Choosing breed.

Annika30

I have noticed when I've been out working(I work with dogs, well, more with their owners:D) that when I ask the owner why they choose the breed the most common answer would be because of looks, size and coat (in that order) of the breed. It strikes me as extremely odd that that would be the criteria you would go on. Would it not make more sense to pick the breed depending what you are going to use the dog for? I feel that this is the main reason people ending up having problems with their dogs, they just haven't done enough research about the breed. I would never have gotten a husky for instance if I wasn't going to do some sledding with him the same goes for my
Ridgeback (obviously I don't use him for tracking down lions as they were originally used for) but I would do tracking with him on a regular basis:D.
What do you think?

Annika:)

sebastianv

The wife and I got a Dulux dog but the bugger won't paint :cool:

She liked them, she wanted one she got. End off

Annika30

sebastianv wrote: »

The wife and I got a Dulux dog but the bugger won't paint :cool:

She liked them, she wanted one she got. End off

:D:D

shinners007

Always had boxer's even as a kid so knew i always wanted them to be part of my life coz of their temperment and playfulness!


My two yorkies (misty & Lilo) on the other i got after researching the breed and because if im honest i think they look cute!! Plus their so clever!

I think alot of people choose dogs because of their appearance and size.

Glowing

shinners007 wrote: »

I think alot of people choose dogs because of their appearance and size.

Thats an unfortunate truth - thats why so many dogs are abandoned since their personalities are not suitable for the owners' environment. If only people did a BIT of research into a breed's temperament and excercise needs, then they could make better informed choices, and not just take home the first cute puppy that crosses their path (and then find out its a great dane/deer hound cross!)

Edit: And what annoys me is when people always choose a 'small' dog because they think it'll be less work. Whereas in truth, a greyhound or lurcher for example would *generally* be lower maintanence than something like a Westie (yappy and terratorial), or Bichon Frise (loads of grooming), or a Jack Russell (wired) etc ....

shinners007

and not just take home the first cute puppy that crosses their path (and then find out its a great dane/deer hound cross!)

ha ya that is so true. Another problem is people want a dog a certain size to "fit " into the family and they want one that looks a certain way - and they forget about the work, care , commitment, exercise, diet, stimulation necessary etc. They reckon the size of the garden, house size etc are more important factors to think about then actually going and reading a bit about the breed or asking questions about the breed.

Ya you hit the nail on the head their, more time is taken up grooming my yorkies daily than grooming all my boxers! People forget that and then neglect the daily grooming that is needed by longhaired breeds..

Another thing that annoys me is people getting dogs and leaving them in the back garden all day long with out stimulation, toys, etc not to mention the lack of socialisation and human companionship- i mean why get a dog and then leave it outside all the time bored to death.

Annika30

shinners007 wrote: »

Another thing that annoys me is people getting dogs and leaving them in the back garden all day long with out stimulation, toys, etc not to mention the lack of socialisation and human companionship- i mean why get a dog and then leave it outside all the time bored to death.

I just don't think some people realise how social dogs are!!

Our man in Havana

Most of my dogs were not picked rather they landed here on their feet! I have 10 dogs they are all different from a westie to a rottie & I have to say the rottie is my favourite.

but a lot of dogs are chosen for their looks or even worse because Brittany & Paris have teeny tiny dogs in handbags!

AckwelFoley

sebastianv wrote: »

The wife and I got a Dulux dog but the bugger won't paint :cool:

She liked them, she wanted one she got. End off

HA HA.. SEND HIM BACK.. HES BROKEN

I have 10 dogs

:eek::eek: WTF?

How do u manage..

I havve one pup and shes tearin my house apart!!

LovelyTom

I have a border terrier and I chose this breed because of their temperment and personality. Besides this they were small and low shedders which suited me perfectly. The only way in my opinion to pick the right dog is to do a bit of research on their temperments and whether or not they can give the dog what it needs to be happy.

wyk

Hear hear.

In my experience, few people look at a breeds predominant temperament(how it will behave in general). Most just like the looks. Reminds me when a girl told me my Komondor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komondor) was really cute and that she wanted one. She changed her mind when I said that if she were on the other side of the fence with the sheep that the Kom would attack her without warning - which was the dogs job and breeding. A Komondor protects the flock at all costs.
And another story about Greyhounds(http://www.pbase.com/wyk/greyhound). Everyone sees them right before they race or hunt, and so think they are vicious or hyper. Most of the time they just sleep. The rest of the time, they also sleep.

