I've been speaking to another colleague who's daughter really wants a dog but colleague has said not right time. Daughter wants a Husky!!
Anyway I've mentioned JH and said she could try and learn with one of mine :-)

Mother said she wants a cross breed of a bichon x poodle. This is because she's seen a few now and likes them. I have said to her if she has to have a cross then to make sure parents are health tested and briefly ran through a few tests. She is all for that and said she wants a healthy pet which is not going to rack up vets bills... So much as I don't agree with these silly crosses, rather than upset those I work with a bit of advice and education in the right way is workinf

Well,sounds like you've done your best and I hope you've talked them out of getting a husky,lovely dogs as they are.
A neighbour of mine has seen an advert for another popular crossbreed,the breeder has a website which she gave me the link to-it has all the usual stuff about how you get the best of both worlds with this cross and how wonderful they are and all about hybrid vigour etc etc but it also openly states the dam is nearly a year old(and her pups are 7 weeks old)-so was mated on her first season at 8 months!! And obviously nothing about the parents being health tested .It also states she will do a deal if someone wants 2 puppies.Are these so called breeders really so completely clueless or do they just not care?

> Are these so called breeders really so completely clueless or do they just not care?

Some people just see dogs as money making machines, don't they? :(

>> Some people just see dogs as money making machines, don't they? :-(

Exactly-and this website also says the pups parents are "our much loved family pets".Yeah right,sounds like it...

> Exactly-and this website also says the pups parents are "our much loved family pets".

"our much loved bring us in a fortune family pets".

Bring her to Discover Dogs!! :-)
http://www.discoverdogs.org.uk/
And you can come grab me for a wee drinky poos at the Prince of Wales :-D

No mother has no desire for a large breed dog, lol..
They've been to a few open shows attached to country fairs and her daughter likes the look of many breeds, but loves the Husky..

Fingers crossed she does act on the only get a pup from health tested parents...

HG was gonna say DD but had to go home, will say tomorrow.
Mentioned about JH and if good and does well then there is a chance at handling at Crufts, which the mother loved and said her daughter would too...

Drinks on you then Liv?? :-D

Eurasiers!!!! :-D

> Eurasiers!!!! :-D

I still have em :)

> Eurasiers!!!! :-D

In that case mrs i'm sending her your way.. Or when you next come down here bring your pooches, will probably give the mother a heart attack along with mine.. hehe..

Maybe try to get her into one of the smaller spitz types if she likes huskies but they're too big for her mum? Think I shall have to miss DD this year, pity as I always try to go! But we have a rally trial on the Sunday and it's quite a trek to go to London the Saturday and then compete on the Sunday.

> In that case mrs i'm sending her your way..

She uses rubbers I take it..;)

If Mother wants a Bichon x Poodle I hope she likes grooming. These are often advertised as non-moulting which the GP interpret as NON-grooming.

Also do point out that if she gets a cross she will not be able to use it for JH as the dog has to be entered elsewhere in the show for the junior to be able to enter the junior handling.

I would in general say if they want a Spitz for a pet only, then they are better steering away from the more exercise demanding sledding breeds.

That would still leave them with:

Norwegian Elkhounds, Norwegian Buhunds, Samoyeds

A Little smaller Finnish and Swedish Lapphunds, Finnish Spitz, Keeshonds. 

Little ones, German Spitz (two sizes), Japanese Spitz, Swedish Vallhunds (medium size but shorter legs) and of course the real toy a Pomeranian.

Another smaller Spitz is the Shiba Inu, lovely but a lot of dog in a small package, quite dog dominant and renowned escape artists. 

The there are the two Akita's, but again large, more dominant, and not as easy as some to own well, or the Bear like Chow.

Thanks Brainless, its a thought but not sure a lot of grooming is high on their standards, which puts the Sammy out, as it did for me as a breed for the time being..

Oh god an Akita, love them, but yes not the feint hearted...
I think your breed, either of the laphunds or the keeshonds would be more suitable.

What the mother is looking to do is that as she will retire within the next year is set up her own dog walking, home doggy day care business - so a dog which is uuber friendly with others is a must - alongside if her daughter does JH she is not going the gundog route, largest number of handlers in that group by a long shot!! As it stands if she does JH and gets her own dog then it won't be a crossbreed :-)

Passed on DD and looks like they may well go..

WS - will mention that cross breed will still need clipping etc, so another cost to look at..

> I think your breed, either of the Laphunds or the keeshonds would be more suitable.
>

I think the Kees would be out on grooming grounds, the lapphunds are a bit more than ours but less than the Sams or Kees. 

Don't forget the Buhunds, they along with ours are double coated but not feathered, so wash and wear.

Both breeds are pretty sociable, (well I have had up to 10) in one sitting room, and have all sorts of dogs coming in and out of here, and friend dogs sits quite often with having five of her own..

> Don't forget the Buhunds

No offence meant to anyone who has one of these but they do like the pretty/attractive dogs, if that makes sense with some form of coat, this is what i've gathered from talking to the mother about it all..

Maybe i'll put them in touch with you Brainless, you never know they maybe interested in your next litter ;-) I'll get them to make sure they go to the Elky stand then..

