first dog help?

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kombikids

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hi there - havent posted in here but seems a good place to start ! Basically I wanted some advice about getting a dog - i am a stay at home mum with a horse on DIY livery in a dog friendly yard with a 2 and half year old boy. We have about 1/2 acre scruffy garden backing onto a country estate. I have wanted a dog for AGES since I grew up always having them and now i am at home i feel like i could cope with one. My OH has started shooting and although a novice would like a gun dog that he could use at some point. My question is what do we go for and is it fair on teh dog with a toddler around? Now i am very sensible with my child - he does not go in teh stable with the horse or be allowed to run round - so would try and be just as sensible with a dog. I think OH likes spaniels, are they ok with children? What age should we look for and how do we find a training place (remember that dad used to do dog training as a youngster and think it would be nice way for over worked OH to destress and bond with said dog) should we wait til child is older? thanks for any help!
 
I would suggest a lab. If you're looking one to also train as a gundog labs are easiest to train. Cockers and springers if you fancy more of a challenge. They can be harder work. Always on the go. My family have owned both lab and springer gundogs but we always go back to labs.

Our Tina is 8 years old and fantastic with kids. As was Windsor (sadly PTS last year) the kids climbed all over them, pulled ears, stuck fingers in eyes etc and the dogs never batted an eyelid. Just stood still till kids moved away (as little ones did have the tendancy to use them for support0 then go and lie down when the kids left them alone.
 
Labradors might be a good option for you? I know I am biased! But they are great with children. They are also a nice first dog to get as they love people and are really willing to learn...

A working bred labrador (or spaniel or whatever!) is what you would need for shooting. Mine is a working bred lab.

In terms of training - if you get a puppy you can do puppy classes locally - then when the dog gets older you can contact the local gundog club and join their training classes... or you can buy an older trained or part trained working dog... but it would need to be one that was used to living in a family home - rather than kennels...

i think any dog can be ok with children if it is introduced int he right way as a puppy - but labs are more tolerant than most!

I ttok mine to mini camp at the the pony club when i taught there last year - he was slightly manhandle by the kids - who loved him - and he loved them all back...

There are more people on here who can give you good advice - especially re: shooting as I am no expert on that.

in short - yes - get a dog!!!!
 
LOL - great minds think alike Gina
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Go for it
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My toddler turned 3 in November and has always been around family dogs(sadly not our own since we live ina flat ATM) never had a single proble
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He loves helping mummy walk the dogs and they love him(range froma yorkie to Great Danes,my boys favorite of all ).
Think animals add so much to a childs life and would be lovely for you too
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i think so too - is hubbies birthday on 23rd, v dangerous! can anyone recommend a breeder or what to look out for, am a dog novice (but v keen!)
 
Sure some of the ladies that have Labs ATM will be able to advise about breeders,but the useual still stands.
Make sure you are happy about mum and dad(if you can see both,should see mum at least).Be ready to walk away if soething doesnt feel right,check the parents have had the relavent health checks and that the pups seem in good health ect.
 
Another vote for a lab here
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They are great dogs, especially for a novice owner whereas spaniels can be a bit more highly-strung.

Contact the kennel club and ask about reputable breeders in your area, speak to the breeders and feel free to bombard them with loads of questions - a good breeder will not mind this, in fact they will welcome it.

I would always go for a puppy with a young child in the house, great that they can grown up together, and to be honest, would think you mad NOT to get a dog
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(I have aone year old son who adores our dog), your situation sounds ideal, you and your OH sound very sensible and it will be such a positive thing all around for your son.

Early training is so important for all members of the family, and a good puppy class will set you on the right road - good luck and have fun - oh, and post pics please
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If you want to get a lab puppy - try the following:

http://classifieds.country-classifieds.com/

or the kennel club - they have lists of puppies from accredited breeders - ring them up and check they are working labs - not show dogs.

I would go for a black lab or a yellow lab - chocolate labs not usually so good for shooting, although there are exceptions!

also try call the secretary of your local gundog club and explain what you are after... they will be able to suggest local breeders who breed working dogs for shooting - also - in the case of the secretary I know - she told me whose pups had the nicest tempraments for pets! So they good for advice too...

