Choosing a dog breed, help please?

Much as I love working cockers, they are very VERY energetic hyper dogs who make springers look laid back. I know 3 and they are all really lovely dogs...but very bright and need a lot of exercise as most working dogs do.
 
Our dogs free range and the border terrier was never any trouble. I cannot say it enough times though - get a show bred one! They are as different to the working strains as a greyhound to a pug. My OH has always had a border as a pet to knock around the farm with him and they have all been fine. I think the bitches are much easier than the dogs.

Interesting point! Our old one was farm bred from working parents. Yes, I much prefer bitches in terms of loyalty/ staying around but as I'll be living at home at least for the next year or so with my dog and she gets on a lot better with dogs, it'd be fairer to the pup to get a dog.
 
i really wouldnt reccomend doing that with a dog....what if it gets nicked or attacked in the woods?!

id be really annoyed if i met a dog wandering on its own like that with no owner - friendly or not and tbh id pick it up and take it to the dog warden if no owner....


mine dont even go in the garden unsupervised....! (fully fenced..)

You don't leave your dogs in your fenced garden unsupervised?? Why?? I have two springers and although our garden is fenced they can both squeeze under the gate into the fields and they both do whereby they then have access onto the lane out the front of the house that just goes to the farm further up but they never stray further than our boundaries. I have never thought about them being stolen and everybody who uses the lane, there are only three houses on it, know the dogs anyway. Not sure if I would like my dogs wandering through a public woods though.
 
Because there are far too many dogs being stolen now and your breed is a favourite. My 3 are never ever allowed to wander. It's not a criticism of how certain people choose to keep their dogs more a reflection on the society we live in.
 
You don't leave your dogs in your fenced garden unsupervised?? Why?? I have two springers and although our garden is fenced they can both squeeze under the gate into the fields and they both do whereby they then have access onto the lane out the front of the house that just goes to the farm further up but they never stray further than our boundaries. I have never thought about them being stolen and everybody who uses the lane, there are only three houses on it, know the dogs anyway. Not sure if I would like my dogs wandering through a public woods though.

This, my dog knows where the boundary is. She only goes in the council owned bit when she's chasing squirrels/ spots a cat that isn't ours but even then she'll reach a point, realise she's too far away from home and come haring back to the garden!
 
Because there are far too many dogs being stolen now and your breed is a favourite. My 3 are never ever allowed to wander. It's not a criticism of how certain people choose to keep their dogs more a reflection on the society we live in.

I am amazed anybody would want to steal a springer, after keeping them a few days I am sure they would want to bring them back unless they are prepared to walk them for three hours a day!! On a serious note we don't seem to have many dogs stolen from around here and there are plenty of designer breeds in the area as well as loads of springers.
 
I must admit we don't let the labrador wander, even though we are up a private drive, she is just too high risk and has to be in the garden, even then if we go out or are going to be sitting still inside the house she is in with us now. We don't even kennel dogs anymore.
The lurcher no one would steal and we did have a border terrier go missing once, years ago, but he was a naughty little thing and was handed in at a police station 2 days later!
So I cans ee why people are wary about letting dogs roam nowadays.
 
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