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DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> Good dog breeds for a pet ???
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Showing posts 101 - 125 of 130, (reverse)
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 05/02/2013 01:06:36 PM · #101
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Originally posted by ancientimages:
The audience roared. Me - not so much... He got his wish and we never did that again and both of us were much happier. He was never bad, he never destroyed things, he did what needed to be done, he just didn't see a need to show off his ability to "obey". I still miss him terribly.

Wonderful story!


With some breeds, you can't do obedience without having a very high tolerance for being embarassed in public. Seem dogs clearly enjoy making up new tricks in the ring.

Some of them have a sense of humor at home, too. My first Irish Wolfhound was one of those. I remember coming home from work one day, very tired, and she wanted attention. I waved her off and told her to lie down. She looked at me for a second, and then slowly placed her rear on an ottoman and lowered her chest onto the ground. Then she looked up at me with a delighted grin and wagged her tail. Part of her was down, so she wasn't completely disobedient, but she and I both knew that wasn't what I had been expecting ... I ended up laughing hysterically and giving her the attention she wanted. How could I not?
 05/02/2013 01:25:13 PM · #102
It's so difficult to compare dogs because they are all great. I've had a German Shepard, a pyreneese sheepdog and now a Weimaraner, the German Shepard was a fantastic companion and very bright, the pyreneese sheepdog was just the most loving ball of fun and she was such a great dog. Gap my current Weimaraner is definetly the most intelligent dog I've had, very human like in the house yet totally insane when out in the wilds, he's just such good fun to be around, I'm not sure i could have another bread of dog now that I've discovered the Weimaraner, he surprises me everyday.
 05/02/2013 02:03:08 PM · #103
Its also hard to generalize since there is such individual to individual variability within breeds.
05/02/2013 02:12:14 PM · #104
Originally posted by jagar:
It's so difficult to compare dogs because they are all great.


Sadly there are those rare ones that break your heart, your sanity or your bank account. All dogs may go to heaven, but some can make your life hell. If you get them young enough most dogs can be made to conform to the environment you will be providing, but matching the right dog to that environment makes the risk of a devil dog much lower.
 05/02/2013 03:50:37 PM · #105
Originally posted by ancientimages:

when I was a child, I wanted a dog more than anything in the world. ....


What a lovely story.
I also wanted a dog more than anything. When I was 7 years old, my parents sat me down and told me, very exitedly no doubt, that I would be getting a little brother or sister. The family story goes that I busrt out crying, saying I didn't want a brother or sister, I wanted a dog ... I eventually got a dog about a year later. She was "just a dog", but for me she was the "best dog on this world".
 05/02/2013 03:54:51 PM · #106
Originally posted by Garry:
Its also hard to generalize since there is such individual to individual variability within breeds.


So true. I know a breeder of Standard Poodles and one of her stud dogs killed a much smaller dog which wandered onto the breeder's unfenced property. Up til then I quite liked that particular dog, but since then he has also bitten several people. Now I won't even go near the breeder's place because I no longer trust her to not have him running loose.
 05/02/2013 03:57:38 PM · #107
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Giant Schnauzer and Samoyed are both big enough to be "manly" and they are hypoallergenic; minimum smell and shed. I had a Giant Schnauzer myself, and that was just a HELL of a dog...



Giant Schnauzers are awesome dogs. I had one when I was a teenager - superb pet/family dog and very good watch dog.
However, you need to be prepared to either spend a fair amount of money at the groomer or learn to groom them yourself. Its quite labour intensive.
Samoyed are gorgeous, but need regular brushing and depending where you live probably also a fair amount of washing to keep them looking nice.
oth breeds are quite a bit bigger than a lab though.
 05/02/2013 04:00:13 PM · #108
Originally posted by snaffles:
Originally posted by Garry:
Its also hard to generalize since there is such individual to individual variability within breeds.


So true. I know a breeder of Standard Poodles and one of her stud dogs killed a much smaller dog which wandered onto the breeder's unfenced property. Up til then I quite liked that particular dog, but since then he has also bitten several people. Now I won't even go near the breeder's place because I no longer trust her to not have him running loose.


I've also seen a poodle breeder that raises poodles as gun dogs...I've never heard of that before, but they seem fairly popular in that regard.
 05/02/2013 04:01:17 PM · #109
Originally posted by snaffles:
Originally posted by Garry:
Its also hard to generalize since there is such individual to individual variability within breeds.