Temperament first, then go with the looks. But, I have to add, if ya take in a greyhound as a pet, you most likely saved that dog's life.

WYK

Annika30 wrote: »

I have noticed when I've been out working(I work with dogs, well, more with their owners:D) that when I ask the owner why they choose the breed the most common answer would be because of looks, size and coat (in that order) of the breed. It strikes me as extremely odd that that would be the criteria you would go on. Would it not make more sense to pick the breed depending what you are going to use the dog for? I feel that this is the main reason people ending up having problems with their dogs, they just haven't done enough research about the breed. I would never have gotten a husky for instance if I wasn't going to do some sledding with him the same goes for my
Ridgeback (obviously I don't use him for tracking down lions as they were originally used for) but I would do tracking with him on a regular basis:D.
What do you think?

Annika:)

Jen Pigs Fly

Yea my aunt got a white boxer because she thought he was cute (now he was a gorgeous dog) but what she didn't expect was the size and the weight he'd grow up to! And she has 3 kids and 2 grand kids (one of the kids is also disabled) and a very small garden, needless to say he wasn't right for the place and she unfortuantly had to sell him! (Absolutly gorgeous dog unfortuantly)

She got a puichon Frisse (sps??) instead haha he was more suited I hafta say! (even though he needs to be grmmoed every day and get a visit from a professional dog groomer every couple of months, shes not complaining after bruce!)

Even with my dog, we didn't know she'd grow up to be the size that she is, but we have a big garden and she's kept inside so shes alright, we got her as a rescie pup from PAWS and she was tiny, now she's about the same size as a golden retriever!

Annika30

xxxJennyxxx wrote: »

Yea my aunt got a white boxer because she thought he was cute (now he was a gorgeous dog) but what she didn't expect was the size and the weight he'd grow up to! And she has 3 kids and 2 grand kids (one of the kids is also disabled) and a very small garden, needless to say he wasn't right for the place and she unfortuantly had to sell him! (Absolutly gorgeous dog unfortuantly)

She got a puichon Frisse (sps??) instead haha he was more suited I hafta say! (even though he needs to be grmmoed every day and get a visit from a professional dog groomer every couple of months, shes not complaining after bruce!)

Even with my dog, we didn't know she'd grow up to be the size that she is, but we have a big garden and she's kept inside so shes alright, we got her as a rescie pup from PAWS and she was tiny, now she's about the same size as a golden retriever!'




I think this is a perfect example why you should do some research before you decide to get a dog.....

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Annika30 wrote: »

Would it not make more sense to pick the breed depending what you are going to use the dog for?
Annika:)

Oh come off it! "Use the dog for"?? Most people don't "use" their dogs for anything other than as a pet, a companion, a good excuse for taking a walk...
Do you contend that I shouldn't have my Rough Collies because I don't herd sheep in the Scottish Highlands? Well neither do Rough Collies anymore. Should my brother not have his Bloodhound because he doesn't hunt ot track? Billy (the bloodhound) is just as happy not hunting but exploring around the garden and park instead. My mother's Corgi doesn't herd cattle too often these days and probably wouldn't know how but Ma just "uses" her as a loving companion. Annika, I think you are having a laugh.
Most people choose a dog to suit their situation and environment, taking consideration of appearance, size, temperament. We're not all irresponsible and most people take their responsibilities as a dog owner seriously.
I'll have to think what other uses I can put my dogs to!

Annika30

Ariana Delicious Recruiter wrote: »

Oh come off it! "Use the dog for"?? Most people don't "use" their dogs for anything other than as a pet, a companion, a good excuse for taking a walk...
Do you contend that I shouldn't have my Rough Collies because I don't herd sheep in the Scottish Highlands? Well neither do Rough Collies anymore. Should my brother not have his Bloodhound because he doesn't hunt ot track? Billy (the bloodhound) is just as happy not hunting but exploring around the garden and park instead. My mother's Corgi doesn't herd cattle too often these days and probably wouldn't know how but Ma just "uses" her as a loving companion. Annika, I think you are having a laugh.
Most people choose a dog to suit their situation and environment, taking consideration of appearance, size, temperament. We're not all irresponsible and most people take their responsibilities as a dog owner seriously.
I'll have to think what other uses I can put my dogs to!

And this is why we have the kind of problems we do in Ireland because people get dogs they can't handle and yes I wouldn't recommend that you would get a bloodhound if you are not going to use it for tracking, why would you? Because it looks cute?

