What made you choose your specific breed of Dog?
Discussion
We have had 5 rescue Dogs they have all sort of come to us but our only regret was never seeing them as a puppy.
They also came with fear aggression and a history of biting.
Despite this we took them on and have had 3 dogs at once for sometime until early this year when we lost our beloved Bullmastiff. we have never had a cross word between them and they have all been very very special to us.
They also came with fear aggression and a history of biting.
Despite this we took them on and have had 3 dogs at once for sometime until early this year when we lost our beloved Bullmastiff. we have never had a cross word between them and they have all been very very special to us.
When I was a kid we got a pup from a rescue place which was a Dobermann cross of some sort. It looked like a Dobe but he was not quite as heavily built and had a white stripe on his chest and the vet thought it may have been crossed with a whippet. He was a lovely dog, a real character.
So, 20 years on and Mrs Autopilot and myself were talking about getting a dog. She wanted a miniature daschund I wanted something a bit bigger.....you can see where this is going.....so I thought the best compromise would be a Dobermann, they are practically the same dog really only one of them has long legs the other has short legs and hates badgers.
So, we got a male Dobermann!! Like most male Dobes, he's been seriously hard work! Obedience is great, fantastic with other dogs, loves people and very gentle with very small children. He's a bit too guarding, likes to bark and is an attention w
e. If you're not interacting with him he gets quite boisterous and is like a stroppy child and either keeps throwing himself at you or destroys his bed. He's been great when you're training with him or out and about, but around the house he's been a nightmare, won't sit still ever.
He's doing his BH exam in December and his IPO1 (Shutzund) next year. His obedience/agility is excellent, tracking is brilliant but just loves to attack the man in the bite sleeve. Training at this level has paid off as his obedience has always been good, but control was a different matter.
As his house manner is massively improved, we thought it would be a good idea to go back to square one and get a second dog. We looked at rehoming etc, but decided because of the training he does, we need a dog that will also be able to do it so got a female Dobermann. She was in the UK but came from Serbia so is cropped and docked which obviously is a talking point when out and about as people love to offer their opinion on it. I find this funny as most people didn't recognise the boy as being a Dobe as he has a tail and it looks 'funny'. Present them with a docked one and now it's cruel
Two very different dogs!! She is young, 6 months, but is much calmer, doesn't care who knocks on the door and doesn't want to kill the postman. I guess this is partly age, but put a lot of it down to her being female, very different temperaments.
Getting her was the best thing we could have done, he's much happier, he mothers her and they don't pester us the whole time!!
So, 20 years on and Mrs Autopilot and myself were talking about getting a dog. She wanted a miniature daschund I wanted something a bit bigger.....you can see where this is going.....so I thought the best compromise would be a Dobermann, they are practically the same dog really only one of them has long legs the other has short legs and hates badgers.
So, we got a male Dobermann!! Like most male Dobes, he's been seriously hard work! Obedience is great, fantastic with other dogs, loves people and very gentle with very small children. He's a bit too guarding, likes to bark and is an attention w
e. If you're not interacting with him he gets quite boisterous and is like a stroppy child and either keeps throwing himself at you or destroys his bed. He's been great when you're training with him or out and about, but around the house he's been a nightmare, won't sit still ever.He's doing his BH exam in December and his IPO1 (Shutzund) next year. His obedience/agility is excellent, tracking is brilliant but just loves to attack the man in the bite sleeve. Training at this level has paid off as his obedience has always been good, but control was a different matter.
As his house manner is massively improved, we thought it would be a good idea to go back to square one and get a second dog. We looked at rehoming etc, but decided because of the training he does, we need a dog that will also be able to do it so got a female Dobermann. She was in the UK but came from Serbia so is cropped and docked which obviously is a talking point when out and about as people love to offer their opinion on it. I find this funny as most people didn't recognise the boy as being a Dobe as he has a tail and it looks 'funny'. Present them with a docked one and now it's cruel
Two very different dogs!! She is young, 6 months, but is much calmer, doesn't care who knocks on the door and doesn't want to kill the postman. I guess this is partly age, but put a lot of it down to her being female, very different temperaments.
Getting her was the best thing we could have done, he's much happier, he mothers her and they don't pester us the whole time!!
I have been speaking to a lady in Derby who has to rehome her Bulmastiff Dog.
