Finally over losing my dog, looking for another...

[WayneB]

Lost my Doberman about 1 1/2 years ago, best dog and companion animal I ever had.
Don't really want to relive the teething of a Doberman, that has to be contained inside during cold or heat so excluding them this go-round for the sake of my house and camper.
I want an animal that will be around awhile, While I love a great dane, I can't suffer another attachment that only lives 8-10 years. This also excludes Doberman, German Shepard, Rottweiler and Chesapeake retrievers, All of which I've had in younger years. (kids got custody of Rotty in divorce)
Thinking I would like a Golden or Irish setter, but I've heard they don't adapt to frequent change, and I travel a LOT for work. (42+ weeks a year on average)
Not convinced I want a Lab or Springer spaniel, I want one not afraid of water, but also not so hard- headed they HAVE to be in it if they see it. (camper living is not always dog-bath friendly) Plus I don't want my truck to smell like wet dog forever.
Tiny yappy rodent sized things are not dogs in my opinion, I despise my wife's Yorkie. Total pain in my ... yeah.

So, Aunt had a Cocker Spaniel when we were kids, ( she is 3 years older than I) and that was a cool dog. Thinking about this breed nostalgically, have not been around one in about 40 years. Seen one King Charles Cavalier about the same size, but I am not willing to drop $2k on a puppy.
No experience with Beagles other that listening to them baying, not too fond of that actually.
Pedigree and papers mean less than nothing to me, I want a female and she will be fixed at first heat. I don't want the drama associated with breeding and interlopers hanging around. And definitely will not tolerate a male hiking his leg in my house. Puddles are one thing, cleaning upholstery is another. Besides, I've got four daughters, six granddaughters and a wife. I'm used to being around em, plus they seem to be more protective/attentive to the littler ones.

Looking for ideas on breeds and breeders within 100 miles of Augusta where I can go and study some pups and see if we connect. Again, not worried or interested in papers, Not going to be shown or bred. Would consider mixes to a point, but not the 'designer mutts'.
Ideally 25-50 lbs, little drooling if any, and tempered to take it as it comes without freaking out.
Really intrigued by Nic's little heeler, but I've not been around one for anything longer than a few minutes.
Really ready to fill the hole..

 

[georgia357]

Check with Washington Wilkes Animal Shelter. They seem to always have a good selection. I think they also show some dogs in Augusta every few weeks.

 

[treemanjohn]

Who is there when you're traveling?

 

[GeorgiaBob]

Springer! Absolutely get a Springer Spaniel. Just make sure you get a gun dog and not a "show" dog. If the parents are registered, it will show up in the paperwork. While the show dog portion of the breed is a bit calmer, it is the gun (or field) dog that lives the longest, has fewer health issues, and reminds you every day why you share your life with with a four legged joy machine.

 

[Cmp1]

Cattledog, we've had two a Blue and now our Red, smartest dogs that have ever owned me,,,,loyal,long lived, Sally our Blue Healer lived to 15,,,,our Red, Lucy is going on 9,,,,highly intelligent,,,,I call Lucy, my wide body,,,,all muscle,wide chest,,,,Rescue one,if you can,,,,also a Heeler, just a Red one,,,,300 for her as a pup,,,,
You can usally rescue one for around 300, but Alot of paperwork, we rescued Sally, our Blue, but from a lady who ran her own rescue, very little paperwork,,,,

 

[Cmp1]

Lucy,,,,

 

[WayneB]

Who is there when you're traveling?

Wife, daughter and granddaughter at home. Wife occasionally travels with me for 1-2 weeks at a time. Dog would be my companion, going pretty much wherever I go.

 

[greg_n_clayton]

I can tell you one thing about "pure bred" dogs. Their life span is short and they prone to all sorts of health problems ! Cancers, tumors, joint problems and etc. I would look at a fiest ! They are loyal, and a bunch of fun ! They adjust well to change and are going to do their best to please you ! Just my 2 cents....which ain't worth that sometimes ! The herding dogs mention up yonder are good dogs I hear. I never owned one but have a bunch of buddies that have. Just need one that their genes aren't bred into them too tight. I just like small tree dogs around here that have a purpose besides laying around and playing fetch !

