Endangered Native Breeds
Discussion
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-1666...
I don't know if anyone else has seen this article on the BBC new site - hidden in Science and Environment.
Apparently the English Setter has become an endangered breed with just over 200 puppies registered at Kennel Club last year.
As the owner of one of these lovely dogs, as well as one of his Irish cousins, this is indeed very sad. Our boy is now over 12 and in his twilight days. We do see the other odd dog around - but more often people stop us and always say 'you don't see them around anymore'.
We plan to get another when the time comes - but the breeder we used has moved on to another gundog breed. I have never seen an English with a bad temperament - they are bouncy when young - and to be honest are a little 'thick' (slow learner might be more polite). The slow loss of this breed to the more trendy current breeds is sad.
Anyone else have / had an English Setter - or any other breed on the list.
Below is our Oscar (in need of a trim).
I don't know if anyone else has seen this article on the BBC new site - hidden in Science and Environment.
Apparently the English Setter has become an endangered breed with just over 200 puppies registered at Kennel Club last year.
As the owner of one of these lovely dogs, as well as one of his Irish cousins, this is indeed very sad. Our boy is now over 12 and in his twilight days. We do see the other odd dog around - but more often people stop us and always say 'you don't see them around anymore'.
We plan to get another when the time comes - but the breeder we used has moved on to another gundog breed. I have never seen an English with a bad temperament - they are bouncy when young - and to be honest are a little 'thick' (slow learner might be more polite). The slow loss of this breed to the more trendy current breeds is sad.
Anyone else have / had an English Setter - or any other breed on the list.
Below is our Oscar (in need of a trim).
Oh he's beautiful 
My parents have an English that we 'rescued' as a 3 year old, almost 10 years ago now (how time has flown), who is also currently steadying down the pace of life quite drastically, before him we had a Gordon setter (must be rarer than an English!) and before than another English who lived up to the 'special' nature of the breed & went in front of a car
Having read the article it makes me want to encourage the parents to get another setter when Blue goes & makes me want one when I am in a position to have a dog as they are a such a beautiful noble breed
Oh & ours still gets people referring to him a hairy dalmation
My parents have an English that we 'rescued' as a 3 year old, almost 10 years ago now (how time has flown), who is also currently steadying down the pace of life quite drastically, before him we had a Gordon setter (must be rarer than an English!) and before than another English who lived up to the 'special' nature of the breed & went in front of a car
Having read the article it makes me want to encourage the parents to get another setter when Blue goes & makes me want one when I am in a position to have a dog as they are a such a beautiful noble breed
Oh & ours still gets people referring to him a hairy dalmation
Oscar is lovely ,
I guess with the decline in filed sports in the Uk its sad but likely that some dogs just wont survive that transition as non field sports people are aware of such dogs
Still a few Gordon setter going around - living in the Gordon area helps i suppose but i know of three locally
I guess with the decline in filed sports in the Uk its sad but likely that some dogs just wont survive that transition as non field sports people are aware of such dogs
Still a few Gordon setter going around - living in the Gordon area helps i suppose but i know of three locally
ClassicMercs said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-1666...
I don't know if anyone else has seen this article on the BBC new site - hidden in Science and Environment.
Apparently the English Setter has become an endangered breed with just over 200 puppies registered at Kennel Club last year.
As the owner of one of these lovely dogs, as well as one of his Irish cousins, this is indeed very sad. Our boy is now over 12 and in his twilight days. We do see the other odd dog around - but more often people stop us and always say 'you don't see them around anymore'.
We plan to get another when the time comes - but the breeder we used has moved on to another gundog breed. I have never seen an English with a bad temperament - they are bouncy when young - and to be honest are a little 'thick' (slow learner might be more polite). The slow loss of this breed to the more trendy current breeds is sad.
Anyone else have / had an English Setter - or any other breed on the list.
Below is our Oscar (in need of a trim).
Its a real pity that you dont see more of these dogs, english pointers are another traditional breed that you hardly ever see. The last time I saw one of these setter was at the burghley game fair in the summer. Great dogsI don't know if anyone else has seen this article on the BBC new site - hidden in Science and Environment.
Apparently the English Setter has become an endangered breed with just over 200 puppies registered at Kennel Club last year.
As the owner of one of these lovely dogs, as well as one of his Irish cousins, this is indeed very sad. Our boy is now over 12 and in his twilight days. We do see the other odd dog around - but more often people stop us and always say 'you don't see them around anymore'.
We plan to get another when the time comes - but the breeder we used has moved on to another gundog breed. I have never seen an English with a bad temperament - they are bouncy when young - and to be honest are a little 'thick' (slow learner might be more polite). The slow loss of this breed to the more trendy current breeds is sad.
