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Original poster

what puppy?

66 replies

madusa · 06/10/2009 14:41

I am toying with the idea of getting a puppy next spring/summer.

We had a newfoundland who died from a heart problem (we think) aged 9. He was lovely but boy did he make a lot of mess!

My DH would like a leonberger as our next dog (i can't have another slobbering dog) but I think that I would prefer a smaller dog that the children could eventually walk (they are currently 10, 8 and 5)

I don't like small dogs but there must be a mid sized dog that would be a good family pet.

I am looking for something that would be happy with 2 shortish (30 - 60 minutes) walks a day and is good around children and cats. We have a big garden so the puppy/dog would be able to play and run outside of the 2 walks.

Border collies would be ideal if they didn't need the amount of excersise that they need. I can't do 10 mile walks everyday!

Any suggestions?

OP posts:
hercules1 · 11/10/2009 11:14

Estrelas are great but very hard to get hold of.

LittleRedCar · 11/10/2009 11:17
DailyMailNameChanger · 11/10/2009 11:20

I am not sure even a horse furminator would cope with n Estrela

Their coat is rather like that of a Newfoundland isn't it?

moosemama · 11/10/2009 11:24

Look here there are 5 breeders listed on champ dogs.

Breed club is here but the website is closing on 7 November to make room for a new one. Should be useful for contact numbers though.

Goldies are also lovely, although they can vary a lot in terms of coat colour and build etc depending on the line so you need to be sure of what you want.

Compare this to this and this to this or this

You are doing the right thing planning in advance, I waiting a year for my Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier to make sure we got a breeder we felt happy with.

moosemama · 11/10/2009 11:27

Obviously the wait for an Estrela will be longer than for a Goldie though, but as I said, I think its best to wait for the right dog/breeder.

How did you cope with the Newfie's coat? I should think there would be about the same amount of coat care involved with an Estrela.

Original poster
madusa · 11/10/2009 12:35

the newfie's coat wasn't so much a problem but the slobber was. I will not get another slobbering dog no matter how cute and adoring they are.

OP posts:
DailyMailNameChanger · 11/10/2009 13:05

Yeah - I have thought of inventing a kind of absorbant bib thing for them, my friend has two and they are disgusting (but adorable)!

moosemama · 11/10/2009 13:06

Am with you there, we used to have a boxer/gsd cross. Dog slobber gets everywhere, is most unpleasant and for some reason has the sticking power of superglue. Yuk!

Not sure if Estrelas slobber to be honest. The ones we met weren't slobbering and that was in a big hot discover dogs hall.

moosemama · 11/10/2009 13:07

You can already buy doggy dribble bibs. here

DailyMailNameChanger · 11/10/2009 13:10

I was thinking more along the lines of a surgical mask hung below the mouth to catch the slober directly - those bibs look like there is a lot of room for escaping

moosemama · 11/10/2009 13:49

Hmm, I reckon the only thing that would contain it would be something based on this idea.

Or maybe this?

Definitely a gap in the market though.

DailyMailNameChanger · 11/10/2009 14:10

IU was thinking more along the lines of this filled with absorbant wadding of some sort perhaps?

moosemama · 11/10/2009 15:00

Might work, but no protection from the dreaded head shaking, drool flicking manouvre.

Still think a more all-encompassing design might be the only solution. Something like this perhaps?

Original poster
madusa · 11/10/2009 15:51

lol

great ideas

shall we design and patent something?

Burnese mountain dogs are also very cute and non slobbering but don't live quite as long as the Estrela

Would any of you chance a puppy of unknown/mixed breed from a rescue centre if you have young children and other pets?

OP posts:
moosemama · 11/10/2009 15:56

Burnese are beautiful dogs, lovely temperaments too.

I have a mixed breed rescue, a lurcher and a pedigree as well as 3 dcs aged from 8 months to 7 years, so cover nearly all the bases.

A lot of rescues won't rehome to people with very young children though.

Definitely think we should patent something - maybe we could take it on Dragons' Den.

DailyMailNameChanger · 11/10/2009 15:56

yes to a rescue pup, it should be no real difference to a pup from anywhere else!

I think we do need to get a patent together.. I am sure we can do better than those bibs! Moosemama, I can't get your last link working!

moosemama · 11/10/2009 16:00

Oh that's strange, its working for me.

Try this

DailyMailNameChanger · 11/10/2009 16:10

That's better!

The only problem with that one is it could start to fill up if not emptied regularly!

moosemama · 11/10/2009 16:18

Eurgh - What a mental picture!

Drainage holes and an interior windscreen wiper required then. lol

LittleRedCar · 11/10/2009 17:27

I'd go one further than chancing a mixed breed pup from a rescue - I would get an adult dog of known character from a rescue.

Pups of any background can turn out with problems. With an adult dog, from a reputable rescue, you know exactly what you are getting.

I have one myself, and she is as 100% with my dc and my cats as any dog could ever be.

Best of luck whatever.

p.s. DMNC - have you nothing better to do?

DailyMailNameChanger · 11/10/2009 17:42

LRC, you mean my new invention? I reckon it could make me some serious money - imagine how happy vets would be if their larger guests came in complete with spit gaurd! Never mind how much cleaner the homes of sloberdogs would be - of course the dogs may not be so happy but I am thinking that, if I come up with a pink fluffy one, the owners will over-ride the dogs on this one

LittleRedCar · 11/10/2009 18:27

The pink fluffy ones would be for pugs, yes?

LittleRedCar · 11/10/2009 18:30

I have a pup who drools incessantly due to stress when travelling.

I am considering a solution like this one:

here

Piffle · 11/10/2009 18:33

I have a ridgeback girl, 9 mths old. Had her from 9 wks she is from an excellent kc accredited breeder and we did research a lot
I have 3 kids 15,6 and 2. She is a dream with them, so clever and easy to train. Yes she is solid but the kids all walk her with a headcollar.
I'd never have another breed I adore ridgebacks so much.

DailyMailNameChanger · 11/10/2009 18:35

Lol - I have a pup like that too but I think yours wins if it can produce that much!

No, pink is for those ladies who like to pop on pink collars and use diamante encrusted leads... I was thinking I could make some kind of matching rainhood too? Or perhaps extend it round.... so it would be something like this but extending under the mouth too - and in pink of course!