Thinking of getting my ds a dog not pedigree but a cross breed where do I start

[crazedupmom]

Hi
I would like to get my ds a dog I would prefer a puppy but I suppose a very young dog would be okay.
I can,t really afford a pedigree so I guess it will probably be a mongrel, and I have been told by family that mongrels are better and more loyal, I don,t know how much truth there is in that maybe somebody on here can second that.
I haven,t got much idea on where to start looking and was wondering if its best to get a dog from the puppy stage or whether a young dog would work just as well.
I obviously need a dog that is good with children my ds is 7 and I was wondering what would be the best sort of cross breed for him.
I also have a 6 month old cat would they get on okay.
Sorry all very silly questions but I really don,t have much idea at all, I just know that a dog would be good for my ds.

I'd get a xbreed with something like Golden Retreiver, Labrador, Spaniel in it - look in the local paper for unwanted pups or a local rescue

The problem with rescues are you don't know their whole history and they may have issues that spring "out of nowhere"

I don't think a heinz is any more or less loyal than a pedigree - it's probably something circulated to make heinz mutts more desirable!

worth asking at your local vets if they know of any crossbreed pups around.

Mongrels are probably less prone to health problems that plague some breeds.

The Blue Cross.
Their website has photos of the dogs available for rehoming.

Message withdrawn

I'd get in touch with your local rescue centres as people have suggested, they sometimes have puppies, or they may have young dogs that could be suitable. Also as someone else said try your vets as they will know of litters in the area. I'd try those before you try local ads. I don't think cross breeds are more loyal, but they do tend to have less health problems and are cheaper to insure.
As others suggested with a family I'd be inclined to go for one of the gundog breed crosseslike retrievers, labs, spaniels, or setters etc too, but think about how much excercise you can give it as that may influence your decision.
Most puppies should be fine with cats as they will be brought up together, but you'll probably find the pup will chase the cat at first, my DH used to have a springerXcollie and GSD which used to curl up and sleep in a basket with their cat! They had the cat first, the springerX from a pup and the GSD was a rescue. Rescue centres should be able to tell you if a young dog is cat friendly or not.
Good luck with finding a dog.

Dogs Trust and Blue Cross assess the dogs' temperaments to see who they're suitable to be rehomed with.

We've got a rescue Patterdale and she's fantastic, she adores kids, but isn't OTT with them.

www.bluecross.org.uk/web/site/CustomPages/AnimalsForAdoption.asp

www.dogstrust.org.uk/rehoming/

I wouldn't advise getting a terrier, unless you've owned one in the past and know what they're like

your lifestyle is the main concern when deciding whether to get a dog, choosing the dog comes next.

is your house suitable for a dog? i.e. is the garden secure?

will there be somebody at home for most of the day? dogs can't really be left alone for more than 4 hours. In the case of a puppy, they really need to be supervised all the time.

will the dog be taken for walks every day? most dogs need about an hours walk a day.

you said you can't afford a pedigree, will you be able to afford neutering, vaccinations etc. if the rescue hasn't done this already?

as for choosing a breed.....

any breed will be good with kids/other animals if they are trained and socialized properly with them.

if you get a puppy you'll need to get him out and about mixing with other dogs to prevent him having issues with them when he is older. puppy training classes are a good way of doing this or getting him to mix with friends/family/neighbours dogs etc.

some breeds that are renowned for their reliability around kids are staffies and greyhounds as they have such gentle temperaments. however staffies are very playful and strong so may accidentally knock a small child over.

but really, any breed/type of dog will be fine with kids, it all depends on the individual dog's temperament. If you go to a good rescue, they should be able to match you to a nice friendly reliable dog.

Good luck!

go to a rescue home. most dont have issues, as some1 on here has said.

many r there because the "animal loving" person abandoned them. the owner may have died. there r loads of reasons why the dog is there.

try the dogs trust or battersea dogs home. they have 3 homes in london, windsor and brands hatch in kent.

we got our bella from rescue and i`d recommend it 2 any1