J,
I was wondering if I was the only one who found the *lifetime temperament guarantee* a bit hinky. It would only be possible if the pups came out of a factory.
Well . . . if you want an *honest*, ie blunt opinion, if I were serious about doing SAR, I wouldn't be considering a Dobe. There are just far too few of them out doing that kind of work. *If* I were convinced I should have a Dobe, I'd not even think about getting a puppy. I would look more at 1-1 1/2 yo dogs so I could get a better idea of nerves, drives, etc. and hips/elbows of course.
If I only wanted to do SAR and had no other training goals (SAR is plenty to keep dog/handler quite busy), I'd likely be looking for a Lab. You avoid many of the problems w/the more aggressive breeds, since a normal Lab has zero defense drive and zero suspicion of humans. They also seldom have dog issues either. It would be reasonably easy to find a Lab pup from a breeder w/a track record of producing SAR dogs.
JMO.
Vince,
Exactly. Sounded like snake oil to me. There are so many effective ways to screw up a pup, I can't imagine an ethical breeder willing to offer a lifetime warranty against all of them.
Blondie, Joy is correct. A Lab would be on the top of my list for a SAR dog, too. Just be sure to find a breeder who breeds for working ability and not conformation standards. If you can find one who has already sold pups to SAR people, then they might be more likely to know the qualities you're looking for. But for different breeders of Labs in particular, the term "working ability" means different things. To some, it means the ability to pass AKC tests. To others, it means real-life hunting. The term "working ability" is just as much of a buzzword as anything in the dog world.
Good point J Parker. No need to end up with one of these big old stocky show Labs!! It's amazing how the Lab has almost turned into two different breeds!
So many things to consider. I think I have decided against the Dobe but am thinking seriously between Border Collie & Lab. You guys all make good points. I beleive there is no way to guarantee a dogs temperament for life. Besides that once I get attached to it why would I want to give it up. Better to start with something I may never have a temperament problem with. Don't think I could carry a Lab unless I really had to. Most of them weigh more than me.
Hi blondie. I would like to let you no of a breed I have fell in love with a Standard Schnauzer. Here is a breed profile, and a link to the Standard Schnauzer club of America.I think one would be very good at SAR work. The Standard Schnauzer is a medium sized dog. Males are between 18-20 inches high at the shoulders and generally weigh about 40-45 pounds. The Females are between 17-19 inches and generally weigh about 35-40 pounds. http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/7068/index.html
Will take a look at the site. Do you know of any one that has used their schnauzer for SAR work? I would like to talk to someone with first hand knowledge. Didn't know schnauzers could track.
Just about any dog can be taught FST (any dog can be taught to track food drops). The question is whether or not the dog has it in him to do TTD or area search. That depends a lot on how much of a desire to work the dog has. Breed is less relevant than considerations such as athletic ability and sound temperament.
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