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Goodness, I did not realize this would spark so much response! Purebred vs. mixed, I don’t give a darn! I have NO intention of showing or breeding. Nor will I spend upwards of $1500+ on an animal. But I think there is merit getting a dog that has good lines….how is that for speaking out both sides of my mouth?? 😆
Hey Ski, yah, I’m sorry I’m not in Hawaii too!! 😆
Agreed. Keep all your options open, and get a dog that YOU love. Purebred or not, you’ll find that you won’t care in the end, if you love the dog.
Like I didn’t care that Pixie is a mutt… she was always sweeter then sugar and gentle with me and my brother – I’d say she wouldn’t harm a fly, but those who own dogs know that’s that is a lot to ask of any dog… 😉 *munch munch*
Sorry if I was being short earlier, it’s too damn hot here… and the apartment barely cools down with the weather, I think there’s someone here from a tropical country who thinks 30C is cold…. 😕 *grabs bailey’s and ice* ahhhh…..
Well, if you need some advise on Spaniels, Shelties, Bassetts, or Boxers, I can help you out, especially on the first two. Boxers do have a high propensity for attacking cats though, just an fyi. Boxers in general can be a gamble with cats. Some do well with them, particularly if raised with them, but it generally is the other way around. The cat goes to do one of those random cat zips around the house and the dog gives chase, with a potentially not so good outcome. Just something to consider. All of the boxer owners I personally know do not own a cat.
Shelties are very willing, easy to train, very smart and very sweet. They are great agility dogs and like activity. They have a big dog bark (sounds like a large breed), so if they feel a need to let you know there is something new in the environment, you will hear it! They were meant to be heard over the seas on the coasts of Scotland! They don’t do well to harsh training and can become timid, shy or, sometimes aggressive from harsh training or treatment. I’ve dealt with an abused one. He was not easy to deal with, but it was still very rewarding. They can have a lot of health issues (not as bad as cocker spaniels!), like sensitive tummies. Mine adored snow. He loved rolling in it and you could notice a tangible giddiness when the first snow fall came for the year!
Cocker spaniels can be a crap shoot. They can be easy to train and stable or can be totally psycho and stubborn. I’ve experienced both. Black ones tend to spook a bit more than other colors (I don’t know why… they just tend to). They are very personable dogs. I even have one that *gasp* hardly ever utters a bark! They do exist! They have a medical list of potential problems a mile long because they have been over bred. The two we have now, one is adopted (I suspect not from good breeding from his body type/shape), but is absolutely a doll. The other is smart as a whip, easily trainable, a sneaky ninja, barky (he’s calmed down lately though), and is would be a show dog, but he has too much white on him (he’s black… got him from a breeder). Also very sweet, just barky to those he doesn’t know. He tends to piddle. Cockers have this tendency, especially the females when excited or nervous. The other will hold it until kingdom come.
Maybe you’ll find something at a shelter, purebred or mixed breed. Mixed breeds tend to be heartier and more robust health wise. There are many good mutts out there with great personalities (my coworker found one at a shelter nearby, but someone else got her… the picture on petfinder was awesome. She had these gorgeous blue eyes (Shepard/husky/akita mix)… Her name was Blue and she was only there because she was a medium sized dog. She was to die for!
Sometimes you find that the dog chooses you! You’ll know when it’s the right one!
Good luck on finding a new friend! 😀
I LOVE mutts, I have one, he is a great dog and a wonderful companion, I would NEVER suggest someone choose a breeder over rescuing, personally I think that unless you are going to show or something you should rescue. I am sorry,asinnamon, that I came across as saying purebred vs. mutts, it really isnt my intention, I just think that if someone is going to buy a pb they should find a good breeder.
The Gentle Giants place I mentioned because you said you want a mastiff and if you look for any giant breed on petfinder they tend to show up, they are a puppymill that claims they are a rescue. They are in California though. You mentioned boxers, there are many wonderful boxer rescues out there, but I also agree that when the right dog comes along you will know, pb or mutt.
How old are the kids? I can offer advice on Dalmatians, Aussies and Great Pyrenees, having had those breeds. Our current dog is a Great Pyrenees, and she is absolutely wonderful with kids. Our grandson is 2 and half, and Flurry puts up with all kinds of antics from Ian. (He’s not allowed to totally abuse the dog, mind you 😉 ) She is also very, very good with cats; got 4 of those. You couldn’t ask for a better watch dog. She is protective of me in particular. Downsides are that the Pyrs shed—A LOT. They can be barkers, should not be allowed off lead unless in a fenced in area, and they can dig craters in the yard in about 30 seconds flat. 🙄 They do NOT drool like a St. Bernard or Newfie or Mastiff.
If the kids are a bit older, like 6 or 7, the Dals or the Aussie make good choices, but keep in mind these breeds need a job to do. If left to their own devices, they may find things to do that might not be good choices, such as chew or bark. I wouldn’t advise these breeds if the kids are toddlers, because they are too active for the dogs to handle. The Aussies will try to herd them, and the Dals will just go into activity overload and play too rough.
