Occasionally I think I would just like a dog I could pick up and carry when the going gets tough. I know that's a cop out, but just sometimes......
a pile of sleepy sausage dogs in my lap for me or, there is a lovely old pupper who gets on my tube train at Baker Street who is a king charles spaniel - I never thought I liked them but he is quite big with stubby legs and the most gentle expression, and not so goggly-eyed as some I think Indie has given me a preference for short legs, so I can outrun them...
My cop out was the picking up and carrying bit - I'm quite sure small dogs come with their own set of training issues which I'm not yet ready to explore
I'd love a miniature dachshund but they are incredibly expensive. I love their feisty little natures .
Aint that the truth, but only three fields, you sure? We too were very naive about Charlie. It was all my fault, I took one look at him, his awful story and he stole my heart, without any consideration for any of us or any research about his breed he came home with us and the rest is history. I still wouldn't swap him for a pug-inna-jumper of a sausage-dog-in-a-snood as they wouldn't be half as much fun xx
Frog pointing is Charlie's most favourtie thing, we have loads in our garden xx Beautiful photo, I think Indie's tail is just right xx
I have discovered, via Nelly, that even the tiniest of dogs can have the biggest prey drive ! Having previously been somewhat dismissive of diminutive dogs , I can say hand on heart that a 4 kilos Chihuahua x in full hunt mode ( hedgehogs and frogs ) is a challenge ! Pickupable yes , cute yes, but less a heart stopper than Sam, NO ! Sam can be the devils own when deer are around and sniffed out , I reckon I have about five seconds to stop him from flight , and he isn't on top form right now either !
Xena gets very little off-lead time, but there's 1km of trail that I do let her off on, and in the past 2 weeks it has just erupted with rabbits - bloody spring! She bolts off after them along the path, but fortunately doesn't follow them into the bush/scrub. I often wonder how people with sight-hounds manage, and I think the answer is most people just let their dogs go self-employed and trust that they'll return eventually.
Stanley doesn't really seem to have any prey drive. He likes our rabbits and when one escaped was play bowing to it and licking it Whenever there's a bird in the garden he goes trotting out to say hello. Bird always flies off but he never chases it. As with any living thing you can practically hear "hello, my names Stanley.. what's yours?!". I'm not even sure he's a dog to be honest, a human in a furry outfit perhaps?!
Monty is just like Stanley, he meets squirrels and pigeons frequently, and does a little sideways prance towards them like he's initiating a dance.
Oh bless him! What a gentle soul My childhood mutt Bounce was a softy like Stanley. He once ran up to my guinea pig on the lawn and my heart stopped, then he lunged and stole the guinea pig's bit of broccoli he was eating and ran off! When it rained he licked the guinea pig because he was too lazy to go get a drink!
My other half had working cockers before we got Poppy. He said they are lovely, but A LOT of work, and that they never really relax. So - no, not for me!!!
Oh to have a dog with no prey-drive! Coco will wrench my arms out of their sockets for a cat or a rabbit - so lucky we don't have squirrels to contend with too. He's a lot better with birds now, I think he's realised they fly and he can't.
This is why I think they would be a perfect fit for a retired me. I can't sit still and do nothing, either
