breed of dog recommendation
 

I'm probably getting a new puppy this summer. I like Golden Retrievers but I am going to cross them off my list becuase every other person in my town has one, and they have been way overbred. I want something similar to a Golden Retriever in size, temperment, and intelligence. Anyone have any recommendations?

Dalmations
Labs
Australian Shepards

German Shepherds

Siberian Huskies are great dogs, too, but I think that they are more prone to want to do their own thing rather than following your every command. They don't bark much, though, and are beautiful sweethearts.

Irish Wolfhound
Irish Setter
Bassett Hound
Mastiff

Dalmations are very hyper and high strung.My neighbors barks constantly.It doesn't have much living space and I think that is it's problem.If you have lots of space for it to run and play,I am sure it would do well.

Border Collie
Irish or English Setter
I grew up with a very well trained Doberman and would recommend them to anyone but you have to make sure that they are very well trained.

Ditto to that. They can be VERY stubborn as well!

Black labs are great when they grow up. I have a lab puppy now and he chews on EVERYTHING! He's very smart though, and was completely housetrained within 2 weeks of us getting him. Everyone tells me it'll be a LONG time before he gets out of the chewing stage!

my family has had huskies for years, and they are amazing dogs- total sweethearts, and it's true- they don't bark (but they howl :) ). But huskies are a lot of work- you need to have a large backyard for them to run, or take them on walks 2x a day... they also shed a lot, which doesn't bother me, but it does bother some people... also, I will agree w/ valkyrie that they aren't going to be the most obidient dogs, lol :) you can teach them to do things, but will never be able to let them off leash (they will run)...

Basically, I absolutely love huskies and reccommend them, but just be aware that they require a lot :)

Are you going to be in an apartment or will you have a large yard?-I think living conditions is one of the most important aspects of dog ownership, if you live in an apartment I would advise you to get a small or medium sized dog. I am partial to mix breeds myself. We call dalmations-damnations b/c they can have so many behavioral problems and can be quite nasty.

If they are going to be inside dogs...I would cross Border Collies or Australian Shepherds off the list. I have both and they need lots and lots of room to run around. I also wouldn't recommend Dalmatians because they have lots of health problems. They are prone to being deaf and also hip dysplasia.

French Mastive - Dug De Bordeaux
the 'it' dog, everyone will ask you ?s about this rare breed, especially hot chicks

My parents have a full-bred yellow lab and I love him so much! He's so wonderful, smart, loyal and a great fun dog to have. The labs are pretty easy to train but as with any dog it will take some time and determination. If you like a golden retriever you'll most likely LOVE a lab!

Good luck and be sure to fill us in on your decision!

We have a 6 month old yellow lab--- he is a sweet dog-- BUT he chews on everything. I mean everything--deck, kid's swingset, he has chewed 4 collars off of our bulldog's neck. He is a sweet boy--but the chewing is out of control!!
I would recomend the Lab-- but just beware the breed chews---I don't know anyone who's dog didn't.

I also have a bulldog-- she's 7yrs old-- she is the BEST dog ever--- I know that is not what you are looking for --but she is the best!!!

good luck--
wendi

yellow lab

english springer spaniel
they are mild tempered - can be good house dogs or outside too. good for families or singles. get along with other animals - even cats.
i had my springer for 7 years and he was such a doll.

I am not a dog owner, but I think that Irish Setters are beautiful.:D

keeshond
 

it's either spelled keeshound or keeshond

they are veryyyyyyyy mild tempered dogs, VERYYY loving, very protective of their owners, veryyyyyyyyyyyyyy friendly, love children

they are black and white and very furry, think a chow, they are big balls of fluff and so great.

my family had one, she died and we bought the same breed and wouldn't ever change. they are great and so underappreciated! you try finding a "keeshond magnet" near impossible!

edited to add - and not many people have them, so you wouldn't be like everyone else! when we walk ours, people stop us all the time and ask about him! you'd be the talk of the neighborhood!

If you are a VERY active person then dalmatians are great dogs. We had one and he was the sweetest dog but think of the dalmatian as a toddler in a dogs body. They are very determined and if they want something will try every which way to acheive their goal. You can punish them and they won't ever do that particular thing again but will figure out another way to acheive their goal - like I said kind of like a human toddler. Again though the dalmatians are very sweet dogs but if you don't have a lot of time to spend with them then I wouldn't get one they need lots of exercise and attention.

I grew up with a german shepherd and hope to get another one some day. Definitely check into that breed.

