Sunday, July 20, 2014

Thinking About Getting a Dog

Last weekend my husband and I went to a dog show in Valley Center, CA, to take a closer look at some dog breeds we are interested in and that way get a better feeling for the dogs. We also wanted to meet some owners to talk to about their pooches and get to know some reputable breeders.

It was quite an exciting weekend for us and my husband took many photos. Since I know that many gardeners are also devoted dog lovers, I thought I would post some pics today for your enjoyment.



A beautifully marked Brittany waiting on the grooming table.



What a beautiful gait!



He was not only beautiful, but very friendly as well! Here he is saying hi to me, we just had met!



Just such a lovely boy!



The Doberman, head study.



An extremely elegant dog!



 Being stacked for the judge.



Two Dobermans are having a conversation.



Whippet, head study.



This whippet seems to say: "Hey, what's up?"



This lovely whippet girl took home a win, if I remember correctly.



 Whippet in motion.



Another whippet. Having an intimate moment with her handler. 



Whippets appear to be very gentle and sweet dogs.



The powerful and impressive Rhodesian Ridgeback.



Especially the males just seem to be so strong.



Look at these soulful eyes!



Rhodesian Ridgeback, head study.



This is a Pharaoh Hound, one of the more rare breeds. Its a girl and she was very alert and focused on her owner and handler. Looks like she says: "What shall I do next?"



The incredible elegant and graceful Saluki.



Saluki, head study.



These dogs are so photogenic,...



...and one is more beautiful...



...than the other.

I wonder, how dogs and gardens go together. That certainly also depends on the breed that one chooses. Any thoughts on that?


Until next time,

Christina



25 comments:

  1. Oh wie schön - für welchen hast du dich entschieden? Ich für den ersten, die anderen passen nicht zu mir!
    Du hast die Hunde sehr gut eingefangen.

    Sigrun

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  2. It s grear to be an owner of a dog christina. You can learn the dog how to behave in the garden. My computer broke down so no posts from me helas. Wish you a wonderful day

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  3. Hallo Christina,

    sehr, sehr schöne Hundebilder hast Du uns gezeigt! Der kleine weiße, der Dich so freundlich begrüßt würde ja richtig gut zu Dir passen! Aber es sind noch viele andere liebe Hundegesichter dabei - es kommt halt auf den Geschmack der (zukünftigen) Besitzer an.
    Ich bin schon gespannt, ob Du uns bald einmal einen Welpen hier zeigt - der dann zu Deiner Familie gehört!

    Liebe Grüße,
    Ingrid

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  4. Ahhwww they're all gorgeous! Looking forward to finding out which breed you'll go for :)

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  5. How wonderful to see Pierre de Ronsard roses in your header; they grace many a garden wall here in Touraine where Pierre de Ronsard lived his last years.

    I feel your excitement! All those dogs are just so beautiful, aren't they? Which is why, possibly, garderners love them so much. Natural beauty is so important to us. We bought our first dog, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, two and a half years ago. Such a joy indeed. He is very gentle and playful which is perfect for our young children. Actually, it's pretty much like having another child and he costs more in medical care than they have so far!

    Stephanie

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  6. What beautiful/handsome dogs. I loved the Whippets and also that Rhodesian Ridgeback. His soulful eyes really got to me. We had a little terrier type dog and then a Blue Tick hound. Both loyal and sweet. They brought much joy into our lives. They do have to be trained to stay out of your gardens, but I'm sure you and your DH will do fine.

    Thank you for sharing these lovely creatures with us.

    FlowerLady

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  7. I love dogs and would have liked to have one if I was in better health, I am not able to walk a dog so having a cat suits me much better – my cat takes care of that business himself :-) I think a trained dog is no danger to a pristine garden, only perhaps a short while during the puppy stage if you are getting a puppy, but you can do a lot to avoid damage by screening off things for short while.
    As for which dog to get – there are so many to choose from, I wish you good luck with your choice! Have a good week, take care, Helene.

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  8. I'm biased towards whippets of course, but they are wonderful dogs. They do need plenty of space to run up and down and will jump over 4ft fences so you would need to check all your boundaries first. Lottie's never damaged any plants and they don't really dig, preferring to sunbathe most of the time! Good luck finding the ideal one. xx

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  9. Young dogs like to help you with gardening ;-) So you have to deal with digged soil. Our dog is a Tibet Terrier and she loooooves to race through the garden, which is not very good for the plants.
    Be careful with roses and barberry bushes, the thorns can seriously injure the dog.

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  10. I want a dog, too! But I can't seem to talk the fishman into getting one. We have two mature cats, and he's afraid they might have trouble adjusting. There's also the travel issue, but I'm thinking we have enough family in the area that I could probably find people to watch a dog while we're gone. Good luck in your quest! Those photos are exceptional!

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  11. So exciting to take a dog Christina. I think the first one, the Brittany is a good choice. I´m a border collie lover but they need an awful lot of exercise. I also love whippets and my mother had a Saluki in the past, but they need to run and when they are off leash they go easily after hares and so on, can be a bit of a problem.
    Wish you success and am looking forward to see your puppy on the blog.

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  12. They are all beautiful and unique dogs. It might be difficult to choose! Some of my favorite gardening memories are of when our two English Bull Dogs were alive and kept me company on summer evenings while I gardened. I always said they had a sense of humor. They liked to run and play together and seemed to enjoy making me laugh. I still miss them!

