Well, hopefully trail hound. I reckon if he ran into you he’d probably just knock you off 🤣

44kg of rescue Rotweiller Akita cross, we’re going to see him tomorrow but they’ve recommended several visits as he’s nervous around new people.

1st question, what dog guard for the back of the Berlingo? Would need to be something tall as there’s quite a lot of headroom, and preferably quick to remove so I can get bikes in the back when he’s not coming out. It’s that or a dog-belt to one of the load points which might be easier but I’d worry less with a cage.

You might need one of these:

You might need one of these:

I did think that 🤣 I think someone made a typo and put 44lb not 44kg as when we originally enquired about any dogs we said upto labrador/collie size.

Part of me thinks training him to sit in a bike trailer is a great idea for longer “gravel” rides, but then I’d worry for the brakes, we’d weigh more than a lot of tandem teams!

A big trail hound that’s nervous around new people?

You might want to check a few more details – and the terms of the Dangerous Dogs Act – before you go ahead with that plan in full.

He looks a gorgeous dog, but might not quite fit the bill, at least not without a large amount of training.

And is he built as a trail hound? Speaking as a chunky chap myself, running isn’t my forte, hips, knees and ankles take a pounding, and he’s got twice as many.

More nervous – apprehensive run and hide than nervous barking and biting.

I’ve been filming with the re-homing center for a couple of series now (The Dog House, C4), they’re incredibly strict on which dogs they’ll re-home with who so if they say he’s fine off the lead then he’ll not be a problem.

More plodding around the local byways than dashing over Welsh hillsides, I agree, like me he’s built for comfort not speed!

He is a gorgeous beast, I hope you get years of enjoyment from him. And I want to see pictures of you sweating up a hill while he lords it up in his trailer

I came across a bit harsh, sorry. I’m sure you and the homing centre have done your homework, but I’ve seen a lot of reports recently where people have got it wrong.

Even if he doesn’t make it as a trail hound, he’ll be a lovely companion on other adventures.

A big dog like that might be quite good as a trail hound. My pointers are too fast and too busy to stay by me, they’re always off somewhere else on a mission of their own. Yours might be perfect to lollop alongside you.

That picture needs a speech bubble that says “do you, by any chance have any food that you need me to dispose of for you?”

We had a rottie/lab cross as a rescue dog. Bruno. Lovely big fella. Teddy looks awesome. Give him time, Bruno was nervous of most things at the beginning too, hadn’t been too well treated.

The main impact he had on our lives, part from the joy and happiness of course, was:
1) Shedding – **** me, there was no winter or summer coat, there was just constant kilos of hair everywhere!
2) his tail was a thick and strong as an adults arm, and at the exact height for window sills, coffee tables, arms of chairs – anything not nailed down when the doorbell went got flung across the room after a bout of vigorous wagging
3) Anything that came through the letterbox was destroyed to almost an atomic level

Teddy looks fabulous!

Edit: we used a crate in the boot. A big Crate. After getting a bigger car too (3 door hatch did not work, went to a V70). Only things that worked. He just happily pushed his giant head past anything else and destroyed it, in a. kind of hulk/thing style. No Malice, just a happy big bugger wanting in on the action.

He looks a mightily fine dog and I hope you have much fun with him. Thank you for getting a rescue too.

You’ll be like Turner and Hooch!

I came across a bit harsh, sorry. I’m sure you and the homing centre have done your homework, but I’ve seen a lot of reports recently where people have got it wrong.

No worries, I was a bit WTF when they suggested him too!

As a center they’re incredibly organized, and it’s a big place. And you can’t just wander around, point at one and say I’ll take that one, you can’t even walk around! Even when filming we had routes to walk from A-B without passing the nervous dogs and winding them up. They even made us install AC in an outside pen so the dogs wouldn’t get overheated from the stress of meeting people 🤣.

They take all the details then you only get introduced to the dogs that they think are actually suited, way less stressful for the dogs apparently. The polar opposite of some centers where the photos go up on Facebook and the first person to comment wins, their ‘failure’ rate is only something like 3%.

A big dog like that might be quite good as a trail hound. My pointers are too fast and too busy to stay by me, they’re always off somewhere else on a mission of their own. Yours might be perfect to lollop alongside you.

I’m certainly thinking more Fatbike Singlespeed than XC race whippet.

He is a gorgeous beast, I hope you get years of enjoyment from him. And I want to see pictures of you sweating up a hill while he lords it up in his trailer

+1

That picture needs a speech bubble that says “do you, by any chance have any food that you need me to dispose of for you?”

Local cafe owners have just got a St Bernard puppy – now 16 weeks and 20+kg. I think I know where any food waste gets disposed of! 🤣

That picture needs a speech bubble that says “do you, by any chance have any food that you need me to dispose of for you?”

He’s a great looking hound.

Can I suggest a folding spade and bin bag rather than the usual small green poop bag? 🙈💩

I think your bikes might be a bit safer now.

Harness and a pull along and he’ll be giving you an uplift up the mountain.
Looks strong.
And fun.

He looks amazing. We got a rottie / american bulldog cross from Battersea about 8 years ago and she is still going strong. Not quite as big as your lad though. She has been the most gentle, friendly and reliable dog. However, she is not really a trail hound. She did come running with me when she was younger, but a real plodder. We also have a lab, who is much more active and better suited to running and biking.

He’s a chunky fella, the extra large pooh bags will be required! If you get it right this is how your evenings will be (around 2 hours on the lead daily):

😍

Nice as he looks he’s not a trailhound.

My wife found : dogguardsrus.co.uk which had a good selection on including a neat looking divider that would split a boot (for our car). They’ve been out of stock for what we want for ages so can’t tell you what the service is like!

Just remember with a cage he’s got to be willing and able to get in it while it’s in the boot OR you have to lift it. No way you’ll be lifting 44kg + 5-10kg of cage without some help. Ours weighs 25kg + c. 5kg of cage. An easy lift for two weight wise but awkward to balance, hence trying to find a matching guard and divider.

Handsome dog by the way.

Lovely looking beast! Good on you and your family for getting a rescue dog.

Superb! Lovely looking pup. When I was a teenager, I used to walk a Rottweiler for a neighbour. They were in fashion in the late 80s. It was a lovely dog, but folk always gave us a wide berth.

For dog guards and boot dividers look at Travall or Guardsman they both sell direct to the public and are OEM manufacturers for car makers.

Lovely looking dog – hope you’ve a biggish house.

. I reckon if he ran into you he’d probably just knock you off 🤣

Ho ho.

Bravo, well done. A thread about rehoming a dog, and not buying the latest trending mongrel for £2K

ps: he looks like a goof ball, have fun

Barjo make dog guards and cages – not cheap. With a big dog like that in the boot, I’d want to make sure it was secure.

My mate had a rotty lab cross. Huge beast, and thick as mince. But fantastic natured and a lovely lovely dog.

Teddy looks magnificent, albeit quite a brute..😂

We need more photos !!

We have a boot guard from Volvo (obviously not applicable here) for our GSP, he hates being in the car though so just lays down worries for this reason we don’t take him out in the car too much.