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& it looks like it's narrowed down to either a Red Fox Lab or a Smooth Coated Vizla.
Any comments on either?
It will NOT be a 'trail dog'
(I caught the eye of an American Cocker at a dog show last week & it kind of latched on to me, but I know little about them.)
Get her a rabbit instead.
Get her a rabbit instead.
Hahdy bloody hah.
Wer'e 60, rabbits have been & gone pal, try to act your age, not your shoe size. 😉
A Visla will be totally besotted with one owner and can't really be left alone for too long.
If the Mrs wants one and you don't, why are you asking?
FFS man, put the foot down!
A friend of ours has a Visla, it needs vast amounts of exercise and is very high intensity. It's not a dog that likes cuddling up and chilling out which I find exhausting.
A Visla will be totally besotted with one owner and can't really be left alone for too long.
Pretty much. Unless one of you is at home all the time don't get a vizsla.
I have one sat on my lap as I type...
Edit:
A friend of ours has a Visla, it needs vast amounts of exercise and is very high intensity. It's not a dog that likes cuddling up and chilling out which I find exhausting.
They do, once they're tired. It's hard to tire them physically, but 10 minutes of mental games with them (hiding treats for example) and they're fine.
A Visla will be totally besotted with one owner and can't really be left alone for too long.
That is one thing we'd been told about & is a concern, & If we got a Vizla it would be better if it latched on to Mrs Egf than me, but who knows?
That is one thing we'd been told about & is a concern, & If we got a Vizla it would be better if it latched on to Mrs Egf than me, but who knows?
It will probably be fine with both of you, just more attached to the one it spends the most time with. I do know of one couple whose vizsla didn't bond with the kids, which was a big problem for them.
You don't want a dog but you are looking at two of the most demanding breeds out there! Vizlas are becoming the new fashionable dog and are turning up in rescue centres all over the uk because if you have no experience of a hpr breed they will turn your world upside down!
FFS man, put the foot down!
Sorry Col but I'm a very fair person. Mrs Egf never ever complains when I go off biking or fishing & dragging her up to Fort Willy every May for the SSDT.
I like dogs but I'm a bit selfish. So I cant begrudge her having a dog, as long as she's in charge of the poo bags. (boorrk)
@ Monde. I myself don't particularly WANT a dog, (love them but I'm selfish) & seeing as I grew up with Labs & Cockers & the Mrs wants a dog, being demanding really isn't a massive problem. I'd love to know how having a Lab is 'demanding' though. Give it a coupe of decent walks every day & let it get wet & roll in shit, happy Lab!
My 2nd lab (puppy) is asleep on my lap right now, 12 weeks old. Other one is 7
They're excellent family dogs. Wonderful creatures that make a house a home. Lots of hair, big appetite, great temperament, easy to train.
I'd vote for the red fox lab (both of mine are working black labs)
So who will be taking it for walkies and bagging the shite in mid-winter when it's dark, freezing and pissing down, the mrs ? 🙂
I've always liked dogs but didn't expect to own one as my wife and I both work full time. We'd not successfully managed to have kids so the wife suggested a puppy (broody). After a lot of discussion and research we worked out it could work. We have 2 sets of retired parents that live locally and a dog walker also local.
Dog gets 2 visits during the working day from parents / dog walker and I walk her morning and evening. I wouldn't be without the dog now - although she is a big commitment in time.
I researched and went for a 'designer' cross breed (mongrel) based on good reviews around temperament, liveliness and hood for allergy sufferers. We have a cavachon (king Charles spaniel crossed with a Bichon frise) and shes great.
She'll chase a ball round a field like a proper dog,gets on well with kids, isn't too big and is very affectionate/cuddly.
We have a cavachon
From West Wales?
Why do you ask if from West Wales?
I've had my Vizsla/Pointer cross for just over a week, he's very, very energetic but that's what we were looking for.
I work shifts and the Mrs comes home during her lunch hour which at the moment seems to be working well for all.
Why do you ask if from West Wales?
I think it has the largest number of puppy farms in the UK.
