What breed

Cran

Hi All

My wife is looking to get herself a dog, its for an interest, company and also to bring running and hiking. I'm wondering what breed would suit best?
She doesn't have much experience with dogs, but has got really found of keeping animals and has both chickens and pigs currently. I keep working collies and also have kept terriers, am an experienced collie handler so the dog is coming into a home with experience. I want this to be her project with me here if she needs help, so don't just want to direct her in direction my the breeds I enjoy.
She's been walking one of my dogs recently but struggles a little with him, working collies while extremely loyal are trained really for one thing and when out expect to brought to work and so difficult for an inexperienced handler. She will take obdience classes when she gets a dog...;)
She likes quirky animals which can be seen by her ever growing chicken flock, and we live in the country with a large garden so room or facilities are not an issue.

Any thoughts or recommendations would be appreciated - thanks for reading

Knine

Cran wrote: »

Hi All

My wife is looking to get herself a dog, its for an interest, company and also to bring running and hiking. I'm wondering what breed would suit best?
She doesn't have much experience with dogs, but has got really found of keeping animals and has both chickens and pigs currently. I keep working collies and also have kept terriers, am an experienced collie handler so the dog is coming into a home with experience. I want this to be her project with me here if she needs help, so don't just want to direct her in direction my the breeds I enjoy.
She's been walking one of my dogs recently but struggles a little with him, working collies while extremely loyal are trained really for one thing and when out expect to brought to work and so difficult for an inexperienced handler. She will take obdience classes when she gets a dog...;)
She likes quirky animals which can be seen by her ever growing chicken flock, and we live in the country with a large garden so room or facilities are not an issue.

Any thoughts or recommendations would be appreciated - thanks for reading

Where are you based? The Pet Expo is on this weekend in the RDS in Dublin. There will be a dog breed village with lots of breeds to look at.

Is she interested in large or small breeds?

Rips

Why not consider a rescue, and you can assess the temperament of the individual dog and see if it suits your wife needs?

There are some beautiful dogs in rescue, and also some very quirky ones! Its sounds like you have a great home to offer a dog, so I am sure that someone involved with welfare would be happy to take the time to select some worthy candidates!

Cran

Knine wrote: »

Where are you based? The Pet Expo is on this weekend in the RDS in Dublin. There will be a dog breed village with lots of breeds to look at.

Is she interested in large or small breeds?

perfect I'll bring her up that its brillant idea

Knine

Cran wrote: »

perfect I'll bring her up that its brillant idea

Come say hello. I will be on the Border Terrier Stand.

Hooked

Cran wrote: »

perfect I'll bring her up that its brillant idea

The All Ireland Siberian Husky club will be at that too and will have all the info and answers you may need on the breed. They will also have dogs for rehoming.

With all the exercise you mention in your first post, this 'may' be the breed for your wife. But take it from a Husky owner... They NEED that exercise! Not a dog for the faint hearted.

EDITED TO ADD...
They have a high prey drive and are not an off lead dog, so... The chickens may not appreciate such a breed. And vice versa! Sure, you can ask all the questions you want at the expo!

boomerang

You probably know yourself, a collie would probably be a bad idea, because they need more than just a lot of physical exercise to fulfil them. Pretty much any dog within reason can make a good running companion, bar those breeds that have very exaggerated form (think Bulldogs, Pugs, Pekes, Bassets, Dachshunds.) And the Toy breeds really aren't cut out for it.

Regardless of breed, bear in mind no dog should be given such high-impact exercise while still growing, and it needs to be introduced gradually, so that the dog builds condition and fitness to match your wife's.

Lemlin

Cran wrote: »

Hi All

My wife is looking to get herself a dog, its for an interest, company and also to bring running and hiking. I'm wondering what breed would suit best?
She doesn't have much experience with dogs, but has got really found of keeping animals and has both chickens and pigs currently. I keep working collies and also have kept terriers, am an experienced collie handler so the dog is coming into a home with experience. I want this to be her project with me here if she needs help, so don't just want to direct her in direction my the breeds I enjoy.
She's been walking one of my dogs recently but struggles a little with him, working collies while extremely loyal are trained really for one thing and when out expect to brought to work and so difficult for an inexperienced handler. She will take obdience classes when she gets a dog...;)
She likes quirky animals which can be seen by her ever growing chicken flock, and we live in the country with a large garden so room or facilities are not an issue.

Any thoughts or recommendations would be appreciated - thanks for reading

I have a Field Trial bred Labrador. It's a normal Lab in general appearance but is bred to be slightly smaller than your 'show type' Lab so its quicker.

