Top 5 Breeds You'd Own

BlackLabbie

aerial1313

ETA: It appears I've chosen all intelligent high energy breeds...I'm a glutton for punishment I do believe, lol!!

No- that's what maks them fun! Plus, they'll keep you on your toes! Trust me, I own 2 laid-back, couch potatoes and I much prefer a high energy dog!

LOL, I know exactly what you mean.  That's why I am so drawn to these breeds.  Having Harry has taught me a lot, and he is definitely intelligent and DEFINITELY high energy!  I wouldn't want it any other way.

I thought this would be easy for me to answer.. but it really was a little harder than I expected... that last one really stumped me! I never realized I was four breed biased.

1. German Shepherd Dog.

2. Labrador Retriever

3. Poodle (any variety)

4. Doberman Pinscher

5. Great Dane?

Same here- I can deal with the hair, but not the drool.

 Jeez, how about that?  Callie is a closet Aussie lover...

 

OK, here are mine:

1. Australian Shepherd

2. Border Collie

3. Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

4.  Kooikerhondje

5.  English Shepherd, Corgi, or Rough Collie

Of course, if I was very wealthy, and had more land and a "staff"................

BlackLabbie

pkillur

1. Shorthaired Potcake.  They're friggen' smart.

Ok, have to ask; what is a "shorthaired potcake"????

 

Potcakes are too "varied" to be classified as a breed, but they are a "mixed breed" breed of dog from the Bahamas.  Depending on which island they come from they will have different characteristics (temperment is all the same though).  Grand Bahama has shorter stiff coated potcakes that look like little mini Great Danes or Carolina Dogs.  They theory of potcakes is that the indigenous dogs on the Bahamian islands came from hunters several thousand years ago.  Most accounts of them say they looked like Dingos or Egyptian Pariah Dogs.  Then, during the conquest for the world, the Brit's "owned" the Bahamian chain.  Because dogs weren't spayed or neutered, the islands have different genetic pools depending on what "happened" on the island.  On Islands that were more cattle and land management the dogs look more like Carolina dogs (furrier / fuzzier / softer shedding coat).  On other islands that were more like cities and general "work" related areas, the dogs have a more bully breed look about them.  Our potcake Drake looks like a little mini dane (and has the personality of one too).  IMHO, they are a very stable gene pool because the dogs have been semi social with people (their name comes from the crap that got stuck to the bottom of food pots "the potcake" - and the dogs would beg for food from house to house), BUT they have bred on their own.  So they don't have a very "people" sculpted look, hence the coat differences.  BUT, they are ridiculously hardy and they are very good around people with almost no agression.  They're big enough to be relied upon for things such as protection, but they're not so huge that they're incredibly intimidating. 

The only things I don't like about Drake (which may or may not be indicative of the breed) is recall.  But, he's crazy smart which is an issue with any high intelligence breed.  Oh, and the digging when we come across sand (not too often here in Colorado).  If there is sand, he is digging for crabs in it.  Makes hiking interesting!  A great place for potcake information is http://www.potcakeplace.com or http://www.potcake.org/2.html

 

Oh I know it came happen. I adopted Penny at 9 months of age through a rescue. I was lucky though because I called immediately after seeing her on the website and apparently many people had inquired about her after me. Where I live, we don't have many breed specific rescues. Heck, we don't have tons of rescues to begin with. I know that if there ever comes a time when I seriously want a purebred, I'll just have to be patient, look around and put my name down on waiting lists. However I won't be looking for another dog for a very looonngg time. Haha

Oh! I want to play! I am really interested in buying a dog to compete in conformation shows, so I've been doing my research. ;-)

 1. Labrador (grew up with at least 2 at a time in the house)

2. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel 

3. Whippet

4. German Shorthaired Pointer

5. Weimaraner

 I'm surprised by some of these answers - so many aussie lovers out there. Who knew?

Also, look at how many people want to own labs. That's really interesting. I like labs but I don't have a desire to own one. What is the allure of a lab to those that have them on their lists? (besides for hunting purposes)

No other schnauzer lovers? LOL.....

