UKH

I love dogs, never owned one as work has precluded that. Now that I'm semi retired, financially sound, I believe that the time is right to get a companion.

I run, walk (I prefer mountains but am scaling back my ambitions), cycle, generally prefer to be outdoors. I live in a 3 bed semi, no kids or grandkids. What do I need to know before I make this commitment? Which breed would suit me best? 

Thanks for your help and ideas.

Wolf

Your house and everything you own will never smell the same again.

Your time will not be your own any more.

There will be hair and dander everywhere.

Any time you want to go somewhere, it will take lots of planning, either to figure out how to accommodate the dog in your plans or get dog care/sitting.

Dog care/sitting is expensive.

Vets bills are expensive.

Pet insurance is expensive.

If you get a pup, it will wake you in the middle of the night with anxiety.

If you get an old dog, it'll wake you on the middle of the night when it's a about to lose control of it's bowels, or you'll sleep through and it'll ignore all the hard floors in the house thinking that your living room carpet is the best place to discharge diarrhoea. 

If you get a middle aged dog, it will (hopefully) become an old dog.

You'll spend countless hours training it to only eat dry food from its bowl, and then others will teach it to beg for food at the table.

I don't have a dog now but had them as a kid until leaving home in my late teens. They were all 'mutts', picked up as strays off the streets of Liverpool. They were of mixed varied ancestry to put it mildly but all without exception of great character and were a joy to have. I think my message is not to be too hung up about a particular breed. If I was choosing a dog today I'd go along to the local rescue centre and follow your heart. It doesn't take a lot of cash and you'll still get a friend who thinks you're the centre of the universe plus the centre will often cover some vet treatment. Latterly, I had lots of rescue cats this route. Little hairballs all of them. Do you have a good vacuum cleaner?

I love dogs too, I just don't like the disruption they cause.

We don't have one any more, but we do sometimes provide boarding for dogs through a franchise called Barking Mad. 

It's a nice way to spend time with dogs when it's convenient, and not when it's not.

Might be worth exploring something similar before committing to owning a dog, to get a feel for how it fits your lifestyle.

Fireworks.

The best breed is a rescue! 

When looking at trainers, discount anyone who uses fear or pain to train your dog or who talks about you being the pack leader or the alpha. You get a much better relationship with your dog if you are kind and gentle. That doesn't mean no rules or boundaries, it means rules and boundaries taught gently and lovingly. 

Teach your dog to relax and rest. Exercise doesn't always settle them, it can leave them over excited or over tired and their behaviour gets worse. Our youngster gets some crate time with a chew after a walk to calm her back down. The world is very exciting!

Socialising doesn't mean playing with every dog. Teach them that they can ignore other dogs and it's rewarded with something very good from you instead. Some dogs absolutely do not want another dog interacting with them, particularly on lead.

Mine make me laugh daily with their crazy antics 😊 

You're not selling it! And you haven't mentioned the picking up the dollop and hanging it in trees bit.

Some useful info about costs:

https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-...

https://www.rover.com/uk/blog/cost-of-pet-parenthood/

The PDSA link also has a 'would a dog suit me as a pet?' quiz. May be worth taking; hopefully, it will help explore issues of suitability you may not have thought of.

A border collie. Accept no alternative.

Get as a puppy and drill them to walk to heel and come back automatically when called. Any other command is a bonus. 

Set boundaries at home. They are a pack animal not a child. 

Springer spaniel, they’ll get you out the house for a couple of hours every day😀our two are nearly 10 now but will still run 20 miles beside me on the mtb!

Oh, and a timely thread:

https://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/off_belay/pet_insurance_recommendations-7...

As said above try some pet sitting, learn the ropes, mess up training another person's dog before committing on your own! No one will ever say it's less work and commitment than they imagined, but the rewards are there too. 

And to reiterate what Girlymonkey said , training is via reward and bonding not punishment.

One day you adopt a new dog into your home and you start to get to know it. Over time it creeps into your heart and you don't notice how attached you are to it. Then it gets old and its health begins to deteriorate (either rapidly or slowly). One day you begin to think about what is best for your companion. You read up on the quality of life index and begin keeping score. Eventually it becomes wholly negative and you realise what must be done so you take it to the vets to be killed (lets not play with euphemisms). For some time after the house feels empty and you keep wondering if you did the right thing and you wonder how it became so much a part of you.

As a counterpart to the other posts: get someone else's dog.

ie do daily walks, dog sitting and so on. Just as much fun, it will still love you, and you don't have to pay the vet's bills, insurance, fud, doggie toys, fashion items, etc.

Round my way there are any number of opportunities for this kind of thing, whether by chatting to neighbours, or more organised dog-walking (which is usually a paid service, so possibly not what you are looking for). Maybe post on your local facebook page, card in the newsagent window, etc.

If you think you have the time and commitment then go for it given that you will alwyas need t be doing something either for them, with them or changing your routines to fit them in. I've had 2 and never really become a dog person so have decided not to have any more for the foreseeable future. We do have 4 cats though!  

