Why Working Terrier should not be pet

[Mosby 355]

I have yet to see a pet home be able to handle a working dog's excess energy and drive. The dogs always are bouncing off the walls and the people tell me the dog is crazy or it's this way because you inbreed. On and On I here why the dogs aren't normal. Well they're exactly what they were bred to be High strung energetic dogs. Not meant for a house. Patterdales are the most calm working breed I have ever had and all pet people I have talked to tell me they must be possessed by Satan they can't be controlled.

I have seen jagdterriers that go kennel crazy without being able to hunt and they break all their own teeth out trying to chew through the kennel bars or their bowls. Working dogs that don't get worked stop being obedient. That has been my experience trying to retire dogs to young or whatever. They do not want to be pets we should not make them be pets.

I love my good workers. After a days work I doctor them up and give em a good spot in the laundry room. Resting time during the week I work with them in the yard an hour and a half a day giving affection and proper discipline. Pet owners just don't give the dogs the work they NEED!

[ReggieCuz 18]

Maybe terriers are different from all other breeds, but the dogs you describe don't sound like any workers I've come across to me, they sound like inbred, highly strung, schizodogs which would be hard to collar let alone work in a pack...no offense.

I have owned pure working (as in from game champion pitbulls) who didn't act the way you describe.

I have worked, bred and retired as pets good working lines of pigdog. with no problem whatsoever.

 

Even a 30th generation sheepdog (border, aussie cattle, smithfield, etc etc etc) will make a good pet if kept amused and entertained.

The problem you have, mate, is assuming all pet homes leave their dogs alone for 12 hours a day.

Pet/working homes should be judged by the individual circumstances. My dog, for example, is probably as fit as most workers but I'd never use her for fighting.

[fireman 10,856]

Mental stimulation is needed for any animal sat idle not just dogs,i've seen more bored working dogs sat in empty kennels waiting to go out than bored pets sat with nothing to do.Most pets have someone around the house or something more to do than sitting looking through bars so i'd say it's more likely to be stupid folks getting the wrong sort of dog to start with and not thinking about the sort of dog for there needs be it pet or work,as long as a dog has an out let for it's drive,energy or what ever you call it most dogs will settle in either pet or work homes if raised that way from the start.

[Rik 49]

I have 3 dogs,at home and I work shifts they are quite happy to wait for me to come home day or night,when there at home they are calm playing with the kids running around or just sat sun bathing,chewing on bones,you get what I mean but when the couples come out instant switch they know exactly where there going and what they are going to be doing

 

pets one minute and workers the next with no problem at all thats how they have been diserplined

[KawValley 131]

The problem isn't the uninformed pet-owners or the dogs; the problem is the breeder that should know better, selling to pet homes to make money. JMHO

[Mosby 355]

If a terrier gets worked he will be calm fine for the rest of the week but you keep them housed all the time they go apeshit. Simple, doesn't matter what kind of working dog. if my hounds were worked 2-3 times a week they were quiet and content. If I didnt hunt my hounds for a week they would not shut up and pulled up their stakes. If my Kelpie didn't work sheep regularly we had to keep him in an acre run where he ran figure eights all day non-stop. He ate 3 times what any pet twice his size would eat. Working dogs need a job. Ceasar Milan the dog whisperer will tell you the same. Dogs need a job. They can't just be played with and left in the house.

[Cleanspade 3,322]

how many pet owners keep their terriers in kennels chewing on the bars. the problem your refareing to is working homes that dont give enough work but kennel 24/7. ive seen many good pet/worker

[Alli 923]

LOAD A RUBBISH, I HAVE A BITCH KEPT INDOORS RIGHT LITTLE LAP DOG. GET HER OUT IN THE FIELD DIG ALL DAY LONG TO HER, SAME AS MANY LADS ON THIS FORUM. THE BITCH IN THE PIC IS A PET.

[littlefish 573]

I have 3 dogs,at home and I work shifts they are quite happy to wait for me to come home day or night,when there at home they are calm playing with the kids running around or just sat sun bathing,chewing on bones,you get what I mean but when the couples come out instant switch they know exactly where there going and what they are going to be doing

 

pets one minute and workers the next with no problem at all thats how they have been diserplined

 

They sound well-adjusted and mentally stable.........something to aspire to

[Mosby 355]

I'm not talking about working dogs coming home and being around the family and getting affection after a hunt. I am talking about working dogs that never get hunted. Dogs bred for work and never worked. I'm not saying take your dogs out and hunt and straight awy put them in a kennel.

