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The doghouse

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Original poster

Anyone else have a dog that’s rubbish at doing what they were bred for?

50 replies

AintNobodyHereButUsChickens · 29/03/2018 15:27

I have a Border Terrier, and she is utterly rubbish at Terrier-ing :o I took her to some woods today that we’d never been to before and there were Squirrels everywhere you looked, there were loads and my daft dog only spotted ONE, during our whole 90 minute walk, and she trotted towards it with a definite air of half arsed curiosity before deciding that the smells were far more interesting than the small, furry, bushy tailed thing that was bounding around :o

She doesn’t bother with the Wood Pigeons that seem to have taken up permanent residence on our lawn either. Yet when we adopted her, the rescue told us she was Definitely Not cat/small furry friendly Confused But she’s Squirrel friendly it seems? At least we’ll be okay should we ever decide to get one as a pet :o

Anyone else have a dog that’s rubbish at doing what they were bred to do?

OP posts:
fourpawswhite · 29/03/2018 15:33

Grinyup. I have parson terriers and one is a total princess. She absolutely hates mud, dirt, rain, anything at all farm like. The others are sometimes disgusting, filthy well terriers.

She has been known to come and shake her paw at me if it is mucky....she likes the cat. She hates anything different or changed. So if you put something on floor she avoids it and she hides behind me until she has established it is safe.

She is meant to hunt and dig holes. She hates loud noises and when the shoot is out she is positively terrified.

Give her a duvet and a lit fire any day of the week. The others however, yeah they are proper terriers.

MinisWin · 29/03/2018 15:35

You must have our border’s long lost sister, he’s exactly the same.

Luckingfovely · 29/03/2018 15:36

I have a gun-shy gundog. He's also balloon-shy; cough-shy; door-knock-shy;cat-shy; and fart-shy.

sumsumsum · 29/03/2018 15:43

Our BT can't catch anything. Or find treats on the carpet in front of him. I wonder actually if he has poor eyesight, poor thing.

RandomMess · 29/03/2018 15:44

@fourpawswhite you are describing our parsons to a T walks are entirely optional depending on weather.

Hunts to find people to cuddle up to and digs in the blankets/duvet when necessary!

Juststopit · 29/03/2018 15:45

Lurchers who love the house rabbits and enjoy snoozing more than anything. And one hates the dark. Love them to bits 😊

CMOTDibbler · 29/03/2018 15:46

I have two lurchers. One was most definitely bred for hare coursing as he was handed in to the rescue at 6 months as he was rubbish at it. So rubbish that he gets chased by chickens, was once backed into a corner by a chihuahua puppy, and spends much of his life metaphorically clutching his skirts round his ankles and shrieking at the goings on in the house.

MissMarplesKnitting · 29/03/2018 15:48

Labrador. Bred as gun dog and got as such.

Scared of guns and loud noises Hmm and hides in airing cupboard at these, quaking.

Luckily, she's a lovely pet....

fourpawswhite · 29/03/2018 15:50

Ahh @RandomMess do you just have one? I love parsons. I merger had dogs until I got married and now we have eh four. Blushwe have become super friends with the breeder who breeds show line and I have rehomed two from her and then have my original two. They are like actual people. Such kind little dogs.

fourpawswhite · 29/03/2018 15:51

Never not mergerHmm

RandomMess · 29/03/2018 15:58

@fourpawswhite yes she is a rescue, she is so sweet I cannot understand how her original owners could have neglected and abused her. Not also so tolerant of other dogs as she gets frightened.

Bags of character and so gentle, still puppy like at 5!

tabulahrasa · 29/03/2018 15:58

Rottweiler... he’s scared of cows...

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 29/03/2018 16:04

Not bred for it as such but Labradors are definitely known for their love of water. Except my girl. Nope. Not a hose down in thirty degree heat, not a splash in the sea not even a toe, and above all definitely definitely not a walk in the rain. If I even attempt it she’ll look at me as if to say ‘are you insane?’ and refuse to budge. Made up for it with our boy Labrador though who regularly attempts to swim to France before relenting and turning around Smile

StewPots · 29/03/2018 16:07

I had a Staff who was scared of loads of stuff, usually inanimate objects or sinister item like letterboxes ConfusedHmm
He was also scared of cats, the wind if it was howling out (especially through aforementioned letterbox) and the dark.

Also not keen on baths. I miss him so much. Funny little soul he wasSmile

Slomi · 29/03/2018 16:12

My lab is also terrified of water. Can't retrieve to save his life. Won't go outside if it's raining. He's 13 so no changing him now haha.
My little terrier cross doesn't bark, she howls like a wolf. She louder than most dogs twice her size when she gets going Grin

missbattenburg · 29/03/2018 16:15

Springer, bred with a soft mouth to gently bring back a dead pheasant (after flushing it out for the shoot). IRL he shakes any toy that resembles a pheasant like a terrier trying to break its neck.

It'd make a pretty ugly sight on the dinner plate once he's finished with it.

TheFaerieQueene · 29/03/2018 16:16

I have a water hating Labrador as well. She got ‘stuck’ in a river and ‘couldn’t’ get out. Her lovely half brother jumped back in to push her from behind to get her out!

caseymoo · 29/03/2018 16:24

I have a jack Russel cross who is such a daft thing. Regularly beaten up by my cat and also my mums cats. Scared to death of them and won't look them in the eye.
Loves the rabbits and guinea pigs.
Scared of the dark.
Doesn't like the rain.
Would rather cuddle in bed all day

fleshmarketclose · 29/03/2018 16:34

Eric is a shih tzu poodle cross who seems to have missed the bit about him being a bit of a lap dog although he's not opposed to being curled up on your knee. But only when he has walked miles in all terrains and all weathers and is filthy and wet. He also looks like a delicate flower of a dog (so much so people comment on the poor baby when he's filthy and wet) but is strong and hardy and full of adventure.

HonkyWonkWoman · 29/03/2018 16:35

I have a Lab cross Princess.
She actually thinks she's not a dog but something definitely above a human.
She can give such good withering looks and eye rolls if she doesn't approve of something,
usually another dog, behaving like a dog.
I've loved the posts about all your dogs and have laughed out loud and got tears in my eyes at some. Love, love them all..........

RandomMess · 29/03/2018 16:41

Anything poodle cross will be a bit of an energetic nutter!!! My dog is always telling the poodle crosses around us for being to lively and bouncy in her presence...

Wellfuckmeinbothears · 29/03/2018 16:44

Husky, literally have to drag him out for walks! He’d happily spend the day snoozing at my feet. Has to be touching me at all times.

Peopleplease · 29/03/2018 17:07

I have a golden retriever who will not retrieve!! He prefers catch and tug. I’ve lost a lot of tennis balls before I gave up!!

He ONCE did a perfect fetch though. I threw a frisbee, he flew after it, got it and brought it back. I was so proud and thought we’d cracked it. I threw it again, he watched it sail over his head - and he went in the opposite direction!

MiaowTheCat · 29/03/2018 17:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

theothersideoftheworld · 29/03/2018 17:11

I have a cocker and they are meant to be good at sniffing things out etc. However unless I throw his ball directly at his face he can never find it. Which results in me wading through long grass and weeds to hunt the thing down.