Trying to decide on a breed of dog.

[Slow Five-O]

Oh, I see that Im wasting my time. Askhole.

Are you going to cry? Just trying to understand what you're saying. This is the first I've heard of a don't waste your time looking at the parents genetics and gamble on a mutt because they're healthier way of going.

I understand they do vaccinations and test for diseases they may CURRENTLY have.

[mustang_revival]

Wiener

[Slow Five-O]

Here is mine. A Boykin Spaniel, best damn mid size dog yet. Very loving and gets along with kids very well.

Saw one of those at a dog park on white Rock. They were throwing a rope out into the water and that thing was out swimming the other dogs going for it.

[01vnms4v]

Saw one of those at a dog park on white Rock. They were throwing a rope out into the water and that thing was out swimming the other dogs going for it.

I cant keep mine out of the water when at the lake, I can throw the retriever toy bird or the tennis ball a thousand times in a row, and he will keep getting it. Sometimes he will jump right off the dock before I have can pick it off the ground.

They are actually growing in popularity in Texas.

[Slow Five-O]

What ranch in Hico? My uncle and grandfather have been hunting that way for 30 years. We used to have some family in Star.

This is Hud and he has spread his seed for a hefty fee.

That is a good looking dog!

[Baron Von Crowder]

Are you going to cry? Just trying to understand what you're saying. This is the first I've heard of a don't waste your time looking at the parents genetics and gamble on a mutt because they're healthier way of going.

I understand they do vaccinations and test for diseases they may CURRENTLY have.

I guess you either missed my point, or dont understand heredity. You can blow 10 grand on a Havanese, but it can still get parvo or hartworms from a dog at the dog park. That has nothing to do with breed or genetics, and that was my point.

[talisman]

Says the guy that recommended a lab.

I've had 3 different Border Collies....something else I've noticed in all of them is that they calm down considerably at around 3-years old. My current female has been an outstanding dog...I'm still sometimes amazed at how smart she is. She understands the English language better than some people I've met...and not just stuff like "outside" or "hungry", she knows every single one of her toys by name....she will literally pee on demand when I say "go pee". When my daughter rides home on the bus, I'll let her out and tell her to "watch for the bus"...she'll go lay at the property line and watch for it until it arrives. Somehow she knows the time too, b/c when I sometimes forget she comes and let's me know when it's time for the bus.

On the other hand, our male BC is lazy and somewhat stupid....I think he may be a little retarded actually.

Everyone's situation is different. Personally, I'd take an active smart dog over a lazy stupid one any day.

I'm on my second, and this time I know what I'm doing, and holy shit I've "accidentally" taught her some off the wall stuff in a short amount of time. I've got all wood floors, and she has hard toys because she annihilates soft ones in about 30 minutes. So I'll be watching a movie and she'll be banging it around on the floor. I say "Pick it up!" and she grabs it and sprints to her bed and chews on it there. Funny as hell.

I completely agree with your last statement. Both of mine have been females, Scully was pretty willful sometimes, but I blame that on me not knowing what the hell I was doing. Ramona is an A+ student when it comes to commands, especially the longer we're together. She is a real goofball, and a sweetheart too. For the rest of my life I will seek out female BC's. It's hard for me to describe just how rewarding it is having one around.

Lol retrievers don't have near the energy of a border collie. Have you ever been near a lab?

Lab puppies have a shit ton of energy, and most that I've seen don't absorb commands at an early age like a BC, so you end up dealing with a high energy dog that doesn't listen to you.

How do you come to that conclusion?

It's generally accepted fact that mutts have less health problems than pure breads due to inbreeding.

[Slow Five-O]

I guess you either missed my point, or dont understand heredity. You can blow 10 grand on a Havanese, but it can still get parvo or hartworms from a dog at the dog park. That has nothing to do with breed or genetics, and that was my point.

I like the idea of the boxer/mastiff mix you mentioned earlier. I bet that was a cool dog.

Are puppies seen often in shelters?

[Taylor]

Are puppies seen often in shelters?

yep

[Taylor]

22475143 on fort worth's shelter page, among others..

if you scroll to the bottom there are lots of puppies.

http://fortworthtexas.gov/animals/dogs/

[talisman]

A few of Ramona the BC. First 2 are her co-piloting us down to Corpus in the 5.0.





This is her favorite stick. I thought it was too big when I was trimming some branches, but she grabbed it and it became her favorite outside toy.

[talisman]

22475143 on fort worth's shelter page, among others..

if you scroll to the bottom there are lots of puppies.


http://fortworthtexas.gov/animals/dogs/

Also petfinder.com. That's where I found mine.

[Pokulski-Blatz]

Nice dog you got there!

Thanks man, I really got lucky with him.

[Ruffdaddy]

I'm on my second, and this time I know what I'm doing, and holy shit I've "accidentally" taught her some off the wall stuff in a short amount of time. I've got all wood floors, and she has hard toys because she annihilates soft ones in about 30 minutes. So I'll be watching a movie and she'll be banging it around on the floor. I say "Pick it up!" and she grabs it and sprints to her bed and chews on it there. Funny as hell.

I completely agree with your last statement. Both of mine have been females, Scully was pretty willful sometimes, but I blame that on me not knowing what the hell I was doing. Ramona is an A+ student when it comes to commands, especially the longer we're together. She is a real goofball, and a sweetheart too. For the rest of my life I will seek out female BC's. It's hard for me to describe just how rewarding it is having one around.


Lab puppies have a shit ton of energy, and most that I've seen don't absorb commands at an early age like a BC, so you end up dealing with a high energy dog that doesn't listen to you.



It's generally accepted fact that mutts have less health problems than pure breads due to inbreeding.

Absolutely, all pups have a lot of energy. My point was that BCs are some of the highest energy dogs. And again, they're awesome dogs, both of my neighbors have them and they are great. Labs tend to level off in the energy department after 2 years, whereas BCs maintain high energy levels much older.

I am speaking strictly on what the OP wanted...a Large do without excessively high energy. A BC misses both of those marks. There is nothing wrong with BCs, its just not what he's asking for.

To the OP, do you live in a busy neighborhood? Do you own a home? You have to consider insurance and such if you are even thinking about an aggressive breed dog like a german, dobie, rotty...etc.

Here is my current dog, and of all the breeds I've owned, the best. While I loved my german growing up, she just wouldn't be as good in a busy neighborhood with so many kids like I live in now.




She's extremely loyal, and is nearly always content to be right near my feet. In the fishing picture, what you can't see is the dumbass german shorthair pointer that kept trying to fetch my bait everytime I would cast.





The main Cons with labs is the fact that they shed terribly and are strong enough to pull quite hard on a leash if you do not train them properly.

[Slow Five-O]

I can't see those pictures on my phone for some reason. I appreciate all the input.

I live in sanger. I live in the back of a neighborhood and my fence backs up to a field as far as the eyes can see. My back yard isn't massive but it is a respectable size. I own the home.