Dogs (the animal, not the team!)

[innsaneink]

I have two border collies they are really good and are great with kids. If I had my way when my wife and I first wanted dogs I would have taken my two greyhounds that had finished racing.

Despite their looks and peoples perceptions, greyhounds are beautiful dogs. Extremely lazy (although like all dogs require regular walking), little maintenance and are great with kids. Just don't let the cat or Jack Russell wander past as some greyhounds will pounce!

Adopt a greyhound through the Adopt a greyhound program they have been re educated and they are great pets. My next one will be one of the old mans retired racers.

Just remember you still have too pick up poo!

I know the OP didn;t ask about Greys but I have to agree with Properossi. I've fostered a few and have two high speed lounge lizards now. Very low maintenance and absolutely bulletproof with children. Mine live with three cats and one spends his entire day inside with the three cats when I'm at work.
Unless you've actually had something to do with greyhounds then everything you believe about them is probably wrong :slight_smile:

Just out of interest the first one is black and white and called Tommy after the great Tommy Raudonikis

Do they eat much and would it be OK for them to be outside most of the time?
Been thinking of getting a dog once again too…am not averse to walking it ( as most of my recent neighbours seem to have been cruelly to their dogs - they go stir crazy and bark at butterflys etc....) but occasionally I will work back or mightnt get the chance to walk it daily.

 

[Suzie-Q]

Can I suggest adopting a dog? These guys are just 1 organisation out there trying to save dogs

https://www.facebook.com/PoundRoundsAustralia

We had a Dobermann from 6 weeks and when she was 2 we got a dalmatian rescue who was 14 months. They were best friends for the next 9 1/2 years, till Jedda - the Dobey - just went to sleep.

I now have a toy poodle who has a lot of issues, and is sadly on her way out. She can't have any more surgeries on her bladder, and the stones have returned.

I've had all sorts of dogs from Dobeys to miniature Sydney Silkies, to Bitzas and everything in between, and i can tell you that the 3 dogs who gave the most love, the most loyalty and were the happiest to be around, were the 3 rescues, 1 of whom had been severely abused and then dumped. She was something else … beautiful girl.

As for kids, i have never had a problem with any dog and my kids. Of course, never leave them alone, but if you have the dog first, always treat them the same as you did before the kids come along. If the dog sleeps in your bedroom, then if you chuck him out when the baby comes along, of course he's going to have issues with the baby. Teach your kids to respect the dog and teach the dog that ALL humans are higher up the food chain than them, and you will have no worries.

Good luck!

Ink, there are some Greys on the poundRounds site waiting to be adopted - beautiful dogs they are.

 

[softlaw]

Ink - The first one we got (Tommy) was outside by himself during the day 5 days a week for most of the first couple of years we had him while we were at work & then an inside dog overnight and when we were at home. He got a 20-30 minute walk 2 to 4 times a week. Didn;t bark or carry on at all and spent most of the time during the day on the old couch out the back. He was about 2 or 3 then and was apparently an ex-racer (we can;t confirm that as his ear tatts are unreadable). He's now 8 or 9 and lives inside even while we're at work (his bladder is so much stronger than mine it's not funny!). A couple of times a week he goes into the yard and runs around like an absolute idiot for 2 or 3 minutes and that's his exercise for the week. (but when a greyhound runs it really is exercise and really is a beautiful sight)
Our other Grey Nissa, is an outside dog when we're at work. By herself for the last year or so as Tommy became an inside dog. We've recently got a Borzoi puppy (another sighthound) for company outside for her and they have a ball together. She's ~3 and if there wasn;t an acre or so of yard to run around in she'd need a walk most days. She also barks a bit at dusk but that's mainly talking to local livestock. In a suburban yard I don;t think she would.
Tommy's a big greyhound, ~37kgs and eats ~4 cups of biscuits a day, Nissa's ~25k's and eats roughly the same.
Having fostered and had greys for a while I think they're fantastic pets and deserving of a spot on someone's couch. But I am a bit biased :wink:
If you (or anyone) wants more info about adopting them etc PM me.

edit - Noting Suzie-Q's post, agreed completely! Generally if you get a Grey it's from a trainer who doesn;t want the dog anymore because it's not fast enough to pay for it's food or it's from a rescue organisation who got it from a trainer.
& if you don't get a Grey then adopting a dog of any sort from any one of the many many rescue organisations is a great thing to do!

 

[softlaw]

http://www.greyhoundsafetynet.org/aboutgreyhounds.htm

 

[innsaneink]

Thnx for the info and links softy & suz

I found these sites on the adopt a grey service - interesting.
http://www.gapnsw.org.au/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
http://www.adopt-a-greyhound.org/index.shtml (has an aus link)

 

[pedro]

Cocker spaniels are also good. Ours is great with our 2 year old, loyal and easily trained.
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[jais_tigez]

The father in law has a border collie and he is an awesome dog. He is gettin on a bit and havin a few dramas with epilepsy also I believe but he is a really loyal, intelligent dog. Personally I have owned a few different breeds but the best dog I have ever owned is an American staffy. As everyone knows they get a lot of bad press but IMO it Is the way they are brought up that determines how they will turn out. I recently did an agility course with my dog and the head trainer told me the number 1 dog in terms of attacking people is actually border collies, but you only hear about the staffys because they do more damage. My dog has known its place in the food chain since the day I got her and I have never had a drama with her, my young fella wrestles with her all the time and not once has she ever looked like turning on him
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[king_sirro]

I grew up with a Border Collie. Was an amazing dog. Would sleep in bed with me a lot or on the lounge, drove my mum mad. He would jump the fence and take himself for his own walk, go down the butchers and bring back huge bones. The first time i saw him strolling up the street with a bone half his size out of his mouth was hilarious. He became a bit of a celebrity of the area, would find so many people say "hi Sam" and i didnt even know who these people were. He'd be in the pub, in the bistro, and people just warmed to him and would give him Snitzel. He died of cancer.

