What dog do I buy?

[l'escargot]

Despite the pleas of others, do not get an adult dog from a rescue centre if you are not an experienced dog owner. Many are damaged and need serious retraining.

Retraining and adapting a balanced adult dog to a new family is not always easy, choosing one with unknown parents and unknown history can be a recipe for disaster - a dog that has been badly treated can be a danger if you are not able to interpret the warning signs. Also, if it doesn't work out, you are doing the dog no favours if you then have to return it to a rescue again because you can't cope with it's behaviour.

With young children, I would always say get a puppy. They will learn the pecking order and grow into the family.

 

[l'escargot]

[ QUOTE ]
I dont like the sound of the 3 figure vet bills....

[/ QUOTE ]
These are a feature of any pet owning these days - cats as well as dogs. One of our dogs has a plate in his leg from a break 9 weeks ago and the treatment is ongoing with the bill approaching £3000 - the £8 a month insurance is looking like a good investment (although we do still have to pay the first 15%!)

Whatever you get, insure it from day 1, it can be harder to get (and dearer) further down the line.

 

[FAITIRA]

We will have to agree to disagree Steve, I too have had 2 from homes in Portugal and the UK and one that adopted us in Portimao, the 3 were great with kids, never a problem, though I agree entirely that you could be unlucky. The sister in law has just spent €1.5k on a French Bulldog pup that she is trying to send back to the breeder. Reason, the dog is seriously anti kids, breeder, in UK does not want to know. So buying a "pedigree" pup is no certainty either.

 

[jonnybuoy]

A border terrier. Daft as a brush, great with kids (incl. toddlers) not too big. Took Murphy a while to get used to the boat (particularly didn't like walking along the pontoons) but he's getting there now:

and they will always keep you company on a spin out when when the missus doesn't fancy it:

It is a massive committment but most people wouldn't be without them when you take the plunge.

Jon.

 

[rubberduck]

We got a Cavalier King Charles pup a month ago after the death of our much loved cat Muppett. He is now 4 months old, loves the boat & car & is great with kids & Numpty, Muppett's brother. His name is Gizmo, as we only use sensible names.

 

[Neddie_Seagoon]

Happily agree that there is no need for a pedigree pup, lots of heinz dogs are wonderful, as was the first recue dog I had, except to strangers! But as L'escargot reinforces, adult rescue dogs are a risk, you shouldn't get one unless you can supervise it, and leaving one with young children is not supervision, it's enhanced risk. The second rescue I was lucky in that I collected her direct from her previous home, having been contacted by the breed society. When we arrived it was obvious that the kids, who loved the dog dearly, teased and tortured it to distress, and the man of the house thought that dog training was something you did with a rolled up newspaper..... It was four years before I overcame her fear of newspapers. She was the best dog I've ever had, died prematurely of a brain tumour, but no way was she ever going to be reliable with kids again. 10 years on I still remember her daily.

The most dangerous animal I've had however was a rescued moggy, he was lethal with SWMBO (who used to breed pedigree moggies very seriously and usually kept two stud cats), he was only safe with me. Anyone else you never knew when he would attack, you'd be sitting there quietly reading, watching the box or whatever, and suddenly find a large black & white moggie attached to your exposed skin by the claws of all four paws!

 

[Neddie_Seagoon]

There is a solution to 3-figure vet bills, but only for those in the right circumstances...

If you have livestock, as in a smallholding or similar, and use the same vet practice for livestock and pets, my experience is that they will charge you for treatment of your pets at the livestock work rate - much much cheaper than the small animal practice rate! Otherwise at least look for a vet practice that does livestock - i.e. serves local farmers, the specialist small animal practices are used to being able to charge for a Rolls Royce service, even though they rarely deliver one.

 

[sarabande]

Totally agree. Local vet has just speyed our house rough collie - £95 including antibiotics and pain killers. My brother in Tunbridge Wells had a cat with a broken leg = £425 for setting it only.

But we do spend an awful lot on the farm animals, especially at lambing time.

 

[Neddie_Seagoon]

/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[victoraspey]

/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif All sounds absolutely ghastly. Dont like the look or sound of any of this. I really dont get this dog thing. Picking turds up and cocked dog legs is stuff of nightmares. Surely wont sleep for the next week or so. Looks like single handed sailing for the foreseeable future.

 

[sailorman]

Jack Russell /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif real characters & very good boat dog ( shame about the hairs /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif)

 

[Neddie_Seagoon]

How about negotiating a compromise with the kids - a big cat?

Maine [--word removed--] !!! <- - C o o n /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[aquaholic]

How about a Newfoundland ???? It will jump in and save you if you go over, but will probabley eat 3 times more food than you do !!!

 

[Talbot]

We had a black lab/border collie cross. Incredibly intelligent, better swimmer than I am, and with the black lab hair, very quick to dry so no wet smelly dog for hours.

downside of a lab - will eat anything. and have a liking for very long walks either with you or on their own if not taken often enough!

 

[rich]

 

[deborahann]

I'm on my third dog, would not get a rescue dog very unfortunately as you are asking a lot in getting it to accept boating & children. couple of my dogs including the present one can't look at open water, fine on the boat, but doesn't like to accept where it is.

You do need to get a puppy. Its a bit hit and miss whatever breed you get, at least with a pedigree you do get some idea of its general likes and dislikes.

Its also not a good idea to get a dog that likes water, you want one that likes, or tolerates boating, not jumping in.

 

[hlb]

I'll secont the black lab/ collie cross. My first dog. You could actually talk to it, and get a sencible answer back.

Mind as said. He was also quite inteligent enough to make a whole world of entertainment, all on his own! But never got lost and was always home for tea time!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Ocean_Driver]

No doubt about it.
Get a Springer or cocker spaniel. Intellingent, active, good swimmers and very obedient and loyal (once trained!)
Also by far the best looking!
Then again, I'd never invite one on my boat!

 

[stevebrassett]

Gorgeous, huh?

 

[akirk]

Springer or other spaniel is great - should love water - mine won't go in, unless he has first sussed his exit route (clever eh!)

but they shed lots of hairs, oh and of course they f**t a lot! For small, a terrier is great, though they are more risky in getting one which is good with kids - check out its parentage, terriers have very strong teeth, and not all are tolerant...

Would support the rescue route - I got my springer from North West Springer Rescue - who were superb - they really listened to what I wanted, and he is the most amazing dog...

enjoy