Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Future Addition Question - Breed Types/Crosses and Training Resources
-
05-09-2014 6:17pm#1So, just on day two without Shadow and our lives are absolutely miserable. I don't know if any of you will get this, but the misery and sadness is on two levels. One is where Shadow isn't here, and the other is the distinct lack of dog. Although myself and Mr.Bear have only been together 3 years, we both find ourself in the same situation - we have never, ever not had a dog. Not only is it difficult to get on with things knowing I'll never see my Shadow again, it's also very difficult being constantly reminded of it every time I can't do a doggie related thing I normally do every day (eg walking, grooming, going out to the garden etc).
It's too soon for us to rehome, so we offered our services as a foster family for a rescue I've worked with before. We both feel that it means we are helping a dog in need, but there is no pressure on us to "bond" with another dog, simply to care for it, love it, and help it find a new forever home. The decision alone has helped us immensely and we're hoping to start next weekend
But, when we are ready to add a doggie friend, we both agree that it must be a puppy (under 6 months). This will be an adopted dog (be it one we come across in fostering, or one we find in a rescue), but we have a few reasons for wanting to stay young:- After losing a dog, we both want one that is starting its life with us, we're not ready to take on an older dog (YET) that could put us in the position of having to do this again soon.
- We are new parents, and still learning to care for Abigail, so we want a dog that has no preconceived notions about children so that they can learn from us and our baby.
- We have made a list of requirements for a new addition and agree that it would be next to impossible to find a dog to meet them all unless we train them ourselves, and find that it would be easier again with a younger dog.
We do plan, absolutely, to add more than one dog to our family (something that was never an option with Shadow), so that is when we plan to consider older dogs (just in case people who don't know us jump to that suggestion). But we do need this first one to be a pup.
I'd love if any of you could pass on suggestions of breeds or breed mixes that you have found eager learners (we would love a dog that could learn plenty of tricks and perhaps do agility with), very affectionate but not likely to be a one-person dog (Shadow bonded to my partner and tended to get a bit jealous of us and disobedient towards me as a result) and preferably of at least medium size (we prefer bigger doggies
). Energy levels and grooming/shedding are of no concern to us 
We don't want any high prey-drive doggies due to other pets in the home and in family homes!
Also with that, if any of you could point me in the direction of some links for puppy training, mainly crate/playpen, that would be great. I want preparation coming out of my ears by the time we decide to adopt!0
Comments
-
-
I would suggest some kind of Collie - Labrador mix.
They are (usually) clever, mild mannered, energetic enough to actually want to learn, a handy size and there are plenty (too many!) of them about so that rescueing one won't be hard either.
Shadow himself was a collie cross, so they definitely are eager learners, I suppose a collie crossed with something different would be nice, I wouldn't want him/her to look too much like Shadow! 0 -
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
My rescue puppy ( she was 1 years old last month) Alli is a a collie X springer, she has a more collie appearance. She is like a shadow! She follows me everywhere, has to lie on or touching my feet if she's on the floor, she's rubbish at playing fetch/football (she barks at the toy/stick without actually going for it) and scared of cats, barks at birds but runs away if they land in the garden but she's also the cuddliest dog I've ever owned
she's a bit smaller than a springer, she just looks big in pictures and is great at selfies
She is so intelligent! Her foster mum had to buy a lock for the garden gate as Alli was able to pull over the latch and get out at 4 months old! Sooo my point is collies or crosses are great pets, Alli gets on great with my neighbours 3 year old daughter. It's always hard to bring another dog into your life after one has passed away, we waited 6 months after my labrador Frankie passed away to get Alli.0 -
-
Advertisement
-
Totally agree. They are so soft/sensitive their spirit can be easily broken and they can easily become wary of particular things. Does come to mind that ever GSD I've worked with has been brought up as a puppy in the same household and they are all wonderful.
I have two rescued GSDs, both rescued as adults. They're not only working dogs (trained since I got them, as opposed to trained already when adopted), they are super-gentle, absolutely reliable with children, and would be bombproof in any home. The newest one has some bad habits due to lack of early training, but being a GSD, she picks up the training by using osmosis to draw my training ideas out of my head, without me having to do any actual training at all!:D
You've just gotta know what to look for when you go down the rescue route, because there are some absolute peaches of GSDs out there for adopting 0 -
I have two rescued GSDs, both rescued as adults. They're not only working dogs (trained since I got them, as opposed to trained already when adopted), they are super-gentle, absolutely reliable with children, and would be bombproof in any home. The newest one has some bad habits due to lack of early training, but being a GSD, she picks up the training by using osmosis to draw my training ideas out of my head, without me having to do any actual training at all!:D
You've just gotta know what to look for when you go down the rescue route, because there are some absolute peaches of GSDs out there for adopting
I actually spotted some GSD Malamute cross pups in a Louth rescue DBB but I imagine they'd be big enough to ride to work on!
In the in-laws house and we popped over to the grave to have a chat with Shadow, and having Kojack here to cuddle really lifted my spirits 0 -
-
Firstly, im very sorry to hear about Shadow! We all know its very hard to move on. I do think fostering is a great idea but be warned, you do fall in love with the foster dogs very quickly! I was minding my friends dog for only 2.5 weeks until they found a replacement home....and we ended up keeping her ourselves because she completely grew on us. So a heads up, you WILL develop feelings for the foster dog and it may be hard to let it go so just be prepared for that! But its a fantastic thing to do for a dog to start off its new life and I would say well done to anyone who fosters!
In terms of breeds, we had Tibetan terriers growing up (along with kids, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits etc) and they were fantastic dogs!
I fostered for this rescue before, so I'm well prepared for the heart-wrenching goodbyes 0 -
Advertisement