Pleeeasseee help us find a pup to love!

Toinie

Hi there!

Our wee family of five (kids aged 13,9,6) have decided to get a puppy...after years of Mum and Dad refusing...what should we get? Medium sized, non-shed, suburban living, moderate exercise, needs to be able to accept huge affection from younger kids! Someone called Wendy suggested a Whoodle dog but I've lost her number...sound like a whoodle would fit the bill...anybody know Wendy??

Help much appreciated! Toinie

tk123

If you want a cross breed go to a rescue and get a pup from there - don't waste money buying a designer cross breed from a puppy farmer. You've no guarantee what the coat will be like either with these crosses ether btw - one of my neighbours has a labradoodle and his coat is like a brillo pad and unmanageable. If you brush the dog a few times a week and you won't have hairs everywhere, wash them regularly and you won't have to worry about dander if anyone in the family has asthma or allergies. I have allergies and asthma and 2 golden retrievers and never have an issue with hair/dander.
Puppies are hard work - it'll be like having a toddler in the house again so be prepared for sleepless nights again while you toilet train!

SamAK

Pleeeassse go and rescue an adorable lil' pup from a shelter and shower it with love and happiness!! So many mistreated doggies out there that need a loving home..

Toinie

Thank you so much for your advice. Nobody has any allergies, but I have heard horror stories from the rescue shelters and am not sufficiently experienced to bring a troubled dog into the house. I love love love retrievers, but my husband has said an absolute no, which is a rarity.

Toinie

We have the love, but honestly, the dogs I have seen so far in these places are disturbed and really have freaked me out. I want to make sure that i can cope with the new family member!

Paybel

There's lots of dogs that aren't troubled! They just want a home! It's well worth looking at the shelters!

tk123

Forgot to say - there's a Dog Expo on in Cloughran on Paddy's day so maybe go along to that and have a look at the different breeds and chat to the people there to get an idea of what suits your household. This might be a better option than going to a rescue while you're deciding what kind of dog to get - there's no chance of you or the kids falling in love with a dog and coming home with it before you're ready!

Toinie

super advice, thank you

SamAK

I understand your concern, but for every horror story there's another happy ending!

Perhaps speak to someone at an animal shelter or similar....someone that has first hand experience. A lot of these places have 'meet & greet' days where prospective owners can come along and say hello to the animals without commitment. Would be an enlightening experience

Best of luck!

VonVix

Toinie wrote: »

Thank you so much for your advice. Nobody has any allergies, but I have heard horror stories from the rescue shelters and am not sufficiently experienced to bring a troubled dog into the house. I love love love retrievers, but my husband has said an absolute no, which is a rarity.

If you get a pup from a shelter largely who it will become depends on how it is raised. Raise a pup with kindness, lots of praise, training and socialisation (with other men, women, children and especially dogs!) and chances are you'll have the exact dog you're looking for.

endacl

You need a lurcher, OP. Lab or retreiver cross. Short hair and won't shed unless kept inside all day every day. Five minutes run will have him exercised for the day. They're not known as 40mph couch potatoes for nothing! Very affectionate and tolerant of kids, and much less lickey than other breeds. Also very quiet. Much less barkey than most other breeds! We have one that had us convinced he was mute for several years.

zenno

Toinie wrote: »

Thank you so much for your advice. Nobody has any allergies, but I have heard horror stories from the rescue shelters and am not sufficiently experienced to bring a troubled dog into the house. I love love love retrievers, but my husband has said an absolute no, which is a rarity.

The reason why you have heard horror stories regarding folk taking in a rescue dog is because those people didn't do their homework, and try to understand what the rescue dog went through with previous owners. Some of the older aged rescue dogs more than likely went through a bad up-bringing and treated badly, so they take a lot longer to adjust to a new owner and home, but they always adjust with a good home and owners if treated well.

