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Retirement dogs


SmokeyR67
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Hi all, 

 

It looks like I'll be retiring shortly, and I think I'd like a couple of dogs to keep me on my toes:)

 

I've always had either GSD's or Labs, but I have dodgy shoulders so Shepherds are out (I have issues lifting 45 kg into the back seat of my ute) and whilst I love Labs, honestly, I'd prefer a thinner dog...

 

My personal habits are 1 or 2 walks per day, weather dependant, and at the moment my body clock is out of whack (25 years of shiftwork) but I hope to establish a normal routine on retirement.

 

I'll be starting with general obedience work, and then see what the dogs like before going further, either obedience or agility, anything that keeps them happy 

 

I love working and sporting dogs, especially gun dogs, and I'm leaning towards dogs about the size of an Irish Setter/ GSP, but Id love your help in pointing me (no pun intended) in the right direction.

 

Thanks

 

 

Shane

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If you want a real challenge with obedience and/or agility go for a terrier. Particularly an Airedale is well capable of both BUT it will take work and a real commitment to cope with their "work ethics".

Alternatively if you are looking for a gundog have a look at the Curly Coated Retriever for something a bit different.

 

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I think you have lots of options in that size range if you walk twice daily and are serious about doing some sort of obedience or dog sport to engage their minds. If you want to do agility, maybe stick to the lower sizes. A lot simply depends on your personal preference, unless you are deadly serious about being a gun in the obed or agility rings. 

 

Lots of Vizslas around where I am and I have met some really lovely ones, they would be top of my list for gun dogs. You have already thought of GSPs, and even a German Wirehaired Pointer turned up in one of my obed classes, but some GSP I have met required a fair bit of management. Both English Spinger Spaniels and the smaller Welsh SS, and Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, are worth a look. English Pointers seem rarer outside of the show scene, very beautiful but probably a bigger challenge in the obed  ring and maybe a bit big in size.  Setters  of course, English, Irish red, Irish Red and White and Gordon - I haven't seen a Setter in obedience for years but some Irish red setters used to do very well around here. Each setter type has a very different temperament but worth checking out if you like their appearance.

 

If if you wanted smaller and sleeker I would consider looking at a Whippet, they train surprisingly well for a sighthound, and are excellent house dogs which are becoming very popular as pets. Not a typical obedience breed at all  but very nice dogs.

 

There are lots of medium sized working breeds, a lot of choice if you went that way. Border Collies and Australian Shepherds are commonly used for dog sports, Kelpies too. The Belgian Shepherds are my favourite working breeds, but the Malinois can be very very high drive, might be better looking at one of the others like Tervueren or Groenendael- you do have a lot of coat then though. 

 

Why not go to a dog show and watch Group 3 for a  start, that is the Gundog ring, and Group 5, the working/herding breeds. If you look at the Dogzonline main pages they have an Events Calendar that will tell where and when they are held across Australia, obedience trials too.  

Edited by Diva
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Setter compete regularly in Obedience & can do very well .

There is no height standard for Irish Setters & they are still a heavy dog to lift for example so if weight & ease is a major part then certainly there are other gundog breeds .

As mentioned Nova's who do very well in all dog sports ,still have coat but not a major amount

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I've been well and truly hooked on working Gundogs - I breed and compete with (in retrieving and agility) working ESS and would love a working Irish Setter one day. The Spaniels, Pointer and Setter breeds have distinctly different characters so consider whether it's the look or behaviour that you like. I encounter many of the Gundog breeds in retrieving trials and the working ability really varies depending on breeding - whether you can channel that ability into something constructive depends on your skills as a trainer. 

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German shepherd bitches of average size don't often weigh more than 30kg - often less (mine are generally between 25-28kg)

 

Pemboke Corgis are a great smaller sized dog with working dog mentality, lots of fun. Be prepared to wait for a good one though 

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My brother recently got a Brittany. Worth a look - they are on the smaller side of things and I definitely think she would make an awesome agility and/or obedience dog. Super smart and quick to learn.

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I second ness. I recently bought a Brittany pup, and I'm delighted with her. She's smarter and more cooperative than many of the GSDs and BCs I've owned, and she has an incredible off-switch for a puppy.  I'm not sure whether that is typical for the breed - apparently they can be go-go-go - but I was prepared to compromise on that, for a puppy that was dog-friendly and people-friendly - and she loves everybody.

 

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Edited by DogsAndTheMob
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