Originally Posted by CollieWobbles:
“First things first, whilst looks play a part, and obviously you want something that appeals to you, temperament is the most important factor in choosing a dog, especially if it is to live with children. The next most important factor is health. Every breed was bred for a specific purpose, some of those purposes will have undesirable traits in a pet dog, making certain breeds unsuitable to certain people.
Say, you like the look of the husky for instance, and decide that is what you want. But huskies are designed to be able to pull heavy loads across snow and ice for up to 60 miles a day, as part of a pack with other dogs. So, you would have a dog that fits in with you appearance wise, but personality wise not so much. The average pet home cannot provide the physical exercise they need, so they develop behavioural issues, and as working pack dog, they howl like wolves. Not easy to live with and not easy to live next to either!
Don't go after a dog for looks alone, the most stunningly beautiful pedigree could have a whole plague of health issues. The perfect looking puppy could turn into heartache when it ends up with completely the wrong disposition for the home it's in. What's on the inside is more important than what you see on the outside, you don't get huge vet bills because the fur isn't long enough, and you don't get serious behavioural problems because it's the wrong colour.
To help you out:
Generally speaking, a medium or larger dog is better suited to children, they can withstand the rough treatment more, are usually more docile and tolerable, and aren't highly strung or snappy like the smaller breeds can be. Toy breeds can be far too delicate, and terriers have a typical terrier temperament. The only toy breed I would recommend is the cavalier King Charles spaniel, their superb little dogs for family life, however they are plagued by health problems, so you would have to do some serious, careful research for a breeder.
Dogs with longer hair require more grooming, either professionally ( which can cost a bit) or yourself ( which will take your time doing so), so ask yourself how much time/ money would you be willing to put into grooming? You'll have a better idea then of whether to go for long or short coat.
There was a time when a mongrel was considered the healthier option. Not any more. Thanks to all these 'designer dogs' you can now get problems in mongrels like you can in pedigrees, as back yard breeders have been churning them out any old how to make a fast buck after seeing how popular they are. You now need to do as much research into the background of a cross or mongrel as a purebred, or find a breeder who health checks their crossbreeds. A crossbreed is no healthier than a purebreed, in fact if care isn't taken in the breeding, it can end up with the worst traits off each side, both in health and temperament! It wouldn't be any cheaper either, a lot of crosses now cost more than a pedigree, a Labrador could cost around £400-500, a poodle £300-400, but a Labradoodle could be £800+! There is also the fact that with a pedigree dog, you have a very good idea of how it will turn out, with a cross or mongrel you won't. If next door bought a poodle x cocker, and you liked the look of it, there is no guarantee at all that you would get a dog that looked the same if you bought one. Even two crossbreed puppies from the same litter could grow up nothing alike.
As a general rule, bitches are smaller and lighter than dogs. So a good compromise if you want a bigger dog and your wife wants a smaller one is to get a bitch, and for the opposite, a dog. Likewise, generally, a dog will have a fuller, heavier coat, so again for someone who wants a big dog with a shorter coat , whist the other wants the opposite, a bitch is a good compromise and again a dog for the opposite. Other general rules, though of course you can get exceptions, is that a bitch is usually more loving, wants to be with you and stays with you, compared to a dog, who is more inclined to wander. Bitches tend to learn faster but forget faster, while dogs remember better but take longer to learn. Dogs mark their territory, hump, get into scrapes with other dogs, wander off, and behave like a sex crazed teen. Bitches have seasons twice a year which they have to be kept away from all other dogs for at least a fortnight, they can have mood swings due to the hormones, phantom pregnancies and pyometra (a dangerous infection of the womb). All these can be cured in either sex however by neutering, so its not the be all and end all, but certainly something else to take into consideration.
There is a lot more to choosing a dog than what you like the look of, the right breed will be a wonderful addition to the family, the wrong one however, could wreck it completely. I would borrow or buy a dog breed book and look at what the breeds were intended for. A good idea also is to visit a dog show where you can see virtually all the different breeds, Discover Dogs in Earls Court, or Crufts is a fantastic way to see and meet all the breeds. I hope this has been of some help to you, and good luck picking your perfect pup - take your time and choose right, it's a long relationship
”
“First things first, whilst looks play a part, and obviously you want something that appeals to you, temperament is the most important factor in choosing a dog, especially if it is to live with children. The next most important factor is health. Every breed was bred for a specific purpose, some of those purposes will have undesirable traits in a pet dog, making certain breeds unsuitable to certain people.