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  13. You already know how I feel about dogs and gardens ... dogs? Of course! Are you new to dog ownership? If so, I wouldn't research breeds and breeders so much as I would search your soul for the type of dog personality that you think will fit into your lifestyle. Dogs within a breed vary as much as humans do, and breed characteristics are generalities. I always recommend that people considering getting a dog look at either breed or multi-breed rescue organizations. Adult dogs are WAY easier for new owners to acclimate to their household, and adopters get to see and evaluate an actual dog's mature personality. (remember, my newest dog is Winnie, the geriatric teacup Chihuahua. She has the perfect personality for me, though she comes in a rather surprising, tiny little package.)

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  14. Such beautiful photos friend! I love that photo of you with that sweet pup! And there were so many striking dogs in your collection...a few actually that I am not familiar with. I can't wait to hear what breed you decide to go with! We once had a rescue who loved to plop down in my shade garden!!! Hostas were his favorite! Best wishes and keep us updated!!! Nicole xoxo

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  15. Tolle Bilder, besonders das Foto mit der alten Dame, sehr innig! Wir haben drei Hunde und genug Platz, manchmal könnte ich sie aber auch auf den Mond schießen, wenn sie mal wieder durch die Rosen tollen ;-)). Ich würde keinen der drei missen wollen! Ich bin gespannt für wen ihr Euch entscheidet.

    Herzlichste Grüße Alexandra

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  16. Please consider a shelter dog! All of my dogs have been rescues and they are the absolute best. Mixed breed dogs often don't have the genetic problems of purebreds. My garden was designed around dogs and they go together well. They will occasionally lay on a plant but I don't think that's a big deal. Having a dog is incredible. It is absolute pure love!

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  17. Beautiful photos, I can't help with choice, or any knowledge of how to manage dogs in a garden. I have heard a lot about how mixed breed dogs tend to be much healthier, and think there is something special about giving a safe and loving home to a rescue dog. I suppose it all comes down to what you are hoping to get out of dog ownership, if you want to go to dog shows yourselves then I suppose you have to go the pedigree route.

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  18. Très bonne idée d'adopter un toutou et tous ceux que tu présentes sont absolument adorables. Je ne sais pas lequel choisir, ils ont tous une personnalité touchante et attendrissante. J'ai eu des chiens dans mon jardin et la chance ils ne touchaient pas aux plantes et ne faisaient pas de trous dans les massifs. Les races que tu convoites sont vraiment délicieuses.
    Belle soirée Jocelyne

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  19. What a dilemma ! Which breed tops your list at the moment ? I just loved the Brittany Spaniel, which is a most unusual breed in the uk. Mind you, I love them all. Those salukis are just gorgeous !

    I don't think gardens and dogs mix at all, but I love them both, so they have to harmonise. It took my two dogs a long time to learn that flower beds are out of bounds, and they still do things which drive me crazy. My big dog, Gus, dug up a newly planted rose THREE times, despite my attempts to stop him ! I think there must have been some bonemeal in the fertiliser !!

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  20. Liebe Christina,
    diesen Post hast du für mich gemacht!!! Ich bin doch so eine Hundemensch!!! Einer schöner als der andere, einer lieber als der andere! Hund und Garten funktionieren super, man muss nur manchmal damit rechnen, dass dem Tier die Pflanzordnung nicht ganz so gefällt wie uns ... hi hi hi!!!
    Schön, dass es dir bei mir gefällt, ich danke dir für deinen reizenden Besuch und die lieben Worte!
    Hab eine fantastische Zeit
    Elisabeth

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  21. An interesting blog. It's so nice to follow this blog.
    Greeting from Indonesia.

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  22. How did I miss this post Christina? Here now, better late than never. What a lovely set of pictures.
    Having lost our last dog (standard Dachshund) just over a year ago, we have decided that we will give dog ownership a break for now as it's so heartbreaking when we have to say goodbye.
    I'm sure you will choose the perfect breed just for you Christina. Good luck in your choice and I'll be looking forward to reading all about it.

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  23. Your pictures are amazing! These dogs are all beautiful. I have a soft spot for Brittany Spaniels (I knew a sweet one growing up), and I've met a very sweet Whippet too.

    Dogs that dig are not good for a garden as you can imagine. LOL We had a Jack Russell terrier who could not be left unattended in the garden. She loved to dig. She also liked to eat certain flowers like pansies. She loved strawberries and would eat as many as she could find. She found weeding and digging extremely exciting. She would literally do back flips trying to catch stuff I pulled up and threw over my shoulder. If she saw a shovel she would latch into it and shriek like somebody was trying to kill her. I don't know why. Needless to say digging was a little difficult with a 16 pound dog hanging onto the handle. So, she was a nightmare to garden with, but otherwise was the best and most affectionate and fun dog ever. If you get a dog you can probably expect a less extreme experience, lol.

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  24. Oh, what lovely photos of the dogs. Such a great idea to have a show like this where you can meet the breeders and get a feel for the different dog breeds. Good luck with choosing, I wouldn't know where to start!

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  25. Christina, I love dogs and am glad you are thinking about getting one. We can't because my son has bad allergies and we don't want to experiment even with allergy free dogs and then risk to have to take the dog back... Most breeds you showed seem to be very active dogs that require a lot of exercise to be happy. Some (Saluki) are great escape artists that jump over fences easily. They will sure keep you fit :)

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