Glowing

Ariana Delicious Recruiter wrote: »

Most people choose a dog to suit their situation and environment, taking consideration of appearance, size, temperament. We're not all irresponsible and most people take their responsibilities as a dog owner seriously.
I'll have to think what other uses I can put my dogs to!

I know for a fact this is not true. Why do you think the pounds are bursting with dogs? Yes of couse you have the responsible owners who do their research and choose a dog based on the amount of excercise they can provide, the amount of free space they have etc, but there are HUGE numbers of people who just don't bother (or just don't realise) that every dog breed has different needs. This is why we have so many lonely dogs living in Semi-D back yards barking out of sheer frustration, and lack of interaction and excercise.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Glowing wrote: »

I know for a fact this is not true. Why do you think the pounds are bursting with dogs? Yes of couse you have the responsible owners who do their research and choose a dog based on the amount of excercise they can provide, the amount of free space they have etc, but there are HUGE numbers of people who just don't bother (or just don't realise) that every dog breed has different needs. This is why we have so many lonely dogs living in Semi-D back yards barking out of sheer frustration, and lack of interaction and excercise.

I said "most". Don't paint everybody with the one brush!

Our man in Havana

so what species do yo own Annika??? & what the heck do you use them for??

I have the following dogs
3 JRT crosses
1 west highland terrier
1 rottweiller
1 labrador
1 lab cross newfoundland
1 red setter crossed with a ridgeback/borzoi (vet is not 100% sure!)
1 english setter cross
1 other mutt - not sure what he is a mix off - lab & something else but he is a medium dog.

My dogs are all house pets - they get taken for walks in the field behind the house & are much loved. So what do you think of my pet dogs then???

Should I keep them or should I get well rid of them because i do not put them to use?? Mind you 9 of these are rescue dogs so if I get rid I would just be adding to the problem with unwanted dogs! I may not have CHOSEN my dogs but they are a part of my family!

A small note on reported posts - I have to deal with these & get annoyed when the reasons given are not problems I see - the tone of someone's post that members do not like - have not broken any rules - please be very sure of the things you report.

Whispered

True that "sheep dogs" are often not used for herding sheep, however the amount of sheepdogs which are brought to the pound due to their very high energy and tendancy to nip at ankles is huge! But it's bred into them, they are natural herders and these traits are useful to them if they are doing their "job". I think all dogs should do some sort of activity which compliments their breed - if you have a "tracking dog" turn your walk into a track, let him follow a scent and "lead" you. Agile dogs, do agility classes with him. ETC

Annika - I totally agree, we were talking about getting a dog, and I researched and decided a sight hound, in partic an ex racing dog, would suit our life perfectly. My OH decided a greyhound was not cute enough and was insisting on a collie, which is too high energy for us with our current routine and time constraints. Needless to say we didn't get a dog. But if I hadn't researched, or allowed my want for a dog over come common sense, we would probably have a very unhappy, destructive but very very cute dog at home.

Bond, I dont think she meant people should get rid of their dogs at all! I dont understand why people are so defensive. I'm sure you know your dogs very well, and how they act very well. I'm also sure that a lot of their more natural instincts are typical to their partic breed. These things should be nurtured (and I'm sure they are by you Bond) but a lot of the time people dont know what sort of dog they are getting because of lack of research and end up with a "problem" dog. These people often dont have the space you obviously do to allow them be themselves naturally and their pent up energy becomes barking or biting or chewing etc.

Glowing

Bond-007 wrote: »

so what species do yo own Annika??? & what the heck do you use them for??

I have the following dogs
3 JRT crosses
1 west highland terrier
1 rottweiller
1 labrador
1 lab cross newfoundland
1 red setter crossed with a ridgeback/borzoi (vet is not 100% sure!)
1 english setter cross
1 other mutt - not sure what he is a mix off - lab & something else but he is a medium dog.

My dogs are all house pets - they get taken for walks in the field behind the house & are much loved. So what do you think of my pet dogs then???

Should I keep them or should I get well rid of them because i do not put them to use?? Mind you 9 of these are rescue dogs so if I get rid I would just be adding to the problem with unwanted dogs! I may not have CHOSEN my dogs but they are a part of my family!

A small note on reported posts - I have to deal with these & get annoyed when the reasons given are not problems I see - the tone of someone's post that members do not like - have not broken any rules - please be very sure of the things you report.

