You are not logged in. Please register or login.
- Topics: Active | Unanswered
Re: the puppy thread
back the the cash thing....i was intiially thinking of a boxer, but looking into the breed you must be very strict on the obedience and its not good to leave them alone (it's recoomended that a couple with 2 careers not adopt one) so right off its an agressive breed and it needs more attention than we can even offer, and they are prone to digging, so cross it off the list...second my wife was thinking a Weimaraner but again its agressive and needs strict obedience ..even then it still may catch and kill small animals .... and when you can be overly aggressicve during play...not good with young ones...so there cross it off, both instances are dogs that are twice or 3 times as much $$$ as a lab, its not that they are more money (not fully) but they just arent right for our situation...that link up there monkey posted suggested a pug for me which is funny cuz i asked for a med - large dog...but yeah i'm not interested int he latest dog trend, did it a second time and got australian sheep dog...which turns out has a tendancy to be destructive....which i would not prefer....and my wife did it and got an american eskimo dog which tends to be very barky...which we;d prefer not to have.. anyway i am researching so i'm not jsut looking for the cheapes t animal i can find...though i wont lie price isnt completely thrown out the window,we've mever had a dog so we arent 100% yet
My parent had a german shepard, my bro has a husky, my other bro has a jack russell, my MIL had a shelty, a bordercollie and an american staffy, they all passed on but now she has a mini pinscher, got a freind with a collie X and another with a dalmation so i know about those dogs a bit just from intereacting....and as such i realize the importance of obedience 
anyway there is alot to sift through so was looking for help from anyone who may be able to help
Re: the puppy thread
We got a Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross pup a few weeks ago, first time I've ever owned a dog. Be prepared for a lot poop and piss on your carpet
haha american staffy or british?
i've know 4 or 5 american staffy's in my life and they are a bit much for me 
great dogs though but a dog the size of lab with the temperment of a jack russell is a bit much
Re: the puppy thread
Well, Neemo - whatever you choose I wish you luck!
I'm sure that you and your family will be good dog owners.
Be prepared, though. You're either committed a 100% or you are not.
On a side note... I'm getting a male Pyrenean Mastiff in a few weeks.
My Staffy is crossed with a French Mastiff, I'd love to know the original intentions behind that. I can imagine some knucklehead wanting to get as big a staffy as possible to look well'ard.
There is a Dangerous Dog Act in the UK and the old dogs of choice, like Pit Bulls, are resticted. So arseholes who used them as weapons come up with novel ways to other get big mean looking beasts.
Re: the puppy thread
Olorin wrote:We got a Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross pup a few weeks ago, first time I've ever owned a dog. Be prepared for a lot poop and piss on your carpet
haha american staffy or british?
i've know 4 or 5 american staffy's in my life and they are a bit much for me
British. I think the Staffordshire Bull Terrier differs slightly for the American Staffordshire Terrier, its a bit smaller. I dont know of any staffys round here that are the size of a lab. I've been told mine will be a bit bigger than a normal staffy, but I dont know, her legs have double in length in the last week alone 
Re: the puppy thread
Getting a Labrador would be a great idea, our yellow lab is 11 going on 12 and still in good shape and has a wonderful temperament. They have a lot of energy and need plenty exercise, it took a LONG time for her to settle down until she was at least like 6 or 7. Shedding is a problem, we need to vacuum everyday although it's not as bad during like fall and winter but it's hell during summer. I have heard that black labs don't shed as bad as yellows and chocolates but I'm not really sure. One more thing though since you have young kids, the dog will challenge you and be a little aggressive (which all dogs are anyway) in its early stage like from a puppy to a year old. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to wait for your kids to be a little older.
Unless you go to the shelter and find one that's already trained and a little calmer, that probably wouldn't be a bad idea but I'm not experienced in adopting pets from shelters so I don't really know.
Re: the puppy thread
Labs are great dogs, used to have one. Super intelligent and great with kids, although they do get a little bit too excited at times. I'd go for a male personally, since it's basically cheaper to neuter and it's more dependable (I'm assuming you don't want to breed?).
But the hairs... man... the hairs are just too much for me . It has to be said, I have a cat and I even get annoyed at the hairs that leaves behind. I bought a friggin' roomba just 'cause I can't stand the tiniest bit of hair laying around, so I might be a "thing" I have. But the lab left enough hair around to weave a nice carpet out of.
So, a dog with the character and temperament of a Labrador but short haired (like a Doberman, Rottweiler, Jack Russel)... what I reckon you need is a weimaraner. It's a slightly goofy looking dog (like a lab with shorter hair, skinnier, and it has bigger and floppier ears), but has that typical retriever temperament. They are slightly more hostile to strangers though (well, protective of their family is a better description) and extremely playful.
Re: the puppy thread
Oh, or even better. An English Pointer! Not exactly a retreiver, but close enough and it's the type of dog that loves to live indoors with the family and small kids.
Re: the puppy thread
yeah american staffy's are a bit taller 
as for pointers and weimaraners it seems the hunting dogs wopuld be a bad idea...i dont really want to find dead cats and birds in my yard i'm sure that it wouldnt be good for the kids to see that either 
also maybe it is too soon...maybe i should wait until the youngest is 3-4? she's jsut turning 2 in a couple weeks here
Re: the puppy thread
Spaniels can be snappy, I'd vote for a lab-cross of some kind. Any dog that was bred to hunt or work in some way is going to need a lot of attention, crossbreeds do have less genetic issues which will count down the line when the dog (who you'll all be in love with by then, believe me) starts to get old.
male dogs in my experience are no more difficult than females, and neutered males can be even more affectionate - don't forget dogs live in a brutal world (hence the saying "dog eat dog" lol) so the females aren't passive or recognisably feminine by human standards. hope that's not offensive, but a family friend helps out at a rehoming kennel and the male dogs get passed over a lot because of that misconception about them.
- IRISH OS1R1S
- Rep: 59
Re: the puppy thread
Neemo i reckon a nice female springer spaniel or english spaniel would be suitable for you. I have had those breeds all my life and would never be without them in my home. They are fantastic with children and everyone else really. They will alert you to strangers on your property but not aggressive enough to attack. They are very intelligent and swift learners, they will shed alot of hair in summer but most dogs do so...........
Anyway goodluck in finding a dog that your happy with.
