Purebred breeder T&Cs

lostinrates

Londonwriter wrote: »

I'm not jumping on a 'designer' bandwagon. We are really keen hikers, but our new house will be quite small with a little yard. So we were looking for active dogs that I could walk for two hours a day minimum while being happy living in a smallish space the rest of the time.

We hope to welcome a baby in two or three years time so were looking for a gentle, family-orientated dog.

A vet friend recommended we looked at Cocker Spaniel and lab/poodle crosses because she said they were healthier than straight spaniels, but were energetic, friendly dogs that would meet our needs.

It sounds like asking for a non-refundable deposit of £100s of pounds before meeting the parents or seeing copies of certificates is dodgy. Both breeders got really bad tempered when I asked about this. It was especially weird given I was only making preliminary enquiries, e.g. asking if I could visit at some point after we move house.

We are actually pretty flexible about breed. I'm happy to consider Cocker spaniel crosses, lab/poodle crosses, non-crazy straight Cocker spaniels, and Collie crosses if they don't have the herding instinct (I love Border Collies). Anything healthy, energetic, gentle, small or medium-sized and good with kids.

I think you'd find many dogs in a rescue that would fit that brief (and many purebred dogs). I think your vet was.....generalising. I'd rather have a purebred dog from an excellent breeder than a designercross from the type of breeer you're finding I would say that as a purebred owner, but I also think you'd find the characteristics in many rescues.

Many, many , many dogs should be capable of 2 hours plus walking (hey even my dogs who don't fit your brief could manage a few hours!). Dogs generally tend to be under worked/walked today rather than over.

I think you are right to listen to your instinct here. Good luck finding the right dog!

lostinrates

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

from your first paragraph, I though - sighthound!! A greyhind is bigger than you are looking for, but a whippet or whippety x breed may well be ideal...

You know, as I said, my dogs would be able to do it, (and did, the biggies coming out with me for hours when I hacked out and now the one you saw spends a couple of hours aday all in all running around) but they aren't really built for endurance and most would need to be mature dogs to consider that amount of walking. Really they are best with the short shap bursts. a lurcher on the other hand could be ideal: the flop of the sight hound at rest with something throughn in for a bit of stamina.;)

foreign_correspondent

lostinrates wrote: »

You know, as I said, my dogs would be able to do it, (and did, the biggies coming out with me for hours when I hacked out and now the one you saw spends a couple of hours aday all in all running around) but they aren't really built for endurance and most would need to be mature dogs to consider that amount of walking. Really they are best with the short shap bursts. a lurcher on the other hand could be ideal: the flop of the sight hound at rest with something throughn in for a bit of stamina.;)

yeah, absolutely - my mums collie x sighthound seems to have the collie stamina, and the sighthound couch potato genetics... she is happy to flop all day but only after a good walk... If she does not get out, watch out... chewed socks, gloves, handbags and a very expensive antique mahogany table have been the objects of her un-burnt off energy so far! :rotfl:

She also steals things and 'makes' my mum run round the house after her trying to retrieve them - she is quite nimble for a 67 year old really! (well she is when the dog is running and chomping on her reading glasses!)

elsien

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

She also steals things and 'makes' my mum run round the house after her trying to retrieve them - she is quite nimble for a 67 year old really! (well she is when the dog is running and chomping on her reading glasses!)

I understand a little gentle exercise is recommended for the older lady - the dog's clearly doing her a favour.

Londonwriter

We are really serious hikers. When I say two hours a day or more - that's on a non-busy work day when I just want a walk around. On weekends, hubbie and I will walk six hours and 20 miles quite happily.

In August, we are doing the Great Glen Way - 73 miles over five days - plus Ben Nevis. We would like to do trips like that in future and would want our dog to come with us. When it wasn't going on a two-hour per day walk, we would want it to fit in a smallish house with a yard (but no garden) so any dog that's happy to 'flop' after a walk is good.

I know Collies are active enough (our uni walking club had a few vet students who had them), but Collies aren't suitable for people planning to have young children.

We looked at retired greyhounds (they are beautiful dogs), but discovered they were speed not stamina dogs.

