I came across this article about the 10 naughtiest dog breeds. A friend of ours was thinking of getting a new dog and was wondering what type to get, so I thought of her when I read it. We would love a dog ourselves, but we have a 12-year-old cat, whom we don't want to upset, obviously. We've read plenty of horror stories of cats disappearing after a new pet was brought into the home, and we don't want that to happen. We were thinking that a lurcher might be a nice dog to have - they're apparently very lazy. But I read somewhere that they had a habit of running after cats - a bit like greyhounds run after rabbits? So, we're in a holding pattern at present.And for those of you who prefer cats (though one doesn't necessarily exclude the other), there is an equally good cat website here!
Get yourself a boxer dog. We have a 2 year old adult male but to be honest, we still think of him as a puppy. They nickname the breed the 'babysitting dog' and in our experience the stories about them being very gentle with children and small pets is entirely true, to the point where they don't even try to defend themselves when they are being attacked by rat-sized terriers. They have bundles of energy and you need to walk them daily, but you'll thank them for it as it's good exercise. They are also decent guard dogs and they look imposing and unwelcoming even though they are possibly the most gentle family dog around. Like a lot of larger dogs (such as labradors, greyhounds, alsatians etc) they can get hip problems so it's a good idea to buy from a seller who can certify what's called the 'hip score' of its parents. It's basically an indicator of any family history of hip problems which can show whether your puppy has a risk of contracting bad hips. A good purepred breeder will charge you 200 euro plus for a boxer pup. As they get older they like to play non-stop and if you've got kids of any age, they'll never lack a play partner. And you can train them to go to the toilet in one corner of the garden, they're quite responsive to kind training such as by giving them small treats and rewards (but if you try to bully them they get headstrong and refuse). Possibly more information than you need. Good luck. SB
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the feedback, Anonymous. I always thought I would like a boxer myself, but I didn't realise they were such good dogs! I could certainly do with the exercise! You don't happen to know how they are with cats, by any chance? We have a 12-year-old cat, who is king of the hill, and we're concerned bringing in another pet would upset him!
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