Choosing A Breed (again)
Question:
>Most people use the term velcro dog to describe a dog who will "stick by >you" almost all the time. In other words, a dog who always wants to be >within a couple of feet from you regardless of what you are doing.
And I have two of them. :} Good thing the cat will occasionally go off by himself, or I’d have three little bodies around my feet at all times. I love velcro dogs. I’m velcro to them, too – I want to be wherever they are. When I was a kid, the neighborhood we lived in nicnamed me the "Pied Piper." Whenever I walked anywhere, I would have every dog in the neighborhood with me. At times, that meant at least 8 dogs. I’m happiest surrounded by fur. :} Learn How to Can Spam http://www.whew.com/Spammers/reportspam_stepbystep.shtml http://www.spamfree.org/ WHITE HAT OF THE MONTH – Nominate At: http://www.whitehat.com/whotm/ Internet Secrets, 2nd Edition, by John Levine (All About Spam, p. 277)
Response:
I don’t think anyone else has suggested it, but how about a GSD? They are very smart and learn easily, would do well on the amount of exercise that you’re giving your lab, could be that ‘on the lookout’ dog, and although not known for their love of water, some do act like water buffalos. The other concerns you have – dominance, getting along with other dogs – no matter what the breed, are addressed by picking the right puppy in the litter, and giving it adequate socialization and training. Suja – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Well, here’s yet another post about choosing a breed. The husband and I > plan to get a second dog, hopefully in August, when Brody, our chocolate > lab, will be 14 months. > We have a few different breeds in mind: > -Labrador Retriever (we’ve had such a great experience with Brody so far, > we are seriously considering getting a second lab) > -Bull Mastiff > -Weimaraner > -Portuguese Water Dog > Our main concern is getting a dog that will get along well with other > dogs. We have no children (and no plans for any), so that’s not really a > concern, though it would be nice to have a dog that would at least > tolerate kids. > As for exercise, Brody gets a couple of good walks a day, and about three > times a week we go for a 5km walk with about 12 other dogs. On those > occasions, he plays and runs (and swims) with the other dogs for about an > hour before we go for the walk. He also gets a few "fetch" sessions a > day. On the weekend, we usually go for an all-day outing to somewhere (or > several places) fun for him. We’d want a dog that can easily keep up, > but not one that would require much more exercise than that. > We’re not concerned about shedding, but want a breed that doesn’t require > hours and hours of grooming (we were considering the Old English Sheepdog, > but decided that they require more grooming than we’re ready to handle). > I think we’d be prepared to give about 20-30 minutes per day to grooming. > We’d like a breed that learns fairly quickly and has good obedience when > trained. We won’t consider breeds that are known to be a constant > challenge. > We prefer large breeds (though, I’ve been told that some people consider > Labs to be "medium" sized). > Also, dominance could be somewhat of an issue. We’d like a dog that isn’t > totally submissive, but not too dominant either. We’re not really > concerned about getting an excellent guard dog, but we wouldn’t mind if > the dog was "on the lookout". Our main concern with this, is that we be > able to handle/train the dog without too much problem – I’m not interested > in getting a dog who wants to dominate the family. > As for space, we live in a house with a large, fenced yard. The dog would > NOT be left in the yard on his own, but would spend a fair amount of time > outside with us & Brody. There is plenty of room to run, in addition to > the places we take Brody (the lake, big fields and parks, the beach, > etc…). When we’re not home, the dog would be kenneled. We’ve actually > been considering "doggy day care" for the times we’re out longer than four > hours, but I assume that reputable places want neutered dogs only. Brody > is getting neutered next month, so we’ll be looking into that then. > I’d prefer a breed who doesn’t mind the water – Brody loves to swim and > I’d like to get a dog who doesn’t mind joining him. This isn’t essential, > but would be nice. > I always assumed we’d get another male dog, but I’ve been told that > male Bull Mastiffs tend to challenge other males. So we’d consider > getting a female if necessary (but either way, the dog would be > spayed/neutered – we have no desire to breed). > We do want to get a puppy and train him/her ourselves (with the help of > training school). We would consider a well-trained, young adult dog from > a rescue, but we’d prefer to get a puppy from a reputable breeder. > I’d appreciate any comments you might have about the breeds we’re thinking > about, and any other breed suggestions you may have. Also, if there are > any specific things we should look out for in the breeds we’re > considering, we’d appreciate knowing any breed-specific questions we > should ask the breeders (for instance, I know hip/elbow dysplasia is > common in labs). (Could I fit the word "breed" into a sentence more?) 
