Seeking Advice On Selecting A Puppy

[Nevafollo]

Jesus christ Shortstep- that makes them sound like friggin nightmare!!! :D

If you have a look at that site most dogs one there sound like a night mare

[juice]

great article on wei's. couldn't agree more with all of it.

my wei would kill anything small and fluffy that ran out in front of him ( and then swallow it whole)

he often grabbed birds who flew too low in our garden too

[dee lee]

Jesus christ Shortstep- that makes them sound like friggin nightmare!!!

If you have a look at that site most dogs one there sound like a night mare

I dont think I will have a look then!! :D

[shortstep]

Jesus christ Shortstep- that makes them sound like friggin nightmare!!!

LOL they do lay it on a bit thick, but the do make the points they are trying to make.

I do recommend though that anyone interested in a breed should also speak to people in that breed. Lines of dogs in the same breed can be very different too.

[GoldenWei]

My wei would probably kill birds if she could catch them.... maybe when she gets a bit older she will, but they CAN get on with cats....

[Alyosha]

Jesus christ Shortstep- that makes them sound like friggin nightmare!!!

LOL they do lay it on a bit thick, but the do make the points they are trying to make.

I do recommend though that anyone interested in a breed should also speak to people in that breed. Lines of dogs in the same breed can be very different too.

Mmmm, laying it on thick is one thing, but fiction is another thing altogether! Borzoi difficult to housetrain?? I've never "housetrained" any of mine and have never had an accident. And they don't shed heavily or chase and kill small dogs etc etc...

Sorry - thread hijacking!

Hey Lambo. :D Good luck with your puppy hunting. I do agree with shortstep though, talk to as many long term breeders of the breeds that you're interested in as you can. That way you get broad opinions of the breed, not only of individual dogs within it. Good breeders will also match puppy personalities to potential homes, so that if they know you are after a family dog etc etc they will try and pick the pup that they think will best suit your circumstance.

It is important to love the look of your chosen breed, after all that is often the first thing that attracts us to them in the first place!

Edited June 2, 2010 by Alyosha

[bryan_mannix]

My two cents worth........Over the last 2.5 years we have been through a similar process to the one you are venturing on. In fact there are a number of similarities.

My wife and I had together owned a lab and rottie. They had passed on and we started a family (kids now 4 and 7). We love rotties but were struggling with replacing what was in our hearts an irreplaceable dog and we were also concerned about the breeds tendency to be protective of its own family in a house where there may be lots of young children visiting.

Some of our wishes were

* a long lived breed with few health issues

* happy to fit in with an active family yet willing for plenty of downtime

* low shedding

* little barking

* not too smelly

* could handle the heat of Brisbane

We were steered by wise heads towards a whippet (a breed I wouldn't have considered) and have been very pleasantly surprised. Our boy is now about 14 months old and his been with us since 8 weeks of age.

Plenty of positives

* doesn't bark, smell and shedding is imperceptible.

* he loves to lounge around sleeping but is also happy to spend the day at the beach or playing in the park.

* very clean breed. He doesn't seek out dead toads to roll in!

A whippet would win your wife over. My wife loves the (nearly feline) elegance of the breed. My manliness is satiated by having the most athletic dog in the off leash area. My children love seeing him at full gallop other dogs trailing in his wake.

Some things to consider. The breed has a reputation for being meek and timid. We put a lot of time into socialising and exposing him to everything (carrying him outside busy dog parks, near traffic, meeting lots of new people each week in his formative puppy time. He is now very confident but he will never be a guard dog.

Like all dogs puppy times can involve a degree of silliness. A 6 month whippet puppy mid zoomies is a sight to be seen. They can be bouncy with kids. We followed the Ian Dunbar book and made him sit in front of the kids and any new visitors to get a treat and a pat from day one. He learnt very quickly.

If your wife is not that keen on dogs. I would say crate training is a must. Our boy has spent most of his life in the house and we have never had any destructive incidents as he is either on his lead, being snuggled on the coach or snoring in his crate.

Having said all that a greyhound will have similarities but in a larger package. We have met some beautiful ex-racers and will own one some day.

[Lambo]

Thanks for the ongoing comments everyone. The response has been just fabulous.

Bryan, I agree that your wishlist sounds about the same as mine. I've googled both the grey and the whippet. Both seem like nice breeds but look a bit scrawny to me. Do they breed them a bit meater? A few of the pups looked nice and solid, but the adult dogs look starved.

As for the site shortstep hyperlinked, I think that site just about puts me off all breeds.

Based on everyone's comments so far, I have to say that the Goldie is the recommendation I'm most inclined to take up. That breed was on my initial list but got struck off because of the shedding and health issues. I think I'll have to mull it over some more though. Despite the number of recommendations favouring the poodle, I'm still reluctant to go down that route.

[indigirl]

Personally I would NOT recommend a golden puppy! They can be very destructive as puppies and while they usually mature into beautiful quiet dogs, as puppies they are a lot of work. My golden is 4 yrs old and still digs like she is possessed. I have to supervise her constantly when shes in the lawned area or she digs massive holes. She dug one last night when i turned my back for 5 mins actually, she dug into the watering system so today my yard flooded *sigh*..

My golden is also a shocking barker. She drives me mad at times. She has to wear a barking collar while im at work or the neighbours complain. Nothing ive tried has reduced her barking, she has been a barker from the day she arrived at 8 weeks of age.

Goldens do shed but if you brush their coat regularly its not really an issue. I guess a bit of dog hair on the floor doesnt worry me, it sweeps up very easily.

If you want a golden get an older rescue or retired breeding dog.

My golden has never been left alone she always has the company of other dogs, yet as a puppy the destruction was not for the faint of heart. They take around 3yrs to mature, so thats a lot of destruction time. Ive no doubt your partner would love the fluffy golden puppy .. until it started to grow and began to destroy things.

I dont find them high energy, but then i own a kelpie cross lol. I find if they have a good 30-45 min walk once a day they are happy. I also play with my dogs in the yard every night, i throw balls etc for them and they race around madly. They thrive on human interaction and are very ppl orientated dogs. A short training session every day helps wear them out mentally which helps them be calm and settled when indoors.

My dogs all sleep indoors, and are only outside during the day while im at work. They know they arent allowed on furniture etc and are quiet and well behaved inside. All my dogs were crate trained to toilet train them, and to teach them that when indoors they are to lie around quietly not jump around madly.

It takes time, consistency and a lot of patience to raise a puppy. If destructive behaviour would drive your missus mad then i suggest you steer clear of any puppies. Understand also that if there is even a small puddle of water a golden pup will be rolling around in it, can your missus cope with a dirty wet smelly dog in the house? Golden pups spend a remarkable amount of their time in a wet muddy state. They work out very quickly how to overturn water bowls and dig in the lawn to make a lovely mud puddle. They have some kind of inbuilt radar for any water or mud lol. A happy golden pup is a wet and muddy golden pup!

[Nekhbet]

whippets may look scrawny but they are quite strong, trust me an untrained whippet can drag you over easily! They are a sighthound, their body is built for speed. They do have fabulous personalities I say go meet a few you may be surprised!

[Nekhbet]

gremlins

Edited June 2, 2010 by Nekhbet

[shortstep]

Indigirl, that sounds about right for Goldens. They are lovely dogs with very sweet temperaments but they do take a long time to grow up.

Lambo, I think the web site is not for everyone as it does draw attention to problems that are frequently found in breeds, not to say all dogs in the breed will be like the discription but many will be. It is always nicer to only look on the good side, but it is the bad side (and unrealistic expectations) that lead to cute little puppies ending up in the animal shelters a few months later when things do not work out as planned.

Lets look at Goldens, I would say the web sites discription on the negative side of Goldens is better than Indigirls discription of her dog. For example they do not mention barking, they do not mention water/mud attraction and digging, both of which I have seen in the breed many times. Another possible negative might be their size.

Golden Retriever Temperament

What's Good About 'Em,

What's Bad About 'Em

By Michele Welton. Copyright © 2000-2010

The Golden Retriever's kindly expression says it all. This is one of the finest family dogs in the world: cheerful, demonstrative, trustworthy with everyone, and forgiving of any mistakes made by inexperienced owners.

Give this breed two brisk walks each day, play fetch games, and take him out for a good run once a week, and he is adaptable to almost any lifestyle.

Friendly with everyone (strangers, children, dogs, cats, smaller pets), his bark is welcoming rather than protective.

You must control his tendency to chew on objects and to mouth your hands -- provide a box filled with toys so he can carry things around in his mouth.

A Golden Retriever remains enthusiastically puppy-like for many years, so early obedience training is required to instill calmness and good manners.

Eager to please and wonderfully responsive, he is nonetheless distracted by exciting sights and sounds, so you must be both patient and persistent.

The mind and heart of a Golden is sweet and gentle, but his body is robust -- until he's taught not to pull on the leash, you'll need good biceps to walk him.

If you want a dog who...

Is large, athletic, and natural-looking

Has a pretty feathered coat

Has a cheerful, tail-wagging nature

Is steady-tempered and dependable with everyone

Is peaceful with other animals

Is eager to please and very responsive to training

A Golden Retriever may be right for you.

If you don't want to deal with...

Providing a goodly amount of exercise

Exuberant jumping, especially when young

Mouthiness -- chewing on things, carrying things around

Regular brushing and combing to avoid mats and tangles

Heavy shedding

A distinctive doggy odor

Concerns about a multitude of serious health problems

A Golden Retriever may not be right for you.

If I were considering buying or adopting a Golden Retriever

My major concerns would be:

Providing enough exercise and mental stimulation. Golden Retrievers need regular opportunities to vent their energy and do interesting things. Otherwise they will become rambunctious and bored -- which they usually express by becoming destructive.

Bounciness. Young Golden Retrievers (up to two or three years old) romp and jump with great vigor, and things can go flying, including people who are not steady on their feet. If you have small children, or if you or anyone who lives with you is elderly or infirm, consider adopting an adult Golden Retriever from a rescue group. Adults have a more settled temperament and you can specifically look for a calmer one.

Shedding and doggy odor. Golden Retrievers have a noticeable doggy odor and shed heavily. Be prepared for regular vacuuming.

Me...So that is not really a negative discription of the breed, I think it is pretty realistic. So if all this sounds like a dog your wife will love to have around and your ideal puppy to raise, then....

The next questions I would ask of breeders and owners of this breed is,

How will it handle being apart from it's family 18 hours a day?

I am guessing the dog will be left outside in the day and maybe crated at night in the fmaily room, will this dog be barking to get with the people?

Will it tear up the garden all day long when it is alone ?

Will it bark and bother the neighbors when everyone is away at work?

These dogs get pretty big fast and as pups and younger dog then are pretty reckless with their bodies, will the kids deal with a big dog that might bang into them and a big dog they cannot control with their size alone?

These sorts of questions about the reality of managing this dog in your life.

Edited June 2, 2010 by shortstep

[badboyz]

Two breeds come to mind. Firstly the Collie rough or smooth coat if you are worried about the hair, could be very suitable. Being a working dog they could easily handle the hour jogging, but they do have an off switch and are very sensitive to their families needs. A breed with beauty, intelligence and stamina if needed.

A shar pei could be worth considering, though you would have to choose carefully to get one that is just right as their is a lot of differences of type. They have the strong look of a Rottie, in a medium package. They are usually not overly destructive or clingy and are very intelligent. The hour of jogging could be a bit much, but some types are definately more athletic than others. Many say they are not for first time owners, but I have found them much easier to live with and far easier to train than any other breed I have owned (including a wei, beagles, chihuahuas).

Good on you for doing your research. Take your time, meet the breeds, talk to different breeders and I am sure you will find a fabulous new family member.

[bryan_mannix]

Thanks for the ongoing comments everyone. The response has been just fabulous.

Bryan, I agree that your wishlist sounds about the same as mine. I've googled both the grey and the whippet. Both seem like nice breeds but look a bit scrawny to me. Do they breed them a bit meater? A few of the pups looked nice and solid, but the adult dogs look starved.

Lambo I had exactly the same initial response! I think I might have used the term "Lizards with Fur". But the look certainly grows on you and I now find myself secretly thinking everyone elses dog is overweight!

Whippets are actually quite muscular and strong (I wouldn't let my 4 year old walk our boy unless I am holding the lead as well). Get to a show and have a look. Greys can be extremely strong looking.

Here are some shots of our boy just to show off.

Happy Hunting. There is a lot of pleasure to be had in this phase of the process.

PS. I really like the Viz, Wei look too along with pointers and flat coated retrievers.

[t-time]

I didn't want to suggest this earlier because I didn't think the look of the breed would appeal but after the "Spoodle" comment - what about a Tibetan Terrier?

Around 16inches at the shoulder, solid, medium-sized, non-shedding, great family dog, enough independence to occupy itself, easily toilet trained, would love a jog for an hour after the first year of puppyhood - I can't remember what your other requirements are but I remember when I read what you were wanting in a breed I thought, "A TT would be perfect......except for the coat".....

Bottom line is, if brushing is a problem then get the dog clipped 3 or 4 times per year but being an ancient purebred breed, the coat type is very predictable.

This is Tashi - a Tibetan Terrier in a pet clip - I like her feet to be longer and the hair over her eyes but you can get them clipped as short as you like.

[juice]

greys just off the track are lean, but you can feed them up

i had a friend in the uk who bred show greys, and they were much bigger and fatter, perhaps you could see if the same applie's here?

i have had a whippy too.

greys take your breath away when they run, they have all 4 feet off the ground, its something to see

my foster grey girl, being inspected by my wei

a rough collie would fit the bill too :D

Edited June 2, 2010 by juice

[Kavik]

Greys are surprisingly big and strong Many of the dog day out events have a Greyhound stall if you wanted to go have a look.

[GoldenWei]

Personally I would NOT recommend a golden puppy! They can be very destructive as puppies and while they usually mature into beautiful quiet dogs, as puppies they are a lot of work. My golden is 4 yrs old and still digs like she is possessed. I have to supervise her constantly when shes in the lawned area or she digs massive holes. She dug one last night when i turned my back for 5 mins actually, she dug into the watering system so today my yard flooded *sigh*..

My golden is also a shocking barker. She drives me mad at times. She has to wear a barking collar while im at work or the neighbours complain. Nothing ive tried has reduced her barking, she has been a barker from the day she arrived at 8 weeks of age.

Goldens do shed but if you brush their coat regularly its not really an issue. I guess a bit of dog hair on the floor doesnt worry me, it sweeps up very easily.

If you want a golden get an older rescue or retired breeding dog.

My golden has never been left alone she always has the company of other dogs, yet as a puppy the destruction was not for the faint of heart. They take around 3yrs to mature, so thats a lot of destruction time. Ive no doubt your partner would love the fluffy golden puppy .. until it started to grow and began to destroy things.

I dont find them high energy, but then i own a kelpie cross lol. I find if they have a good 30-45 min walk once a day they are happy. I also play with my dogs in the yard every night, i throw balls etc for them and they race around madly. They thrive on human interaction and are very ppl orientated dogs. A short training session every day helps wear them out mentally which helps them be calm and settled when indoors.

My dogs all sleep indoors, and are only outside during the day while im at work. They know they arent allowed on furniture etc and are quiet and well behaved inside. All my dogs were crate trained to toilet train them, and to teach them that when indoors they are to lie around quietly not jump around madly.

It takes time, consistency and a lot of patience to raise a puppy. If destructive behaviour would drive your missus mad then i suggest you steer clear of any puppies. Understand also that if there is even a small puddle of water a golden pup will be rolling around in it, can your missus cope with a dirty wet smelly dog in the house? Golden pups spend a remarkable amount of their time in a wet muddy state. They work out very quickly how to overturn water bowls and dig in the lawn to make a lovely mud puddle. They have some kind of inbuilt radar for any water or mud lol. A happy golden pup is a wet and muddy golden pup!

Oh I totally agree they can be destructive, hence the reason I said to talk to a breeder about this when buying a puppy. My 12.5 year old golden only stopped being destructive in the last year or so. BUT saying that, my 3 year old hasn't really destroyed much at all. He is a barker though, but I think he does it for attention, he'll bark at horses, or the dogs next door when they are barking, but he'll stop for a few seconds and look to see what I am doing. Since ignoring him he hasn't been so bad. Having said all that, he wasn't a perfect puppy, the first week I had him I wanted to send him back, he was quite full-on... in stark contrast to my long hair.... My Long hair is now 6 months, while she still doesn't chew, she is starting to test boundaries and this is where training comes into place! I never had the feeling of wanting to give her back though. I know that you want to experience a puppy with your kids, but given your wife is not so enthralled with the idea, she is more likely to be turned around with a mature well trained dog.

[Lambo]

Thanks for the tip about the barking issue with Goldies. That's a definite turn off I'm afraid. Not only do I find yappy dogs annoying myself, but I live in very quite street - my neighbours will probably start bricking my house or letting the dog out during the day if I bring home one of those.

The Collie recommendation is interesting. I had thought about that breed, and my eldest has said that she likes them too. I can't remember why I decided against them, but I think it came down to something I read about them being particularly destructive and noisy if left alone for too long. Is that the case?

As for the suggestion that I attend a few dog shows/events, how do I go about this? How do you find out when these events are going on?

[Bubitty]

I would NOT recommend a golden puppy either. While you can raise them to be perfect, the energy it takes, the timetable you would have to follow and the effort you have to put in will kill you along the way.

In theory my golden puppy was a picture perfect puppy. Never barked, chewed, dug, ripped anything up but the effort that had to be put into her to achieve that was an absolute killer. Her daily routine involved:

*Walk in the morning (or just time out sitting on some street corner getting her used to people and cars), recall practice

*Back home, game of tug

*Trick Training session

*Mat training, teaching her calm

*preparing about 5-6 treats/contraptions to keep her amused during the day

*Basic trick routine before giving her all her “goodies”

I go to work

*Come home, quick training session to calm her down

*another walk/sitting around street corner (to get her away from the backyard which she has been in all day)

*Mat training for calm while I make dinner

*Training session using her dinner

*I have my dinner, she goes out to play with big brother

*trick training session

*Tugs and games

*Mat training again to teach her calm

*Put her to bed

Whilst this may not look like a strenuous time table, once you factor in early morning wake ups, going to work and dealing with life in general, it becomes a very strenuous activity. I also had a very calm older dog to “babysit” when I was exhausted but I still found it a gruelling 7 months.