How'd You Choose Your Breed?

[Stack]

I'm curious as to how everyone made the decision to get the breeds of dogs that they currently have? I really love dogs in general for the most part, but I grew up with corgis, and coolies. We're getting a corgi at the beginning of next year which we can't wait. A corgi is the only breed that my husband and I could agree on. (hes not a dog person.) But theres a pretty long list of breeds that I would be happy to own. I haven't mentioned it to my husband yet, mostly because I know the response i'm going to get haha, but sometime in the way way way further down in the future (many years away), I would love to maybe show dogs and while I do love corgi's, there are so many lovely breeds!

Edited July 29, 2011 by Stack

[poodlefan]

Why not show Corgis??

[Stack]

Why not show Corgis??

I probably would end up going with corgi's if I was to show. I just wanted to see why people picked the dogs they have or came to love the particular breeds they show.

[poodlefan]

Ok.

My first breed of choice was Miniature Poodles. We had one when I was growing up as a kid and I loved both their appearance and their temperament. A Toy poodle joined the pack a while later.

My next poodle was shown. Maintaining and preparing coat cured me of showing poodles for life LOL. I wanted another breed to show that was smooth coated, good natured and beautiful (to me).

I chose a Whippet. People told me I was crazy for choosing a dog in such a competitive breed but I wanted a dog that I wanted to live with regardless of show career. Howie has been a brilliant introduction to the breed.

I'll be sticking with Whippets for showing but I think I'll always have a poodle - just love them.

Edited July 29, 2011 by poodlefan

[spanky]

We wanted a small dog, due to yard and fences. I didn't want a dog that needed lots of grooming and I didn't want a dog that fell into the SWF category ( though I'd love a TT).

So, our options were Boston or Frenchie. We prefered the bulk of the Frenchie and are now owned by 2 of them.

Edited July 29, 2011 by spanky

[whiskedaway]

We looked at heaps of dog breeds and came across the Husky when we were looking to get our first dog as a couple. Did our research, decided they were perfect for us - we wanted something active, intelligent and that wasn't extremely clingy.

When we decided to get a second dog, I had decided that a Husky was maybe too independent for us, and we've both agreed that we'll only ever have one Husky at a time cos they're hard work. I wanted something similar, and I wanted a show dog, so we went with the Finnish Lapphund which is still a Spitz, but has the working attitude so is a little less independent and is slightly easier to live with.

I will definitely have more lappies in the future.

Edited July 29, 2011 by whiskedaway

[kiesha09]

Thats the problem....I can't choose a breed!!!!!!!! I currently have 2 SWF which were rescues from the pound and chosen because I lived in a town house and needed something small. I got two high energy SWF oops! This dumbass didn't do much research

I grew up with Border Collies and love love love them. I would idealy love to get one just not sure if my situation is right - ie only have a small/medium sized yard, could I give one enough exercise, would they end up outsmarting me

So then I think about a Aussie Shepherd and I think they could be a good fit personality wise but again have some reservations similar with that of BC's.

THEN... currently I live with two non-shedding dogs. Could I actually live with a shedding dog? So then standard poodles enter the mix.

Finally... OH wants a boston terrier so could they too match what I'm looking for.

SEE I'm going to need serious help by the time I get another dog because I simply cannot choose!!!!

Sorry but that wasn't actually much help to you at all.

[Weasels]

My OH is a dog person, but refused to get a small dog or anything 'yippy'. I didn't want anything too big (GSD-size and above for example) as I wanted inside dogs and we are in the suburbs at the moment.

I'd grown up with working dogs and poor kelpies are so overrepresented in shelters we chose to give 2 of them an active loving home. We don't show (we don't know who their parents are) but they are ace little dog-sports dogs

Hopefully when we move onto a bigger property we will look at adding a GSD or whippet (ETA: or a border collie. or a coolie. or an Aussie. Arrrgh!), cos I love working dogs, always will. I'm still hanging out to see a corgi herding!

Edited July 29, 2011 by Weasels

[Stutterfly]

We wanted a small dog, due to yard and fences. I didn't want a dog that needed lots of grooming and I didn't want a dog that fell into the SWF category ( though I'd love a TT).

So, our options were Boston or Frenchie. We prefered the bulk of the Frenchie and are now owned by 2 of them.

Edited to actually answer the question.

I wanted an inside dog, and a small one. I actually looked at a few breeds (CKCS, Papillons...) but chose Chihuahua in the end. Also spent a lot of time talking to an interstate breeder/shower of Chis who turned out to be a wealth of knowledge and helped me greatly - actually still is helping me! Even though I went through a local breeder for my Bertie.

