How Did You Choose Your Breed Or Breed ?

[SparkyTansy]

I fell in love with my breed when I was very young... everything about them suits me... except that they aren't really as suitable as an obedience dog... But English SEtters are so perfect for me that makes up for not being able to do other activities with them... but...

I've always had weimaraners, so getting another was an easy choice. They are a challenging obedience dog, but I think i can make it work... one day...

[Teebs]

how could you not fall in love with the Staffordshire Bull Terrier or Bull Terrier

We got our first SBT many years ago, he was 4 or 5 weeks old, the owners were going to drown the puppies if they didnt find a home, so we took him home. BEST dog ever! I fell for the breed and will always have one.

I first fell in love with the look of the Bull Terrier, i researched the breed and worked out it was a breed that would suit me.

the day i signed my contract for my house i started dog hunting, I got Atlas the BT first, and 18 months later got Kaos, my SBT

My next dog will be a DDB, or a French Bulldog, LOVE both these breeds!

[dandybrush]

whats a DDB?

[hortfurball]

whats a DDB?

Dogue de Bordeux - the French Mastiff

[dandybrush]

aaah ok thanx

[Diva]

As a child I saw a picture of my fav breed in a book, and walked around showing my family the breed I was going to own one day. It wasn't a great photo, it was a rare breed, and people laughed at me, but apparently I was quite certain - a little kid saying she didn't like the dogs in that photo, but she knew that was the breed she was going to have. Just a fact, not a preference, LOL. Found one advertised in the local paper while at Uni, and have had between one and three ever since, for 30 years. Not exactly the most logical way of choosing a breed, lol, but it just felt inevitable. And they suit me down to the ground.

Had a second breed as well for a while, which I chose much more logically for dog sport and SAR. Will have another of those perhaps, when I have more time, as they are fabulous - but for now am back to just my heart breed.

[dandybrush]

which breed is it diva?

[cassie]

I'll be honest and say that a breed's looks are what first attracts me to them. I would never own a breed that I didn't LOVE the look of. However there are plenty of great looking breeds (to me) that I could never own as they are not suited to me. Looks attract me first and foremost, then I research like crazy to make sure the breed would be a good fit in my family. If not, oh well admire from afar

[Diva]

which breed is it diva?

Borzoi

This is my current oldie, I also have two younger girls:

[dandybrush]

thanx

[OSoSwift]

My first dog was Rotti. Oh wanted a male Rotti I wanted a female Lab, so the female Rotti was the compromise.

She was brilliant but suffered from hereditary joint disease so I changed slightly and went for the Dobes. OH loves chunky and Braccy breeds and wanted a BB we didn't have the money so he then chose a Stafford - whom we still have.

My last Dobe died from a hereditary disease at 8 and a half and it broke my heart, I will never have another Dobe. Also I now had young children and didn't want a guarding type breed. I have heaps of dogs that I like the look of but cannot live with. I have always liked Whippets and Pugs among a couple of other smaller breeds so researched them. The mega shedding put me off the Pug and the Whippet fitted the bill for what I was after.

I wanted low shedding and grooming requirements

Could handle a reasonable amount of exercise but wouldn't tear the place down if a day was light on

was likely to be readily trainable for obedience and physically capable of doing Agility

non-guarding breed

Liked to be close to people and hang around ( I love velcro dogs)

A good dog to have around young kids.

and not a large dog, but not a toy breed either.

I think I have found the perfect dog

Edited April 5, 2011 by OSoSwift

[corvus]

My first dog was a Pembroke Corgi. I was a young teenager and wanted a canine pal. She was everything I dreamed of. When I wanted to bring a new dog into the household, she was my main concern. I was looking for something steady, easy going, but smart and a wee bit independent. I didn't want a breed that needed tons of exercise. I also had pet rabbits and wanted something that would be compatible with them. Eventually I stumbled across Finnish Lapphunds on a list of dog breeds compatible with small pets. I was astonished to discover the breed actually existed in Australia. Did some more research, met some and fell in love. They are just so gentle. It was exactly what we were looking for. So we got Kivi Tarro and he has been everything we wanted. Incidentally, he is a couch potato Lappie, but that doesn't mean he can't keep up with us. We take him for 2 hour walks along the beach and he is fine with that. He loves to play and loves to train. I'm currently doing obedience with him and he is an absolute delight to work with. He is up for whatever we are doing, except for jogging. I got tired of towing him up hills and retired him as a jogging companion. He will run with us, but not for a full half an hour, thanks.

When my corgi died it wasn't long before I wanted to get another puppy. Kivi is highly social and was obviously missing having a friend, and I was in the perfect situation to raise another puppy. We wanted a smaller breed, something that needed about the same amount of exercise as our Lappie, tough enough to stand up to his wrestling matches, compatible with the rabbits again, and good off leash. I didn't want another corgi, but OH did. We settled on a Swedish Vallhund as a kind of a "like a corgi but not a corgi" thing. My mother has one, so I knew they are outrageously smart and a little bit quirky. It took us a while to get the hang of Erik, but now that we have we adore him. He throws himself into everything he does. We imagine that he swears for emphasis a lot. He cuddles like a toddler and is about as smart as one. He needs a lot more exercise than we were anticipating, but we don't mind. Gets us out more. We have two very special dogs. They are wildly different, and that's what I love most about them.

Next breed will probably be a Basenji. I like independent breeds. Erik is more herder than spitz, and Kivi is more spitz than herder, so I think I ought to complete it with something that is more hound than spitz.

[poodlefan]

so I think I ought to complete it with something that is more hound than spitz.

