Dogs: Why? Why not? Vote now please!

[Pebble]

Worse are those who pay extortionate amounts for mongrels aka “designer breeds”
Cockapoo,Labradoodle’insert-daft-cross-breed-name-here”.
£2500 for a Cockerpoo....they’re having a laugh!

Dogs are mans best friend.I can’t imagine not having a dog.It makes a family complete.

For the first time in my entire life I'm living without a dog - it's just weird not having a dog in the house.

We lost our wonderful Lab just over a year ago and decided not to get another as being free we were going to travel a lot for a few years- Our plans are not working out well.

[Bonefishblues]

There is nothing to beat a Welsh Collie
Cymru am byth!

Welsh farmers, occasionally?

[Carlton green]

There is nothing to beat a Welsh Collie

I not sure but perhaps you might just be showing a little bias. Collies can be lovely but no one should be in any doubt about their considerable exercise requirements. Lizzy in Windsor likes Corgis, as she could have anything she chose they’re probably a better choice than most others and suitably Welsh.

[philvantwo]

We've got a Welsh springer spaniel, it was the brother in laws dog but he didn't want him so the Mrs said we'd have him. He was 3years old when we had him and he's 14 now. A lovely dog and hes been up Cadair Idris every year we've had him, we took him to Whitby one year and he ran along the cinder track to Robin Hood's bay and back.......16 miles!!!
We wont be having another one when he's passed away though, just too much of a tie all the time.
I just know its gonna break the Mrs's heart when he goes though.

[Carlton green]

We've got a Welsh springer spaniel, it was the brother in laws dog but he didn't want him so the Mrs said we'd have him. He was 3years old when we had him and he's 14 now. A lovely dog and hes been up Cadair Idris every year we've had him, we took him to Whitby one year and he ran along the cinder track to Robin Hood's bay and back.......16 miles!!!
We wont be having another one when he's passed away though, just too much of a tie all the time.
I just know its gonna break the Mrs's heart when he goes though.

I’ve always thought it strange how people get a dog and then get tired of it, but it happens a lot and sometimes people have an adverse change in circumstances. Rehoming from a known source or to a trustworthy person can be a good option for all concerned.

When your dog does finally pass it will doubtless upset your Mrs, but however hardened you might think yourself to be be prepared for it to upset you too.

I have a cycling buddy who had a dog that died unexpectedly in mid age. He and his wife didn’t get another dog ‘cause it had been a tie. They had a few years without a dog and did all the things that they couldn’t do when they had one. Guess what, they now have a dog again and whilst they did enjoy the freedom for a while they no longer feel much frustration with the commitment. Having a dog is a funny balance between various costs and various benefits; I’d say that dogs really weren’t for everyone and in terms of ‘managing it all’ some periods of ones life are better than others.

[simonineaston]

Worse are those who pay extortionate amounts for mongrels aka “designer breeds”

I don't mind people paying daft amounts of money to get a dog - a fool & their money are soon parted... Lord knows I've paid over the odds for the odd item, now & then. But what 'does my 'ead in' to borrow from another thread, is a) the unscrupulous behaviour that follows on from the sniff of easy money, where dogs are mistreated frightfully to mass-produce vanity breed puppies, and b) the deliberate breeding of physical deformaties that make the dog's entire life difficult and stressful. I'm not talking about working breeds like collies or spaniels and I won't cite particular examples, as it's not my intention to be rude or disrespectful to this forum's readers, however this website will give a flavour of why I'm so cross about distorting the bodies of man's best friend, just for sake of vanity or whim.
The number of perfectly excellent unwanted dogs that end up in rescue homes ( and ultimately disposed of...) is truly upsetting. Why on earth people shell out shed-loads of dosh to buy the dog-of-the-moment (usually inspired by nothing more sensible than the favourite telly series!), instead of going down the shelter and saving some poor plain-vanilla mutt with a whole bucket-load of love and affection to give, makes me quite upset.

[jimlews]

There is nothing to beat a Welsh Collie
Cymru am byth!

A stout birch rod - available in any Welsh hedgerow.

Sometime ago, I attended the sheepdog trials at Builth Wells.

I really don't know why they bother. They are all guilty!

[Carlton green]

Worse are those who pay extortionate amounts for mongrels aka “designer breeds”

I don't mind people paying daft amounts of money to get a dog - a fool & their money are soon parted... Lord knows I've paid over the odds for the odd item, now & then. But what 'does my 'ead in' to borrow from another thread, is a) the unscrupulous behaviour that follows on from the sniff of easy money, where dogs are mistreated frightfully to mass-produce vanity breed puppies, and b) the deliberate breeding of physical deformaties that make the dog's entire life difficult and stressful. I'm not talking about working breeds like collies or spaniels and I won't cite particular examples, as it's not my intention to be rude or disrespectful to this forum's readers, however this website will give a flavour of why I'm so cross about distorting the bodies of man's best friend, just for sake of vanity or whim.
The number of perfectly excellent unwanted dogs that end up in rescue homes ( and ultimately disposed of...) is truly upsetting. Why on earth people shell out shed-loads of dosh to buy the dog-of-the-moment (usually inspired by nothing more sensible than the favourite telly series!), instead of going down the shelter and saving some poor plain-vanilla mutt with a whole bucket-load of love and affection to give, makes me quite upset.

