Thinking of getting a dog!

[Rich_Charlotte]

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Hello all, myself and my partner are looking at getting a dog/puppy we have done some research, but just wanted people's thoughts, we are not 100% sure of what we want I'm wanting shar pei, whereas my partner is wanting a lab or Dalmatian or boxer dog, in terms of our situation we have a reasonably sized house and garden love being outdoors in all weathers and are wiling to train a pup and spend as much time that is needed to have an addition to the family! I look forward to any advice as we are new to this! Thanks

 

[Baxter's Mum]

Welcome to the forum!

I'm sorry I don't have any useful advice for you as we are picking up our first puppy on Saturday

 

[lurcherman]

i always stay away from dogs that have health issues so do ur research . when i was young lots of people i knew had boxers but they never seemed to reach ten years old. its always your choice but a well trained lab gets you most things in my view.

i always stay away from dogs that have health issues so do ur research . when i was young lots of people i knew had boxers but they never seemed to reach ten years old. its always your choice but a well trained lab gets you most things in my view. the dalmations ive seen put weight on easy. this is not in any books but just my observation

 

[petitsfilous]

Hello and welcome! It's so exciting planning for a puppy! You sound a long way off yet as you're still deciding on a breed.

With the breeds you have narrowed down to you need to compare how much exercise each requires, how much grooming each needs and the possible health problems each breed can suffer with etc etc.

Are you looking to rehome a puppy/dog?

Don't be fooled into buying off the internet. Do your research and find a breeder through The Kennel Club Breeders Scheme (online).

 

[Oreo]

Just want to echo above.

Please use reputable breeders. It may seem financially attractive to by a pup from a newspaper or second hand websites but in the long run these pups tend to cost more due to medical issues and also a lot of heart break.

However, the is no guarantee that a reputable breeder will insure a healthy dog, but what it does do is reduce the chances of having a unhealthy puppy.

I have never had a dog from a pup so cannot give any more advice, as all my previous have been from a rescue, but they all have one thing in common and that is their previous owners didn't want them, so please think carefully about getting a dog as they are a very big commitment.

Saying that I do believe there is a dog for most family situations.

If I may 'champion' the labrador choice here, I think they're fab dogs and the almost perfect family dog. They love to play, they love to walk and they love to sleep. As long as they have a mixture of all three and they're loved they are fantastic dogs.

My Oreo is a cross and is very sweet and loving but she also likes her rough play. She is the perfect dog for us and wouldn't change her for the world even with all her medical problems.

Enjoy your journey and keep us updated

 

[banana]

Hello - Welcome to Dog Forum - I am Anna - Shout if you need anything

Getting a puppy is so exciting

 

[Rich_Charlotte]

Thank you all for the advice I have actually been looking on the Internet at dogs for sale the seem ok ie actual dogs for sale websites! I can not wait to take it out for hours so exercise won't be a problem if I'm being honest the size of the dog is what I need to think more about as I don't think a large dog ie Akita are going to suitable! I was thinking of labs but the ones I see seem to look very heavy in appearance is this due to owners poor diet regime?

 

[Oreo]

Labradors come in all different shapes and sizes. You can actually get some quite smalls ones but it's difficult to tell when they're a puppy.

Most labradors are like dustbins and will eat anything you give them, and a lot of the time the owner sees those big beautiful eyes of a lab and thinks just one more. I think the hardest thing with that is saying no!

I don't have that problem as Oreo is not a big eater. In fact she could do with adding a few pounds ideally.

Sometimes a labrador is just stocky due to it's family history so it is very possible that you may end up with a bigger or smaller dog than you're expecting. The only way to know for sure is to adopt a fully grown one!

Labradors, (more than other breeds of dog imo) need to have food tailored to their lifestyles, so if they are always walking with you and are on the go they need more food than one who likes to sleep.

That for me is why labradors are so interesting, because within there breed they can be so different, I suppose like us humans.

 

[hanneroon]

heavy looking labs, are a result of overfeeding, they are massive pigs and will eat anything! Very hard to resist them it seems as you see more fat ones than healthy ones.

In my opininion i would go for a lab or a boxer from that choice. Boxers are very loving playful and friendly, all though they don't have a good life expectancy, 10years max they are wonderful dogs. Labs ditto, with a willingness to learn and train and be helpful.

