Woof- the thread.

viz

My children have been promised a dog by one of the two adults that occupy our house (not me). What should we get?

octatonic said:

viz said:

My children have been promised a dog by one of the two adults that occupy our house (not me). What should we get?

Any dog is fine if you are able to train it and are committed to being a dog owner.

Problems only occur when people think they can have an animal in their house without giving it what it needs.

They need food, exercise, training and love (in order of importance).

Otherwise... French Bulldog?

They have almost all of the character of proper bullies without looking threatening to kids.

If you kids are over 5 or so then an English Bulldog- they are a totally safe dog when trained.

we need a dog that is as close to a cat as it's possible to get.

octatonic

viz said:

My children have been promised a dog by one of the two adults that occupy our house (not me). What should we get?

octatonic said:

viz said:

My children have been promised a dog by one of the two adults that occupy our house (not me). What should we get?

Any dog is fine if you are able to train it and are committed to being a dog owner.

Problems only occur when people think they can have an animal in their house without giving it what it needs.

They need food, exercise, training and love (in order of importance).

Otherwise... French Bulldog?

They have almost all of the character of proper bullies without looking threatening to kids.

If you kids are over 5 or so then an English Bulldog- they are a totally safe dog when trained.

we need a dog that is as close to a cat as it's possible to get.

Bulldog then.

Scarlett doesn't need more than 40 mins of walking a day now.

When she was younger she needed 90 mins.

Honestly, you won't get a dog with a lower energy requirement than a Bulldog.

Or... get a cat.

You can't get a dog without it requiring exercise.

I wouldn't let my (imaginary) kids around any dog that wasn't properly socialised and exercised.

Richardj

Mr Bear.

70kgs of Newfoundland style love and slobber.

octatonic

boogieman said:

You're right, he is very gentle and is non-aggressive around other dogs, which is great as he's very strong and could get into a lot of trouble if he wanted.
Mac is a bacon fan too, in fact he's an anything food related fan. His favourite is banana but he'll also happily eat oranges, lettuce, strawberries and tomatoes.

Ha- Scarlett won't have vegetables.

Her favourite food is the mouldy bone that I bought her err.... about month ago, that she buried in the dirt and has recently exhumed.

What is more worrying is when she munches on it and then comes over and starts licking your leg.

Nice.

octatonic

Richardj said:

Mr Bear.

70kgs of Newfoundland style love and slobber.

Oh wow- he is amazing.

I'd absolutely have a Newfoundland if we lived in the countryside.

boogieman

Richardj;95149" said:

Mr Bear.

70kgs of Newfoundland style love and slobber.

He's gorgeous. Wouldn't want your food bill though.

>:D<

Richardj

octatonic said:

Richardj said:

Mr Bear.

70kgs of Newfoundland style love and slobber.

Oh wow- he is amazing.

I'd absolutely have a Newfoundland if we lived in the countryside.

Cheers.  Surprisingly low energy, he plays, very hard (scarily athletic, he can jump to our head height and is really fast!), for an hour or so a day and sleeps for the rest of it, sometimes known as the great Canadian sleeping hound!.  Amazingly good with other animals and children.

Trivia - originally bred as working dogs, used for pulling in fishing nets in their native Newfoundland and pulling small carts.  Used as guardians by wealthy families for their children, Nana in Peter Pan was a Newfoundland.

bertie

viz said:

My children have been promised a dog by one of the two adults that occupy our house (not me). What should we get?

we need a dog that is as close to a cat as it's possible to get.

my first thoughts, based on the rescue work mrs bert and I do,  is DONT.  If there's a non dog lover in the equation things can often go pear shaped  -       But if you're OK about it, and happy to 'do your share'  as oposed to,  "I dont like dogs"  then..............when you say "as close to a cat"  what do you mean,  exactly ?  

octatonic

Usually when people say 'close to a cat' they mean either a lower exercise requirement OR something that leave you alone.