1. Mini Schnauzer
2. Giant Schnauzer
3. Doberman Pinscher
4. Manchester Terrier
5. Some really kooky, neat, different mixed breed. Yes, I want one.

After growing up with Labs, for twelve years, I do like them, but would never want another one. Not really my style.

Jewlieee

Also, look at how many people want to own labs. That's really interesting. I like labs but I don't have a desire to own one. What is the allure of a lab to those that have them on their lists? (besides for hunting purposes)

For me, Labradors are the only breed that truely displays everything I desire in a companion and working dog.

• excellent family dogs
• generally get along well with other dogs and pets
• short coat, easy to care for 
• athletic and high energy
• very trainable and dependent on handler (not independent like a husky, etc)
• stellar steady temperment (when well bred, of course)
• large dog, muscular dog
• long puppyhood
• retrieving instincts (not herding or guarding insticts, which I don't desire in a pet)
• they do well in and enjoy the dogs sports and activities I enjoy (like dock dogs)

Basically I love everything about 'em! Have you ever seen a well bred, in shape Lab running a field? It's really beautiful!
And, even the not-so-good stuff like the oily coat, lots of shedding, stubborness, some drool (like Apollo), some are food obsessed, etc, I don't really mind it too much. Oh- and before all the stories about Labs biting people/attacking start (because I'm sure they will) please note that is NOT the standard for Labs.

BlackLabbie

very trainable and dependent on handler (not independent like a husky, etc)

That's where I change paths to veer off to the left a little...into terrier-land. LOL. That's actually what makes/breaks the difference between most of the breeds I like! I like creativity, self-thinking, a dog with its own views on how things should be, and who aren't afraid to tell you! Labs make fabulous family pets for the right people, but after living with them and watching them, I find them to be too much *cookie cutter* dogs for me, in the sense that they are a breed that is better at being told what to do than generally coming up with its own ways of doing things. Call me a sucker, but I love a dog that asks "Why".

Also, the Labs I see now are not like the Labs I remember growing up with. When I worked at two different boarding kennels, the Labs that boarded were far more like Boxers than the typical Labs I remember. They would bowl you over, hit you with forward foot jabs, had no concept of personal space, did not have soft mouths, and had a much different playstyle than the genre of Labs from years ago.

But, just so I do not look like a Lab-hater...I am not....a rather personal (embarrassing?) photo to show that I do indeed enjoy them as a breed, just not for me now.

 
A what???    

4.  Kooikerhondje

 I didn't put labs on my list but I do love them.

I think they are the consummate family dog and all purpose dog.  Their standard temperament make them fairly easy to work with and deal with - they are fun.  I suppose that is one of the things that I really admire about labs - they are fun.  A field lab can be very serious about their work but the element of fun never leaves. 

Kim_MacMillan

Also, the Labs I see now are not like the Labs I remember growing up with. When I worked at two different boarding kennels, the Labs that boarded were far more like Boxers than the typical Labs I remember.

 

 Yep! The majority of pet Labs are pretty Boxer-ish in their playstyle. Also something I have only seen in Labs, Goldens and Boxers that I have had in my classes over the years is what I tend to think of as "ADD" dogs. These dogs are so off the wall, overstimulated all the time that they can't focus at all, even as adults. For example, you show them a treat and they want the treat soooooo badly and are sooooooo excited about it that they can't even find it in your hand, right in front of them. Then after frantically trying to find the treat, they get distracted and sooooo badly want the dog next to them. Or the kid that walked by. Then back to the treat..."whereisit? whereisit" whereisit". Talk about a challenge for the average owner to work with!

 That said, that isn't the norm for what I see in those breeds, just the extreme and in general certainly not well bred. I had a CCI bred Lab in my classes once and that dog was amazing, so biddable and rather "thoughtful" even as a baby. He made it as a service dog too :)

 1. Pembroke Welsh Corgi

 2.ACD

3. Aussie

4. Doberman

5. Cardigan Welsh Corgi

Do you see a pattern? I love velcro, live to please their owner and easy to train dogs!