Buying a Dog

Kevin!

Hello,

We currently have a female bichon frise (Daisy/5yrs old), and we're looking for another dog.

Our garden isn't massive, but it's not small either. I'd hope to keep the new dog indoors though as I don't like keeping pets outside.

I'm looking for a medium-(large?) sized dog, which is quite strong but very friendly and playful, need's to get on with the family including daisy but no young children, youngest is 14 (I would also like a dog that looks strong and would deter anyone from messing with the house)

The max walking per day is probably around 1-1.5hr, up a local hill.

I was thinking about a boxer but they don't live to a great age and I'm open to suggestions.

Any ideas?

Owen

Don't buy a dog. Go to one of the adoption agencies. I got an absolutely gorgeous collie/lab mix from the Limerick Animal Welfare agency on Saturday and they really pushed the boat out. Full vaccination history, neutered/spayed, and gave all sorts of great advice.

crotalus667

I would go with a rottie , my sisters ome is not a big walker and is happy to stay in doors as much as she can

Shazanne

I agree with PaintDoctor. There are so many wonderful dogs in need of a good home and there's a great sense of achievement when you rescue one of them. I got a little terrier last year and she is the light of of lives - she's so cute and loving but, believe me, noone would get into our house uninvited!
If you go to a rescue centre you will find every breed of dog imaginable - from the very big to the very tiny. And the centre staff will be able to tell you about the dogs personality and how it will fit in with your lifestyle.
Why pay big money for a dog to a breeder when there are so many who really need a loving home?
Think about it - but whatever you do, the very best of luck!:)

perri winkles

Shazanne wrote: »

I agree with PaintDoctor. There are so many wonderful dogs in need of a good home and there's a great sense of achievement when you rescue one of them. I got a little terrier last year and she is the light of of lives - she's so cute and loving but, believe me, noone would get into our house uninvited!
If you go to a rescue centre you will find every breed of dog imaginable - from the very big to the very tiny. And the centre staff will be able to tell you about the dogs personality and how it will fit in with your lifestyle.
Why pay big money for a dog to a breeder when there are so many who really need a loving home?
Think about it - but whatever you do, the very best of luck!:)

+1000 to this.

I was just coming on to say the same thing!
The most important point in all that is the personality aspect. You seem to know what you want and need in a dog, and the staff in a rescue will do their best to match you to the right dog. This is something a breeder who hands you a pup can't do.

adser53

While i fully respect rescues and people who rescue dogs, the op has the right to buy a breed they like... As for matching you to the "right dog", researching the breed you choose first is just as good as you know what to expect and a puppy can be trained and adapt to its surroundings.
As for a breed, i'm biased of course but an Akita sounds perfect for you. They're fabulous dogs and despite their size they're great in the house and don't require savage amounts of excercise. People often keep them in apartments. Whatever you decide, best of luck.

perri winkles

adser53 wrote: »

While i fully respect rescues and people who rescue dogs, the op has the right to buy a breed they like... As for matching you to the "right dog", researching the breed you choose first is just as good as you know what to expect and a puppy can be trained and adapt to its surroundings.
As for a breed, i'm biased of course but an Akita sounds perfect for you. They're fabulous dogs and despite their size they're great in the house and don't require savage amounts of excercise. People often keep them in apartments. Whatever you decide, best of luck.

The OP didn't specify any type of breed that he prefers, simply that he wants a medium/large size dog. The fact is that the only place he will get a good variety and choice is at a rescue!

I don't meant that to sound harsh, but unless someone is hell bent on a certain type of dog (perhaps you and akitas? :)) then I think the best option for them is to go to a rescue where they can get a feel for all types of dog.

Kevin!

perri winkles wrote: »

The OP didn't specify any type of breed that he prefers, simply that he wants a medium/large size dog. The fact is that the only place he will get a good variety and choice is at a rescue!

I don't meant that to sound harsh, but unless someone is hell bent on a certain type of dog (perhaps you and akitas? :)) then I think the best option for them is to go to a rescue where they can get a feel for all types of dog.

I'm appreciative of everyone who has suggested to go to the DSPCA and have a look, but at the moment I'm sort of looking to buy a dog as I'm quite specific of the dog I would like, even though it may not seem so. I'm sort of looking for a dog from a very young age so I can bring him up to my liking (friendly and happy)

I had a look at the Akitas and as they sound cute, apparently they are quite dangerious according to my friend and need to be on a lead at all times in public places and are not welcome to dog parks.

I'm sort of looking to get a labradoodle, my friend has one but there very big. He told me some people have breeding programs with medium sized labradoodles.

Does anyone know of anyone who sells them? had a look on donedeal and the one girl, Rose I think it is has all hers sold.

