Seeking Advice On Selecting A Puppy

[Gayle.]

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.

Are they better if they have another dog for company? My dogs might be very destructive if they were lonely, but being that there's two of them plus our old Lhasa, they don't really destroy anything aside from a toy here and there.

[Baby Dragon]

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.

That's very true. I have a Lab x Poodle (from rescue) and he doesn't shed very much and requires regular brushing and grooming.

I also have a Lab and while she sheds, I find it a lot easier to care for her. I just have to vacuum. There's no constant brushing, de-knotting and grooming involved. She's also a lot quicker to bath.

So it depends on what you prefer in the way of coat maintanance. It's possible to have the best of both worlds and pay for regular grooming of a dog with a non or low shedding coat, but it can get expensive if you don't do it yourself, and you would still need to brush the dog in between.

[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.

Are they better if they have another dog for company? My dogs might be very destructive if they were lonely, but being that there's two of them plus our old Lhasa, they don't really destroy anything aside from a toy here and there.

No not really, two bored or lonely SBT's is twice the damage and two times the noise and ten times the work to train them.

[Crazy Daisy]

I agree that going along to a dog show is a great way to see lots of different breeds. Also have you thought of maybe being a foster parent for a rescue organisation first to see if your wife and kids would like to have a dog in the house?

I haven't had experience with the breeds you've mentioned so can't help there. I would say a golden retriever's personality would suit you to a tea but they shed, a lot!!

[GoldenWei]

I agree that going along to a dog show is a great way to see lots of different breeds. Also have you thought of maybe being a foster parent for a rescue organisation first to see if your wife and kids would like to have a dog in the house?

I haven't had experience with the breeds you've mentioned so can't help there. I would say a golden retriever's personality would suit you to a tea but they shed, a lot!!

I actually agree with a golden, if you can get over the shedding. They can be destructive as well, so if you went the puppy road, talk to your breeders to find the best match. My first golden was an only child for 3 years, and while I wasn't gone 10 hours a day, I was at uni and some days I'd be gone atleast 6 hrs. She was also an outside dog mostly initially, as my parents wouldn't let her inside very regularly... she coped ok with it. She could be destructive though. My latest golden isn't very destructive at all, he never has been.

[Lambo]

To date my other half has only shown interest in two types of dogs - the Weimarener and the spoodle. So something like either of these would probably win her over. This is why I was leaning towards the Weim. The Weim is also attractive because I assume that its unlikely to be leaving hair everywhere.

The lab would be next on my list - but the shedding is a drawback.

In relation to exercise needs, I was kind of hoping that a daily run or walk would be enough to satisfy any of the breeds I have listed. I'm guessing from the reactions so far that this is not going to be the case.

[Danois]

...

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;

Just pulled this out of your post.

Quarantining the dog downstairs until it is trained is likely to hinder the training process. Toilet training a puppy is all about constant vigilance - if the puppy is not penned nearby (i.e. within eye sight and ear shot) then many people use an approach of keeping them on lead at their side.

PS there is no such breed as a spoodle - it is a crossbreed i.e spaniel cross poodle.

Edited June 2, 2010 by Danois

[jacqui835]

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.

The small dog you had as a pup, it wasn't an italian greyhound was it? They don't bark much, and they're very cute, but not really a family dog as they're a bit delicate and probably more one person dogs.

I also do not like poodles, my OH is a poodle lover, but no matter how many I meet (including the one owned by his family), they just don't do it for me.

I know a few people who I think are in a fairly similar situation to you, and they have staffies. If you find the right breeder, and really commit to putting in the time and effort - it seems easy before you have the puppy but you really have to know you can continue to do it every day for the rest of the dogs life, I would probably say a staffy.

