Choosing A Dog!

[Pjrt]

Wow;Manchester Terriers are off my list now..

Yep other have said it mostly. The two I had were skittish, nervy, unpredictable energiser bunnies. The dog I had I was going to show but he could barely tolerate to be touched by anyone, so he went to a breeder in Melbourne, who did show and breed him, but had a lot more experience with them than I had at the time. The bitch was pts eventually due to her completely twisted temperament!

[aussielover]

I really like German pinschers and think they would fit most of your criteria except for being s guard dog. They're actually quite small dogs (<15kg) and not really intimidating. Like most dogs they could probably be easily taught to alert bark though

[Petar]

I've read that they actually make very good guard dogs. Their size would be perfect for us and our living conditions.

I just wish I could find a breeder to have a proper conversation with. I've emailed a few in the first instance and have explained my full situation, but have not had any of the experiences as described above - phone calls, genuine interest, etc.

I don't want to buy from the wrong person either. I want someone with a genuine care for the animal. There's one place selling them but I don't have a good gut feeling about the seller. Is there a place to voice concerns about this?

[Animal House]

Breeders probably have hundreds of emails to sort through, so you need to be just a little more patient. Some people have to wait for many months, even years to get the dog they want, and there can be waiting lists for your particular breed.

The "place" selling them, are they a puppy farm or a registered breeder? Depending on which state they are in, yes, you can voice your concerns to the relevant authority/agency, like the ANK or Dogs Victoria for example.

Also a good idea is to find out where/when there will be a show that has the breed you want, and hopefully meet some of the dogs in person, talk to the breeders/owners about wanting one.

Here's a list of shows on this year, hope it helps (for Vic shows) CLICK HERE

GP's are in Group 6, Utility Dog :)

Edited February 5, 2016 by Cazablanca

[angelsun]

I really like German pinschers and think they would fit most of your criteria except for being s guard dog. They're actually quite small dogs (<15kg) and not really intimidating. Like most dogs they could probably be easily taught to alert bark though

hehehe. come try to get into my place without the world being alerted (no instructing needed).....;) Bitches are about 14kg, boys hit 18kg at maturity and if they jump on you, it's enough to knock you flying.

[Salukifan]

The Manchester Terrier looks interesting..

http://www.iams.com/...ipins|null|null

Not a dog I'd recommend to a novice dog owner.

Tell me why so HW so i can add it to my own breed research,

This breed review pretty much sums it up. I'd not ever suggest I'm well versed in the breed but of the few dogs I do know, most are dog aggressive. Seriously dog aggressive and a handful for their owners who ARE novices. Therefore not what I call novice dog owner material.

I know of one other who is far less fiery but it is in very experienced hands.

Edited February 5, 2016 by Haredown Whippets

[Animal House]

I really like German pinschers and think they would fit most of your criteria except for being s guard dog. They're actually quite small dogs (<15kg) and not really intimidating. Like most dogs they could probably be easily taught to alert bark though

hehehe. come try to get into my place without the world being alerted (no instructing needed).....;) Bitches are about 14kg, boys hit 18kg at maturity and if they jump on you, it's enough to knock you flying.

Ah, the voice of experience, I was hoping you'd jump into the thread Angelsun. :)

[Petar]

Thanks Angelsun for your email responses! Looking forward to your further replies to help me make the right decision ????

[Simply Grand]

I really like German pinschers and think they would fit most of your criteria except for being s guard dog. They're actually quite small dogs (<15kg) and not really intimidating. Like most dogs they could probably be easily taught to alert bark though

hehehe. come try to get into my place without the world being alerted (no instructing needed).....;) Bitches are about 14kg, boys hit 18kg at maturity and if they jump on you, it's enough to knock you flying.

So males must be about the size of my Aussie Shepherd girl (51cm ish and 18/19kgs) and like I said she's been known to intimidate people. And being black and tan and muscular too I'd imagine GPs could do the job of at least looking scary if they wanted too!

