Reputable Breeders versus Rescue

[Horsegirl_s_Mom]

@S1969

My breed is super cute, especially as puppies. My dogs get a lot of routine, off lead exercise, every day. Even when it’s -10F, or 98F. Because they need it. So when people meet my dogs they often see them very relaxed, mellow or sleeping. Don’t be fooled. They are that way because I put in a lot of time and effort with them. They are NOT going to be a good backyard pet in a suburban neighborhood where they get walked morning/evening and have a 1/4 acre fenced lot to “run around in.” That’s not nearly enough, and the result is a smart dog with nearly infinite energy who is going to dig holes, eat books, and bark at pedestrians because they need an outlet for that energy.

Sorry if I missed it, but what breed?

We’re on our third border collie, and I can’t see ever having anything else. That said, my 20-something daughter has put hundreds and hundreds of hours into training/stimulating our current, “high drive” BC to where’s she’s now a wonderful dog even in an ordinary household environment. In the back of my mind, I’ve wondered whether DH and I will be able to raise our next border collie without DD around to help. No joke, we’ve contemplated moving near DD so we can care for her border collies while she works, and she can spend evenings and weekends doing the good citizen training, trick training, agility training, etc.

[libgrrl]

Hah – I have the hound/terrier mix! Mine is a beagle/JR cross that I adopted from the rescue I used to work with. I knew exactly what I was getting into in terms of attention, energy etc. In addition to the multiple long walks every day, I’m going to try to get a Trick title on him. What I didn’t count on was the separation anxiety

[S1969]

I have Brittanys. Less intense than BCs, and not as smart. But they were designed to hunt all day. Literally. So…even running with a Brittany is not really good exercise for them unless you’re going to run very fast or a long distance (or both). And, they want to hunt even if you aren’t a hunter. So, you need to be prepared for that all the time. Mine regularly hunt/catch/kill mice, moles, groundhogs, rabbits, various types of birds (sometimes baby birds, pulled from a nest), frogs, snakes, large insects, etc. And usually eat them.

It’s not a dog for everyone.

[Horsegirl_s_Mom]

Wow, I knew a guy with Brittanys as kind of show dogs/pets. It’s interesting to hear that their druthers involves much more activity and a need for plenty of space.

[S1969]

@Horsegirl_s_Mom

Wow, I knew a guy with Brittanys as kind of show dogs/pets. It’s interesting to hear that their druthers involves much more activity and a need for plenty of space.

Like anything, there is a range. Some are really pretty mellow but others are totally wild. Mine are sort of in the middle. They would happily hunt all day if I wanted to, but they can do a 25 minute run morning and afternoon and settle pretty well.

Love to know who you know in Brittanys - it’s a small community.

[Horsegirl_s_Mom]

@S1969

Love to know who you know in Brittanys - it’s a small community.

Not someone I knew well… a previous neighbor in Santa Clara CA whose name was “Jim.” (Sorry, last name is lost to time… this was 20 years ago!) Even back then, he was retired and doted on his dogs. I suppose he’s probably passed away by now–always a jarring thought, since people seem frozen in time (and age) in our minds.

[DownYonder]

@S1969

@Horsegirl_s_Mom

Wow, I knew a guy with Brittanys as kind of show dogs/pets. It’s interesting to hear that their druthers involves much more activity and a need for plenty of space.

Like anything, there is a range. Some are really pretty mellow but others are totally wild. Mine are sort of in the middle. They would happily hunt all day if I wanted to, but they can do a 25 minute run morning and afternoon and settle pretty well.

I used to board at a place where the BO had a Brittany Spaniel. He was a beautiful dog (I still have the photo of him with my chestnut and white Appaloosa gelding - they were quite the matched pair!) He hunted pretty much all day long and was always looking for something - mice, opposums, racoons, squirrels, rabbits, birds, lizards, snakes, etc. And cats - he killed or nearly killed every cat that showed up on the property. It was horrible being an eyewitness to his killing sprees.

[S1969]

@Horsegirl_s_Mom

Not someone I knew well… a previous neighbor in Santa Clara CA whose name was “Jim.” (Sorry, last name is lost to time… this was 20 years ago!) Even back then, he was retired and doted on his dogs. I suppose he’s probably passed away by now–always a jarring thought, since people seem frozen in time (and age) in our minds.

Oh no worries. I’m in NY so it is likely I wouldn’t actually know him. If he were on the East Coast I might.

