Choosing A Breed

[quiksilva]

I think so too, any dog we have would be a house dog anyway but going from a/c to out doors could be hard on them, would short haired St Bernards fare any better than their long haired cousins?

example

We are still not fixed on a breed at this point so will be looking at as many options as possible, I have even found an Old English Mastiff breeder here too, who are also short haired and bred here, who orginally came from Asia, so I thought they might do okay.

[elfe]

the shorter the hair the better! also easy to take care, to spot ticks or flea or injuries, less dirt in the house, less hair in the house, less skin irritations like hot spots or rashes... with heavy breeds like mastiffs and st bernards and the like it can also be a problem that they get problems with the skin at the elbows and other spots where they lie on, they should lie on soft pillows or blankets but due to heat here they all prefer the bare ground or tiles which can cause problems in the longer run... my great dane has big wobbly thick skin parts on his elbows i can do nothing about as he refuses to lie on soft ground... otherwise he's fine with the climate.

[TizMe]

Select-A-Pet

This site might help you narrow the selection.

[quiksilva]

Ha thanks Tiz, great site very useful. It seems that I am thinking in the right area:

My results were:

* BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOG (I would be keen if I could find a reputable breeder here)

* NEWFOUNDLAND (would love our lake but their coats are just too long I think for Thailand)

* ST. BERNARD (nuff said, short haired SB may be an option, if we do I'd crate train the puppy and provide soft bedding)

* GOLDEN RETRIEVER

The Golden is another serious contender, but I fear that they maybe too active for us, eg realistically we are looking at a 45 min walk a day and playtimes in the evening. Plus Games, training and longer walks at the weekends.

[MsFigure]

Since you mentioned that you are planning on starting a family, you need to make sure that they are good with children. Also if getting a dog from a breeder, make sure you find out about the temperament & health of the dogs they breed. If a dog with a bad tempermant, or one that has hip or elbow problems is bred - you have a greater chance of ending up with a dog with a lot of problems. So many things to consider when deciding to own a dog, especially when you haven't any experience before. It will be a great learning experience for you and the family, but one you can't afford to make mistakes with when children come into the picture, so choose wisely and talk to as many dog owners and breeders that have both dogs and children to make sure that you get the right dog for you.

Hope you find a breed or mixed (designer) breed family addition that you are happy with because the love, fun and companionship you will get back from them is one that has to be experienced to be believed.

Di

[quiksilva]

Thank you Di, whilst we are very excited and looking forward to owning a dog, we are certainly not planning to rush headlong into a decision, I am trying to learn as much as possible before finally selecting a suitable breed, breeder and puppy. I appreciate how important it is and we want to do this right.

Thanks again for the support, I'll be sure to keep you posted on how things progress

[Old Man River]

Ha thanks Tiz, great site very useful. It seems that I am thinking in the right area:

My results were:

* BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOG (I would be keen if I could find a reputable breeder here)

* NEWFOUNDLAND (would love our lake but their coats are just too long I think for Thailand)

* ST. BERNARD (nuff said, short haired SB may be an option, if we do I'd crate train the puppy and provide soft bedding)

* GOLDEN RETRIEVER

The Golden is another serious contender, but I fear that they maybe too active for us, eg realistically we are looking at a 45 min walk a day and playtimes in the evening. Plus Games, training and longer walks at the weekends.

You have mentioned that you have a small yard, want the dog to have some security aspects and may also have small children around. I don't know anything about the first two above, but I have had friends that have had SB's in Bangkok, and they not only had big yards, but also gave their dogs the run of the house (downstairs). These are very big dogs and not suitable for a small yard.

I have a Golden. They are every bit as active as you have heard and are wonderful dogs, but not good for security purposes because they love everyone. Also, and this may be very important to you, because they are so fun loving, they will (not might) jump on little kids wanting to play with them. These dogs are very strong and able to jump great heights. Since I live in a family compound with small children this is something we constantly have to watch. We put a fence around our yard just for this purpose. They do adapt to the heat as long as there is a place in your yard with shade. Some also put tubs of water in their yards as these are water dogs and like to jump in to cool off.

[quiksilva]

Looks like SB's are ruled out, the Mrs was scared of the short haired SB.

She did however fall head over heels in love with a Golden Retriever pup. I'm confident that I can control a Golden if we have kids arouind we'll just have to be especially watchful.

Our 'small' house (190 sqm) and garden is 65 sq wah, surrounded by a 5" fence. It could be bigger buts its enough room to throw a ball and play and should be plenty big enough for a medium-active dog. Yeshe'd most likely be a house dog given run of the house (although not upstairs at first) plus Im sure he'd love walks around the lake in our Moo Baan too.

It was great to see all the breeds (I also liked Beagles) but I had some reservations about the breeder, I didn't like the way the dogs were kept and was never introduced to the pup's parents:

Patama Farm on Sukhumkvit 71 - anyone know this place?