Edited February 5, 2016 by Simply Grand

[angelsun]

They have a strong bark. (not yappy) they tend to bark when it matters. They WILL stand firm if they feel their property or people are threatened. They are VERY fast so the speed makes people think twice before trying to beat them in a foot race.

The fact they look like small Dobermann's can help deter many people with those misconcieved ideas about Dobes.

They enjoy their people and should not be shut out back and not socialized or allowed their people. They do like going for walks, the park, drives etc. They like crashing in front of the couch watching TV.

They WILL hunt....snakes, rats, lizards etc. They CAN live with cats and kids contrary to what some webpages say. They CAN live with other breeds quite easily. They need a firm but gentle hand. They, like any dog, needs boundaries and rules. They are problem solvers. They don't really need us, but they allow us in their lives. This comes from generations of being a vermin hunter, not needing instructions from humans. They do their job as they know it should be done and don't wait for us to tell them anything. (we aren't smart enough or fast enough anyway so I have accepted this)

Now, Manchesters....I bred them as well. They are a terrier in every sense of the word which is what throws most people. They don't expect this smooth coated creature of smaller size to be a terrier like a Welsh or Wire Fox. They in fact have a high prey drive and although can live with other breeds and cats and kids, they do take a bit more work to keep tabs on. The biggest issue I find with most owners is they forget they are a terrier. Treat it like a terrier. Boundaries and strict rules. I never had issues with males running together. Sometimes a few squabbles with the girls if someone was hormonal but generally I ran a good pack. I bred for temperament first and foremost and this is where some breeders now have dropped the ball. They want the show winners and the payback is crap temperaments. There are lots of good Manchesters out there and the majority of them are what their owners have made them for the most part. Many owners believe the fiery nature to be acceptable in social situations. My dogs did hunt, but they had manners in public and would not put a foot wrong. I however, never put them in a position to fail. I didn't assume they would not react. I hold that thought with any breed though, but that's just years of working with and owning dogs I reckon.

When I started in German Pinschers I thought they were just a larger Manchester, however I was mistaken. The GP is a calmer breed in some ways and from my experiences, easier to train as they are less 'primative' than the Manchester. The MT is very much untouched in some ways when it comes to instincts and because a huge portion of owners simply aren't trained or educated to understand anything that doesn't have a mentality or response like a Golden Retreiver or a Border Collie, they are at wits end. The MT (and the GP to some extent) seek that weakness out and immediately capitolise on it and then there is a problem.

[karen15]

I might be able to give some "novice" feedback.

My first dog was a staffy. He was glorious, but unrealised by me at the time, it was extremely lucky my then boyfriend thought work was a hobby as Sam wasn't left for more than half a day by himself. I had read that staffies needed to be well socialised and he went quite literally everywhere with us. If dogs weren't allowed, we went elsewhere. One camping trip he was left tied to the BFs car while we went to the kitchen I think. Came back to dog claw marks up the bonnet, windscreen and roof. He wanted a better view of us apparently.

As a breed they don't do well alone, my guy had a cat for a buddy. They need a lot of mental stimulation and physical work and they have to be with their people. They are pretty scary if they bark like they mean it. I believe they are unsuited to small yards. When my guy was 10 I bought my current place. My courtyard is about 1/3 of a house block at 200m2. It was perfect for him as an aged dog, but would not be suitable for a young staffy.I always introduced Sam to our neighbours and he seemed to deduce from that that they were "allowed" people and wouldn't bark. However many neighbours said they loved having him next door as if he did bark it meant someone strange was around.

When he was diagnosed with aggressive cancer I started researching my next breed. I like the bull breeds, they're nice and square and stocky. I also like terriers but wanted something smaller than a staffy as Sam was a bit heavy to put in and out of the car and I'm only getting older, so I needed something I could still pick up in 15 years time!

Knowing the build I wanted and temperament I liked I looked at a lot of breeds and settled for a westie. Sam survived another four years after his diagnosis and operation, so I used that time to talk to breeders. I had absolutely no luck trying to rehome an older dog from a breeder. When Sam died I contacted the breeder that I talked to for some time and advised I'd be looking for a puppy in about 9months. That ended up working perfectly with her breeding and I have the most adorable westie now. He's glorious and absolutely perfect.

The cat died four weeks after Sam, so I got a second dog so the puppy wouldn't be alone. Really, there's no more effort with two in my experience. She was a rehome from work that came about from a random kitchen conversation. She's a cocker spaniel, just over 3yo and has been perfect with the pup. Realising the benefit of the lazy exBF in creating a super dog, I took three months long service leave to spend with the pup. I think that has done him a lot of good.

Hair wise, the westie and cocker lose much less than the staffy and cat! I strip their coats monthly and comb knots out weekly. The only tricky bit is trimming the hair between foot pads. It mats up if it's long. I have a friend who is a groomer so she did the first few trims and now I have clippers and trim monthly.

I work full time and have a horse that's ridden five days a week. The dogs go to puppy park daily followed by a walk. We're out at least an hour to 90 mins, before work. I exercise them then as it burns energy and gets them calmer for being home alone. They get a beef neck bone each when I leave for work, have tonnes of toys and access to the house where it's cooler. On riding days I'm up at 3.30, non riding days around 5.

So my advice is work out what appearance and traits you like in a dog. Start as you have looking at breeds you're attracted to. You seem to have a type - pinschers - so google pinschers generally and see if you can find similar breeds you may not know about but might be perfect.

The last thing I wanted was a white fluffy. But he is perfect in every way for me. It helps he's self cleaning LOL The cocker is what she is. Not a breed I'd normally choose, but she is a lovely genuine dog that wants to please and is a very calming influence on the terror. We get a lot of "ooooooohhhhhhh, aren't they gorgeous" comments out walking.

At night, they wait at the door with a teddy each and run around like loonies playing fetch for ten minutes, then we chill.

[karen15]

I've just googled guard dog and this might help as a starting point on breeds for initial ideas (there doesn't seem to be many pinscher variants)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guard_dog

One dog you may never have heard of, and I don't know much about but have totally adored the couple I've met, is the Australian bulldog. Lovely boofy things but I have no idea about their requirements.

[corvus]

My 13kg vallhund who looks like a cute little wolf-corgi puts the fear of god into anyone that has to come to the front door. I think if they bark reliably and sound like they mean business, that is a powerful deterrent. Everyone nearby knows there's something going on at our house. Size does matter. He's a great size for snuggling with, and a good lap warmer. He's also not very fast and is more a sprinter than a long-distance runner. Never underestimate the blessing of a dog that actually doesn't cover that much ground when they take off. ;)

[Boss1]

Hi Petar.

Partner and I are in a similar situation. Did u find any info on the German pinscher? Have you purchased a puppy?

[Petar]

Hi Petar.

Partner and I are in a similar situation. Did u find any info on the German pinscher? Have you purchased a puppy?

Hey there!

Yes - indeed I went ahead and purchased a German Pinscher pup. We've had him for around 4 months now and couldn't be happier. We love him to bits and adapted our lifestyle where possible to give him the right environment.

Leaving him alone for longer periods during the work day (4+ hours) is still an issue, despite leaving him with kongs, bones and other toys. We're continuing to try and accomodate this where we can and working out how much is a "puppy phase" and how much we need to make some more concessions so when we arrive home he isn't a jumping squealing mess.

Overall I'm thrilled to have him in my life but it is a big learning curve. He's really intelligent and only took a few weeks to learn sit, shake, high 5, down, crawl, stay and wait before eating.

If you have any other questions, I'm happy to help where I can!

[denali]

I think you need to share a photo :D

[Jack_E]

If your looking for a low shedding dog, Airdale terriers fill that box, and they can be quite territorial and will certainly bark when someone try's to come inside, however they do require quite a lot of loving.

[Petar]

I think you need to share a photo :D

Here's Oli at 8 and 12 weeks! He's already 6 months old now ☺️