I'm looking for a very healthy one and if forking out an extra few bob to insure that is not a problem as it's important.

cheers

andreac

Kevin! wrote: »

I had a look at the Akitas and as they sound cute, apparently they are quite dangerious according to my friend and need to be on a lead at all times in public places and are not welcome to dog parks.

:mad::mad:

Its this type of ignorance that gives these dogs a bad reputation. They are far from dangerous and like any large dog they need good training and good socialisation from day one, but NO, they are not dangerous!!!

Tell your friend to get his facts straight too as they are welcome to dog parks.

perri winkles

Just so you know labradoodles are just mongrels with fancier names :rolleyes:
I never unerstand this, how someone would fork out for a dog from a breeder that isn't even a pure bred! Baffles me.

If you are looking for healthy then you'll be hard pushed because the majority (not all) of purebreds have health defects no matter how well they are bred. Also would like to point out that resuces often have purebreds as well. Also have puppies too.

funkyjebus

go with a wheaten terrier. they are a medium dog. very friendly, great with kids, dont shed so perfect for inside, they make an amazing watchdog, butg if im honest a terrible guard dog, unless death by licking is a concern! they only thing negitive i have to say about them (doesn't really bother me though) is the grooming, but you should be used to this with the bf. they always reminded me of a small cuter labradoodle. there are loads on saleon donedeal at the moment.

i have my guy 10 months now and he's a joy, so easy to train and eager to learn. as a breed id give it 10/10. they are also healthy dogs with few diseases.

on the mobile now i'll post a pic for you when i get home. from everything you say you'd be a match made in heaven

Kevin!

perri winkles wrote: »

Just so you know labradoodles are just mongrels with fancier names :rolleyes:
I never unerstand this, how someone would fork out for a dog from a breeder that isn't even a pure bred! Baffles me.

If you are looking for healthy then you'll be hard pushed because the majority (not all) of purebreds have health defects no matter how well they are bred. Also would like to point out that resuces often have purebreds as well. Also have puppies too.

The only thing is, some of the labradoodles are in breeding programs so the best of the large poodles and the best of the Labrador are mixed. often the stud is brought in from different countries also to prevent cross breeding.

The good thing about labradoodles are, there quite big, very cute and loving they also don't shed alot as being mixed with a poodle.

toadfly

What about these beauties...puppies so you can train them from scratch. And they are adorable!

http://dogsindistress.org/blog/?p=3057

perri winkles

Kevin! wrote: »

The only thing is, some of the labradoodles are in breeding programs so the best of the large poodles and the best of the Labrador are mixed. often the stud is brought in from different countries also to prevent cross breeding.

The good thing about labradoodles are, there quite big, very cute and loving they also don't shed alot as being mixed with a poodle.

Still a glorified mongrel. It's not a personal attack on you I just hate how breeders are making money off a cross breed when there are thousands of other cross breeds in rescues etc

It's really up to you, but I think the pups that Tillygirl pointed out are beautiful. They will probably be medium/largish dogs and are pups in need of a good home.

PaulB91

TillyGirl wrote: »

What about these beauties...puppies so you can train them from scratch. And they are adorable!

http://dogsindistress.org/blog/?p=3057

they look like my monsters

adser53

perri winkles wrote: »

The OP didn't specify any type of breed that he prefers, simply that he wants a medium/large size dog. The fact is that the only place he will get a good variety and choice is at a rescue!

I don't meant that to sound harsh, but unless someone is hell bent on a certain type of dog (perhaps you and akitas? :)) then I think the best option for them is to go to a rescue where they can get a feel for all types of dog.

He came on here looking for suggestions about a dog (i.e breed) If he got suggestions he could research them and make an informed decision (like he did about a boxer and then decided not to get one) You make a rescue sound like a restaurant full of variety and choice There's hundreds of dog breeds out there for him to research! You can't get much more variety and choice than that! he might decide to rescue one of these breeds, or a cross of them, after he's happy with his choice.

Kevin! wrote:

I had a look at the Akitas and as they sound cute, apparently they are quite dangerious according to my friend and need to be on a lead at all times in public places and are not welcome to dog parks.

I'm not going to repeat what Andrea said but that comment is ridiculous :mad: Akita's are not dangerous! They do have to be kept on a leash in public though due to a ridiculous (and unneccessary) bit of legislation that affects a number of breeds here in Ireland, not just Akita's.

Kevin! wrote:

I'm looking for a medium-(large?) sized dog, which is quite strong but very friendly and playful, need's to get on with the family including daisy but no young children, youngest is 14 (I would also like a dog that looks strong and would deter anyone from messing with the house)

Y'see right there, what I've highlighted, is why certain members of society get GSDs, Rotties, Akitas, Staffies, Pitbulls etc. They don't train, socialise, excercise or care for their dogs properly and just want to look hard. As a result, some of these dogs get nasty behavioural issues that in turn give the breed a bad name. You won't find anyone like that on boards which is why there's a constant arguement between responsible "Dangerous Dog :mad:" owners and the ignorant people who think all of these breeds are maneaters and will steal your children in the dead of night.