Puppies are cute, but they are very very hard work. It is hard to win over someone who is not terribly keen on dogs when said dog is eating parts of the house and peeing everywhere. It is also hard to train a puppy if everyone is not consistent, and this can be hard with kids, especially if the parents are not entirely dog savvy themselves and/or unable to supervise 100% of the time. I'm not saying it would be impossible, but, I think the only reason I was able to deal with my dog as a puppy and raise him into such a nice boy was because I was a uni student, and had so much time for him. I would not take on another puppy unless I had that kind of time. Rescue dogs are wonderful things for the family to experience too...

[dee lee]

Welcome Lambo!

I can relate to your situation, my husband isn't a dog person, atm we are both working a lot (with my OH being home in the day with our dog more than me), we have kids and I jog regularly.

I adopted an adult Golden retriever late last year and she has been an amazing and wonderful addition to our family.

She ticks all your boxes except for the puppy bit and *sigh* the shedding... She sheds an insane amount of fur. BUT she is absolutely worth it. We all love her, though she is very much my dog.

I'm not necessarily suggesting you get a goldie, I just wanted to let you know that we survive just fine in similar circumstances to you.

While I am at work I am thankful that my OH is here with Honey. Even if he doesn't interact much with her (by my standards), they are often in the same room. Quite often even when I am at home she is just lazing about. It is company for her and she seems pretty happy to have it.

She is happy with a daily run/walk, though we had to build her fitness from scratch.

Previously we had a staffy x and I wouldn't recommend a stafford considering your wife not being keen on dogs.

They are a whole lotta dog! Also they do tend to be destructive- those strong jaws like to CHEW!- and thats not going to help your cause (trust me, I have been there!).

[corvus]

That sounds like about the same amount of time we are away from home and we keep our two moderately active dogs happy.

Your dogs are never alone Corvus. They have each other.

Ah... Good point. :D They don't do much during the day, though. I work from home most days, now, and they sleep around my feet for hours and hours. But it's probably a fair point that if they have each other to snooze on they are possibly more content than if they didn't have anyone to snooze on.

I'm starting to wonder if any breed is really "suited" to being left alone for most of the day. I mean, Kivi coped for a while, but he's obviously happier to have someone around with him. Even Basenjis, which are pretty independent as dogs go, are suggested to be kept with other dogs. Maybe a livestock guardian, but they are hardly suited to being a companion animal. We kinda bred soical dependency into dogs thousands of years ago.

I also have a sneaking suspicion that it's really hard to meet the exercise requirements of a high energy breed. I feel like I go for breeds that are believed to have moderate to low exercise requirements and they still need around an hour a day of free running/mental stimulation. So I dunno, if I were the OP I think I'd look for a moderately energetic breed and could reasonably expect it to be able to do a 10 k run a couple of times a week provided it had finished growing and been built up to that distance? Is that wildly wrong? Or go for one of the bigger breeds that are on the mellow side but could take that much exercise if you offered it, like a Golden.

I'm a bit confused on shedding as well. I guess I have a warped view of the world with a long-coated northern breed and a short-coated northern breed, but I still reckon the long, thick coat leaves less hair lying around than the short double coat. Provided you brush regularly... outside... with a bin at hand. I don't know about single-coated breeds. The only ones I've known have been year-round shedders.

What about a Lagotto? Weims are nice, but I get intimidated about keeping a gundog happy exercise-wise. We go to the dog park on a cold, damp morning really early on a weekend when they are forecasting rain and it's full of GSPs, Viszlas and Border Collies. You can tell the folks that are desperately trying to get the dogs exercised before the weather turns bad. Our dogs can cope with a couple of days of no exercise if the weather is miserable.

[Greytmate]

To date my other half has only shown interest in two types of dogs - the Weimarener and the spoodle. So something like either of these would probably win her over. This is why I was leaning towards the Weim. The Weim is also attractive because I assume that its unlikely to be leaving hair everywhere.

The lab would be next on my list - but the shedding is a drawback.

In relation to exercise needs, I was kind of hoping that a daily run or walk would be enough to satisfy any of the breeds I have listed. I'm guessing from the reactions so far that this is not going to be the case.

Most greyhounds are satisfied with a walk 20 minute walk every day or two. They don't have the endurance for too much exercise.

