What breed would you like if you were to get a dog IF you are a dog person?

[Scarlett]

I tried tried to send you a pic of my GSP and me just now but you still can’t receive messages. You probably need to clean out some messages. 

[Kidlit]

1 hour ago, SanDiegoMom said:

I can't remember if you have a pool -- we have a pool and our two closest friends here have pools. They both have dogs that get super stressed when people are in the pool.  They have to lock the dogs away or else they bark and run back and forth the entire time.  It's awful! Our dog just ignores us and usually just goes inside.  

We have a blue heeler (Australian Cattle Dog) who has to be put up when splashing occurs in the pool. (In other words, I could get in and lay on a float, but if my younger kids get in and play, it drives her nuts.) I would not recommend this breed of dog for a backyard.  She has gotten very neurotic as she has aged, and I think it's because she is bored.  She definitely needs a job to do, and that's something we just can't provide during the day because of work and school. 

[KungFuPanda]

4 hours ago, DawnM said:

I see several great pyrenees.   Is this a breed any of you would want?   It seems similar to a husky to me, but it could be completely different temperament wise.   I have googled, but can't get a good feel for it.

As far as spending a lot of time with the dog prior to adopting, I am not sure that is feasible.   Many of them are too far to go back and forth to spend a lot of time with them.  The shelters aren't a place to hang out anyway.   The shelters closest to me are over 30 min. each way without traffic.  

I just joined a group of folks in the area trying to regime their pets, so I am hoping that may be my best option.

The BEST dogs (both female) I’ve ever known was a German Shepherd I grew up with and my Mamaw’s border collie.  I didn’t know either of these dogs as puppies though so I didn’t have to train or tolerate them foe the early years. 
 

A friend has a Great Pyrenees in the suburbs, but she is a serious dog person AND a person who walks miles and miles every day. She also had very athletic kids who walked the dog. It looked like a polar bear. It was remarkably huge.  I knew three people with Shelties and those dogs were so sweet. However, I didn’t know them as puppies. 
 

My brother, who grew up with the great dogs mentioned above, is super loyal to Boston terriers and thought they made the best family pets and easy travel companions. 
 

My last dog was a Saluki greyhound. I loved him, but I do not recommend. He was actually a dream as a puppy; house trained easily and wasn’t destructive. He also had big cat energy and slept a LOT, but he was a neurotic mess, afraid of everything, and neither good motivated nor a people pleaser. Everything scared him. As he got older he didn’t just shake when a thunderstorm began, he’d start shaking when the barometric pressure dropped. That dog was seriously miscalibrated. 

Edited August 4 by KungFuPanda

[DawnM]

23 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

I tried tried to send you a pic of my GSP and me just now but you still can’t receive messages. You probably need to clean out some messages. 

I messaged you and you can respond to that, can you not see the message I sent you 2 days ago?

[Scarlett]

2 minutes ago, DawnM said:

I messaged you and you can respond to that, can you not see the message I sent you 2 days ago?

Nope 

[Ginevra]

1 hour ago, Jann in TX said:

DH actually told me that he regrets not getting a GS as we have been spoiled with 'smart' dogs.

I am also spoiled on smart dogs. I would not want a dog that couldn’t learn quickly like my two best “heart” dogs of my life. 
 

It’s all moot conjecture anyway because I will not get another dog until I am home full time and I don’t expect that to be anytime soon. (Although, if dh would take on the job of the dog, he could get one; I have said as much, but not if the primary owner is me.) 

[livetoread]

2 hours ago, Drama Llama said:

I have heard that Havanese, or Havanese mixes, often have those characteristics. 

I was thinking of these, too. So expensive though.

[Carrie12345]

I love *all* dogs and wish I could collect almost all of de them like Pokémon, but that wouldn’t be fair to them.

I’m probably going to get another German Shepherd in another year or two. As rocky of a start as we had, Sam is so amazing. As is his brother over in his home. I am obsessed.

I would not get another chihuahua or chi-mix. I love my boy, but he has been unpredictable for 9+ years. Some days he’ll only let me handle him and will attack anyone else. We don’t know from one day to the next.

I won’t get any dog that needs a real haircut.

I won’t get a dog I’m not strong enough to lift in an emergency.

I won’t get a dog with a smooshed in face that causes breathing issues.

I won’t dock ears or tails.

