[nagdu] Breeds for successor

Mon Dec 1 10:05:29 UTC 2014

Dobermans might be a good option if you can find one tall enough. With 
GSDS, while they can have health issues, I don't feel that happens any 
more often than other breeds provided the dog is well-bred.

Have you considered one of the pointing breeds? Viszlas in particular 
can make nice service dogs, and I think males would be large enough for 
your needs.

Bernese Mountain Dogs would certainly meet your size requirements, and 
make lovely SDS, as do Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, which have shorter 
hair, more like a Labrador. Both of these breeds aren't super energetic, 
but would definitely have the drive to work.

With regard to Boxers, I love them, but as someone else mentioned, they 
aren't as easy to train because they don't take life all that seriously. 
Also, they are prone to cancer, brain tumors in particular. I lost a 
couple very suddenly to brain tumors, so can't bring myself to ever get 
another.

As to retrievers, the flat-coats tend to be fairly silly as well. They 
are fun for agility and flyball, but I think training one for service 
work might be rather frustrating. :D Chessies are usually very strong 
dogs, temperamentally speaking. However, if you can handle a GSD, 
probably a Chessie would be fine for you.

If I think of any other breeds, I'll let you know. It's about 4 AM 
though and my brain is drawing a complete blank just now. Best of luck 
finding your next prospect.

Shanna with Diamond

On 12/1/2014 1:40 AM, Raven Tolliver via nagdu wrote:
> Everything Valerie said is true.
> Boxers are not easy to train, and are not for everyone. They are high
> energy, playful, and very stubborn. Mind you, I've only worked with
> boxers in the shelter setting, and I trained my sister's boxer, so
> nothing in the ways of guide work. But Boxers can be more stubborn and
> distracted than black labs. Anyone handling a boxer must be firm,
> consistent, and extremely patient. It takes more patience to work with
> any guide dog than it does many pets, but boxers will require even
> more. It's like teaching the class clown to become the overachieving
> teacher's pet.
>
> On 11/30/14, Valerie Gibson via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> hi,
>>
>> If you're going to use a boxer, prepare to have a puppy for about 8 to 10
>> years. lol  I'd recommend an active lifestyle, and preferably one where the
>> boxer can go everywhere with you, and I do mean, EVERYWHERE.  I know that's
>> a given with a guide dog, but boxers seem to become depresed if they're not
>> with their family all the time.  I had a boxer as a pet once, and she jumped
>> out of a second story window to catch a car that was taking me to school.
>> Boxers are the clowns of the doggy world, so keep that in mind.
>> They're great dogs, and eventually, if i have a family, I'd love to own
>> another boxer.  Not sure I'd want one as a guide dog though.  To me it sems
>> like trying to train the class clown to behave.  But that's just me. :)
>>> On Nov 30, 2014, at 8:53 PM, Aaron Cannon via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> What do folks think of using the Boxer?
>>>
>>> Aaron
>>>
>>> On 11/29/14, Tracy Carcione via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>> Julie J suggested as possibilities the Chesapeake or flat-coat retriever.
>>>>   I
>>>>
>>>> have heard the Chessies are quite large, and strongly work-oriented,
>>>> though
>>>>
>>>> I've never met one.  I've heard the flat-coats are a fairly mellow bunch.
>>>> TSE tried a couple, at some point.
>>>> HTH.
>>>> Tracy
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "Karyn & Thane via nagdu" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>> To: "Nagdu" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Friday, November 28, 2014 4:07 PM
>>>> Subject: [nagdu] Breeds for successor
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> I'm trying to begin my thought process towards choosing a breed for my
>>>>> successor to Thane. Before I get any questions asked about him (ie- is
>>>>> he
>>>>>
>>>>> OK?, what will happen to him? Etc) Rest assured, Thane is fine. He isn't
>>>>> in immediate need of retirement, but it takes me two to three years to
>>>>> train.
>>>>>
>>>>> He has had health problems (thankyou Lyme and its lifelong complications
>>>>> due to late diagnosis) so I just don't want to tempt fate and lose him
>>>>> and
>>>>>
>>>>> be left scrambling to find and train a dog while also trying to
>>>>> accommodate my multiple disabilities (DB, incomplete quad) in the
>>>>> interim.
>>>>>
>>>>> I owner train my dogs for ALL of my disabilities. Its big paws to fill
>>>>> for
>>>>>
>>>>> sure.
>>>>>
>>>>> Though Thane and I have been a team for a little over 6 years, he has
>>>>> always been a bit on the small side at 21 inches tall.
>>>>>
>>>>> I am looking for a more resilient dog than my BC that sheds with a
>>>>> minimum
>>>>>
>>>>> height of 2 feet at withers. I don't want to spend all day grooming, but
>>>>> can handle coats such ad golden retriever, rough coat Border Collie. I
>>>>> do
>>>>>
>>>>> all my own bathing, rinsing from wet muddy NW Oregon weather, grooming,
>>>>> nail trims, etc.
>>>>>
>>>>> Though labs make good guides, lets face it many can be shrimps so unless
>>>>> I
>>>>>
>>>>> found an awesome adult male lab where I can be sure of height, they wont
>>>>> fit the bill.
>>>>>
>>>>> I've been reading some of the recent posts regarding GSDs as well as
>>>>> some
>>>>>
>>>>> of Julies posts about Jetta's issues with the cold.
>>>>>
>>>>> My first dog was Border Collie GSD.  Thane is Border Collie. Some day I
>>>>> want a GSD, but right now I really want a healthy dog also.  After
>>>>> reading
>>>>>
>>>>> about health problems others on the list have experienced with GSDs, I
>>>>> am
>>>>>
>>>>> leery of them right now. I prefer male, but most of that is experience
>>>>> and
>>>>>
>>>>> size based.
>>>>>
>>>>> I do live in a small apartment, but have access to an awesome dog park
>>>>> and
>>>>>
>>>>> trail system once trained for fixed route transit, a few other trail
>>>>> systems not too far from home and my folks yard in summer time.
>>>>>
>>>>> Now that I am healthier and more mobile, Thane and I have been visiting
>>>>> the great dog park trail system where I am able to see size and
>>>>> temperament in some other breeds that I may not be accustomed to.
>>>>>
>>>>> I know many of you have been working dogs much longer than me, so
>>>>> thought
>>>>>
>>>>> I would see what some of you think about breeds that might be tall
>>>>> enough
>>>>>
>>>>> for what I am looking for. From there I can do more research and narrow
>>>>> down my options. I will also be communicating with hearing and service
>>>>> dog
>>>>>
>>>>> lists so don't worry if you can't think of a good option for me, but if
>>>>> you can, AWESOME!
>>>>>
>>>>> Karyn and Thane
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>
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