Get one that's hopefully trustworthy (supervised correctly of course) in sheep country. To me that would be a very high priority, maybe a failed sheepdog if young enough. Too old and it might not convert as well as a house pet. Might be a cheaper purchase also, although "running costs" far outweigh the purchase cost for any pet.

My Australian relatives seem to have success in repurposing dogs that are poor herders into family pets so it's not true that young working dogs can't become pets. (Just don't ask what happens to the ones that fail both jobs, because they're farmers. Poor things!)

If the dog is a nuisance near sheep, it's not going to be a good hillwalking (or mountain walking) dog 

Based on our experience I think breed does matter.

My wife had wanted a dog for ages, in lockdown we bought a collie from a local farm, strong working background.  He was a nice dog, but utterly unsuited to being a family pet.  We bought collie training books, we went to a specialist collie trainer and my wife put 100s of hours into doing everything she was told to do by them, but we had a dog that was obviously stressed a lot of the time and becoming aggressive.  The painful conclusion we came to was he wasn't suited to a family environment (e.g. he got stressed if the teatowels were hung in the wrong place).

The farm we bought him from were very supportive, took him and gave our money back.  We heard a few months later that he was doing really well as a sheepdog on a farm.  Right dog in the right place.

6 months later we bought a labrador, well known for being a good family dog.  With one-tenth of the effort we put into the collie we have a well behaved, affectionate, happy dog.  She's good for long runs, happy with short walks, tolerant of the kids if they get a bit rough when playing with her and generally easy to have around.

I'd also echo comments about getting a rescue dog.  We have just had our labrador spayed, initial thoughts of having puppies were put to one side when we realised how many dogs there are already out there at the moment which need a good home.

That lots of people do not like dogs. So please don’t become one of those people who insist in thinking that others are interested in what Fido can do. Or that “(s)he’s just being friendly” is an ok response when your dog runs up to people or jumps all over them with their muddy paws.

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/title/gun-dogs-modern-methods-of-tra...

A little old fashioned now; however, still the most helpful training manual that I have read.

Although you (likely) won't be training a working dog the single most helpful piece of advice I was given when trying to get on top of an out of control spaniel was to throw out all other training books and read Peter Moxon. The opening chapters on obedience and relationship should be helpful regardless of what breed you go for. 

Good luck and enjoy!

* Just noticed the cost of shipping. Keep an eye out, it is RIDICULOUSLY priced on Am*zon and the shipping here is a little prohibitive. I've picked up and given away a few copies over the past year and never paid more than a tenner.

I think you need to decide if you want a dog who likes / requires lots of exercise or not. If they do, remember you'll need to keep going when it's dark / cold / miserable as dogs don't tend to notice those things. If you have a dog who's not bothered about exercise then be aware that it might not like long walks and you'll have to manage this when you are out for the day.

For example we have a retired greyhound, who's very calm & an excellent family pet for us. He sleeps next to my desk when working from home and sleeps in his bed when I'm in the office. He likes two 20 minute walks per day which fitted with what the children could cope with before & after school when they were younger, and fits with where my son will now take him on his own. However he can't do mountains or big walks, doesn't like rain or mud and is generally a bit of a princess. We leave him home often (he prefers that to new situations). He doesn't mind children or other animals he just ignores them mostly.

He's too big to wonder around a pub or busy place with lots of children, and too big to get under gates or fences so he can't walk anywhere with stiles, he needs kissing gates, which is quite limiting. When we first had him he wouldn't do the gates either, but he's learnt they are not there to trap him now.

So in summary, I think exercise and size profile is quite important.

Borrowmydoggy.com might be a useful site to spend more time with different breeds and see how they fit into your lifestyle.

We used to use it to find sitters for ours when going away without having to spend a fortune. 

It’s not just for Xmas………………

Rule 1 (from No 1 son, who is a vet) - 'Get a dog-shaped dog' - not some inbred thing with its muzzle pressed into its face, or slope-backed with ruined hips, or with a bred-in spinal cord vulnerability etc.

Secondly, get a 'companion animal' and train it to be one

Plan for bills - insurance, vaccinations, dog sitter/kennels if you go away, animal export certificate and rabies jab if you take it with you.

Get a dog that's suited to your life.  A running dog will always outrun you.  The more you run it, the fitter and stronger it will get.  Get a balance.

We currently have a Cavapoo (little white poppet) and a Cockerpoo (bigger white bouncy dog).  Neither are remotely weatherproof, but don't shed hair - a major plus.

Before that, we had a Border Terrier - a star - totally weatherproof and good for miles.

Before that - a big rescue mutt - would run all day.

Above all - decide what you want your dog to do and be - and buy accordingly.  Remember, it will age faster than you

PS - the cavapoo is currently lying on my lap as I type, asleep.  The cockerpoo is perched on the back of an armchair looking out of the window - making sure that aliens, pedestrians, pigeons or other monsters don't get too close to the house.......

Serve it with curry sauce on Boxing Day.

