that first year again. Maybe in time I will learn to love him to bits and have this wonderful relationship.
But be warned - that first year with a puppy and young children is tough.

that is so brilliant

thanks cupcakes

I would hate the willy thing and the pulling and...well, everything you have said. Will definitely put it on hold for now.

thanks again!

am relieved that my rant may have spared you all my grief!

Do border collies really not shed? I wonder what those black hairs I used to find in my food from time to time at my (very clean and houseproud) MILs were then? Did she just hoover twice a day because she enjoyed it?

We have a miniature schnauzer . He is so sweet. Good with the children and dosen't moult.I would recomend these every time

Think you mean border terriers don't moult.
My mum's don't, but my 2 border collies definitely do...........

i am biased and say boxers! click on my name and see my boys! excuse the bump picture as showing each other our bumps on the due march thread!

My mum (mum of 3) always says that getting the dog nearly drove her to insanity.

Crikey, I wouldn't get one.

I can highly recommend Shorthaired German Pointers. I can highly recommend them. They are bright, active dogs, who love to run all day and then lie in front of the fire all night. Although they are quite boisterous they are very easy to train, very very affectionate and they don't have an aggressive bone in their body. They are about the same height as Labradors but half the weight and they have very neat short hair which doesn't shed much. They need a lot of excercise and you really couldn't keep them in a small flat. If you live in the country or have a large garden they will be fine. My pointer bitch is lovely with my dd (18 months), very patient and gentle.

Pointers are a working breed like Labradors.

I know border collies have been suggested but I don't think they are suitable family pets. They are highly intelligent and need to be challended and worked constantly. If not they can be destructive.

Good Luck, let us know how you get on.

and yes, Labradoodles are a cross of a labrador and a poodle and they really do NOT shed. They also are a bit brighter than Labradors.

me again. I would stay away from any kind of terrier as they are not suitable family pets. Most terriers were bred as ratters (i.e. to kill rats), they are very feisty, nippy and bark a lot.

Do look up German Pointers on the net. I would post a link but I don't know how to.

I'm sure they are placid terriers around and very smart labradors (Labradors make great pets and very good gundogs but Enid said she didn't want a Labrador otherwise I would have suggested one.) but generally that's not what their breeds are known for. I am just going by their general breed profile, hence the generalised statement.

Poodles are actually one of the smartest breeds especially the standard breed and labradors are NOT known for their intelligence they were bred for trainability.