NPR

Openside wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 2:04 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 1:55 pm How about a Viszla? They can be quite high energy, but definitely not more so than a Collie as suggested further up the thread.

Can't really speak to how well they'd fare as guard dogs, but I'd say the ones I've known have been on a par with Labs for being family friendly dogs.

Vizlas can be pretty neurotic and anxious.

I know they can get separation anxiety from their owners, but I'm not aware of more general anxiety issues. That said I've never owned one, just known quite a lot of people who've had them.

Monk wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 2:09 pm

Openside wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 10:16 am

handyman wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 10:08 am The wife and children want to get a dog. My children are 4 and 5 years old, so the dog needs to be good (safe) with kids as well as a good guard dog.

Any breed suggestions?

Maybe adopt one?

Those two requirements are often mutually exclusive. For instance Rhodesian Ridgebacks are ferocious guard dogs and very good with children but can't differentiate between burglars and the normal rough and tumble kids have with their friends. I know two families who have had to regime their ridgebacks because they bit other kids ...

maybe it's your friends that should be "regimed". We have had 6 ridgebacks now over many years and with plenty of kids about and all that - we have never had an incident.

that was auto corrected from rehomed

Globus wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 11:57 am I've a mini Schnauzer. Hattie. Small enough to cart around. Brilliant guard dog. (Put your fingers in your ears when she barks).

Fantastic with children.

She's now old enough to have puppies of her own.

Mini Schnauzer's are dogs for wankers.

It depends if you mean a barking guard dog or a biting guard dog.

My setters bark like the hound of the baskerville when anything comes into the yard.

all noise no action though.

wonderful with children other folk and dogs.

Kawazaki wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 4:35 pm

Globus wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 11:57 am I've a mini Schnauzer. Hattie. Small enough to cart around. Brilliant guard dog. (Put your fingers in your ears when she barks).

Fantastic with children.

She's now old enough to have puppies of her own.

Mini Schnauzer's are dogs for wankers.

She's worth a bomb though.

Kawazaki wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 4:35 pm

Globus wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 11:57 am I've a mini Schnauzer. Hattie. Small enough to cart around. Brilliant guard dog. (Put your fingers in your ears when she barks).

Fantastic with children.

She's now old enough to have puppies of her own.

Mini Schnauzer's are dogs for wankers.

My sister has one. They're a bit designer but they have a lovely temperament and aren't toys.

Her breeder is a Crufts judge. Her giant Schnauzer is very intimidating. But the grandchildren got to sit on her and trundled around the paddock.

My own favourite breed is collies. Smart as anything. In a former life I got to go with an Irish champion breeder, up in the Gortin Glens. He could whistle commands to either of them.

One of them got hammered by a ram against a stone wall in a barn. I was there and heard the bang.

I helped to get her back to the house. We thought that was it. She was in pup. But both she and the two pups came through.

Pretty emotional. And I'm from a hardened Norfolk farming family. You think you've seen it all ..........

Paddington Bear wrote: Thu Jul 01, 2021 9:17 am

Kawazaki wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 4:35 pm

Globus wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 11:57 am I've a mini Schnauzer. Hattie. Small enough to cart around. Brilliant guard dog. (Put your fingers in your ears when she barks).

Fantastic with children.

She's now old enough to have puppies of her own.

Mini Schnauzer's are dogs for wankers.

My sister has one. They're a bit designer but they have a lovely temperament and aren't toys.

I grew up with them, great dogs. Think they are puppies until they drop

A home without a dog is not like "a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle". (Irina Dunn)

For smaller breeds, Dachshunds are great with kids and bloody noisy. Naughty fokkors but teachable so get them young. They tend to bond heavily with one owner. For a larger breed you cant go wrong with a boxer. Goofy fokkon dogs but very affectionate.

average joe wrote: Thu Jul 01, 2021 11:09 am For smaller breeds, Dachshunds are great with kids and bloody noisy. Naughty fokkors but teachable so get them young. They tend to bond heavily with one owner. For a larger breed you cant go wrong with a boxer. Goofy fokkon dogs but very affectionate.

Is it called Cassius Clay?

I think Ali would take offence. He didn't have such an ugly mug.

Actually, now that I think about it, it kind of looks like Larry Holmes.

average joe wrote: Thu Jul 01, 2021 11:25 am I think Ali would take offence. He didn't have such an ugly mug.

My dad's great friend (Walter Sword) had a boxer called Monty. The soppiest one you'll ever meet.

He knocked me off my tricycle once, then licked me to death.

When he died, his ashes were sprinkled on Walter's grave.

It's just occurred to me who Globus actually is...




Uncanny really. Disappointed I never picked up the similarity before.

Kawazaki wrote: Thu Jul 01, 2021 12:09 pm It's just occurred to me who Globus actually is...




Uncanny really. Disappointed I never picked up the similarity before.

Not a bad pick. My chessboard is rather better.

Just had another look. Chess pieces in very strange positions. Maybe that describes some very well.

Another good large breed is the Anatolian Shepherd. We have one now but she basically grew up and lives with cattle so naturally people shy. Although if house kept from young they have the perfect temperament as pets for kids.

Globus wrote: Thu Jul 01, 2021 9:30 am Her giant Schnauzer is very intimidating.

Fnarr fnarr.

average joe wrote: Thu Jul 01, 2021 12:50 pm Another good large breed is the Anatolian Shepherd. We have one now but she basically grew up and lives with cattle so naturally people shy. Although if house kept from young they have the perfect temperament as pets for kids.

Lots of those here in Turkey, obviously. My wife's family had one when she was a kid and they are very patient with children. They are also flipping massive and quite imposing when they are guarding their territory or the herd.