There is lots of good advice here. I think you need to be realistic about what sort of dog fits your lifestyle and the area you live in. The worst case scenarios I have personally seen with people who didn't formerly have dogs are 1) buying a too-big bred-for-aggression dog that they can't control, 2) getting rescue dogs that are too traumatised to become family pets, and 3) buying a designer breed dog with irresolvable health problems.

Re. 1: There are an elderly couple living opposite my mum who bought a large, powerful purebred hunting dog during lockdown. They have a small house, tiny garden, and walk it in a small field that contains a children's playground. Their dog has bitten multiple people while out on walks with the owners, seriously injured another dog, and tries to attack local kids on their way to school. The owners lack the experience to train their dog properly, lack the physical heft to control it when it lunges at people, and lack the sense to rehome it before it gets put down after police intervention. With different owners and a different environment it might be a nice dog.

Re. 2: Rescue organisations such as the Dogs Trust can make major errors in assessing the needs of a dog. If you get a rescue dog and it quickly becomes apparent that is is unhappy / terrified in your environment then IMO best to return it and find a more suitable dog. It is easy to have your life ruined by taking on what turns out to be a dog that constantly attacks visitors and delivery men, or a neurotic dog that is doped to the gills with anti-anxiety drugs but still won't ever leave the house.

Re. 3: Some dog breeds are fundamentally unethical e.g. because the dog cannot breathe properly. Other breeds have common medical problems that you can genetically test for (e.g. deafness in dalmations). These sort of health problems seem to be much less common in mutts! I personally think it is best to ensure that you can personally lift your dog into the car for a vet trip without risking hurting your back. When assessing that imagine your dog elderly and overweight, and yourself ten years older after the usual kind of medical problems.

To the OP: This is absolutely one of the best pieces of advice here.  There are lots of trainers out there who will still use dominance, alpha, pack leader nonsense.  Sure it works, but it's based on flawed research and isn't going to make your dog a happy pooch!

Girlymonkey is also spot on when talking about socialising your dog - sure you want it to meet other dogs and socialise, but I have one of those dogs that absolutely does not wish to be around other dogs, especially on lead. If they ignore her she ignores them.  They approach her she warns them, they ignore that she will often be aggressive. 

I've had countless people bring their puppy up to my dog without checking with me (she particularly hates puppies), then react negatively when I've taken her away "what the f*** mate she, only playing, it's just a puppy!"  You have to check in with the owner first.

I'd echo what others have said about picking the breed you get carefully, pick a dog that suits your lifestyle as you're not going to be able to become a completely different person with the arrival of the dog.

Good luck and enjoy it, dogs are wonderful.

Some good advice below. I'd only add please get a rescue dog. There are some excellent breeders who will sell you a good pup but there are others who would sell anything as long as it makes money.

Then there are dogs in rescue centres who really need good homes. You are unlikely to get a pup but you are likely to get a dog that has some basic training. Any decent centre will be very clear about what the dog needs and help you decide if you can provide it. Some centres have the dogs chipped(now a legal requirement) and neutered before they are afforded for adoption.

You also need to factor in the cost of vets bills and insurance. Do you have a lifestyle that means the dog might have to be left for a while, eg a few hours when you are out or longer periods if you go away on holiday and have to leave the dog?

The breed is up to you. I'm biased towards terriers and lurchers but a small/meduim sized dog is easier to get over fences/gates/stiles, if necessary.

Dave

I agree about a good rescue being very upfront about the dog's needs and difficulties. 

When we got our youngster, they gave us a super detailed list of all her issues, and were very clear that she definitely wasn't everyone's cup of tea. 

She is absolutely the sweetest dog you will ever meet, but she is huge and had been passed around quite a bit in her first year so wasn't properly house trained, very impulsive, a food thief etc. 

2 years in and she has just reached the stage where she can be unsupervised in the house if we are home, but definitely still crated when we are out and her recall is improving in less distracting environments. It has been a slow process with her. 

However, she is also my reliable dog around kids and at outdoor centres. She will stand really calmly if kids want to pet her, she doesn't care if they are running about and screaming, she is really appropriate with kids with disabilities etc. She is nice and relaxed with them and knows how to be gentle. (She's not so gentle with me sometimes! 🤣😂)

Rescue is definitely my favourite breed!

I should add, that the monster has just ambushed me for belly rubs while I am trying to get on with renovation work in the house 😂 she definitely saps some of my productivity because you can't turn down cute dog snuggles 😊

Obvious troll is obvious

Dog hair is a dressing with every meal

My wife's offspring + partner have a labradoodle. It's the most lovely dog you could imagine. No hair shedding at all (but plenty of muddy paw and tail marks). We dog sit once a week and if they go away to a pup-unfriendly place, as do the other parents-in-law, so it's used to getting huge amounts of attention and spending time at other people's houses. It's a very happy dog. We love looking after it - and taking it on the occasional holiday. We both agreed very early on that this was ideal and 24/7 would be knackering and too time demanding.

When we've been away and had the hound, you realise the joy it brings and also the constraints. We never leave it on it's own (other than for an hour or so very occasionally). You get to go into the doggie part of a pub (not the nice restaurant). Everything revolves around if something is dog friendly (cafes, beaches etc). If you get one, I'd recommend making sure you have a support network. Lots of people will happily dog sit - all the fun and not the responsibility. Life wouldn't be the same without him - nor would I have a dog all the time.