> Thanks – I look forward to your comments/suggestions! > — > KC
Response:
>Check the AKC and ASCA websites. They list acceptable weight >as 30-70 pounds. Males do weigh that much! Females are >smaller and lighter.
I can’t see an "acceptable weight" in the standard. Maybe I’m looking in the wrong place. I’m gonna agree with the previous poster; IMO, 65 pounds is heavy for a male Aussie. Rocky, 24", is tall for an Aussie; at 63 pounds, he was fat. At his current 55 pounds, he’s in great shape. (If you want to see pics, the URL is in my headers.) — –Matt. Rocky’s a Dog.
Response:
>>we are seriously considering getting a second lab) >-Bull Mastiff >-Weimaraner >-Portuguese Water Dog > <snip> >Thanks – I look forward to your comments/suggestions! > Hm, sounds to me like the lab best fits your requirements . I’m not
I agree with Cindy. Weims and Bullmastiffs are both a lot more "pushy" with people and other dogs than the typical Lab. Weims also require quite a bit more exercise to be good dogs than what you’ve described. One further thought it to wait a bit longer until adopting dog #2: 14 months is still very much adolescence for a Lab, and they will "degenerate" into puppy-behaviors when you get your pup. It’s a lot easier to handle two dogs if one is quite well trained and already grown up (in the case of a Lab, certainly over 2 and even better over 3 yrs of age). Lynne + the wild Weimaraners Gimel, 7 yrs old & beginning to mellow Riga, 3 yrs old & still speeding up
Response:
> What does "more velcro" mean . . . does the dog stick to you more or what?
Exactly But in a bit different sense then you are thinking of. Most people use the term velcro dog to describe a dog who will "stick by you" almost all the time. In other words, a dog who always wants to be within a couple of feet from you regardless of what you are doing. — April
Response:
> if you do not want a dog that is a challenge, i would stay away from a > weimaraner. they are extremely intelligent, but tend to attempt world > domination… > — > Ruth Nichols > Well, here’s yet another post about choosing a breed. The husband and I > plan to get a second dog, hopefully in August, when Brody, our chocolate > lab, will be 14 months.
Snip Try a Boxer they are brill !!!
Response:
A Vizsla might fit your requirements although they are more "velcro" than a Lab. Wendy and the V’s
Response:
What does "more velcro" mean . . . does the dog stick to you more or what?
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> A Vizsla might fit your requirements although they are more "velcro" than a > Lab. > Wendy and the V’s
Response:
Check the AKC and ASCA websites. They list acceptable weight as 30-70 pounds. Males do weigh that much! Females are smaller and lighter.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Karina, >Have you considered an Australian Shepherd? We have a 9 month old male >Aussie and just adore him. He’s our second, and gets along great with our >female Queensland cross as well as with any other dogs he encounters. He >needs minimal grooming, is smart as a whip, loves activity of any kind as >long as it’s with us, and isn’t overly dominant. He’s 55 pounds now and >will put on another 10 pounds or so–a standard male Aussie size. > That’s NOT standard Aussie size!!! 65 pounds is way too big for an > Aussie.
Response:
>>Karina, >Have you considered an Australian Shepherd? We have a 9 month old male >Aussie and just adore him. He’s our second, and gets along great with our >female Queensland cross as well as with any other dogs he encounters. He >needs minimal grooming, is smart as a whip, loves activity of any kind as >long as it’s with us, and isn’t overly dominant. He’s 55 pounds now and >will put on another 10 pounds or so–a standard male Aussie size. > That’s NOT standard Aussie size!!! 65 pounds is way too big for an > Aussie.
