Question - Looking for a dog?

[Brian Feist]

I thought that I would ask the group for some help...



Two weeks ago, I had to put our 15 year old Springer Spaniel down. My wife and I got her two weeks after we got married. She was a real friend and we miss her a lot. In fact, I think I am the worst off in the house for missing her. I know that she can never really be replaced but I want to get another dog. Here is where I am asking for help/information/suggestions.



I would perfer to get another Springer. However, what few breeders that have them around me want a ton of cash. I don't need a show dog or champion blood lines, I just want a dog with a similar disposition. I have started looking at the "Rescue" pages for Springers and Brittanys. Anyone have any history or experience withgetting a "rescued" dog?

I have been offered a 3 year old neutered male Brittany for $200. I got this info from a breeder that originally sold the dog. The people must get rid of it because they are expecting a fifth child and don't have the room. Is this a good deal? Has anyone ever taken in an older animal? Do Brittany's have similar dispositions to Springers?

Lastly, if anyone has knowledge of a similar dog in need of a good home, let me know. I am willing to travel a little to get it.



Thanks



Brian

 

[Rich Stern]

Brian, we've adopted two Weimaraners. The first was a seven year old female. She was with us for five wonderful years. A terrific, gentle dog. Two years ago, we adopted our current dog, Hunter. He's a four year old male. He was a tougher adjustment, a little more aggressive, tried to assert himself more. He always looks at my wife with adoring eyes, and kinda looks at me like "Hey, is it time for you to feed me yet?" He's a good dog. We've grown to love him.



Adult dogs come with habits, good or bad, that can be tough to change. Hunter is obedient in many ways, but has a couple of scenarios where he gets out of control, clearly a holdover from his previous owner's teachings. The good news is you get to bypass all of the hard parts about raising a puppy...housebreaking, chewing, puppy training. Sometimes those early days are fun, but they are a lot of work. If I do it again, will would adopt another grown dog.



The best scenario for adoption is if you know the dog's history. Also, if you have youngsters in the house, you need to watch your new adult dog carefully to make sure the appropriate bonds develop before trusting them alone together. It took me a few months to get comfortable letting Hunter be alone around my (then) four year old. Now I know I can trust him not only to do no harm, but to protect as well.



I've only met one Brittany, and she was pretty wild, very engergetic, but a nice dog. Some spaniels are not great with kids, but it seems to vary a bit with the specific type of spaniel.



Let us know how it works out.

 

[Brian Feist]

Thanks Rich. My kids are 11 and 9 and are around animals all the time. I'll keep you posted...



Any others out there with comments?

 

[JEFF WHITE]

we went to the pound(humane society) and got a collie-shepard mix.she was already house broke,someone got the dog and had to move,and couldnt keep her.she is good with kids,my 11 yr old son and friends she is very protective of them,including the wife.she has a slight attitude with me if i come home from work and dont pet her.but she is a great dog,for $65.i wouldnt trade her for anything.



brother has a purebreed black lab that he got when she was 6 weeks old.paid over $300 for her.she is well trained,minds a few people in the family,unfortunately the wife isnt one of them! she is leash trained,and we let her off the leash on certain occasions.at 7 yrs old she still is playfull as a puppy.the only problem with the lab is the ears.the same as dobermans,and they also have hip problems also.the previous dog we had had the hip and ear problems.but she was part doberman-rothweiler.she was very well minded,listened to a few people,liked kids.she died at 13 yrs old.were not sure what of,we burried her in the back yard under a tree she liked.

 

[fatrap]

Brian

I have two Vizslas and wouldn't trade their hunting abilities for anything. They are pointing dogs, some people like flushing dogs. Depends on what you hunt, what you like. My dogs are HIGH ENERGY dogs they need their exercise daily, but WOW to watch them hunt!!!! They also live in the house with me.

Rich is right an adult dog can come with a lot of baggage. Most of it hidden. I would never take a hunting dog with the express purpose of hunting without ever seeing it hunt. I have quite a bit of experience training and hunting with dogs of various breeds. Take an adult dog on someones word that it is a good hunter and you may well end up with a pet, period. This is not bad if you want just a pet. TAKE THESE WORDS TO HART. Unfortunately I have seen too many bad endings with someone trying to teach a rescue dog to hunt. More bad endings than good.