Couldn't disagree more. Need constant work and stimulation, usually neurotic, and not in any way shape or form suitable for a novice dog owner.

Good in the hills too but get them trained to ignore sheep. And remember you are the Alpha dog!

I've has dogs (springers) for the last 30+ years and never regretted it. Lay out the ground rules and be consistent. The dog knows where it stands, or should that be 'sit'. My present dog is a rescue but was never trained to the use of a car when a pup. That's about the only problem with this dog, but they are all so different. Beware but some Collies can nip. Enjoy. I'm sure you will.

Another tip: get your dog used to being with people.  Dog classes good for this, but plenty time around local parks etc., and spend as much time around other dog friendly people as you possibly can.  Lots of dogs, especially working dogs, have a sense of loyalty to their 'master' which can translate to not being so friendly to other people.

Also: I've always been quite firm with mine.  Whilst i understand the concept of 'train them with positive affirmation and rewards', which I did/do, there a cut off point.  What I mean is, I often see a dog doing something wrong (aggressively barking at someone, jumping up at someone etc) and when the dog stops they get a reward.  In my view, the dog owner has just rewarded their bad behaviour.  So if my dog misbehaves, I am very firm (especially as a pup - his mum would have induced pain if the pup misbehaved).  

And please please please don't use one of those silly extendable leads.  Short rope lead, which can be reduced to 2 foot or less when you need your dog close to heel.  And this type of lead allows you to give a firm yank if and when needed.

Absolutely not. Barking is either fear or over excitement. If they are scared, being harsh with them makes them more scared. If they are over excited, then shouting etc just raises the energy levels. You really need to spot behaviour patterns and learn to step in and reward before the unwanted behaviour starts. And if you miss that point, then you reward for turning away/ looking at you/ doing whatever other behaviour you want of them. It really does work, but it's not instant. You have to be very consistent. If you shout or something else to stop the behaviour at that moment, it is much more like to continue to be an issue every time you come across whatever it is. 

My older dog is highly fear reactive (also a rescue), so this is an issue we have worked with extensively. He still goes nuts if he gets startled, but usually now with his common triggers, he will look at us first and as long as we praise him or reward him (he's old enough now that just an occasional treat is fine, mostly praise now works), he won't go off on one. (Unless it is a cat! I just got quick at spotting those first and turning around quickly 🤣😂)

I know a dog owner who has a springer which is the most viscous barky dog I’ve ever known. No fear, no over excitement. It’s simply aggressive, and has never had it trained out of him. 

Aggression in almost all animals comes from fear. Same with humans. I often liken my reactive dog to the teenage boy who swaggers down the street threatening to fight anyone who looks at him funny. That is a fear reaction, although it just seems like mindless aggression. But actually it's lack of confidence and so if he looks big and scary first then he thinks no one will start anything on him. It doesn't matter that no one was planning to anyway, he has an irrational fear that they might. 

Dogs can be just the same. 

He'll come to a sticky end

It's perfectly possible to do all of that with an extendable lead.

I do wonder if we should just rename this forum dogs: yes or no? (+fireworks).

I have two dogs.  They sometimes mark in the house, they make a lot of noise, they need constant feeding or walking and they cost a lot at the vets.  But they’re pretty amazing and on many days just brighten a shitty day with their innocent and unfailingly loyal demeanour.  
 

I’d actually ban them if I could. You do not have the control, especially with a strong dog. And they do break, and they are counter intuitive - I recall an example posted on here of someone ‘gripping’ the lead to hold the dog back, resulting in a dog running into the road and being killed. Then there is the trip wire effect, and then there is the ‘dog runs around my legs like they are a May pole’ resulting in burns to my legs. Appreciate this is about the use of the lead, but you get my drift. 

Rescue mutt. They'll find you one to suit.

Jk

This is a similar argument to the use of GriGri's where some people use them for years with no issues and others say that they're the devils work.
As for the trip wire effect, in a shared/busy environment, it's easy to adjust the extendable lead so that it doesn't trip people up and the only time I had issues was with a cyclist who was riding excessively fast on a pedestrian only pavement.
A bit of background as to why I used one was that my dog Floss was a rescue and couldn't be let to run loose and at least with an extendable lead she had some freedom of movement.  It was either that, or walk her effectively to heel for the entirety of her life. 
Horses for courses though ultimately.  I like them, you don't.  It would be a shame though if a perspective dog owner only had one viewpoint on them and let that alone sway their judgement.

We've used a retractable lead loads with our Collie when he was a pup as a way of giving him a semi off lead freedom (away from roads) while still having a backup, it worked great until his recall was fairly solid and helped proofing his recall in different situations. It's a different approach to the old woman with a Maltese in a tartan jacket on a retractable lead though, ours was used as a very specific training tool.

