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Suitable Puppy for 7 Year Old


Fi
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We have recently acquired a kitten - now healthy and deranged in an endearing kitten-like way.  Patrick has been commandeered by my daughter, and my son is rather jealous.  Problem is, that he is a little cack-handed with the kitten, so we thought we should get him a creature of his own, which is a little less fragile.  We have been thinking for sometime about getting a 2nd dog (we have an elderly springer at the moment), and it would seem a good idea to make the new dog "his".  

Much as I feel morally obliged to get an adult rescue dog, I think a puppy would be better in the circumstances.  Now I like German Shepherds, Labs, Airedales etc (i.e. "proper" dogs), but I think they could be rather a handful for a small boy to deal with.  We used to know a dachshund when we lived in The Hague, and Pete was deeply in love with it, but I think that be rather too small for me (I know, I'm a dog snob!).    I simply refuse to faff around with dog coats, and over-sized handbags to carry them around in.  And the idea of taking a dog for a walk and then carrying it because it's little legs can't cope is just too silly to to contemplate.

Can anyone think of a middle-sized dog, with a generally soppy disposition, which could suit us?  Another spaniel is a possibility, but they seem to have snob value here (as well as gun-dog value) and are therefore a scary price.    We have a large, fenced terrain, so space to charge around isn't a problem.

Would like to get new dog in-situ before winter sets in, so we can get him/her house-trained without the guilt of leaving a poor puppy shivering in the snow[:)]

Thanks

Fi

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You can still rescue a puppy.

As for breeds, labradors are very good family dogs.  In the UK, the Labrador Rescue Association have labrador puppies from time to time.

But you will need to separate the young dog from your elderly springer.  We have rescued lots of dogs and introducing a very young dog is cruel to the older one, unless you give the latter some time and space on his/her own.

EDIT: Just had a thought.  Do a search for a labrador, for instance, on www.LeBonCoin.fr - I just had a look in our area (hundreds of miles from you) and someone is offering a 6 month labrador free to a good home (because they now realise that their flat is unsuitable), for example.

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Any puppy would be ok as long as your children repects its space, and if you teach your puppy along side your children what is right and wrong things should work out fine, I have only had Dobermanns I bought my 1st when my children were 6yrs 2.5yrs and 6wks old and never had a problem then and haven't since, I have a house fuill at the moment and although they don't see children very often there fine when they do visit because there are rules in place.

 

Bilclarie  

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[quote user="Stan Streason"]My son has a labradoodle (mix labrador and poodle)  The theory is lovable labrador which does not moult.  Wonderful dog - is much smaller than, but holds his own against, our weimeraner and gordon setter.  Ugly as sin though![/quote]

We have rescued a labradoodle through this Forum.  Some of the crossbreed do moult.  He is loveable but the hair (which long and curly) goes everywhere.  Labradoodles are more active than labradors and need far more exercise.  Some of the crossbreed (those crossed with the standard poodle) can be very big.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labradoodle

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Labradoodles do look suitably cute and softhearted.  Maybe a little large?  Good as my dog, but for a child?  I am happy to stand corrected on this point[:)].  Re the existing mutt, he will always be top dog in this house - any incomers will swiftly learn that Bryn's bed is his alone, and it's in my bedroom, and if anyone is going to get with away trying to sit on my lap it is him (even though poor old arthritic lump finds it difficult these days!).

One of the local farmers has some knee-high brown and black curly-haired terrier types (look like very small airedales without the floppy ears).  I think they are great but Pete says they are too noisy (this from the boy who regales me with Kylie Minogue, yelled tunelessly, at 6am!).

Maybe I should pay a visit to the local SPA and see what is available.  I just don't want to get caught out with something that looks cute and turns into a snappy beast.

I'd still like another German Shepherd (had one from the age of 11 - she thought she was the guardian of my morals - my parents had no qualms about leaving me alone with boyfriends when I was a teenager!), and she was a big, soppy lump - perfect dog!

Fi

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[quote user="Russethouse"]What about a poodle ?[/quote]

Is there a medium-sized one?  A standard would be a big thing, and one of those dinky, diamante-collar wearing little things would do nothing for my credibility!  A woolly dog rather than hairy one (if you see what I mean) would be a bonus!