 

[Melanie32]

1 hour ago, Kidlit said:

We have a blue heeler (Australian Cattle Dog) who has to be put up when splashing occurs in the pool. (In other words, I could get in and lay on a float, but if my younger kids get in and play, it drives her nuts.) I would not recommend this breed of dog for a backyard.  She has gotten very neurotic as she has aged, and I think it's because she is bored.  She definitely needs a job to do, and that's something we just can't provide during the day because of work and school. 

My son and his wife have two of these and they are great but they have the run of several acres and each other to play with. The oldest is 10ish and so loyal and well behaved, not neurotic at all. The younger one is 2 and she’s a great dog as well. 

[KSera]

8 minutes ago, Ginevra said:

am also spoiled on smart dogs. I would not want a dog that couldn’t learn quickly like my two best “heart” dogs of my life. 

I’m a bit of two minds on this, as sometimes the smartest dogs are the most work. They are frequently the type that really need a job in order to not get bored and make trouble. Like a lab tends to be a happy medium where they’re smart enough to be trained well, but not to the point where they need a job to be content. Though if you get an older dog, you might skip some of those issues as I think it’s most intense when they are young.

[Kidlit]

Just now, Melanie32 said:

My son and his wife have two of these and they are great but they have the run of several acres and each other to play with. The oldest is 10ish and so loyal and well behaved, not neurotic at all. The younger one is 2 and she’s a great dog as well. 

Yes, they are wonderful dogs.  Ours was a handful as a puppy but settled down quite a bit.  Our dog's problem is definitely that her person went off to college and no one is home to pay attention to her, and while she does  have a large backyard to enjoy, she really needs something to *do*. 

[Ginevra]

4 minutes ago, KSera said:

I’m a bit of two minds on this, as sometimes the smartest dogs are the most work. They are frequently the type that really need a job in order to not get bored and make trouble. Like a lab tends to be a happy medium where they’re smart enough to be trained well, but not to the point where they need a job to be content. Though if you get an older dog, you might skip some of those issues as I think it’s most intense when they are young.

I think that’s another reason I feel like I cannot be bothered to have a dog for this season in my life. I love a dog that can really be a companion and can do stuff with me, but I don’t have the bandwidth for that right now. 
 

Also, To @Scarlett, my husband loves German Shorthair Pointers and had two of them (or, his father did) when he was a kid. They were trained bird dogs. We haven’t owned one together but it would not be out of the question if he was willing to train and exercise the dog. 

[Kidlit]

Just now, Ginevra said:

I think that’s another reason I feel like I cannot be bothered to have a dog for this season in my life. I love a dog that can really be a companion and can do stuff with me, but I don’t have the bandwidth for that right now. 
 

Also, To @Scarlett, my husband loves German Shorthair Pointers and had two of them (or, his father did) when he was a kid. They were trained bird dogs. We haven’t owned one together but it would not be out of the question if he was willing to train and exercise the dog. 

I used to say I was going to get a dog of my own once my kids were mostly grown.  I'm changing my mind, though. I feel like I want less responsibility, not more. 

[mommyoffive]

I would say if you don't want a hyper dog, don't get a Weimaraner.  Our first one we got was 7 years old and she was breed so I think she was totally worn out.  We just got a one year old one in November and he is totally nuts.   I have never experienced a dog with such insane energy.  He sleeps about 30 seconds during the day, no lie.  He is just constantly on.

I love labs.  Love.   We have one now and she is just my spirit animal.  I have loved labs since I was a kid.  

[momto3innc]

I grew up with the world’s best golden retriever and that is likely my favorite breed. When my kids were small, I just couldn’t take the shedding, so we got a rescue golden doodle instead. She was SUCH a good dog. Super playful yet gentle with the kids, and able to settle well. We did do a lot of training when she was young and she was a total delight for all of her 14 years.

Now we have a mini Australian shepherd. Wow. The energy. I love how smart, loyal, and super cuddly she is but she is definitely more work. I like that she makes me way more active. I had gotten too sedentary and it turns out I’m really enjoying walking/running with her. But she is definitely not a dog to get if you’re not ready to keep them busy. Although having another dog to entertain her would also work.

[denarii]

Border Collie. I had one and lost him in 2022 and I miss him. I'd love to have another. 

