What kind of dog do you have and why is your dog the best?

[DarlaS]

We did a trial period with my grandma's bichon and I realized we are not little dog people. I want a dog who will listen, learn, and catch a frisbee!

 

You would love this guy. Definitely not a little dog (He is 5 mos old in that photo.) And no, he does not belong on the sofa. :o He is looking sort of serene there as he had just been neutered and was coming off anesthesia. He learns quickly, only barks for good reason and he listens. (He is easily distracted, but he's a pup, so we'll cut him some slack there. :tongue_smilie:)

 

We also have a husky, and she was such a handful as a pup, I would not recommend one as a first dog to anyone.

 

I will always have a GSD around from now on though. Best. Dogs. Ever.

 

[AnthemLights]

You would love this guy. Definitely not a little dog (He is 5 mos old in that photo.) And no, he does not belong on the sofa. :o He is looking sort of serene there as he had just been neutered and was coming off anesthesia. He learns quickly, only barks for good reason and he listens. (He is easily distracted, but he's a pup, so we'll cut him some slack there. :tongue_smilie:)

 

We also have a husky, and she was such a handful as a pup, I would not recommend one as a first dog to anyone.

 

I will always have a GSD around from now on though. Best. Dogs. Ever.

 

 

Aww, he is a handsome boy, isn't he? And I so agree with you. They are the best. :001_smile:

[JeneralMom]

Great Danes rule! Right now we have a Great Dane named Ranger, and a Great Pyrenees named Blossom. They are great family pets and if Blos would learn to just stop barking at everything, life would be fine. Ranger has some issues. I never leave my pets alone with people in the house but had an emergence and left my Danes with workmen. When I got back the workmen were gone, that night our older Dane died, and the two days later when I brought Ranger to the vet because of some issues they told me his ribs were broken. Ranger does not like workmen. He is also crazy protective of the kids. I have had two other Danes in my lifetime (a total of three) and will never be without one. I just wish they could live forever. My other dog was a German Shep/Rhodesian Ridgeback mix who passed away at 13 just after DS6 was born. She was the ultimate family dog - playful, loving, protective, joyous.

 

I grew up with a giant black lab and would love another one, but DH had a horribly sad experience with a lab as a child and another one as a young adult (both times the dogs died painfully - car accident and rattlesnake bite) and refuses to have a lab. I also had a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon growing up who was wonderful.

Edited August 26, 2011 by jenr

[TN Mama]

I read through your whole post before seeing who posted. :) As I read I was thinking about how much I love my puppy, but you already know all that! So, of the breeds you listed, I'd definitely say Aussie.

 

I'll have to send you a picture of my sister's pup. He is absolutely gorgeous.

[cloversandlions]

I have four dogs. :ohmy:

 

Two of them are Great Pyrenees. The best part about them is that they really are gentle giants. They are beautiful and calm, but a) they shed A LOT (and need to be brushed at least once a week), b) they are usually barkers, and their bark is really loud - low, but loud, and c) they usually like to dig. They cannot be allowed outside off leash, because they frequently go on walkabout, of sorts. It's just their nature. They are sweet, but can be a bit aloof - they are smart, but very independent. Also, they're big pooches - both of my girls are in the 80-90 lbs range.

 

Mine dug more when we had a flat yard, but there is no doubt about it - our yard is definitely in pretty awful condition because of them. They are double-coated, and the hair is everywhere. But the barking? Is.Driving.Me.Crazy.

 

On a positive note, they are excellent guard dogs - not vicious at all, but they do keep the wildlife from coming into our yard, and no one in their right mind would try to come over my fence or in my house. Really - they are very intimidating. However, only one of mine would probably hurt a stranger; my younger pyr is totally mellow.