Ive looked into dog personalities that would best suit my young family these days and if we do get a dog, i think ill go with a King Charles Cavaliar

 

[AngryEmu]

I'd like to look at Beagles as well, as they are apparently great with children and have no real gene related health problems for a pure breed. My mate has two of them and the only problems he reckons he has with them is that they'll eat anything, they dig holes and if they catch a scent that interests them, they won't let up until they've satisfied their curiosity.

I have two beagles and they are great with my daughter (20 months). Had the dogs first and they were about 8 months when the baby came along and have had zero issues with them. Very loving, very loyal dogs.

They do have a reputation for escaping and following their noses but we have trained our guys very well. Can leave the front door open and they will just sit there and ignore it. Walking them was hard at the beginning because they want to pull in every different direction but again they can be trained to walk without doing that.

They do have the stereotypically puppy dog eyes though so you have to be very tough when it comes to meal times and what they eat. Ours know they will not get anything from us at dinner time so sit quietly on their beds while we eat. If someone else is around for dinner they will hang around them in the hope of getting something though.

 

[Tommy Magpie]

You wont find a better family dog than a Golden Retriever. Have been around a lot of dogs and these are the softest, friendliest dogs of all (in my opinion). Would HIGHLY recommend a goldie.

 

[Spartan117]

You wont find a better family dog than a Golden Retriever. Have been around a lot of dogs and these are the softest, friendliest dogs of all (in my opinion). Would HIGHLY recommend a goldie.

Buddy has got one and it is great, however it Sheds and his house, kids etc always have dog hair on them…

I'm tell you all, Staffies Rule

 

[innsaneink]

You wont find a better family dog than a Golden Retriever. Have been around a lot of dogs and these are the softest, friendliest dogs of all (in my opinion). Would HIGHLY recommend a goldie.

I'm tell you all, Staffies Rule

Whats yours cost to feed, sparty?

Happy outdoors or in?

 

[Blackpearl]

have had many dogs, both cross and pedigree, and without doubt the best of all was an australian terrier !

there are two types, sandy red and blue & tan. my preference was the red. a very hardy breed, easy to look after, that really is the ideal family pet. 10 ouit 10

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/australianterrier.htm

 

[douche_bag]

Did u get ur puppy yet cb? If u don't I can tell u have a 3 yo jack russel male and a 2 yo female staffy. Jack russel is definately the boss the 2 are inseparable . I've also had a borde collie when i was a kid who was a brilliant dog but was a massive hand full but in a good way haha but from my experience jack russel and staffy are a good balance
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[Cultured_Bogan]

Did u get ur puppy yet cb? If u don't I can tell u have a 3 yo jack russel male and a 2 yo female staffy. Jack russel is definately the boss the 2 are inseparable . I've also had a borde collie when i was a kid who was a brilliant dog but was a massive hand full but in a good way haha but from my experience jack russel and staffy are a good balance
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Nah haven't got the dog yet mate, still yet to get the house.

Well aware of the Jack Russell's behaviour, the family dog is a JR, and she definitely didn't waste any time asserting herself. She has a dominant attitude over the women in my family, but learnt really quick that my father and I had authority over her :laughing:

She doesn't like other female dogs either… Always fights with them but that might have something to do with the fact that I don't think we socialised her enough with other female dogs as a puppy.

 

[Spartan117]

You wont find a better family dog than a Golden Retriever. Have been around a lot of dogs and these are the softest, friendliest dogs of all (in my opinion). Would HIGHLY recommend a goldie.

I'm tell you all, Staffies Rule

Whats yours cost to feed, sparty?

Happy outdoors or in?

My Boy named "Tank" lives in an outdoor laundry, Great relaxed temperament, He eats all the leftovers as well as a couple of cups of dryfood a day.

Great Dog…. I just wish I had more time for him.

 

[douche_bag]

The from experience If I were you I'd get a staffy.. They are cutest pups , they cause chaos , your jack russel will be boss but the staff will let her know when she goes to far

 

[Spartan117]

DB,
I have taught my Staffy not to Jump, not to bark or whine for no reason and how to cross the road only upon command.

HE is great with my kids and looks so tuff.

 

[douche_bag]

Spartan mine is good now with everything except jumping !! Haha you got any tips for me ?
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[Spartan117]

My Main rule was "Always or Never",

Dogs are like really young kids, they cant distinguish between scenarios and too many Words.

A Stern No and when Required a loosely rolled up Newspaper that makes mostly noise if you need to reinforce that a certain behaviour is unacceptable on The bottom.