Dog Community

Looking for a dog - need help choosing a breed.

Posted : 5/20/2006 11:21:42 PM

Well cutting right to the point - I've decided it's time to get a dog. I think i'd prefer to just head down to the local pound and adopt a mutt of some sort, but I still would like to have a couple of breeds in mind before I go. I know that I really want a dog like the one I grew up with - I just don't know what kind of dog he was!

My dad found him at work when the pup was 4 weeks old. So dad brought him home and we named him Buddy. Bud was an AWSOME dog - We lived out on a farm, and he earned his keep. When he was full grown he weighed 110lbs, he had a short brown and white coat, his ears weren't floppy - but they didn't stand straight up either. He was also a very vocal dog - not so much barking as jeez I gon't even know how to describe it, kind of like a groaning I guess. What I remember most about Bud though is how smart he was. There wasn't a door in the house he couldn't open, and he knew a whole bunch of useful "tricks" Like he would go and grab a blanket from the back of the chair if you said "Bud go get a blanket" He also would carry in groceries or firewood Just handed something to him and ask him to "take it". He's do all sorts of useful things. It never took him more than 5 trys to get a new trick under his collar, looking back on it I kinda wished I did more with him. That dog never balked at anything I asked of him If I were to put up an 10 foot wall and ask Bud jump over it -he would (or atleast he would try) He was a bit of a goof too, I once took him to a 4H class and the instructor told me to put him in a down stay and to walk away from him. So I asked him to lay down and to stay and I walked away. Well he stood up and tried to follow. So I corrected him saying "No. DOWN" he layed back down and as I walked away he CRAWLED after me - everyone in the room was laughing. Bud was also real protective of the family, he was the type of dog you would want with you if ya had to walk down a dark alley. We used to have chickens and every now and then a coyote would come by looking for an easy meal, and we sent Bud out to run them off. Once Bud came back to the house a little bloodied but not hurt too bad, unfortunately the next morning we found a dead coyote in the driveway. He was just a good dog.

Sorry this post was so long I guess I was taking a little trip down memory lane

I know that Buddy was a special dog, but you wouldn't happen to know of any breeds that share similar characteristics? I'd love for my kids to be able to grow up with their own "Buddy".

Thanks a Bunch
Sherri

brookcove

Posted : 5/21/2006 2:29:54 AM

Sounds like maybe a pyr/shep cross or pyr/collie? I had a friend who had one of these, best dog ever, named Duke. Just like you say, very smart and loyal but with a great sense of humor.

I'd go to petfinder.com and punch in "Great pyranees mix" for your area. A shepherd or lab mix would have (usually) a more maintanence-free coat, while a collie mix would tend to have more "Timmy fell in the well" tendencies [

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Good luck! I love stories about the dogs people had as kids growing up - I wasn't allowed to have pets so I have to re-live that experience vicariously.

Luvntzus

Posted : 5/21/2006 6:10:34 AM

Buddy sounds like he was a really great dog!

My breed suggestions would be maybe a flock guardian like a Great Pyrenees or one of the herding breeds. Collies are very smart, obedient, and also protective but not overly so. German Shepherds seem like they might also be a good choice. They can be awesome all around family dogs if they have a strong leader and a "job" to do, which it sounds like you would definitely provide. They're one of the smartest, most loyal and protective breeds out there. And there are A LOT of them in shelters. I know when I worked at an animal shelter, we had several at any given time. An Austrailan Shepherd might also work for you, similar to the GSD, but probably more of a tendency to try and "herd" your kids. Good luck with your search!

Just read Brookcove's post and it looks like we suggested almost all of the same breeds! At least it looks like we're on the right track. lol

Mark R.

Posted : 5/21/2006 8:38:50 AM

Pyrenees are probably the most gentle of guardian dogs. My cavalier breeder lives near a lot of coyotes, so she got a pyrenees to protect them. Its like a motherly figure to the other dogs, so a pyrenees is definetly gentle to people and other dogs. Many pyreneeses feel like the need a job to do, and as you live on a farm, they will definetly have a job. Other guard dogs can be aggressive, but pyreneeses can be really nice and gentle, and are even good with children. While they need a lot of acreage, you have that . The only issue is that they are a little rare. Like luvntzus said, australian sheperds are good too. They are friendly with kids, and supposedly are the smartest dogs in te world. (of course thats akways up for debate)

karin

Posted : 5/21/2006 11:04:30 AM

Unless you live in the country I would not advise you to get a Great Pyrenees or a pyr mix. While they are wonderful dogs, they are also a breed that loves to guard. This means they love to bark. Also unless you are very experienced with dominate dogs, I would not advise that you get a pyr. Even a pyr mix will have those strong-willed, independant and dominate behaviors.

Older puppies to young adult pyrs and pyr mixes are easy to find. Often because at this age the inexperienced owner will realize that their fluffy bundle of white fur has grown into a large, dominate dog, that causes neighbors to complain constantly because of the barking. At this point many owners give up their dog.

I adored my pyr Sampson, and I adore my pyr-saint mix Marley. They are intelligent and loyal, but they are not for everyone! Please do your research carefully.

karin

Posted : 5/21/2006 11:15:29 AM

If you are still interested in a pyr you can research them at the Great Pyrenees Club of America.
[linkhttp://clubs.akc.org/gpca/gpcabreed.html]http://clubs.akc.org/gpca/gpcabreed.html[/link]

"They are a guard dog by instinct, not by training. Their basic personality is different from most breeds, since most breeds were bred to take commands from people, while Pyrs were bred to work on their own.
A Great Pyrenees is an intelligent, sometimes willful animal. They have minds of their own and are not easily obedience trained. Things that you consider important may not be the same things your Pyrenees considers important. Many are almost cat-like, in their independence.
If you require a dog who will be a great "off-leash" companion for your outdoor activities, if you want a dog who will follow your every command, or if you want a competition obedience dog, the Pyrenees is probably not for you.
Do you have room for a Pyr? They are large and must be confined in a well fenced area, or they will exercise their powerful instinct to establish and patrol a large territory. When out of the fence they must be kept on lead at all times.
Like all livestock guardian breeds, Great Pyrenees are barkers, especially at night. The amount of barking varies from individual to individual, but the instinct is there and in some cases can cause major problems. Most Great Pyrenees in urban or suburban settings must be kept indoors at night."

I also enjoy reading articles from the great Pyr library. [linkhttp://www.sonic.net/~cdlcruz/GPCC/library.htm]http://www.sonic.net/~cdlcruz/GPCC/library.htm[/link]

loveukaykay

Posted : 5/21/2006 12:37:06 PM

I say breed aside just get one that feels right, you will know... keep an open mind about them all and see which one you fall in love with or just have to have and cant leave without[

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