which breed? Can't make up my mind!

MotherOfChickens said:
From my experience from earlier this year, poodle and setter rescue won't consider me because I work full time. It does also seem, having followed them for a while, that the setters going through rescue have problems.

Ibizan hounds are stunning, but just not an option due to our location which is why I ruled out sighthounds-plus I have cats.
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That is a bit of a generalisation - I know of loads of retired racing greyhounds which are cat friendly :) I was impressed by your knowledge of setters who worked with falcons, would absolutely LOVE to see that (somewhat envious!!!!)
 
No newfies either- or other giant breeds or slobber hounds.


I am not interested in fly ball or agility. I do love to hill walk though and the dog gets 2 plus hours of walking spread over three walks weekdays and the same, if not a bit more at weekends. Plus another dog to play with.
 
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Have you considered a Hungarian Vizsla? Short coated, (easy to keep clean - a quick rub down with a towel, job done - and less hair around the house!) and a loyal, affectionate, trainable dog.
 
Mightymax said:
Have you considered a Hungarian Vizsla? Short coated, (easy to keep clean - a quick rub down with a towel, job done - and less hair around the house!) and a loyal, affectionate, trainable dog.
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I hadn't actually, not sure I've ever met one but they look great and not too big (I was under the impression they were Weimaraner size). They sound similar in temp to setters actually-I wonder if their recall is easier to establish given they are also a working breed?
 
I have met a couple of tollers, one was quite nervy but overall I thought lovely quite small dogs.
I'd quite like a schnauzer, though mostly know minis, big dog in a small body but not a terrier ;).

Vislak is your girl for viszlas, she works hers, they can be a bit clingy by all counts, def smaller than a weimaraner. I'll see if I can throw her in your direction ;)
 
Vizslak said:
I'm here *waves* you sound like you could offer a great life for a vizz. Main points about vs to consider are, as you have pointed out they are high energy, they are also very clingy dogs, nicknamed Velcro dogs for a reason, they like to be by your side at all times. Buying from a good reputable breeder that health tests is also very important, take recommendations, I'm happy to steer you in the right direction especially if you have any litters in mind. Feel free to pm me. You are likely to find yourself on a wait list for a decent pup. Are you looking to work the dog in the future or just like gundogs generally? There are extra considerations about the breed if looking to work them. PM (polymyositis) is a health condition that any new vizz owner should look into before looking for a pup. They are a wonderful breed, unlike any other I have owned or known before, my other dogs are dogs and vizslas are vizslas, not dogs! They are highly intelligent, part of owning a vizsla is the uneasy feeling that you may be being outwitted on a regular basis! They are clever but generally biddable, training methods are slightly altered for a vizz, they will damn your preconconceptions of how you think you train a dog. They are generally very sensitive, take things to heart and have memories like elephants as well which can work both for and against you!
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from an earlier post
 
thanks ester, certainly worth looking into! setters (ime) can be a little clingy, it was probably my least favourite thing about him mostly because I would end up covered in hair and because he had very pointy elbows :D

so on the list of meetings so far booked up are: IRAW setters, beagles, schnauzers (can't find any standards nearby but have found giants and miniatures).

I also rang up on an impulse on a rescue beagle x springer but they felt as though coming to work in the van etc wouldn't suit him-seems to have not been socialised very well.
 
'l in answer to her specific question on v vs setter, having trained both, yes recall in a vizz is about 3000 times easier to train than a setters!'

oh and wirehaireds are larger
 
oh, thanks for the shirty, patronising pm whoever you are. Why I would get criticised for thoroughly researching the breeds I am interested in, before bringing them home to the sort of environment most dogs would love is quite beyond me.

I am grateful for the ideas I've had from the thread but will not be taking anything on without meeting various breeders of them and trying to meet examples in homes (FB is great for this!). I'm even meeting and lining up potential trainers experienced in the breeds that I have on the list. I may not have worked dogs before but have raised various well adjusted, happy family dogs previously.

Christ, its not like I've never had setters and I am quite aware working strains will be different, hence the research into breeders and trainers. I have a very short list of breeds, I think I know what I will end up with but with only getting a pup every twelve years or so, I want to satisfy my curiosity of other breeds thoroughly and make sure the home I can offer is right for the dog.
 
:eek3: :mad:

how dare you do research and not know every dog breed in and out anyway.

MoC iirc schnauzers have very few health issues too.
 
MotherOfChickens said:
ahh, go on-say what you are thinking!
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Nothing interesting - just got my pedantic hat on today for some reason, so was replying to Ester's comment that wirehaired Viz's are bigger.

If you read the KC breed standard the wires are actually smaller by definition. Wirehaired males should be 58-62 cm and bitches 54-58 cm; shorthaired males should be 57-64cm and bitches 53-60 cm. HOWEVER, the wirehaired breed club also include a note that: Variance of less than 3 cms is permitted as long as the dog remains in proportion.

So, technically Ester is correct, a wire can be LESS than one centimetre bigger than a shorthaired! :D So, I wouldn't let size difference rule one out if that is what you want. Having said all that, there are a lot of badly bred wires around that look like giraffes with the coat of a yak!

Told you I was being pedantic - bet you wish you'd never asked now! :)
 
MotherOfChickens said:
oh, thanks for the shirty, patronising pm whoever you are. Why I would get criticised for thoroughly researching the breeds I am interested in, before bringing them home to the sort of environment most dogs would love is quite beyond me.

I am grateful for the ideas I've had from the thread but will not be taking anything on without meeting various breeders of them and trying to meet examples in homes (FB is great for this!). I'm even meeting and lining up potential trainers experienced in the breeds that I have on the list. I may not have worked dogs before but have raised various well adjusted, happy family dogs previously.

Christ, its not like I've never had setters and I am quite aware working strains will be different, hence the research into breeders and trainers. I have a very short list of breeds, I think I know what I will end up with but with only getting a pup every twelve years or so, I want to satisfy my curiosity of other breeds thoroughly and make sure the home I can offer is right for the dog.
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OMG - you are such a bad bad heinous person.
I mean you should just run out and get the first cute fluffy puppy you see without doing any research.
Actually thinking about it Id head for a puppy farm if I were you, I mean supporting a British business has to be a good thing, right?!
 
ihatework said:
OMG - you are such a bad bad heinous person.
I mean you should just run out and get the first cute fluffy puppy you see without doing any research.
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well, as long as its not a working breed it would seem as though that would be acceptable ;) although there are Boerbels available locally too, 'ready to go'...
 
gunnergundog said:
Told you I was being pedantic - bet you wish you'd never asked now! :)
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I think ester likes pedantic! (x ester!). Thats good to hear actually because I do love the look of the wirehaireds-they also don't have rarity value up here so hopefully easy to meet some. I think OH will like them too and although he doesn't get veto (he still can't believe I snuck in a staffy, albeit a cross) I do have to take him into consideration as well.
 
It wasn't my comment that was a very short summary of what Viszlak messaged me :D, but yes I am a huge pedant so ;). I guess also you look at the parents ;) I love the idea of giraffeXYak wires.

the full sentence was
'And yes they are (or should be, there are some very oversized ones about) much smaller than a Weim. Wires are Weim sized. They aren't an easy dog but nor is a setter if she's considering one!
 
ester said:
the full sentence was
'And yes they are (or should be, there are some very oversized ones about) much smaller than a Weim. Wires are Weim sized. They aren't an easy dog but nor is a setter if she's considering one!
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I don't want an easy one, nor do I want a really hard one :p I'm a bit like that with horses as well.
 
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