A terrible business.
If your not both keen, I would think twice, its not like choosing a new car your life will change.
Get a lurcher, 2 walks a day for 20-30mins and they will sleep the other 27 hrs in the day given the chance. On the otherhand ours will walk further than I can in a day if you want it too. Unlikely to have any health problems. Only drawback is they make marshmellows look intelligent.
Border terrier, seem to be every dog I see recently is a border....
Are you open to suggestions of other breeds or does it have to be one of those two?
I was kind of in situation of OP. I eventually agreed on the provision that I got to choose the dog, so we then ended up with a practical dog whith character/personality that suits our lifestyle rather than one picked because it looks cute or is fashionable.
I'm not an expert on all the breeds but i think all the breeds mentioned in the OP are best exercised at least twice a day. So is she actually desiring a dog that she needs to actively burn off its energy walking etc 3hrs a day?
I was in the same position. Didn't want a dog, especially a pedigree.
Really put my foot down I did.
Ranted on for ages about how I didn't like those little pocket dogs, drop-kick dogs, ankle dogs, calf dogs, knee dogs, thigh dogs, or hip dogs.
The only dog I would admit to liking was my mates enormous Great Dane. That's a proper dog I said.
End result was at my birthday party when I was well lubed I had a wriggling puppy the size of a lab dropped in my lap. Love at first sight. 🙂 (Wolfhound/Dane X)
30 years on I still have a Wolfhound/Dane X. Great dogs, give them 1 walk a day and they will happily lounge around the rest, they only eat what they need and they're hard to lose. 🙂
I think you're doomed mate... 🙂
BTW don't get a working type dog unless you can give it plenty to do (that includes terriers).
Why do you ask if from West Wales?
Nothing dodgy! My neighbors (in West Wales) breed them and they suggest there are very few who do.
what you need to do is find a mate who has a dog, and ask them to loan you it for a month......... 😀
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Vizla's are utterly bonkers and need loads of exercise - I really wouldn't having see what a PITA that my mates two dogs are.
In my experience Labs just end up fat and stinky. Spaniel FTW but you may prefer something else.
I resisted for years but now have two Staffs (brilliant dogs).
Working dog as a house pet = spaniel every time (Springer, Field or working Cocker). Not too big, affectionate, require less exercise than you might think as long as you keep them mentally working at other times, not as food fixated as a Lab so easier to keep healthy. Bonkers yes, but not in a scary Vizsla way.
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What is a "Red Fox" lab? When were they invented?
Poodle or poodle cross - easy dogs to cope with.
Having had working springers all my life, definately dont get a springer.
Would of thought a lab puppy until the age of 24 month's is demanding! Even in a good way.
I have worked hpr breeds for 30 years (Vizslas, GSP) and a Viz on full bore makes any spaniel or lab look positively docile. The Viz will attach itself to the person doing the training, feeding and unless you have been actively part of that the dog will often not listen to you and will self reward when ranging. Have seen two Viz's shot because of this.
On the otherhand Vizslas can be the best dog any active household can wish for. Like a lab its a myth that they need hours of excercise a day. 30 mins of quartering and blind retrieves while out on your hour long walk the dog will be shattered and will spend the rest of the day asleep at your feet.
If you do decide on a Viz puppy one thing to look out for is the amount of dogs that are being shipped from the continent with forged papers, and also puppys whos parents dont live in the house. These dogs often turn out to be mad as a box of frogs!
Red fox lab is a dark golden/yellow lab. Normal variation of a lab
Labs are greedy, but fat labs are caused by owners not feeding/exercising properly
So who will be taking it for walkies and bagging the shite in mid-winter when it's dark, freezing and pissing down, the mrs ?
Durr..ovbiously!
Ton, you wouldn't let Molly out of your sight for 2 days never mind a month! (but we'll dog sit for you whenever)
Springer? Not a hope in hell. We (& my ex Mrs) had one years ago & it ate the kitchen.
Had a Red Fox lab (drugs dog) at work today & it was like 8)