Just 18 months old looks adorable but I live on the Wirral and I cant get across with my own dogs to introduce them to each other.If anyone wants a Dog a Bullmastiff is a dog that will change your life for the better.I can pass details across if required
Just 18 months old looks adorable but I live on the Wirral and I cant get across with my own dogs to introduce them to each other.If anyone wants a Dog a Bullmastiff is a dog that will change your life for the better.I can pass details across if required
When I was kid our family became the second home to the local wandering Beagle (t'was a small village).
Then as a family we got a Beagle.
Thirty years on and I wanted a dog but my Mrs having never having owned a dog but having heard every story there is about Beagles didn't want a beagle.
So we bought a dog encyclopaedia, kept choosing, researching, changing our minds and eventually decided on a Standard Schnauzer.
And 8 years along she's still a fantastic choice!
Then as a family we got a Beagle.
Thirty years on and I wanted a dog but my Mrs having never having owned a dog but having heard every story there is about Beagles didn't want a beagle.
So we bought a dog encyclopaedia, kept choosing, researching, changing our minds and eventually decided on a Standard Schnauzer.
And 8 years along she's still a fantastic choice!
My wife grew up on a dairy farm in West Wales where they always had 2 or 3 border collies. I grew up in a house full of cats, so I was hesitant when she suggested getting one of these large, energetic wolf-looking dogs.
When I met some BC puppies on the farm I fell in love and couldn't wait till we got our own. For a BC, he's pretty lazy a lot of the time. Here he is snuggling up in our bed:
When I met some BC puppies on the farm I fell in love and couldn't wait till we got our own. For a BC, he's pretty lazy a lot of the time. Here he is snuggling up in our bed:
Up to a point mine have all chosen me, or been chosen for me.
Growing up my family had collie and Heinz 57 type dogs, I always said I would never have a dog whilst I was working and I didn't until I knocked one down with the car. He was a Springer Spaniel and due to a mix up at the vet and Police I ended up looking after him for a few weeks until his owner got in touch (Not the owner's fault, the Police did not match up a liver and white spaniel reported lost with a liver and white spaniel reported found).
Having found I could look after a dog and work (with a few adjustments to my work pattern) I decided to give a rescue dog a home. My first was perhaps unsurprisingly another liver and white Springer, she was already quite old and obviously had a bit of a past. She would work, but had been found as a stray and handed in to a one woman dog rescue. The lady who ran it was a bit eccentric and would choose a dog for you (if she liked you) rather than you picking one. Penny my Spaniel was with me for about five years until I lost her to cancer.
I'd had Penny a couple of years when I took on another Springer, Tess, this time a black and white one who had been abandoned. She was much younger and outlasted Penny by about eight years.
Not long before Penny's demise I found a half-grown German Shepherd bh running in and out of traffic on a main road. I managed to catch her and took her to the dogs' home. I kept checking but she wasn't claimed and when she was threatened with being put down I took her on.(I think the home could see I was a soft touch and did a bit of emotional blackmail).
So the person who wasn't going to have a dog now had three. Lucy was a handful at first, but settled into a beautiful, loyal, companion for fifteen years. After Penny and Tess had gone she was my only dog for a few years until Bob the Terrier turned up. Another stray who first turned up in my garden sat on top of the shed barking at me. I reported him found, but he was never claimed and stayed for ten years. He was such a strong character, and not good with other dogs, that he was an only dog after Lucy went.
After he went I could not face getting another dog.(sadly he suffered a couple of strokes and the second one left him unable to get up or walk, so I had to take that last trip to the vet)
That was a couple of years ago, but after a few months friends, who have Working Cockers, found me Ted, at the time he was about eighteen months old and a failed working dog. He's turned out great, he is a bit thick and has a very short attention span, but is good company. About a month ago I have now ended up with a Working Cocker pup, another rescue, he's still in the settling in mode, but they get on well and keep me busy.
I miss all the ones who've gone before and am greatful for the companionship and loyalty I have while they are here.
Growing up my family had collie and Heinz 57 type dogs, I always said I would never have a dog whilst I was working and I didn't until I knocked one down with the car. He was a Springer Spaniel and due to a mix up at the vet and Police I ended up looking after him for a few weeks until his owner got in touch (Not the owner's fault, the Police did not match up a liver and white spaniel reported lost with a liver and white spaniel reported found).
