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Help us choose between Rhodesian Ridgeback, GSP, Boxer, Malinois

24K views 35 replies 13 participants last post by  joeahearn 
#1 ·
My fiancée and I have been looking at different breeds that might be suitable for us. We are planning to get a dog in about a year when we get married and will be moving in our own place (currently saving for a 3 bedroom flat). We live in Scotland.

I never had a dog but love them and love to play with them. (my mum fostered a Rhodesian Ridgeback for two months when I was still living with my parents)
My fiancée had a Manchester Terrier.

We are both working:
I am away from 7am until 5pm, week ends off.
My fiancée is away from 12:45 until 11pm. She only gets 1 week end off per month, so it means that 3 weeks per months she has 2 days off during the week.

We are a young and active couple. (trying) Running 4 times a week. We will have time to go for a walk/run twice a day, at least 30-45 min each time.

We don't have pets or children. But we are planning to have children in the future.

We want an active dog that we can take running with us (5k, 10k or 20k). We love hiking in the Scottish hills, so the dog should be able to go walking 2-3 days in a row in various weathers/temperature (yeah! for Scottish weather).

We are looking for a medium/large dog with minimal grooming/shedding.

We have a shortlist of a few breeds that we like the aesthetics of, and seem to tick our boxes.

  • The one that is our current top choice is the Rhodesian Ridgeback as it is a beautiful and very athletic dog with minimal shedding.

The current main runners up are:

  • German Shorthaired Pointer: We like its looks less than the Ridgeback. 4 hours by itself might be too long. But it is an all weather very athletic dog.
  • Boxer: We always loved boxer, beautiful, athletic fantastic personality. But 4 hours alone might be too long. And does not do well with extreme temperatures.
  • Belgian Malinois: sheds a lot but seems to tick the other boxes.

We also considered

  • the Anatolian Shepperd but its size might be too much for us.

We will be fully committed to our dog and will be taking training classes to get it right the first time.

We are not rushing our decision and will take the time to measure up all the pros and cons of the breeds to be 100% sure of our choice when the time comes.

We welcome any advice concerning the breeds mentioned above but also any other breeds that we might have dismissed for the wrong reasons. Don't hesitate to mention any error we made in our research.
 
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#2 ·
I own and raise malinois. Truly awesome dogs! The need a lot of training, as well as exercise, and really need a job to do. They must be properly socialized with children as young dogs, or you may have a hard time mixing the two later.
They tend to be very protective, aloof, and not as forgiving as the other breeds. They do become OCD if not given enough mental stimulation. Hikes are not enough, but dog sports a few times a week are good to add.
The four hours alone is fine, as long as they are worked regularly, they settle and make great house dogs with enough training (ok, a lot of training) if not you may have a nervous, obsessive, aggressive, destructive dog. I don't recommend them as pets, without a job. They shed a ton, twice a year, they blow their coats, and shed in between. Weather is usually not an issue.

Mals bite first, ask questions later. Very reactive dogs. They determine threats and act upon them, and don't wait for commands to do so.

Not to talk you out of one, just be sure to become familiar with many before deciding on this breed. Ask to watch the police department dogs, if they use them. Here they are in LE, military, and protection, dog sports, so a schutzhund or ring sport group may he a place to get to know some.
Very different breed from the others you listed.
 
#3 ·
Well first of all, props to you for actually putting some planning into this dog. Far too many people just wake up one morning, decide they want a dog, then come home with one a few days later.

You seem to have most of your bases covered. The only issue of course is that no matter what breed you get, there's no guarantee that the dog will grow up to be the ideal hiking companion you're looking for. In fact, I remember recently a member posting here about their own Ridgeback who hated walking and would refuse to walk anywhere. Obviously that is not the norm, but it's certainly a possibility.

For that reason, I would recommend possibly looking into an adult rescue rather than a puppy. You can go to a rescue and specify that you're looking for a dog who can hike long distances, and they will be better suited to find a dog who meets those requirements.

