So exactly how much research did you do before getting your dog?

MurphysMinder said:
http://www.bva.co.uk/public/documents/breed_Specific_Statistics.pdf
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Saved: thank you.

CaveCanem said:
Broodle, the Germans have a system with about three or four possible results which basically amount to
'Excellent - recommended for breeding'
'Good - very slight degree of dysplasia, but OK for breeding'
'Not so good, breed if you want, but be careful, don't say we didn't warn you'.
'No, no, no - don't even bloody think about it'.
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PMSL! I've always lifted the dogs in and out of the car: I no longer wear anything decent outside of work. The environmental issues concern me greatly because I'd hate to exacerbate pre-existing conditions.

Ostrich said:
I don't believe that there is any justification for getting a puppy when there are so many dogs in rescue centres - whether you get that puppy from a KC accredited breeder, a puppy farm or some back street breeder out to make a quick buck.
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But What if the rescues won't let you rescue? It's a debate I regularly see. The OH and I both work full-time, but the dogs are never left more than four hours due to OH's shifts and the majority of my chosen breed in rescue seem to have issues or have to be the only dog in the house. I was going to look seriously at a bitch in the local rescue last month until they said she had to be a lone dog. :(
CaveCanem said:
I was also considering magnets?
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Or tied together like when you do a three legged race?!:p
 
This is the first dog that I have researched properly, though I have been very lucky over the years with my mongrel and cocker spaniels.

This time I knew I wanted a change of breed (couldn't try to replace my cockers who I lost at 15 and 16 years). I needed something that would be good with the kids, be easy for me in terms of training and exercise requirements and not aggravate my asthma (although we are pretty sure that cats are my only trigger). I took a lot of advice from very knowledgable friends and ended up looking at whippets.

I chose my breeder as she was highly recommended in terms of her dogs' temperaments. I met her dogs at my home and hers and had a very open discussion about whether she thought my home would be suitable for one of her pups.

I visited the litter many times before the pups were 8 weeks and was incredibly impressed with the temperament of the dam, who was happy to show her pups to both myself and my (well supervised) toddler. The breeder chose a pup for me based on the temperament it seemed to have at that
stage.

It is very early days but my pup is ticking all the boxes as a family pet. I am just a bit ashamed at how little research I now realise that I did into my previous dogs.
 
I managed to get a rescue dog despite having no garden, where there's a will (and some common sense) there's usually a way. :)

I am a bit evangelical about rescue dogs now, the experience I had with SHWA was fantastic and R's transition into our, erm, 'pack' pretty much seamless as a result of their good work. Infinitely better than D's catastrophic introduction, anyway. :p

That said... at some point in the future I will want another dog (I know, I know...) and what I'd like (a GSD or similar large pointy-eared dog with which to do all the things I can't do with the huskies, like actually compete with any seriousness in agility and obedience) will be next to impossible to find in rescue with the right temperament, soundness etc., though I'll try to find one. In that instance I would consider buying a puppy - or, preferably, a 6+ month old that can do fun stuff straight away.
 
CaveCanem said:
Tell me how to get my dog to give me more contact in the heel would be nice :p
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Suggest you breed it to a poodle. Mine won't freaking leave my side. I could be running up and down stairs and if I stop mid way, so does he. If I sprint up, so does he. One of these days I'm going to take my velcro laced trainers off! LOL
 
The only one I researched was my GSD. I spent 18 months looking for the lines I wanted.

As for the rest of the dogs (plenty) most are rescues, inherited or left here whilst owners are away and they never return!
 
did no research when we got our dog,she retired from racing at three and a half,due to a knackered leg,stupid trainer wanted to keep her have a couple of litters and send her to the greyhound rescue,she had no chance our dog our responsabilty(sp)so she came home with us and 7 years later still with us and love her to bits xx
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Ostrich said:
Maybe I am in the minority (well, except for Cayla but I don't really want to be in the same group as her :p) but as I stated on another thread I don't believe that there is any justification for getting a puppy when there are so many dogs in rescue centres - whether you get that puppy from a KC accredited breeder, a puppy farm or some back street breeder out to make a quick buck.
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I tried to get a rescue GSD but when the elderly biddy came her for a home check, she told me that I couldn't have a bitch as we already had two bitches (different breeds) and we were unsuitable for a dog because we also had a dog! (All were neutered/spayed) She also said that it was an unsuitable place for a GSD because we have sheep.
Excuse me but isn't it a German Shepherd Dog? Weren't they bred to work/guard sheep?
She also told me I had no choice of dog, they would have send me something - if I had been suitable.

I gave up at that point because most GSD rescues seem to use this lady for home inspections in this area.
 
When I was doing homechecks for a GSD Rescue I used to get very frustrated by some of their restrictions, I pointed out on more than one occasion that they were losing great homes by being picky but it fell on deaf ears.:( Some rescues do take the approach that would be owners can't choose a dog, the rescue will do this. While I agree that sometimes the rescue is in a position to recommend a particular dog. I would not be happy to take on a dog that I hadn't met before hand and felt a bond with, so that approach certainly wouldn't suit me.
 