For the record, my 2 cavs sleep on top of my 3 yr old Akita, the local kids do be hanging out of him when we go out walking and he's been accosted more times than I can remember by off leash ankle biters and he's never so much as growled. Dangerous me hole :rolleyes:

Anyways, best of luck choosing your dog

morganafay

Going to a rescue is great, but if you want to buy a specific breed and for it to be a puppy, then going to a breeder is the best option. Just make sure it's a good breeder (see the living conditions, see the parents, etc.)

I would suggest and labrador or a golden retriever, because they have lovely temperaments. They'd love long walks, but could still be suitable for living indoors. And they're still big enough that hopefully they'd deter intruders, even if they are really friendly.

Labradoodles are lovely, but need ALOT of grooming. You're probably used to that already though with a Bichon. Think of a Bichon only alot bigger, because they need about the same grooming (including trimming or clipping).

Also purebred dogs are not all unhealthy. Sometimes it sounds like people are saying that most purebreds are sick all the time, but that's not true at all. I have had 5 purebred dogs, and none of them ever had anything wrong with them ever (except fleas!) even at 14 years old. There are some good points to getting purebreds (you know roughly what size, personality, temperament, exercise, grooming needs, etc. they'll have)

Shazanne

The above poster has been extremely lucky with her 5 purebreds, but the reality is that purebreds are more prone to numerous more illnesses than your average "mongrel" (a word I detest!) This is a proven fact and any vet will tell you the same.
Plus, who in God's name came up with a "labrapoodle" - I've never heard anything so insane! Does it not stand to reason that if you take two distinctive breeds and mix them together you are looking for trouble? The people who do this type of thing are just experimenting to try and introduce something new onto the market and make money from it.
I still firmly believe that if the OP opened his mind to visiting a rescue centre he would be far less inclined to spend his hard earned money on a purebred and he would be far greater rewarded.

morganafay

Shazanne wrote: »

The above poster has been extremely lucky with her 5 purebreds, but the reality is that purebreds are more prone to numerous more illnesses than your average "mongrel" (a word I detest!) This is a proven fact and any vet will tell you the same.
Plus, who in God's name came up with a "labrapoodle" - I've never heard anything so insane! Does it not stand to reason that if you take two distinctive breeds and mix them together you are looking for trouble? The people who do this type of thing are just experimenting to try and introduce something new onto the market and make money from it.
I still firmly believe that if the OP opened his mind to visiting a rescue centre he would be far less inclined to spend his hard earned money on a purebred and he would be far greater rewarded.

Oh yeah I agree I've been really lucky. I'm just saying that not ALL purebred dogs have illnesses. Out of all the people I know with purebred dogs, only one has a hereditary illness. And that could have been avoided if the breeder had her dogs checked for hip displaysia :mad: So some do get sick, but not all, not even most.

I don't like people just randomly mixing two breeds, without thinking of it. But I think the Labradoodle was made from mixing several different breeds, and they probably did it properly, to create a healthy intelligent dog, since it is used for guide dogs. Though there are people out there just making their own from poodles and labradors. Someone on here said it was actually a mix of Labrador, water spaniel and a few other things I think?

Mongrels are the healthiest, and if you get them as an adult in a shelter then you can usually tell their personality. But there could be problems with getting a mongrel too (not knowing its background or parents/grandparents etc. who could have had health problems too). And they could also have behaviour problems. I'm not saying not to get them, but a person has to be prepared for that.

Shazanne

morganafay wrote: »

Oh yeah I agree I've been really lucky. I'm just saying that not ALL purebred dogs have illnesses. Out of all the people I know with purebred dogs, only one has a hereditary illness. And that could have been avoided if the breeder had her dogs checked for hip displaysia :mad: So some do get sick, but not all, not even most.

I don't like people just randomly mixing two breeds, without thinking of it. But I think the Labradoodle was made from mixing several different breeds, and they probably did it properly, to create a healthy intelligent dog, since it is used for guide dogs. Though there are people out there just making their own from poodles and labradors. Someone on here said it was actually a mix of Labrador, water spaniel and a few other things I think?

Mongrels are the healthiest, and if you get them as an adult in a shelter then you can usually tell their personality. But there could be problems with getting a mongrel too (not knowing its background or parents/grandparents etc. who could have had health problems too). And they could also have behaviour problems. I'm not saying not to get them, but a person has to be prepared for that.

