Choosing a dog

elsien

toffeentom wrote: »

Best reply I've had. You've hit the nail on the head. As if I haven't thought of all avenues. And my daugher and I are both asking the questions!!

Let us know what you decide - some of the other posters have nearly managed to sell me on the merits a mini schauzer. Anyone in the market for a 6 year old @rse of a bull terrier?

[Deleted User]

Get the dog you want.., but please make sure you see the parents. I was placed in the awful position of seeing a 'bad' dog breeder and I now wouldn't even visit unless my instincts told me they weren't a puppy farm. Its difficult to leave badly treated pups behind. If you don't know the people personally, look for similarly worded adverts or same phone numbers in different ads for multiple dogs. Find one, avoid them like the plague, whatever they say about being family reared.

I did buy a lurcher, supposedly from the best breeder in the country.., and maybe he was genetically, but he didn't socialise the pups at all in spite of saying he did. We ended up with a rather neurotic dog that was a bit of a mare. So I would always get a dog from a family home, that was clean (been in one where the dog waste smell hit you as soon as you walked thru the door).

Basically get a dog from the sort of home you live in.., or as you have older kids, rescue is an option (but I am only adding this on, I realise you don't want to take a rescue dog).

I hope you have lots of joy with your dog. They all have their own vagaries.., some you can train out some dogs train you better than you train them lol. I bought a book 'What Is Your Dog Thinking' which helped a lot.

I have a spaniel - always wanted a spaniel.., he actually frightens my ex's rotty lol. He thinks he rules the roost but he only manages to control the rotty in spite of the delightful way he wags his whole body when he wants something lol. (I think).