 

[gobbleinwoods]

I am partial to German shorthairs and they typically have a long life

 

[Cmp1]

I can tell you one thing about "pure bred" dogs. Their life span is short and they prone to all sorts of health problems ! Cancers, tumors, joint problems and etc. I would look at a fiest ! They are loyal, and a bunch of fun ! They adjust well to change and are going to do their best to please you ! Just my 2 cents....which ain't worth that sometimes ! The herding dogs mention up yonder are good dogs I hear. I never owned one but have a bunch of buddies that have. Just need one that their genes aren't bred into them too tight. I just like small tree dogs around here that have a purpose besides laying around and playing fetch !

I kinda feel the same about pure bred dogs also,,,,

 

[Cmp1]

I am partial to German shorthairs and they typically have a long life

A guy down the road trains them,,,,

 

[Cmp1]

I've always wanted a Newfie,,,,

 

[dslc6487]

Agree with greg, have had a couple of "pure bred" dogs and it broke my heart when they died after only 7, 8 years.

Have had several feists and all of them lived a long, happy life. Last one I had lived to be 17 years old. Have one feist now and she is going on 8 years and has just as much stamina now as she did when she was 1. The one that lived to be 17, I had her cremated and when I go in the ground, she will go with me, never to be separated again. Hope you find the ideal dog for you and your family.

 

[jcbcpa]

I had a Vizsla that died at 11 last year of cancer. We aren't ready yet for another, but at some point I plan on a Vizsla puppy. She was a great companion and loved everybody but I was her person. BUT, for the first 3 or 4 years of her life, if she wasn't sleeping she wanted to be running. lol. So, unless you have the time and place to get her plenty of exercise, I probably wouldn't go this route.

 

[Thunder Head]

Boxer,

Our first lived to be 12 our 3rd 10. There just as happy to go on a long hike as they are to sleep at your feet all day. Mostly you dont get any of the behavior problems that can occur with a working / hunting dog. (needing a job) All of them have been very protective of my wife.

We have a mountain fiest. 1st one
Boy i love her to death. But shes a different dog. Sometimes i think shes a cat. You know, humans exist only to serve me! She's also completely obsessed with squirrels. The barking is a double edged sword. At times she drives me crazy. But on the other hand. You can always sleep soundly. Because you know Pip sleeps with one ear open at all times.

 

[madsam]

lab/australian shepherd mix ....my favorite dog. Cash died of old age 2016 and
I still can't replace my ole boy !!!! Loyal, protective over the family. Just couldn't
get him around anything that turned circles, he'd go nuts.......

 

[JustUs4All]

I would recommend a mutt. They come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and temperaments. They can be found daily at a shelter near you wherever you happen to be. They can also be found through rescue groups where they will have had some vetting, treatment, and evaluation. Shelters and Rescues frequently post their dogs up on websites, Petfinder is one of the big ones.

I would also recommend personal visits to the shelters you happen to be near. The Richmond County one is not the most pleasant but you never know what they are going to have. Columbia County has a great shelter, McDuffie, not so much. But walk in and look into the dog's eyes. You might see your new best friend. The best dogs I have ever owned were rescues and two of them including a Rotty were self-rescues. They showed up and would not leave.

The best truck dog we had was an English Setter. He failed at hunting in Louisiana and was on his way to Pennsylvania when his transport fell apart leaving him in our custody. After he learned that he was not required to point every bush on the farm he became a happy dog. He would curl up between the bus seats and take a 900 mile drive getting up whenever we stopped to walk dogs. He was a pretty thing and knew it. He would strut for the viewers when he was off the bus. LOL

 

[WayneB]

I have been hitting shelters either where I was, or along the route if they were open when I came through. I would want to either meet the vet treating the animals there, or have a vaccination record before I walked out with a shelter dog.
The one and only time I got one, it had Parvo and it was weakened too far by the time I could get seen at my vet (3 days). Old vet wouldn't even let me set her down, he knew what it was at a glance. Handed me a preloaded syringe and told me to take her somewhere, give the injection and grab a shovel. That old vet was pure cranky, but he was straightforward and brutally open. I miss that guy..

 

[notnksnemor]

We still can't replace Brodie.
He was a Lab/Chow/Heinz57. Raised from a pup.
He looked like a long haired black lab with a black mouth and his tail curled upwards.
At his peak he was waist high and weighed 160 lbs.
He ate table scraps all his life, no commercial dog food.

We had to put him down 3 years ago,
He was 19.
Nobody touched my wife if that dog was around, even me.

 

[WayneB]

I once had a rottweiler mixed with Afghan hound, long haired with markings of a Rottie. I mean 7-8 inch long hair! This is the one the kids got custody of, no one could get between her and the kids, and she would not let the kids get too far apart either. Funny watching a rag mop rottie herding toddlers.