Don’t you ask yourself what dog would Bob-Lee Swagger have?
No, but I do like his dog and I used Bixby Vision on my phone to identify the breed, which it did very successfully.
Leonburger.
I do like big dogs, especially GSDs a Belgian Malionois but the wife and kids arent keen
There are a couple of big dogs down the road that eye me up when I run past. They are always on leads, thank fook. One is an Anatolian Shepherd, and the other is also a big shepherd breed.
You don’t want to break into their house.
some friends in the Pyrenees have a rescue Beauceron - a big, strong French breed that was used to develop the Doberman, and often used as guard dogs. it’s as soft as shit around humans but out in the fields it’s a sheep killer - it’s cost them a few € over the years in compensation to local farmers who have lost sheep to him. they’ve tried to train him out of attacking sheep but it’s proven impossible so they are now just very careful when out walking.
Not a dog for around here then!
same around here - just too many sheep. we’ve had Troy sheep proofed to try and help. we always walk him on lead around sheep, but he did get into one field of sheep and was running them around before I managed to catch him. not sure he would have attacked to kill as he seemed to be more interested in just keeping one sheep separated from the herd, but wasn’t going to take the chance.
we used this guy - http://sheepproofyourdog.co.uk/
My Springer is terrified of sheep… 
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If you can wait until Spring when hopefully COVID restrictions are easing and the market is saturated with puppies from all the farms popping up then I’m guessing prices will be back down by 50%. Also easier to walk, train and play with a new puppy in the improving weather. The first 20 weeks are utterly key as that’s when learned behaviours are most established. Personally I’d like those 20 weeks in Spring and Summer. I grew up with Springers - bonkers lovely breed, and now have a 2 year old lab retriever bitch. The lab is the easier to look after, being less mad!
I agree with @GeordieM - prices should come down. £3.5K is crazy. I think we paid £1800 for our Cockapoo last year, and had litter over lockdown with the pups selling for £2.8K. Prices dropped a bit from the peak of lockdown, but not much. Partly is was down to changes in demand, as well as supply. Regular breeders started out trying to keep prices down, but found that people were buying and then selling on to make a quick profit. I don’t believe the prices will drop so much - if I was a breeder and realised that people would pay higher prices then I’d keep them higher than pre-COVID.
On the exercise side, I run with ours. She’s 22 months old and will comfortably manage 7-10 miles at my 8-9 minute/mile pace. She’s usually pulling me along or casually trotting along next to me. I suspect she’d go further, and I tried to go further during lockdown but her pregnancy stopped that and I haven’t got back to my lockdown run distances. I wear a running belt/lead so I can run “hands-free”.
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We had a male Basset hound for 11 years until he died last year, fast forward 12 months and we were ready for a new one. We decided on a bitch Cocker as she kind of fits our lifestyle a bit more than a stubborn hound. As you’ve found prices are mental the the moment - Sprocket our Cocker was £2k, and my wife was adamant this was a bargain…
I was a bit sceptical at first, now I bloody love her. So much easier to train, far less stubborn, no peeing everywhere like a male dog does. Shes now 20 weeks and is just awesome.
Dont underestimate just how much care they need - Every morning she needs walking, no matter the weather. Dont underestimate just how much mud they will drag into the house, or how much poop they can create, and dont under estimate how much you’ll miss them when they’re gone. Samson the Basset was my mate, and when he died it hit us real hard.
In other words - Do it, it’ll be your mate forever, and you’ll find it impossible to live without. Even if she does chew the tyres on your turbo trainer!!
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I don’t know; as much as breeders might try to maintain the ‘new normal’ pricing, I cannot help think that in the near-term post Lockdown era, the supply/demand won’t support those prices. The market will be saturated, along with some purchase remorse, and people who have to go back to the office/factory and can no longer keep a dog at home.
Great thread here!!!
Gotta agree with @mw22 on the “trendy breeds”
Cocka-whatever’s are du jour for a reason.
We walk ours in the morning and see loads of other people with them.
They don’t shed, great with kids, have a personality, can be trained, but not so much 
(Maybe that’s just us!)
We trawled Leicester to Preston rescue centres for a nice dog. Not fussed on breed.
My wife previously had an English Sheepdog, whereas my family had a collie, Weineramer, springer, red lab and the worlds largest GSD/Akita.
The cockapoo is WAY easier to look after than any of those.
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We got a Yorkie to give our cava some company… She’s a @£#g! 
Full of personality… Way to much 
Edit… forgot to join in with pics
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I’m getting proper dog envy. I’ve always wanted one but Mrs doesn’t (she’s more of a cat person) and we have very young children. Next door have a Cavapoo pup and once he’s a bit bigger and better trained I’ll be taking him out for walks.
Did a Zwift in NYC whilst it chucked it down this morning.
Then walked this massive dreadlock up to the bakery for a “builders butty” 
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Well, after some negotiating with the breeder (we used to work together), I’ve bitten the bullet and reserved him. He had his 2nd vaccinations, today so can be collected tomorrow.
As usual, the advice you guys and girls have offered is top!
It’s not going to be easily but luckily we are an active family so the little man will get taken out lots:)
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Good luck. One day notice to collect, you have alot to get ready!!!
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We don’t have to get him tomorrow, but he is ready to collect if we want to.
Luckily they are only down the road so it can be a calm transition over a few days, coming to see us, having a play, etc 
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Our springer is scared of the kids bunny rabbits.
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Fantastic. What a beaut. Random tips: Amazon do giant boxes of compostable poo bags. Keep a roll of bags in every coat pocket so you’re never caught out. Once vaccinated then socialise your dog with other people, workmen in hi-viz, lots of other dogs, sheep etc to teach it to not be fearful or aggressive, particularly in first 20 weeks, as much as possible. Isolated, mistreated, unsocialised and unloved dogs are just a-holes quite often e.g farm Collies! Ruffwear do great dog harnesses. By law dogs must be restrained in a car so either a seat belt clip or a crate or a guard on back seats in case an overzealous plod stops you. Consider grain free dog food, or raw food if you’ve the stomach/freezer space/budget for it. Your regimen of flea and worm pills will be way cheaper from Pets At Home than the Vet. All just my opinions and your mileage may vary! 
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