The Britney may be a good deal. Ask to see it work birds. How many times has it been hunted? How does it react to gunshots. How does it react to your wife and kids? Then if you decide to take it have the trainer/owner write down the commands he/she uses to work the dog. Then I'd start training as if it were a puppy. The basics yard work,then basic field training.(whoa, steady to shot, backing etc. Then on to birds. Ther is No repeat No shortcuts to a good dog.

fatrap

 

[BARRY PURDY]

Six months ago , my wife and I decided we wanted a dog, so the search was on. to make a long story short, we found a guy who said he wanted to get rid of some pups so i checked them out. I love animals and i thought i would cry when i saw them. they were in a small pen and looked sick. needless to say, i took both of them home. well the vet then home. they are mixed small dogs. they would have certainly died if i would not have. i believe they know it too because they are the most loving dogs i have ever seen. not only towards me but towards each other. I have a bond with those two that i don't think i could have got with any others. we are going to have to take the smallest dogs eye out im afraid due to the lack of attention the previous owner showed. doesn't matter , he doesn't need but one to lay in my lap. whatever you do or whatever falls in your lap, i am sure you will be happy with your new best friend

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Rich, you are my hero!! My wife and I have a Weimaraner that we got 9 years ago. We also have a "Heinz 57" that is 17. The old dog is about at the end of her rope and I don't predict too many more moons for her. When she goes my wife is talking to a breeder about a female Wimey that she may have bred in the future. I would never own another breed...Totally loyal (he even follows me into the bathroom) can point, can track, loves to retrieve (both water and land) gentle with my daughter and I pity the fool that tries to get into my house if I am not home. So....in the future if any one is looking for a Weimaraner pup give me a shout.



TOXIC

ps. He takes after his master and snores and has terrible TOXIC blasts!!

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Brian, britts are awesome dogs and one of the best for pets. They have great dispositions and temperament. Stay away from the high energy dogs if you want them inside as fatrap said. Irish setters, english pointers or most pointers, german ANYTHING! LOL Another fantastic dog to have around kids is a golden retriever. As a kid I had 2 and they were fantastic. The mildest mannered dog I have ever seen and very intelligent. They bond to kids quickly and are very protective when needbe! Good luck, you'll find the right dog. I know what it's like losing one, it's like losing one of the family, because they are.

 

[Rich Stern]

TOXIC...very cool!



Here's Hunter:

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Rich,



BEAUTIFUL dog, don't ya just love em'!! Hunter looks a LOT like my dog, more houndy and not oversized like a lot of the males. I went through the "breeder" system before throwing my hands up and looking at a private party. Unfortunatly one of the top Weimy breeders and the chairman of the national standards committee lives nearby (Rotterelm Kennels)and she put us through our paces, 5 interviews before she would even let us talk to a breeder who had pups, a co-ownership agreement where she could require shows and trials for the dog, and on, and on. We finally said ENOUGH and went to a private breeder. Like I said Nero is now pushing 9 and would rather spend the rest of his days sunning on the back deck of the boat rather than hunting. My ONLY complaint.....we have had a terrible time with his ears. No vet has been able to get rid of these pesky ear mites and subsequent infection. We have tried everything. Went the antibiotics route to the tune of $100.00 per month for 6 months and he was great while on them but as soon as you stop, they come back. We are looking at getting the new pup in June IF the old girl gives up the ghost by then. And even at 9, my wife took him out for a walk yesterday and a stray Rottie-Shepard mix came after her teeth bared and growling and the old man got between her and the mix and made it perfectly clear that it would have to go through him to get at my wife. The other dog wisely backed down. I don't know what I'll do when his day comes (as for the old dog....I've already got the hole dug... but that's another story).



TOXIC

 

[C C]

Rich, what a hansome dog he is picture perfect. After much deliberation (a year) we decided to get a dog for our 4 cats to play with. So far it seems to be going well. The little fella, (all 3.15lbs of him) is now 10 weeks old and he loves all of his play toys, which include the cats.



