What dog thread: Labrador, retriever or something else?

What dog thread: Labrador, retriever or something else?

Author
Discussion

loskie

5,143 posts

119 months

Friday 26th June 2020
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Thanks Daniel. That's right you maybe don't know my role.

But I do.

dhutch

14,198 posts

196 months

Friday 26th June 2020
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loskie said:
Thanks Daniel. That's right you maybe don't know my role.

But I do.
Clearly your role here is being a bit of a dick.

towser

919 posts

210 months

Friday 26th June 2020
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Pistonheads never fails to disappoint...

loskie

5,143 posts

119 months

Saturday 27th June 2020
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thanks again dhutch for showing us the level of your intelligence.

dhutch

14,198 posts

196 months

Saturday 27th June 2020
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loskie said:
thanks again dhutch for showing us the level of your intelligence.
Loskie,

This has nothing to do with my intelligence or articulation and everything to do with you having either a narrow minded view of overseas rescues, or an inability to effectively communicate your concerns on the topic in a rounded or otherwise fashion.

Daniel

apotek

647 posts

184 months

Sunday 28th June 2020
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Great thread hijack guys, would you talk like that face to face?

dhutch

14,198 posts

196 months

Sunday 28th June 2020
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Given it's been 24h with no replies, I think they thread has largely reached the end. But as you ask and continue your supposed 'hijack' they yes, while it's impossible to tell how the conversation would have gone with suitable associated body language, there is nothing in my replies it would not say face to face.

Thanks

Chris71

Original Poster:

21,535 posts

241 months

Tuesday 30th June 2020
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Getting back on track ... what about a German shepherd as a family dog?

I know these are not ordinarily considered a good choice for first-time owners, but we both have experience of training dogs before. Don't really know much about them as a breed, but there are some lovely gentle giants that we occasionally meet walking around here.

spanner10

219 posts

46 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
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I expect people to disagree but here goes. Not sure it's a good first dog TBH and I don't want to just pour cold water on the idea. I think it would be much harder work than training a lab whose default position after ' is it edible?' is ' great - new people to meet !'

Over 30 years I have had several friends, who between them have owned 13 gsd s. They all had more than one and most loved them but-

1 Quite a few medical probs and few have made it past 10. Epilepsy, cancers and back legs. Year round shedders

2 The gentle giants you meet out and about I would suggest are different on their own turf, where the guarding behaviour is more pronounced. These owners may have owned several other breeds first.

3 From the ones I know only 3 of these would welcome me into the house. 2 were very nervous and unpredictable 3 were always put in another room when any visitors came . The one impeccably behaved one belonged to ex RAF dog handler who had 50 years experience.


4 Gundogs bred to please/work for us, gsd like doberman/ rottie bred to guard livestock or territory. My late friend said you never need to train a gsd to guard, you train them that all the other things they see and meet are good -starting young and continuing for life .

5 Lots of nervous gsds around . Some breeders maintain the dogs should have a sloping back. In my experience the dogs that lasted the longest did NOT have a sloping back

6 No one likes the sight of one heading towards their kids, even if it is very well behaved . This can be a problem. Like owning a Staffy others are v quick to blame your gsd immediately even if it wasn't your dogs fault . The public generally are well disposed towards some breeds like labs , and this can make life easier

Good luck with your quest.

Edited by spanner10 on Wednesday 1st July 14:36

Chris71

Original Poster:

21,535 posts

241 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
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spanner10 said:
Good luck with your quest
Thanks, some good info.

Maybe not then. smile

We are rather different to the average first-time dog owners in that we both have a fair amount of experience of looking after and training dogs in the past. That said, it sounds like a GSD might be a step too far. Maybe one for next time.

Who me ?

