new dog
- Thread starter LabR@t
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I had no idea there was a differenc till you mentioned it, apparently the husky is smaller and more agile whereas the malamute is larger and tougher since its bred for hauling. Interesting...they look so similar.
Malamute
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did have a dog lived till the impressive age of 18.5 years a sheep dog died about 5 years ago 
Honestly? Get another JRT. I'm not just saying that because I own terriers; I've also trained and worked breeds ranging from American Pit Bull Terriers to Labradors to Rottweilers and GSDs and Border Collies and lurchers.
Your list isn't a great one to be honest. Not only from a health and longevity standpoint, but also considering your circumstances. Some of the suggestions in this thread aren't much better either!
With a young child, and a baby on the way, do you HONESTLY have space and time to provide a decent outlet for a high energy, intensely focused and driven working breed? Huskies and Malamutes are long distance dogs with bags and bags of stamina. A Collie designed to run up hill and down dale for 10 hours a day will soon eat your kitchen, couch and anything else it can find in sheer frustration while you're trying to care for your young family.
How much real experience do you have with dominant, potentially aggressive, ambitious (seeking to climb in the 'pack'/family) dogs? GSDs, Rotties, Dobes etc are great dogs in the right hands (ignoring things like crippled dysplastic hips, overbreeding for the show ring etc in most dogs in the UK); however they're certainly not lap dogs and I would strongly advise on giving them a miss if you're inexperienced with big driven dogs.
Be honest with yourself, you'll only regret it down the line when the kids are screaming, your dog is trying to take charge of the pack, doing wall-of-death because it's only getting an hour exercise a day.... you get the picture.
BTW, for those shouting 'Lab'... Labs are nice dogs on the whole, but don't kid yourself. More Labs bite kids than do Pit Bulls (read up on it). No dog is a toy, or an ornament. They have instincts, drives, personalities. Pick one most suited to your situation not simply your desires.
A JRT is fold-away small, but still a 'big dog' at heart. They're rough and tumble, active and agile, laugh in the face of kennel club-esque ill health and deformity (yes most of the dogs in the UK are deformed and suffer accordingly), and they are still low key and amenable enough to fit around a family, and indeed be a full part of it.
I suggest no matter what, you think long and hard. Don't just get a big drivey dog because you fancy one. The guy who's spent years working police dogs and protection dogs (sport and real-life), search and rescue dogs, farm dogs and hunting dogs has been there, done that, got the T-shirt and seen it all before.
Don't let this put you off, simply have a brew and a good, honest think. Enjoy your new additions, both human and canine
Your list isn't a great one to be honest. Not only from a health and longevity standpoint, but also considering your circumstances. Some of the suggestions in this thread aren't much better either!
With a young child, and a baby on the way, do you HONESTLY have space and time to provide a decent outlet for a high energy, intensely focused and driven working breed? Huskies and Malamutes are long distance dogs with bags and bags of stamina. A Collie designed to run up hill and down dale for 10 hours a day will soon eat your kitchen, couch and anything else it can find in sheer frustration while you're trying to care for your young family.
How much real experience do you have with dominant, potentially aggressive, ambitious (seeking to climb in the 'pack'/family) dogs? GSDs, Rotties, Dobes etc are great dogs in the right hands (ignoring things like crippled dysplastic hips, overbreeding for the show ring etc in most dogs in the UK); however they're certainly not lap dogs and I would strongly advise on giving them a miss if you're inexperienced with big driven dogs.
Be honest with yourself, you'll only regret it down the line when the kids are screaming, your dog is trying to take charge of the pack, doing wall-of-death because it's only getting an hour exercise a day.... you get the picture.
BTW, for those shouting 'Lab'... Labs are nice dogs on the whole, but don't kid yourself. More Labs bite kids than do Pit Bulls (read up on it). No dog is a toy, or an ornament. They have instincts, drives, personalities. Pick one most suited to your situation not simply your desires.
A JRT is fold-away small, but still a 'big dog' at heart. They're rough and tumble, active and agile, laugh in the face of kennel club-esque ill health and deformity (yes most of the dogs in the UK are deformed and suffer accordingly), and they are still low key and amenable enough to fit around a family, and indeed be a full part of it.