While my personal preference is for the smaller Australian Shepherd 65 pounds is not out of bounds even for the show ring. http://www.asca.org/Programs/Conformation/breed.htm SIZE: Preferred height at the withers for males is 20 to 23 inches; that for females is 18 to 21 inches, however, quality is not to be sacrificed in favor of size. http://www.akc.org/breeds/recbreeds/ausshep.cfm Size–The preferred height for males is 20-23 inches, females 18-21 inches. Quality is not to be sacrificed in favor of size. Proportion–Measuring from the breastbone to rear of thigh and from top of the withers to the ground the Australian Shepherd is slightly longer than tall. Substance–Solidly built with moderate bone. Structure in the male reflects masculinity without coarseness. Bitches appear feminine without being slight of bone. Depending upon actual build a 23 inch dog could range from 45 to as much as 70 pounds and be correct. Diane Blackman http://www.dog-play.com/ http://www.dog-play.com/TOTE.html Agility – more than a sport, its an attitude.
Response:
Karina, Have you considered an Australian Shepherd? We have a 9 month old male Aussie and just adore him. He’s our second, and gets along great with our female Queensland cross as well as with any other dogs he encounters. He needs minimal grooming, is smart as a whip, loves activity of any kind as long as it’s with us, and isn’t overly dominant. He’s 55 pounds now and will put on another 10 pounds or so–a standard male Aussie size. Loves frisbees, water (apparently this is somewhat common), and car rides too. Aussies can be nippy and inclined to herd small creatures, but like you we don’t have children so it’s not an issue. We’re so glad we looked into the breed when friends suggested it–he’s a joy! There are lots of rescue Aussies available too (many with solid obedience training) because people often get one without realizing how social and energetic they can be. Mellower specimens come from show or pet stock; stay away from working lines unless you’ve got lots of jobs for the dog to perform! Good luck, Amber
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Well, here’s yet another post about choosing a breed. The husband and I > plan to get a second dog, hopefully in August, when Brody, our chocolate > lab, will be 14 months. > We have a few different breeds in mind: > -Labrador Retriever (we’ve had such a great experience with Brody so far, > we are seriously considering getting a second lab) > -Bull Mastiff > -Weimaraner > -Portuguese Water Dog > Our main concern is getting a dog that will get along well with other > dogs. We have no children (and no plans for any), so that’s not really a > concern, though it would be nice to have a dog that would at least > tolerate kids. > As for exercise, Brody gets a couple of good walks a day, and about three > times a week we go for a 5km walk with about 12 other dogs. On those > occasions, he plays and runs (and swims) with the other dogs for about an > hour before we go for the walk. He also gets a few "fetch" sessions a > day. On the weekend, we usually go for an all-day outing to somewhere (or > several places) fun for him. We’d want a dog that can easily keep up, > but not one that would require much more exercise than that. > We’re not concerned about shedding, but want a breed that doesn’t require > hours and hours of grooming (we were considering the Old English Sheepdog, > but decided that they require more grooming than we’re ready to handle). > I think we’d be prepared to give about 20-30 minutes per day to grooming. > We’d like a breed that learns fairly quickly and has good obedience when > trained. We won’t consider breeds that are known to be a constant > challenge. > We prefer large breeds (though, I’ve been told that some people consider > Labs to be "medium" sized). > Also, dominance could be somewhat of an issue. We’d like a dog that isn’t > totally submissive, but not too dominant either. We’re not really > concerned about getting an excellent guard dog, but we wouldn’t mind if > the dog was "on the lookout". Our main concern with this, is that we be > able to handle/train the dog without too much problem – I’m not interested > in getting a dog who wants to dominate the family. > As for space, we live in a house with a large, fenced yard. The dog would > NOT be left in the yard on his own, but would spend a fair amount of time > outside with us & Brody. There is plenty of room to run, in addition to > the places we take Brody (the lake, big fields and parks, the beach, > etc…). When we’re not home, the dog would be