Paddington Bear wrote: Thu Jul 01, 2021 9:17 am

Kawazaki wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 4:35 pm

Globus wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 11:57 am I've a mini Schnauzer. Hattie. Small enough to cart around. Brilliant guard dog. (Put your fingers in your ears when she barks).

Fantastic with children.

She's now old enough to have puppies of her own.

Mini Schnauzer's are dogs for wankers.

My sister has one. They're a bit designer but they have a lovely temperament and aren't toys.

Not so sure on good temperament. Mini’s can be very vocal and challenge strangers, never a threat of harm, just incredibly protective. Standards and giants are completely the opposite in my experience.

Anyone have any recommendations for wet food for a 7 month old lab? Can't get the normal brand (in decent quantity) from anywhere at the minute.

Ordered some Wainwright's puppy food in the mean time to see what it's like.

Jock42 wrote: Tue Oct 05, 2021 4:17 pm Anyone have any recommendations for wet food for a 7 month old lab? Can't get the normal brand (in decent quantity) from anywhere at the minute.

Ordered some Wainwright's puppy food in the mean time to see what it's like.

Could you do dry with a bit of water in it? Given it’s a lab, they’d eat pretty much anything you put in front of them.

robmatic wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 12:27 pm

OomStruisbaai wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 10:54 am

handyman wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 10:08 am The wife and children want to get a dog. My children are 4 and 5 years old, so the dog needs to be good (safe) with kids as well as a good guard dog.

Any breed suggestions?

Maybe adopt one?

Handy suppose you have space. No better dog then a Border Collie for kids. Bitches is always the best for guard. I had two and wont never want another breed.

I grew up with Border Collies as my dad had a few as working sheepdogs and couldn't imagine having another breed, they are clearly more intelligent than the average dog and loyal as well. Need plenty of exercise though.

This! We had a cross collie as a pet and it was wonderful, great temperament with the kids and wouldn't let a stranger near them when they were out playing in the garden. It also barked fiercely when anyone came close to the house but would be friendly to anyone it recognised, those it didn't know weren't allowed close. Very intelligent dogs, easy to train and didn't suffer health issues like labs when they get older. They aren't too big but do need lots of exercise as they are a fit breed. If I was getting another dog a collie cross would be my first choice.

ScarfaceClaw wrote: Tue Oct 05, 2021 4:36 pm

Jock42 wrote: Tue Oct 05, 2021 4:17 pm Anyone have any recommendations for wet food for a 7 month old lab? Can't get the normal brand (in decent quantity) from anywhere at the minute.

Ordered some Wainwright's puppy food in the mean time to see what it's like.

Could you do dry with a bit of water in it? Given it’s a lab, they’d eat pretty much anything you put in front of them.

We do a bit of that anyway. Like to give him some sachets of wet food to vary it for him. Not, like you say, it seems to matter to him.

This thread is short of pictures

Tichtheid wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 12:18 pm Do you see many Boerboels in SA?

They are quite something, but I've never seen one in the flesh, we have similar in size over here, but not quite the same thing, the English Mastiff is taller and not as heavily set

We had one growing up
Lovely, lovely dog
Also had a bull mastiff
Both were just amazing animals
I think boerboels are quite popular
Ours was very good with kids and people in general

Biffer wrote: Tue Oct 05, 2021 6:52 pm This thread is short of pictures

lovely smiler!

From the chive, not mine or anyone I know but he must be someone’s goodest boy with that smile.

handyman wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 11:50 am

ScarfaceClaw wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 11:18 am I’ve got a Labrador. Brilliant with kids. Rubbish guard dog most of the time. Exception being the door bell. Goes ballistic when someone comes to the door. Makes people think we have a pack of wolves behind the door.

The family prefers a labrador, but I'm weary of the first 2 years, I've heard they can be quite troublesome.

We have had three labradors and as troublesome as they may be, they are gorgeous with kids.

Have a lab/retriever. She's better with the kids than we are.

Hopefully only a matter of months now before we can start looking for a dog to adopt. Hoping to get a rotty.

Openside wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 10:16 am

handyman wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 10:08 am The wife and children want to get a dog. My children are 4 and 5 years old, so the dog needs to be good (safe) with kids as well as a good guard dog.

Any breed suggestions?

Maybe adopt one?

Those two requirements are often mutually exclusive.

Alsatians?

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Mon Apr 25, 2022 1:17 pm

Openside wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 10:16 am

handyman wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 10:08 am The wife and children want to get a dog. My children are 4 and 5 years old, so the dog needs to be good (safe) with kids as well as a good guard dog.

Any breed suggestions?

Maybe adopt one?

Those two requirements are often mutually exclusive.

Alsatians?

ridgebacks!

Condensation of an article re vegan dog food.

A journalist questioned whether his meat and dried food fed dog would eat vegan dog food.

He acquired some, and his dog ate it with the same relish he did his normal food.

He said to his wife that this demonstrated that vegan food was appealing to dogs.

Her reply was 'He's a labrador'. As a labrador owner, I laughed.

weegie01 wrote: Mon Apr 25, 2022 2:41 pm Condensation of an article re vegan dog food.

A journalist questioned whether his meat and dried food fed dog would eat vegan dog food.

He acquired some, and his dog ate it with the same relish he did his normal food.

He said to his wife that this demonstrated that vegan food was appealing to dogs.

Her reply was 'He's a labrador'. As a labrador owner, I laughed.

We’re going to get a pup for the family at Christmas. Was thinking about a beagle. Anyone had one? Any thoughts?

Random1 wrote: Mon Apr 25, 2022 7:35 pm We’re going to get a pup for the family at Christmas. Was thinking about a beagle. Anyone had one? Any thoughts?

Don’t ever get more than one, unless of course you and the whole family are registered deaf.