One day, we will own a CKCS, a Papillon, Beagle, mini foxie, Westie, GSD,... all my fave breeds.

Edited July 29, 2011 by Stutterfly

[wuffles]

I wanted a dog that I could do obedience and agility with. Medium sized. Fun loving and not too serious. After researching I had a few breeds on my list, contacted some breeders and met some of their dogs.

In the meantime I saw some puppy photos of a different breed on DOL and fell in love. Got talking to the breeder who turned out to be just brilliant, friendly and open and helpful. So that's how we ended up with our Australian Shepherd (who has turned out to be absolutely the perfect dog for us)

[woodbyne]

I wanted a dog any dog as a kids my parents said i could have a "Rockwheeler" but one day at my grandparents place the people accross the road from her where babysitting some dalmatians. I ran back home saying i wasnted a "dash hound" thinking thats what they were called you can imagine my fathers surprise from "Rockwheeler" to "dash hound". He said what do you want one of them for they are too small i said no they aren't they are big come and have a look. So over we go and the rest is history the owners of the dogs had already bred the two of them (they were show dogs and reg breeders) and waiting for babies so we put our name down sadly the litter was lost and we ended up with a dalmatian bought from teh newspaper but luckily for us from a registered responsible breeder and so the addiction to spots began.

My husband has working kelpies and my daughter just got her first dog after hanging out for a jack for 5 years we finally allowed her to have one and now my addiction is changing over to the small bundles of energy like dally energy in a pocket rocket and heaps less food bill....her addiction to jacks came from helping a friend show her jacks and she had been helping show hers for all that time.

[Stack]

Its interesting to hear why everyone likes their respective breeds so much! and I know the pain of not being able to decide on breeds, lol. OH wanted to get an Irish Wolfhound or a Pharoah Hound, which isn't suitable for us due to our fencing not being appropriate and our car being to small should we want to take the dog with us on holidays. lol, then OH said he likes Dalmatians and Whippets, which I honestly don't know too much about but most of the Whippets i've met have been quite timid so I wouldn't think appropriate with children. Corgi's I know, so its easy for me to say yes corgi, and the fur doesn't bother me at all, OH fell in love with my parents Corgi so thats why he has agreed to a Corgi as well. I really am fond of most of the spitz breeds, I would love a Finnish Lapphund but OH said no. lol

[Ali]

I always knew I wanted a protective dog as I researced I wanted something I could hunt with as well.

These are some of the other factors

Stable Temperment

Easy to keep

Short coat

not overly energetic

would love my kids

could handle being outside alone in the night

wasnt an insane sloberer

wasnt a massive shedder

something a little rare

Dogs I considered

Dogo Argintino

GSD

Doberman

English Mastiff

BullMastiff

Presa Canario

Boxer

Dogue de Bordeaux

Neapolitan Mastiff

Rottweiler

Tibetan Mastiff

Cane Corso

Alot of those got striked off the list pretty fast

but reading and reading I fell in love with the Dogo Argintino which we dont have legally in Australia and I could find one illegaly if they exisit

same with the Presa Canario which I love but upon further research is probably has to much drive anyway. The middle ground was a Cane Corso which is what I ended up getting and he is fantastic.

Even though they werent considered I'm dying to own a Mamalute or a Siberian husky maybe when I have a bit more time to manage their energy...

[poodlefan]

Its interesting to hear why everyone likes their respective breeds so much! and I know the pain of not being able to decide on breeds, lol. OH wanted to get an Irish Wolfhound or a Pharoah Hound, which isn't suitable for us due to our fencing not being appropriate and our car being to small should we want to take the dog with us on holidays. lol, then OH said he likes Dalmatians and Whippets, which I honestly don't know too much about but most of the Whippets i've met have been quite timid so I wouldn't think appropriate with children. Corgi's I know, so its easy for me to say yes corgi, and the fur doesn't bother me at all, OH fell in love with my parents Corgi so thats why he has agreed to a Corgi as well. I really am fond of most of the spitz breeds, I would love a Finnish Lapphund but OH said no. lol

You need to meet more Whippets. A well bred Whippet should not be timid. I know Howie isn't and he loves kids.

[Baileys mum]

Stack maybe you should list all the things you want in a dog & a list of things you don't want in a dog & then Dolers can suggest breeds that would suit you.

Then in that way you will have a short list of possible breeds & make choosing a little bit easier for you.