kenneled. We’ve actually > been considering "doggy day care" for the times we’re out longer than four > hours, but I assume that reputable places want neutered dogs only. Brody > is getting neutered next month, so we’ll be looking into that then. > I’d prefer a breed who doesn’t mind the water – Brody loves to swim and > I’d like to get a dog who doesn’t mind joining him. This isn’t essential, > but would be nice. > I always assumed we’d get another male dog, but I’ve been told that > male Bull Mastiffs tend to challenge other males. So we’d consider > getting a female if necessary (but either way, the dog would be > spayed/neutered – we have no desire to breed). > We do want to get a puppy and train him/her ourselves (with the help of > training school). We would consider a well-trained, young adult dog from > a rescue, but we’d prefer to get a puppy from a reputable breeder. > I’d appreciate any comments you might have about the breeds we’re thinking > about, and any other breed suggestions you may have. Also, if there are > any specific things we should look out for in the breeds we’re > considering, we’d appreciate knowing any breed-specific questions we > should ask the breeders (for instance, I know hip/elbow dysplasia is > common in labs). (Could I fit the word "breed" into a sentence more?) > Thanks – I look forward to your comments/suggestions! > — > KC
Response:
>We have a few different breeds in mind: >-Labrador Retriever (we’ve had such a great experience with Brody so far, >we are seriously considering getting a second lab) >-Bull Mastiff >-Weimaraner >-Portuguese Water Dog <snip> >Thanks – I look forward to your comments/suggestions!
Hm, sounds to me like the lab best fits your requirements . I’m not sure the bullmastiff does, and I think either the weim or the pwd would work, though the weim might be more intense than you want. The pwd might be more grooming, but I’ll let pwd folks weigh in on that. Cheers, –Cindy
Response:
if you do not want a dog that is a challenge, i would stay away from a weimaraner. they are extremely intelligent, but tend to attempt world domination… — Ruth Nichols
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Well, here’s yet another post about choosing a breed. The husband and I > plan to get a second dog, hopefully in August, when Brody, our chocolate > lab, will be 14 months. > We have a few different breeds in mind: > -Labrador Retriever (we’ve had such a great experience with Brody so far, > we are seriously considering getting a second lab) > -Bull Mastiff > -Weimaraner > -Portuguese Water Dog > Our main concern is getting a dog that will get along well with other > dogs. We have no children (and no plans for any), so that’s not really a > concern, though it would be nice to have a dog that would at least > tolerate kids. > As for exercise, Brody gets a couple of good walks a day, and about three > times a week we go for a 5km walk with about 12 other dogs. On those > occasions, he plays and runs (and swims) with the other dogs for about an > hour before we go for the walk. He also gets a few "fetch" sessions a > day. On the weekend, we usually go for an all-day outing to somewhere (or > several places) fun for him. We’d want a dog that can easily keep up, > but not one that would require much more exercise than that. > We’re not concerned about shedding, but want a breed that doesn’t require > hours and hours of grooming (we were considering the Old English Sheepdog, > but decided that they require more grooming than we’re ready to handle). > I think we’d be prepared to give about 20-30 minutes per day to grooming. > We’d like a breed that learns fairly quickly and has good obedience when > trained. We won’t consider breeds that are known to be a constant > challenge. > We prefer large breeds (though, I’ve been told that some people consider > Labs to be "medium" sized). > Also, dominance could be somewhat of an issue. We’d like a dog that isn’t > totally submissive, but not too dominant either. We’re not really > concerned about getting an excellent guard dog, but we wouldn’t mind if > the dog was "on the lookout". Our main concern with this, is that we be > able to handle/train the dog without too much problem – I’m not interested > in getting a dog who wants to dominate the family. > As for space, we live in a house with a large, fenced yard. The dog would > NOT be left in the yard on his own, but would spend a fair amount of time > outside with us & Brody. There is plenty of room to run, in addition to > the places we take Brody (the lake, big fields and parks, the