7,455 posts

211 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
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Me- I'm a terrier man, but beware as they can be feisty, but if they take to you, then they are the smallest little guard dogs in a small body and will accept any child as yours. I've got my third terrier in 10 years . Said to be OK with kids over 10, she took to my GGD in seconds, and both get on well. My last dog (and one before that, both terriers) tried to make friends with my GS( problem child with learning problems), but never did. She managed it in a week.
Do not think that a small dog ( mine is a JRT/Yorky x) needs less exercise. They don't. Possibly the best dog for someone looking for a dog that needs minimal exercise might be a retired Greyhound.
At the moment after weeks of lock down, my little madam has found her ball and is plaguing Swimbo with it.
Personally I'd look at a rescue. Strange, but true. Most of these have experienced years of abuse and finding an owner that gives love that they can return gives their life a a new purpose.
I've one memory of a rescue that got past closed doors down stairs, to batter our bedroom door when she needed out. That is a rescue given love.
One breed that has a bad name is a Staffy. Not my choice, but loving and loyal.

Chris71

Original Poster:

21,535 posts

241 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
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Chris71 said:
spanner10 said:
Good luck with your quest
Thanks, some good info.

Maybe not then. smile

We are rather different to the average first-time dog owners in that we both have a fair amount of experience of looking after and training dogs in the past. That said, it sounds like a GSD might be a step too far. Maybe one for next time.
Ahem, I might have said this and then registered with South West GSD Rescue regardless. My thinking is that they will generally be quite forthright about whether a dog is suitable for a particular home. They had some GSD crosses in that had apparently been socialised with children as part of their programme.


louiebaby

10,651 posts

190 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
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I feel the need to post a pic of our Large Munsterlander, who is now coming up for 3. We've had her from a pup, and she's been great with the kids, 4 and 2 when we got her. Think of her as a slim, fast, Flat Coated Retriever sized Spaniel. She can really move, with only a couple of local whippets able to outrun her so far.

She doesn't like being left home alone, but other than that, I'd definitely recommend. (Apart from when she got the scent of something this morning and buggered off into the undergrowth. She came back within a couple of minutes though.)


dhutch

14,198 posts

196 months

Wednesday 1st July 2020
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Chris71 said:
Ahem, I might have said this and then registered with South West GSD Rescue regardless. My thinking is that they will generally be quite forthright about whether a dog is suitable for a particular home. They had some GSD crosses in that had apparently been socialised with children as part of their programme.
Chris71 said:
Ahem, I might have said this and then registered with South West GSD Rescue regardless. My thinking is that they will generally be quite forthright about whether a dog is suitable for a particular home. They had some GSD crosses in that had apparently been socialised with children as part of their programme.
Why not eh!

There are some who will be breedist, we see this even with our collie greyhound lurcher, which unfairly paints the GSD as aggressive. This not only means that people miss out on a lovely dog they could have had, but also that even if you have a lovely dog people will be apprehensive towards it/you for none other than their own prejudice.

Obviously there is an extend of bread traits coming out, labs are stupidly food orientate and willing to please, and a combination of this makes it reasonable easy for even inexperienced and or incompetent to get a dog that will come back or roll over if they have food. However training any dog is, with exception, reasonably easy if you follow and understand the basic and put yourself in the dogs shoes. When they finally come back after taking a while, praise them for coming back, don't bk them for taking a while, that time has passed!

Obviously with rescues, even if quite young, (and to an extend puppies) there is also an element of environmental traits they will have picked up on, and GSD will sadly have had a greater share of people who bought them to be an aggressive dog then say a cockapoo, but as with all recuses, you get their history the best you can, you go an see them in the shelter, you take them out for a walk or to meet your other family/dog etc and then eventually you take them home, and if it all goes tits up, sometimes they come back again.

Some of the best behaved dogs I have known are GSDs that get the time and training they need, and some of the fattest leave well behaviour mutts I have ever met have been labs which just get chocolate and let on the sofa and owners that moan about vet bills they have created, takes your choice.


Daniel

Chris71

Original Poster:

21,535 posts

241 months

Thursday 2nd July 2020
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dhutch said:
Why not eh!

