Puppies

Hi all ,father of five ,looking to buy puppy for my youngest three .had dogs before two border collies and a red and white irish setter .but been out the loop for some time ,any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks

What breed are you looking for?

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I'm not 100% sure keeping our options open ,but one of my daughters likes dalmatians and shes the one in our family that's always been a bit weary of dogs .I myself would like to have another red and white setter .but seems they are hard to come by

Those are quite different dogs.

What are you looking for in terms of -

• Grooming
• Exercise
• Independence vs handler focus
• Ease of training
• Friendliness vs aloofness (did I make that word up?)
• Energy levels
• Gregarious vs being reserved?

I don't think a dalmatian would be a good match for someone wary of dogs. They are large, energetic and very bouncy - she'd almost certainly be knocked off her feet at some point.

Well you got me there ,I'm sitting with my daughter now and she said shed like friendliness with some energy.

JudyN said:

I don't think a dalmatian would be a good match for someone wary of dogs. They are large, energetic and very bouncy - she'd almost certainly be knocked off her feet at some point.

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I understand what your saying and its probably good advice, but shes much better that she use to be now shes 12 yrs old .my setter was very much like that .

When you choose a dog, it's important to remember they have been bred selectively over thousands of years to do different jobs. So - want a dog you can trust off lead? Maybe avoid a hound (once it has scented prey, it will be off) or a husky type (bred to pull, to run straight ahead and not stop). Now, these are sweeping generalisations and it is of course possible to train them to be off lead, but it will be harder than training a dog that has been bred to be a companion breed and wants to hang out with you.

These are just examples but it's really important to get a dog that matches your needs.

What would a typical day/week look like with your dog?

Oh, lucky you having owned a red and white setter: one of my favourite breeds!
They are hard to come by, but any puppy from a reputable breeder will be at the moment.
When you say advice on buying online, do you mean to find a breeder?
If you are interested in a pedigree, I would always recommend contacting the breed club first. They will be able to give you lots of advice on the breed, their pros and cons as well as suitability for your family. They will also be able to recommend breeders. The kennel club will also have a list of breeders too. Champdogs is about the only online site advertising puppies that I would recommend (but you still need to check whether they have carried out the necessary health tests). Having said that, if you choose a KC registered setter you have some guarantee that health tests will have been done / are clear.

Having owned an Irish setter, you are in a good place to judge whether the breed would suit your family. If there was anything that you could change about the breed to make it better suited, what would it be? Might help in your search for a breed.

Good luck.