[madteaparty]

Not a dog person but I adore my maltipoo. He has a bit of shihtzoo in him too. I just adore the poodle personality but not the classic poodle look. My dog looks like a teddy bear and is a complete love (and doesn’t shed which is so important to me). 

[Faith-manor]

We will likely not get another dog after Lewis passes because we intend on traveling quite a bit. But I will always have a soft spot for sport cocker spaniels. That said, I have always loved collies, border collies, and shelties.

[WendyLady]

We are currently babysitting our daughter's chocolate Lab and she is just adorable. I like a big dog and I think a Lab would be fun to raise. My favorite dogs are always golden retrievers. We have had a couple over the years and they are smart and sweet, but my heart can't take losing a dog again. So babysitting for our daughter is sorta perfect for now. And her lab is super smart. Maybe too smart!! Our other daughter has a golden doodle that is such a sweetie. Don't believe people when they say they don't shed - there is still hair loss, just not as bad.

Good luck on your doggie search!

[Mom_to3]

Plugging Papillons. Very smart, lots of fun, friendly, low maintenance, and very easy to travel - many trips cross-country and abroad. Not good for little kids - there bones are very fragile. I always wanted a golden retriever, but I think I'd still stick with smaller dogs to make travel easier.

[Pawz4me]

7 hours ago, madteaparty said:

Not a dog person but I adore my maltipoo. He has a bit of shihtzoo in him too. I just adore the poodle personality but not the classic poodle look. My dog looks like a teddy bear and is a complete love (and doesn’t shed which is so important to me). 

I'm a lover of all dogs, but the shedding (or more accurately the lack thereof) has become a huge priority for me as I've aged. Paying a groomer, or spending a small amount of time every few weeks to clip them myself, is so much easier and less stressful than dealing with constant cleaning. I've gotten so used to living with non-shedders that I get a little cringy now when I'm around shedders, even though I still love them.

[DawnM]

13 hours ago, Scarlett said:

Nope 

Weird.   Try to message me again, I deleted some old PMs.

[DawnM]

13 hours ago, Navymom said:

Only German Shepherd Dogs for me, but I rarely recommend them to anyone. They can be a LOT of work.

I won't get a Shepherd, my MIL has had two and neither were predictable around young kids.   

15 hours ago, SanDiegoMom said:

I can't remember if you have a pool -- we have a pool and our two closest friends here have pools. They both have dogs that get super stressed when people are in the pool.  They have to lock the dogs away or else they bark and run back and forth the entire time.  It's awful! Our dog just ignores us and usually just goes inside.  

We do have a pool.   That is interesting.  Our current dog (doodle), isn't like that, however, he does want to be in the pool if you are in the pool.   He doesn't care for our current pool as much as the last one (the last one was concrete and had a ledge on each end for him to swim a lap, pop his head up to see what he was missing, and then swim back to the other landing.).   This pool is a liner pool, so steps on one end, but no ledge or landing to pop his head up in.

 

[Kanin]

12 hours ago, Kidlit said:

I used to say I was going to get a dog of my own once my kids were mostly grown.  I'm changing my mind, though. I feel like I want less responsibility, not more. 

Sounds like you need 1-3 cats 😍

[Pam in CT]

re Bernadoodles and (Australian) labradoodles

19 hours ago, SanDiegoMom said:

my daughter has an Australian labradoodle and we have a bernedoodle.  Her dog is amazing, my dog is... unique. 🙂 Both are wonderful loving dogs, perfect size (we had goldens and are happy to downsize).  They don't shed and are less allergenic.  The labradoodle is a velcro dog and is super smart. The bernedoodle is more independent and more of a watchdog -- he barks more frequently at potential threats.  

 

18 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

We have an Australian Labradoodle too. Very calm, doesn't shed, very adaptable.  Not much fun though  - not playful at all, even when young. Still with us at age 17.5.

My brother & fam got a medium Bernadoodle puppy shortly before my husband *.    got us an Australian labradoodle puppy. In both cases, it was the first **puppy** we'd ever had.  (We've had two beloved dogs before, but we got both of them as adult well-vetted rescues.)

They're both great dogs (NOW, lol), and because we got both of them as young puppies, it's been interesting to watch the dogs move through their phases (brother's dog is now a bit more than 2 yo; ours is now 19 months); and also interesting to see how very much variation there is within particular breeds.