[whiskedaway]

Its interesting to hear why everyone likes their respective breeds so much! and I know the pain of not being able to decide on breeds, lol. OH wanted to get an Irish Wolfhound or a Pharoah Hound, which isn't suitable for us due to our fencing not being appropriate and our car being to small should we want to take the dog with us on holidays. lol, then OH said he likes Dalmatians and Whippets, which I honestly don't know too much about but most of the Whippets i've met have been quite timid so I wouldn't think appropriate with children. Corgi's I know, so its easy for me to say yes corgi, and the fur doesn't bother me at all, OH fell in love with my parents Corgi so thats why he has agreed to a Corgi as well. I really am fond of most of the spitz breeds, I would love a Finnish Lapphund but OH said no. lol

Haha, my OH wanted a dalmation. I kept saying "noooo, stay with a Spitz breed" and I won in the end. Why did your OH say no to a lappie? I'm assuming it's the amount of hair? Having lived next door to Corgis for most of my life, a lappie doesn't shed any more than them. A Husky on the other hand... my house is full of white tumbleweeds from her, you NEVER see lappie hair though.

[Stack]

Stack maybe you should list all the things you want in a dog & a list of things you don't want in a dog & then Dolers can suggest breeds that would suit you.

Then in that way you will have a short list of possible breeds & make choosing a little bit easier for you.

We are def getting a corgi. They're not too big, they don't drool, they're active, good with kids, intelligent and we can take it with us in the car. All the things that we're looking for in a pet who is to be a member of our family. There are loads of other breeds that I really love and it took my husband and myself a long while to come to this conclusion! I was just curious what everyone else went through to pick their breeds and was it as ardous a process as it was for my hubby and I. lol

[Stack]

Its interesting to hear why everyone likes their respective breeds so much! and I know the pain of not being able to decide on breeds, lol. OH wanted to get an Irish Wolfhound or a Pharoah Hound, which isn't suitable for us due to our fencing not being appropriate and our car being to small should we want to take the dog with us on holidays. lol, then OH said he likes Dalmatians and Whippets, which I honestly don't know too much about but most of the Whippets i've met have been quite timid so I wouldn't think appropriate with children. Corgi's I know, so its easy for me to say yes corgi, and the fur doesn't bother me at all, OH fell in love with my parents Corgi so thats why he has agreed to a Corgi as well. I really am fond of most of the spitz breeds, I would love a Finnish Lapphund but OH said no. lol

Haha, my OH wanted a dalmation. I kept saying "noooo, stay with a Spitz breed" and I won in the end. Why did your OH say no to a lappie? I'm assuming it's the amount of hair? Having lived next door to Corgis for most of my life, a lappie doesn't shed any more than them. A Husky on the other hand... my house is full of white tumbleweeds from her, you NEVER see lappie hair though.

OH is just picky with dogs. He didn't say WHY he didn't like it, he'd probably like it more if he met one. I figured they wouldn't shed much more than a Corgi, lol when I was living at my parents there was fur everywhere! He loves Corgi's cause of the nature of my parents Corgi. Other than that he grew up with Kelpies and JRT on his folks farm, he'd much rather own a cat (which we already have an iam allergic too).

[poodlefan]

Stack maybe you should list all the things you want in a dog & a list of things you don't want in a dog & then Dolers can suggest breeds that would suit you.

Then in that way you will have a short list of possible breeds & make choosing a little bit easier for you.

We are def getting a corgi. They're not too big, they don't drool, they're active, good with kids, intelligent and we can take it with us in the car. All the things that we're looking for in a pet who is to be a member of our family. There are loads of other breeds that I really love and it took my husband and myself a long while to come to this conclusion! I was just curious what everyone else went through to pick their breeds and was it as ardous a process as it was for my hubby and I. lol

Stack can I just add a note of caution. No dog is born "good with kids". If you want a dog that's tolerant and behaves appropriately around children, it will involve training and supervision. That's stating the blindingly obvious but to be quite frank working breeds like the Corgi arent' the first dogs that spring to mind as "good with kids".

Don't change your choice by any means but if you don't want to live with a pup that wants to nip and herd your kids, you're going to have to work on it.

[W Sibs]

Charlie was an accidental finding and probably the best fine ever :D He is a CKCS x Shih Tzu, and at that time I was looking at either getting a CKCS or Shih Tzu. I wanted an easy breed after owning 2 Siberian huskies

When it was time for another pup, I had to get another small breed dogs and I love Spitz breed. I fell in love with Japanese Spitz. I will probably never show a Japanese Spitz though (personal reasons) but I really really love the breed.