Say, you like the look of the husky for instance, and decide that is what you want. But huskies are designed to be able to pull heavy loads across snow and ice for up to 60 miles a day, as part of a pack with other dogs. So, you would have a dog that fits in with you appearance wise, but personality wise not so much. The average pet home cannot provide the physical exercise they need, so they develop behavioural issues, and as working pack dog, they howl like wolves. Not easy to live with and not easy to live next to either!
Don't go after a dog for looks alone, the most stunningly beautiful pedigree could have a whole plague of health issues. The perfect looking puppy could turn into heartache when it ends up with completely the wrong disposition for the home it's in. What's on the inside is more important than what you see on the outside, you don't get huge vet bills because the fur isn't long enough, and you don't get serious behavioural problems because it's the wrong colour.
To help you out:
Generally speaking, a medium or larger dog is better suited to children, they can withstand the rough treatment more, are usually more docile and tolerable, and aren't highly strung or snappy like the smaller breeds can be. Toy breeds can be far too delicate, and terriers have a typical terrier temperament. The only toy breed I would recommend is the cavalier King Charles spaniel, their superb little dogs for family life, however they are plagued by health problems, so you would have to do some serious, careful research for a breeder.
Dogs with longer hair require more grooming, either professionally ( which can cost a bit) or yourself ( which will take your time doing so), so ask yourself how much time/ money would you be willing to put into grooming? You'll have a better idea then of whether to go for long or short coat.
There was a time when a mongrel was considered the healthier option. Not any more. Thanks to all these 'designer dogs' you can now get problems in mongrels like you can in pedigrees, as back yard breeders have been churning them out any old how to make a fast buck after seeing how popular they are. You now need to do as much research into the background of a cross or mongrel as a purebred, or find a breeder who health checks their crossbreeds. A crossbreed is no healthier than a purebreed, in fact if care isn't taken in the breeding, it can end up with the worst traits off each side, both in health and temperament! It wouldn't be any cheaper either, a lot of crosses now cost more than a pedigree, a Labrador could cost around £400-500, a poodle £300-400, but a Labradoodle could be £800+! There is also the fact that with a pedigree dog, you have a very good idea of how it will turn out, with a cross or mongrel you won't. If next door bought a poodle x cocker, and you liked the look of it, there is no guarantee at all that you would get a dog that looked the same if you bought one. Even two crossbreed puppies from the same litter could grow up nothing alike.
As a general rule, bitches are smaller and lighter than dogs. So a good compromise if you want a bigger dog and your wife wants a smaller one is to get a bitch, and for the opposite, a dog. Likewise, generally, a dog will have a fuller, heavier coat, so again for someone who wants a big dog with a shorter coat , whist the other wants the opposite, a bitch is a good compromise and again a dog for the opposite. Other general rules, though of course you can get exceptions, is that a bitch is usually more loving, wants to be with you and stays with you, compared to a dog, who is more inclined to wander. Bitches tend to learn faster but forget faster, while dogs remember better but take longer to learn. Dogs mark their territory, hump, get into scrapes with other dogs, wander off, and behave like a sex crazed teen. Bitches have seasons twice a year which they have to be kept away from all other dogs for at least a fortnight, they can have mood swings due to the hormones, phantom pregnancies and pyometra (a dangerous infection of the womb). All these can be cured in either sex however by neutering, so its not the be all and end all, but certainly something else to take into consideration.
There is a lot more to choosing a dog than what you like the look of, the right breed will be a wonderful addition to the family, the wrong one however, could wreck it completely. I would borrow or buy a dog breed book and look at what the breeds were intended for. A good idea also is to visit a dog show where you can see virtually all the different breeds, Discover Dogs in Earls Court, or Crufts is a fantastic way to see and meet all the breeds. I hope this has been of some help to you, and good luck picking your perfect pup - take your time and choose right, it's a long relationship
”
I was agreeing with you up to the point that you started to compare bitches and dogs. Bitches can be every bit as ready to get into fights with other dogs. The dog that attacked my male Lurcher was a female Staffie that lives down the street. That dog has a long history of attacking other dogs (gender doesn't enter the equation with her). Scent marking isn't uncommon in more dominant bitches either. And not every behavioural/health problem can be avoided/cured by spaying and neutering. In some cases, this can lead to heightened aggression and future health problems.
As far as I am aware the dog was rehomed, so that's at least something.
. Some bitches can be nasty and stand offish whilst some dogs can be soppy, just like some men are shy and quiet but some women are loud and start fights. Partly the breed, partly the breeding/upbringing, and mainly the individual personality. Your right in saying castration doesn't always cure aggression or sex related behaviours but seasons, phantom pregnancies and pyometra can 100% be cured by spaying, so you can guarantee to clear three most undesired issues to consider in a female.