There are some who will be breedist, we see this even with our collie greyhound lurcher, which unfairly paints the GSD as aggressive. This not only means that people miss out on a lovely dog they could have had, but also that even if you have a lovely dog people will be apprehensive towards it/you for none other than their own prejudice.

Obviously there is an extend of bread traits coming out, labs are stupidly food orientate and willing to please, and a combination of this makes it reasonable easy for even inexperienced and or incompetent to get a dog that will come back or roll over if they have food. However training any dog is, with exception, reasonably easy if you follow and understand the basic and put yourself in the dogs shoes. When they finally come back after taking a while, praise them for coming back, don't bk them for taking a while, that time has passed!

Obviously with rescues, even if quite young, (and to an extend puppies) there is also an element of environmental traits they will have picked up on, and GSD will sadly have had a greater share of people who bought them to be an aggressive dog then say a cockapoo, but as with all recuses, you get their history the best you can, you go an see them in the shelter, you take them out for a walk or to meet your other family/dog etc and then eventually you take them home, and if it all goes tits up, sometimes they come back again.

Some of the best behaved dogs I have known are GSDs that get the time and training they need, and some of the fattest leave well behaviour mutts I have ever met have been labs which just get chocolate and let on the sofa and owners that moan about vet bills they have created, takes your choice.

Daniel
Indeed. I've seen the difference between a badly trained GSD-cross (lethal) and a badly trained Lab (angelic). That leaves me in no doubt which would be the bigger responsibility, but I think just about anything can be okay if you train it from a puppy. We would only take one of the potentially volatile breeds if it had been born at the rescue centre or had a well-documented history with children, but it does happen. Someone my wife knows runs a small rescue charity and she went to get a dog the other week (another GSD cross, I think). This morning it had seven puppies.

spanner10

219 posts

46 months

Thursday 2nd July 2020
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There you go ! and pick of the litter ?


.


anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 2nd July 2020
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quote=louiebaby]I feel the need to post a pic of our Large Munsterlander, who is now coming up for 3. We've had her from a pup, and she's been great with the kids, 4 and 2 when we got her. Think of her as a slim, fast, Flat Coated Retriever sized Spaniel. She can really move, with only a couple of local whippets able to outrun her so far.

She doesn't like being left home alone, but other than that, I'd definitely recommend. (Apart from when she got the scent of something this morning and buggered off into the undergrowth. She came back within a couple of minutes though.)


[/quote]

I second this recommendation! Just lost ours at 14 years past , back in April. Fantastic all round dogs. Our also didn’t like being left alone funnily enough. Love the outdoors and very very fit and active , right to the end !



spanner10

219 posts

46 months

Thursday 2nd July 2020
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And I ll bet not many people know what she is. Smart looking dog

louiebaby

10,651 posts

190 months

Friday 3rd July 2020
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Iwantafusca said:
I second this recommendation! Just lost ours at 14 years past , back in April. Fantastic all round dogs. Our also didn’t like being left alone funnily enough. Love the outdoors and very very fit and active , right to the end !

Gorgeous! Look at that tongue! cloud9


spanner10 said:
And I ll bet not many people know what she is. Smart looking dog
Yeah, once every couple of months someone will ask if she is a Munsterlander, but they're rarely 100% sure.

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 3rd July 2020
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louiebaby said:
Iwantafusca said:
I second this recommendation! Just lost ours at 14 years past , back in April. Fantastic all round dogs. Our also didn’t like being left alone funnily enough. Love the outdoors and very very fit and active , right to the end !

Gorgeous! Look at that tongue! cloud9


spanner10 said:
And I ll bet not many people know what she is. Smart looking dog
Yeah, once every couple of months someone will ask if she is a Munsterlander, but they're rarely 100% sure.
Thank you , yeh her tongue seemed huge sometimes! I do miss her a lot !
As you say not a well known breed at all.



Another gratuitous tongue shot lol.