Your situation is very different I think - you rescue dogs. You have the time and the space to deal with them. You know all about animals, and how they interact. Your dogs are happy and healthy and get the attention they need. AND they have each other for company.

What gets me are those who choose a breed they know nothing about on a whim, and pay extortionate amounts of money because its 'cute'. Then they throw it in a back yard, ignore it for most of the day, take it for a 10 min stroll every evening and wonder why it's destroying the house!! :rolleyes:

Annika30

Bond-007 wrote: »

so what species do yo own Annika??? & what the heck do you use them for??

If you read my original post the answer is there.

lightening

Annika, I like the look of some dogs, I don't like the look of other dogs. I don't dislike the dogs, I just don't like the look of some of them. That's human nature. I think corgis are horrible, and those hairless dogs are hideous looking.

I think Rothweilers are cool looking, they look powerful, friendly, strong, they look like I could have fun wrestling on the ground with one. I love English Bull Terriers, I think they are incredibly handsome and regal looking.

Again, its human nature.

I will never own a Bull Terrier or a Rottie because of peoples reactions and misunderstanding about the breeds. I guess more people need to look into it more before getting a dog.

Condemning people for having a dog without "using" it for the purpose it was bred for is plain silly. There are hundreds of well looked after, loved pet labradors that don't retrieve. They are fine.;)

My next dog will probably be an unwanted lurcher or something, why?

Because I like them. I won't be using it for coursing either.

Our man in Havana

Glowing wrote: »

Your situation is very different I think - you rescue dogs. You have the time and the space to deal with them. You know all about animals, and how they interact. Your dogs are happy and healthy and get the attention they need. AND they have each other for company.

What gets me are those who choose a breed they know nothing about on a whim, and pay extortionate amounts of money because its 'cute'. Then they throw it in a back yard, ignore it for most of the day, take it for a 10 min stroll every evening and wonder why it's destroying the house!! :rolleyes:

This will happen all the time tho - I just find that what Annika was saying about bloodhounds being unsuitable to be silly. Dogs are very intelligent & can be trained rather easily. Its like people saying rotties are devil dogs - they are not - the owners are the problem.

I do realise we need tighter controls but do not think that anyone should tell me what species of dogs I can own & what I can not own.

Annika30

It comes as no surprise to me that the premise to my original post has been wildly misunderstood by some contributors. It seems however that some folks are just intent on furthering their own agenda's regardless of what has actually been the context of the discussion.
Essentially what I seek to promote in here is greater responsibility when it comes to dog ownership, simple as. Okay, so not everyone is going to go off and do a Ph.D in Canine studies just because they want a family pet. Dog training and indeed dog ownership is something that I am passionate about and I don't expect everyone to go to the lengths that I have gone to, but I don't see any harm (quite the opposite in fact) in trying to raise the bar somewhat when it comes to the factors people should consider before getting a dog. What I raised in my initial post was the issue that there are most definitely some breeds of dogs (particularly working breeds) that are not going to be content to lie at your feet all day.

lightening

Annika30 wrote: »

It seems however that some folks are just intent on furthering their own agenda's regardless of what has actually been the context of the discussion.

Look Annika, you said in your post this:

Annika30 wrote: »

Would it not make more sense to pick the breed depending what you are going to use the dog for?

and then you said this:

Annika30 wrote: »

What do you think?

I'm beginning to think you are promoting your business and your bonkers. I don't have an agenda, I like dogs, I like the look of particular breeds, I have the the cop not to go out and get any breed I like the look of. Most people on this forum are responsible dogs owners and don't like the likes of you dictating what breed they should have.

You asked what people think and then accuse them of having an agenda!

shinners007

I also must add that nowadays some of us pet owners consider our pets part of our family and dont leave them tied up outside all day long like people did years ago or use them just for eg hunting, or herding sheep, tracking, etc.. and buy them just for a working purpose? Im not saying working dogs shouldnt work im simply saying people now are more considerate towards there pets and they treat them well whether they are working them or not, and those who have working dogs that are not working i presume are not stupid and they stimulate and excercise their pets adequately. And if done so correctly can be just as benefical as actually working the dog.

My opinion is that you dont need to buy a dog for what was considered their work or use, there domesticated and offer compainship, love care and oce responsible owners gaive that back to the pets and excercise etc then i dont see a problem with it.

Plus the like of agility etc are excellent for stimulation.