Having found I could look after a dog and work (with a few adjustments to my work pattern) I decided to give a rescue dog a home. My first was perhaps unsurprisingly another liver and white Springer, she was already quite old and obviously had a bit of a past. She would work, but had been found as a stray and handed in to a one woman dog rescue. The lady who ran it was a bit eccentric and would choose a dog for you (if she liked you) rather than you picking one. Penny my Spaniel was with me for about five years until I lost her to cancer.
I'd had Penny a couple of years when I took on another Springer, Tess, this time a black and white one who had been abandoned. She was much younger and outlasted Penny by about eight years.
Not long before Penny's demise I found a half-grown German Shepherd b
h running in and out of traffic on a main road. I managed to catch her and took her to the dogs' home. I kept checking but she wasn't claimed and when she was threatened with being put down I took her on.(I think the home could see I was a soft touch and did a bit of emotional blackmail).So the person who wasn't going to have a dog now had three. Lucy was a handful at first, but settled into a beautiful, loyal, companion for fifteen years. After Penny and Tess had gone she was my only dog for a few years until Bob the Terrier turned up. Another stray who first turned up in my garden sat on top of the shed barking at me. I reported him found, but he was never claimed and stayed for ten years. He was such a strong character, and not good with other dogs, that he was an only dog after Lucy went.
After he went I could not face getting another dog.(sadly he suffered a couple of strokes and the second one left him unable to get up or walk, so I had to take that last trip to the vet)
That was a couple of years ago, but after a few months friends, who have Working Cockers, found me Ted, at the time he was about eighteen months old and a failed working dog. He's turned out great, he is a bit thick and has a very short attention span, but is good company. About a month ago I have now ended up with a Working Cocker pup, another rescue, he's still in the settling in mode, but they get on well and keep me busy.
I miss all the ones who've gone before and am greatful for the companionship and loyalty I have while they are here.
johnxjsc1985 said:
We have had 5 rescue Dogs they have all sort of come to us but our only regret was never seeing them as a puppy.
They also came with fear aggression and a history of biting.
Despite this we took them on and have had 3 dogs at once for sometime until early this year when we lost our beloved Bullmastiff. we have never had a cross word between them and they have all been very very special to us.
My Dad lives in Spain, he always has 4 or 5 dogs around the place, all dogs he has rescued himself, some he will rehome, those he cant live a good life.They also came with fear aggression and a history of biting.
Despite this we took them on and have had 3 dogs at once for sometime until early this year when we lost our beloved Bullmastiff. we have never had a cross word between them and they have all been very very special to us.
johnxjsc1985 said:
Does he have a therapist?. they such a sorrowful look
He's really got that look mastered. He deploys it in full force when I've got food and he hasn't. I'm immune now though. Behind that exterior he's like the Joey Essex of dogs. Plenty of enthusiasm but not exactly smart.blueST said:
johnxjsc1985 said:
Does he have a therapist?. they such a sorrowful look
He's really got that look mastered. He deploys it in full force when I've got food and he hasn't. I'm immune now though. Behind that exterior he's like the Joey Essex of dogs. Plenty of enthusiasm but not exactly smart.
Morningside said:
Not smart, but bloody devious.
Devious if there's food involved. Determined too. If he digs a hole, it's a crater. He destroy just about any dog toy in a couple of hours. The black Kongs are the only things that last. I caught him moving the settee this morning for some reason. A bit weird oddly too. Some days he's like a lap dog, won't leave me alone, the next he doesn't want to know. He hates the idea of going for a walk, I have to drag him out the door, but loves it once he's out. He can't understand fetch. If you throw his kong, he just looks at you pissed off that he's got to go and get it. Never known another dog like him.
Grew up with 2 full size White English bull terriers and loved their nature and odd look. Finally managed to talk the missus into getting a dog, then had to talk her into an EBT - she'd never seen one.
My sister is in the vet game and mentioned one of her clients had a miniature. So the search began. After a year of researching and talking to the (very) few kc recognised breeders we ended up with Lou.
She's 9months old now, weighing 13kg and unbelievably strong. She thinks she is a human, sitting upright on her couch, burping and wrestling. She also has an unhealthy obsession with ear lobes.
6 weeks of 121 training didn't do a great deal - if she's in the mood, she'll do whatever you ask her to. If she's being grumpy she will ignore you.
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