I agree with your point about not relying on positive reinforcement for all aspects of dog training. Teaching sit, sure. But trying to deal with deep rooted instincts, no way. 6 months ago you could wave a 1kg tomohawk steak in my dogs face and he wouldn't take his stalking eyes off our neighbour's rabbits. He's been going to sheepdog training, using pressure and more dog-like communication (body language, tone of voice) and I can now heel walk him past the local herd of goats. Anyone who thinks that treats and praise can stop their dog attacking sheep should go see a sheepdog trainer deal with a gripper. Perhaps theres a link between positive only training and the rise in sheep worrying?

Socialisation when young is very important and can save a lot of issues down the line. Try to positively expose it to everything it'll encounter in life, in a situation you can control. And find a local dog trainer who can socialise it with every size of dog there is.

Fair points. It could be the case that I notice them more when they’re not being used properly, and don’t notice them when they are used properly, giving a false impression. The trip wire effect appears quite common though, which possibly reflects on the sense of entitlement that an unfortunately high % of dog owners appear to have (as discussed recently in here).  

Confession time: as a young dog my springer sniffed himself into a field of sheep. Dont think he was after them or anything, just having a sniffy mooch as springers do. I never even saw the sheep, I was on a path almost in a ditch below the field. Anyway, as he entered the field he got zapped by the electric fence and he yelped. He then ran back to me and got zapped again and yelped again. His recall is 100% apart from when rubbing his neck and shoulders in a dead animal, but he still walks to heel without any recall when he senses a sheep nearby (and I then stick a lead on him, and would do this if I noticed sheep before he did). 

You bastard, good job no one can see the tears in my eyes at work for the cubicle walls (if anyone wants a good cry: https://poets.org/poem/power-dog).  We thought our 14 year old Husky was on her last legs (literally), but luckily it was just a really bad UTI and she's back to normal and good for hiking up mountains again.

I'd say go with a rescue dog where you know what you're getting and can get to know the dog over a number of visits, including a home stay.  Our 2 used to work for a sled dogging company but were too lazy (or too clever) and not enjoying it, so got pensioned off.  They don't take a massive amount of exercise and are content with a 1 mile walk round the block, or a 20k 1000m elevation hike and everything in between.

Fair point - I did grow up on a farm with them and can’t imagine having any other breed.

My two pence worth...

Please do not get some poor dog imported from Eastern Europe, they rarely fit in well and there are so many dogs in the UK that need a decent home. If you get a breed consider that many flat-nosed (brachycephalic breeds) have myriad problems and in some civilised parts of the world these are the dogs that are being banned - on dog welfare grounds. 

Instead get a dog that suits your life and hill aspirations. The dog's trust and RSPCA are your best bets for a wealth of different possibilities for rescue. Also consider the breed rescue societies if you know what you want. If you can, borrow a friend's dog for some dog sitting at home to get a feel for having the dog in the house. 

Budget £75-100 per month on vaccines, wormer and flea control and insurance excess as well as your insurance to feel comfortable. Get Pet insurance with a 'life policy' and if you take the dog to work get Dog's Trust Membership as this gives some 3rd party cover not offered by standard insurances.

And perhaps controversially on here – do not feed raw food. It is associated with increased microbial resistance and has been associated with accidental food poisoning in owners. 

I agree with almost all your post but wanted to chime in on this bit:

Some rescue dogs are really f**ked up due to a history of massive mistreatment and will be a challenge - to say the least - for an inexperienced owner.  A good shelter will manage the intersection of the to-be-owner’s experiences and expectations and the dog’s temperament and needs, but not all sources of dogs are so good.

The only pets I’ve ever taken have been rescue cats and the shelter and I always bottomed out any issues before going ahead.  If an inexperienced pet owner goes for a rescue animal, then they absolutely need to know why it’s in a shelter, and to know about any issues the animal has, and to take good advice on if they as a novice are likely to be able to manage the situation well.  In other words the OP needs to choose carefully to set themselves up for success with their first dog, or has to commit fully to the challenges of taking a mistreated animal from rescue.

Here's the thing.

Dogs are more similar to humans than they are different. Would you yell at a human and haul them around by the neck?

Well maybe you would, but the approach suggested by girlymonkey has a lot of advantages, although it can be very hard to get your head around.

Stress is a killer for good behaviour. I do a lot of teaching in a social environment (church bell ringing), and the main thing I do is to teach the learners to relax, just like GM and her doggies. If they can't do that, they will never learn the other stuff you are trying to teach them.

Sure, you can cow them into obedience - but is this the dog (or the bell ringing band) you really want to have?

A non molting dog , we’ve a beddligton terrier , no fur anywhere .

it is a terrier though and as a good friend said “ which part of terrier don’t you understand “ . We spent a  lot of time at puppy class and training it at home , but saying that dogs react to how you behave especially in the early learning year . 

Portraying this as the alternative to positive only training is really misleading and insulting to people who train their dogs in a balanced way. 

Also your dogs and humans analogy makes no sense, unless you'd teach a child morality by stuffing beef liver into it's mouth. 

Communicating boundaries and rules to a dog (or child I guess), in a way that it understands and expects, builds a stronger bond and a happier more confident dog. 

