Seeking Advice On Selecting A Puppy

[Monah]

I also have to say none of the dogs on the list, especially a vizsla (agree with FHRP and Bundys mum)

As far as not being concerned about high energy a high energy breed WILL be destructive, dig, chew, bark, generally be awful!! boisterous etc etc. jump on the kids, IF it does not have a lot of exercise and mental stimulation daily, rain or shine, tired or not, etc etc. and this goes triple if the dog is not going to be with the family ie. upstairs if that is where they are, when they are home. Most gundog breeds are like this, particularly vizsssssss. Oh, and ditto Spinone

Have you considered an older dog? Some breed mature early and some never do (gundogs eternal good time guys)

many older working breeds are great, mature, not bothered about being outside alone if they have comfort etc. One younger than about 4 or 5 would have more need of plenty of exercise. This is what we have found anyway, others may have different experiences.

Poodles love love people.

So do cavs...............

[Alfie02]

Hi

I would suggest a Rescue dog. These dogs have been with their carers for a reasonable amount of time and the carers will be able to tell you what the dogs pros and cons are and if they would suit your life style.

That way they are almost garenteed to fit your life style. And its not just mixes in rescue, you can get pure breds from breed specific rescues, just got to search the net a bit to find the breed rescue your after

[Greytmate]

how about a greyhound? they don't shed hair much, or smell doggy, sleep most of the time, are very gentle ( wouldn't be up for a run though )

Yes, an ex-racing greyhound would suit well. They are a breed that tends to turn non-dog lovers into dog lovers, as they have a very gentle, placid quiet type of friendliness. Company for your husband without him having to interact.

They are nowhere near as fragile as they look. They are a very clean breed that doesn't shed a lot or have the doggy smell that labs, shepherds and many other breeds tend to have. Very easy to train them not to go into bedrooms or on to furniture too.

You will have to meet some before you decide.

[Nevafollo]

I'm really not sure, a Pointer could work but they do shed and can be abit distructive when they are young but depends on the dog/pup I guess. Other than that I think one could tick all the boxes!

ETA I also think the grey hound reccomendation is a good one! They sound like they would suit your family pretty well!

Edited June 2, 2010 by sammy_ballerina

[FHRP]

partial toward Rotties and German Shepherds - both of which I readily accept that I am not sufficiently experienced to handle. Besides which, they're probably inappropriate given the age of my kids. Playing freud for a bit, maybe that's why I'm kind of partial toward the gun dogs - they look like smaller versions of the two breeds I would really like.

What gundogs have you seen?? I am not partial to the looks of either of the breeds you mentioned, but I loves my gundogs! No Gundogs even have prick ears which the GSD has....

I'd still not recommend a Vizsla for your situation. Unless the whole family is keen to interact with the dog, which it doesn't sound like your husband is and he will be home alot with the dog, I would question how happy a Vizsla would be.

Edited June 2, 2010 by FHRP

[Red Fox]

Have you checked out the main breed page here? http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/commun...ter-terrier.asp Lots of basic info there and links to breeders

By the way, I've been trying to work out what breed of dog my family had as a kid - the one I described as a small Weimaraner above. Would anyone have any ideas? This was a short dog, probably no taller than a foot, or foot and a half, tall from the ground to the top of the dog's back. She had a smooth black coat and floppy ears. She had no problems whatsoever being left with her own company and didn't bark much from memory.

Manchester Terrier? http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/commun...ter-terrier.asp or perhaps a cross breed?

[shortstep]

Shiba's are hard to train and not for the faint of heart for even experienced dog people.

Poodles would be sad if left out of all family activity in another room, in fact most of the breeds listed I think would be.

Aussies are pretty full on, and the gun dogs have already been well discussed.

I like the idea of a rescue dog that is beyond the puppy stage, as working 10 hours a day will make it difficult to raise a puppy. It might also be good to try out the rescue dog on a trial basis, to see if the dog works out as you expect and so on. It would also be a good message to teach your children, that dogs are not disposable and great thought needs to be taken prior to taking home a dog.

Maybe speak to some resecue groups, discribe your life style, family and the time and activites you intend to send with the dog and see what dogs they have that they recommend??