[MsFigure]

Looks like SB's are ruled out, the Mrs was scared of the short haired SB.

She did however fall head over heels in love with a Golden Retriever pup. I'm confident that I can control a Golden if we have kids arouind we'll just have to be especially watchful.

Our 'small' house (190 sqm) and garden is 65 sq wah, surrounded by a 5" fence. It could be bigger buts its enough room to throw a ball and play and should be plenty big enough for a medium-active dog. Yeshe'd most likely be a house dog given run of the house (although not upstairs at first) plus Im sure he'd love walks around the lake in our Moo Baan too.

It was great to see all the breeds (I also liked Beagles) but I had some reservations about the breeder, I didn't like the way the dogs were kept and was never introduced to the pup's parents:

Patama Farm on Sukhumkvit 71 - anyone know this place?

BEAGLES - I love Beagles! If you didn't like that particular breeder, I'm sure there are many more around. Have you gone out and brought one of the many dog books on sale in the bookshops/news stands? A lot of good breeders and contact numbers in those magazines and you may find some pups already available or ready soon. Sometimes it's worth the wait for a good pup (we waited 2 years for our imported female dogo) if you can find a good breeder who will give you a health problem free dog. You will find that very good breeders will usually have a waiting list for their dogs (depending on the quality you want). Too many shoddy breeders who breed dogs with a whole host of problems like bad hips which causes a lot of pain and heartache later on. I may be wrong, but i think golden retrievers are also prone to hip and elbow problems (as other medium to large dogs are) so it's very important you check out that these pups are from healthy parents.

Make sure you don't get ripped off from a breeder and that you get what you pay for too. Don't be fooled into the breeder trying to get you to spend more money than the dogs actually worth because there are 2 quality types that you can pay for - 1. Show / Breed quality and 2. Pet and not to be bred pet. Not to say that pet quality dogs aren't good - our male Kostya is classed as a pet quality dog(o) because he has faults that would disqualify him if we were to show him and being a pet quality dog, he will not be bred. But he is still an awesome dog and I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world.

Remember don't rush - good things are worth waiting for

[MsFigure]

Thought I'd do a quick check for you about health issues of GR and this is what I found. I was right about the problems with their hips too, but found a few more things to be on the look out for. Golden Retriever Facts

Hip Dysplasia

The term hip dysplasia means poor development of the hip joint, and describes an inherited developmental disease in young dogs of many different breeds. Unsound hip joints are a common problem in many breeds, and hip dysplasia can be a serious problem in any dog that is to be trained for a demanding activity. Hip dysplasia may be diagnosed by x-ray between six months and one year of age, but this is not entirely reliable, and dogs intended for breeding should be x-rayed when fully mature. Two years of age is considered to be the minimum age for accurate determination of sound hips.

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals is a organization with trained veterinarians that examine thousands of xrays and grade the hips they see. Dogs that are past a minimum age and have good hips are certified Fair, Good, or Excellent; hips that show signs of arthrosis and hip dysplasia do not get certified. Needless to say, both parents of the puppy you are considering should have OFA certification. The more OFA numbers in the pedigree (including littermates of the parents, grandparents, and previous offspring of either parent), the better off your puppy is. However, as the inheritance of hip dysplasia involves multiple genes, breeding only OFA certified dogs only lessens the chances of HD in the puppies, not eliminates.

Dogs not intended for breeding but who will be active in obedience, agility, hunting, etc. should be screened between 6-12 months of age. This way if there is a problem that shows up this early, you have several options for corrective surgery that are best done at this age. And if your pup shows no signs of hip dysplasia at this point, you can more comfortably continue with your planned activities without worrying that you are making a problem worse down the line.

If your puppy has a persistent, unexplainable limp, he should be xrayed to determine if hip dysplasia or something else is the cause. On the other hand, Goldens and other retriever breeds often seem to have high pain thresholds and do not show signs of pain. An x-ray does not always show you how your dog feels, as many dysplastic Goldens are completely asymptomatic, especially when younger. Others that do display symptoms can often be helped with either medicinal or surgical intervention to alleviate the pain.

Eye Disease

Some Goldens carry genes for Central Progressive Retinal Atrophy (CPRA) which is a progressive deterioration of the light-receptive area (retina) of the eye, and may result in complete blindness at a young age. Hereditary cataracts are also common eye problems in the Golden Retriever. Examination by a Board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist is necessary to determine if the cataract is of concern from a genetic standpoint. If there are any questions, the dog should not be bred.

Golden Retrievers used for breeding stock should be examined annually until at least eight years of age or longer, as hereditary eye problems can develop at varying ages.

Dogs that have undergone examination by a Board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist and found to be free of hereditary eye disease can be registered with the Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF). Note that not all forms of cataracts disqualify a dog from getting a CERF number; you should ask to see a copy of the paperwork the vet filled out (the original is sent to CERF).