It depends what you do… We took ours to a trainer who had sheep. Played with him in the field with them, trained around them, he could go and sniff them when they were feeding etc. Within a short time he didn’t bat an eyelid at them.

Ours still has a very high prey drive, but for rabbits and not sheep.

I suspect it’s more the rise in ownership amongst people who don’t think or care…

Having a dog is great, I’m sure you’ll find the right one!

For me, I’ve found that my dog takes up about 4 hours a day. That’s 3 walks, feeding cleaning, playing and training. It’s a much bigger commitment than I expected.

I think you need to decide what you want your dog to do with you and then look into breeds more. Do you want it with you when you’re cycling or would you leave it at home, etc?

If you get a dog really fit then it will need lots and lots of exercise. Mine is pretty chilled and i can get away doing two 20 min walks a day for a while if i really need to. But friends who have always ran a lot with their dog find their dog has to do lots everyday or it starts causing problems. 

Whatever you do, I’d find a good trainer and do some 1:1 sessions so the focus is on your dog. Work hard to get the dog right for your lifestyle and make sure you enjoy the training (as it goes on the whole time - it’s surprising how quickly they can regress!).

Two opposite rescue dog stories :

1) my brother and sister in laws first two rescue dogs were springers. She is an animal behaviourist (studied chimps in Africa), and these were great, well trained dogs. Their third rescue dog was also a springer. It had belonged to a roadie in a band who lived in a block of flats. Friendly dog, but a complete nightmare outside and they failed to train it so it went back to the rescue centre. Fourth rescue dog - sunk its teeth into my niece so this went back to the centre. 

2) close friend has had four rescue collies: all four have been excellent, well trained. Can almost guarantee plenty folk on here will have met his dogs as they frequent Cumbrian pubs on a regular basis.

Thanks to everyone for their input. Lots of interesting views.

I was thinking along the lines of Lab or Spaniel and there's support here for that. I have a Dogs Trust 10 miles away so I'll go and have a chat with them.

Definately plan to wok on total recall (When it is approriate) Also looking forward to keeping a dog fit by keeping me fit.

Thanks

Spaniels are the best! Very trainable but quite a lot of work (which is fun still). Great fun if you have any local gun dog trainers too - I’m not into shooting but the training is great and the dog loves it!

They can be prone to various issues (hips and arthritis) so I wouldn’t do loads of running or cycling with mine, though I’m sure he could do a lot more than I do with him.

They do seem to be particularly prone to guarding so it’s something to be aware of too. There’s quite a few spaniel rehoming centres around (Spaniel Aid being a big one). I don’t know how it is now, but quite a few are very particular about who they re-home to, requiring prior experience etc. 

Best of luck with everything! 

What goes with stir fried Lab or Spaniel?

Well speaking as a runner, Labrador every time. That’s the one breed you can typically trust when running near them.

A very good by product of gun training is that the dogs are much less affected by fireworks, if at all.

OP: Labradors and Spaniels are quite different in character and size so have a good think about which one you want! Similar applies to working or show line labradors.

Agree with what James says above.

I trained my springer with a specific frequency whistle (I asked in the local gun shop).  Get one of these. And dont do all this random blowing that many folk do. I went for: 

3 short pips for recall

1 long pip with hand signal for stop and sit 

If a say ‘go’ in a particular tone, it’s gets him in springer flushing mode (I only do this when there is obviously nothing about, say on a fenced in farm track - least thing I want is him scaring all the birds that I’m trying to photograph !). When I get my camera or telescope out, he sits down bolt upright ten feet waiting for me to finish, even if I am half an hour or more.

I even tried getting home to go left or right to the whistle, but he does this by me simply pointing with my arm. 

I worked a rather strange dog - Welsh, bred for cattle droving. Made a passible sheep dog, saved me a lot of running but was utterly evil when it came to cattle.  Knew cows by name, mention the name and that cow got bit.  Cow kicks dog, dog just hangs on to the kicking leg.  Good ratter too.

Usual collie behaviour - would roll a ball down a steep hill and then chase it, welded to tractors etc. , liked to chase military aircraft.

Springer rolls?

The OP asked if there was anything they should know before deciding to get a dog. I was just pointing out the price we ultimately have to pay for the the good times, and the bad, and the years of companionship, amusement, frustration, etc. Am I sorry I made you cry? No (especially after the bastard crack, ), I think it just shows how much your dog meant to you. I've been there too, and despite saying never again too many times, I keep coming back for more.

To the OP. May I suggest you aren't too tightly focused on any one breed. Three of the best dogs I have had are dogs I didn't really want, at the time. When you find the right one for you, you will know.

I'll raise your poem with this one, but be warned this will probably make you cry too.

https://www.longridgevet.co.uk/words.pdf

The problem is that very few people will be able to find this middle grounsd and it will be exceedinglly hard for a first time or inexperienced dog owner to reach it.

I see some horribly neurotic and obsessive dogs that have had all natural behaviour sucked out of them by treat or clicker training.

Clearly you have never had a reactive dog! 