I have to agree with your last paragraph - even though I still strongly advocate rescuing a dog. My little girl, Millie, was two and a half when I got her a year ago and she showed nervous tendencies and agression towards other dogs. The nervousness is completely gone now, thank God, but she is still not overly sociable towards her canine friends - especially females! Millie was picked up as a pregnant stray and taken to the Rescue Centre so basically I know nothing about her past at all and nothing about her medical history either. So yes, from that point of view adopting a rescue dog is a gamble. But the first thing I did with her was to have her thoroughly checked out by a vet, which showed up no problems, so I reckon she's as good a gamble as any other dog. She is now spoiled rotten and we love her to bits and, often when I look at her all cuddled up on her couch, I think how different her life could have been if she had not been adopted. Maybe the OP has his very good reasons for not opting for a rescue dog at this point but if even one person chooses to give a dog a second chance as a result of reading this thread then I'll be very happy:)

Noopti

Kevin! wrote: »

I'm appreciative of everyone who has suggested to go to the DSPCA and have a look, but at the moment I'm sort of looking to buy a dog as I'm quite specific of the dog I would like, even though it may not seem so. I'm sort of looking for a dog from a very young age so I can bring him up to my liking (friendly and happy)

You could still go to a rescue(s), you never know they could have just the dog that meets your criteria.

Kevin!

Noopti wrote: »

You could still go to a rescue(s), you never know they could have just the dog that meets your criteria.

I had a look on the website, and theres not much that would be suitable for me but I may aswell just pop in anywho and see if theres more

toadfly

Kevin! wrote: »

I had a look on the website, and theres not much that would be suitable for me but I may aswell just pop in anywho and see if theres more

There are loads of rescues out there, not just the DSPCA...here are a few in the general Dublin area/not far from Dublin;

http://www.dogsindistress.org/

http://www.dogsaid.ie/

http://www.dogstrust.ie/

http://www.dar.ie/

Of course there are loads of others around the country,

http://www.egar.org

Good luck.

PaulB91

TillyGirl wrote: »

There are loads of rescues out there, not just the DSPCA...here are a few in the general Dublin area/not far from Dublin;

http://www.dogsindistress.org/

http://www.dogsaid.ie/

http://www.dogstrust.ie/

http://www.dar.ie/

Of course there are loads of others around the country,

http://www.egar.org

Good luck.

and in Cork http://www.dogactionwelfaregroup.ie/ - they are loosing their shelter at the moment

We have very bad news to report. Unfortunately we are going to lose our much loved shelter. As some of you might know over the last few years we have been renting a premises where we house all of the unwanted and abandoned dogs that come into our care. This property has now gone up for sale so we need to find a new property asap. We are calling on all our supporters to help us in this very difficult time. We cannot stand back and do nothing, the need is too great. At any one time we have over 30 dogs in our care with at least another 10 waiting to come in. We are averaging 600 dogs a year that need our help.

current dogs are here http://www.dogactionwelfaregroup.ie/adoption.html

morganafay

PaulB91 wrote: »

and in Cork http://www.dogactionwelfaregroup.ie/ - they are loosing their shelter at the moment



current dogs are here http://www.dogactionwelfaregroup.ie/adoption.html

I just looked at their site and they have two Cavaliers . . . I wish I could afford to get more dogs, I wouldn't be able to resist getting them!

PaulB91

morganafay wrote: »

I just looked at their site and they have two Cavaliers . . . I wish I could afford to get more dogs, I wouldn't be able to resist getting them!

best to bide your time until you can afford them and have somewhere to keep them or you'd end up having to give them away - i was 30 before i was in a position to get a dog after leaving home

lrushe

Kevin! wrote: »

Hello,

We currently have a female bichon frise (Daisy/5yrs old), and we're looking for another dog.

Our garden isn't massive, but it's not small either. I'd hope to keep the new dog indoors though as I don't like keeping pets outside.

I'm looking for a medium-(large?) sized dog, which is quite strong but very friendly and playful, need's to get on with the family including daisy but no young children, youngest is 14 (I would also like a dog that looks strong and would deter anyone from messing with the house)

The max walking per day is probably around 1-1.5hr, up a local hill.

I was thinking about a boxer but they don't live to a great age and I'm open to suggestions.

Any ideas?

Can I start off by saying (in the nicest possible way ) it should never be your dogs purpose to protect your house, it's always your job to protect your dog, if your house needs protecting then you should look into getting an alarm instead.
Your garden size isn't really important if your dog is getting an hour to an hour and half excerise a day.
If you're not fussy on breed then a rescue would be perfect, they are filled with just the dogs you've described plus you have the added benefit of your new dog being spayed / neutered, vacinated, micro chipped and temperament tested, saving you a fortune in the long run

Tootle

Check out www.madra.ie. They keep their site up-dated regularly. They have every kind of dog you could imagine including some German Shephard x Lab pups. Have a look