Anyone else have / had an English Setter - or any other breed on the list.
Below is our Oscar (in need of a trim).
The woman in charge of my local park has 1 of these although it is getting on a bit. I think it is a shame that dogs like these are being lost yet the world is being over populated with Chihuahuas.
I also really like Irish Setters which are on the endangered list too.
Though I assume nowhere near the endangered list I own a Belgian Shepherd a breed that is apparently not in the top 30 according to wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_popular_...
Most people have no idea what she is.
I also really like Irish Setters which are on the endangered list too.
Though I assume nowhere near the endangered list I own a Belgian Shepherd a breed that is apparently not in the top 30 according to wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_popular_...
Most people have no idea what she is.
Sad, indeed - I have an elderly ( eleven year old Cairn pup) , and have was begining to despair of seeing others on walks.Plenty of Westies - they seem to have become the small "fashion" terrier nowadays. But of late ,I'm seeing a few ,and one site I visit has a growing membership . It's sad to see the traditional british isles natives growing extinct,in favour of ,well Mexican rats .
The comments about them walking into the road reinforce why our boy has never been given such freedom where danger might exist. His free running has been confined to a friends sheep field - when the sheep have been in other fields. Or other similar safe areas - if he could be bothered - he really is that lazy.
He is always drawn into the middle of the road when its time for 2's.
Your comments reinforce my observations that the breed is less common - nobody has mentioned young dogs or puppies, although my mother has seen one in her village - as well as the two older brothers near her (village - very large !).
And good to see mentions of rescue's - however they have arisen. Our near 17yo collie would quite probably have not been around without the very special management we have had to adopt to stop her biting everything she went near. Annoying that it has taken 16 years to get to the point where she see's everyone as friend rather than foe. Possibly in part as our Irish is now pack leader as she can't dominate - although he knows how to respect her.
Yes - the Gordon is rarer - but not as bad as the Irish Red and White - which a neighbour had a pair of until recently. We have a few pointers in the area. I think sometimes availability of a local breeder can determine what dogs you see.
And very good to see that people would, like us, have another. Our Irish has a much faster brain but you can't beat the wagging tail of an English - not stop in 12 years.
Here's the man at 5 weeks when we picked him.
He is always drawn into the middle of the road when its time for 2's.
Your comments reinforce my observations that the breed is less common - nobody has mentioned young dogs or puppies, although my mother has seen one in her village - as well as the two older brothers near her (village - very large !).
And good to see mentions of rescue's - however they have arisen. Our near 17yo collie would quite probably have not been around without the very special management we have had to adopt to stop her biting everything she went near. Annoying that it has taken 16 years to get to the point where she see's everyone as friend rather than foe. Possibly in part as our Irish is now pack leader as she can't dominate - although he knows how to respect her.
Yes - the Gordon is rarer - but not as bad as the Irish Red and White - which a neighbour had a pair of until recently
. We have a few pointers in the area. I think sometimes availability of a local breeder can determine what dogs you see.And very good to see that people would, like us, have another. Our Irish has a much faster brain but you can't beat the wagging tail of an English - not stop in 12 years.
Here's the man at 5 weeks when we picked him.
SwanJack said:
Strange to see the Dandi Dinmont on this this, if there was such a thing as a "fashion accessory dog" then surely this is one.
That's quite a strange perspective towards the Dandie Dinmont Terrier! They were a working terrier breed that dates back to the 1700s and has barely changed since then. Yes it does look a bit strange with its poodle mop head but it's anything but a fashion accessory. I don't think I've ever seen one out and about - nor have I seen one in magazines under 'celeb' armpits.I only know about them because wirehair Dachshunds (which I have) were introduced by crossing Dandie Dinmonts / smoothhair Dachshunds - watching videos of Dandies recently I can see some of the characteristics in their movements and gait which is really nice.
parakitaMol. said:
That's quite a strange perspective towards the Dandie Dinmont Terrier! They were a working terrier breed that dates back to the 1700s and has barely changed since then. Yes it does look a bit strange with its poodle mop head but it's anything but a fashion accessory. I don't think I've ever seen one out and about - nor have I seen one in magazines under 'celeb' armpits.
I only know about them because wirehair Dachshunds (which I have) were introduced by crossing Dandie Dinmonts / smoothhair Dachshunds - watching videos of Dandies recently I can see some of the characteristics in their movements and gait which is really nice.
I don't think it looks strange at all and am always glad to see one. I didn't say they were fashion accessories. What I meant was that you could could compare its looks to the dogs that are seen under celeb armpits (eg Geri Halliwell and her shih-tzu) and that I wouldn't be surprised to see one in such company. I only know about them because wirehair Dachshunds (which I have) were introduced by crossing Dandie Dinmonts / smoothhair Dachshunds - watching videos of Dandies recently I can see some of the characteristics in their movements and gait which is really nice.
boy said: ...english pointers are another traditional breed that you hardly ever see.