[Mosby 355]

Also not talking about money here. Just plain old giving a dog for any reason to someone who will absolutely not be doing with the dog what it is meant to do.

[longdog13 36]

I'm not talking about working dogs coming home and being around the family and getting affection after a hunt. I am talking about working dogs that never get hunted. Dogs bred for work and never worked. I'm not saying take your dogs out and hunt and straight awy put them in a kennel.

 

Surely a dog that doesn't work can't be classed as a working dog? either way, dogs should be well balanced enough to deal with inactivity, and where needed you should provide other stimulation for the dog (not that kind of stimulation either )

 

Dogs will get restless after long periods of inactivity, but should not become psycho

[vld 62]

I sold two terrier pups (dog and bitch) to a family. We explained they were from working stock, needed stimulation etc etc etc.

Two years after buying pups the woman fones me up in tears - she can't handle them - they're good with people, in the house etc but the minute they go out and see another dog they want to wreck it. Could I have them back?? Told her they needed splitting up and they'd obviously developed a bit of a pack mentality and hit maturity and the working dog in them had kicked in.

She left the dog with me - he was snarling and kicking right off at my dogs through the kennel bars - that soon stopped when I let them out and they filled him in until he totknew his place- he walked with them, ate with them and slept with them that same night. When we met other people out with their dogs he snarled a couple of times but after a couple of yanks on the lead he got the message and met other dogs really, really and was great.

This was after one day with us. She actually came back for him at the end of the weekend - as I told her - its not the dogs fault - its pretty much always the owners - there was no pack in her house - the dogs were the boss and not her - she said she was going to seek professional advise - I'm not sure if for the dog or herself!! LOL

 

 

[littlefish 573]

I sold two terrier pups (dog and bitch) to a family. We explained they were from working stock, needed stimulation etc etc etc.

Two years after buying pups the woman fones me up in tears - she can't handle them - they're good with people, in the house etc but the minute they go out and see another dog they want to wreck it. Could I have them back?? Told her they needed splitting up and they'd obviously developed a bit of a pack mentality and hit maturity and the working dog in them had kicked in.

She left the dog with me - he was snarling and kicking right off at my dogs through the kennel bars - that soon stopped when I let them out and they filled him in until he totknew his place- he walked with them, ate with them and slept with them that same night. When we met other people out with their dogs he snarled a couple of times but after a couple of yanks on the lead he got the message and met other dogs really, really and was great.

This was after one day with us. She actually came back for him at the end of the weekend - as I told her - its not the dogs fault - its pretty much always the owners - there was no pack in her house - the dogs were the boss and not her - she said she was going to seek professional advise - I'm not sure if for the dog or herself!! LOL

 

That sounds a typical scenario where litter mates go to an inexperienced home. Shame she wasn't advised before buying two pups, let alone one.

[vld 62]

I sold two terrier pups (dog and bitch) to a family. We explained they were from working stock, needed stimulation etc etc etc.

Two years after buying pups the woman fones me up in tears - she can't handle them - they're good with people, in the house etc but the minute they go out and see another dog they want to wreck it. Could I have them back?? Told her they needed splitting up and they'd obviously developed a bit of a pack mentality and hit maturity and the working dog in them had kicked in.

She left the dog with me - he was snarling and kicking right off at my dogs through the kennel bars - that soon stopped when I let them out and they filled him in until he totknew his place- he walked with them, ate with them and slept with them that same night. When we met other people out with their dogs he snarled a couple of times but after a couple of yanks on the lead he got the message and met other dogs really, really and was great.

This was after one day with us. She actually came back for him at the end of the weekend - as I told her - its not the dogs fault - its pretty much always the owners - there was no pack in her house - the dogs were the boss and not her - she said she was going to seek professional advise - I'm not sure if for the dog or herself!! LOL

 

That sounds a typical scenario where litter mates go to an inexperienced home. Shame she wasn't advised before buying two pups, let alone one.

 

I think you make a fair comment, and hindsights a beautiful thing. I told her and her husband exactly what they were getting and how to treat/train them, I also took them back when she had issues (which didn't take much resolving at all - actually they were really nice dogs) so I was trying to be responsible - but yes if I ever had another litter I would only sell them to working homes.