On the other hand, if you have your heart set on a puppy, then I'd make sure I found and met with a breeder who does those same types of activities. In this day and age, breeders who actually breed dogs to do what they're meant to do are becoming the minority.

Regardless, it's important to note that no matter where you get it, you will not be able to hike with the dog until he is at least two-years-old, to protect his joints, and only after quite a bit of endurance building.

Four hours it the maximum time for which I would crate a dog. If you expect the dog to be along any longer than that (keeping commute in consideration,) I might suggest a puppy-proofed room rather than a crate.

The only thing you said that concerns me is, "...so the dog should be able to go walking 2-3 days in a row in various weathers/temperature..."

Regardless of what breed you get, the dog should be going for multiple walks EVERY single day. You should take him before you leave in the morning, then your fiancee should take him before she leaves in the afternoon, then you should take him again when you get home in the evening, at the very least.

As an aside, please make sure any class you take uses only positive methods. No choke chains, physical corrections, verbal corrections, etc. Especially if you're looking at a sighthound. No dog deserves correction-based training, but a sighthound in particular could be broken beyond repair by such training.
 
#4 ·
Also meant to add, mals are very trying on first time dog owners. They are pushy, have near zero bite inhibition, and very bold personality.
However, there are mal rescues that have adult dogs, that you can really see their temperament, and most in rescue are there because of lower drives, which may be the perfect option for you.
 
#5 ·
I think by "walking 2-3 days in a row" he meant multi-day hikes on top of the daily walks...

Sounds like you're a great family for a dog.
I wouldn't get an anatolian, they are independent livestock guardians, hard to train, and shed a lot. We had lots of them in Germany for a while, brought in by the Turkish community mostly, and had big problems with the ones that ended up in shelters.

I agree with juliemule on the Mals too - they are working dogs and often too much dog for a pet household.

Boxers are lovely, but are prone to genetic health issues - heart conditions, hip dysplasia and tumors mostly. Some of the newer lines are better, but I'd screen potential breeders carefully.

GSP - nice dogs, they are hunting bred though and will have prey drive. In Germany, puppies from registered breeders are only made available to hunters and not to the general public. Might be too much dog for a first time owner.

Don't know much about Rhodesians, except that they became really popular in Europe lately. They seem like nice enough and fairly active dogs.

I second the suggestion of checking out shelters for a dog that's a bit older than a puppy. I fared very well with that.

Have you looked at the water dogs (Spanish and Portugese) for possible choices? Might make sense for being outside in Scotland when it's wet...
I am also a big fan of the Standard poodle for an easy-to-train allround dog. There are some breeders that breed the thicker, functional type, and if you cut them fairly short they look like "real dogs". They are super smart, have little prey drive, are active and can take weather no problem (were originally water dogs).
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#6 · (Edited)
Thank you very much for your answers.
I think after what you said that Malinois are out, we just do not want to take the risk of getting it wrong.

We also considered rescues, but we would love to have our dog from puppy and see him grow old.

A puppy-proofed room seems like a good idea, I never heard of it before. 4 hours and 15 mins is the usual time with no one at home.

As for the hikes (it is usually 2-3 over the week-end, where we take tent and backpacks and go exploring the hills), I said 2-3 days, but we are not doing anything extreme. When we go hiking it is to enjoy the landscape and the outdoors and we walk about 4-5 hours with frequent breaks when we arrive to a nice place. We read that Ridgebacks had great endurance, that is one of the reason we are drawn towards one. And we are aware that puppies cannot do long distances, but Scotland offer a wide range of walks. And I am sure my fiancée will not mind shorter walks and more time at the camp :D.

Thanks for the suggestions about the water dogs and poodles, however we are not too keen on their looks. But if none of the other breeds are suitable we might consider them.
 