Cass

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Uh.... Cass.....we're talking hunting dogs here and you go and post a picture of a lap rat....really though, love the pic., but if that were my Weimy, that cat would be headless....LOL Just kiddin with ya' (a cat opened a big can of whoop on him a couple of years ago). There's a dog out there for everyone our old dog is a ****zu cross (lose the zu part), and is my wife's prized possession (I say it's a cross between a squirrel and a hampster). LOL



TOXIC

 

[Steven Atwell]

I have always loved big dogs, but an old girlfriend turned me on to chihuahuas....no kidding. I love those little squirts. There's not a more loyal dog. Anyway, back to your normally scheduled posting....................sa

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

sa,



True story.....Did you know that Doctors used to prescribe chihuauauauhuuuuas, for kids that had asthsma....A lady I work with had it happen. After a short time, the dog develops asthsma and the child loses theirs. I've known 2 families that has happened to. Weird huh??



TOXIC

 

[Rob LaMoy]

The bird dog freak of nature!

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Notice what he's done to my lawn. BAD dog! Only time he goes IN his house is when it rains! He sleeps in the dirt or perches upon his house to get a "birds" eye view of everything.

 

[Steven Atwell]

Uh yeah, very weird, I'd hafta see it to believe it...........sa

 

[Rob LaMoy]

I've heard of dogs that can tell when their master is about to have a seizure. Other dogs can sniff out cancer! Saw it on one of those medical shows. True stuff. Go figure. Dogs and cats keep you healthy period. Mostly because they reduce stress and blood pressure. Unless your dog like mine tears up lawns and gets into garbage, then they might increase stress!

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Rob,



I just put a call into the "Pet Psyhic" and she is on her way over to your house to interview your dog and report back all of the poor treatment he has received. Maybe she can even turn up a past life where he was a game bird.....oh the guilt....you should be ashamed......



TOXIC

 

[Rich Stern]

TOXIC, I hear ya on the ear problems. Hunter gets it, too. We (well, Jeanne, actually) have to clean his ears constantly, or he will flap them until the very tips bleed, and then start to spary blood droplets everywhere...walls, carpet, doors, windows.



CC, very cute photo! Very tolerant cat!



Rob...does Zeke come from a circus?

 

[Rob LaMoy]

My dog has it better than most people! He gets fed premium food and tons of table scraps. Goes to the vet more than I go to the DR, sleeps inside on a dog bed. Has his own crate for truck rides, gets to play all day when he isn't working and has somebody to pick up all his messes. I take very good care of my dogs. They get treats, baths, tooth cleaning, nail trimming. In the field he gets water whenever he needs it. It's a bad thing to dehydrate a dog in the field. We play fetch until I'm usually exhausted! He never gives in! So tell your "physic" (sp??) friend good luck! Zeke will tell her, "I got this guy wrapped around my little claw. All I do is have fun running in the woods and point at those stupid lil birdies a couple days a week, fetch 'em when they drop and he feeds me, bathes me, takes me to the vet (that I DON'T like), studs me (that I DO like!hehehehe), takes me to the lake and we play fetch. I think he likes that most. I like to run. I sleep inside and the missuz always slips me meat bones when he isn't looking! I could do a lot worse! And those kids crack me up! "wook dogggeeeee" says the lil one and then she kisses me on my nose....not so bad! I kind of like it here!

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Zeke had ear mites when I got him. Had to use the drops for 6 weeks and clean them out every night. That did the trick but I've heard of the antibiotic treatment as a last resort. I've always heard it's very effective. Dogs with long hanging ears are very prone to have ear mites. Now I only have to clean Zeke's ears once every other month with peroxide.

Rich, no he's not from the circus.......he's from Canada! LOL Just across the border from a reputable breeder. And we both have the same birthday. When he was whelped on my birthday, then I knew it was fate!

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Yeah, the mites are a royal pain. Had him out for an operation and the vet went in there and REALLY deep cleaned out his ears and put him on the meds and as soon as we stopped BAM!! They were back. Vet said it could be thousands to get completly cleared up, so we just do a twice a week cleaning (more often if they get bad) and he is OK. Scratched and shakes but no blood or raw ears. I feel for him, it's got to be torture.



TOXIC

 

[fatrap]

I want to see if my dog's pictures came through. So this is a test