I say this often- a dog is like having a toddler that never grows up.

Cats are like having teenagers.

bertie

octatonic said:

Usually when people say 'close to a cat' they mean either a lower exercise requirement OR something that leave you alone.

I know, but assumptions regarding this should really never be made.   Hence my question    

octatonic

bertie said:

octatonic said:

Usually when people say 'close to a cat' they mean either a lower exercise requirement OR something that leave you alone.

assumptions regarding this should never be made.   Hence my question    

We shall see...

bertie

octatonic said:

We shall see...

not saying you're wrong in this instance,  but Ive experience in re-homing dogs,  and have learnt over the years not to assume what people want/mean.   First concerns are for the dog, not the owner. 

If Viz came to us looking for a dog, and said "only one adult wants it"   he wouldnt get one.

octatonic

bertie said:

octatonic said:

We shall see...

not saying you're wrong in this instance,  but Ive experience in re-homing dogs,  and have learnt over the years not to assume what people want/mean.   First concerns are for the dog, not the owner. 

If Viz came to us looking for a dog, and said "only one adult wants it"   he wouldnt get one.

That is pretty fair.

I know I couldn't work in rehoming centres- so respect to you for doing it.

viz

In that case Bertram, we're coming to you for our dog.

bertie

we dont work in a centre,  just do the eyes and ears/home vetting/matching dogs to potential owners,  and some running about.   Its only boxers,  and they dont do kennels well or re-home more than once -  its a breed that is very human centric

Apart from the first one Bill which was mrs berts - all of ours have been a rescue of some degree, from Norm on death row,  to Lily who was a show dog that didnt make the grade who we "bought"  for Frank  

Emp_Fab

Not the best photo, but one that encapsulates Pugsley's character pretty well !

"What you got there ?  Is it something for me ?  Can I eat it ?"

"Left a bit.... left a bit.... awwwwwwwwwwww yeaaaahhhhhh"

"I wonder.... what is the meaning of life ?"

chillidoggy

octatonic said:

boogieman said:

You're right, he is very gentle and is non-aggressive around other dogs, which is great as he's very strong and could get into a lot of trouble if he wanted.
Mac is a bacon fan too, in fact he's an anything food related fan. His favourite is banana but he'll also happily eat oranges, lettuce, strawberries and tomatoes.

Ha- Scarlett won't have vegetables.

Her favourite food is the mouldy bone that I bought her err.... about month ago, that she buried in the dirt and has recently exhumed.

What is more worrying is when she munches on it and then comes over and starts licking your leg.

Nice.

So what's Scarlett's average day consist of then? From what I've seen (and heard) so far, it's pretty much mostly sleeping, snoring, farting, and slobbering!

octatonic

She doesn't slobber much, hardly at all really.

On a week day we get up around 6am.

She gets up around 7am- taken for a walk by me, then has her ears and folds cleaned, fed, watered.

She sleeps for a bit.

The dog walker comes around 11am, until about 2pm.

She doesn't do much in the way of strenuous exercise in that 3 hour period but it is enough.

She mostly stands around and sniffs dogs bums when come close.

She then has a BIIIG sleep until we get home around 7pm.

Another walk- usually with stick fetching.

Another meal.

A brush and a cuddle.

Around 10pm we go to bed.

She sleeps through until 7am the next morning.

Weekends, much the same, except we take her out for about 2 hours in the middle of the day- it is gently exercise, she doesn't do much else other than walking now.

We could get away with 40 mins of walking a day if we had to- but we take her out longer because it is more fun for everyone.

carlos

If you're considering buying a dog, please look at rescuing first. You'll find most if not all breeds in rescues and you're saving innocent, perfect dogs from being put to sleep unnecessarily. Also, each dog you rescue saves 2 dogs, because it opens a new foster/kennel spot for a new dog.

viz

Aren't you saving 2 half dogs?