My strongest recommendation for a dog though is a Rescue Dog. Try getting one from the pound or humane society. Or if you do decide on a particular breed you want then check with the pound or humane society to see if there is a local rescue group for that particular breed. And don't limit yourself to puppies sometimes the older dogs make the best canine friend you'll ever have!!!!!

Good luck,
Carolyn

p.s. Cats make great animal friends too - although we prefer to call our cats "furry humans"

Any kind of lab.

German Shepards are WONDERFUL. I want one so much. My roommate has a chiuaua, which I despise. We could feed it to the german shepard... just kidding. Funny story though - my other roomie left out a package of pecan twirls and Bruiser (my roomie has seen Legally Blonde too many times) ate all of them. He only weighs 4 pounds, so he pretty much ate his weight in pecan twirls. It was hilarious! He was doing laps around the table, which was great because we have hard wood floors, and then he tried to run up the wall. It was the funniest thing I've ever seen!

My best guess is that a lab would be a close approximation to a Golden Retriever.

However, I have my heart set on owning one or two Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs. My dog who recently died was a Ridgeback. The breed is *outstanding*, but not very well known. They are an active lot, so a backyard is essential. They're loyal, protective, good with the family and very intelligent. Because they are so strong and so smart, they do need a sharp owner to train them well.

Here's what they look like (thank you to Emoyeni's Kennel and the Association of Rhodesian Ridgeback Fanciers for the terrific photos):

http://members.ispwest.com/navane/ridgeback1.jpg

Close up!


http://members.ispwest.com/navane/ridgeback2.jpg

Full shot


http://members.ispwest.com/navane/ridgeback3.jpg

Check out the ridge!


Also, here is some information on the Rhodesian Ridgeback courtesy of yahoo! and the AKC.

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General Appearance

The Ridgeback represents a strong, muscular and active dog, symmetrical and balanced in outline. A mature Ridgeback is a handsome, upstanding and athletic dog, capable of great endurance with a fair (good) amount of speed. Of even, dignified temperament, the Ridgeback is devoted and affectionate to his master, reserved with strangers. The peculiarity of this breed is the ridge on the back. The ridge must be regarded as the characteristic feature of the breed.

Owning

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a breed of dog able to retrieve, track, hunt game, and protect property. Rhodesian Ridgebacks are remarkably clean dogs. They are easy to keep as they are rarely noisy or quarrelsome, unless provoked. The Rhodesian Ridgeback is not the dog for everyone; he needs an owner who will invest the time it takes to build a bond of trust.

Characteristics

A mature Ridgeback should be symmetrical in outline, slightly longer than all but well balanced. Dogs--25 to 27 inches in height; Bitches--24 to 26 inches in height. Desirable weight: Dogs--85 pounds; Bitches--70 pounds. The hallmark of this breed is the ridge on the back which is formed by the air growing in the opposite direction to the rest of the coat. The ridge must be regarded as the characteristic feature of the breed. The ridge should be clearly defined, tapering and symmetrical. It should start immediately behind the shoulders and continue to a point between the prominence of the hips and should contain two identical crowns (whorls) directly opposite each other. The lower edge of the crowns (whorls) should not extend further down the ridge than one third of the ridge.

Temperament

Dignified and even tempered. Reserved with strangers.

Did You Know

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a large, muscular dog originally bred in South Africa to hunt lions. It is also known as the African lion hound. The peculiarity of this breed is the ridge of hair which grows forward on his back. In 1922, a group of Rhodesian breeders set up a standard for Ridgebacks which has remained virtually unchanged ever since. The Rhodesian Ridgeback was admitted to registry by the AKC in 1955.

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I know, I know, I'm being a bit overzealous. But I hafta tell you I LOVE THESE DOGS!! :D

.....Kelly :)

Rhodesian Ridgeback are great dogs!

I would also like to add my .02 - if you have the time, I mean A LOT of time, and a yard I would HIGHLY suggest getting either an American Pit Bull Terrier or an American Bulldog. They are very loving and very loyal dogs. You have to take the time to train them and socialize them. I know I'm going to get a lot of responses about why you shouldn't get a pit bull - but there are a lot of misconceptions out there. They are not a bad breed of dogs, they are actually one of the best. You can read up on them on the internet through the AKC website and many others. They are absolutly WONDERFUL dogs - I can't wait to get one of my own! :)

Excellent point, and I'm kicking myself for not saying this!