Well said that Man!

I found the link very helpful and it confirmed some suspicions to me, basically when a Dog is breed for the show ring rather than the breeds historic work the end result will be alteration to suit the assorted whims of buyers and breeders. I’ve long believed that the Kennel Clubs of various countries have a lot to answer for when it comes to selective breed alteration.

Getting a Dog from a Rescue Centre is, I think, a responsible thing to do but only when when the circumstances are right for both Adopter and Dog. It is not a route that is without hazard and you really do need to be able to evaluate both the Dog as fully as is possible and your ability to manage it well. Each Rescue Dog is there for a reason and possibly multiple reasons, some reasons won’t prove to be important to the Adopter but other reasons might well be significant.

[Cyril Haearn]

There shall soon be two First Dogs in the White House, Champ and Major, both Alsatians

Mr Trump was the first PotUS since 1897 not to keep a companion animal
'I should not have time to care for it', he bleated

[pwa]

We are thinking of getting a whippet. I already have the flat cap. Whippets tick most of the boxes for me, dog wise. They are up for a proper walk, but they are also happy to be a couch potato for hours on end. They don't bark much at all if you train them right, they have short coats so don't clog the vacuum cleaner, they don't smell the way some dogs do, and they are loyal and gentle. They have one significant down side, and that is that you have to work very hard on "recall" because they have a tendency to go into heat seeking missile mode if they see a rabbit. They can be the same way with cats. We must give that trait a bit of work.

I also need to check the back garden for weak spots. Whippets are among the best fence jumping dogs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15V7JhXfqbQ

I do a lot of countryside walks and even with human company I always feel that we are missing a dog. A walk without a dog is not quite complete for me. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it is that the dog, with its obvious interest in the walk, makes me feel even more that the walk is a great thing. Their interest in every little thing and their enthusiasm for being out there in the elements is infectious. Their happiness at being out improves my own mood. I suppose it is a mental health thing. A therapy. Maybe it does for me what music does for other people.

[Jdsk]

I do a lot of countryside walks and even with human company I always feel that we are missing a dog. A walk without a dog is not quite complete for me. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it is that the dog, with its obvious interest in the walk, makes me feel even more that the walk is a great thing. Their interest in every little thing and their enthusiasm for being out there in the elements is infectious. Their happiness at being out improves my own mood. I suppose it is a mental health thing. A therapy. Maybe it does for me what music does for other people.

I've never kept one and I love walking with them. Or them just being around.

How about the idea that people who love dogs have evolutionary advantage? And vice versa.

Jonathan

[pwa]

I do a lot of countryside walks and even with human company I always feel that we are missing a dog. A walk without a dog is not quite complete for me. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it is that the dog, with its obvious interest in the walk, makes me feel even more that the walk is a great thing. Their interest in every little thing and their enthusiasm for being out there in the elements is infectious. Their happiness at being out improves my own mood. I suppose it is a mental health thing. A therapy. Maybe it does for me what music does for other people.

I've never kept one and I love walking with them. Or them just being around.

How about the idea that people who love dogs have evolutionary advantage? And vice versa.

Jonathan

It has been suggested that dogs and people co-exist so comfortably because we evolved together, as a team. Humans have evolved to get on with dogs and dogs have evolved to get on with us. And thinking about it, I don't think there is any other non-human life form that we can integrate so comfortably and thoroughly into family life. Cats manage it fairly well, but not to the same level as dogs.

[Tangled Metal]

There is nothing to beat a Welsh Collie
Cymru am byth!

Really? Most farmers use a crook when needed and it is sometimes needed so I'm told.

[peetee]

An impossible question to answer. Canine personalities and behaviours differ. You might as well ask “People: Why? Why not?”.

[mercalia]

It's almost impossible not to like dogs, with their endless enthusiasm and energy, as well as behaviour we simple-minded humans construe as affection * - what I do not like is humans who abuse & mistreat dogs. This includes humans who pay for 'pedigree' dogs, that have been deliberately bred into shapes & forms which result in stess or discomfort to the animal concerned. Simple vanity, on the part of the humans, which I despise.
Dog trainers will tell you that there is no such thing as an uncontrollably aggressive dog - such animals are simply reacting to being mistreated by us...
* We remove them from their natural pack - of course they're going to respond positively to us - we're the only 'pack' left to them...

except for those little yapping mutts that have an inferiority complex and and very aggressive. and those badly trained ones that are allowed to poo in front of where I live on private ground.