Buhunds have a thick attractive coat and lovely dark liner around the eyes, but I am not keen on beige You do get black and sable), but same could be said of grey (though I thik they are glamorous in a tidy way), LOL

Agree Brainless the Buhunds are very attractive and somewhat calmer than our own breed if she is thinking spitz the one you did not mention was the Papillon, more grooming than the Buhund or Elk but not too much.

> the one you did not mention was the Papillon,

not much like a Husky, LOL

not much like a Husky, LOL
NOr is a Pom :-D

Well it is a Spitz though, and I only sort of threw that in, LOL

Mind you I have never thought of Bu's as calmer than the Elks, having been to Treena's they seemed more herdy/collie like, being more on the go where Elks dont exert themselves too much on home turf, mooching more.

Ok ladies.. lol.. I'll pass on all your suggestions when she's next in...
They've never had a dog before, but daughter really wants one, so don't want a dog which is going to be too difficult to train, so maybe the Elkhound should drop off the list.. They want something which is going to be obedient.
So Husky is out too, Mum made that choice due to size and I will as they want a dog to run off lead in a public place.

LOL are they sure they want a dog, it is good they know what they do not want but they do need to think what they do want as well. They want low grooming, obedient, medium size, would say the Husky is defiantly out. If this is a first dog then they should be careful as a fair number of breeds are not really good for first timers who want an obedient dog, perhaps they should be thinking GSD who are delighted to do as you wish, well most are and the grooming is low but the showing scene for the GSD is not good for a beginner.

> but the showing scene for the GSD is not good for a beginner.

Too much whoopin and a hollerin and shaking of biscuits tins by all accounts. LOL

You also have to know which judge likes which type as well not ideal for a JH

I think she needs to have a go at JH by borrowing dogs to start with to see if she likes it and they they will think about getting their own handling dog..
Thing is gundogs would probably suit them best, but if they do the handling route they don't want one...
I'll get my Gwen Bailey book out and see what that comes up with regards dogs.. Was thinking Pastoral lines would possibly be an idea..Not sure about a GSD for them, that would be a lot of hard work to seek out a good one, but they are too big for the mothers wants..

Basically the mother needs to be the main agreement in this as if the daughter goes off the idea and also as she is 12 now, in a few years time she may end up away in Uni..

Actually the Minature or Standard Schnauzer maybe an idea??..

Super dogs but think a big grooming job, could be totally wrong it has been known. Would steer clear of collies if they are new to dogs may be your own breed would be a good choice.

Hi Sue, I don't think BMD are a first-timers dog. Most of the working breeds are not. Someone mentioned a Swedish Vallhund. Great little dogs with plenty of personality, stamina not a big grooming job either and probably the only working breed which a novice would manage.

Hi G.Rets,

No I agree with you they aren't the easiest breed and require a lot of training and work put into them, especially when they reach adolescence, which I guess is when most dogs are given up to rescue? I would probably say any of the dogs in working group aren't really suitable for first time owners....Including the daughters idea of a Husky  

We'll see what happens..

Another colleague(huge dog lover, her last one passed this year) asked for my advice today on another Poodle cross, same words were said to her about health testing on parents. Also explained that the other breed sheds like crazy, so no way of ever knowing what you're going to get, she thanked me and said yes health is important..

Everyone knows me as the nutty dog loving female at work... Question about dogs, ask Sue... :-)

> I think she needs to have a go at JH by borrowing dogs to start with to see if she likes it and they they will think about getting their own handling dog..
> Thing is gundogs would probably suit them best, but if they do the handling route they don't want one...
>

Hi Sue - (nutty female dog owner! to another ;))  to put my twopenneth worth in on the JH.
Borrowing a dog for JH for a novice JH isn't the best route - learning with your own dog is so much easier!  As you have that rapport and bond - JH isn't easy at its best and then to have a borrowed dog adds!

Yes its the biggest group Sue but that is only at Richmond and Crufts - all other shows the breeds are in together :)  Gundogs are great for first time dog ownership (with the right breed of course ;))

> learning with your own dog is so much easier

Thanks Rach... I do agree with you on that, but to have a go to know if its something she wants to do I think on the training side of things is to borrow a dog, even if she decides not to compete. The mother is prepared to come to r/c on a monday too. Would we be able to find her a dog to try and learn with there? I know mine was very good with yours at r/c and somewhat a bit more difficult at the show..As I don't know this girl i'm not sure that would be a good idea on this instance and your girls are very well trained and have a good bond with dogs..

> Gundogs are great for first time dog ownership

There are some fab dogs in this group for first time owners.. Actually maybe I might have a word with Pete to see if he would allow one of his Goldies to be handled. They are very well behaved and so easy to handle.

Good idea with Pete - racking my brains who else for a novice handler? 

My Gordons won't be game for it I'm afraid - although Connor poss. but we aren't there regularly enough anyway?

> racking my brains who else for a novice handler?

I would of said Clare with one of her Rotties(not your normal novice breed), but they are sooo good and brilliant with her young kids.. But she'll not be around for a while with her puppy duties(Can't wait to see them again).

But Pete is the best one I can think of and he allows his grand children to handle his remotely too.