Just for fun: choose a dog breed for my OH

Another vote for border terrier! I'm not generally a fan of small dogs but they aren't like most little dogs, they aren't yappy and they have 'big' personalities
 
PucciNPoni said:
I'd have thought an Oz Terrier a bit too much coat? I also thought of Norfolk and Norwich but discounted due to the coat maintenance issue. Whereas borders can go ages without doing much to them.
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Aussies have much less and an easier coat than Norfolks. Most can get by with being stripped twice a year like a border.
 
Brownmare said:
What coat maintenance does a border need? Hand stripping twice a year? They do look lovely dogs but I've never met one so assumed they were standard terrier temperament in different fur!

I do like the look of Lancashire Heelers but I thought they tended to be a bit dodgy temperament wise (no offence meant Murphys Minder!) Is that true or have I made it up? Another breed I like the look of is a Minuature Pinscher but would they be too delicate for farm life?

I'm afraid all spaniel-related suggestions will be ignored as having one work-mad dog with no off switch is quite enough in this house... any more and I would be forced to build a kennel and shut them outside...
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The ones I have known have all been fine temperament wise. They are a working breed so do need to be trained but don't tend to be snappy in my experience. Are you able to get to Crufts, a wander round the discover dogs section would give you chance to view all the breeds suggested, and see plenty more too.
 
Clodagh said:
Disclaimer *Other breeds than whippets do exist !!"*
It has to be a border terrier, they are absolute one man dogs given the chance and my OH has spent nearly 40 years driving tractors with BTs in them as company. Small but fun, not irritating and untrainable like so many terriers. One liked doing the wall of death round the cab when it saw a hare, one just slept on the spare seat, one attacked the tractor when he was out and it moved. All have been fun, faithful little dogs. Said by a true anti terrier person. I would recommend a lab but they are a bit big for comfort!
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As soon as I read this post, I immediately thought of P's little sidekick :)
 
Borders - twice a year strip is fine. You can have them done more often to keep the pelt tight but most of my pet clients come in April and then August-ish when the coat tends to blow.

Minpins -- someone suggested. I used to have them too. Mine were pretty rough/tumble little dogs and very terrier mentality. But they would require a wee fluffy jacket in the winter - a bit like a whippet they feel the cold. Mine survived New England winters, but watching them pee on a cold winter's morning while the ground was frozen was always entertaining as they would always have to balance on as few toes as possible.

If you could bear the coat (even if it was just getting shaved off every 8 weeks or so) I'd say a miniature poodle. They are really game little dogs, not what people expect.

But if I was specifically looking for a dog to fit "this" bill of requirements, I'd say border terrier (again). They are born for this type of life :)
 
My dad has a Parsons JRT. Longer legged, slightly better behaved than other JRTs I know. Spends hours on the front seat of the 4x4, even goes shooting although will only retrieve clay pigeons!!!! Perfect size at 14" and 8kg!!

Bonus is he is too tall to go underground!
 
I thought I replied last night - not sure what happened there???

Puccinponi really good info there thanks :) My parents have a great little dog who is min pin x min poodle. If I could have him with a smooth coat that would be perfect! Sadly his coat is a nightmare for getting straw etc stuck in it so I doubt I could cope with a proper poodle although I knew one who did agility and thought he was an ace character. Not sure it would fit with the farmer image mind :D
 
Alec Swan said:
Brownmare, I've just had a brain-wave, providing that your hubby has eyes in the back of his head, whilst it's not in the tractor, how about a WORKING Cocker?

Alec.
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Best mate's OH used to have a border now has a working cocker out contracting with him all day. She does like to stay in bed sometimes though!
 
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