IMHO, almost all dogs are wonderful dogs in one way or another. I bet if you just went to a shelter one day, you'd probably find one -- or more -- awesome dogs. Mixed breeds can be wonderful as well, because as far as I know, they tend to have less trouble with the genetic problems that often plague purebreds.

as you can see labs are entirely too popular.

i'm into small dogs and some large dogs.

alaskan samoyan
lhasa apso
terrier
beagle
greyhound
maltese
french poodle
pomarenian

I love boxers. Very friendly dogs and they're very loyal. They're considered the best dog to get if you have children; since children like to pull on dog's ears and do other things, a boxer will never try to harm them. My boyfriend's family dog is a boxer and it is the sweetest thing. They're very smart too....they've recently been used as a seeing-eye dog.

English Bulldogs
 

I have an English Bulldog, Winston. He is my second one. I can't imagine having any other type of dog! I live in an apartment, and it works out great. He loves to cuddle, especially at night. (He sleeps under the covers with me! ~ I have no idea what I am going to do if I ever get a significant other...) http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/dog.gif He even has a set of his own letters!

If I can figure out how to put a picture of him on here, I will...But I highly recommend bulldogs...

Go to your local animal shelter or humane society. Mixed breeds are generally healthier because they arent prone to getting a lot of genetic diseases that pure bred dogs are, and you will be saving a life. I adopted my lab mix Shelbie 3 years ago and June and she is my best girl :)

Re: English Bulldogs
 

I have an English Bulldog too! His name is Nigel & his picture is right here: http://www.buddiesthrubullies.org

Bulldogs are great if you live in an apt - they're not "outside dogs" and certainly don't need that much room to move around (unlike labs).

I also volunteer a lot w/ bulldog rescue...fostering, transporting, etc. :)

BTW, I had Nigel before I met my husband. Love me, love my dog...and he does! ;)

Re: Re: English Bulldogs
 

OMG, how cute is he?!!!

YES! I want a Weimaraner! That's my number-one choice. My family currently has a chow mix and a Westie, but I'm getting close to graduation and when I leave home, I can't take the dogs because my sister would freak. So, I have to get my own. I've got my eye out for Weimaraner breeders...

A muttt for Pete's sake. They are so lovable and there are many that need a home.

I love it!!!:D How long did it take him to realize that Nigel goes where HE wants to go and sleeps where HE wants to sleep ~ even if that was in between the two of you! I see that being the hardest thing to get any boyfriend to realize with Winston. If I don't pay attention to him, he will whine incessantly to get my attention. (THINK the same sound of FREE WILLY!!!) http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmili...re/grommit.gif

Someone earlier in this thread posted to get an English Mastiff...my parents have one. I would love to have one. But they are HUGE! Think 220 pounds at the same age as Winston (just over a year.) Merlin also doesn't realize that he is that big, loves to get in your lap, and loves attention. Just a thought. If you get an English Mastiff ~ have plenty of room, they are going to need it! http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmili...y/biggrina.gif

I definitely agree with going to the Humane Society and finding the perfect dog...

but if you're going for a purebred, Akitas are the way to go. Big, beautiful, cuddly, smart, good-tempered, and they scare off obnoxious door to door solicitors!

My parents got our Akita at the Humane Society and she's just amazing. If I can find a picture I'll post.

The only caveat is the hair -- they have lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of hair. (Medium length hair -- about 2-3 inches long, but a lot of it, and it's thick.) But a good vacuum cleaner and a dog brush will take care of that no problem.

I wanna post my dogs pic too - her name is shelbie - the best looking mutt around :)

http://www.diaryofageek.com/shelbie1.jpg

Hi Sarah! Haven't seen you for a while -- welcome back! Shelbie is gorgeous!

Thanks babe - I am definately adding your site to my list on my little site :)

I'll vouch for Chow Chow's and Lab's. But only Chow's if it ONLY going to be you, they only take to a max of about 3 people. But otherwise very sweet and protective dogs :) Remember, that lab's have different temperments w/the different colors also! So Yellow in my book is the best way to go :) I had a yellow by the name of "woody" and he was the best dog ever :) Just give him a decent yard to run in and don't trust them w/a lot of food! They eat everything!

We had a weimeraner from the time she was a month old. Purebred. We took her to an obedience school, lol my dad was ALL about having this amazing perfect dog.

I do not think they're spastic. I think they need TONS of room, which we couldn't give her, living in the suburbs of Chicago. She ate my Eddie Bauer jacket b/c it had biscuits in the pocket. She inhaled Brillo pads like it was her job.
But with a family friend's son who was mentally handicapped, she was the most gentle dog on the face of the earth.

