Does anyone regret the breed they chose?

[LostFrog]

Asking for a friend

We have a 13 week old springer. Considered beagle (scared off by tales of appalling recall and difficult to train), Labrador (2 horrid barky ones next door and decided too large for us), whippet (my first choice, but had heard horrors of accident proneness and high prey drive and we also have a cat), various others I can’t remember. Chose a springer in the end largely because dh grew up with one, but also because we wanted a dog that would enjoy a good couple of long walks a day, easy to train, not too big.

I keep wondering whether we made a mistake. Don’t get me wrong, we love him, no going back, I just worry that he is quite highly strung - our dog trainer looked at his pedigree and said because there were lots of field trial champions in there on one side we may find that he has a high drive and will be challenging and will need to be kept mentally occupied - so walks without a purpose incorporating lots of sniffy games will make him anxious because he needs to know what he’s doing it for. For some reason this has really worried me that even when we are past the puppy stage we will have a difficult dog. The breeder breeds for pets, not as working dogs, kennel club assured.

Is this just normal puppy blues? Did anyone else not regret getting a dog, just felt that they had picked the wrong type of dog?

Yes me! My dog is 5 now but I often think how much easier life would be without her. I would never get rid though so I just get on with it and love her anyway

I have had german shepherds all of my life, since a tiny child. I’ve worked with them, rehabilitating a couple through German shepherd rescues and that type of thing and I’ve also had a couple from a breeder.

After DC though the focus changed from working high drive dogs to chasing toddlers and it’s meant I haven’t got the time to do the breed justice any more. They also don’t ‘fit’ with a social family life as they can be aloof with strangers and that does not really make family activities easy to take the dog along too. They tend to be really sensitive and it makes them prone to reactivity and getting stressed by little things that wouldn’t bother most dogs.
I currently have one GSD left and she’s such a sweet dog at home but slightly neurotic outside and she won’t be being replaced when she does go (hopefully in a long time!) She has no aggression whatsoever but she is hard work, I don’t think I’ll ever have another shepherd as I can’t be bothered with the drama

We got a leonberger to replace a GSD we lost as I felt like a change and they are a million times easier! We can take them anywhere, they love everyone and everything and their fave activity is sleeping. I am 100% converted to the breed after years of difficult dogs it’s so lovely to have a dog that’s just easy and uncomplicated! I think I could have 10 Leo’s and despite the size they would be less hassle than that one little shepherd, good job I love her

Yes, me. I also have a Springer from a long line of field trial champions. For the first few months I thought I had made a big mistake and even thought of rehoming. My dog is now 15 months, chilled in the house, happy with one decent walk if that’s all I can offer, cuddly, loyal, quick to learn and with decent recall. I wouldn’t change him for anything.

I recommend finding a trainer who really understands the breed. And Pet Gundog training is great if you have that near you.

What you are feeling is natural and will pass!

I think choosing a dog breed that fits you, your life and lifestyle is very difficult. I love German Shepherds too, and am about to hopefully get a puppy in a few months from a litter that is due soon. But I'm 54, and hopefully he will live until I'm 70, and at that time I imagine I'll get something like a border terrier, or a miniature poodle. GSDs are lovely dogs, a lot depends on the breeder and whether you've chosen a working line or showline, but they require constant attention and an energetic owner. Something I love right now, but maybe won't be able to manage when I'm older

I had a springer growing up and only ever wanted another one, ended up getting a working cocker instead, and loved him to bits! Springer are amazing, energetic and loveable dogs, they just need exercise and to use their brains. We took ours to gundog training, even though we weren’t going to work him-they showed us games we could do like hiding a dummy for him to retrieve, sending him to fetch in water, and regularly recalling him and sending him in different directions to keep his attention. I’m sure your pup will be a great addition, just put the groundwork in and keep him stimulated.

I havent regretted the breed of dog I have as he isnt a breed he is a bona fide proper old fashioned mongrel. Nice and calm not too much of any one thing and fit as a butchers dog. I honestly don't know why they aren't more popular.

Also want to add-at home as a puppy/youngster we used to make him sit and wait outside in the hall, hide his toy and then let him in the room to sniff it out. He loved this and it’s great working their brains.

Mine are all rescued/ come from friends of friends/ rehomed etc so I didn’t choose any of them really. But of all the breeds I have/ had had I regret two.

My springer who is 2 and a bloody nightmare as he’s too clever and energetic and can be snappy, and my Patterdale due to reactivity with other dogs, no ability to learn recall and an insanely high prey drive but she has definitely improved with age as she is now 16. I’m hoping the springer will improve as well!

He’s super clever and so so easy to train and makes you look like an amazing dog owner with his utter focus and responsiveness on a walk (rg hand signals and a whistle) but he is hard.work.!

We've got a sprocker, she's as daft as a brush and not one ounce of bother. Her bastard brother on the other hand is a working cocker and he's given me an entire head of grey hair....... if he can find fox poo, stagnant water and mud in a 10 mile radius he's in it. He's got barely any fur left on his tail from the damage he's done to it dragging through hedges.... and he has to have a bell on his colllar in pheasant season as he becomes selectively deaf and will run miles and miles in circles scenting. He's ripped his dew claws so many times I'm an expert at bandaging/cutting them and could be a veterinary nurse. I adore him, he's my absolute world but christ I'm not sure I could ever have another.