#8 ·
What about a mix breed? I have a Malinois mix (perhaps greyhound for her speed and cattle dog for her size?), and she is like a watered-down Malinois. Unlike the purebreds, she can go all day if asked, but she can also settle down after only a couple hours of stimulation (either an hour or so at the dog park or 2 hours fast walking on lead, plus a handful of 5-10 minute training sessions throughout the day). She is vocal and reactive to changes in environment when not exercised properly, and aloof with strangers, but she is also super gentle when taking food from people and while playing tug, and once she's met a kid, they can do anything they want around her (as long as they avoid her bad knee). However, we didn't get her until 8 months ago, and she's around 5 years old, so I can't say how she was as a puppy/young adult. We joke we could never have kept up when she was younger and her previous owners probably got worn out by the time she was a year and half, and that's why they gave her up. Otherwise, we can't fathom the reason :)

Mix breeds tend to be healthier too - we had to mutts who lived to be 12 years (Australian cattle dog mix) and 16 years (bearded collie mix), and they never had any major issues besides one getting parvo from the shelter when she was 6 months old. My mom's purebreds both had major $1,000+ medical issues in their first two years, although she wasn't too careful about picking them out (lesson learned!).

Happy researching too! I had lots of fun with that part, although I made the mistake of looking up specific dogs before I was fully ready - That's how I ended up with my dog Bree 3 months before I was suppose to get any dog at all.
 
#11 ·
Mix breeds tend to be healthier too
i really hate to hear this. it gives people the wrong idea. there is nothing that proves that mutts are healthier than purebreds.

I don't think I've ever heard of a purebred rescue with puppies. It's pretty darn rare, and there's generally a loooooong waiting list for them. Especially in a relatively rare breed like a Ridgeback.
ridgebacks arent rare at all. and i see lots of purebred pups in rescue, without a waiting list.


to the OP, i really love ridgebacks. ive worked with a lot of them and i find them to be amazing dogs. if i had the energy for one i would completely get one. i like GSPs too, a lot. one of my fav breeds, but they really are not as...hmmm... mentally sound, as ridgebacks. they tend to be a bit nutty. i dont care for boxers. they seem to always have a health problem, but they are a breed very prone to them to begin with. and mals, i just dont suggest them to the first time owner. i work with dogs for a living and im a trainer.... i wouldnt take on a mal. lol. i like my lazy dogs :) lol. GSDs, i have a love affair with. i think theyre amazing dogs. i grew up with some, and i really enjoy working with them a lot. but they tend to be a breed that unless youre really careful who you are getting them from, they can be totally neurotic and off their rockers!
 
#9 ·
I don't think I've ever heard of a purebred rescue with puppies. It's pretty darn rare, and there's generally a loooooong waiting list for them. Especially in a relatively rare breed like a Ridgeback.
 
#13 ·
The malinois rescue does get pups in. However you really are taking a gamble. Not only do you have no history, you have no idea what to expect temperament wise. Am experienced handler or trainer may, but I wouldn't recommend someone to pick and hope, especially with a breed that can be so hard.
I have no experience with the ridgebacks, but hear lots of good on them.
 
#15 ·
I have a boxer. I'm in Northern Ireland, not far from you really:) He was very easily trained and is fine left alone when I'm at school. He is very active and enjoys going long walks across the fields and up slemish mountain. He is fine with the weather here although last winter I put a coat on him whilst we were out as it was very bad. I don't think health problems will be a problem if you find a good breeder, if you go onto Champdogs.com you will find a lot of local accredited breeders or even try epupz.co.uk. Expect to pay up to £1000 for a healthy boxer, although mainland seems to be more expensive than Northern Ireland! You'll find that they are half the price here!
PM me if you want:)
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#16 ·
I have a boxer. I'm in Northern Ireland, not far from you really:) He was very easily trained and is fine left alone when I'm at school. He is very active and enjoys going long walks across the fields and up slemish mountain. He is fine with the weather here although last winter I put a coat on him whilst we were out as it was very bad. I don't think health problems will be a problem if you find a good breeder, if you go onto Champdogs.com you will find a lot of local accredited breeders or even try epupz.co.uk. Expect to pay up to £1000 for a healthy boxer, although mainland seems to be more expensive than Northern Ireland! You'll find that they are half the price here!
PM me if you want:)
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wow, please dont use those sites..... that made me really sick looking at those. please use a responsible, ethical, reputable breeder. those people, are not it....
 