So insane? No. Do they need TONS O ROOM? Definitely.

Chinese Shar-Pei
 

I can't believe that no one's mentioned my dog! I have a Chinese Shar-Pei, and his name is Malik.

Shar-Peis are great dogs. They are born with the knowledge to use the bathroom outside (or away from where they sleep), so you don't have to housebreak them. And they are very smart and loyal, very protective. They are gentle, and good with kids.

They are Chinese Bulldogs,so they have the extra skin around their neck to protect them in fights. (other dogs can't tear their throats).

I love my baby! He's about 85 pounds, so they're big dogs. But they are get family pets.

***************************

AKC Ranking: 32
Family: livestock dog, mountain dog, Northern (companion)
Area of Origin: China
Date of Origin: 1200s
Original Function: dog fighting, herding, hunting, guardian
Today's Function: companion
Avg Size of male: Height: 18-20 Weight: 45-60
Avg Size of Female: Height: 18-20 Weight: 45-60
Other Name: Chinese fighting dog

History
The Chinese Shar-Pei may have existed in the southern provinces of China since the Han Dynasty (around 200 B.C.). Certainly by the 13th century strong evidence in the form of writings describing a wrinkled dog point to the breed’s existence. Its origins are unknown, but because only it and the chow chow have blue-black tongues, and both come from China, it is likely that they share some common ancestry. The Shar-Pei’s history is difficult to trace because most records relating to its past were lost when China became communist. At this time Shar-Peis were the working breed of peasant farmers, fulfilling roles of guard dog, wild boar hunter and dog fighter. After the nation became communist, most of China’s dogs were eliminated, with only a few remaining outside of the cities. A few Shar-Peis were bred in British Hong Kong and Taiwan, and the Hong Kong Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1968. Around this same time, a few specimens came to America, but the turning point occurred with a 1973 article alerting American fanciers to the breed’s perilously low numbers. Touted as the world’s rarest dog, fanciers vied to obtain the few available Shar-Peis. The breed has since been brought from the brink of extinction to the height of popularity, and it is one of the most recognizable breeds in America. Though known for its loose skin and profuse wrinkles, which are superabundant in puppies, the wrinkles of adults may be limited only to the head, neck and shoulders.

Temperament
The Shar-Pei is self-assured, serious, independent, stubborn and very much self-possessed. Although not particularly demonstrative, it is devoted and very protective of its family. It is reserved, even suspicious, toward strangers. It can be aggressive toward other dogs and may chase livestock and other animals, although it is generally good with other family pets. The Shar-Pei needs daily mental and physical stimulation, but its needs can be met with lively games throughout the day or a good long walk. It is not generally amenable to exclusive outdoor living, but it can divide its time between house and yard. The coat needs only weekly brushing, but wrinkles need regular attention to ensure that no irritations develop within the skin folds.

Upkeep
The name Shar-Pei means sandy coat, referring to the gritty sandpaper texture of the coat. When rubbed backward, the prickly coat can be uncomfortable, and even cause welts on the skin of an occasional sensitive person.

Health
• Major concerns: entropion, CHD
• Minor concerns: patellar luxation, elbow dysplasia, demodectic mange
• Occasionally seen: ciliary dyskinesia, renal amoidosis
• Suggested tests: hip, knee, elbow, (eye)
• Life span: 8 – 10 years
• Note: The breed is susceptible to fevers of unknown origin, often
occurring with swollen hocks.

Form and Function
The Shar-Pei is compact and square, with a head slightly large for its body. Its signature wrinkles enabled it to twist away when grabbed by a dog when in a fight. Its stiff bristly coat further afforded protection against bites. The coat can be of either brush (not to exceed 1 inch) or horse (very short) types, both should be extremely harsh, straight and stand off the body. The small, close ears and small, sunken eyes afford further protection. The gait is free, with good reach and drive. The wide, powerful jaws, scowling expression and hippopotamus muzzle create a look unique to the breed.

Re: Chinese Shar-Pei
 

I would not recommend a shar pei as they have many health problems and many have aggression problems-when these dogs come into the clinic my staff knows to use caustion when handling as they can bite. Not all will bite-I have met some nice ones but i place these guys almost in the chow category as far as how much I trust them.

I totally agree! While I enjoy pure-breds (I'm fond of the Setters, Terriers and Labs), I don't think I could ever purchase one, knowing that there are waaay too many dogs and puppys who need homes.