We’re at the tipping point of “Buying a puppy”. We’ve thought long and hard about it and have come down to two choices – Border Terrier (me) or Cocker Spaniel (mrs deadly)

We have no problems with being at home to look after it when it’s a puppy. We already have two Siamese Cats which we think will be happy to have company in the house and will probably be the bosses of the dog anyway.

I’m thinking about a dog we can take away with us, or can come to work with me in the van depending on where I’m working. Even when mrs deadly works in studios, some are “dog-friendly”.

So, your pictures and experiences please. Particularly interested in those who have brought a dog into a cat’s house.

Thanks all.

You didn’t think she could stay away, did you?
And she loves cats. 😈

jumping3 by simoncarter.es, on Flickr

And she is a terrier. 😆

I love our cocker spaniel, he’s great fun! He now has considerably less hair (much easier to manage and better for him as well!)

The GF’s BT gives my Ridgeback a run for his money and is definitely the boss in the relationship!!

She’s a big dog in a small body!!

and a very good pillow at the end of a long day!!

Ruby entered a house with a 14 year old cat, he’s still going a year later. She leaves him alone unless Ralph (the Ridgeback) is around, then because he tries to chase him she does too, any other time she curls up on the sofa with him!

Jake Alnmouth South Beach

Lakeland not Border

Don’t want to sound like I’m having a go or nowt, just asking if you’ve considered a rescue puppy? I help with a greyhound rescue fund raising but know not everyone wants a rescue. I’ve got a pedigree cat and 2 rescue cats so I know sometimes you want a full breed/type etc… Good luck anyway, wish I could have a dog.

Mine was a dog we rehomed his owner was terminal with cancer and I started waling him in case we wanted to adopt him. Sadly his owner died within a few weeks of me doing this so we ended up taken Jake on a trial, he’s still here and is a smashing dog.

Cockers. Best dogs in the world. On my 2nd one and I’ll honestly have them until the day I die

Heres my two borders..

[img]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r57/caerant/Picrturehere.jpg[/img]

Meet Bracken & Widget.
Our family Field Spaniels. Not as stupid as a cocker, not as nuts as a springer. A lovely working breed but not that easy to come by.

Bloody hell Bob stop posting pictures of your dog!

Otherwise we will have to have one!!! 😉

All fabulous – Stoner, I’m a bit worried that Spaniels might be a bit middle class for me…whaddya think? 😛

Keep ’em coming guys…all beauties and not helping us decide at all 😀

My dog

+1 Field/Sporting Cockers

My Munchkins:

You had to ask!







and the one which shows his true character..

Brian best border ever.

Brian wins

Stoner, cracking hounds, but Working Cocker rather than Field, surely? Either way, a fine couple of spans!

Cockers FTW

Our new pup, get her in a couple of weeks.

I’m going to steal Brian 😈

I fall in love all over again whenever 2hottie posts pics.

The working Spaniels are gorgeous, but I don’t think it would be fair to have one in the ‘burbs. 🙁

Flashy, you lost yours a while back didn’t you? Have you got any new one since?

Brian always does with BT threads. He also helped my Mrs agree to allowing me to get another BT, with those pics.

Brian is presently helping me sway Mrs Yunki gently away from the idea of…. wait for it… ‘Ducky’ the Pug..

Currently have 8 working Cockers. They will be a lapdog one minute and run for eight hours the next and as they are bred to work have a level of intelligence not found in most dogs.

6 of them are only two weeks old though 🙂
If I could work out how to post i picture I would.

Our Archie 2.5 years ago

IMG_2153 by eastham_david, on Flickr

and now

P1000225 by eastham_david, on Flickr

P1000743 by eastham_david, on Flickr

I want a Brian!!!

I can only comment on the Border Terrier As I;ve had one for the past 5yrs (Kona…). He’s is my workmate, biking buddy, TV slouch buddy and general bendy-play thing for Rowan(3.5 yr old boy) and Chloe (1.5 yr old girl). Generally they have very good tempraments (as has Kona) although I’ve seen some real crouchy buggers (especially bitches…no pun intended). Btw they are terriers, so they will NOT listen to you and they WILL do what they want 😉

🙂

Brilliant pics Whatafackinliberty!

This is mrs deadly – ok we can have a border terrier I think Brian and Kona tipped me over the edge 🙂

I think you have got almost opposite kinds of dog in mind.
Terriers do more or less what you hope they might do. A working spaniel does precisely what you tell it too.
The caveat being that you have got to give it at least 2 hours solid exercise a day. Not a dog for the city or the idle.
Some people have said mine seem a bit like automaton when in “work” mode but they really are the fittest, most intelligent and loving animals that you can still pick up under your arm if needed.
I guess you can tell that I am sold on them. this is after all #4 and #5 that I have had!Numbers 6 to eleven are already sold barring one.

Terrific thread!

BUT

Gun dogs rock 🙂

I will say however that if I HAD to have a small dog, it would be a Border Terrier. Big personality and such character.

Love Stoner’s spaniels. 8)

Just a thought – how about a Clumber?

(Shakes head and wonders when I will be asked to be an Auntie to a four-legged friend).

YaY!! You won’t regret it 🙂 Now Kona’s work is done he has just jumped off the sofa, had a shake and trundled off to the kithcen to his bed….night, night 🙂

If you insist

Gun dogs do indeed rock, C_G! You’re spot on there.

Ha ha I knew you would give in, to be fair if we had a bigger house I am sure I would have a second Border or a Field Springer as I do like them both!

I think I need a BT in my life…

DaveyBoyWonder – Member
I think I need a BT in my life…

BT’s are fantastic dogs but make sure you’ve either got wooden floors or a fantastic vacuum cleaner that can pick up their coarse hairs

Big fan of border terriers here!

There are a couple of pics of ours here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/97388319@N00/ (sorry never can work out how to post flickr links…)

Can i recommend the service provided by border terrier welfare (http://www.borderterrierwelfare.org.uk) we rehomed when they were 4 years old, they’d had a good life but weren’t getting the care they needed due to kids arriving in their family. Basically, not all rescue dogs are scary and you’re helping a dog in need which is a good thing!

Ours are awesome, get some.

No one has spoken much about the downside of the BT,
Yes we have had the odd ‘insubordinate’ comment, but believe me if you get one from working stock rather than from a show breeder then they a very different types of dogs IME.
Working stock IME are hard work, very loyal, but will not take to recall after getting a scent, will run for england, bark at anything that makes a noise or runs & demand constant attention/exercise, show stock seem lazy & chilled, rarely bother with ‘prey’ & make better pets (rather than a dog).
They both stink, roll in fox poo & don’t believe a word about them not shedding hair, god knows where that came from.

Anyway, they are the best dogs ever*

* I may be lying…