Thanks for the advice - I'll think more flexibly. I think I just dismissed dogs like staffies because they have a really bad rep. I thought they'd be too dominant for me.

foreign_correspondent

elsien wrote: »

I understand a little gentle exercise is recommended for the older lady - the dog's clearly doing her a favour.

ha ha - they are both as mad as each other which helps - I know you are not supposed to make chasing dogs who have stolen things into a 'game' but they both seem to enjoy it, so I leave 'em to it :rotfl: ... if you ever see an eccentric looking older woman running, exasperated, after an amazingly fast loopy lurcher who has hold of a pair of reading glasses, a cheque book, or something of value, its probably my mum! and yes, it probably does wonders for her cardiovascular health!

foreign_correspondent

Londonwriter wrote: »

Thanks for the advice - I'll think more flexibly. I think I just dismissed dogs like staffies because they have a really bad rep. I thought they'd be too dominant for me.

Uktigerlily may be on here later - she has a rescue staffie who is soft as a brush, and they walk miles together - she is also great with the cat, and a couch potato at home... they are also one of the only breeds recommended by the kennel club as being good with kids - they really can be smashing little dogs and are worth looking into!

janninew

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

Uktigerlily may be on here later - she has a rescue staffie who is soft as a brush, and they walk miles together - she is also great with the cat, and a couch potato at home... they are also one of the only breeds recommended by the kennel club as being good with kids - they really can be smashing little dogs and are worth looking into!

I totally agree with foreign correspondent, Staffie's are great little dogs and worth considering. I personally feel that most dogs are fine with children if they are brought up together and both respect each other. I was brought up with boxers, rotts and Staffie's and i've never been bitten before. My parents taught me to respect the dog and not pester them all the time. The only dog i have ever been growled at by was my Nan's Border Collie, he had a really strong herding instinct and would often bite people's ankles and legs!

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

jenhug

Walk away from the puppy farmers!
I have contracts with both my pedigrees.
first one is verbal but we are now like family so it doesn't concern me there is no paper contract. I met both dog and !!!!! before the mating had taken place, I visited throughout the pregnancy and another 4-5 times after the pup was born, all paper work was shown to me and explained, They were proud of the hip and elbow scores, lineage, why wouldn't they want to show it off. Owners details were passed on of pups from the last litter, I was able to contact them and I was really pleased with this.

Ongoing support and advice througout the dogs life until his death, he will always be a part of them. They care.

Second one slightly different, as she was a pup returned to breeder. The breeder does home visits and was unhappy with the care the pup had been given, she took her back, the pup almost died, and when she was returned to full health I was given the pup on a totally different contract.

With either dogs (they are also related and both breeders are friends with each other) if I needed to rehome they would be the first person to call. they demand it.

Mutter_2

Not quite sure where the "crazy" description of Cockers originates, though I've seen similar here before.
There are two types of course, working and showing. The former being far more active than the show breed. The former is more in looks and temperament to a small Springer. I've had two show Cockers and both were easy, loving and adorable members of the family. The last one made me laugh every day, he also did agility and flyball, though he did cheat at it.

Were I to get another dog, it would definately be a Cocker. Having said all that, the best nature is in a particolour not solid as in Golden and they do moult, at least my last one did.
Remember if you get a puppy, it will be quite some time before it's able to manage two hours walking. Even a rescue dog after being cooped up will need some acclimitisation!

If you can wait until March 2010, Crufts have a great section where all pedigree breeders have their dogs and will tell you everything honestly. They don't want their breed in the wrong hands.
Failing that, if you Google "which dog breed?" loads of advice, including questionaires come up. Remember, some are American so reference to Cocker Spaniel is not the same as ours. A different breed yet again!

As to your original post, you answered your own concerns in your penultimate sentence.

I worry that soon rescue kennels will be full of designer crossbreeds.
Recently I met a Cockerpoodle outside a corner shop. He was beautiful, with black shiny loose curls that wouldn't moult and was so friendly. I wondered how much he had cost as the owner was in real difficulty paying in the shop and getting a few units of electricity on a card etc. How long I wondered before the dog was no longer affordable.

If you decide that you like a particular breed, post here as someone is sure to have one.