#17 ·
GDM, I get many comments on how well behaved and calm my mals are. I then go into detail about how much work it takes to make that :)
Op, when I worked at the clinic we had a boxer mix dropped off and left. She was pregnant. She was one of the sweetest, best behaved dogs I have met. All of her puppies found homes fast ( 14 of them!! ) and she went to a great home, her owners couldn't have asked for a better dog. I really would try the shelters, though not sure in your country what selection they have.
 
#22 ·
Kennel club accredited breeders aren't reputable? Champdogs gives you direct links to their websites and epupz also. Obviously there are some on epupz that aren't recognised by the KC but there are plenty that are.
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*twitch* it takes a lot more than being KC accredited to be a reputable breeder - genetic health testing, in-depth knowledge of the breed, prooving that the dog is an exceptional example of the breed*, only breeding when the dogs are physically and mentally mature enough to handle it and only breeding to improve the breed instead of money. Oh, and these reputable breeders don't need (or want) to advertise online since they don't know anything about the people who buy their dogs. Most reputable breeders you have to find through contacts, and even then you'll probably be put on a waiting list (a friend recently got her afghan puppy after waiting three years)

*Conformation, schutzhund, herding trials, field-work, range-work, dog sports, earthdog depending upon the breed and what the dog is bred for. (For instance, I would put a lot more weight on a border collie with herding titles/work versus conformation and I wouldn't even look at a GSD that didn't do schutzhund)
 
#21 ·
Thank you all for your answers. you've been of great help.
We have discussed it together and we think it might be best to get an adult rescue so we "know" what we are getting and we can get a dog that answers our criteria. plus we would not have to wait the pup to grow top go on hikes and runs.

I think we'll try to find a rescue ridgeback if possible, as no one has changed our mind about them being a good dog for us.


Thank you again!
 
#24 ·
I own 2 malinois's. A female and a male. My female makes an excellent pet, wonderful with children, extremely loyal and easy to handle. The major difference's are with drive. My male is a very very high dive dog which means very very difficult pet. He is a wonderful pet but he must be worked or he will work you over! He is much more physical where as my female is much more lady like. She is extremely agile and has moderate drive/extreme at times... But in a manageable way. A female can have high drive also but in my experience a female with the right attributes will make an excellent pet! I highly recommend a female malinois over all other breeds for your wants and needs. It sounds like you want energy but not over the top. This will suite you perfect! Beware though, they are smarter than many humans. Seriously. I have a recommendation of an excellent breeder in the USA but you are closer to many good ones I'm sure. Please contact me if you want to know more. I am by no means an expert but simply sharing my lessons learned.
 
#32 ·
lol, yeah, i love that video... maybe if i didn't have to work i could handle a dog with that much drive, but even then, i don't think it's for me ;) not that i couldn't figure out how to deal with the behavior and train etc, i just don't want to devote that much of my life to entertaining the dog! i'm a big fan of dogs with off switches!



 
#33 ·
Yep you said it right. Devotion.... It definetly takes 100% devotion. I thought I was ready 3 years ago and I wasn't but managed to figure it out. The challenge grew on me and now I'm 7 mths into my 2nd mal which is a off the charts high drive male. Basically he's been the work of raising at least 5 rowdy normal pups. Lol... No exaggeration. It has all been worth it for me though! Never doubt yourself but it's good your being honest with yourself. They will expose your weakness for you whether it's lack of training time or baby talking. It's better to realistically identify those. Take care
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