Help me Pick a Dog ?
 

I'm moving into my first (bought) house in August and we've decided we'd like to get a dog. Ideally as most we want a Puppy as we plan to have Children in the next few years and want a dog that we know (as much as possible) will be safe around the kids.

SO

Its a three bedroom semi with a large garden. Its not a big house but as I say the garden is on all three sides. There is a park across the road and due to the times I work the dog would only ever be alone for 2 hours a day. My dad also lives down the road so he could look after it if needs must.

I know A LOT of you are very knowledgable when it comes to dogs so?

Oh and I want a dog that will be at least a threat to someone trying to break in! No a little Yorkie or something.

I was thinking alsation, as my dad had them whilst I was growning up and I loved them..

Also if anyone on here has any puppies that would be ready late August let me know please... including price :notworthy

Thanks a lot guys

Chocolate Lab :D

But not Scooby LOL

A Lab will chew a lot of things, if not everything :D

I will say this though, whatever you get, make sure you get Insurance !!!

a lab or a retriever probably best, friendly and no hassle with temperment.
Is it harrison park you are near?

lab / collie cross, owned " cala " now for 13 years and would recommend this particular breed off dog to anyone.

why not have a trip down to your local cat and dog home and give another one a chance sure they will have a few pups in should you deffinatly want a pub as opposed to a fully grown dog.

you wont regrett it mate, let us know how you get on ??

cheer

german shepards can be a bit aggressive and un predictable so not good if children are in the pipeline.

Rubbish and a sweeping statement - as a professionally qualified dog trainer (BIPDT) and instructor at a number of dog training clubs GSDs are no more or less likely to bite than any other breed of dog - PROVIDING that they have been bred by a reputable breeder for temperament and are trained and socialised correctly

GSD make excellent loyal family dogs

Unfortunately due to poor / over breeding and the fact that many are owned because their owners want to look hard and shouldn't be allowed to have dogs in the first place (same with Rotts, Dobes, Bull breeds)

The only dog that has ever bitten me in 20 years of dog training was a chocolate lab 4 months old and it went for my face - later found out it was from a puppy farm - bad breeding

If you are going to get a dog

Go to a reputable breeder - not loot

Make sure you can see the mother and father if not at least the mother

Socialise the dog properly

Enrol at a good local dog training club (another minefield)

Avoid farm bred working border collies because they CAN be hard work and not always suitable for families

Having just (Thursday) put my 17 year old Golden Retriever to sleep I would actually recommend a Goldie they are big, protective, loyal, very biddable, usually have good temperaments, usually good with other animals and children

Rescue dogs are great all mine except for the Goldie have been but they can be hard work.

Also good dogs don't just happen it is also what you put to your training and socialisation

Andy

owner of a long coat GSD that wouldn't harm a fly

I bought a Westy last december. Fantastic little guy and a great personallity. I didn't enjoy the first 3 months as he dumped his guts out wherever he wanted too :eek: Insurance is cheap and it only costs about £7 per week to feed him :thumb:

Don't get a Yorkie, whatever you do. Ex's nan had about 11 at one point! All to live with her in her house! Bleddy nightmares! You go to her house, and all of them want to sit in your lap! Now 5 of them are surviving.
5 can be handled, but they are massively affectionate, very agile and serious attention seekers! It's like having a baby in the house, LOL:D Can't knock that they are very enjoyable :cool:, but they need high maintenance with their regular haircuts etc.

staffy :D

jr :)

lots of noise when threatened can of course be trained like any dog,too small to take your arm off ( even the kids) :lol1: affectionate as hell - and wont take up half the sofa :thumb:

:thumb:
I can recommend a good retriever breeder in chester if you decide on one(will prob be £500 a puppy) and a local dog training school also.

Id have to say we grow up from small with an alsation CROSS - which had been brought up on a farm and was a wonderful pet :)

dont bother getting a big smelly Labrador or German Shepard.

in fact Staffordshire bull terriers are the only dogs i would trust near our 3 kids.....
thats why we got one.

Don't get an inbred / pedigree dog

:wonder:

Well this thread has completely confused me even more so now... er..


I can't go to a dog shelter it would kill me.. I have too much love for animals and seeing them I would want them all. I'm more than happy to take a cross bread from a home but it has to be young due to the whole.. not knowing its past.

Boxer - great round kids, dosn't shed too much fur, easy to clean due to short coat, don't smell too much (again due to short coat), generally quite quiet although will bark when spooked.

On the downsides they do need a firm hand as they can be quite independent - so need to be contained/controlled until they know their place. Along with Labs/roties/staffie will eat anything(!) so expect a few visits to the vets in year 1.