We've got a couple (along with a springer spaniel) and we're intending to have a second litter out of the youngest this year (she had her first litter same time last year), if anyone is interested.Pity they're not popular these days, as they have a fantastic nature as family pets - they're very people-orientated.
But I think you have to remember that ultimately these breeds were intended as working dogs, and their 'jobs' just don't exist any more:
I'd have to admit that English Pointers are a dead loss as a general-purpose gundog (though SWMBO would vehemently disagree), 'cos they're too fastidious about getting wet, dirty and bramble-scratched to be enthusiastic as retrievers or for flushing quarry, and the number of shoots where you can justify separate breeds to point, flush and retrieve has dramatically diminished in recent decades... so even as gundogs, the more 'multi-purpose' breeds like labradors make more sense.
Wish I had the space for one to keep my Weimerama company. I was looking at English Pointers when I got him. There was a litter advertised locally but the breader never returned my calls or e-mails.
Interesting, the reasons for them "being a dead loss". I've heard the same things about Weims, but mines the opposite; You could say he's "fastidious about getting wet" but meaning he never misses an opertunity to swim (all I could do to keep him out of the res' on Sunday) and loves battering through the undergrowth. There's 2x2" grazes of his leg from last night and constantly scratched on his chest.
Interesting, the reasons for them "being a dead loss". I've heard the same things about Weims, but mines the opposite; You could say he's "fastidious about getting wet" but meaning he never misses an opertunity to swim (all I could do to keep him out of the res' on Sunday) and loves battering through the undergrowth. There's 2x2" grazes of his leg from last night and constantly scratched on his chest.
SwanJack said:
parakitaMol. said:
That's quite a strange perspective towards the Dandie Dinmont Terrier! They were a working terrier breed that dates back to the 1700s and has barely changed since then. Yes it does look a bit strange with its poodle mop head but it's anything but a fashion accessory. I don't think I've ever seen one out and about - nor have I seen one in magazines under 'celeb' armpits.
I only know about them because wirehair Dachshunds (which I have) were introduced by crossing Dandie Dinmonts / smoothhair Dachshunds - watching videos of Dandies recently I can see some of the characteristics in their movements and gait which is really nice.
I don't think it looks strange at all and am always glad to see one. I didn't say they were fashion accessories. What I meant was that you could could compare its looks to the dogs that are seen under celeb armpits (eg Geri Halliwell and her shih-tzu) and that I wouldn't be surprised to see one in such company. I only know about them because wirehair Dachshunds (which I have) were introduced by crossing Dandie Dinmonts / smoothhair Dachshunds - watching videos of Dandies recently I can see some of the characteristics in their movements and gait which is really nice.
Sam_68 said:
We've got a couple (along with a springer spaniel) and we're intending to have a second litter out of the youngest this year (she had her first litter same time last year), if anyone is interested.
Pity they're not popular these days, as they have a fantastic nature as family pets - they're very people-orientated.
But I think you have to remember that ultimately these breeds were intended as working dogs, and their 'jobs' just don't exist any more:
I'd have to admit that English Pointers are a dead loss as a general-purpose gundog (though SWMBO would vehemently disagree), 'cos they're too fastidious about getting wet, dirty and bramble-scratched to be enthusiastic as retrievers or for flushing quarry, and the number of shoots where you can justify separate breeds to point, flush and retrieve has dramatically diminished in recent decades... so even as gundogs, the more 'multi-purpose' breeds like labradors make more sense.
Pointers make great rough shooting dogs as long as its pretty open country or moor land where they are able to cover large amounts of ground. My two gsp's aren't too keen on water but will get in amongst the brambles, but admittedly not like a cocker will, my old GWP wasn't far off though. Having said all this the default choice for most people is a spaniel or retriever as most people shoot from a peg or pick up on driven shoots making pointers redundant. I wouldn't say a labrasnore is multipurpose though as they are a one shot deal, only really retrieving.Pity they're not popular these days, as they have a fantastic nature as family pets - they're very people-orientated.
But I think you have to remember that ultimately these breeds were intended as working dogs, and their 'jobs' just don't exist any more:
I'd have to admit that English Pointers are a dead loss as a general-purpose gundog (though SWMBO would vehemently disagree), 'cos they're too fastidious about getting wet, dirty and bramble-scratched to be enthusiastic as retrievers or for flushing quarry, and the number of shoots where you can justify separate breeds to point, flush and retrieve has dramatically diminished in recent decades... so even as gundogs, the more 'multi-purpose' breeds like labradors make more sense.
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