Of potential breeds. I am going to Discover Dogs in a few weeks so have the chance to meet lots of dogs and talk to the owners of breeds I am interested in. I am mostly interested in German Pinschers, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Dalmatians and Pharaoh Hounds but want to talk to people in other breeds about their dogs just in case I a missing a breed that could actually fit me well (Otterhound, Bracco Italiano, Vizsla, GSP, Large Munsterlander, Standard Poodle, Giant Schnauzer, Doberman, GSD or one of the Belgian Shepherds) So if you had a chance to talk to an owner of a breed you were interested in, what questions would you ask? I just want to make sure I am not missing out any good questions to ask.
What health tests should I be looking for and are they a generally healthy breed? Longevity? What is the temperament of the breed? Tell them your lifestyle and ask if their breed would suit it. More mundane things like grooming, exercise and dietary requirements. How much, on average, does it cost to insure the breed?
As I am usually on the other side of DD (on the booth) i can tel you what the most common questions we get asked, some of these will be breed dependent, but generally fit most breeds....... first thing will be "what are they like as pets" "are they good with Children" energy and exercise levels, and coat care (breed specific ) very rare in the hundreds that cross the booth, do we get asked about health and health testing, "sadly" the odd person may ask but they are in the minority. I think you have a very wide range of breeds there, all with very different characteristics , so you might find you have a long day and be even more confused, and you might even come away with a breed you never thought of. You also need to remember not all the people on the boot with have good knowledge of the breeds health, what they will have though is a view on what they are like to live with, but they should have information sheets for you to take away with containing all known health testing for said breed. I would first ask, what they are like to live with, what level of exercise do they need, are they OK to be left for long periods , what sort of grooming do they need, and what if any health testing is recommended for that breed, what they wont (or should`nt ) tell you is where to find a litter or who has got one, they should point you to the breed club or the KC if you are after a puppy. Be truthful bout your experience and capabilities as a dog owner, they will tell you if they think your lifestyle is suitable for their breed (I have turned people off my breed after talking to them) . Good luck have a fab time and don`t forget to go visit the PWD stand, and have a cuddle with this wonderfu lbreed