 

We have a lab/husky mix, who has had hip dysplasia and stifle joint disease since we've had her (brought her home from a rescue at 10 months, and she was dx'd about five months later). She's well-behaved and has a great personality (she's a people pleaser), but I think she's always in some bit of pain because she has no tolerance for any rough treatment. She's never hurt my children, but she has growled and moved away. We've taught them to give her plenty of space, because she's really very sweet and gentle otherwise. We've had her for about six years.

 

And then...there's our 11-month old Golden Retriever. :001_wub: He is the mellowest, gentlest pup I've EVER known - easily trainable, stays with us outside even when he's off leash, loves (needs) to be with people, quick to housetrain, friendly... DH says if we'd known just how wonderful the breed is, we'd have just skipped the others and brought Simon home. Never mind that Simon wasn't around then. :lol:

[TN Mama]

My sister's Aussie.

 

Edited August 25, 2011 by TN Mama

[anewday]

If you look into PET or COMPANION lines with an Aussie you should be fine. They are breeding lines of them for agility and companionship and they are a different dog than the working lines. My Aussie was a mix of both but took after the companion lines and she's not a high energy dog by any means.

 

Same here - we have a purebred red tri Aussie that lays around most of the time (when he's not following us around). :) He comes from a show dog line. He is a very sweet dog and has calmed a good deal now that he's 2yo. He LOVES people and the two biggest cons are his propensity to jump on you and lick you to death. Blech. LOL

[athomemom]

My sister's Aussie.

[ATTACH]6207[/ATTACH]

 

I love it. Great pic!

[athomemom]

I read through your whole post before seeing who posted. :) As I read I was thinking about how much I love my puppy, but you already know all that! So, of the breeds you listed, I'd definitely say Aussie.

 

I'll have to send you a picture of my sister's pup. He is absolutely gorgeous.

 

Thanks, girlie. :001_wub:

[shanvan]

I love Aussies and thought about getting one recently. I tend to like medium to large dogs. We have a Border Collie, Cocker Spaniel, and 5 moth old English Springer Spaniel.

 

All 3 are smart, but I think the ESS is the smartest (well it's close b/t him and the BC).

 

They were all easy to house train using a crate. I never bothered with those puppy pad things. We were home most of the time when they were young and they were in their crates when we weren't.

 

Border Collie Bandit came from the shelter. He was in a foster home after being rescued on the day he was to be put down. He is my dog. When we first got him he was a little on the hyper side. If I asked him to do something he would go through everything he knew how to do just to try to please me. He's, of course, very good at agility. He loves people and gets along well with our other dogs. Now, at 11, he's very calm.

 

The newest guy we have is the 5 mo old English Springer Spaniel. He is the first dog we ever bought from a breeder and it has been a phenomenal experience. He came to us already sleeping through the night and knowing how to sit. His breeder lives nearby and she comes to 4h and watches Dd with him. She has also been a great help with grooming (free of charge).

 

He is pretty high energy. If Dd wasn't using him for 4h and I just wanted a house dog for the family, I probably wouldn't have him. Well, I don't know b/c I really love him...maybe I would! He does need a lot of exercise, but he gets it. We walk him twice a day and we are currently training him in obedience. Dd just finished her AKC puppy classes and passed the test that makes him an AKC STAR puppy! Hurray! He learns incredibly fast. It is almost like she doesn't have to "teach' him. She just asks him to do something and he does it. He does jumps (very low to ground) and the tunnel off leash on command. He watches her face constantly to see what she wants next. He annoys our other dogs b/c he is so exuberant, but he isn't aggressive and likes every dog he's met so far--also every person. He really is a wonderful dog, but I'm not sure I'd recommend ESS for a first time owner. I guess it would depend on how much time you are willing to put in on training. At the end of the day he is content to lay on the couch with me.