Dalmations... I've never seen one not pulling its owner along, so i'm guessing they have boundless energy, they were bred to run along side carriages, so probably they are a bit of a handful. I know that a certain number of them are deaf, which makes things like training and recall harder..

Sharpei have trouble with their skin, yeasty infections in their folds and sometimes trouble with eyelids getting in the way of their vision. Also they were bred as a guarding, fighting dog, so you got to be prepared for that kind of character...

With regard to buying a dog advertised on the internet, even on a specific dogs for sale one, is absolutley no guarantee of its future health. a reputable breeder will screen for congenital conditions, such as hip dysplasia in labs, and wouldn't have to advertise their puppies because they would only want to sell them to someone prepared to do their research. Many people sell puppies on this kind of site, even being kc registered means absolutley nothing. Definitley best to research your chosen breed and find a reputable breeder. Or risk having a sick unhappy dog.

 

[petitsfilous]

Thank you all for the advice I have actually been looking on the Internet at dogs for sale the seem ok ie actual dogs for sale websites! I can not wait to take it out for hours so exercise won't be a problem if I'm being honest the size of the dog is what I need to think more about as I don't think a large dog ie Akita are going to suitable! I was thinking of labs but the ones I see seem to look very heavy in appearance is this due to owners poor diet regime?

Do you mean sites like pets4homes? Please do not purchase puppies from any site like this. You will not find reputable breeders on there. Go through the Kennel Club site and contact breeders through there. They will invite you to come and see their dogs, explain about the the checks they go through and what to look for in the breed.

 

[leethomas1988]

My first dog was a black Labrador x rotweiler. as a child i grew up with him and he became my best friend. So i have to say a black lab would be 1 of the recomended breeds. chocolate labs from what i heard are good first time pets. you can get information about breeds including well known health issues from http://www.wikipedia.org/ type the breed of the dog you wish to learn more about in the search bar this will show you the history, health information and temperament info ect.

the link below is iams dedicated site into helping people finding the right breed just by answering a few questions.

http://www.iams.com/dog-breed-selector

 

[lurcherman]

great points made by cadac and hanneroon so remember there posts.. just to add a few things on labs over the years i judge dogs by my dealings with them so this is no way a blueprint on them , so black labs ive seen was mainly aggressive. choc labs ive known mainly stupid and have silly accidents. and the goldie in my dealings was the most rock steady and true to its breeding. but i state thats only my view over my 47 years. .. i do like labs thow. but lurchers are my live.

 

[Oreo]

@lurcherman you'll have to meet Oreo then she is a black lab to look at but going by your description she is definitely a choc lab lol

 

[Rich_Charlotte]

Once again I thank everyone for there advice! petitsfilous/ I will bear that in mind with regards to purchasing I looked on the site they don't seem to have pics though? It sounds like a lab is looking possible although I would like something perhaps not as popular!

 

[hanneroon]

hey there, maybe i'm being daft after what i said about dalmations being crazy handfuls. But my dream dog, would be a pointer, i kind of jumbled up the image of a boxer-lab-dalmation in my head for you, and there you go. You said you like lots of exercise yes? English pointer, my mums friend bred them when i was little, and they are lovely; if a little bit likely to leg it after birds and stuff! I just checked, and there are a few rescue jobbies around too!

 

[Rich_Charlotte]

Just a question is there an estimated price to look at as I've seen pups for £250 right to 7/800 for same breed?

 

[pippywhippet]

Prices will probably vary depending on what health tests might be needed for the breed you are looking at. If you are looking at labradors then you should look for breeders which have tested both parents for eyes/hips/elbows. I wouldnt buy from anyone who hadnt had the relevant heath tests done, even if the mum looks healthy. It just isnt worth the potential heartbreak.

I would think that the cheapest ones might not have had these tests done, and the most expensive might be "show" quality or bred to be excellent workers. Whichever breed you decide to go for, its worth reading up on health problems and what to expect in terms of temperament, trainability, etc

 

[petitsfilous]

Once again I thank everyone for there advice! petitsfilous/ I will bear that in mind with regards to purchasing I looked on the site they don't seem to have pics though? It sounds like a lab is looking possible although I would like something perhaps not as popular!

Email them and if they have a current litter for sale they will send you photos. Failing that they will send you photos of parents of future litters or past litters.

 

[Oreo]

@pippywhippet spot on! Labradors do and can suffer with hereditary problems such as hip and elbow problems.

Please use a reputable breeder, it may cost a little more at the beginning but it will be totally worth it believe me!