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

Ostrich said:
Unsurprisingly I researched extensively before I chose the breed I wanted - being brought up with my mother I would have been shot if I didnt :D So I researched breed problems, temperaments, health issues, lines, types etc etc before I chose my first whippet when I was 17.

I am lucky that my upbringing has given me a common sense approach to dogs generally which a lot of people seem to lack - and I must emphasise that I am not saying I am better than others, just that I was fortunate in my early life experience :) So when I started taking on rescue dogs I really haven't had any problems, although I know perfectly well that I have had dogs which most people would have sent back.

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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You may be suprised to know I dont not think in terms of "it should be a rescue or nowt":p you won't find posts from me saying that:p because I understand some people want a dog for a certain purpose/breed/puppy what ave you and there maybe certain factors preventing that in regard to a rescue, i.e as sugested rescue with ridiculous rules, waiting lists etc. All I ever hope is that it s a reputable breeder and no one funds irrisponsibe breeding along the way, I lay the blame of rescues being packed firmly at the door of those that bred them in the first instance. And even more so the ones that never "backed them up" or sold to an unsuitable home for the money factor.
Like you though I will never buy a dog/puppy there is enough in the world certainly for me... to take on a "discard" every time.

So there:p
 
We did loads of research and decided on a breed

Then ended up with a completely different breed as a result of seeing a chance advert, we didnt even have a dog bowl to our name and had to stop at Tesco with the puppy to get basic supplies!

best laid plans and all that.....

Incidently no rescues would touch us with a bargepole, we found the lists of requirements quite frankly mindboggling and managed to fall short for various reasons depending on whether there was a north blowing wind I think
 
But I never had a problem with rescues as I went through staffie welfare and tbh they really really focused on my experience with the breed, my expectations and then - what home I could offer. I did give up with Battersea as my assessor marked me down for saying the dog would end up with me upstairs - having had the breed for some 15 years at that point. When I actually started to think I could have my own dog rather than looking after my brothers or mothers dogs I had long trials by keeping the family dogs. Wasn't popular when the dogs went home though as they had got used to getting up at 5 to do my horse and get walked!
 
I actually did quite a bit of research before my mum and dad bought Millie for me. Have grown up with GWPs, HWVs and we had a Staff x (from Woodgreen) when I was born, they had 4 or 5 dogs by the time I arrived. Also grown up around the show ring (shoot me I don't care lol we're not all bad :p ) so think that's added to my knowledge, especially the Gundog group.

After mum and dad said I could have my own small dog I spent hours at Crufts talking to lots of people on Discover Dogs about the breeds that caught my eye and learning as much as I could about each breed. Then ended up with a Jack Russell Terrier-ist that wasn't even on the list of breeds I looked into lol. We looked after a Jack for my dad's friend and they decided that one would be suitable for me, one is now 4!!
 
Parents had a dog years ago. My best mate has 6. OH had big breeds.

In hindsight shouldnt have got Dylan (learnt a lot since)

I knew labradors and collies, now have a rottie (my new favourite breed) x whatever.
Labrador x spangle, who is a spangle trapped in a labs body. And OH has his fav breed the OES.

Next planned dog will prob be a Rottweiler Or Springer Spaniel.
 
CaveCanem said:
Just to pick up on that, too - when talk about looking for 'old fashioned German Shepherds' they seem to describe the big, heavy, fluffy, big-bones GSDs who wouldn't possibly be able to cope with a day's work, which is what they were bred for.
When in fact the original, true old-fashioned working GSDs were slim built, wiry, medium sized, tight coated and usually grey.
Research would tell you this, not falling for the hard sell of people marketing what is in fact a modern trend.
Trend is the curse of our breed and many others :(
Is it any coincidence that bigger, heavier, weight-bearing breeds are more prone to HD?
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You know what? Those pre-war "alsatians" looked almost identical to today`s working type Malinois,and obviously I much prefered that look.:)
 
I researched breeds and types of dogs online, in books, and through talking to people with various dogs. We decided on a terrierist because we wanted a small dog that didn't need hours of exercise every day - we live in a small house with a tiny garden, in a city.

Once we'd decided on a 'long legged JRT type' (OH's compromise on a small dog was that he didn't want a "stumpy one"!), I put some feelers out, and Stan's breeder was recommended by a friend who has had (and used to breed) terriers. We went along and there was this puppy with randomly long legs. I think it was meant to be!

By the time we actually got to the buying a puppy stage, we had thoroughly researched how we wanted to bring our puppy up, crate training, feeding, training classes etc. It took about 8 months to finally decide to go for it.
 
A fair amount, but not of the normal variety. OH wanted a dog and thought a lab would be a good first dog (trainable, sensibly sized for car footwells etc). He thought a failed (gunshy) gundog would be about perfect as he didn't have time for a puppy and the dog would be well trained. Also intending kennel in garden. In then end we ended up with a lab puppy. OH had met him at under 24 hours old, and then spent a week getting to know him in what should have been stressful circs for the pup (vets having eaten a loo roll (inner and all) and all blocked up) and the way he coped cheerfully with various vets struggling to find veins in little puppy legs etc made half the practice fall in love with him. When pup passed the blockage (all over OH!) it was love, and the final check was could he cope with cars/enthusiastic driving, which was fine, and OH bought him from the breeder, and he never lived in the garden..

Yep, it's still a thief, scavenger and has the most painful wag I've ever come across, but he's never eaten another loo roll and I love him most of the time...
 
I did lots of research on Dalmatians before getting one. I made a short list of all the breeds that I liked and suited me and kept coming back to the Dalmatian.
They do have some health problems so I read up a lot on diet before getting him, he was a rescue though so didn't get health checks done on him.
I knew they needed lots of exercise and wanted a dog that would be able to do long walks, today we did 12 miles :)
 
Scranny_Ann said:
ABSOLUTELY NONE

but then ... none needed as all my knowledge learnt from my Dad :D 26 years of knowledge of gundogs from me ol man beats any book!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D;):p:D:D
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Same here really, Scranny Ann - I grew up in a field sports family who had always had gun dogs who were family pets as well as working dogs. We had retrievers, my grandfather had Springers and I always had a soft spot for Labs. Breed decided, it was just question of whether we went for puppy or rescue. We opted for rescue this time. The only discussion for us was in order to agree that there was nothing getting in the way of our being able to give a dog the time and commitment needed. As I am at home all day and well aware of the commitment involved, it wasn't really a big issue but we still felt that it was necessary to talk it through anyway.
 
I've always had rescued mongrels, and they've all been fantastic dogs, one was I'm sure a little insane, but I loved him to bits and he loved us too.


I recently lost both my old dogs within a few weeks of each other. The frustrating thing was that our local dogs trust had no dogs suitable according to the website because we have cats, although I'm at home all day and exercise my dogs at least a few hours a day.
I have ended up with a lovely 18 month old lab that needed a new home so it has worked out well, but as for actual research I tend to take what comes along, although I do look at things I'd class as a disadvantage; the bigger the dog the bigger the poo (I have small hands to pick it up):o and muddy paws! Hairy coats aren't my favourite due to mud, I'm not keen on dealing with dog aggressive dogs as we live on a river that is popular with lots of dog walkers.
I'm not keen on yappy things either, but I'd live with any of those things if I had to, once something's in our house it tends to be for life. :)
 
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