 

The Cocker Spaniel we got as a puppy. He did require some night time walking before he began to sleep through the night. I got up with him at 4am for a month or so. He is medium energy. He loves to play and excells at agility. Ds trains him through 4h and they place at the state show in agility every year. He is getting ready to enter him in some local agility trials as a junior handler. He's not as high energy as our ESS and never was even as a puppy. Cockers are tricky though and you really have to look at their parents. Ours has issues with fear and backs away from people. He was a rescue and we had to do a lot of work with him. This year he finally allowed the judge at the State show to run her hands over him without backing away. We had a cocker on trial this spring and she was absolutely neurotic. She went back to her breeder.

 

All three of our dogs hang out in the house with us. The Springer has limited time loose right now b/c he sometimes annoys the other 2 and he does like to chew and eat things, so he needs to be watched. He doesn't bother furniture, so I wouldn't say his chewing is crazy like some dogs, but he does need to be watched.

 

Here's our 3 waiting for instructions from me...and Dd training her puppy

 

 

[Mandowife]

Love our Great Danes!!http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=29933626306&set=a.27716031306.46917.648546306&type=1 Harley and Morgan http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=29933666306&set=a.27716031306.46917.648546306&type=1.

 

Unfortunately, both of them died from bloat. :( †hen There is Beau, http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=29933621306&set=a.27716031306.46917.648546306&type=1 We don't know what kind of dog he is, but he was also a very good dog. He died from old age. That was a tough year for us, dogwise.

 

Now we have two mutts that started out as strays. Roxy is some kind of beagle mix and crazy as it gets. Joey is a husky/pit mix? He is very skittish, but loves our kids and is very protective of them. Both are about 40lbs, small for what we are used to.

 

I really, really want another dane. (and new furniture, as our dogs ruined our sofa....sigh)

[Tree House Academy]

I have an American Cocker Spaniel. While I love him and will have him until he dies of old age, I must say that I could not write a post on why he is "the best." I would come much closer to writing an essay on why to NEVER own a cocker spaniel.

 

Since everyone is posting pics too...here is my cocker: (almost 6 years old and his name is Rosco).

Edited August 25, 2011 by Tree House Academy

[JeneralMom]

Love our Great Danes!!http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=29933626306&set=a.27716031306.46917.648546306&type=1 Harley and Morgan http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=29933666306&set=a.27716031306.46917.648546306&type=1.

 

Unfortunately, both of them died from bloat. :( †hen There is Beau, http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=29933621306&set=a.27716031306.46917.648546306&type=1 We don't know what kind of dog he is, but he was also a very good dog. He died from old age. That was a tough year for us, dogwise.

 

Now we have two mutts that started out as strays. Roxy is some kind of beagle mix and crazy as it gets. Joey is a husky/pit mix? He is very skittish, but loves our kids and is very protective of them. Both are about 40lbs, small for what we are used to.

 

I really, really want another dane. (and new furniture, as our dogs ruined our sofa....sigh)

 

As a fellow Dane lover, I would like to see yours, but the pictures are "private" so can't be accessed.

[Ginevra]

German Shepherd! :thumbup1: This is really the only kind of dog I want for the rest of my dog-owning life. (Although someone could make a good argument for a Border Collie or Sheltie; I like those, too.)

 

We wanted a dog that was intelligent and highly trainable, rugged for the outdoors and athletic, attractive to look at and that had a "guard dog" appearance/association for most people. Our dog, Sergeant, is perfect for that. Amazingly, dh and I were 100% in agreement that we wanted a GSD and we were even planning on the same name independently of one another! FATE!

 

ETA: I would post a pic, but my home internet is terrible for uploading photos.

Edited August 26, 2011 by Quill

[Mandowife]

As a fellow Dane lover, I would like to see yours, but the pictures are "private" so can't be accessed.

 

Oh drat! Ok, I will fix that tomorrow so I can show them off! I'm fixin' to head to bed or I'd do it now!

[Mandowife]

I think I fixed it!