beach, > etc…). When we’re not home, the dog would be kenneled. We’ve actually > been considering "doggy day care" for the times we’re out longer than four > hours, but I assume that reputable places want neutered dogs only. Brody > is getting neutered next month, so we’ll be looking into that then. > I’d prefer a breed who doesn’t mind the water – Brody loves to swim and > I’d like to get a dog who doesn’t mind joining him. This isn’t essential, > but would be nice. > I always assumed we’d get another male dog, but I’ve been told that > male Bull Mastiffs tend to challenge other males. So we’d consider > getting a female if necessary (but either way, the dog would be > spayed/neutered – we have no desire to breed). > We do want to get a puppy and train him/her ourselves (with the help of > training school). We would consider a well-trained, young adult dog from > a rescue, but we’d prefer to get a puppy from a reputable breeder. > I’d appreciate any comments you might have about the breeds we’re thinking > about, and any other breed suggestions you may have. Also, if there are > any specific things we should look out for in the breeds we’re > considering, we’d appreciate knowing any breed-specific questions we > should ask the breeders (for instance, I know hip/elbow dysplasia is > common in labs). (Could I fit the word "breed" into a sentence more?) > Thanks – I look forward to your comments/suggestions! > — > KC
Response:
How about a Golden or a Setter? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Well, here’s yet another post about choosing a breed. The husband and I > plan to get a second dog, hopefully in August, when Brody, our chocolate > lab, will be 14 months. > We have a few different breeds in mind: > -Labrador Retriever (we’ve had such a great experience with Brody so far, > we are seriously considering getting a second lab) > -Bull Mastiff > -Weimaraner > -Portuguese Water Dog > Our main concern is getting a dog that will get along well with other > dogs. We have no children (and no plans for any), so that’s not really a > concern, though it would be nice to have a dog that would at least > tolerate kids. > As for exercise, Brody gets a couple of good walks a day, and about three > times a week we go for a 5km walk with about 12 other dogs. On those > occasions, he plays and runs (and swims) with the other dogs for about an > hour before we go for the walk. He also gets a few "fetch" sessions a > day. On the weekend, we usually go for an all-day outing to somewhere (or > several places) fun for him. We’d want a dog that can easily keep up, > but not one that would require much more exercise than that. > We’re not concerned about shedding, but want a breed that doesn’t require > hours and hours of grooming (we were considering the Old English Sheepdog, > but decided that they require more grooming than we’re ready to handle). > I think we’d be prepared to give about 20-30 minutes per day to grooming. > We’d like a breed that learns fairly quickly and has good obedience when > trained. We won’t consider breeds that are known to be a constant > challenge. > We prefer large breeds (though, I’ve been told that some people consider > Labs to be "medium" sized). > Also, dominance could be somewhat of an issue. We’d like a dog that isn’t > totally submissive, but not too dominant either. We’re not really > concerned about getting an excellent guard dog, but we wouldn’t mind if > the dog was "on the lookout". Our main concern with this, is that we be > able to handle/train the dog without too much problem – I’m not interested > in getting a dog who wants to dominate the family. > As for space, we live in a house with a large, fenced yard. The dog would > NOT be left in the yard on his own, but would spend a fair amount of time > outside with us & Brody. There is plenty of room to run, in addition to > the places we take Brody (the lake, big fields and parks, the beach, > etc…). When we’re not home, the dog would be kenneled. We’ve actually > been considering "doggy day care" for the times we’re out longer than four > hours, but I assume that reputable places want neutered dogs only. Brody > is getting neutered next month, so we’ll be looking into that then. > I’d prefer a breed who doesn’t mind the water – Brody loves to swim and > I’d like to get a dog who doesn’t mind joining him. This isn’t essential, > but would be nice. > I always assumed we’d get another male dog, but I’ve been told that > male Bull Mastiffs tend to challenge other males. So we’d consider > getting a female if necessary (but either way, the dog