Dog breed suggestions

cheepskate_2

I would also say go for an older dog, you will know (or the rescue) what its personality is like already. There are some truely amazing older dogs in rescue who never get a home just because they are older.
We got our cocker pup , nice , cute and reletively calm. What did we get as an adult......a complete headbanger whos only speed rips through the house like a tornado. We could never have guessed the personality of her and she is a pain at times. For some people this would definetly not be a doggy they would like.
Cross breeds are better health wise as they never usually have any health probs related to their crossing.

hethmar

Yes, similar thing to a couple down the road, their first dog ever, they got a springer spaniel. Yep, very cute as a puppy - the wife has had to stop taking him for walks because she simply cant handle him and he goes for every dog in sight. This is the problem with puppies, you cant tell what the adult will be like. Same with human babies

moomin5

cheepskate wrote: »

Cross breeds are better health wise as they never usually have any health probs related to their crossing.

Thats not really true, its very dependant on genes and you could cross breed using 2 dogs with dodgy hips say lab and GSD.

suki1964

hethmar wrote: »

Yes, similar thing to a couple down the road, their first dog ever, they got a springer spaniel. Yep, very cute as a puppy - the wife has had to stop taking him for walks because she simply cant handle him and he goes for every dog in sight. This is the problem with puppies, you cant tell what the adult will be like. Same with human babies

Actually thats not quite true

Selective breeding on disposition will have a great bearing on how a puppy will turn out. You breed from two manic busy dogs - you are more likely to get a busy puppy. Get laid back placid parents - you will get a more laid back pup.

It sounds to me that in this case the breed was not suitable to the owners. People see springers, think " awwww so cute" and forget that they are extremely wilful intelligent dogs that need a firm hand from day one

hethmar

Yes, but most people never know what the parents are like anyway suki. They may see mum but it will be when she is nursing half a dozen pups and therefore not typical of her personality. Im sure the dog wasnt suitable for them but they went for the looks of the pup.

Humphrey10

As previous posters have said you might like to go for an older dog, then you will know what its personality is like, also then the breed doesn't matter so much as you'll be able to see what it looks like grown up already.
re: breeds, I love standard wire-haired dachshunds (the miniture ones yap), they have great personalities and lovely expressive faces: http://www.estestom.no/English%20version/Mainpage.htm
They are good at digging though, so might not be suitable as you said you didn't want an 'escape artist type'.

suki1964

hethmar wrote: »

Yes, but most people never know what the parents are like anyway suki. They may see mum but it will be when she is nursing half a dozen pups and therefore not typical of her personality. Im sure the dog wasnt suitable for them but they went for the looks of the pup.

But then they are the people who dont do their homework and dont go about finding a reputable breeder.

If they did do that then they would be looking at the adult dogs that are out on show rings, talking to the owners, getting in touch with the breeders, seeing the reletives, asking questions and then picking the breeder of their pup.And a good breeder would be picking her potential owners

And they are the ones who then go to great lengths to train their pup and can manage it when out on walks

But thats altogether a different thread

hethmar

I think youll find most people dont do a lot of homework suki. Thats why the rescues are brimming over with unwanted dogs.

suki1964

hethmar wrote: »

I think youll find most people dont do a lot of homework suki. Thats why the rescues are brimming over with unwanted dogs.

As I said, thats all for another thread.

I just didnt want people reading a post saying that buying a pup means you have no idea of what sort of adult they are getting - it really is untrue. Unless of course you are buy a cross breed from a rescue - then you really are taking pot luck

BitterAndTwisted

My own suspicion is that a lot unwanted dogs are given up not because the owners didn't do their homework about the breed but that far too many owners lack suitable experience of caring for and training any dogs properly. Members of my own family are guilty of that, even though they haven't given up their animals. My own feeling is that it should be compulsory for all new owners and their dogs to attend a basic course of some kind. I can't believe the number of people who seem to think that shouting at a dog will train it by magic somehow