Yet Another What Breed Thread...

[aussielover]

Love the blonde lappie!

Actually they are all sooo cute.

[ozjen]

Clearly you need to visit the Spitz Breed thread in the Breeds sub-forum!

I think I do. I never realised how many wonderful spitz's there were around. I don't know how I missed them.

Can Aussies and Coolies cope if something comes up and they can only get a little exercise for the day? The same question for smaller retrievers.

The OH got home late and then had to go to his course so he didn't have time to look at all the breeds for me last night. He's going to look at work this morning though.

If you're going to get dogs of two different breeds a couple of years apart is it considered better to get the bigger one first or second?

My Aussie is high energy when we are out and about but is quiet happy to lay next to me as I am not high energy. I find the main thing is exercising her brain although she does do agility, obedience, trains for doggie dancing and has just started tracking. Most of the time she is just happy to be along side me and is very much an indoor dog although we do like to have a wrestle and games together indoors as well as out. Each dog is an individual though so the breeder would be able to give you more idea on a pups temperment. Of the Aussies I know I would put mine in the high energy catagory but she doesn't have an issue if she's not walked everyday and I don't know that my neices one gets walked very often although the 2yr old plays with him heaps. My sister also has two who don't mind not walking each day but she is involved in dog sports with them too. Most Aussies in kennels don't get alot of exercise and yet they all seem pretty laid back at the dog shows and are not bouncing of the walls.

Aussies are very much velcro dogs though so like to be part of the family rather than a yard dog. Check out OZPAWFX on Youtube if you want to see the good and bad side of my Aussie. I don't know alot about Coolies but they are beautiful and smart.

ETA: Lappies are sweet and beautiful my friends have Lappies and they are all very friendly dogs and like big teddy bears to cuddle. They seem very laid back.

Edited April 28, 2010 by ozjen

[TerraNik]

Just to add to the Keeshond info for you --

They seem to tick all your boxes as well, particularly the watchdog part (seeing as that is what they were bred for). They are quite a few that have done well in agility and other dog sports as well (mine does obedience trialing, herding, flyball and some agility). They are very intelligent dogs, but do have a bit of a stubborn streak. They're great with kids but oh-so-cheeky! If you don't have a sense of humour, a Keeshond is definitely not the dog for you! The biggest 'issue' with the breed is the grooming, which for some is not an issue at all, but definitely something you need to consider. A heavily coated male would take about an hour to groom properly per week. Keeshonds are very clingy, with many of them being named Shadow. Mine follows me everywhere in the house and loves nothing more than to just be around other people.

My experience from Lapphunds as well are that they aren't particularly clingy as some have commented. I wouldn't say that they are aloof, but Ahsoka definitely doesn't follow me around the house like Jedi. She LOVES cuddles and will often snuggle with us while we're watching TV, but she's not one to come up and lie around in the same room as me while I'm studying -- she's usually off herding birds in the backyard or pouncing on lizards! Always something to do!! She's a good watchdog, though I suspect that was learned from Jedi. They are of course, very good at dog sports - they're quite agile and would definitely suit agility provided, like with all working breeds, that you get it from the right lines (otherwise it may prefer to laze around than do dog sports )

Edited April 28, 2010 by TerraNik

[Verdant Amphibian]

Thanks for all the great information - there are so many wonderful breeds I wish I could own them all. I gave my OH a long list of the dogs I liked that looked suitable and he looked them up and had a bit of a think. His line of thought was that since I'd be doing most of the work with the dog/s and spending the most time with them my opinion is more important, I told him that didn't help me narrow it down at all. The two breeds that most interested him though were Finnish Lapphunds and Miniature Poodles - the same as me! So I think we're going to have to meet some breeders (though what we do will depend on the little Aussie boy).

[voloclydes]

va glad your still getting a doggie some time soon.

my friend has papions nice little doggie. children do like to carry this size of dog but with a great temp.... the dog won't care.

had a aussie terrior loved her to bits. i never thought of samoyed tho. another best friend had one and it was the same age as her son. the child and dog got on so well when the dog passed away the son was devistated. he was the most obedient dog i have ever met.

i really relate to your liking all breeds, i have had heaps and am not really a poodle fan (sorry pf) or gsd i am not sure why.

i could name a dozen breeds i would have... and haven't

dachshunds

Samoyed

beagle

great dane

whimpet

grey hound

staffie

those all without even thinking too hard.

[percyk]

intelligence devotion beauty= sheltie

then go get yourself a collie rough