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10PM ET Small Dog Chat - Long Term Illness Support
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10PM ET Small Dog Chat - Long Term Illness Support
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Posted by silogram on January 25, 2003 at 12:21:04:
After 3 weeks of casual research, recently intensified, I come to this site and am uncertain if this is read by one or more viewers. Anyway, I hope for a long relationship with site.
At risk of overload, I will provide max info, so as to allow more precise answer:
The following are pasted from various emails in last days, and should provide the general gist, but I will jump ahead and note that following these emails I have done 2-3 hours of solid reading research at bookstores and have found claim that hounds and terriers may be most suitable, because most tending to be loners and therefore best "latchkey" types. I had as noted below focused on indoor inactive on basis that high activity types like myself do best with opposites, and had worked from Tortora's book, the right dog for you, with the "inactive indoors" group. With that final note, I give you the build-up:
Intro: I was looking for companion dog, inactive or not very active indoors, reasonbably active out. I am a 3-4 time per week runner, tennis playing on all other days. An attorney. Away from home during day, but can work at home at least one half day, probably 2 so time away from say 7-9 till 5 is maybe three-four days. Possible whenever necessary to come back. Had narrowed breeds to 5-6 but have seen most choices KO'd for one reason or other. Had narrowed breeds to 5-6 but have seen most choices KO'd for one reason or other :
> Akitas--wife concerned re dominance issue.
> Bloodhound--the original first choice: issue re various difficulties indoors.
> English Setter-was top cjhoice, but now concern re Texas summers and need to remain indoors while we are gone + concern re anxiety= destructiveness
> Viszla--still serious, but cannot seem to find anyone; have about 8 emails out to TGCVC people.
> Chesapeake Retriever: am about to probe more deeply
> Boxer--was ideal but for life span.
> :
Most recent message sent by me:
There must be tens of millions of American families which have working husbands and wives and dogs. Probably the largest percentage may also have children and the dog, treated well, is not the center of attention. When one speaks to the "caring class", being breeders and dog club activists, one naturally gets a more caring response to the question of time alone. For me then, the matter is trying to make a judgment, and to smell where the truth lies. I look forward to spending time and making a pet a part an important part of our lives; runs in morning three times per week etc.. But in the class of those for whom their dog is the center of their lives--probably not. We do vacation, have some interests etc. THEN, the question to me becomes, in the circumstances, some dogs are better suited to be alone 3 days a week from 8-5, with family every weekend, and have someone home at least half day on the other two, and other dogs less so. This obviously is a more important determinant than other behavior traits, and physical traits, although obviously all need to be taken into account. From that class of dogs which are suitable for that schedule we could then address the myriad of other matters. My problem to date is that I have been approaching it from all the other issues, and then getting frustrated by the time alone issue. From what you have said, it may be that Viszlas are sadly uniquely unsuited to our schedule. At 9:00 I will go to Barnes and Noble and see if perhaps there has been a book written, and if not there should be, Dogs for Working Families. will also try amazon.
Earlier message received:
Let me give you my "opinion" on the dogs you have chosen.
Akita:
They have a "double" coat, soft undercoat and a harsher outer coat. In Texas they will tend to shed most of the time. They are protective but can learn the difference between threats and friends.
Bloodhounds are big, not good watch dogs and slobber. They will have a "hound odor".
Chesapeake: I really don't know alot about them but from what I have seen are quieter than most of the Sporting dogs.
Boxer: I love Boxers. They do slobber. Any shorthaired dog sheds all the time. I can also give you names for them too. In fact, I can get you names for any of the breeds. Houston would be a good show for you to go to. Onofrio will have the judging schedule listed after the entries close on Feb 5.
English Setters. If you find a GOOD breeder you can get the kind of dog you are looking for. Most of the Sporting dogs are too "hyper" for my taste.
Visla: I like this choice best of what you have listed. I can get you some names of Breeders if you like. Had narrowed breeds to 5-6 but have seen most choices KO'd for one reason or other :
> Akitas--wife concerned re dominance issue.
> Bloodhound--the original first choice: issue re various difficulties indoors.
> English Setter-was top cjhoice, but now concern re Texas summers and need to remain indoors while we are gone + concern re anxiety= destructiveness
> Viszla--still serious, but cannot seem to find anyone; have about 8 emails out to TGCVC people.
> Chesapeake Retriever: am about to probe more deeply
> Boxer--was ideal but for life span.
And finally, later message received, to which the message I sent above was a response:
Some Vizslas do ok in hot weather, and some do not. The Houston summer would be quite hard on one I would think. I never leave my dogs unattended in the yard (I live in Amarillo - a much cooler climate) - but for some very different reasons. First of all, they are gorgeous dogs and I know several who have been "assisted" out of their yard, permanently disappearing. Also, because of their short coat, mosquitos and flies can be a problem. The flies can literally eat the tips of their ears. I am sure you are aware that mosquitos are carriers of heartworm, West Nile, and a host of other diseases. So, I really try and not place dogs who will spend most of their time outside. The Vizsla is a velcro dog...much preferring to be wherever his/her people are. Without that, they sometimes become destructive and a bored Vizsla can do a great deal of damage. They can be diggers and&! nbsp;aggressive chewers. Most of the rescues we take that are not "shelter dogs", but owner releases, come to us with some behavior problems...usually from lack of the proper attention. They DEMAND a lot of attention. They can suffer from separation anxiety when left to their own devices for great lengths of time. Of course, rescue volunteers do what we can, but we cannot, by any stretch of the imagination, come close to placing the animal that the reputable breeder does. Reputable breeders do health checks, home checks, study pedigrees for years and stand behind the health of the puppy for life. As rescue coordinators, we, of course, want you to return the dog to us if the placement does not work for some reason, but we cannot give you the guarantees that come from responsible breeding. Sometimes, if we know the pedigree, we can give you some insight, but health issues sometimes arise from these (usuall! y backyard) breedings.
I did not quite understand your comment about "a pair of dogs". Are you thinking of adopting two Vizslas at once? Are they siblings? Gosh, I am tired just thinking about two at one time without some "settle in" time - and I own three of the red devils!!
I have attached an application for adoption for you to complete if you choose. I will tell you that I have no dogs available for adoption right now in the Texas Panhandle, New Mexico and Oklahoma (my areas of responsibility). Also, fortunately, I have not had one since August of last year. I can't tell you when I will get another, but I can assure you it will show up one day.... I do have a waiting list for dogs right now, so I really can't give you a good time table. I am sorry :((
I am sure this is not the answer you wanted to hear, and for that, I will apologize. However, I am proud of our breeders in the fact that I don't have anything to place today. It's not a good thing for you, but it is a good thing for the breed.