Show us your dogs.

[Milzy]

I can heartily recommend Mainecoons for companionship, character, playfulness and sheer prescence. However none of our lived anything like as long as a moggie. This could have been random bad luck of course.

The couple we got them off had gone to a lot of trouble to mix up the genetics and so on, to the extent of bringing in animals from the States to widen the gene pool and so on, and whilst it was a commercial out fit, they clearly doted on their cats.

I see, we had a brilliant large Bengal but at 17 developed a massive blood clot in the spine. The vet recommended euthanasia. Massive shame as he was was in fine shape with a strong heart apart from that. Should have had another 4 years at least in my opinion.

 

[stephec]

Quite right. I need a lazy, unchallenging mutt, me.

You were meaning the dog, weren't you?

Only if kept on a short lead. 😂

 

[SpokeyDokey]

We are thinking of a pet and my wife likes old English sheep dogs. Yours is one of the best looking I’ve seen. He showed up on my google image search yesterday.

It may be a Mainecoon cat in the end.

I think that you need to decide on what you want from a pet and can give to a pet before deciding on what type of pet you get.

Dog vs cat is a poor way to go about it imo.

An O E Sheepdog is an active animal - if I had one I would be looking at around a couple of hours a day on/off lead. Around 40 miles a week for the owner and 14 hours of time.

That is a big commitment for most people.

 

[Reynard]

I think that you need to decide on what you want from a pet and can give to a pet before deciding on what type of pet you get.

Dog vs cat is a poor way to go about it imo.

An O E Sheepdog is an active animal - if I had one I would be looking at around a couple of hours a day on/off lead. Around 40 miles a week for the owner and 14 hours of time.

That is a big commitment for most people.

Which is exactly *why* I have cats...

Plus it also means that I don't have to do the "poo bag dangle"

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Which is exactly *why* I have cats...

View attachment 674549

Plus it also means that I don't have to do the "poo bag dangle"

Generally cheaper too.

Our sadly departed Weimaraner cost around £2500 pa (worth every penny to us) including the fuel cost of daily 8 mile round trip for his big walk of the day and a decent insurance policy which was £70pm back in the noughties - not one of the cheapo waste of time policies.

I have a big thing about under-exersized dogs. Our boy used to clock up 100-150 miles a week (estimated at 2-3 times my distance) off-lead and was as fit as a fiddle. Sadly I've seen some unfit Weim's in poor condition - probably purchased because they look gorgeous.

In our village (full of outdoorsy folk) we have some very fit dogs but there are 3 sedentary couples with unfit dogs - a lovely Red Setter, a Staffie and a Bedlington Terrier, all overweight and a handful to manage. So sad.

They would have been better off with a Greyhound or Rottweiler.

 

[numbnuts]

No photos sorry as she took them all when she left

 

[Reynard]

Generally cheaper too.

Our sadly departed Weimaraner cost around £2500 pa (worth every penny to us) including the fuel cost of daily 8 mile round. trip for his big walk of the day and a decent insurance policy which was £70pm back in the noughties - not one of the cheapo waste of time policies.

I have a big thing about under-exersized dogs. Our boy used to clock up 100-150 miles a week (estimated at 2-3 times my distance) off-lead and was as fit as a fiddle. Sadly I've seen some unfit Weim's in poor condition - probably purchased because they look gorgeous.

In our village (full of outdoorsy folk) we have some very fit dogs but there are 3 sedentary couples with unfit dogs - a lovely Red Setter, a Staffie and a Bedlington Terrier, all overweight and a handful to manage. So sad.

They would have been better off with a Greyhound or Rottweiler.

I do enjoy my (mostly) weekly walk with a friend and her two miniature schnauzers. It's a pleasure to see a pair of happy and very fit little dogs sprinting around for fun. They get taken out twice a day, once for a short walk, and then once for a longer one. They also go to a doggy adventure park once a week. But we're lucky that there are some super places to walk around here without the need to take the car.

My friend says that sometimes it's a joy to be out, but that other times, it can really be unpleasant. I'm a weather wuss - and I strongly suspect I was a cat in a previous life.

 

[Venod]

In our village (full of outdoorsy folk) we have some very fit dogs but there are 3 sedentary couples with unfit dogs - a lovely Red Setter, a Staffie and a Bedlington Terrier, all overweight and a handful to manage.

We had a Beddy, not a manicured spoilt one, but a tough example of the breed, his prey drive was uncontrollable, he would chase anything, I saw him dive head first into a Bush one day while out walking I wondered what was going on, he came out with a pigeon.
Sadly gone, I was devastated when he got knocked down chasing a rabbit, so much so I can't bring myself to own another dog, although I do consider it now and again especially when I see the daughters Cockapoo, what a character he is.

 

[Willd]

He goes off the lead whenever he can & probably does 5x the distance we do

 

[jowwy]

Enjoying a break in my office

 

[MrGrumpy]

Our retriever pup and the MIL bearded collie . An absolute riot together. Our Pup is extremely scent driven, and once locked on , is bloodied minded . Cats is her thing right now !

 

[siadwell]

Teddy, 5 year old Cockapoo.

 

[Mo1959]

View attachment 674810

He goes off the lead whenever he can & probably does 5x the distance we do

Not a lab/springer cross by any chance. Looks very like my sadly departed girl. She liked to run like a mad thing too.

 

[Willd]

Yes, he's been in the "Post a picture of your pet" thread a bit. He'll be four in February and is about 25kg heavier than when this photo was taken

 

[Mo1959]

Yes, he's been in the "Post a picture of your pet" thread a bit. He'll be four in February and is about 25kg heavier than when this photo was taken

View attachment 675108

Gorgeous. Very like my girl. Just a white flash on her chest and a bit on her paws too. Very energetic but lovely nature.