Pets..what do you have?

[scooby]

I'm from a family who have a history of having pets.

My parents had a bearded collie when I was growing up and she was wonderful. Now they have a pond in the back garden full of Koi. Not sure you class fish as pets but are lovely none the less.

My sister has:

a beardie, who is also wonderful
a labrador, she is definately the sweetest, funniest dog I've ever seen.
a lionhead rabbit. Cute
and 2 Chinchillas. Very cute but aloof.

Since my sister moved away, I don't see the dogs as much I've never owned a dog but would like to own one sometime soon hopefully. Only problem is I can't decide which to get. In an ideal world, I'd like to get the 5 breeds I've short listed but realistically that isn't going to happen.

After a lot of research and advice from owners I've decided not to go for my first choice of a Pyrenean mountain dog. So I'm considering getting either a beardie, labrador or irish setter.

I was just wondering if anyone here had any of these breeds of dogs and could give me some advice. But also it'd be nice to know what pets you do have? Pictures also welcome

I'll get some pictures posted up too.

As a side note, what do you class as a strange pet? The elderly couple who used to live near my parents had a pair of doves. When the couple moved away, the doves picked my parents house as their new home. When I was at my parents house one night, enjoying a drink with my mum and dad in the conservatory. Found it a bit odd to have 2 doves (or white pigeons as I called them) walking on the table.

Unfortunately, one died naturally and the other was mauled by next doors cat

 

[Mirboo]

I have some wild rainbow lorikeets that I feed on my balcony. They're kind of like pets, it's just that I don't know what they get up to between meals. :wink:

 

[jasonB]

A lot of your choice will depend on your home/work arrangement. Particularly while still a pup the dog will need 3-4 feeds a day, letting out regularly to help house train it and when older any of the dogs you list will need at least an hours exercise a day in all weathers! and I don't feel its right to leave a dog in the house all day while you are out at work.

I have a pug, French Bulldog and 20odd Koi upto 24"long.

Jason

 

[superunknown]

We have a boxer dog who is 6 a black cat who is 11 and my girls have a gerbil each who have just had seven babies. As I was told these were 2 males, very clever of them! :?

 

[Mdotflorida]

We have 6 cats, 5 of which were rescue cats from the cats protection league.

Cats suit our lifestyle. Apart from feeding, they virtually look after themselves. No need for walks etc as they use the cat flap. And it gives us a good feeling seeing them now after the bad start in life some of them had.

Jeff

 

[DomValente]

We have a Border Collie,the most intelligent dog I have come across(suspect every owner thinks that).
You must like walking,they need the exercise or become tetchy.
We used to have cats and it was amusing to watch him herd (should that be flock) them like sheep.

 

[Alf]

Never lived in a household with dogs, but I do have a hankering for a greyhound. You know how owners so often end up looking like their dogs...? Except I worry it'd just result in the chubbiest greyhound in the world. :lol:

Currently got two cats, African Grey and Senegal parrots (one of each - not whole flocks) and about 2 billion spiders who seem to have adopted us...

Cheers, Alf

 

[Paul Chapman]

A black cat called Sparky

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[boomer]

In the boomer household we have 2 chipmunks & a african grey parrot,we lost our beloved rottie a couple of years ago (died not run off lol) & just can't seem to have the heart to replace him.

 

[woodbloke]

See avatar left.....two fat grey cats 8) (British Blues, mum and daughter) - Rob

 

[Scrit]

Currently we have one elderly little jet black cat and a daft young tabby tom cat who appears to have adopted us. In the last 16 months we lost my big cream tabby tom cat (at 14-1/2) and more recently his sister, the fattest black and white cat in the world. It still surprises me how much they become a part of your life.

Scrit

 

[Scrums]

We have Jess (left) a 15 month old red & white pedigree border collie, Megan a senile, smelly, deaf 17 yr old colliex who falls over a lot, 3 cats and 3 chickens.

Chris.

 

[woodbloke]

Scrit wrote:

It still surprises me how much they become a part of your life.

Agree there Scrit, and I 've had cats in the family for over 40 years - Rob

 

[paulm]

We have Lottie the whippet, just over a year old, we had to travel from the soft south up to Worksop land of the flat cap, black pudding and of course whippets to get her ! :lol:

Very good pets, very affectionate and seems happy to sleep all day, on the best seat in the house of course, inbetween short frenetic bursts of running around in the garden and her walks which get us both off of the sofa !

Not sure how the pics came to be so large, if one of the mods can help out and let me know how to shrink, that would be great

Cheers, Paul.

 

[Anonymous]

I had a gordon setter, may get another.

 

[woodbloke]

Chisel wrote:

on the best seat in the house of course

...that's about par for the course :lol: - Rob

 

[Nigel]

We have a King Charles spaniel who is 8 and my best mate

sadly we lost our Bearded Collie just over a year ago she was 15 and was always totally scatty but oh what a faithful dog

definitely go for a dog as it will get you out in all weathers even if you don't fancy it but afterwards you will be glad you did

Nigel

 

[Shultzy]

We have a lop-eared rabbit called Star, she's will be 9 in April and is as blind as a bat. Has the run of the garden and eats anything you put in front of her.

 

[davy_owen_88]

I have an 11 year old Irish Water Spaniel.... well that's what the owner of his mother called it. Had him since he was a puppy and is the most loyal dog I've ever had - and he seems to have an infinite amount of energy.

 

[Roger]

Our Siamese didn't last long over here - but had a great time before she died. We now have an adopted (don't if it was us or her) huge great Marmalade cat that belongs to the local Policeman.

He has three cats and comes round once or twice a year to us to hand out the regular stuff from the Vet! None of the three live with him .....