Please advise: family freindly dog breeds and where to get one

[wailinmytale]

DH and I are relatively experienced dog owners, oldest DC is very used to dogs and other animals DC2 is only 2 but has been around dogs too.

We have not had a dog for 18 months after our last attempt at adoption of a mature Border Terrier ended in disaster - he turned out to be very violent to other dogs and bit DC1 when he (the dog) was attempting to get into another fight we did try training but the bite was the last straw.

We all would like another dog, I am insisting on a puppy (maybe 2?) and preferably a bitch, but we cannot agree on the bread. I would love a Standard wirehaired Daschund but DH thinks they are lapdogs and I cant seem to sway him.

The breed must not be big - no bigger than a Standard Daschund - preferably wire haired, must have a reputation as an excellent family pet, must not be a hunting type dog like a jack russel, must not be overly energetic like a Springer spaniel or a Collie. It should not be too strong for an 11 year old to take on short walks and should be able to put up with a toddler pulling its ears every now and then.

We will consider a cross breed but must be able to see both parents, and I think we would even consider an older dog if we could meet the previous owners and have a good idea of its past and temperament but I wont adopt from the pound again after the last fiasco (I know its a shame to be so biased but I have small children to consider and also I get very attached to my dogs and the last one broke my heart).

Any suggestions welcome please. Also where do you buy a dog from? is there a special classified section somewhere that I just don't know about? The only place I know is the Pets at Home notice board...

Would you not consider a border terrier again - perhaps from puppy?

Re: having two together - my parents are experienced dog owners and it was not easy having two the same age. Not easy at all! Charming though watching them play - the gymnastics were incredible.

Sigh. I miss them.

Ephiny, there should be no problem with an ethical, responsible rescue rehoming a former stray without history to a family providing of course that his personality/behaviour/temperament is suitable. A stray coming in to rescue will just just as thoroughly assessed as one coming from a known home and vice versa. Remember that many owners who want rid will lie to us so we are often no better off wrt knowledge of a dog which comes in as a handover than we are the one who comes from the stray pound.

Additionally, because of this prejudice against former strays, they tend to remain in rescue longer before being adopted so often, as a result, rescue has a far better handle on their traits and personality than they will the hand ins.

Some of the poor, unfairly and undeservedly much maligned Staffies I know in rescue have been there for years... there ain't nothing we don't know about those dogs now, despite the fact that they originated from the council pound.

DogsBeastFiend, I'm glad to hear that. Could you recommend a rescue centre in Cornwall to me?

Oh I agree DBF, and I have known former stray dogs who were absolutely lovely and would be fine with children, and it does seem sensible to make the decision based on assessment of the individual dog! Just have noticed that many rescues say they will not consider this, and wondered if that was what sallymonella was thinking of, rather than it being a Staffie issue (guessing there are a lot of Staffie strays/pound dogs out there :()

Kenobi - the motive for what you describe is ignorance or profit.

Simple really. All the reasons for doing it and all the bad practice, the selling to unsuitable people, the local stud dog, the "doing it because the kids wanted puppies", the breeding with a handy local dog without having any regard for the genetics of the dogs, the health of the pups, without any health checks upon both parents or checking down the bloodlines to ensure that they weren't related, the total disregard for the improvement of breed lines, the selling via the local paper... it's all there in your post.

And it's that kind of irresponsible breeding which is the cause of so many unwanted dogs dying in pounds, the cause of so many terribly ill dogs and the cause of so many dogs being abandoned, killed and abused.

Ephiny that was what I was thinking of! I think I probably got a bit mixed up as I am only looking at Staffies.

dogsbestfiend No, they checked all the bloodlines properly - both dogs were pedigreed as I said in my PP and also registered with the kennel club, my parents aren't total fools (DF is a sheep farmer and lives and breathes eugenics). They did also check the homes of the people they sold to. We saw pretty much all the puppies around at one time or another, it's a big whippet-owning part of the world and most people know each other, so they weren't off being horribly tortured. Though obviously they did make a mistake in selling two to one couple, so I guess they're not perfect.

But I certainly don't have the depth of knowledge that you have, so if you say that any breeding beyond specialists is bad and evil I guess I'll take your word for it. It's certainly food for thought anyway for when we do start looking for a dog.

wailin, I have an example of the perfect solution sleeping on his mat at my feet right now:

He is a puppy (5.5 months old), we have had him a week. I have a 4yr old and a 7yr old dd. He is a rescue pup, who looks much like a baby labrador (people out on walks to say 'oooooh, a lab pup, isn't he sweeeet') - but he is a crossbreed and will never grow as big as a labrador. He's cocker size now, unlikely to get a whole lot bigger.

Here is the best part (for you): he is probably anything up to 50% staffy - I'd say 25%, at a guess, but who knows. Your dh, if he objects to staffies for some reason, would never guess

I got him from Many Tears, so he was in foster (not too far away) and a known quantity, which is why I felt safe re-homing him with two young children at home.

Why not take a look at some rescue websites?

