What made you choose the breed of dog you have now & did you do any research on the breed before buying/adopting your dog or did you buy or adopted on impulse ? There are 100's of books out there on every single breed of dog, including mongrels & "designer breeds" Did you read any books on your breed if so did you find them useful or did you find them some what misleading ? Did you contact several breeders or specific breed rescue home to find info about your breed of dog. Finally did you choose your puppy/dog or did your puppy/dog choose you.
our neighbors at the place we used to live at a fermale dachshund that would always come up our front stairs to visit. karren fell in love with her and wanted her own dachsie, so after a lot of online reading and looking for a reputable breeder we got brena. it was VERY hard to find dachshund puppies, we don't know why.
The rescues I've had - usually dogs unwanted by neighbours - have always been impulse. (two cocker spaniels, a lurcher and a terrier). Up until now, the dogs I have bought have been breeds I know well and researched thoroughly (border collies and poodles). I did read books but don't think they taught me anything I didn't know. I originally chose those breeds because I was into Obedience Training and I find them easiest to train. However, the puppy I will be collecting next week is, I have to admit, an impulse buy. I was upset at losing my terrier and foolishly went to look at a litter of chihuahuas, and inevitably booked one. So had to start my research on the breed after choosing the puppy,and not before. I have usually chosen the puppy. The one puppy I didn't choose was my border collie Blodwen, because she was the only one of the litter not already booked. She was the one you're not supposed to choose, hanging back instead of running up to me like all the others. In the end, she turned out to be the best dog I have ever had.
I'd wanted a Dobermann since I was 10 and finally got my first when I was 49, so yes I had researched them, knew exactly what to expect and started my search for a puppy. I met a few breeders before deciding on the one. We picked Syd up on our way back from honeymoon and never looked back, he was a dream to own. We bought Rio as a pup about 9 months later and they became the dream team. Milan ou third was a private rehome with issues, she was 8 months old and had already had 4 homes. We did get her on an impulse but I tend to make snap decisions anyway but always stand by them. She's now seven and the only Dobermann we have left after losing the other two to cancer. My staffie I took in when my son's relationship broke down, I didn't do any research but he wasn't going anywhere but here. I did have experience of dealing with my friends dog aggressive staffie so knew only too well what might happen and in fact Diesel is the complete opposite. My terrier is another private rehome with issues, I'd had terrier experience before and missed having an oike about the house. The Pugs were researched to death because I was so intent on finding fully health tested fit for purpose dogs. We were converted to Pugs when my youngest son's girlfriend roped me in at the last minute to do doggy daycare for her Pug puppy when her mum decided she couldn't cope after one day. We had her everyday for 6 months and decided we wanted one of our own, it took two years before Tucson came home. Followed by Phoenix about 18 months later and Teddy was a private rehome who came home in December aged 7 months yet again on a bit of a whim. I found books on Pugs didn't tell me anything I didn't already know tbh. I chose them all I guess because if I hadn't been happy with any aspect of taking any of them on I would have walked away. I always have my sensible head on when it comes to making those kind of decisions.
Yes did a couple of years research on the Portuguese Water Dog, but none of it realy prepared me for the reality
I wanted a 'fit and healthy' breed, and looked at a few breeds but settled on the Presa due to them being an agile, fit dog. Unfortunately I was a bit wet behind the ears and didn't realise that choosing a breed is only half of it! Rocky was inbred (I didn't even realise till years later! ) and he suffered a number of ailments - epilepsy, cruciate problems, and later, cancer. Tho it's difficult to say that was down to breeding, who knows? You also don't think about the implications of owning some breeds - I quickly realised that some people would be quick to blame a 'large bull breed' if anything happened, and that made me somewhat over-cautious and over protective. I think next time I will get an easier breed from a breeder dedicated to improving health
I have always had large breeds Rottweiler's, Doberman's & GSD's as both sets of my Grandparents & my Uncle & Aunty had them so knew everything about these breeds, however it took me very long time to choose the perfect small dog. I had shortlist of Chihuahua's, true KC spec Staffies, Border Terrier's & JRT's, I read some JRT's books but they were not very helpful as they said not suitable to live with cats small animals or birds I already had 2 cats & 2 parrots, I also wanted to know if they could be train as system alert dogs, so I contacted several breeders all said JRT's can live with cats, small animals & birds, they also told me as JRT's use their noses when in underground they make ideal system alert dogs, big tick for this breed, I then I contacted several Chihuahua breeders & decided these little dogs were not the idea dog for me. Before I could contact the Border terrier breeders I had phone calls telling me 4 of the breeders I contacted about JRT's have puppies, unfortunately all pups had their tails docked I was looking for puppy with a tail, but one of them gave me another breeders name saying he had 2 JRT's who are 12 weeks old both have tails, I phoned up breeder & went straight there to look at the 2 puppies, one was black white & the other one was brown white, I sat on the floor & the brown white one came to me & when I picked him up he sniffed around my mouth, that's when I decided this puppy was the one I was going to have. That's how I ended up with my little puppy K9 & the little black white one my brother had he called him Bracken (Bracken is a little sod so am glad I had K9) With Skye it was easier the breeder I went to only had 1 female & that was Skye.
