Our dog came from the RSPCA, we are retired but that wasn't a problem and the only possible quibble was the height of the garden fence but that was easily fixed. Wasn't that cheap though, the payment to the RSPCA.
How much for a dog!
- Thread starter mrcharly
- Start date
+1 for rescue dogs! Our little jacket/dasch we rescued is a little cracker £100 for many years of companionship is nothing and keeps shelters open. I understand for special breeds (work,rescue,police) you may need to go to a breeder but domestic homes? Save your money and another creatures' life!
Yep. In the early 20th century over here, Pit Bulls were considered a nanny breed for kids. http://youtu.be/e-2cg9rzItE
Speaking of the bully breeds, I just read this rather upsetting article today:
Bad Santa! Mall Santa Refuses To See Autistic Girl Because Of Service Dog
Bad Santa! Mall Santa Refuses To See Autistic Girl Because Of Service Dog
Last edited:
A lead on a cat? There's a dogs trust place nr Darlington (if thats any help distance wise?) rescue mutts abound, my f.i.l recently got a stumpy mutt from there.
2 grand for some pups, like an old English sheep dog, or st bernards, 20 grand a litter. Gun dogs are good as they are good at taking commands and have a nice nature, like labradors, but you need a big house for a big dog.
Another vote for the rescue route, giving a dog/s with a dodgy past a secure future is very rewarding, for all concerned.
Dogs trust are a superb and caring charity, and very close (Weatherby and Leeds)
https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/?gclid...IMV8EgkZNI-I1fTix6bftEr76V1l7wS_bsaAm-08P8HAQ
Dogs trust are a superb and caring charity, and very close (Weatherby and Leeds)
https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/?gclid...IMV8EgkZNI-I1fTix6bftEr76V1l7wS_bsaAm-08P8HAQ
Last edited:
I have a springer and a border/lakeland cross.
The spaniel was bought for beating and wanted a pup as didn't want the traits of been passed around ect and the terrier was bought form a family who were just breeding as they wanted another dog with the same tempremant as the mother.
The information I got from the family breeder for the border was second to none, they had had the mother form pup and knew the dad and they were a perfect match.
I have two excellent dogs and fit into our way of life. They have develped this as we have had them from pups.
Me personally I wouldn't take on a dog older than 6 months, as they need to learn naturally and this is developed from a pup, and as with working full time deveoping an older dog can be more difficult sometimes.
I am not opposed to rescue centres at just that when i have been looking they have never had anything that has suited our family.
If you want a dog to keep you on your toes get a terrier they have a right character... any other one to consider is rescuing a retired grey hound, they don't need masses of walking and are quite to just chill.
The spaniel was bought for beating and wanted a pup as didn't want the traits of been passed around ect and the terrier was bought form a family who were just breeding as they wanted another dog with the same tempremant as the mother.
The information I got from the family breeder for the border was second to none, they had had the mother form pup and knew the dad and they were a perfect match.
I have two excellent dogs and fit into our way of life. They have develped this as we have had them from pups.
Me personally I wouldn't take on a dog older than 6 months, as they need to learn naturally and this is developed from a pup, and as with working full time deveoping an older dog can be more difficult sometimes.
I am not opposed to rescue centres at just that when i have been looking they have never had anything that has suited our family.
If you want a dog to keep you on your toes get a terrier they have a right character... any other one to consider is rescuing a retired grey hound, they don't need masses of walking and are quite to just chill.
Bear in mind the OP is used to cats and isnt used to a demanding animal (but some cats are very demanding)
Border collies are great dogs but they need lots of attention.
The OP will want an animal that doesnt make much noise, wont fret if left alone 5 mins, doesnt live down the poodle parlour,(or vets) has a vague amount of personality, and is not prone to its hind legs falling off, yes?
This rules out a lot of the most popular breeds...
boxers are a good suggestion, and shetland sheepdogs, and perhaps Akitas and their smaller brethren? (these tend to be multipurpose breeds.)
Perhaps best of all would be a lurcher, but these might need lots of attention.
I was going to suggest a rescue dog, but I have seen too many wildly unsuitable mutts (and unsuitably wild) foisted on people who were soft hearted. (If the shelter couldnt dump half a dozen on them, Ive seen that too.) But I suspect the OP is more wary than that.
Tengu (Who was brought up in a doggy family, and now lives a happy, dog free life.)
Border collies are great dogs but they need lots of attention.
