8Mud
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Central Germany
Fergie said:
I do both, read the books and visit the sites. Nothing wrong with adopting a dog from the pound, you can make arrangements to spend some time with the dog and decide what´s good with it and what´s bad and decide wether you can live with the bad or possibly re-train.
If you decide on a puppy and a pure breed, it´s best to make some decissions first. Read about the temperment and the personality of the breed, not a hundred pecent indicator, but often close. A working dog, hunter or watch/attack or a straight family dog. Short hair or long hair, size, sex etc. Possible flaws in the breed, weak hips etc. Male or females have somewhat different dispositions. I´ve almost always had better results with females.
The first six months through about a year, are pretty time intensive. Takes some time almost every day. After about 18 months, they are just about set in there ways, too late.
Personnaly I lean towards all around dogs or combination hunting/protection dogs. Which are actually pretty rare. Breeders have a tendancy to breed for looks, rather than the skills the dogs were originally breed for.
Some of the all around breeds, are Weimaraner and Airedale, some of the Hounds are also pretty good compromises (though they often have a tendancy to be bone heads, stubborn and strong willed). I almost always have a Terrier around, but they are often really active (always busy), sometimes destructive (boredom) and require a lot of time. Spaniels and retrievers, are often pretty good dogs, especialy the females.
Much of it is the breeding, but dog breeders often, breed for looks, more than temperment, which can fool you and the dog will have traits not often associated with the breed.