[S1969]

@DownYonder

I used to board at a place where the BO had a Brittany Spaniel. He was a beautiful dog (I still have the photo of him with my chestnut and white Appaloosa gelding - they were quite the matched pair!) He hunted pretty much all day long and was always looking for something - mice, opposums, racoons, squirrels, rabbits, birds, lizards, snakes, etc. And cats - he killed or nearly killed every cat that showed up on the property. It was horrible being an eyewitness to his killing sprees.

Oh wow, mine get along great with cats. But I suppose that’s all in the training; I’ve had at least one cat most of my life so my dogs have always grown up with them.

I taught my dog to hunt for green-horned tomato worms in my garden one year. He was great at it. But then he started hunting for cucumbers. I have a video on my phone; I’ll upload to youtube and post the link It’s hilarious.

Here it is:

Cucumber hunting

The best part is that he actually picks a little one, then sees a bigger one and points at it…and puts the little one down so he can get the big one. When they wag their tails like that when hunting people call it “getting birdy” - basically means they have a scent/quarry - but I guess it works with cucumbers too.

[AltersAreUs]

@BrendaJane

Heck, having toeat 3 times a day is a drag!

Ah, your lack of energy for a dog is really the lack of energy for ANY dog, not just “I’m a few bits short of being able to handle a mal” . I understand now

[AltersAreUs]

That is adorable and hey, cucs always go overboard anyways!

[BrendaJane]

well, you know, there are dogs you can walk around the block, and they are good for the day.

My 2 idiots have the run of the backyard most days (but gosh, they melt when it rains) so they are mostly good, unless tennisballs are involved. That is a multi day event, on a Mal energy level.
But there is no way I could do that (or Border Collie) 24/7 for 15 years!
I guess the best way to put it: Man’s got to know his limitations.
I know where I stand on the high energy smartypants dogs.

I might consider a Dalmatian, but only if I were to have a horse and the means to road trial with them.
But that is not very probably.

[DownYonder]

@S1969

I taught my dog to hunt for green-horned tomato worms in my garden one year. He was great at it. But then he started hunting for cucumbers. I have a video on my phone; I’ll upload to youtube and post the link It’s hilarious.

Oh, that is hilarious! Did he eat the cucumbers? Or just procure them?

[LaurieB]

That video is adorable!

[BrendaJane]

cucumbers are evil! You just have to watch the video with the cats!

My Wheeny is hunting the little wild strawberries I have everywhere, and they are not even good!

[S1969]

@DownYonder

Oh, that is hilarious! Did he eat the cucumbers? Or just procure them?

He would eat them. But I think he enjoyed hunting for them more. He taught his son to do it too. They are really the reason I had a fence around the garden!

[Kemosabe]

@S1969

But I think he enjoyed hunting for them more.

I love how careful he was around the plants. If it had been an Aussie it would have been a 100 yard dash through the cukes…however, when it comes to stealing eggs out of the henhouse, my Aussies have the art of stealth done pat

[DMK]

I agree, being realistic about the type of personality you are is the most important part, and not having energy for the medium to high energy dogs only means more room for the low energy types as opposed to not being suited for any dog at all (dramatic, much? Or maybe humor that I missed?)

I want a borzoi, I really, really do. Want. Want want want. But 5 minutes of research and I learned about two characteristics that are at complete conflict with parts of my lifestyle that I. Will. Not. Change: 1. Cats. I’m a cat person. Even if raised with cats there’s always a chance that will end badly if the cat runs from the borzoi. There’s no percentage of that possibility that I’m willing to risk. 2. I want a dog that isn’t going to leave when its at the barn mostly unsupervised all day, especially if it sees any of the vast herds of deer that melt into and out of the surrounding forest tyvm.

I can’t get a borzoi and expect it not to be what it is, so no borzois (or sights hound in general) for me. Adulting can be hard. Almost as hard as cleaning the vast amounts of hair left by my perfect dog, a corgi (who self identifies as a Maine coon cat).

ETA had to edit that to clarify it was hair not other messes that need cleaning lol. He was practically born housebroken.

[ET_s_Home]

My breed (Doberman) is at a critical stage in development. BYB’s are coming out of the woodwork, importing oversized EU working dogs, breeding with little regards to breed standard, selling to anyone with $4-5k cash in hand. The incidence of DCM is taking out dogs well before their time, the average COI (coefficient of inbreeding) is over 50% and few households are equipped to handle this breed. THIS is why responsible breeders are so selective even with any pups that might be ‘pet’ quality.

[Ghazzu]

@ET_s_Home

The incidence of DCM is taking out dogs well before their time, the average COI (coefficient of inbreeding) is over 50% and few households are equipped to handle this breed.

That’s a damned shame, because a good Dobie is a wonderful dog. I always enjoyed working with them. They’re pretty goofy, actually.