All the best.

Edited June 2, 2010 by shortstep

[myzchev]

I am sorry to sound negative but I don't think you have the time, to spend with any of the breeds you have mentioned, in fact I am not sure you really have the time to train a puppy at all at this point in your life. Puppies need training every day, even if just for 10 minutes. They need taking to puppy school, so they learn to socialise with other dogs and people [ this is at least an hour and a half of your Saturday or Sunday]. Then they will graduate to a dog obedience school, again that will be at least and hour and half to 2 hours of your time on the weekend or at night, depending on when the club that is nearest to you trains. Are you able to honestly say that you can spend that much time with a puppy training it until it is at least 8 - 12 months of age?

I am afraid that given your circumstances I would not be selling you one of my dogs. To put a dog in a home, where it is going to be left alone for hours and hours and then when allowed in it might be segregated from the family as it will only be allowed in the downstairs rumpus room, is terribly unfair to a dog:( Dogs by their very nature love being with their owners, that is why most people get dogs - for the company. - it is certainly one of the main reasons that I have dogs - they are my family:) and I spend as much time with them as humanly possible:) That includes going to training upto 3 nights a week.

What ever you decide on please think carefully of the consequences:) Good luck

[Starkehre]

Hi Lambo, welcome aboard.

May I say "well done" for putting in much time and thought over this very important decision, and seeking opinions of others.

The time you spend away from home each week day is not going to be a reason for not getting a dog or ruling out the majority of breeds. It is all about what you plan to do with the dog during the time you are at home.

I totally understand that owning a dog at this stage is not something you have done for a long time, this is also not a big issue.

What jumped out at me in your opening post was this... all the traits (except for shedding) you want your dog to have are all about training, and some breeding too. Sure some breeds are more likely to have these traits than others, but not necessarily. Environment plays a huge roll in the adult dog your puppy will grow into.

So, from the small picture I have been shown of your life, the things that red flag to me are that your OH is not fond of dogs and that you have kids. Before you take that the wrong way, please let me explain... kids and dogs are a beautiful thing, I have nothing against owning a dog when you have kids, but my concerns are that surely so much of your outside work time will be spent doing stuff with the kids. And then what is left of your time will no doubt be taken up with OH. What I am saying is that just because you are at home to ensure the dog is OK, won't much of your time be taken up with kids taxi, homework and all the other tasks mum's have to do.

Now if OH is not a fan of dogs, is this likely to change. Is he going to be open to joining in with training and dog outings, or is this going to be something you will be left to do on your own.

Can your family run and be happy with you spending as much time as possible per day on quality dog time. Your dog will require this time to ensure it has all the behaviours that you want it to have, ie great with kids, great with other dogs (you mentioned going to parks), not barking, remaining in certain areas of the house and so on and so forth. Of course the family can and should be included in the training of the puppy, and so to do this successfully, there will be much training of the family involved. Are the OH and kids ready to be told what to do and how to deal with puppy in all the different scenarios?

And also just wanted to mention, are you aware how naughty puppies can be? They are a lot of work, and if left to their own devices can and will become out of control.

The last thing I want to do is put you of getting a puppy, as I feel you are going to be a wonderful owner. But, please consider these things.

Well behaved dogs don't just happen, they are created by dedicated owners.

Best of luck with your breed selecting, and please note, all of the above is just my personal opinion.

Oh and regarding breeds, I choose to opt out of advising here, as IMO just about anyone can own most breeds, but it really comes down to what they are prepared to put in, how much they are willing to learn and the practices they are willing to put into place. And judging anyone's dedication, committment and assertiveness etc on a forum is impossible and unfair. Once again, just my opinion.

Edited June 2, 2010 by dyzney

[shortstep]

Just remebered this

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/dogbreeds/index.html

If you click on the link for the breed you are interested in, the will open a breed page for that breed.

The very first link on that page will lead to a page called 'What's Good about Whats Bad about them'.

This might be helpful to get you started but please ask for personal advise before proceeding with any breed.

[Dogsfevr]

I wouldnt recommend any of those breeds given how much time you aren't home & the fact one person in the house isnt doggy at all & it seems the dog is for one person only & to be honest will not work.