I consider Basenjis to be more primitive breed than hound. They have some pretty unique behaviours that I don't consider to be "typical" of most hound breeds - dog to dog issues being one of them. Most hounds are pretty good with other dogs.

Few dogs have such strong pack behaviours as Basenjis IMO. Few can match them for destruction if they get the chance either.

[corvus]

That's a fair call. :p

[dee lee]

A few years back, when I felt my kids were old enough and we had bought a house, I decided it was time to finally get us a dog.

I'd had dogs as a child and young adult living with my parents, but whilst loving dogs and being a breed dork, it turned out I didnt know much about which breeds would suit my family.

Due to the size and a few other factors we looked for a rescue staffy or staffy cross. Unfortunately, the dog we ended up with was NOT a good match.

Long story that I wont go into, (and many Dolers will be familiar with) but things did not turn out well.

However, during the experience, I learnt that my family is not compatible with stronger, more dominant breeds. We simply lack the strength or ability to deal with them as a unit.

So when we next decided to get a dog I was much better prepared (in a large part thanks to DOL! :p ).

Golden Retrievers were at the top of my list, as temperament was of paramount importance. My daughter had developed a fear of dogs, so we looked into getting an adult as we would have a better idea of personality and it was more likely to be calmer.

We ended up rescuing our divine Honey from Golden Retriever Rescue, and have never regretted it. We all adore her and she fits with us perfectly.

Even my OH, who still is not a "dog person" has claimed that they are the perfect breed for us. I agree with him, though I think its gundog breeds in general that are more our speed.

I like the way they relate to their humans and that they are comparatively softer, in temperament, than many breeds.

I could certainly be persuaded into branching out into a shorthaired one next time!!

[gillybob]

Im on a list for a Basset Fauve de Bretegne, when I saw a pic of them and did some reading, I realised that this is the new dog I want.

They are wonderful little, out going, family friendly dogs, they have no health problems and they love people. I love their scruffyness as well.

This will be the first pure bred dog Ive had, so I am looking forward to it.

[Crazy Daisy]

My OH's childhood neighbour is a registered breeder of Golden Retrievers and I was after a loyal, friendly, calm breed that I was also able to enjoy dog sports with. My OH and I wanted children eventually and wanted a dog that would be great around kids and they were perfect. I've lived with three goldens over the years and I currently have one show golden and hope to be getting another one soon. They have definitely become my breed of choice.

I also have a Shih Tzu. I have been a dog groomer for nearly 14 years and every pure Shih Tzu I have ever met I have been totally in love with. I adore my little clown and hopefully will always have one in my life.

I have a long list of breeds I would love to own one day and when my kids are all teenagers I would love a giant breed, maybe a dane or mastiff.

[Zug Zug]

First and foremost for me - has to be a low allergy breed (non-shedding) because otherwise I suffer from too many hayfever symptoms - which is a lot worse than it sounds I can assure you!

After that - my needs have changed as I've moved through life.

When I got Mozart (white bichon frise pictured left) - I had 2 small children (both 5 years old) and was living in a small house on a small 300m2 block. I worked 3 days a week. I didn't have a partner, and wanted a safe, reliable dog to cuddle up with me on the couch but didn't need a lot of exercise. I also wanted a calm breed - because my life was otherwise very hectic! So I chose a bichon - he was absolutely the perfect choice and I absolutely adore him still. Just exactly what we needed.

A few years later I got Zamba (dark grey poodle cross pictured left) - by then my kids were a little older (7 years old), I had a fiance (now my husband) and we had moved into a home with a larger yard. We found her at the pound and she was just what we were looking for - more active, a fun dog who loved to play with the kids, and of course I just fell for her. Little did we know she was quite bonkers (no, really seriously utterly BONKERS!) and would therefore send me off to dog obedience school pleading for help - and lead me into a real love of obedience training.

These two dogs are now 13 (Mozart) and 12 (Zamba).

My next dog will be a standard poodle. We are on an even larger block now (1000m2), the kids have grown up (will soon turn 18) and at almost 40 I am still young enough and fit enough for a bigger, more active dog.

But not until Mozart has passed on. A standard poodle puppy would be a bit much for him, I fear. So while I suffer from severe puppy cluckiness, we are in no rush.

[Sayly]

I love a range of looks and a range of personalities, from the gorgeous, people loving, people pleasing, easy to get along with Aussie Shepherds to the scruffier, prey driven, why should I do what you want me to Terriers. I adore both and I'll continue to have Aussies and Irish (and hopefully add a purebred Bull Terrier one day), but if I was forced to have only one breed it would be the Aussies, nothing beats them.

I have grown up with Irish Terriers and bull breed cross breds but the Aussies have only been around for the last 2 or so years. I stumbled across them on the internet and fell in love with the look and so researched, researched, researched. I then was lucky enough to start handling some at shows for a couple of different breeders and now have my own girl and several co-owned with their breeder.

So I agree with Cassie that looks are important, that is what will immediately draw you to a breed or group of breeds. You then need to do plenty of research into what that breed requires and if are you capable of giving them what they need. You need to ask yourself if you are going to include major changes to fit around the new dog are you willing to do that for the next 10-15 years or even longer.

[Gayle.]

I thought I wanted a particular type of dog, then my husband said "I don't want a dog that looks like an alien", so we looked together and came up with Australian Shepherds. We both liked the look (non-alien like) and they sounded like they'd suit us. That was 4 years ago, now we have 2 boys and 2 girls and they are the best dogs in the world.

Even when I'm ancient, I reckon I'll still have a sweet, funny, gentle Aussie.