I suggest no matter what, you think long and hard. Don't just get a big drivey dog because you fancy one. The guy who's spent years working police dogs and protection dogs (sport and real-life), search and rescue dogs, farm dogs and hunting dogs has been there, done that, got the T-shirt and seen it all before.
Don't let this put you off, simply have a brew and a good, honest think. Enjoy your new additions, both human and canine
If you are the kind of owner that can have 2 Jack Russell's around kids without them biting/Nipping the kid then you are the kind of owner that will bring Any dog up properly, Kudos to you Sir.
If it was me I would get 2 Black Labs.
Proper workers though from good stock, None of that Scatty pet rubbish.
If it was me I would get 2 Black Labs.
Proper workers though from good stock, None of that Scatty pet rubbish.
Soldato
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Er.. what a load of crap..
So if I dont look after my pedigree dogs teeth and he has to have some dental work done its going to cost me more than if I had a cross breed dog.. How on earth did you come up with that.Edit: Also there is no reason why you shouldnt get a Rotty. I know of 2 that have been brought up with children and are superb with them. Very trusting and keep the children safe. Its all about how the owner trains them not the dog itself.
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Er.. what a load of crap..
Don't get too involved dude, he was spouting that crap in one of the other dog threads about how mongrals were easier to train.
KaHn
Soldato
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Ok ...thanks for the warning. I was about to go off on one. lol
This is the one to get as I say a English Mastif
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/gallery/120707?pg=17
I would love a dog just like that.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/gallery/120707?pg=17
I would love a dog just like that.
Caporegime
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Soldato
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We've owned a rescued German Shepherd since she was about 6 months old. From the age of three she's had to put up with my nephew, and has been absolutely brilliant with him. When he was first brought home from the hospital after being born, she'd sleep under his Moses basket and cot guarding him. When he was learning to walk he'd pull himself up by grabbing her collar, handfuls of fur or her ears, and she never batted an eyelid, and now that he's approaching four years old, she guards him when he plays in the garden, and puts up with him grabbing her tail, nicking her ball off her etc. without ever showing any aggression.
A brilliant dog for kids in my experience. The only people who needed fear her were the group of lads who tried to break in to the house a few years ago.
A brilliant dog for kids in my experience. The only people who needed fear her were the group of lads who tried to break in to the house a few years ago.
Rainmaker has the best advise here; think long and hard as pups are a lot more work than older dogs.
Just to add my biased view
I've been around Boxers for 50 years and would recommend 'em as a family pet. When my sons were small, they used to give our Boxer bitch some real rough and tumble, riding on her back and twisting her ears like a motorcycle etc: she just ambled off when she'd had enough. They are willful and boisterous when younger though, so make sure you have time to train and play, if that's what you decide.
There are a few Boxer owners on here including Gilly and I'm sure that they all would agree with what I've said above.
Here's my Tilly, aged around 3 I think: she's nearly eleven now, with a lot more gray and an arthritic rear knee but still ok.
A couple showing her with my neighbour's 2.5 year old daughter. They were very protective parents but once they had met doggo, Tilly and Sofia were inseparable.
As a side note, the father was Greek, the Mother was Italian, living in England, and at that age, Sofia could hold a reasonable conversation in all three languages.
And this one is Tilly with 2 young rescue boxers (George and Max) all sharing her bed within a few days of arriving.
Just to add my biased view
I've been around Boxers for 50 years and would recommend 'em as a family pet. When my sons were small, they used to give our Boxer bitch some real rough and tumble, riding on her back and twisting her ears like a motorcycle etc: she just ambled off when she'd had enough. They are willful and boisterous when younger though, so make sure you have time to train and play, if that's what you decide.There are a few Boxer owners on here including Gilly and I'm sure that they all would agree with what I've said above.
Here's my Tilly, aged around 3 I think: she's nearly eleven now, with a lot more gray and an arthritic rear knee but still ok.
A couple showing her with my neighbour's 2.5 year old daughter. They were very protective parents but once they had met doggo, Tilly and Sofia were inseparable.
As a side note, the father was Greek, the Mother was Italian, living in England, and at that age, Sofia could hold a reasonable conversation in all three languages.
And this one is Tilly with 2 young rescue boxers (George and Max) all sharing her bed within a few days of arriving.