Yorkies were breed for hunting rats and mice years ago, my yorkies hate getting there feet wet not to mention if they saw a rat/mouse they'd nearly loose their lives and i love em for it.

coisaille

There seems to be an implication here that there is something wrong or shallow with picking a dog you like the look of which seems crazy to me, sure you have to go for the whole package, but it seems to me whether its a purebred or mutt if you're going to be hanging out with it for 10-15 years of your life you may as well like the look of it!
I've got an Irish setter from hunting lines, when I got her first I felt kind of bad that she'd be missing out on the working side but now I think she's got a pretty good life(I mean if she was working she'd probably be spending most of her time in kennels) I got her because I wanted a sporty, active dog as I do loads of walking, plus I wanted a really people oriented dog as she comes to work with me, plus I wanted a decent sized dog and not a little lap dog (nothing against them just not for me) and last but not least I really like the look of them!

wyk

Bond-007 wrote: »

This will happen all the time tho - I just find that what Annika was saying about bloodhounds being unsuitable to be silly. Dogs are very intelligent & can be trained rather easily. Its like people saying rotties are devil dogs - they are not - the owners are the problem.

One of my favorite folks in Missouri kept a huge Bloodhound in the house. Though she could be quite sonic when excited, she was one of the few animals I ever saw lazyer than a Greyhound once domesticated.She was very loving, and calm, and smart. She lived to be 13, and her primary residence all those years was the living room..

WYK

wyk

This is sort of the OP's point:

Most pet owners do not keep a dog for it's capabilities other than being a pet. So oftentimes a breed's temperament will be overlooked. Many sheep dogs and terriers are meant to be rather active, oftentimes rather aggressive in their work pursuits. While you can train your dog and domesticate it - you can rarely decrease a dog's energy, how much time it spends awake, and how much exercise the breed craves. These should be taken into consideration before a pet is brought in to the household. If you do not intend to work your dog, or exercise it any significant amount, you probably should not get a breed that was meant to be very active(see barking dog threads in this forum...).

Most people I know pick a pet based on it's size(#1) and it' looks. Most terriers I have seen take up far more room than any domestic Greyhound I have seen. A terrier is more active, and spends a good amount of time moving about. The Greyhound tends to just find a quiet corner, sofa, etc and chillout for most the time. Many terrier and Lhasa Apso owners I know would have been better off with a Shih Tzu.

This sort of underscores my point about breeds as well. While I am a big proponent of Greyhounds because of the huge amount of cruelty they are subjected to in the EU countries where it is legal to race and course them, I do see the advantage of owning a pure bred, Greyhound or not. Having a high likelyhood that your pet is going to adhere to a certain temperament, size, activity level, and health, takes a lot of guesswork out of owning a pet, and ensures a better likelyhood of a proper fit to your particular household. While some may argue that it creates a demand, I would also argue the flip side is it decreases the likelyhood of the pet being a bad match as well(assuming the owners do their homework and try and fit the dog to their situation).

WYK
http://www.pbase.com/wyk/greyhound_rescue_ireland

shinners007 wrote: »

My opinion is that you dont need to buy a dog for what was considered their work or use, there domesticated and offer compainship, love care and oce responsible owners gaive that back to the pets and excercise etc then i dont see a problem with it.

Plus the like of agility etc are excellent for stimulation.

Yorkies were breed for hunting rats and mice years ago, my yorkies hate getting there feet wet not to mention if they saw a rat/mouse they'd nearly loose their lives and i love em for it.

Vegeta

I think this debate is nonsense

Every dog is different, even within the same breed. Just like people

I have 2 cocker spaniels who are sisters and they couldn't be more different. One is really placid, calm and simply will not hunt, yet she is a great pet as she just walks along beside you and is great around kids. The other dog is a complete firecracker, lunatic, typical spaniel, strong willed but she is an amazing hunter.

So 2 sisters from the same litter can be very different. Even with all your "research" you could get a dog expecting one type of behaviour and see a completely different personality.

Also it has to be pointed out that most breeds today would have originally had a working history and started off breeding for ability. This has gone out the window and most purebred dogs are now bred purely on looks, as a result they are very poor at their specific field of work.

Black Swan

I got my Great Dane to hunt wild boar. Naaaaaaa, I'm just like the others you mentioned in your OP. I wanted a large dog that looked cool and would eat the bad guys. Plus, Danes are sooooo cute when puppies, stumbling over their big feet.