It was Foxhunters post I was actually referring to. As I said I don't have a problem with rescues recommending a suitable dog, but I have heard of people being told that if they don't like the dog suggested they won't be considered for another, crazy.:mad:
 
My homechecker was the same age as me and turned out to go to the same university on a very similar course to mine; she brought her heavily tattooed/pierced/gothy boyfriend with her, spent five minutes nervously asking questions and then said well, yeah, I reckon you need another dog. :p

They brought their dogs with them, a grumbly little husky bitch who snapped at Dax and a totally incongruous black whippet, a really odd pair of dogs. :D

I was really put off by the GSDR adoption form, the idea that because my neighbours have a cat and a baby I'd probably be deemed unsuitable made me :eek:. Then again they wouldn't be interested because of the garden issue anyway.

I was asked if I had any preferences when it came to matching us up with a dog from SHWA, secretly I would not have wanted a red or solid white but was so desperate not to come across as a 'I want one that looks like a wolf' idiot I only specified that I wanted a dog, not a bitch. We were offered a very beautiful wolf grey male with blue eyes but he wasn't nearly as good a match for Dax as the ugly piebald with oddly set eyes; I never would have picked a piebald out of a litter but he'll do. :p

As above they compiled a list of our requirements, lifestyle etc. and matched us with what they thought were the most suitable dogs, I spoke with both of their fosterers on the phone and discounted the blue eyed male (who is sadly still up for adoption, how guilty do I feel?) and arranged to meet the other one who was a four hour journey away, transport appeared to be no issue for them to get us the right dog. We spent a whole afternoon with him and could have said no and waited for another at any point.
 
Shall we have a mutual head-desk, MM? :p

While training at the RSPCA centre there's an endless parade of beautiful dogs, I was fawning over a white GSD bitch last week (not my thing but she was very beautiful) and there's always lots of ribbing over whether I have room for another one, everyone is astonished when I say that we wouldn't pass the homecheck.
 
Do the RSPCA do home checks? :p
I once did a homecheck and was asked specifically to check that the people weren't planning to keep the dog outside as they had rather foolishly mentioned they had a kennel and run. Turns out they were quite sensibly planning on using the kennel to put the dog in whilst they were out, fine with me and what I used to do with mine, but boy did I have a battle to convince the rescue that I thought this was fine, and yet the dogs they are trying to rehome in some cases spend 23 hours a day in a kennel.
 
I applied for a GSD rescue, and was initally turned down as I already had more than 3 dogs and 16 cats. I wrote explaining that I had experience with big dogs, and plenty of room, so they were fair enough to want to see my situation/home check etc. So I would challenge most rescues rehoming policy. Before that could happen, I was given an 8 month old pup - with HUGE paws. She lives quite happily with a border x patterdale, JRT, Rottie x, GSDx and spaniel x. Plus aforementioned cats! Plus obigitory 8 horses. She's now doing fab,( with some help from CC.) All are rescues, apart from Border x, all get on great, none researched.......and all the cats are still alive...........
 
I really can't join any mafia - I got too many. She's an absolute joy! Really becoming obedient, big softie. Greedy though! She gets bullied by cats and terriers, big softie, but really enjoying life. I can call her off chasing galloping horses - which is always a bonus! :)
 
I'll post some pictures of her happily sleeping in a gaggle of cats at some point! I would have to join the mongrel mafia too! Don't tell me there isn't one? Terrierist mafia?
 
can i ask a really dumb question about the rspca's rehoming policy,only about 6 months ago my mom wanted to rehome a dog ,pref an older one,as she's retired,so she finds a lovely old mutt,asks about it,asks when they would like to home check,only to be told that she must take her animals there,ok fine but she explained that she had 4 cats and an 25 yr old parrot that she did not want to stress,so they turned her down because she refused to take all her pets to meet the dog is this normal
 
My "research" for Mr B was seeing him in the bosses office and saying "I'll take him!" The fact he is half springer was all I needed to know, I dont think I even knew his name! Next "planned" one may be a springer pup, will definately research lines/ breeders for that one, but Bax is already the perfect fit for me.

Re the homecheck stuff - I work in rescue and wouldnt pass our homecheck in a million years :D
 
Pinball - IME that is not normal, fair enough if she had another dog but I dont know any rescue that would expect you to bring your PARROT! I would definately be looking at other rescues
 
thank you for that she has now rehomed a 8yr old shitzu (ex stud) first thing was to neutur(sp) him,the breeder was great gave her all his papers and all his health test papers and even offered topay toward him being casterated,but it such a shame that the rspca put her off having a recuse dog,silly really as she has no other dogs,her cats are used to dogs,and the parrot has lived through 2 old dogs and 8 cats,
 
I think I will start a mongrel movement. They want to be recognised and heard! Or the terrier big - up society. Everyone knows they are really BIG dogs trapped in little bodies! :)
IMO there will eventually need to be some sanctions on the breeding of all dogs, as there should also be with horses. It's not the breeding of mongrels/designer breed twits - there is just too much breeding, full stop. Just my opinion.
And the rescues are ridiculous. You would have to be a retired infertile 35 year old with no dogs, but experience of dogs, and no dogs within 100 miles of your enclosed garden! ;)
 
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