National Hug Your Hound Day 2024 is on Saturday, September 14, 2024: Hound Breeds and Dog Sports?

Saturday, September 14, 2024 is National Hug Your Hound Day 2024. Learn Like A Mom! national hug your hound day

Hound Breeds and Dog Sports?

I have Dachshunds that do stuff. We do hunt, but not on any regular basis, but try to get out as much as we can. When we can't get to the country for bigger game (bigger meaning bigger than rats: woodchuck, fox, possum, raccoon), then we take the dogs ratting.

We have also done some Bloodtracking, which is finding wounded game.

During the winter time, we concentrate on breed shows and obedience and any opportunity we get we're doing agility.

There's a woman giving a seminar at the Dachshund Nationals this week on finding truffles with dachshunds, I'm looking forward to that.

I love doing stuff with my dogs and I'm pretty willing to give anything a shot.

There's a big problem with feral hugs up in MA to, from what I understand.

Thinking about getting a puppy in the near future?

Thinking about getting a puppy in the near future?

Hmmm...

Now with a 2 year old, you want a dog that isn't so small that he can hurt or frighten it by falling on it .

On the other hand, you don't want a dog that is sooo big that he is intimidated by and can't hug it and pet it comfortably.

I usually recommend some of the non-sporting breeds and the herding breeds for kids - particularly where the child may need a keeper and a playmate playing around the house and yard for several years yet.

Read about the breeds on the AKC website: (you can look them up by Group - herding, non-sporting, working -thats newfies - etc)

I grew up with Boston Terriers - they are great with kids. Run and play with them and small enough to cuddle while sturdy enough to wrestle. My one Boston whipped through the top AKC obedience title with me training and handling before I was 12

Another good breed is the Corgi - either Pembroke or Cardigan. Wonderfully devoted small and very sturdy herding dogs.

Australian Shepards are medum size bundles of energy and adore children and watching over them.

Ditto Border Collies

Pugs can be good to - be careful even the best bred are running about 60% have hereditary orthopedic problems

Shetland Sheepdogs are another small tough breed that loves kids and loves to watch over them.

All of these herding dogs are far far more easily trainable than a Lab and give the Goldens a real run for their money.

Goldens and Labs are always popular but they do get to be good size dogs long before he is the same size as they are. Also, most people don't realize that Goldens are total wimps about pain - the breed that ranks NO 1 for biting the vet is Goldens. (Had them for 28 years - the overbreeding to meet popular demand has RUINED the breed. The health problems are legion - allergies, orthopedic with hips and elbow and one of top 3 cancer rates of all breeds.)

Labs are laconic - getting them to promptly obey is not in the cards- they do things at their own speed. (Hated to see them in my obedience classes - they would do it but it was always half-hearted and 'aw, thats good enough" - also, they are SOOOO overbred these days (as in too many are being bred) that a lot of health problems are cropping up more and more.

I would stay away from the hounds - unless you have a large property with a 5 ft fence - these guys LOVE to run - off to any place they can when ever they can. Maybe a Bassett - if you don't mind that hilarously mournful howl - they tend to be lazier and less motivated to boogey down the road for the sheer fun of it.

Most of the sporting breeds are very very high energy. Compared to the laid back Newfies, they are rocket propelled.

And Jack Russells are a hyper active nighmare.

Now when you go to the AKC website, when you click on a breed, a description will come up. On the left hand side is a column and down near the bottom of the column you will see two links:

"Breed Club"

"Breed Rescue"

Click on Breed Club and follow the links to the National AKC parent club for that breed. It will give you all kinds of information and a breeders list or a breeder referral contact.

DO NOT GET A PUPPY FROM A BACKYARD BREEDER - THEY DO NOT PUT THE TIME AND EFFORT INTO THE BREED TO UNDERSTAND IT AND ITS PROBLEMS, PAY FOR THE HEALTH EXAMS OF THE PARENTS FOR HEREDITARY PROBLEMS , KNOW THE TEMPERMENT TENDENCIES OF THE BLOODLINES INVOLVED.....

A breeder contacted through the breed club will abide by the Breeders Code of Ethics; stand behind their puppies; know the bloodlines and behavior and temperments and health of the family; give a written contract; and be available for help and advice.

Even the best show dogs produce puppies who won't quite make it in the doggy beauty pagents of the AKC -maybe a nose 1/8th of an inch too long or other minor things. Pet puppies by really top quality parents cost less than show prospects.

By the way, sometimes breeders have adults which they have bred and raised and need to place. Maybe they had thought the dog would be a great sow dog and as he grew up, it turned out to be not. Maybe the dog did mange to finish his Chanpionship but the breeder still does'nt think that he/she (typically she) is quite of the caliber to be bred and be bloodstock. Maybe it was adog they bred and the owners (per the contract) returned the dog becasue they couldn't keep him or he turned out not to be a show dog.

Another good option is if you find a breed that you love, adopting an adult through the Breed Club's rescue. Click on Breed Rescue for the breed and it will take you there.

Now every rescue is very careful to get to know the dog - temperment, behavior, do they like kids - and the age groups, level of training, and health. They take great trouble to match the dog to the home and vice versa. They are always available for help and advice about the dog.

Dogs lose their homes for a lot of reasons not their fault - death, divorce, marrying someone who is allergic or having a baby that turns out to allergic, moving unable to keep them, owner in financial difficulties.....

This can be a very good option - do you really want to be potty training 2 babies at once and have one taking the crayons too the wall as the other chews them up???

Expect that a reputable, reliable and responsible breeder and breed rescue will interview you as much as you them.

I wouldn't recommend either of my current dogs for a 2 year child - the one is an Aussie/Chow mix and the Aussie part is fine, its the Chow-chow. The other is a Kuvasz - ancestor of Great Pyreenes and 29" and 115 lbs at 2 1/2

Good luck

Holidays also on this date Saturday, September 14, 2024...