Our first dog was interested in sheep when we first got him. He was 6 months old and had never really seen anything of the big wide world. We decided he absolutely wasn't going to get the chance to get too interested in sheep so spoke to a farmer friend. He said to bring him over and he would pop him in a small enclosure with some feisty ewes who would scare him and that would sort him out. 

Well, his fear reaction is to bark, snarl and chase away scary things. So now, sheep are not just interesting, they are a threat and must be dealt with before they can come and get him! 

It has taken years of gentle work to try to desensitize him to sheep. If we see them first, we have a chance of a calm pass (not close though), but he will never be easy to pass sheep with. (He is never off lead other than on the mud flats in front of our house). 

Fearful dogs will respond badly to harsh voices/ handling. It just exacerbates the fear. He only needs something to scare him once and then he will be reactive to anything similar to it for a very long time. 

Thankfully, our youngster is far more resilient! Makes a nice change 

Jesus... that sounds like a dreadful idea, and it sounds like it was lucky none of the animals were (physically) hurt. Is what you went through what you thought I meant when I referred to a sheepdog trainer dealing with a gripper? It 100% is not. A scared dog can't learn anything. If I was in your shoes, I'd get in touch with someone like Andy Nickless or Nij Vyas and explain the situation, they might be able to help a lot more than your farmer friend. 

I mean this in the nicest possible way, and I hope it doesn't come across as rude or obvious, but if your age on your profile is right and you're 66, then consider that in 12 years you could be 78 and needing to lift your ageing Labrador into your car. I think they're normally 30kg plus and dogs can be pretty cumbersome to lift. 

Yes, I had worked that out.

So no to a Lab and no to a Spaniel. ;- (Wink))

Lots to think about and I'll work it out with the hive minds help

Greyhounds - we went for a retired racer as we needed something that could be left and wouldn't tie us to lots of exercise, due to our work commitments. Nearly 4 years in and she's great, relaxed, a little daft and funny at times, bags of character, great ears and a little mischievous (just got back from a run to find she'd executed a grustoms check on a bag and helped herself to some forgotten mini cheddars and a caramel wafer. She must have ignored them for days then waited for the perfect opportunity!)

Ours is quite happy laying on the sofa (even now when I work from home more). She'll normally just do 2 x 15min walks a day, we'll try and get her somewhere a bit more interesting for a zoom once a week or so. We can and do take her on longer hilly walks every now and then -  a recent example was a 4h round of Goatfell from Corrie. She's a small greyhound (~26kg) so I can lift over stiles if needs be. I did once have to carry her a lot of the way down from Grizedale Tarn to Dunmail raise when she refused to follow me when my other half went on elsewhere - though I am a youngish man. She definitely prefers my wife to me (took her 18 months to show me any affection). She's currently hoping if she ignores the 5 month old baby we'll leave him somewhere - but she's had exposure to lively toddlers and has dealt well with that.

Ours is also a rescue but a coursing hound, so much larger - 40kg - we actually asked the rescue for a small female dog but got a massive male! They told us he would suit us better being calm and no phased by a home life (hoover / tv / fireworks) and very good with our young children. They were definitely correct that he suits us. Visiting toddlers throw themselves on top of him when he's in his bed, he just turns over and goes back to sleep. 

As an aside, another benefit of daily dog walks is that the children picked up road safety early on, they know the local roads very well on foot, and they understand the inevitability of dog-walking in all weather... it really is great for family life.

Something of the size of a border terrier would be easy to get over obstacles, though probably quite good at finding its own way through and is likely to be capable of still going when you've had enough for the day.

This comes from a terrier rescue but quite a bit is applicable to dogs more generally - https://www.terrierrescue.co.uk/ten-top-tips-to-terriers/

Dave

We had the exact opposite - we asked for a big daft boy dog and got a petite little girl!

Her reaction to other dogs is interesting. She loves to play when off lead, but can be a bit aggy when on the lead - no way to flight so a bit of fight reverts. It's a shame as if she met the other dog off-lead in a field they'd be best mates.

When she wants to play with another dog the bouncing and exited barks can look a bit aggressive to other owners of a more nervous disposition - she is shredded so can look more aggressive than she it.

Indoors, she's a bit nervous of other dogs coming near her when laying down - we think she may have been beaten up by a bigger dog in kennels. My sister's cocker pup didn't get this message so ours will be quite defensive and growl. But pups are annoying - the cocker has now learnt to give her a bit more space!

It's mighty impressive when she gets up to full speed! She had corns but we've had a small proocedure and now she moves much more fluidly.

That sounds familiar......

That's putting a gloss on the whole thing!. The end of life part can be traumatic....let's just say neither my wife or I entered the room where he had been put to sleep for several months. Half the house was mothballed as we retreated to either the kitchen (necessity) or our bedroom.

Hi.

From straight off, you decide what a toy is. Don't allow the dog to pick up random objects from the ground and you respond by throwing or playing. 

A pup wants and needs to play so you give it the toy and it will learn what is a toy and, broadly, what isn't. 

Kelp hasn't "destroyed" anything of ours since we got her and, despite having socks as toys, which were found in the park, she knows our socks are not in the same category. If she wants to play, she might go and fetch one of her socks!