My greyhound Woody looks a little bit like a weim.

[Kavik]

Lagotto might tick the boxes with the missus. Curly non shedding coat, more solid than a Poodle, nice size. I have only known one in person, he was a lovely dog, responsive, not noisy. Not sure how active they normally are (met one at work, not a normal situation).

Honestly, running with a dog is not the best way to keep them happy. They are more likely to be happy with a romp, some training, some tricks, maybe some fetch, stuff that is more interactive and uses their brain, running on its own is boring

[Nevafollo]

Lagotto might tick the boxes with the missus. Curly non shedding coat, more solid than a Poodle, nice size. I have only known one in person, he was a lovely dog, responsive, not noisy. Not sure how active they normally are (met one at work, not a normal situation).

Honestly, running with a dog is not the best way to keep them happy. They are more likely to be happy with a romp, some training, some tricks, maybe some fetch, stuff that is more interactive and uses their brain, running on its own is boring

Yeah I was going to say Lagotto earlier.

And I will say again incase you missed it earlier :D if the wei's interest you and your other half you may want to looking into Pointers (of the english variety)

[dee lee]

Lambo, it sounds like you really like Weims.

Those of you who are weim owners- is it really that bad a scenario for one? Someone home all day, kids, a daily one hour jog...

Plus Lambo and his kids are dog lovers.

It sounds like a pretty good home to me. Better than average really!

But then I've never owned a weim are they that tricky?

[poodlefan]

A Stafford is not the dog I'd be looking towards as a regular jogging partner.

Lagottos are rare and have a hefty price tag for a dog that seems to attract owners that want anything that's "not a poodle". Have you considered a Standard Poodle??

True gundog temperament, a substantial dog and definitely up for a long jog daily.

Edited June 2, 2010 by poodlefan

[juice]

my wei had 2 walks a day ,both around 45mins/hr offlead running and could still go allday

he also had 2 other dogs to wrestle and play with allday.

they like to be with you, but can also be pushy dominant dogs ,as i discovered, they are not easy dogs

however, they are lovely sooky dogs too

get a blue grey, no one will know the difference

i had a blue foster once, no one could tell one was a grey, in fact a neighbour thought my wei was a grey :D

[shortstep]

Here is the info on Weimaraners from What Good about them What bad about them.

Does this sound like a dog that you could be happy with and you could meet all of it's needs?

Weimaraner Temperament

What's Good About 'Em,

What's Bad About 'Em

By Michele Welton. Copyright © 2000-2010

The high-energy Weimaraner, bred to hunt all day, needs an athletic owner who can meet his demanding exercise needs: running, biking, hiking, jogging, field work.

Too much confinement leads to hyperactivity and destructiveness, as does being left alone too much. A bored Weimaraner will bark up a storm, demolish your home and yard, even attempt to escape in search of adventure.

Reserved with strangers, dominant with other dogs, predatory toward small animals such as cats and rabbits, most Weimaraners need an owner who can provide leadership, socialization, and training beyond the beginner level. Though this breed is headstrong, in the right hands he is capable of learning and doing virtually anything.

Indeed, a well-matched owner will find the Weimaraner a loyal, aristocratic gentleman of great presence and character.

A novice with little time and space will find him a rambunctious bully, difficult to control.

If you want a dog who...

Is large, powerful, and tautly-muscled, a true athlete bred to hunt all day

Has a sleek, carefree coat

Is unusual-looking, with a ghostly gray/silver coat and eerie light eyes

Is packed with energy and thrives on vigorous exercise and athletic activities

In the right hands, is a loyal, aristocratic gentleman of great presence and character

Is watchful with strangers, so makes a keen watchdog (with a booming bark)

A Weimaraner may be right for you.

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

Vigorous exercise requirements

Rowdiness and exuberant jumping, especially when young or not exercised enough

"Separation anxiety" (massive destructiveness and barking) when left alone too much

Suspiciousness or skittishness toward strangers when not socialized enough

Aggression toward other animals

A strong-willed mind of his own, requiring a confident owner who can take charge

Excessive barking when bored

A Weimaraner may not be right for you.