would be > spayed/neutered – we have no desire to breed). > We do want to get a puppy and train him/her ourselves (with the help of > training school). We would consider a well-trained, young adult dog from > a rescue, but we’d prefer to get a puppy from a reputable breeder. > I’d appreciate any comments you might have about the breeds we’re thinking > about, and any other breed suggestions you may have. Also, if there are > any specific things we should look out for in the breeds we’re > considering, we’d appreciate knowing any breed-specific questions we > should ask the breeders (for instance, I know hip/elbow dysplasia is > common in labs). (Could I fit the word "breed" into a sentence more?) > Thanks – I look forward to your comments/suggestions! > — > KC
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Well, here’s yet another post about choosing a breed. The husband and I plan to get a second dog, hopefully in August, when Brody, our chocolate lab, will be 14 months. We have a few different breeds in mind: -Labrador Retriever (we’ve had such a great experience with Brody so far, we are seriously considering getting a second lab) -Bull Mastiff -Weimaraner -Portuguese Water Dog Our main concern is getting a dog that will get along well with other dogs. We have no children (and no plans for any), so that’s not really a concern, though it would be nice to have a dog that would at least tolerate kids. As for exercise, Brody gets a couple of good walks a day, and about three times a week we go for a 5km walk with about 12 other dogs. On those occasions, he plays and runs (and swims) with the other dogs for about an hour before we go for the walk. He also gets a few "fetch" sessions a day. On the weekend, we usually go for an all-day outing to somewhere (or several places) fun for him. We’d want a dog that can easily keep up, but not one that would require much more exercise than that. We’re not concerned about shedding, but want a breed that doesn’t require hours and hours of grooming (we were considering the Old English Sheepdog, but decided that they require more grooming than we’re ready to handle). I think we’d be prepared to give about 20-30 minutes per day to grooming. We’d like a breed that learns fairly quickly and has good obedience when trained. We won’t consider breeds that are known to be a constant challenge. We prefer large breeds (though, I’ve been told that some people consider Labs to be "medium" sized). Also, dominance could be somewhat of an issue. We’d like a dog that isn’t totally submissive, but not too dominant either. We’re not really concerned about getting an excellent guard dog, but we wouldn’t mind if the dog was "on the lookout". Our main concern with this, is that we be able to handle/train the dog without too much problem – I’m not interested in getting a dog who wants to dominate the family. As for space, we live in a house with a large, fenced yard. The dog would NOT be left in the yard on his own, but would spend a fair amount of time outside with us & Brody. There is plenty of room to run, in addition to the places we take Brody (the lake, big fields and parks, the beach, etc…). When we’re not home, the dog would be kenneled. We’ve actually been considering "doggy day care" for the times we’re out longer than four hours, but I assume that reputable places want neutered dogs only. Brody is getting neutered next month, so we’ll be looking into that then. I’d prefer a breed who doesn’t mind the water – Brody loves to swim and I’d like to get a dog who doesn’t mind joining him. This isn’t essential, but would be nice. I always assumed we’d get another male dog, but I’ve been told that male Bull Mastiffs tend to challenge other males. So we’d consider getting a female if necessary (but either way, the dog would be spayed/neutered – we have no desire to breed). We do want to get a puppy and train him/her ourselves (with the help of training school). We would consider a well-trained, young adult dog from a rescue, but we’d prefer to get a puppy from a reputable breeder. I’d appreciate any comments you might have about the breeds we’re thinking about, and any other breed suggestions you may have. Also, if there are any specific things we should look out for in the breeds we’re considering, we’d appreciate knowing any breed-specific questions we should ask the breeders (for instance, I know hip/elbow dysplasia is common in labs). (Could I fit the word "breed" into a sentence more?) Thanks – I look forward to your comments/suggestions! — KC
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