The OP will want an animal that doesnt make much noise, wont fret if left alone 5 mins, doesnt live down the poodle parlour,(or vets) has a vague amount of personality, and is not prone to its hind legs falling off, yes?
This rules out a lot of the most popular breeds...
boxers are a good suggestion, and shetland sheepdogs, and perhaps Akitas and their smaller brethren? (these tend to be multipurpose breeds.)
Perhaps best of all would be a lurcher, but these might need lots of attention.
I was going to suggest a rescue dog, but I have seen too many wildly unsuitable mutts (and unsuitably wild) foisted on people who were soft hearted. (If the shelter couldnt dump half a dozen on them, Ive seen that too.) But I suspect the OP is more wary than that.
Tengu (Who was brought up in a doggy family, and now lives a happy, dog free life.)
You couldn't have chosen 3 more high maintainance breeds Tengu, if i may say so!!
The Akita was bred for bear hunting in Japan, live better outside, and if they have a job of work to do, ie guarding, and are definitely more unreliable in a house containing small children than the bull breeds, excepting probably the Mastiff.
Shetland sheep dogs are not good in centrally heated homes, and will ''live at the poodle parlour''
Boxers are not the steadiest of breeds for an inexperienced owner.
Last edited:
Spot on.
I grew up with working sheep dogs and have taken on a badly behaved (untrained to command and bit people) terrier before.
Wouldn't want a big dog because we don't have a big garden. We do, however, have a securely walled small garden.
The youngest has ME and I think that a small quiet dog that would be happy to lie down next him in exchange for the occasional pat would be very good for him.
My inlaws had border terriers and I was very impressed with their character. The local Dogs Trust (Leeds) seems to have several border crossbreeds, mostly (their description) dogs that have been made nervous from neglect. In my experience, such dogs respond very fast to firm affection and are very loyal.
Yep. Also pups of nearly all breeds. Do y'all have the option to adopt retired disability service dogs? (seeing eye dogs, hearing service dogs, etc.) They will be the calmest bar none and extremely well trained. The downside (here at least) is that there is usually a waiting list to be able to get one.
On the other hand, if you like the idea of puppies over grown dogs, the agencies that train the service dogs are always looking for volunteer puppy raisers who will be able to turn over the dogs to be trained at about a year old.
Thats kinda my view.... I've been looking at springers on and off for a couple of months... i'd only buy a puppy as i want to train it properly from a pup as a working dog.
Last edited:
Well, my Doggie friend visited today.
Not Afghan hounds (Though she used to clean up all the `dog who most resembles their owners` prizes)
Not Spaniels (noisy.)
Not Setters (need contant attention.)
I mentioned the Akita and she said a friend had one of its smaller cousins, but passed no further comment.
She reccomended a Lurcher.
She also expressed doubts as to a cat family getting a dog. She says dogs are very demanding and it will be a complete culture shock.
Santaman is right; doing something like puppy walking for Guide dogs for the Blind is an interesting option. (Though I suspect they want experienced folk. Ill ask my dad if you like, he does lots of fund raising for them, but has never puppy walked himself.)
Perhaps you could babysit a dog for a friend?
Not Afghan hounds (Though she used to clean up all the `dog who most resembles their owners` prizes)
Not Spaniels (noisy.)
Not Setters (need contant attention.)
I mentioned the Akita and she said a friend had one of its smaller cousins, but passed no further comment.
She reccomended a Lurcher.
She also expressed doubts as to a cat family getting a dog. She says dogs are very demanding and it will be a complete culture shock.
Santaman is right; doing something like puppy walking for Guide dogs for the Blind is an interesting option. (Though I suspect they want experienced folk. Ill ask my dad if you like, he does lots of fund raising for them, but has never puppy walked himself.)
Perhaps you could babysit a dog for a friend?
I've had a good few working Springers in my time and have a real corker now; in my view you don't want a Springer much after nine weeks old if you want to train it up as a proper worker, and my strong preference is to have 'em straight off at seven weeks and go really gently with the learning. You can't actually start real work training at that age of course, but you can socialise them with humans and other dogs and livestock and form a really strong bond from the get-go. All the time you spend at this stage gives you a really good advantage when it comes time for the real work as they do it because they want to please you. I've found it really important to start off like this, and a lot of it at this stage is teaching the dog what not to do................I've always approached it from the point of the initial time as being teaching the animal to learn in the first place
Similar threads