If I were considering buying or adopting a Weimaraner

My major concerns would be:

Providing enough exercise and mental stimulation. Weimaraners MUST have regular opportunities to vent their energy and do interesting things. Otherwise they will become rambunctious and bored -- which they usually express by barking and massive destructive chewing. Bored Weimaraners are famous for chewing through drywall, ripping the stuffing out of sofas, and turning your yard into a moonscape of giant craters.

If you simply want a pet for your family, and don't have the time or inclination to take your dog running or hiking or biking, or to get involved in hunting, or advanced obedience, or tracking, or agility (obstacle course), or a similar canine activity, I do not recommend this breed. Trying to suppress their "hardwired" desire to run and work, without providing alternate outlets for their high energy level, can be difficult.

Bounciness. Young Weimaraners (up to about two years old) romp and jump with great vigor, and things can go flying, including people.

If you have small children, or if you or anyone who lives with you is elderly or infirm, I do not recommend Weimaraner puppies. The temptation to bounce and play roughly is just too strong in many young Weimaraners.

Separation anxiety. More than most other breeds, Weimaraners need a great deal of companionship and do not like being left alone for more than a few hours. They tend to express their unhappiness through destructive chewing and barking. If you work all day, this is not the breed for you.

Animal aggression. Many Weimaraners are dominant or aggressive toward other dogs of the same sex. Many have strong instincts to chase and seize cats and other fleeing creatures, including livestock and wildlife such as deer. If anything goes wrong in the breeding, socializing, training, handling, or management of this breed, it is capable of seriously injuring or killing other animals.

The strong temperament. The best Weimaraners are versatile working dogs, capable of learning a great deal, but they have an independent mind of their own and are not pushovers to raise and train. They are easily distracted by exciting sights, sounds, and scents. They can be manipulative, and some are willful, obstinate, and dominant (they want to be the boss) and will make you prove that you can make them do things. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say.

To teach your Weimaraner to listen to you, "Respect Training" is mandatory. My Weimaraner Training Page discusses the program you need.

Barking. Weimaraners are often too quick to sound the alarm at every new sight and sound. You have to be equally quick to stop them. If you work all day and have close neighbors, Weimaraners are not a good choice for you. For the same reason, Weimaraners should NEVER be left outside in your yard, unsupervised.

Housebreaking. The pointing breeds can be a bit slow to pick this up. Expect several months of consistent crate training.

Health problems. Weimaraners are extremely prone to a life-threatening digestive syndrome called bloat. Joint and bone problems, eye diseases, bleeding disorders, and cancer also make this breed risky in the health department.

Edited June 2, 2010 by shortstep

[Gayle.]

My Aussies don't require heaps of exercise. When we were in town they got a walk most days....around 30-45 minutes....but if were working the mushroom hours I'm working now, sunup til dark, they wouldn't get walked all week and they didn't seem to mind.

They do love a good run, play, chase of the frisbee, they adore a long sniffy walk and they both love running alongside the bike, but if they don't get it they don't take it out on the house, garden, our belongings etc.

[CBL]

The small dog you had as a pup, it wasn't an italian greyhound was it? They don't bark much, and they're very cute, but not really a family dog as they're a bit delicate and probably more one person dogs.

I probably wouldn't recommend an iggy in this situation - not because they are delicate (my guy is hardier than he looks) but they need to be whereever you are and most likely wouldn't cope being segregated from the family for any length of time. Mine would throw a tantrum if I tried to keep him out of a bedroom I think they would be more clingy than the OP is looking for.

As a greyhound lover I would think they are a good match too - except for the hour run - my iggy would enjoy that more than my greys However, some don't like the look (and the iggy has a similar look), just as the OP doesn't like the look of a poodle. I will admit that from a distance I originally thought they were not particularly attractive dog, but one meeting had me hooked :D

[dee lee]

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