Whatever you get, remember that they are puppies for at least 18 months so it is hard work for a fair while and do get insurance!

Richard

All what Rhana says plus:

I'd say German Shepherd Dog but only if you buy it from a breeder who can offer you the parents hip scores, even better the elbow scores too. People who breed any dog prone to hip dysplasia without these are simply after the money and have no interest in bettering the breed and should be stopped.

Also a good breeder will sell you the correct puppy i.e show or working line. I would say without experience you won't be wanting a puppy with good working lines. The drives would be far too demanding for anybody just wanting a pet.

A GSD puppy with decent proven bloodlines would be very hard to beat indeed for temperament, obedience and family protection.

If you aren't prepared to do it right and fancy buying your mates uncles GSD puppy because it looks cute then don't do it at all. Underneath the cute puppy look you could be in for years of problems.

PM me if you need breeder information.

dont get a chiuhuah. great dog but savages my daughters face when she gets a chance :D

not good with under 10's :p

We got our Border Collie from a rescue centre about 18 months ago - she is now 3 - a great Dog - soft as they come but nice and mouthy if anyone comes near the House but wouldnt harm a fly in reality

Love Staffs fantastic with people but not always good with other dogs this may be an issue.......

don't talk bollocks, another sweeping statement - pedigree dogs are bred for a reason, OK there are often two lines like working dogs and show dogs and they can be completely different within a breed.

What reasons are you giving for not choosing a pedigree?

There is a lot of bad breeding but you have to choose a good breeder and as another post say don't expect them to be cheep

Why are most guide dogs Lab / Retriever crosses? Because the facets of the two breeds mix for the job they are required to do

If I wanted a dog and I was planning on having children I would want to know the basic characteristics of the dog. Some dogs aren't good with children some are better. Some breeds are easier to train some aren't etc etc


Andy

Not particulary bothered about the type of dog but have

Golden Retriever lasted to 17, spent no more than £100.00 in vet bills in 17 years (except for inoculations)

Rescue Mongrel 14 years old still working at full height agility OK not winning but WTF

5 year old rescue GSD very predictable totally un-agressive - but you have to invited to come in my house

Another vote for Golden Retriever or Labrador as I grew up with both and they are extremely loyal and good with children. I would say Golden Retriever for better behaviour (Labs chew everything in sight and eat other animals excrement when given half a chance plus roll in it) but if you want house protection as well then the Labrador will be better than the GR in my opinion.

However, no matter what opinions you listen to on here as to how amazing a particular breed is with children every breed has its bad apples and no dog should ever be left alone with babies/young children.

Totally agree go with a breeder with a good history. If they are responsible you should be able to get history from other owners

We have a local breeder she recommended that all her dogs came to our training club - we trained probably 50 over the years all ace dogs with good temperaments and stunning looks.

But not cheap and if you didn't pass the test you wouldn't get one

We will all recommend the breeds we like / have had but Bravo2zero hits the nail on the head HOWEVER good you think your dog is don't leave it un-supervised with children

Another vote for a staff, brilliant with kids, brilliant with other dogs. Ignore all the bad press they get - any breed can be dangerous if treated poorly.

Whatever you get, put in a little bit of time to do some puppy training with a group of other dogs, socialising them at a young age works wonders :)

Any excuse for a picture ;) :D

Spot On Richard, Do you have a Boxer yourself?
Cheers
Colin
P.S. Cue P.G.:D

Cue Sti-04!!

I have a boxer ableit a young pup, he has been fantastic in every sense. He can be a bit boisterous at times but hey thats a boys thing aint it :D
He doesnt cast & doesnt make any mess. House training was a doddle plus he has loads of room at my place to run around. He can be left alone for a few hours but he has to be kept in a room with nothing destroyable in it.

Get one if you have the time for it, but that should be said about all breeds of dogs.

Cheers

S

it would have to be a lab for me every time. Struck lucky and got ours from dogs trust.he was a bit of a handfull at first cuz he had had no training what so ever. He also had a really bad obsetion with balls. As in if he saw a ball he had to have it. took him to a gundog trainer and she has worked wonders. comes when called walks to heal off the lead etc.
just shows the nature of the breed realy.He'd had a realy bad start to life but with proper training he turned 180 and is now a fantastic dog. he's great with my brothers new born as well. Fantastic watch dog as well! but the worst he would ever do is lick your hand or lob a paw at you to give u 5 lol

So did we. Two of them. Great dogs :cool:

If I ever get a dog again, it will be the alsation cross :thumb:

Oh dear. There just has to be a joke in here somewhere.