I think you seriously need to decide how much help the other family members will be with the little time the dog will get.

A dog spending alot of time with someone who doesnt enjoy them doesnt sound very feasable especially as they will be the primary caretaker when your at work especially if you say 10 hrs a day.

No dog will sit there & be good when allowed minimal access to humans & waiting for the one person to come home to tend to it.

Are your children doggy or have they followed the path of not being a doggy??

We sold a pup last year to a home that did plenty of visits & where wonderful people BUT when the pup got home the mother didnt want the pup to be part of the family & this also played on to there children.

For 3 days they wouldnt touch it or have anything to do with it,luckily the hubby took time off work & was there to do all the things a pup needs .(Hubby had pup from us in the past when single)

He was highly ashamed of his family & returned the pup in good condition but couldnt understand how they couldnt touch or intereact or even give it basics needs (like feeding/water bowls) .

Pup was rehomed to a wonderful home .

Dogs are part of the family & need all members for it to work if they aren't committed then you will have to step up to the plate & do 10 hrs exercise or the likes because you now the situation you are bringing a dog into

[dancinbcs]

I suggest you take the family to a dog show and have a look around. Talk to the owners of breeds you like the look of and also see if your OH takes a fancy to any of them. If he is the one that is going to be home most, having a dog he prefers would probably work out better.

Your situation is not really ideal for a puppy of any breed but you may be able to find a nice mature dog from a breeder. Many breeders run on more than one puppy from a litter, train and show them then pick the best show dog and sell the others as pets. Others keep females, show them and then breed a litter or two before desexing them and selling or placing them as pets. Most of these retired show or breeding dogs are aged from 12 months to about 5 years, and they would a better choice than a puppy if you are away for 10 hours at a time.

The DOL breed listings have a mature dogs for sale section as well as puppy listings, so have a look there as well.

[aussielover]

At the moment, I'm thinking one of these wouldn't be too bad (in no particular order of preference):

1. Staffy

2. Labrador - the only turn off with this breed seems to be the shedding - and what seems to be a predisposition for HD

3. Weimaraner - I really like the smooth look of these dogs but everything I read suggests that they will be just too clingy and may bark too much if left alone for too long.

4. Aussie shepherd - these just look cute, but I'm not sure about the shedding or their ability to stand their own company

5. Hungarian Vizslaz - again, I like the smooth coat but I'm not sure about their capacity for independent living

So there you have it, any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

Out of all the dogs you have listed I think maybe a staffy or an aussie would be most suitable. Aussies are working dogs though, so how long do you plan to exercise it for? If you take them for 2x 1hr walks, they should be fairly happy to occupy themselves- they will probably follow your husband round the house though. It is important to tell the breeder of your needs as they can choose a suitable pup for you that may be lower energy and quieter (some aussies are very high energy and excitable). Many working dogs are tied up for half the day, so should be ok (within reason) to be left alone as long as they receive adequate exercise and mental stimulation. With regard to the shedding, i found my Aussie did not shed very much, it was not noticable in the house or on clothes. A weekly (ideally daily) brush of the coat would be ok.

Labs can become very destructive if not properly stimulated (as can all dogs, but I think labs have a reputation for this). They are very people oriented and don't do well without company. Vizslas are just as, if not more, clingy than labs and are also pretty high energy. Not sure about Weims but would assume similar to the other gundogs.

staffies are very cute, lovable dogs but I am not sure how much excercise or company they need.

As other have mentioned, A greyhound sounds like a good dog for your situation though.

Good Luck with your choice!

[Lambo]

Thank you everyone for the detailed responses.

