Well, each of my dogs are of very different breeds, so I'll do them individually.
Pepito (Chihuahua) - To be honest, I didn't pick him, and never would have. I mentioned wanting a chihuahua to my parents off handedly when I was 16, and for some reason they got me one- I never REALLY wanted one, it was just a random comment I made probably after seeing a particularly cute one on TV, it was definitely not a serious thought. I do not like overly small dogs, and I particularly don't like chihuahuas. Nothing against them, they just don't fit me at all. And Pepito, being very poorly bred, has serious agression and training issues that are only just now coming under control. I love Pepito, but he is NOT an easy dog to love...for anyone. He'll be 4 this year, and he'll always have a place with me, but I will NEVER have another chihuahua and they are definitely not my breed.
Madison (Golden/Chow mix) - Also not a concious choice, she was my parent's dog and she needed help. I did grow up with her, but she was never mine. I like chows, but have never been a fan of retrievers, but now that she has actually been given a chance to be herself, and show her personality, I am VERY pleasantly surprised. She's just an awesome dog- perfectly behaved, smart as heck, and VERY no-nonsense with the other dogs. She's nice to them, and even plays with the puppy, but she doesn't take any crap...and I like that. She came in and seriously balanced out my pack, and I love having her here. I haven't decided yet whether I'll keep her or place her with a rescue...but I am tempted to keep her. She just fits in and balances things out so well. Still am not a retriever person, but I definitely like
her.
Axl (English/American Bulldog Mix) - One of only two of my dogs who were actually planned. I was 15, we had two family dogs, but I wanted a dog of my *own,* of a breed that I chose. I knew that I wanted a rescue, and that was it. I really wanted a pittie more than anything, but my parents were very anti-pit bull at the time (Sgt. Butter has changed their mind) and wouldn't even consider it. Walking down the isle of kennels at the miserable city pound, I saw him there and knew he was the one. Basically, I just LOVE bullies of any kind. [
] And Axl has turned out to be everything I ever wanted in a dog and more- calm, independant but still incredibly loving, protective, intelligent...the list goes on. He and I have a VERY special bond, and he has been with my through so much- abusive parents, dealing with autism, high school, my first year of college, finally getting out of my parent's house, getting married...he's just always been there. He's my first heart dog, and he will always have a very special place. He was an adult when I got him, and he's an old man now (exactly how old, I'm not sure. At least 7, 9 or 10 is more likely. Old for an english bulldog mix, at any rate.) I don't think I'll ever have an english bulldog, as I really don't want a breed with as many health problems as they have, but I would definitely consider an American bulldog or a mix in a heartbeat.
Sgt. Butter (Pit/Allegedly Boxer)- 
ure chance. I was just completely enraged after seeing he and his littermates in a cruelty situation at a flea market and grabbed him without thinking. I was too mad to think. But gosh, I am so glad that I was there that day and saw him...I love him to death and it kills me to even think about what would have happened to him otherwise. It was pure chance that he just happened to be a mix of what I consider MY breed- pitties. I love pits. I love everything that they stand for, I love their personalities, I love their courage, their tenacity, and their conviction. I love that everything they do, they do to the extreme. Theres just so much
to them. And while Butter doesn't LOOK very pittie, he has a pit personality all the way. As an almost 5 month old puppy, he can be very trying at times, but what puppy isn't? He's got personality plus and I just can't wait to see the dog that he'll grow into. And as much as I've always loved pits, Butter has just sealed the deal...they are now officially MY breed and I will NEVER be without one again.
Ogre (Akita) - The only dog other than Axl who was actually planned. A few months after DH and I got married, we had only two dogs and decided to add a third. We spent a few months talking and planning and decided to go to the same city pound I got Axl from and see what they had. I had initially planned on *finally* getting the APBT that I've always wanted, especially since that shelter tends to be overrun with them.
But for some reason I had another nagging thought in my mind. Even though I had always wanted a pittie, I started considering and researching other breeds. I began to want a bigger challenge than a pit. I wanted a bigger dog, a very independant one. Something that would be a challenge. And I'll admit it, a part of me also wanted the protection- I stay alone quite a bit and don't know anyone here, and a dog with natural guarding tendencies would have offered me alot of security. I also wanted a dog who didn't NEED me...who didn't just love you because you fed him. I wanted a dog whose love I would have to seriously earn. I considered rotties, since the shelter usually has one or two, or possibly some kind of mastiff...but Akitas never once popped into my head. I had met only one growing up, and he was a great dog, but they weren't terribly common and I definitely didn't expect to find on at the city pound. I decided that I should probably just stick with getting the pit I knew I wanted...but I figured I'd just see what they had when I got there.
When I saw Ogre, my jaw just dropped. They had him down as an Akita mix but he definitely looked purebred to me, and by all accounts, he is. He is SUCH a striking dog, especially the first time you see him....and knowing a bit about akitas, I knew he had all of the qualities that I had secretly been considering. Given all of the thoughts I'd been having about choosing more difficult breed, and the fact that this was an AKITA at a city pound...I knew it was just meant to be. He didn't officially go up for adoption for three more days, so I ran home, researched the heck out of Akitas online, went to book stores and got every book on them under the sun, and spent the next three days learning all that I could. Everything that I read about them reaffirmed that Ogre was the dog I wanted.
I'll admit that the first few days with him were pretty overwhelming... he was a 90+ pound completely untrained, fear-aggressive 8-ish month old puppy. He had never been inside a house before and normal household objects terrified him. He lacked the most basic social skills and hadn't the slightest clue how to interact with humans or other dogs at all. He couldn't go out in public because he would try to bite strangers, and going into strange buildings made him urinate in fear. The first couple of months were
hard.
But he has taught me so, SO much. I am constantly amazed at the progress he makes. 6 months later, he is infinitely more confidant. He did not respond to the traditional training methods that were all I knew, and when we discovered clicker training together, everything changed. His crate is his Safe Place, and he has 100 percent confidance in the house and around other dogs now because he knows that he CAN get away and "escape" to his crate if he wants, and nothing will ever bother him there. Knowing that his completely eliminated the fear he had for my other dogs, for new things in his environment, and for welcome strangers in the house. Clicker training gave him so much confidance that we were able to overcome his fear of strange buildings and he can now go to all public places, and even work his way through crowds, without an issue. With alot of work, he's stopped trying to run, barking and snarling, from the strangers we meet out in public...and while he can be a tad growly if strangers don't act "properly" towards him, it is still a HUGE improvement and he makes incredible strides every day...the other day a squealing child with a seriously negligent parent ran up to him and threw his arms around him at Petsmart, and I was horrified...but he didn't even flinch, and he even slurrped the kid on the nose. That was such a huge leap for him, I was almost in tears....he has taught me so, SO much about training, patience, and dogs in general. With his new found confidance he also takes it upon himself to guard the house when my husband isn't home...which means alot to me, because this area is not exactly the most secure.
So while Ogre is a very poorly bred Akita with alot of un-Akita-like issues, I still really love the breed. I have alot of respect for these dogs and Ogre will always have a special place in my heart for everything he's taught me, and continues to teach me. Would I have another? Probably not, if only because I want kids and would prefer to stick with a more child safe breed. Most likely, I'll eventually finally get that pittie that I want, and stick with them...but the dogs I have now have taught me a ton, regardless of breed. [
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