My wife and I lost our best friend last year, she was a border-collie cross and she was 16 years old. Its taken 12 months to come to terms and we now think we want another little friend. We're looking for a Bichon Frise or a Bolognese breeder around the Aveyron. Just wondered if anyone knows any? Thanks in advance. R G White
I'm totally accepting of the fact that there may not be a little monster who immediately pulls at your heart strings but I'm so happy you're going to take a look, Richard. You never know... And please do let us know if there's an addition to the family or it gives you other ideas or you suddenly decide on a moggy instead (I have 3 purrbabies as well) - whatever the outcome.
Thank you Valerie, We live about a 15 min drive from SPA (which was a suprise to me) so we're going there one day this week I hope, We have a Restaurant/Hotel by the Lac de Pareloup so it's dependant on business but I'll get there eventually.
Absolutely nothing stepped on Doreen, I promise. It feels like forever ago I posted it and I too don't trawl backwards. Probably neither of us have the time really! Totally with you on the new companion. I hope Richard and his BH find the perfect little monster who tries to rule the roost but will do anything for a treat and gets them out strolling around the lanes enjoying the sunshine. Lovely.
I'm doing a minor harumph - the first response you had contained that link. Ha. Anyway, I'm not sure how far you are from Rodez but take a look at this little tyke. I'm not sure about Match of the Day but she definitely seems lap size. I've forgotten now but I think she's maybe 8 months old?
Her "blurb" says (Google translated as you can tell)
Choukette is a small, very cute, kind and incredibly affectionate dog.
She is also very playful!
It will surprise you with its incredible character because despite its small size, it knows what she wants!
She's on here
http://sparodez.celeonet.fr/index.php?page=voir_animaux&type=chiens&perdu=0&adoptable=1&debut=0
Doreen, Thank you so much! This is the kind fof web site I been trying to find for weeks.
Thanks for all the 'useful' comments, I apreciate the advice about recure dogs however I should point out that my wife and i have had dogs most of our married life (always from rescure centres) but our situation is now that we can only really cope with a lap type dog. We have no preference for a pedigree dog or its age, all we want is a little companion. It just seems that all the rescue centres have large very active dogs. We want a little dog, preferably a lap dog who likes Coronation Street and Match of the Day. Anybody knows where I can get one like that please let me know, We have a place between us on the settee waiting to be filled.
Cheers everyone!!
Tony i may have sounded a bit negative but i worked with the Old English Sheepdog rescue in the uk for 30 years we have 4 at the moment we brought with us from the uk people ask me why we have 4 my reply because the wife wont let me have anymore, in one centre alone there was usually 9 dogs per month coming in and most often people gave the reason cost and time to look after the dogm they look fantastic with a pot of paint but that dog was up at 5am getting ready washing and grooming for the shoot 6 hours later 10 min out in the rain and mud matted hair and filthy again dogs dont wipe their feet but they can be trained to stand and wait while you do dogs want to please and you get unconditional love from a dog he wont love you anymore if he gets a biscuit he already gives you all he has, he senses when you are down and stressed when you are happy
I think it is very sensible to take a good hard look at getting a dog - after all it is a serious commitment for the next 15 years or so, and dogs unlike children don't bcome more independent, can't have things explained to them, are always with you or at home alone. I have a lab/pointer cross who is now 14 and a bit, she has not had any of the health problems a pure lab or even pointer is prone to - she has stayed very slim in spite of being spayed - and she has a short very low-maintenance coat. She doesn't smell. (well she smells of clean garden). She considers the garden as part of the house and goes off into the vines to do the needful, I was very glad of that & would have trained her to do it had she not done it automatically since I don't think lots of children running around and a garden full of hidden dog turds are a good combination. She eats a mixture of dog biscuits and whatever we eat minus anything bad for dogs, & dog meat from the butcher. She is at home with the cats most of the day seeing we are at school and hasn't gone walkabout for years - she used to go to the children's school and wait at the gate, much to the horror of one of their teachers, she also used to attend weddings & wine-tastings at the local chateau.... but she's stopped doing that.
I would have said that short haireds are less "messy" hair-wise but you could knit a chihuahua from the amount I sweep up. If you groom them regularly, the majority of the hair will be on the brush, not so much the car or the floor.
Yes, if you own a dog there will be annual vet bills for the ordinary stuff, vaccinations, worming tablets etc. Then of course you may be faced with the extraordinary ones that you would need to be prepared for, as with any pet. There are pet insurance policies you can take out to help with these.
BUT if you do decide to go the foster route, you would only be responsible for food and lodging, as it were. The refuge vet will take care of the rest.
And as for my car - hair, mud, paw streaks, slobber ...