As far as purebred vs mutt, my brother had a pound puppy shepherd cross for 15 years. She was a phenominal dog. And I’ve known people with purebreds that I wouldn’t give you a nickle for. In favor of the purebreds, it’s more predictable what you’ll get in terms of temperament, size, general health and life span–IF you go to a good breeder.
In favor of the mutt, you save a life potentially.My hot button on the mutts is the “designer dogs”. I’m sorry but anything that has 2 breeds as part of it’s name like Peke-A-Poo or Puggle is a MUTT. People who go and spend a lot of money for something like that should just go to the pound and pick out something that looks like it might have whatever breeds in it as a cross. JMHO 😉
Excellent advice, exactly what I was looking for! FYI, kids are almost 7 and almost 5, both very dog savvy. I’m still leaning to the mastiff, I just can’t get them out of my heart…but, I’m thinkng about looking into a sheltie too. I know some collies can be talky(aka barky), but I think training can go a long way to taking care of that.
Shedding and craters I’m used too, Delilah can dig a hole to china in 5 seconds flat…and we have hair bunnies scamper across the floor daily. I wouldn’t mind getting away from the shedding, but it’s not a deal breaker if I find the right dog.
I am checking the spca site daily, and have joind a mastiff forum to get farmilar w/ breeders.
Thanks again, and I’m glad to know about the boxer vs. cat issues. I’d hate to have one of my kitties hurt!!
asinnamon wrote:Excellent advice, exactly what I was looking for! FYI, kids are almost 7 and almost 5, both very dog savvy. I’m still leaning to the mastiff, I just can’t get them out of my heart…but, I’m thinkng about looking into a sheltie too. I know some collies can be talky(aka barky), but I think training can go a long way to taking care of that.
Shedding and craters I’m used too, Delilah can dig a hole to china in 5 seconds flat…and we have hair bunnies scamper across the floor daily. I wouldn’t mind getting away from the shedding, but it’s not a deal breaker if I find the right dog.
I am checking the spca site daily, and have joind a mastiff forum to get farmilar w/ breeders.
Thanks again, and I’m glad to know about the boxer vs. cat issues. I’d hate to have one of my kitties hurt!!
Yup. You can eliminate some of the barking for shelties by proper training, obedience when they are younger, but keep in mind that they are herding dogs and will alert if something they deem significant changes in their environment. They were bred to bark and alert the crofter of any issues with the flock, so it is bred into them. Casey never was overly barky, but definitely not silent. It was never constant and for no reason (even if we didn’t know the reason right away). They aren’t talky like a Siamese is. My black Cocker Spaniel, Soot, barks more. It just was more noticeable if anything because the bark was so big on Casey! Casey was also large for a Shetland Sheepdog. There is a range of sizes (from small to large, a few almost the size of a small collie! – that size usually is the result of someone crossing a sheltie with a collie… some people think shelties are mini collies, but nope… they were bred independent of each other… they just look an awful lot alike!). Their coat isn’t hard to maintain, as long as it’s brushed regularly with an occassional bath (it’s a double coat and will blow out twice a year – spring/fall). We did have Casey shaved once when we first got him because his undercoat was so matted. Casey, for all his problems (very poor breeding and he had at least 2 previously abusive owners, suspected to be male, before the friend I got him from, so we had to learn his peculiarities through trial and error basically), still managed to be good natured and was willing to please (especially for a treat!), and was good with my nephews when they visited (ranging from 3-7 when Casey was alive). Hypothyroidism (easily maintained with a pill medication daily), an eye disorder (found young and runs in certain bloodlines), and a rare skin ailment (causes some loss of fur – also runs in some lines), plus a sensitive stomach (Casey was far worse than normal, probably from the bad breeding), are the biggest things for shelties.
My folks have a collie and she barks non stop. And I mean non stop. She has gotten them kicked out of camp grounds! But, it’s not her fault, it’s thiers, they ‘let’ her do it by thinking it’s just the breed. I don’t mind some barking, when it’s warranted, but good lord, that dog of thiers gets on my nerves! 🙄
LOL! I haven’t heard Delilah bark for probably a month and a half! When she does bark, she scares the heck out of me!! 😆
Sorry for making you upset Dragon, that wasn’t my intention, as I said I’m very passionate. I go to Pet Store’s that sell Dog’s & Cat’s for 1 reason, and that’s to laugh at the retards who willingly pay more for a total unknown(with some minor exception’s) than for the relatively quantifiable of a well and properly(healthy physically mentally, and psychologically) bred pure bred. Not that pure breeds, even well bred can also have their problems. And most of the dogs that I’ve loved have been crosses, and rescues.
If you need Dally info I can also help, and with alot of breeds, I’m actually pretty good at matching families in person, but there’s so much lost over the internet that it’s not so easy. Remember Dally’s are High energy, not Wind Up Toy Hyper but constantly “Go go go go” Border Collies have this tendency too, though most people I know who’ve had both say Dally’s can run rings around the Border’s most days. However I know few Dally owners.