If you cannot put the extra work into the looking after of a rescue dog, then I would say don't bother, because a rescue dog needs a lot of attention and loving to bring it back to a reality of trust of humans. Unfortunately, some of the little fellers were treated very badly from previous owners and they take a lot of time to settle into a new family and home.

I myself have a rescue dog of many years and it took a lot of time for him to settle with us, but now he is 100% with us all and is very happy. It takes a lot of time and patience for a rescue dog, so do not home one unless you are fully dedicated 100%. In my opinion.

Don't get me wrong, I wish more people would take in a rescue dog, but I really have no time for people that just want a furry dog to keep their kids happy without doing the right thing firstly as in putting every effort they have into the well-being of said dog in giving it a good happy life.

DBB

As the op had a similar thread here some months ago, I'm awaiting clarification from them on this thread. Until I hear back from them, I'm closing this thread.
Thanks,
DBB

DBB

Thread re-opened.
Can I please ask people not to continue pushing rescue dogs on the op? The point has been made several times now, and efforts made to calm her concerns, but the op has made it clear that they're not looking to rescue a dog.
Thanks,
DBB

sillysmiles

So from your last thread (6 months ish) ago, where did your decision process go? Did you meet any breeders?

You still seem to be interested in makey up breeds.
It's hard to suggest anything without more of a background of what you want, how much time you have to walk etc. And without know what breeds you have already decided are not suitable for your family.

The other thing is that you have mentioned you wanted a low shedding dog because you don't want to increase your workload too much - but you remain adamant that you want a puppy. From what I've read puppies require someone to be home with them during the day, need someone to get up with them during the night for toilet training. So possibly an older pup or going adult dog might be more suited. I'm not trying to discourage you from getting a dog -just trying to raise some questions that you probably have thought about but just in case!

kylith

OP, the problem with Whoodles, Yorkiepoos, Puggles and the like is that they are exclusively bred by people looking to make a quick buck off of the latest fashionable mutt. There are usually few, if any, health checks done and because they're a straight cross there is zero guarantee that they will be X size or have X personality or X sort of coat.

If you are interested in a Wheaten terrier/Poodle mix then why not just get a Wheaten Terrier? It'll be a damn sight easier to find a responsible breeder than it would be for a cross breed pup. If you're not sure about a Wheaten there are a lot of breed selection quizzes online where you can plug in your preferences and it'll give you some breeds that you could consider.

sadie06

I'm going to give a shout out for a miniature schnauzer here, as they tick all your boxes, but please be very careful who you go to. They are fast becoming a puppy farm favourite!

Our guy is adorable, does not shed at all and is great with the kids but his coat is a lot of work!

Robyn_14

sadie06 wrote: »

I'm going to give a shout out for a miniature schnauzer here, as they tick all your boxes, but please be very careful who you go to. They are fast becoming a puppy farm favourite!

Our guy is adorable, does not shed at. all and is great with the kids but his coat is a lot of work!

+1... Our little one has changed our lives since she came along 6 months ago! A dote and such a character...she's like our baby and almost gets the same attention as a human baby would!

jimf

op please be prepared to put a lot of effort into the first 6 months of any puppies life because what you put into this period you will get out for the next 12 plus years

believe me they don't rear themselves attention attention and then some attention is what you must prepare yourself for but on the plus side your kids are a great age for dog ownership

Ms Tootsie

Remember designer puppys bred from two dogs such as the whoodle (Wheaten and Poodle) or the Labradoodle (Lab and Poodle) could end up inheriting common allergies, illnesses and diseases associated with both breeds. It is a huge issue with designer breeds and backyard puppy farmers.

tk123

I'd agree on designer breeds and would echo my suggestion to go to the Dog Expo if you're in Dublin, talk to the breed club/owners who'll be there and just look at all of the different dogs. The only place you should be sourcing a pup from is the breed club - they'll put you in touch with responsible breeders.

sillysmiles

I'm sure other people could comment with more information and certainty but I think (from what I've read on here) to buy a properly bred pup will cost a good few quid. But if you are certain you want a pup, that has not come through a rescue, then that is what is involved.

