What Are Your Favorite Breeds of Dogs

[Jill]

My favorite breeds of dogs are:

• Small Breed = Shih-tzu for overall sweetness, cuteness and calmness
• Large Breed = Collie for protectiveness, beauty, intelligence and horse / livestock smarts

Harvey and I have 4 shih-tzu and one collie. Pictured below are Winston (shih-tzu) and Kelsey (collie).
What are your favorite breeds of dogs? And why is that so?

 

[Mona]

Mine are Boxers and Bostons! I love them both for their wonderful wild and crazy personalities!!

:aktion033:

Here is Baylee our Boxer

and here is Molly our Boston

Sadly, it's looking like Bay;ee won;t be with us much beyond the New Year.

 

[LindaL]

Large breed : Labrador (just cuz they are such a friendly people-loving dog

: )

Small breed: Miniature Pinscher (love their big dog syndrome...lol)

We have one of each! (Pics on another dog thread...

: OK, so I'm too lazy...its 5 am...to find and post them here...lol)

 

[Pepipony]

Blue Heelers. Hands down no doubt about it. I cannot imagine there is a smarter dog out there, just as smart, but not smarter LOL We have had 2 pairs and their willingness to please, brains, stoicism and tenacity truly amaze me. Hubbys dog, Belle, picked up that treat time was when 21:00 showed on the microwave. She has allowed me to remove a molar that my horse had kicked through her cheek, never pulled away, never got testy, just closed her eyes and held firm, then tried to drown me in kisses when it was done

: These dogs will come find me when they see anything is amiss. We can send them to one another, no matter where on property we are ( me to hubby, vice versa), they will also carry whatever to us.

Belle is crippled with arthritis ( Lyme disease) that has fused her spine, neck to nub, and will not complain. She just deals with it. Dallas is blind from a genetic disorder and he too doesnt complain. Should see him tearing across the pasture

: or getting too excited for his own good when I fire up the 4-wheeler , his favorite thing LOL Then there is his bouncing off things in his excitement LOL he just backs up and tries again :lol:

Have to say I am addicted to these dogs and I do not think I will own anything but.

 

[Beccy]

I love so many different breeds, in fact I love all dogs, but if I had to choose just a couple, I would say the collies and shelties, because of all the many dogs we have had, they just seem to have the sweetest most loving temperaments. Some say they are timid and not good family dogs, but for the most part we have found the opposite.

I also really love German Shepherds, and Dobermans. GS has just been one of my fav's since I was a child and I had one a few years ago, she was my pride and joy. And when I was 12 years old I began walking two Dobes for a family down the street. A black/tan female Tara, and a huge red/tan male named Caleb. They were beautiful well bred dogs, and extremely well trained, and this was before the breed soared in popularity and all the backyard breeders started springing up. So many people I know say they would never trust them, but I would take a well bred dobe over many other popular breeds any day.

One thing that I wish, is that everyone who goes out to get a dog, would research breeds and think long and hard about what temperament and energy level fits their home and lifestyle. An adorable sleepy Bassett hound is perhaps not the best choice for a family that is very energetic, while something like a border collie, or a dalmatian (which were bred to run with carriage horses) is not a good choice for someone who sits around a lot. Working breeds need lots of exercise or they expend that energy in other, sometimes destructive ways. If more people would think about that before they buy, perhaps more of them would spend their entire lives in one home!

Some of our dogs also have been and are crossbreds...mutts, and I love them too. Every dog deserves a great home, not just the ones that cost a lot, but I DO wish people would get it through their heads about spaying and neutering. It is the only way to stop so many dogs form being unwanted. Okay...didn't mean to rant here, I just hate to miss an opportunity to say unless you are a serious breeder dedicated to producing the best pups you can, in numbers that can be homed, PLEASE SPAY AND NEUTER!!!

 

[AppyLover2]

Not a rant at all Beccy. You made some very valid points!! :aktion033:

 

[Leeana]

Small Breed: Boston Terrier

I like border collies too but i like the Boston Terrier is one of my all time faverits.

 

[Beccy]

Not a rant at all Beccy. You made some very valid points!! :aktion033:

Thanks but many people don't take it that way. We have always had more dogs (and cats) than the average family, (we currently have nine, all house dogs), we have placed some out, and kept many that might have been considered unadoptable for whatever reason, particularly the geriatrics. I have a dear friend who has done dog rescue and placement for years (and does an excellent job of matching owner types with the dogs), and he too somehow manages to keep all the geriatrics that come to him, who are comfortable and have some life left in them to enjoy. He is often worn out from all the work, puts many thousands of dollars a year into vet care, food, etc to help these animals, and still it feels like a drop in the bucket. There are so many irresponsible and uncaring people out there.

It breaks our hearts when we are not able to take all that we see in need. What we have taken in is just a tiny drop in a huge ocean, and if only people would realise that spaying and neutering is the only way to stem the flood. So I am afraid I do take every chance I get to push the spay/neuter message.

Did not mean at all to change the topic of the thread however, and do LOVE hearing about everyone's favourite breeds!

:

 

[Jill]

Very good points, Beccy! For H and I, our dogs are a main priority and are "just" pets (all spayed and neutured). If I were a dog, I'd want to be just a pet too, which is a very imprtant job

 

[sfmini]

Pembroke Welsh Corgis. Love them, big dogs in a small package. Very intelligent, protective of home, just wonderful, loving dogs. This is Gracie

 

[Margo_C-T]

I'm with you 1000%, Beccy!