At this point, I should probably clear a few things up:

1. First things first, I am the "hubby" - it's the "missus" who isn't altogether keen on dogs. Thankfully - for me anyway - its my other half that drives the kids to all the activities. I get left home to clean the yard and the house, and to cook on weekends. So basically I'm home all weekend unless we need/want to go somewhere;

2. I'm not entirely sure if my other half really dislikes dogs or whether she just says so because she doesn't want to be left looking after it. She claims to already have three kids! I've seen her interact with dogs and quite frankly I think that she will be won over in the end;

3. My kids both love dogs - and so do I. In honesty though, most of the work will probably be done by me and my eldest;

4. The quarantining of the dog to downstairs will likely be an interim thing - exactly how long will depend on how well we can train the dog I guess. The real issue for us will be the shedding, the smell and any "accidents" as well as damage to the furniture. I suspect the latter three will all be down to training and grooming so are within our control. That leaves the shedding as the deciding biological factor - as well as any predisposition to excessive barking;

5. From the other posts I read on this site, there will be signficant adjustment phase for the puppy to get used to his/her new family and the new surroundings. I accept that. Hence, I do not intend to get a puppy until I take time off work at the end of the year - this will also ensure that the kids are on holidays and will be around for at least the first couple of months to help with the adjustment process;

6. I intend to enrol the pup for puppy preschool / obedience training classes;

7. I have been trawling through the RSPCA's website for rescue dogs - so I'm not entire against that idea, but I would still prefer a puppy since I never had one as a kid and I'd like to share the experience my my own kids now.

I accept that others may not be convinced that I have sufficient time on my hands for a dog. I respectfully beg to differ on that score. But given these views, what alternative breeds do you folks suggest (other than the poodle and the greyhound that have been suggested so far)?

PS, Pepper - the small dog I had as a kid - didn't look like either of the suggestions so far. My memory is a bit hazy since it was so long ago, but I recall that her ears were a little more floppy like, but nowhere near as long as, a basset hound's.

[Starkehre]

Lambo, I apologise that I presumed you were a woman

[pip1981]

Hi,

I have no advice on breeds I'm afraid, except, don't get a Samoyed if you want a breed that doesn't shed...lol.

Just wanted to say that I think any dog that comes to live with you, be it a puppy or an adult rescue, will be very lucky.

You're already doing more research than most, and you sound very responsible and very keen to do your absolute best. I wish you the best of luck in finding your perfect match!

[aussielover]

Yeah me too! How embarassing, Sorry!

Maybe a beagle- they are definitely "independent"

But they can be trained- they're used as custom and drug sniffing dogs after all...

and they can make great family pets when properly trained.

I love Aussies (obviously) but if you don't have the time to exercise for 2hr+ per day, then maybe not a good choice.

[Kavik]

What sort of breeds do you think your missus would like? This might help to win her over.

A dog that is able to jog with you for an hour a day is likely to be quite active and not likely to just sit around the house. Is it more important to have a quiet type dog or one that is active enough to go jogging? A heavy dog like a Staffy is not likely to be keen on an hour long run. They are active dogs, but more in spurts of intense activity than sustained activity

Also a dog that is likely to alert you to intruders is not likely to be quiet

Dogs that don't shed at all tend to have high maintenance coats like Poodles. Some of the single coated breeds (like the Greys) don't shed very much, double coated breeds shed a lot.

I'm trying to think of large breeds that would be suitable.

[Gayle.]

I have Australian Shepherds who are currently on their own for most of the day as I am working very long hours at the moment. They are great, but they have each other. Plus we have just moved to a property eminently suitable for active dogs.

They tick some of the boxes, but not all of them. They do bark, some more than others and I have one who loves the sound of her own voice at times. Plus they have a loud, ear splitting bark. One of mine is quiet until he starts playing, then he gets fired up and noisy.

They shed, but not a huge amound most of the time. However, twice a year they'll give you a snow storm and there's no escaping the fact that they are dropping coat. It gets in everything.

When we are home, we spend all of our time with our dogs. There are places in the house they can't go and they learned that quickly, they are not allowed on one of the lounge suites and they accept that. However, they are very much part of our family and we take them on outings with us, include them in our work around the place etc. Even when I drive into town to pick up my daughter, I have at least one, if not two, co-pilots cos they love to come along for the ride.

[WreckitWhippet]

SBT's live to spend their days and nights with their families. Bored and lonely SBT's can and do develop behavioural issues and it ranges from escaping, to barking, digging and destroying your yard. Raising one to become a happy well rounded adult, takes a lot of time, training and most of all interaction with the family.

If someone in the house is home, they want to be in the house and be part of whatever you are doing.