Tony, if you're not sure whether a dog would suit your lifestyle or not why not try fostering one from your local refuge? You wouldn't then have it on a permanent basis but you'd give the poor thing a break from a concrete cage at least for a while. You could see how you get on and if a dog's really not for you then so be it. Otherwise with luck you'll get on famously and it will be the perfect solution.
Tony do not have a border collie they are very energetic dogs need a lot of stimulation and get bored and distructive without it, my sister very foolishly had one and left it to do its own thing which was to wreck the house, having had 13 kids i would have thought a dog would be far less trouble i only had two but i really dont think you are a doggy person, the pooh thing after 13 kids ? and the average cost of running one its bit like a RR if you ask what they do to the gallon you cant afford one, one of my dogs was costing £100 per month on medication another £1000 for a heart problem at Liverpool Vet Uni, few months back one of my girls had a grass seed in her paw cost at the end of 2 months treatment 500€ then its 30€ every 2 months for flea and ticks for the 4 dogs get the idea ,pooh patrol every day takes 1 hour around the garden i import all my food from the manufacturer in the UK it far cheaper having 4 dogs being on a uk pension but would i give up my dogs not a chance the day i am without a dog will be a sad day indeed having had dogs from the age of 5
Tony, I agree with Doreen, a cat would suit you best. They'll come for walks with you (we take all 6 of ours around our domain with our dog) and keep you amused when you want to play indoors in a way that dogs cannot.
As to the jumping up, well-behaved issue, it's entirely down to you to train them. They want to learn, and will learn bad habits if not properly and consistently trained. Our current dog came to us in UK via RSPCA, 9 months old, untrained, hyperactive. We were the 3rd keepers to take her on and I, too, nearly gave up after 2 weeks of turmoil and destruction. Then we got a dog trainer who came to our home for one afternoon and trained us, schooling us how to treat the dog, how to get and keep her attention, how to walk both on the lead and off how to stop her eating everything on every surface – I'd lost more than one dinner in preparation while my back was turned. Sheba has behaved ever since. She doesn't even attempt to eat the cat's dinners which are easily within her reach.
It takes a lot of dedicated work, and then you'll be rewarded with a highly sociable dog who'll be accepted in most places, but you have to be prepared to put in the work to achieve it, the dog will try to please and not understand if you get angry, and it's why so many are abandoned, badly treated etc.
Cats are much easier, cost less. To give you an idea, why not go to your local refuge, SPA in France, and volunteer to walk and groom the dogs who badly need attention? Then, if you think you could provide a kind and loving home, take one home with you.
Doreen, if you're not paying for the pup I'd imagine that he will have been neither tagged nor vaccinated – or perhaps just the first jab. Vet costs are high and 'pucing' (electronic tagging) and vaccinating a whole litter is very expensive. Why not just ask them and don't be surprised if they say that the pup hasn't yet been done. I breed ragdoll cats and sell them, but if my princess has sneaked out to party with the neighbouring tabby I sell the kittens for just the cost of the puce and vaccins, which the taker would have to pay for anyway. Have fun with your baby!
I know everyone has already promoted the rescue centres. My last two dogs came from rescue centres, both fabulous dogs, the current one is a flatcoat / lab cross and is adored where ever she goes. Even my 6 cats vie for her attention. Why not have a look in the shelters first, to be sure that the person you'e looking for isn't waiting there for you? I hope you manage to meet the Special One, where ever you find him.
I am very sorry to hear of your loss Richard but pleased that you are now ready to have another dog. Of course it is your right to choose where you get your dog, but I agree with many of the comments regarding animal rescue centres. In both the UK and France my wife and I have taken rescued dogs in and it is correct that there are pedigrees needing to be re-homed. We now do voluntary work for our local SPA and it is amazing how many lovely dogs of all ages there are just waiting to find a new home. The centres are brimming and overflowing with them.
Bon courage!
Hi Richard, I saw David had been beavering away and managed to find some useful links. Good man. Have you had any joy?
Having worked with the Old English Sheepdog rescue in the UK for 30 years i have seen so many beautiful dogs brought in for all maner of reasons bearing in mind a good OES can cost anything upwards of £1500 why oh why do they throw them out on the motorway, leave them in woods even threaten to put them in a car crusher worst of all set fire to them, yes i have seen it all,thankfully they dont sell the paint in France so the breed isnt that popular, look at the refuge so many dogs there that would be so grateful even the scruffiest little mongrel would be a very faithful and obedient friend
Do check your local SPA (Soc for protection des animaux). Our friend got her Bichon Frise from one, and we got our Cocker from another. You'll be saving an animal, and also saving a small fortune!
I also urge you to look first at the animal rescue centres. I got my pedigree 5 year old Cocker Spaniel from www.sosad.org (Brittany) whose previous owners could not cope with his Spaniel characteristics. Fostering a dog is a good way of getting to know each other before committing to adoption.