I would steer clear of ads int he local paper/ internet unless you know exactly what you are looking for.

Make sure the pups come from hip scored parents (Parents should have a combined hip score of less than 15 (breed average) but ideally less then 10).

umm... lots more... My dog's sire belongs to this kennels:

http://grangemead.co.uk/Frameset.htm

I think they said they may have puppies early this year - worth asking? Or they may know a breeder who has used one of their stud dogs and has a litter?

Hope this helps?
 
Another vote for a lab, I am a first time dog owner and got a working bred black lab. He has been 100 x better than I could ever have hoped, completely cat, child and horse proof and I also take him out with the local shoot and he puts a lot of the older more trained dogs to shame with his retrieve.
 
I'll ask around as I am in N Herts too and both son and OH shoot.

We have a lovely little lab, you are very welcome to come and meet her if you want.

Which yard are you on (PM if you would prefer)

A good place to ask would be the gun shop in Baldock or the gun section at the Barn Shop.

I'll ask my neighbour, she breeds labs but doesn't have any just now.
 
We have a show type springer they are alot more laid back than the working type springers, and you can use them for shooting too. We got ours when my son was 4 and she is brillant with him, she has just had her first litter of puppies and she is proving to be an excellent mum.
 
I have two labs and they are fab with children although they were never brought up with any. We have also acquired a springer as his owners had a baby and he hated toddlers crowding him and bit one of the baby's friends. He has always remained uncomfortable with kids but I am sure that is just him.

Lab are such fab dogs, so reliable and friendly, ours dont know the meaning of the word aggression. They are great around the horses and just generally are easy.
 
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thanks - people look at me as tho i am mad when i say i want a dog and have a toddler so good to know it can be done!

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Some people just don't have a clue do they? My nana told my mum that the dogs would have to go when mum found out she was carrying me. Mum said "don't think so". No word of a lie my mum used to walk 5 dogs AND take me in the pushchair - field walks too not footpaths.

I think Labs are good. I am going to be a little biased here and vote for something completely different
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How about a Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla - or the Smooth?? They're Gundogs and very easy to train to the gun, more and more people are working them as they are proving themselves more and are more thorough than the faster dogs like the Spaniels. Infact they're very easy to train in all respects, I do agility with mine and mum shows.

They make fantastic family pets too, and that's without the bias! They are such laid back dogs and want nothing more than to cuddle up with people. I've honestly never known one with a dodgy temper. And they're very good with children, though any dog brought up properly will be.

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They're the ginger dogs
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What you want to do is research different breeds and see which one seems to suit you best and what you like the look of. Once you've decided, I'd recommend you get in contact with a few breeders and ask them any questions you have and if you decide on a breeder ask to go and see them and meet their dogs before committing to a puppy.

Make sure you find a reputable breeder - get breed club contacts off of the Kennel Club website as they will have a breeders list. Then do the usual, ask about health tests, especially hip scores as breeds like the Lab are prone to hip displasia, see at least the mum (which isn't so bad if you've already met the breeder and their dogs).
 
Brillant dogs labradors, had one for 12 years, problem is they don't stop eating and soon get over weight which causes problems with hips. Didn't have a dog for 10 years then my son bought my wife a flatcoat for her 50th birthday,she great it's like having another child again.
 
I would have no idea why people should have an issue with you getting a dog just because you have a toddler.

Although I don't have any children, when I do I will certainly have animals. I think that they help children in so many ways. They learn about tolerance, respect, responsibility, love and ultimately, death.

I have always been around animals and I will be forever grateful to my parents for it.

I would go for a lab or a cocker spaniel. In all honesty, as everyone on here will tell you it is down to the parents. Don't buy a puppy without seeing the mother and as mentioned above, if something feels wrong, it probably is! Also, when choosing a puppy, don't go for the quiet one sitting in a corner, it might not be well. Look for the most inquisitive one it doesn't necessarily mean it is a boisterous monster!

You lucky thing!
 
We have got a golden retriever!

She is fab with kids, fab down the yard, fab with horses, comes to shows with us.

There are loads of gundog places where you can go training too.

I recommend a golden retriever.

Check out the KC pages and see what recommended breeders they have, also ask LOADS of questions.

Be careful there are puppy farms out there posing as Breeders.
 
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