Kenobi Being involved in rescue myself it is heartbreaking on a daily basis to see so many dogs that need to be rehomed or that are being turned away from rescue as there are no places for them and so from that point of view my response is that no dogs should be breed until the rescue situation is under control. .

The supply of dogs is way over the demand for dogs and as they are not a commodity this must be looked at. So breeders need to think very carefully about their reasons for breeding dogs from an ethical and moral point of view as well as the personal benefits it can bring them

I can imagine seeing that kind of misery on a regular basis would make you very passionate on the subject notmeagain.

I just asked my DM about it all and she said, "of COURSE we didn't advertise in the paper, it was all word of mouth. Everyone knew both dogs." so I've rather done my parents down here.

(Actually the very first thing she said was "why on EARTH are you asking me about this?" I was too embarrassed to explain I'd just been very robustly put in my place on a thread about dogs!)

I got two dogs from the same litter & I would definitely advise against it. I live them, they are gorgeous dogs but good grief were they a nightmare together as pups!

Thank you all for your wisdom, I had no idea that 'rescue' meant so many different things...as for the 2 puppy thing; OK, no way!
Sadly (though he would be mortified to hear it) DH is prejudiced about staffs, I had mine before I met him and had kids. This is not going to be debatable with him.
The Dachsy has been a favourite of mine since I worked at a yard where they had several, they were brave, plucky BIG dogs in SMALL bodies and would happily lop along for 5 mile hacks. Again DH is prejudiced :( but I may, eventually win this one
I am reassured that cockers are perhaps not that hard to keep clean so will leave them on the list too.
Unfortunately, though I see your point westisbest, Schnauzers are not likely to pass the DH test.
I am in south Wales, any help with with who to approach next would be appreciated.

Waily he doesn't know what he's missing! I feel your love for the Dachshunds though, There is a wire haired one one up the road from me and he is gorgeous! Good luck! There is a Many Tears rescue place near Carmarthen I think, a friend used to volunteer there if that is not to far for you (I can't bear to google).

Elibean I think he would like them if they didn't look like staffies too

IME if you see a bloke with a dachshund (or any actual 'lapdog' eg chihauhau or yorkie) they are usually totally self assured types who don't give a shit what other people think. Real men don't need a rottie

I'm a bit baffled what dog would fit the size criterion and be neither a hunting dog nor a 'lapdog'.

A friend's DH, a towering 6 foot 3, has a tiny Jack Russell. The two are inseperable. His wife's babies are her GSD and her Great Dane.

Anyhow - recommendations? Many Tears Rescue.

I'd suggest the same to you, Sally, as unfortunately I don't know any Cornish rescues (just a Cornwall based GSD rescuer but unsure if she's still involved as she wasn't a young woman when I first met her, years ago). I do know some further afield in Somerset, Devon etc, but whether they'd rehome to Cornwall would depend on their pre-defined "catchment area" and their ability to secure a homecheck that far out.

Would a whippet/long dog pass your DH test or would he dismiss them as too skinny?

I feel for you too - DH will only consider a 'manly' dog (though we're miles away from getting one yet).

Needing a 'manly' dog is like needing spoilers on your car you know (and we all know what Jeremy Clarkson says that means, don't we?)

Wail, to back Elibean up, take a look at my late, much missed Staffie X on my profile. He was Collie sized with a heart bigger than any Labrador and a cowardly streak bigger than any chicken... and I miss him so much.

Grimma I am so using that line on him, thank you

Sorry, I think a Wippet would be too skinny

I think we would happily consider another Border terrier, but I would like a dog that can be let off the lead when we are in open spaces and our last could not, if he wasn't attacking other dogs he was after the squirrels/rabbits, I found it very stressful.

Its not that he wants a manly dog its more that he wants a 'raggety' dog if you know what I mean? scruffy, wire waired, raskely looking

Wailin, as you are in S Wales, I would recommend either Hope Rescue or Four Paws Animal Rescue, both are well regarded all breed rescues that work in S Wales. Hope have a good and very thorough assessment procedure and have an excellent variety of dogs. Both charities take a lot of pound dogs but ensure they are fostered before rehoming so the charity can assess behaviour, suitability with children also.

Also have you considered a small greyhound or lurcher? You could try either Greyhound Rescue Wales or Greyhound Welfare (SE Wales) - both do homechecks, both will adopt to families with children depending on homecheck, all dogs will be neutered,chipped, vaxed etc and can be taken back at any time. Smaller greyhounds are surprisingly dainty - we have a small greyhound bitch and she is very petite.

OP, I think you need to get your DH to go out and meet some real dogs of these different breeds - he seems to have some strange preconceptions. Before I met my Staffie I thought it was the one breed of dog I could never love, now my lovely Staffie rescue gets showered in kisses every day. I thought I didn't like Yorkies until I saw 3 fundraising for Many Tears outside Tesco last week - they had homes already but I would gladly have taken all 3 home with me they were so lovely. Maybe I'm just soppy but it is all about the individual dog, not the breed.

he wants a 'raggety' dog if you know what I mean? scruffy, wire waired, raskely looking

that sounds exactly like every wire-haired dachshund I've ever met.