Fi

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[quote user="Russethouse"]

http://www.poodleclubofamerica.org/breed.htm

How about the middle size ? Personally I like them trimmed a little all over, rather than that lion cut, more teddy bear !

[/quote]

They look great, but definitely no daft haircuts - it's a dog, not a box bush for topiary purposes.  Our mutt came back from the doggy hairdresser once with a show cut - try and imagine an embarassed springer - he licked me when I cut the fluffy bits off!

Fi

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Not too sure why you are so concerned about size - any dog will need to be trained, and no seven-year old should be allowed to take a dog on the lead on his own, as they are just not mature enough.  My brother always had Great Danes, and one of them was inseparable from my young nephew.

Chrissie (81)

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My issue isn't really with walking on the lead, even though when we do go for a walk Pete would insist on taking his dog himself, it's more a concern about him being flattened by an over-excited dog who is almost as big as he is! 

We are quite strict with our animals, they know their place in the family pecking order (i.e. at the bottom!), and I feel sorry for un/badly trained dogs - it's not their fault, it's the owners[:)]

Fi

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I think you should talk to Richard and Sheelagh at Phoenix Rescue - they have all sorts and have a lot of experience with re-settling dogs in different environments.  There are far too many good dogs of all ages and breeds needing homes desperately and I would no doubt make myself extremely unpopular by voicing my strong opinions on people who continue to breed and sell puppies in this throw away society that we now live in.  It's nothing short of criminal.  Give a dog a second chance at life and enable your son to be doubly proud of his pet because of it.

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Hi,

If you want a puppy & like shepherds - what about a "white shepherd" or "Berger Blanc Swiss" - they are one of the foundation dogs that went onto form the German shepherd - but do not have the guarding instincts of the German shepherd. We bought one when we came over here, not only is he beautiful to look at but he is so kind with all our other animals, although he is a male (neutered) this year he has helped raise an oprhaned lamb & 2 ferral kittens that we aquired at about 4 weeks old.

He is very gentle with all humans, and behaves well when out on a lead with our 13 year old. He does have the tendancy to open doors and when we met another family with one of these dogs - theirs did exactly the same. He is very sociable, obediant and a real character. He is a "poper" dog but very loving with it.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do puppy or rescue

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Fi, don't dismiss a little poodle, they don't have to be treated like

lap dogs and they love a good romp. My brother's poodle tears around

the farmyard and is a 'proper' dog despite his size.

I would beware any labrador or other larger breed dog 'free to good

home' aged around 6-9 months. This is the age when typically the owners

find they can't cope, as the cute puppy gets BIG and hits puberty, and

all their earlier lack of training starts to cause problems.

A mid-sized mutt would be ideal....

(BTW, Phoenix are miles form the OP, she's in the Vosges,  the other side of France)

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Hello Fi

We have always had dogs and had the largest male golden retriever the world has ever seen when our daughter was born. We too have always made sure our dogs are aware that we are the leaders, not them and consequently have never had a problem. The retriever was amazing with our daughter. She got knocked over a few times when she was primary school age but there were no problems. If you consider a lab, remember that brown labs, although lovely, are nothing like yellow and are mad and bouncy (probably a bit like your springer in younger days!) I concur with the comment regarding younger and much older dogs together - only found that out recently. Our old flat coat likes a bit of peace away from our other 18 month old dog.

Incidently,I was always a bit of a dog snob too, always had larger (mostly gun) dogs. Most recent dog, after much cajoling by OH; Jack Russell. What a fab choice. Little s***. Certainly not a small dog, and good ratter. I don't suggest one for your son necessarily but it changed my idea about Jacks as small (yuk) dogs. Took some training though!

Good luck

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Whatever sort of dog you get make sure that it's one you want because, whether or not the dog belongs to nominally to your son, it will end up as effectively being your dog.  My daughter had a Dalmatian puppy as her eight birthday present (bribery for agreeing to come and live in France), though whenever she was there she played with it etc etc, it was me who fed the dog, walked it and in dog mentality children aren't pack leaders no matter what fun they are, but adults are, and the dog drifted into being mine.  Unfortunately said dog died young and all our daughter wanted for her 18th birthday was another Dalmatian.  She was older, better at establishing herself as boss and now though the dog lives with us, we feed him, walk him etc and he has a very happy life with us the moment our daughter walks though the door we're forgotten.