I'm sure you have already read this, but just in case, please read this link
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056295154

OldNotWIse

Toinie wrote: »

Thank you so much for your advice. Nobody has any allergies, but I have heard horror stories from the rescue shelters and am not sufficiently experienced to bring a troubled dog into the house. I love love love retrievers, but my husband has said an absolute no, which is a rarity.

Rescue dogs are not necessarliy "troubled". Especially if you rehome a pup "purebreds" can be trouble if you dont buy from a reputable breeder. I've seen families devastated when the pup they bought turned out to have parvo/genetic abnormalities and had to be pts. Retrievers are good with kids but they shed like nothing you've ever seen!

tk123

OldNotWIse wrote: »

Retrievers are good with kids but they shed like nothing you've ever seen!

Not if you feed them a good diet and brush them down once or twice a week. Or even better get them in for a swim and brush them down once they're dry - the water loosens the dead hairs.
I have 2 retrievers and the hair they shed is nothing in comparison to relative's jrts!

OldNotWIse

tk123 wrote: »

Not if you feed them a good diet and brush them down once or twice a week. Or even better get them in for a swim and brush them down once they're dry - the water loosens the dead hairs.
I have 2 retrievers and the hair they shed is nothing in comparison to relative's jrts!

Good point. I have a little napoleon myself

eisenberg1

Wheaten terrier without a doubt, very low shed and not much doggy smell, brush 2-3 times a week, and a regular wash, great dogs, but lively and VERY strong, so if you have small kids, you need to watch them as Wheatens are jumpers by nature and will easily knock a child, but lovely, very playful dogs. My guy sleeps lives inside, and they love being part of a family.

If something smaller is required..............Mini Schnauzer, again, non shed/low odour.

Both dogs can spend all night on a couch and not a hair will be left behind.

I would not consider either coat troublesome, clipped twice a year and brush 3 times a week, this has to done to remove dead hair.

kylith

sillysmiles wrote: »

I'm sure other people could comment with more information and certainty but I think (from what I've read on here) to buy a properly bred pup will cost a good few quid. But if you are certain you want a pup, that has not come through a rescue, then that is what is involved.

I'm sure you have already read this, but just in case, please read this link
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056295154

They're worth the money though. Recently a member of my family impulse bought a puppy and within weeks it had cost them hundreds in vet bills and was at death's door. Luckily it pulled through, but it highlights the need for the proper vet care in puppyhood that farm-bred puppies just don't get.

sillysmiles

Kylith, I'm not saying that they aren't. Just that it is just something the OP should be aware of and that if they are not looking at the rescue route that they need to be prepared to spend money.
Basically I'm trying to say it's not a case of liking the idea of a breed and pick up a pup for 60 quid on donedeal. That will lead to "my pup has health problems" threads.

kylith

sillysmiles wrote: »

Kylith, I'm not saying that they aren't. Just that it is just something the OP should be aware of and that if they are not looking at the rescue route that they need to be prepared to spend money.
Basically I'm trying to say it's not a case of liking the idea of a breed and pick up a pup for 60 quid on donedeal. That will lead to "my pup has health problems" threads.

I think we're in 100% agreement on this.

BetterThanThou

<snip>

Posters have already had a Mod warning to stay off the topic of rescue dogs as this is not what the OP wants. Please read the thread carefully before posting again.

eisenberg1

I don't know much about Whoodles, and I would normally run a mile from the designer dogs, the exception being Labradoodles, lovely dogs, which were initially bred as guide dogs for people with allergies...............so NOT your run of the mill cross. But there are a lot of people out there with young/adult dogs which, for whatever reason., cannot look after and would like the dog to go to a good home. Just yesterday I was approached by someone looking for a home for a six month old golden retriever, male, neutered, with kennel, lead and all injections up to date....free, so keep looking.