I've had a number of dogs in my 65 years; all were great in their way-but my'favorites' are: Chihuahua(not the dog for everyone, but I love 'em!); Schipperke, Rottie, Rhodesian Ridgeback(absolutely GREAT dogs), and for the BEST lap dog, Maltese, who maintain their bright, lively, friendly, puppy-like demeanor even as they age! I currently have a Chihuahua, a Maltese(best LITTLE dog I've EVER had, I believe-though I love my other little one, too...and a Ridgeback-all spayed females--sorry, I don't have a way to post a photo-one of these days I guess I will HAVE TO figure out how to put an album up on the 'net so I can then figure out how to post photos here....!) I have seen enough of them to also really like Shih-Tsu,and Dobie -and have always thought I'd like a little Pom! Have had my share of pound dogs, of various crosses, too. I very much agree that people should DO THEIR HOMEWORK about the characteristics of breeds-including crosses, such as are most pound dogs-before getting a dog. A dog should be a committment, not something that can be 'dumped' when the newness wears off,or it turns out to have breed characteristics that don't suit them(which, sadly, happens all too often these days.)

Margo

 

[_minihorses4ever_]

Boxers all the way! They are the best. My boxer has never bit, growled, or acted mean towards ANYONE. She is the sweetest little thing, and ADORES kids! I love her so much.

Here she is licking her chops. :lol:

 

[Reble]

I do breed but my best of the best are Shih Tzu no loosing hair and love to be a lap dog:

My Shih Tzu are under 6 lbs.

and Scotch Collies because hubby says so, Man dog and are good with my mini horses.

My daughter would say Lab because they are all around friendly dog like LindaL has mentioned.

I was babysitting her lab puppy at this time.

 

[anoki]

Well, I probably don't have to tell you....but Cardigan Corgi all the way!!!! :bgrin

There are soooo many things about them that I love....they are loyal, smart and unbelievably goofy!!!! (Honest read about them on a breed website, everyone says how goofy they are!!!)

Miss Moxie has been with me just over a year now....and what a ride!!!!

:

: Like the pembroke though, they are a big dog in a small package!!! That is the problem when most people get them....they get them because of their size.....but they are NOT a small dog!!

As for a big dog, I'd have to go with a Rottweiler. They are such beautiful and sucky dogs....I love 'em to bits!!!

I am also with Beccy on the researching the breed thing!!! I waited for 10 years before I got my first Cardigan! And after my sister's rotti passed away, a lot of cardi people started looking for a cardigan for her....but no, she is not a cardigan person....they have way too much energy for her lifestyle. So we are off to get another Rotti, today actually (she has no idea that's where we're going!!!! A 6 hour drive for a puppy!!!!!! :new_shocked: And I have to keep my mouth shut about it!!!!! lol It's going to be a long time til we get to the breeder's tomorrow!!!!!

: )

~kathryn

 

[Filipowicz Farm]

I like most dogs but we have mostly had labs and have 4 now even though 2 are up there in years. We just aquired a miniature schnauzer puppy and just love her. We have never had a smalll dog she is so much fun and gets along great with the big girls.We also have had very good dogs that have come from the pound lab mix. collie shepard mix etc and we loved them dearly.

 

[CZP1]

My favorite is a miniature schnauzer (we lost ours in feb, still trying to convince hubby for a puppy) and I LOVE my labradoodle. We got him as a rescue and he is the sweetest kindest boy!

 

[TangoMango]

Small: Boston terriers

Large: Rotts, German Shepherds, and Labs

Right now we have a white coated lab, and a Boston.

Tinkerbell a few months ago

And a few days ago, looking pathetic for being punished.

 

[Lisa]

Austalian Kelpies- I owned one for 9 years, until she passed away, and she was the greatest dog!

Huskies/Malamutes-I think they are just so gorgeous!

Labs- Again, I owned one, and adored her! I love them for hunting!

Weimeraners- I've never really been around them, but I love the way they look and the few that I have been around seem great!

 

[minimama]

Can't narrow it down, I love them all! I am such a dog person, I teach dog 4-H, am a trainer, and have six of my own.

I love big dogs for teh most part for myself, but I love little dogs too.

Labs, black white and yellow, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds. I have all of these right now. I also love Irish Setters, Great Danes, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Tervuren. Oh so many, I could go broke with all teh dogs I would get if I could. LOL

 

[jayne]

I think that I am most fond of herding breed dogs. I just like their faithfulness, obedience and willingness to stay with the 'herd', although I would not acquire an individual that is very intense like some border collies. I have a 9 year old Australian Shepherd and I can't imagine a better dog. She came out of champion parents and when I had her spayed at 6 months her breeder had a cow. I told her that if I wanted another one I would BUY one, not make one! We also got adopted by a golden retriever/border collie mix, and while she's a great dog, she (at 11 years old) is still a little too intense for my liking and needs miles of exercise every day to keep her happy and not bugging us constantly. When these good girls are gone to their great reward, I think I will look at a smaller aussie or possibly a corgi.

I don't have any experience with little dogs but I have met a pug and a maltese both of which I thought were fun dogs and not poofy. I would want one that could be snuggly, but still tough enough to go on hikes and wrestle.

One thing I absolutely will not tolerate is any kind of dog agressiveness in any size dog that I would own. I want to be able to trust that if another dog comes up, that mine will not want to pick a fight with them. I want them to be predictable in regards to behavior as much as possible.

Jayne

Edited to add a picture of my aussie, sweet Carly: