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If you want a dog with less health problems get a cross breed. All pedigree dogs have their problems.
I wouldn't be getting a spaniel if you are leaving it on its own in the house. Personally I wouldn't get a dog at all if it's left on its own often.
Ive had a few breeds over the years, currently ive got a jack russell x staffie, always had a jack russell and staffies and various crosses one of the best for most things was a boxer x staffie we had from the dogs home, a lovely soft playful dog, she only ever barked when there really was a reason too. Also lived to 14!
But our most recent breed was a Whippet, never in my life did i think id have a Whippet but they are awesome, may be worth looking at as an oddball consideration.
A Doberman is definitely at the top of the list. I knew well bred dogs weren't cheap but didn't realise they were quite this expensive ie £2k to £3k
Anyway, for the doggie experts out there, does this place look bona fide? By paying the extra (ie I've seen pups advertised by private sellers for under £1k) do you actually get a better quality dog?
Spoon is probably best placed to answer about that breeder as they claim to be specialists in protection dogs and Spoon knows that business very well through German Shepherds as per his previous posts on dog threads.
Last edited by An0n0m0us; Mar 4, 2018 at 06:40 PM.
Busta, yes, that's where I saw them advertised for under £1k. But that's with private sellers and I just don't know enough about dogs to tell the good from the bad. So it might be a case of me having to pay through the nose to compensate for my ignorance.
Dave, we'd really like to have the dog from a pup so I don't think dog rescue would work for us.
Have you looked on Champdogs? It's the biggest site in the UK for dog breeders to sell their litters. Do not use Gumtree/Preloved/Pets4homes as that's where all the puppy farms sell and people who haven't got a clue what they are doing sell.
You want a dog from parents that have been fully health screened and you need to do your research on what specifics apply to Dobermans on that front. Champdogs is an excellent site and I highly recommend you look on there for an excellent breeder who isn't at the same time massively over charging you. Such breeders do exist!
Last edited by An0n0m0us; Mar 4, 2018 at 10:22 PM.
Have you looked on Champdogs? It's the biggest site in the UK for dog breeders to sell their litters. Do not use Gumtree/Preloved/Pets4homes as that's where all the puppy farms sell and people who haven't got a clue what they are doing sell.
You want a dog from parents that have been fully health screened and you need to do your research on what specifics apply to Dobermans on that front. Champdogs is an excellent site and I highly recommend you look on there for an excellent breeder who isn't at the same time massively over charging you. Such breeders do exist!
Seriously though, from what you’ve described you couldn’t go wrong with a Labrador. I had a Labrador Alsatian cross as a kid, and he was a fantastic dog.
I would suggest a Hungarian Vizsla (I have one) - but with a couple of caveats.
They need to be around their family and can't live outdoors - they are known as the velcro dog, they attach themselves to their humans. When young they can be a bit boisterous, which means a lot of jumping up and will greet you with two paws on your chest or shoulders. They do need to be regularly exercised, ideally off-lead. You need to put the effort in to ensure they don't become bored and go "self employed".
They will defend their "home" and their family - its hard to credit when you see how placid and gentle they are, but they are fearless. Mine is 10 months old, weighs in at 20Kg and his strength and stamina are incredible.
Been trying to teach him to retrieve the post, without scaring the postman.
What a beauty.
Im not a doggy person and wont be getting one any time soon but if I did then this is what I would have.
Guy down at the local cricket club brought one down as a young pup and all I would say is it didn't have legs , it had springs...! It bounced all over the place but looked absolutely fantastic.
A Doberman is definitely at the top of the list. I knew well bred dogs weren't cheap but didn't realise they were quite this expensive ie £2k to £3k
Anyway, for the doggie experts out there, does this place look bona fide? By paying the extra (ie I've seen pups advertised by private sellers for under £1k) do you actually get a better quality dog?
Ive had rotties for 20 years. And I would never recommend them to someone who is inexperienced. They are loyal, beautiful, intelligent, proud and stubborn as ****. Need proper training and its a lifelong process. Put in the effort and they are so rewarding, but its a lot of effort.