The breeder should be able to show you the paperwork on both parents for eye examinations. It's important to verify that the dogs are being examined annually and not just once. If the breeder has older dogs, ask if they are still being examined as well.

Epilepsy

Seizure disorders may arise from a variety of environmental factors including viral infections, other diseases and trauma. While an isolated seizure does not necessarily constitute a problem, dogs subject to recurring seizures should not be bred. Veterinarians can prescribe medication to control recurring seizures, however medication is not always completely effective. Epilepsy generally does not affect a dog's health or longevity, but all such dogs should be immediately neutered and not used for breeding stock: if it's hereditary, you don't want to pass it along to the pups'; if not, pregnancy increases the risk of a seizure, endangering both her and the pups' lives.

Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis (SAS)

SAS, a hereditary heart disease, is known to occur in the Golden Retriever breed. There is no registry for screenings for SAS, however, breeders have begun to have their dogs screened by Board-Certified Veterinary Cardiologists, and OFA is setting up a Heart Registry program as of mid-1996. The usual screening is auscultation (listening to the heart with a stethescope). If there is any suspicion in the cardiologist's mind, an echocardiogram is run to rule out any problems. The typical proof that a breeder has had their breeding stock screened for SAS is a letter signed by a Board-Certified Veterinary Cardiologist indicating that the animal is, in their opinion, free from SAS.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is characterized by atrophy or malfunction of the thyroid gland. Clinical symptoms include obesity, lethargy, and/or coat problems. Affected animals may also have various reproductive problems including irregular or absent heat cycle and lack of fertility in both male and female. Diagnosis of hypothyroidism is by laboratory tests measuring levels of T3 and T4 (produced by the thyroid gland) in the blood. Treatment consists of daily administration of oral thyroid supplement. When treated successfully the prognosis is excellent and the dog's lifespan is normal. Lifelong thyroid supplementation may be required.

Many clinically normal, healthy Goldens may test slightly under the accepted range of "normal" T3 and T4 levels and it is quite possible that the normal values for this breed may be slightly lower than the values used for the general canine population.

There are some dogs that will have epileptic attacks when hypothyroid and stop seizuring when put on thyroid. While there is a link, the hypothyroid condition does not cause epilepsy, and the dog should still be monitored for epilepsy.

Allergies

Skin allergies are very common in Golden Retrievers and the offending allergens are numerous - a flea bite, airborne pollen, dust, mold, food. Symptoms can range from constant biting, licking and scratching to constant, chronic ear infections. In many cases diet can play a large role in the allergic dog. If you suspect you have an allergic animal, consult with a canine allergist to determine the actual extent of the problem. Allergies coupled with low thyroid levels are commonly seen and it is often worth testing for the other if you see the one in your dog.

[lannarebirth]

Here's what you need. Accept no substitutes. Thank me later.

http://www.nextdaypets.com/directory/breeds/1100205/

Or, just about any dog from the rescue agecies.

[elfe]

i have another thought... why a puppy? as you described you are not home most of the day. a puppy needs lots and lots of attention, needs food 4 times per day, poopoo and pees all the times, keeps you awake at night, destroys things etc. not to say that they are cute and lovely but by what you said in your starting post a grown dog would be more fun for you. goldens are wonderful dogs, friendly, funny, playful, intelligent. i have 4 of them. but mind you, many are hyperactive and need lots of attention and things to do. my golden male is about 3 yrs old, he would be the perfect dog for you, can stay alone, is quiet, barks if someone is at the door but then overfriendly to visitors, loves attention and is up for anything like walks, a ball game or whatever but also cools off when told. my other goldens are very very active, only quiet when really really tired, cannot keep still if not worked out. here they also play and run with each other but if a single pup he will always demand you to give attention.

[quiksilva]

Hi yes we got a dog magazine on Saturday, and found several breeders for chocolate labs with a pedigree litter due in March (perfect timing plus plenty of Golden breeders which we will be looking at closely over the coming months.

I like Pointers too Lannarebirth - in fact my Dad almost got a pair when I was at school but we ended up with a lazy black lab collie instead.

However the Mrs has her heart set on a Goldie now, to see her fall head over heels for that puppy was a great thing to behold

Why a pup? Well to be honest I'd be happy with a dog up to 1 year old. I dont want one much older than a year though because I like those crazy, half grown, teenage years when they are still awkward, clumsy and full of beans The wife again typically loves the cute puppy...

I'm prepared for how much work it will be, there will certainly be a few accidents and sleepless nights, but I think it'll be worth it.

Getting everyone in the house on the same page of the puppy training program will be a test of my management skills. We will have a full time live-in maid who is being on hired on the understanding that puppy daycare will be a part of her job.

I will have some puppy crate training and housebreaking tips I found on the net translated into Thai for her to read and will teach her what to do (via my wife) before we even get a puppy in.

So there should be no worries about being left alone as there will almost always be someone in the house.