 

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  • 2 months later...
We finally got one.  He's a 6 month old blonde lab, who was living in an apartment and got too much (boisterous and destructive) for his owners.  He is completely nuts, chews everything he can get his paws on, and would eat constantly if we let him.  But he's lovely!  In desperate need of some training, but he is very anxious to please, and Joanna, you're right, he is definitely my dog.  He'll play with the kids, but he is always looking to me for direction.

Here's a picture or 2.....

[IMG]http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr340/FNSH/IMG_0376.jpg[/IMG]    [IMG]http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr340/FNSH/IMG_0356.jpg[/IMG]

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Congratulations Fi, he looks lovely. This is just a suggestion but something we learnt through bitter experience. When you feed him place his bowl on a low stool, or a step or something, so that he is not bending right down to eat; labradors being (naturally) greedy dogs will gulp down their food as fast as they can and swallow air at the same time. Last year one of ours at only a year old got a twisted gut as a result and died in agony within 2 days; placing the food bowl higher can help to stop this problem. He looked very like your new boy, I hope you and your son have many happy years together and it looks as though your old boy approves of him too!
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This is very important advice from Rob Roy!  All large dogs should eat with their bowls lifted up so they don't 'wuff' down their food from a horizontal position - this is particularly relevant to tall dogs!  I used to have a Wolfhound and we nearly lost him one day when he took in too much water from a bowl on the floor at a friend's place after a run - he rolled around in agony for several hours poor chap but we were lucky as I sedated him and he slept and came through it!  The breeder we got him from stipulated special raised bowls or nobody got the puppies!  One could say what do they do in the wild but then again most outside dogs take their chunks of meat and go and knaw at them on the floor.  We have a very greedy GS cross rescued from a puppy and if we didn't put her bowl up to her shoulder level she would most certainly be in trouble as she positively inhales everything you give her in seconds and nothing we do makes her slow down - our latest little rescue bolts her food also but she was starved and so it's understandable and I think she will slow down eventually once she realises nobody is going to take it away from her.  We feed our dogs in the four corners of the kitchen also and they know there is no 'pinching' - never leave them to it either, till everyone has finished.  A twisted gut is a horrid horrid thing to watch happen and there is very little you can do once it's done even if you can get them to the vet.

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We have to raise Bryn (the springer)'s bowl because he is too arthritic to reach down to floor level.  Hadn't realised about the potential problem with Eco - will invest in one of those bowls on a stand for him too.  At least that will stop the kitten swiping the dog food if he can't reach. 

I'm not sure how Eco was handled before we had him, but even when I put his bowl in front of him, he always waits for permission before tucking in.  Just wish my children had such good manners[:)]

Many thanks for the advice.

Fi

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He looks gorgeous!  And how nice to find a dog with good manners.   I hope you have some wonderful times ahead of you.

Am interested in the raised bowl bit - we did this with our old Rottie, but not having success with our current huge griffon who wants to wolf everything.  He is happy to lie down with his bowl and eat (more slowly) like that, but will not eat his food when raised off the ground.  (I don't count things like our whole Camemberts left lying on worktops....[:(])  Is eating lying down dangerous?   The little labrit has taken to copying him and eats lying down also.

Chrissie (81)

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I'm no expert but I wouldn't have thought that eating lying down would be a problem - as Allycat says above this is what dogs in the wild would tend to do. I love the comment about the Camemberts [:)] and what is the 'little labrit' please?

Fi, it sounds as though Eco has been taught well. We did the same with two labs we had; we got them at 7 weeks old and taught them to wait to be told to eat their food from the first day. When they were adults my son got distracted one day and forgot to tell them to eat - 15 mins and lots of dribbles later they were still patiently waiting!![:-))]

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I don't want to hijack Fi's thread, but details of our little labrit are on the old Pets thread in "photography in France."  Do a search for "labrit" and that will give you the thread, and we are on page 44 (last but one.)  I should add that he has subsequently turned out to be totally deaf.  Fortunately we have had a deaf dog before.

Chrissie (81)

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