My Baby Dog was a preemptive rescue, I knew the 101 Live action was coming out, and that a lot of people would want one for that reason, and especially since she was in a Pet shop(though we were assured it was a BYB, not Puppy Mill, and could even go meet him since he worked in the mall) I made the clinical decision to get her(well Ok one of the 2 dally’s), since I knew what I was getting into. They were #3 on my “Suitability” lists, # 7 on “Suitability & Looks”, but no where near the top ten by way of Looks. Being relatively hairless they’d suck in Sub-arctic Mountain Range (suitability)and I think their colour is rather ugly…Ok so really ugly. But umm yeah now I’m addicted! 😯 However there are so many more breeds I would like to enjoy owning, and as soon as I’m allowed to own more than 3 pets at a time(Renting) I’ld like to have 1 Dally, 1 Rescue (preferably cross-breed, though Current is a “pure”) and 1 of some other breed at any given time. Though as with life this could alter at any time what so ever.
Well if you have the collie that my grandparent’s friends own, you wouldn’t have to worry about barking. 🙄
(Cut vocal cords, I posted about it in another thread).
Ok I love shelties as well, and would suggest one, I have a super soft spot for bi-blacks, am breeder friend just had a litter with a bi’black bitch and it took every ounce of my being to not to attempt to buy her, LOL.
I have a soft spot for most breeds, LOL.We have a mixed breed that we rescued from a shelter and a purebred newfoundland. They are both wonderful dogs. Star is our second newfie and I don’t know any other breed better with kids, both were wonderful with my daughter who is now 8. We had the dogs first and they had no problem accepting her since we had the dogs first and that can sometimes be an issue. But I have a soft spot for the newfies. They are gentle, playful, but never overly so. Star barks whenever she hears someone out front on the sidewalk and stands in the window to make her presence known, but other than that, she rarely makes a peep. Neither of ours were big droolers with the exception of play time or if it is very hot out in summer. Shedding is an issue and our rose color carpet needs swept about every other day. The only problem is that she weighs about 120 and thinks she’s a lap dog!
Lupin wrote:Sorry for making you upset Dragon, that wasn’t my intention, as I said I’m very passionate. I go to Pet Store’s that sell Dog’s & Cat’s for 1 reason, and that’s to laugh at the retards who willingly pay more for a total unknown(with some minor exception’s) than for the relatively quantifiable of a well and properly(healthy physically mentally, and psychologically) bred pure bred. Not that pure breeds, even well bred can also have their problems. And most of the dogs that I’ve loved have been crosses, and rescues.
We should go laughing at pet stores some time… 😆 Although I do support ones that sell not from puppy mills or ‘breeders’ (and I use this term loosely) but that sell from rescue organizations. I would never buy a dog or cat from a pet store if they weren’t rescues. And the ones that do sell rescues also sell for cheaper. Also, I prefer not to adopt puppies/kittens, they’ll get adopted no problem, I want the slightly older cat that no one wants. Next time I adopt a cat, I’m going to ask for the 3 cats that have been there the longest, then choose one of them.
One of my friends did just that, when she wanted a cat she picked from the 2 that had been at our SPCA the longest, about 2 years each. 😀
I wont buy stuff from stores that sell dogs or cats, I prefer to buy from those that have nothing but fish at the most. I do go into PJ’s and bash them whenever I am in WestEd Mall 😆 . And people have to be retarded to pay 1500 for a pomeranian poodle cross IMO. I once met a girl who used to work for PJ’s and she said the reason the prices of their pups is that high is because you have to pay for the dog that died as well as the one in the cage, about half the pups they buy die from various things before they are sold. 👿
ruffian wrote:One of my friends did just that, when she wanted a cat she picked from the 2 that had been at our SPCA the longest, about 2 years each. 😀
I wont buy stuff from stores that sell dogs or cats, I prefer to buy from those that have nothing but fish at the most. I do go into PJ’s and bash them whenever I am in WestEd Mall 😆 . And people have to be retarded to pay 1500 for a pomeranian poodle cross IMO. I once met a girl who used to work for PJ’s and she said the reason the prices of their pups is that high is because you have to pay for the dog that died as well as the one in the cage, about half the pups they buy die from various things before they are sold. 👿
Like I said.. I only would buy from the ones that sell from shelters such as 4Paws or the Edmonton Humane Society, and I think there’s one that sells SPCA animals. They sell them for the humane society price, at least. $160 for one (possibly 2 if you go on the right day) cats is better then $1500 for a ‘domestic kitten’. Man I like to laugh at that. Your selling a cat that probably came from two very much non purebred cats for the same price as a purebred one. HA!
Well hopefully my cousin doesn’t still work at PJ’s… I don’t know if it was the WestEd one though. But I do go into the petstore in Londonderry Mall and talk loudly about how they are paying lots of money for an animal that isn’t from a respectable breeder, and is a mutt anyway. So why not go for the cheaper (and probably healthier – I’m only talking about petstore animals, not purebreds in general) animals at shelters. They need you more then the animals at the petstores ever will. 🙄
And my cousin told me about the animals dying thing. She refuses to work with the dogs or cats, she only does birds. And even they are a bit iffy.
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