[pie]

we have a dachshund, and his name is (embarrassingly, unimaginatively) Fritz. He is the 3rd doxie in my life, and I love all dachshunds! My grandparents had 2, my parents had 1, my sister has had 2, my niece has had 1...we all love those sweet faces, short legs and long ears and bodies. I have a small collection of dachshund figurines that my grandfather started. I prefer the tan/white, but Fritz is almost totally black (has a small white star on his chest). I am a computer dummy so don't know how to post his pic. Fritz is the only dachshund that I've had that is a real barker. We rescued him from a bad home..not a puppy mill, but close enough in my opinion. He is very afraid of people and vacuum cleaners. He never bites or attacks, but growls/barks..even at my dd...almost every time she walks in the room! He doesn't bark at my dh or I. Considered the bark collar, because he annoys my dd (hurts her feelings, really) but I don't really know much about them. He is not the best dog in the world, but I do love him. <3

[TN Mama]

Here are a few new pictures of Roscoe, our beloved mutt.

[Ann]

Kanaani or Canaan dog. Ours is the best. He is awesome with kids so gentle and patient. He thinks his job is to protect us. My only complaints are that he is very barky when people come to the door especially men. Noone can sneak up on the house that is for sure. Because he is a medium sized dog people are afraid he will bite what they don't know is that he is a marshmallow. They will not bite unless extremely provoked they just use barking to keep people at bay. Also he sheds like crazy at certain times of the year so I am constantly vacuuming up fur. They are very trainable and highly intelligent- they are used as police dogs, rescue dogs, in agility training. Also they match their activity level to you- if you are active they will be active, if you are more of a couch potato fine by them.

[Splash]

My favorite dog was a boxer named Maxine. I loved her. We wanted to get another once she was gone but allergist said no. He gave us a list of four dogs that if we must have a dog we could choose from.

 

We currently have a Portuguese Water Dog named Splash. I love him. He was a great puppy (compared to our labs and boxers). So easy to potty train, learned the word school and would go lay under the table and wait for the kids to have a break to play. He's goofy, energetic, loves kids and people, other dogs, etc. He thinks the mailman and ups guys are coming specifically to visit him. He does need his exercise/walks especially his first few years (he's currently 7). Only health issues he has is he's fat/overweight due to eating the baby formula by the can that he'd steal off the kitchen counter. We're working on that now that we don't need formula. He does require grooming every six to eight weeks and we bathe and brush weekly (that was actually the allergist requirement as well.)

 

I'd get another and have actually consdered buying one this summer. Downside is they are expensive and larger than we first thought.

 

Kimberly

[sarah1615]

We have a Boston Terrier and she is the perfect dog for us! She is small enough that she doesn't knock the kids over, but big enough that I don't have to worry about the kids squishing her! She was easy to train and she is a very sweet dog! I would definitely recommend a Boston. They do have energy, but she is not out of control--just a puppy!

Here is a pic of her as a little puppy:

 

And here she is now:

[Murphy101]

We have a miniature poodle. We adore him. He is smart, easy to train, stays with us always and is kid friendly. And mom friendly - I take him to the groomers, but he doesn't shed so he is very little house work.

 

If I could afford it, I'd love to get a basset for dh or a full party poodle to add to the menagerie. But dh has pet his foot down on no more pets in the house.

 

Our next favorite dog ever was the great Dane we had. She was awesome. Huge. And awesome. We still miss her.

[JeneralMom]

I think I have figured out how to upload pics.....

 

 

I love the second picture - it is my Great Dane Ranger with my youngest when she was 2 weeks old. The visual perspective makes it look like he is soooooooo huge. The last one is of them napping together just a month or so ago.

[Rose in BC]

 

Ruby, our Bernese Mountain dog, despite her unique berner traits, is a loyal, trustworthy soul. We also have a new puppy (well she's 8 months old), Yellow Lab -- Lucy. She will be a lovely dog once she's an adult and we've trained her properly. And then there's our little lap dog we found running around a parking lot three years ago. She is a nice little doggy . . . a bit quirky but we love her.