I don't have a dog at the moment but my DM used to have a springer; we lost him last month after 13 wonderful years.
He was also from a line of field champions - European champion, champion in various countries etc you get the idea.

He was very active and loved loved loved his walks, especially off lead. But he was fairly easy to train (I trained him and am no expert) - even some builders my mum had in for a couple of months when she was getting an extension built taught him some tricks! He was very active for most of his live, and also the most loveable dog I've ever come across.

Get a decent trainer with experience in gundogs; offer plenty of walks and love and you'll have a great time together.

I wouldn’t say regret - more underestimated! German Shorthaired Pointer cross. She’s… rangey 🤣

I think it is common to have these thoughts about spaniels 😂

We have a working line dog that we took from a (real) farmer who works his dogs but didn't want the runt of the litter

The dog is a total lunatic but has an amazing nature. In fact I just bought the book called 'Mission Control' which was recommended on another thread about excitable spaniels!

Yes, it was a springer 😂. He was ok but hard work. You do just get used to it tho (but he never really changed!)

Also what I would say is start little games as soon as you can

One of the key thing with working spaniels is to get you to be the centre of their world. So lots of eye contact with you. Learning impulse control. They are fantastic dogs and I'm sure yours will steal your heart as most of them do!

I have a miniature schnauzer and wouldn't get another one, she's lime jekyll and Hyde, absolute angel at home with us, sweet, quiet and brilliant with the kids but take her out and she's desperately reactive. We will never have another dog after this one.

@Woofington

I wouldn’t say regret - more underestimated! German Shorthaired Pointer cross. She’s… rangey 🤣

Ditto we have a GSP X GWP rangey is a good word for it.

Any type of terrier, unless you live on a farm miles from anywhere.

OP, I was struck by your trainer's worry that "walks without a purpose incorporating lots of sniffy games will make him anxious because he needs to know what he’s doing it for."

I find it hard to make sense of that. Surely any 'sniffy game' that is well designed to make him locate and retrieve an object is going to be rewarding for him? What would it mean for him to "know what he is doing it for"?

I just wonder if your trainer is over-complicating things.

@Nyancat

I have a miniature schnauzer and wouldn't get another one, she's lime jekyll and Hyde, absolute angel at home with us, sweet, quiet and brilliant with the kids but take her out and she's desperately reactive. We will never have another dog after this one.

Same - miniature schnauzer here too, I love him to bits but bloody hell I will never ever have another dog ever again.

I think this is fairly common with gun dogs especially from working lines. I've never really understood why lots of people are attracted to them. That said you're trainer is talking utter rot about walks!

I did wonder if my springer was the right breed after all.

He was hard work as a young 'un but hit 3 years old and suddenly steadied. He's now easy, funny and enjoyable to live with. And loves a sofa

It helps that I am childish in my enjoyment - i.e. I never mind rolling about on the floor laughing like a loon while he tries to steal a sock off my foot. He always gives it back again and will stop if I ask. But equally he is always willing to join in on any game.

He does like to be involved in anything I do, but again that was the kind of dog I was after so suits me. Whatever I am doing, he wants to be there and often trying to 'help'. e.g. digging out the pond.

When he was younger I needed to be involved on the walks - and we settled into a way that I found equally enjoyable. Including useful games such as me secretly dropping a glove then having him find it and bring it back to me.

But tbh, these days he is happy enough to sniff near me and just follow where I go - especially if I occasionally make it really fun to catch me up (high pitch voice, praise, enthusiastic encouragement etc).

At 13 weeks you probably have a clue about what he is like though, nature wise? Sounds like the trainer wasn't saying that based on what he saw in your dog but on his breed line?

Ours is a proper working dog and at 13 weeks he was already eyeing up birds/cats/things he could chase and other dogs of a similar age in his puppy class were not. I could tell by that age he was an excitable dog. Even if yours is like that, it's not the end of the world - just need to focus specifically on those things in training.

@Random789

OP, I was struck by your trainer's worry that "walks without a purpose incorporating lots of sniffy games will make him anxious because he needs to know what he’s doing it for."

I find it hard to make sense of that. Surely any 'sniffy game' that is well designed to make him locate and retrieve an object is going to be rewarding for him? What would it mean for him to "know what he is doing it for"?

I just wonder if your trainer is over-complicating things.

Yeah, I’m pretty sure actual working springers do not understand the purpose of flushing and retrieving tbh...

Springers are bouncy and exercise is your best friend!! Lots of walks and training. If you’re struggling can you get some professional help??

I’ve had a beagle, a cocker, and currently 2 mongrels; all rescues- the beagle was by far the hardest and most difficult- I wouldn’t have another to be honest. The cocker was a lot like your springer but we spent a solid 3 months with a one on one trainer and it transformed him into a different dog!! Honestly unrecognisable. Have you had him neutered.. that makes a massive massive difference aswell. The two mongrels we have currently are just a dream- both personality and behaviour wise. I think I’ll always go for mix breed in future! xo

I have a miniature dachshund and she's lovely but so unbelievably noisy and sits on me at every opportunity. It was the only breed that really stood out when I was researching though.

We got a rescue from Romania he's really chilled and out easy

Then we got a border collie as a working sheep dog and my god he's hard work. He's literally on top of your head most of the time.

Unfortunately we need him for the sheep! He's very sweet just nuts!