In my breed showing days I researched the breeds I chose, and as far as possible their bloodlines too. Since having rescues, like Janet, they have been just picked on impulse. Mia, Lurcher, was a starvation case. Tweed had lived on the street, and actually loved life at the dogs home. As I had started doing Obedience - originally because of behavioural issues - I decided to have a small Border Collie or Sprollie next. I was still looking when I met Little Ed, who had had so much upheaval in his short life, and for better or worse he came to stay. I had never wanted a Beagle, but he has become the funniest, cleverest dog I've ever owned. I really think he found me. I'm hooked!
1964 I walked into the kennel yard (show kennel of Lakies and Airedales) ane there was a little grey dog with a white beard in a kennel on route to a show with his handler. I was absolutely smitten and vowed to have one of those little dogs one day.I had never heard of Schnauzers at that time. A few weeks later the kennel manager gave me a Miniatue Schnauzer puppy 'Bunny'. She had been booked to go out to a show kennel in South Africa but wasn't deemed to be good enough so she came to me . I had her until she was 16 and have had Mini's ever since.
Total impulse. Was there when she was born but was adament i wasnt having one. Phoebe was still there at 10 weeks old when my brother told me somebody was on their way to collect her. Without even thinking about what i was doing i picked her up and put her in my car. Drove to pets at home and bought everything i need including a book on bullmastiffs. Ild only ever seen 2 before and that was phoebes mum and dad. Never had a dog of my own always family dogs so didnt have a clue what i was doing. My hubby went nuts when i walked in with this nutty little bundle. She has put me through my paces and all future dogs will have phoebe to thank for how good their lives will be as she has definatly given me an education.
Apart from Sabrina my Pyrenean Mountain Dog, all the dogs I've owned have been given to me as puppies. After being dogless for several years when I came to live in Hungary I decided this time I was going to have a breed of my own choice. I'd alway wanted a Boxer and with the help of my Hungarian neighbour,I set about tryng to find a suitable breeder. which I finally did. Sadly the mother dog took ill and.died before the puppies were born and I was back to square one. Shortly afterwards my neighbour called at my house to say she'd heard of another local breeder who had two eight week old Boxer puppies for sale. Off we went in the car to look at them, only to find when we arrived they weren't Boxers at all but Shar-Pei, a breed I'd never heard of! I told the breeder I wasn't interested but as I never seen a Shar-Pei before, could I look at them. What a fatal mistake! As soon as she put the puppy (which weighed a ton) into my arms that was it .... I said I'd buy her! When we got home I put my sleeping bundle of joy on the carpet and for the first time had a good look at what I'd bought. I was horrified ... she looked like a baby hippo dressed in an oversized fur coat .... I'd never seen such an ugly dog in my my life! Whilst I was sitting staring at her my son phoned to see how I was. I told him his mother had gone quite gaga and had a furry monster in her living room that she was just about to take back to the breeder because there was NO WAY I could love anything that UGLY! As usual he persuaded me otherwise and I kept her .... I'm so pleased I did because it was the beginning of the most passionate love affair with Shar-Pei. When M'boi died I never considered having another breed and now of course I have Georgina who's the love of my life!
If I was still living at Newheaven in the Derbyshire Dales, I would of had around 20-30 dogs by now, all would of been adopted on impulse from the rescue home I work at, has I had 26 acreas of land, lived in an large 12 bedroom coaching inn (was called The Newheaven Hotel) but I am glad I now live in a 4 bedroom house with only 250 foot back garden, because it as stopped me from adopting on impulse, plus having 6 JRT's & hopefully another GSD is just enough dogs for the size of my home & garden.
Mum used to breed and show GSD’s so I was born into them, i was smitten and have never been without one in my life since. I learned about the breed through mum and attending shows/training classes from a young age, then I started going to seminars and obedience courses as I was also interested in competitive obedience. I did buy couple of books but that was for competitive obedience. Though I admired many, I wasn’t really interested in any other breed, but then in the 80’s though not many around I saw and fell in love with the Akita, did some research and spoke to and visited the reputable breeders at that time, and got our first one Kaz, 2 years later we got Scott, but I still had a GSD.
I wanted to own a GSD for as long as I can remember. My love for the breed was further fueled by the books of the author Joyce Stranger (both her fiction and non-fiction). I wasn't in a position to get a dog of my own until I was in my mid twenties and by then I had been researching for a looooong time
I'll answer with Cash puppy in mind What made you choose the breed of dog you have now & did you do any research on the breed before buying/adopting your dog or did you buy or adopted on impulse ? - Temperament was my first priority. I was looking for specific traits and qualities really which did help narrow my list down. But when I stumbled upon the Hovawart everything just seemed to "click". Researched extensively!! There are 100's of books out there on every single breed of dog, including mongrels & "designer breeds" Did you read any books on your breed if so did you find them useful or did you find them some what misleading ? - I read one book which was mostly what I had read online beforehand anyway. Did you contact several breeders or specific breed rescue home to find info about your breed of dog. - I contacted about three breeders maybe, but always knew which breeder I was desperate for a puppy from and would be first choice. The other two breeders I contacted gave me some excellent general advice on the breed. Finally did you choose your puppy/dog or did your puppy/dog choose you - Well seen as I've never actually met my puppy yet I've been the one choosing.