Dogs can also understand context: sticks outside are all toys unless told otherwise, whereas, if we have sticks indoors (to burn) or in a bothy, she knows these are no longer in the toy category. 

Collies are good in the snow as snow doesn't seem to build into snowballs on their coat. Springers are not so good here but still got my Springers up a fair few Welsh winter hills. I also come across 2 Yorkies climbing up Parsley Fern Gully, but sensibly located in a rucksack with heads sticking out. They loved it and were released when the couple summited the gully. 

Lakeland Trailhound, lovely temperament. Bit crazy at times we have one called Tilly absolutely no aggression she doesn’t bark ( only twice in the 4 years we have had her one little one in her sleep and one small one when playing with our other dog) they are trained to ignore livestock etc. recall takes work (they will do most things for food) an she is a beautiful friend. Loves to run and loved attention. Quite large dogs but fold up really small  https://www.trailhoundwelfare.org.uk/#&panel1-2

having a dog is the best thing ever their like a companion, if you think you have the time to look after a new puppy then 100% go for it why not! All i'll say is its a commitment and like having another child.

If you want a dog that you can take on your walks with you the get something with a lot of energy maybe some kind of spaniel, lab or even a coca poo. I hope you find your dream dog

i like this introduction: youtube.com/watch?v=_vfyXF9rU8A&

My last two dogs were Golden Retrievers and I loved them to death. Wonderful temperament (though can be moody), gentle, good with children, and very amusing. Like many breeds they live for their food and their walks. Snags: very very hairy; sometimes smelly; need to sniff everything as though their lives depend on it; hopeless guard dogs (anyone with food is an instant best friend). Biggest snag: they are prone to brain tumours and their life expectancy is only about twelve years (like many dogs). Devastating when their lives come to an end or they have to be put down.

I haven't read every post here in detail so this might have been mentioned before but if you get a pup you will need to go gently on the exercise for a few months at least. The bones are still soft for, I've heard, 12 months.

Dave

I haven't read the thread through, but you need to know that there are too many of them : )

I disagree with #2. They can assess a dog incorrectly, however a (rescue) dog often gets scared/overwhelmed when their whole life changes suddenly. Bear in mind dogs are creatures of routine and habit! When you are adopting them, you are turning their life upside down without being able to explain it to them.
 

Rescue’s commonly use the 3-3-3 rule for rescue dogs. Dogs may need 3 days to get over the shock of change. 3 weeks to get comfortable and start to show their personalities and 3 months to fully open up and feel at home. 
 

My foster dog was a more extreme case, - he needed 4-5 month, but he came from a *very* dark place. After being with us for 10 months I wouldn’t swap him for anything and now often people can’t even tell that he is a rescue. (And he is not a foster anymore)

And listen to your intuition/heart! Often people describe that they had this instant connection with a dog at the pound. Dogs often pick their owner!

Getting a companion dog is not a decision that should solely be rational. A dog is a hassle and cost a lot of money, but most people who experienced it would never live any other way. A dog is the only animal that loves you more than its own species or its own self. (their brain is wired differently due to domestication).
 

Additionally, it’s an amazing experience to form such a close bond with a member of a different species. I think it’s something to experience in a lifetime… at least once.

(although I am a bit biased)

Better than a greyhound… A lurcher, it has all the positive lazy characteristics, but it’s endurance is much better and if you are lucky they don’t have a prey-drive. They are a bit less cold in the winter too!

Good to have asked for advice and lots of useful comments so far - haven't read them all. One thing to remember however, it may have been mentioned upthread, is that not everybody is a full blown lover of dogs. Your dog needs to be under your full control when out. There is nothing worse than being confronted by a galloping, tail-wagging, though friendly dog if you are terrified of them. My work often involves being a peacekeeping middle man in such disputes. 😉  Good luck, and hope you find a suitable canine soul-mate.

The dog has just farted and left the room. This is your future.

If the kindest souls were rewarded with the longest lives, dogs would outlive all of us.

Dave

My apologies Tringa for a downvote. I've come in from outside and my hands were cold..

You can undo votes; just click again.

100% this. Ours is now 4, and will just as happily accompany me on a 20k+ fell run as she will laze about on the sofa all weekend. 

My former employers had a rescue street dog from Romania who specialised in producing the most eye-watering, gag-inducing farts in my office then wandering out leaving me with the ming.

Probably not helped by the fact that he ate anything, including paperwork.  Nothing could be left unattended.

Other than that, he was a very endearing character.  I’m not a dog person at all but would frequently find myself trying to do an invoice run or something, whilst working round a medium sized brown dog who had decided to sit on my lap.

As we can't see who gives downvotes it doesn't matter, but thank you Annieman.

Dave

Have to declare a bias for lurchers, but I agree.

I haven't had one on a 20km walk but the the very large lurcher my son and partner had just walked, and walked, and walked without ever seeming to get tired ....

... and then 30kg, with what always seemed to have far too many elbows, just collapsed onto the sofa and snoozed.

Dave