She runs 8k to 10k with me at least three times a week. Some runs can be up to 15k on occasion. She'd still come home after that and run around if my son wanted to play with her. She's also a very calm dog though as the field trial type of Lab are bred to be energetic when they need to be but also calm.

As for your chickens, I live beside livestock and a free range hen shed and she's never gone near either. I even often walk her in around the hens.

Cran

Knine wrote: »

Where are you based? The Pet Expo is on this weekend in the RDS in Dublin. There will be a dog breed village with lots of breeds to look at.

Is she interested in large or small breeds?

Thanks a million everyone. We went to the pet expo at the weekend, I thought it was very good and fair play to all the breeders.
Wife had a couple of breeds in thought before the weekend, and it helped in removing Huskies from the list and add Irish Terrier and Italian Spinone. She was totally smitten by the Spinone and it seems to tick all the boxes, don't think really available in Ireland so may not be a runner. She has narrowed it down to Irish Terrier, Brittany and Spinone, I can't seem to get her add Lab retriever to the list but we'll see

Again thanks for advice

muddypaws

Cran wrote: »

Thanks a million everyone. We went to the pet expo at the weekend, I thought it was very good and fair play to all the breeders.
Wife had a couple of breeds in thought before the weekend, and it helped in removing Huskies from the list and add Irish Terrier and Italian Spinone. She was totally smitten by the Spinone and it seems to tick all the boxes, don't think really available in Ireland so may not be a runner. She has narrowed it down to Irish Terrier, Brittany and Spinone, I can't seem to get her add Lab retriever to the list but we'll see

Again thanks for advice

I'm interested as to why you think Spinone's aren't available in Ireland? If they were at the expo, I'd imagine there are people here that show and breed them, in fact I think there may be one on this very board

Cran

muddypaws wrote: »

I'm interested as to why you think Spinone's aren't available in Ireland? If they were at the expo, I'd imagine there are people here that show and breed them, in fact I think there may be one on this very board

Ok just the woman there said she imported them, would be great if someone could IM me with any information would be greatly appreciated make me look good

muddypaws

Have messaged you the details of the Spinone club, hopefully they will still be current.

ABajaninCork

Doesn't Knine have Spinone's? Or have I got that wrong??

Knine

Like this Spinone?

The Italian Spinone is an extremely gentle breed even compared to a Labrador or Golden Retriever. They certainly are quirky. However they should not do any high impact exercise until fully mature as their joints could easily be damaged. They are a hunt/point/retrieve breed and the biggest of the gundog breeds. Some of the males can very large. You may find they will fetch your chickens and bring them back to you or run around with them in their mouth, without as much as a feather out of place. They are a hand stripped breed with a coarse wiry coat.

The dog below is a UK import and if I was purchasing another Spinone, I would be going to the UK. I did not have him at the expo as I had three terriers with me and all the equipment for our stand so had not got the room for him in my car.

Cran

Knine wrote: »

Like this Spinone?

The Italian Spinone is an extremely gentle breed even compared to a Labrador or Golden Retriever. They certainly are quirky. However they should not do any high impact exercise until fully mature as their joints could easily be damaged. They are a hunt/point/retrieve breed and the biggest of the gundog breeds. Some of the males can very large. You may find they will fetch your chickens and bring them back to you or run around with them in their mouth, without as much as a feather out of place. They are a hand stripped breed with a coarse wiry coat.

The dog below is a UK import and if I was purchasing another Spinone, I would be going to the UK. I did not have him at the expo as I had three terriers with me and all the equipment for our stand so had not got the room for him in my car.

Thanks for that think they are all reasons for liking them, hand stripping is fine I have a Lakeland that needs the same. Is it difficult bringing in dogs from the UK?

Rommie

I'd be interested to hear about getting a spinone as well, having gone through various breeds over the past twelve months, the spinone is in the top five for me. I meet one regularly and she's an absolute gem. Extremely gentle and far quieter than I imagined she would be.

Knine

No it is not that difficult. I can give you a list of breeders etc including where the dog above came from.

You might have to go on a waiting list and also have a Club member do a home check. Parents of puppies should be hip & elbow tested and be tested clear of Cerebella Ataxia (CA clear)

They get on great with other animals if well socialised including cats & other dogs. I would often have my male running around with other entire Spinoni and not even a growl from them. They can be very boisterious as puppies. Most people end up with more then one They are extremely gentle with and love children. The breed is known for having a special affinity with children and an almost human expression.

They are not for the house proud though. One shake of the head can send slobber onto your ceiling!:eek:

Any questions just ask, I have had the breed for more then 16 years.