Moving on. No, that place does not look bona fide. They are circumnavigating the law that (correctly) now says you can't cut half their ears off as pups and dock their tails. What part of that did you miss?
The fact that you are even asking if this is in some way how to go about getting a Doberman tells me (and anyone else with a bit of understanding) that this is not a breed for you. You're way smarter than this Deep. Way smarter.
A couple of smart suggestions on this thread. Vizsla, Staffy, Lab and some really stupid ones (based on your family circumstances)
The most sensible suggestion is to go to the RSPCA or Dogs trust and rescue a dog. Ideally an adult one that will have been assessed, helath checked and you'll know what you are getting. Forget all the "don't know the history" crap. Take the family and see what fits best. Do the right thing.
If you're determined to get a pedigree puppy, much as I despise a lot of what the kennel club stands for, the website is a mine of useful information and will help you see what's aviailable that fits your needs. And budget a decent amount of money - anything popular and well bred, with health and genetic checks, will set you back a fortune these days.
Last edited by Devildog; Mar 12, 2018 at 12:55 PM.
Ive had rotties for 20 years. And I wouold never recommend tem to someone who is inexperienced. They are loyal, beautiful, intelligent, proud and stubborn as ****. Need proper training and its a lifelong process. Put in the effort and they are so rewarding, but its a lot of effort.
Moving on. No, that place does not look bona fide. They are circumnavigating the law that (correctly) now says you can't cut half their ears off as pups and dock their tails. What part of that did you miss?
The fact that you are even asking if this is in some way how to go about getting a Doberman tells me (and anyone else with a bit of understanding) that this is not a breed for you. You're way smarter than this Deep. Way smarter.
A couple of smart suggestions on this thread. Vizsla, Staffy, Lab and some really stupid ones (based on your family circumstances)
The most sensible suggestion is to go to the RSPCA or Dogs trust and rescue a dog. Ideally an adult one that will have been assessed, helath checked and you'll know what you are getting. Forget all the "don't know the history" crap. Take the family and see what fits best. Do the right thing.
If you're determined to get a pedigree puppy, much as I despise a lot of what the kennel club stands for, the website is a mine of useful information and will help you see what's aviailable that fits your needs. And budget a decent amount of money - anything popular and well bred, with health and genetic checks, will set you back a fortune these days.
Yep. Far too many amazing animals that don't have good homes out there.
Also, all this purebred nonsense is destroying the DNA lines of multiple types of dogs, all for pedigree nonsense, the animals just end up with degenerative health problems for their entire lives, it's not fair on them.
Last edited by Fishbowlhead; Mar 12, 2018 at 01:58 PM.
Ive had rotties for 20 years. And I would never recommend them to someone who is inexperienced. They are loyal, beautiful, intelligent, proud and stubborn as ****. Need proper training and its a lifelong process. Put in the effort and they are so rewarding, but its a lot of effort.
Moving on. No, that place does not look bona fide. They are circumnavigating the law that (correctly) now says you can't cut half their ears off as pups and dock their tails. What part of that did you miss?
The fact that you are even asking if this is in some way how to go about getting a Doberman tells me (and anyone else with a bit of understanding) that this is not a breed for you. You're way smarter than this Deep. Way smarter.
A couple of smart suggestions on this thread. Vizsla, Staffy, Lab and some really stupid ones (based on your family circumstances)
The most sensible suggestion is to go to the RSPCA or Dogs trust and rescue a dog. Ideally an adult one that will have been assessed, helath checked and you'll know what you are getting. Forget all the "don't know the history" crap. Take the family and see what fits best. Do the right thing.
If you're determined to get a pedigree puppy, much as I despise a lot of what the kennel club stands for, the website is a mine of useful information and will help you see what's aviailable that fits your needs. And budget a decent amount of money - anything popular and well bred, with health and genetic checks, will set you back a fortune these days.
+1 (Other than the Vizsla as personally I think they and anything pointer related are too emotionally high maintenance for a first dog)
Seriously though, from what you’ve described you couldn’t go wrong with a Labrador. I had a Labrador Alsatian cross as a kid, and he was a fantastic dog.