So true. I know a breeder of Standard Poodles


Standard Poodles are lovely dogs. Very, very clever. But again, grooming is a big issue, in fact far more than the Schnauzer. They also have a reputation to NOT be good with cats. I had a Standard Poodle bitch who raised a whole litter of abandond kittens, or at least did most of the raising, we just gave them the bottle, Jet'aime did the rest - so much for not liking cats, but she did chase other cats if she got a chnace.
 05/02/2013 04:03:34 PM · #110
Originally posted by Spork99:

I've also seen a poodle breeder that raises poodles as gun dogs...I've never heard of that before, but they seem fairly popular in that regard.


That was what they were originally bred for. That is where their "funny" hair style originates from. It is supposed to keep the lungs and kidneys warm while they swim/wade through water to get the shot fowl (or whatever you call a dead duck).
 05/02/2013 04:05:59 PM · #111
Originally posted by kasaba:
Originally posted by snaffles:
Originally posted by Garry:
Its also hard to generalize since there is such individual to individual variability within breeds.


So true. I know a breeder of Standard Poodles


Standard Poodles are lovely dogs. Very, very clever. But again, grooming is a big issue, in fact far more than the Schnauzer. They also have a reputation to NOT be good with cats. I had a Standard Poodle bitch who raised a whole litter of abandond kittens, or at least did most of the raising, we just gave them the bottle, Jet'aime did the rest - so much for not liking cats, but she did chase other cats if she got a chnace.


Most hunting dogs typically aren't good with cats. They're bred to hunt and see cats as their prey.
 05/02/2013 04:16:54 PM · #112
Originally posted by Spork99:
I've also seen a poodle breeder that raises poodles as gun dogs...I've never heard of that before, but they seem fairly popular in that regard.


It is odd, but quite a common misperception. Poodles have been taken out of the sporting breeds, yet they have been retrievers since the 11th century. The name means waterdog (German pudelhund) and the silly show cut with poofs here and there, is an elaboration on a cut to keep the chest and kidneys warm while keeping the rest of the coat short to keep down burs and the like. The tail poofs were supposed to identify the dog returning with the kill in the same way that arrow feathers where decorated to keep straight who got the kill.
05/02/2013 04:28:03 PM · #113
Originally posted by Strikeslip:
My wife has been jonesing to get a dog for a long time now.

Though I don't care if it's a certain breed, mutts are great, my preferences are:
1. Manly
2. Doesn't stink too much
3. Doesn't shed too much (ETA, not a big deal as our two cats have already coated the house.)
4. Will listen to my problems
5. Won't tear the house to shreds
6. Won't eat the cats, but will chew on them enough for some entertainment

Any suggestions?

Well, you first say it is your wife who actually wants the dog, then you give us a list of the stuff you want the dog to be ... Where is her list? She may be looking for a little fluffy thing that is very feminine ...
just saying ...

Really, there is a dog breed for everyone. But since you seem to have certain ideas and your wife (I assume) has some, why NOT go for a rescue mutt (or even rescue pure bred)? You would have the advantage of actually being able to "shop around" and see the dog and decide if you like the temperament, looks, size, whatever. Many rescues are a bit shy, especially when they are in the actual shelter and tend to "blossom" once you get them home. But good shelters will have tested them for things like compatability with cats/children/trainability, etc.

05/02/2013 04:44:22 PM · #114
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Originally posted by Cory:
Frankly, who cares what breed it is.

Go to a shelter, find one that is right. It'll love you more, they know you saved their ass.

This is true, but even when seeking out shelter animals, it's a good idea to know the characteristics of different breeds and try to identify the mix in the animal you're looking at.


Well, not sure if I fully agree with that. Firstly shelters tend to "label" the dogs to suit themselves (i.e in an area where Golden Retrievers are popular, everything will become a Retriever mix to make them more adoptable, etc.). Secondly, the shelter staff is often not as knowledgable as the general public may think. I am owned by, among others, Pyrenean Sheepdog (Shepherds) (get one of those if you want a seriously smart, loyal but highly energetic dog :-)). Got chatting with a lady from a rescue centre and she asked me where I got my "terrier mix" from ... In fairness of course she had not really had a chance to interact with the dog or asess her, but when I explained what my dog was she looked dubious and told me that should she ever end up in a rescue situation, she would definitely be described as a "Terrier mix" (of course my dogs wear tags and are microchipped and please doG never will get lost), but so much to "knowing" what make-up a mix is.
 05/02/2013 04:48:51 PM · #115
Now you know everything, please get on the dog track, We want results.
 05/02/2013 04:52:36 PM · #116
I went to the dog track once...I'll stick with playing the horses.
 05/03/2013 01:03:25 AM · #117
Get a Rhodesian Ridgeback. They poop rainbows.

05/03/2013 08:12:51 AM · #118
Originally posted by BrennanOB:
Originally posted by snaffles:
Just making a general statement about dogs known to be cat killers.


All dogs breeds will kill cats. That is their nature. They grab and shake until the neck breaks. It is how they hunt.

Yet a puppy who is raised in a house with a dominant cat will never think to hurt a cat no matter how much bigger than the cat they get. Dogs are pack animals, they follow the leader, if a cat is above them on the hierarchy, they are fine with that. No matter the breed.

We used to have a horse ranch and seemed to accumulate stray dogs. With dozens of dogs only one ( A ChowChow who was a mental mess and later bit a kid- badly bred and raised worse) ever went after the barn cats, because the pack was led by a German Shepard who would not allow them to bother the cats.


Nope. That's why I like the herding dogs. I've had collies, and they're bred to take care of animals. We had a collie that brought back baby rabbits to my mom. The first one wasn't in as good of shape as the others, because he was still trying to figure out the soft mouth. But he brought them to her alive. Our collies were the gentlest souls.
 05/03/2013 07:07:39 PM · #119
Going back to the shelter issue. I can't speak for all shelters and rescues of course, but things sure have changed from the days of wandering up and down aisles of stacked metal cages getting your heart broken at every turn while your eyes watered from the stench.

Nowadays cages seem bigger and less smelly and most importantly, at the good shelters will have an info card on the cage door listing breed, age, sex, any known background and whether it gets along well with others of its own kind or is strictly a people-person.

For example when I was looking for a companion animal for my ageing Birman, Druli, I went to a local rescue and brought home a cute little calico. Everything was fine for the first week or so but by week 2.5 *Bessie* was bullying poor gentle old Druli and trying to lay claim to me.

So I returned her, and only THEN did I learn that she had been adopted out once before to a family with two bullterriers, whom she bullied into submission until she was returned. So I returned her, and she was subsequently and successfully homed with a family that had no other pets.

Then I contacted a local breeder of Birman cats and ended up with Lily, who was the perfect match for Druli - assertive but not a bully. Druli is now gone but Lily remains and has her own companion, Galena, also a retired breeding queen :-)
 05/03/2013 07:09:38 PM · #120
Originally posted by bhuge:
Get a Rhodesian Ridgeback. They poop rainbows.


The horror! And personally ... anything poodle is a chick dog. Sorry if I've offended anyone, but poodles are for chicks only.
 05/03/2013 09:20:31 PM · #121
Originally posted by Strikeslip:
Sorry if I've offended anyone, but poodles are for chicks only.


It sounds like you have assumed the other end of the horse now.
 05/04/2013 09:27:53 AM · #122
Slippy, poodles started off as hunting dogs as others have mentioned. They can be evenly trimmed all over. It doesn't have to sport the towering topknot and other bits of chest/kidney poufs, in fact I can't think of anytime I've even seen a poodle in show trim outside the ring - maintaining that coat is a helluvalot of work.
 05/04/2013 10:13:13 AM · #123
Labs are the absolute sweetest, cutest dogs :)



05/04/2013 11:21:33 AM · #124
Originally posted by snaffles:
Slippy, poodles started off as hunting dogs as others have mentioned. They can be evenly trimmed all over. It doesn't have to sport the towering topknot and other bits of chest/kidney poufs, in fact I can't think of anytime I've even seen a poodle in show trim outside the ring - maintaining that coat is a helluvalot of work.

What she said. Full-sized poodles are in all regards "manly" dogs by any reasonable standard. Unless you consider stupidity a necessary component of manliness? That would rule out the poodle, since they are one of the brightest breeds.
 05/04/2013 11:39:42 AM · #125
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Originally posted by snaffles:
Slippy, poodles started off as hunting dogs as others have mentioned. They can be evenly trimmed all over. It doesn't have to sport the towering topknot and other bits of chest/kidney poufs, in fact I can't think of anytime I've even seen a poodle in show trim outside the ring - maintaining that coat is a helluvalot of work.

What she said. Full-sized poodles are in all regards "manly" dogs by any reasonable standard. Unless you consider stupidity a necessary component of manliness? That would rule out the poodle, since they are one of the brightest breeds.

I know this, but couldn't resist rubbing some folks the wrong way. ;-)

We've found a German Shepherd/Lab cross that we're going to visit today. We'll see what happens, I may be posting some pics later if all goes well! We're all very excited!

I just have to finish building a gate on the last part of back yard fence, and cut a hole in the laundry room door for the cats' food etc.
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