On breed: Both of them are mid-size (Bernadoodle ~38 pounds; Australian labradoodle ~32 pounds).  Neither shed. Bernadoodle really does need a fancy $$ haircut or he looks sorta stupid; (I tell myself that) the Australian lab doodle is OK shaved (summer) or slacker-hacker clipped if going to the groomer is inconvenient. Both are good with kids, strangers, and other dogs.  Bernadoodle is a bit of a bolter so they keep him contained; Australian lab doodle is fine in large open dog parks (there's a 10 acre dog park near us that is unfenced at the edges) or off leash where allowed; but I think that's maybe more individual personality / maybe training than a breed issue per se. Bernadoodle doesn't like water; Aus lab doodle does.

On personalities within breed: The breeder told my brother that his Bernadoodle was the **calmest** of the litter; our breeder told us that our Australian lab doodle was the **liveliest** of the litter. (Not aggressive, but TIRELESS.) And OMG HE WAS. He truly just about killed me the first 6 months. As soon as we got up I would walk him 2 miles before breakfast, then as soon as he'd eaten I'd spend another hour or so throwing a toy back and forth, then he'd suddenly topple over to nap for, like, 20 minutes during which I'd scramble as fast as I could to get anything done, and then he was UP AGAIN and I'd go out to the (fenced) yard and try to keep going as he chased chipmunks and birds and dug holes in my garden until he started nipping at my shoelaces and I'd start pitching the dang toys again in a futile effort to delay when we needed to go for another 2 mile walk, repeat until he toppled over again for another (too short) nap. He had two speeds: ON!!!!! and (plunk) off. For fourteen freaking months. Brother's Bernadoodle puppy was waaaaaaay more chill at 4 months than ALD is even today. He finally did calm down to a degree where he more or less approximates a normal dog -- we just got back from a 4+ week stint on a boat, and he was terrific (with a lot of management around his needs). But all to say: when the breeder says "this is a lively one" or "this is a calm one", be attentive, lol.

We also saw a bunch of Portuguese waterdogs on our boat stint -- similar size, similarly non-shedding, and seemingly nice temperament.

[wintermom]

15 hours ago, denarii said:

Border Collie. I had one and lost him in 2022 and I miss him. I'd love to have another. 

Yes! We LOVE border collies here. We got one, loved it so much we got another one to exercise with the first one. We take them for off-leash walks/runs in the woods daily, which is also excellent for us humans. We also do aggility with them - which is fun for both dogs and humans. 

You definitely need time and space to keep these dogs happy, but they will happily make their own 'work' by hurding up tennis balls and other toys, observing neighbourhood children, etc. They also help to make their owners happy with increased physical and mental activity. It's a win-win partnership! 😉 

[Drama Llama]

My son loves to watch dog sports, and hopes to compete one day.  He is torn between a border collie X papillon for agility or a border collie X whippet for flyball.  

 

 

[Indigo Blue]

1 hour ago, Drama Llama said:

My son loves to watch dog sports, and hopes to compete one day.  He is torn between a border collie X papillon for agility or a border collie X whippet for flyball.  

 

 

I didn’t know what flyball was, and I love to watch agility. So I looked it up. Oh my goodness. That is amazing. The dogs seem to really love it! I could watch that all day. 

[lmrich]

I was at my dd's grad party and three moms were gushing about their goldens. I felt bullied into telling them I would get one soon. (I did not... and will not because I just found some kittens)

[wintermom]

3 hours ago, Drama Llama said:

My son loves to watch dog sports, and hopes to compete one day.  He is torn between a border collie X papillon for agility or a border collie X whippet for flyball.  

 

 

Just out of curiosity, why a cross? Does he prefer something a little smaller? My border collies are small (both about 40 lbs). 

My friend has two sport dogs and she competes in both agility and flyball with them - and does frisbee and dock diving for fun. One is a whippet/border collie/staffie mix and the other a staffie mix. They both have short hair, which is a bonus for some people.

[MercyA]

My Cavalier King Charles Spaniel excels at what she was bred to do--sit in laps. 🙂 She is unfailingly gentle, smart, and playful. She's big enough to be sturdy but small enough to be portable and easy to bathe. 🙂 All of that said, I would only ever buy one from an excellent breeder (one who provides health testing records for the dog's parents and who doesn't breed more than one or two kinds of dogs). Cavaliers have lots of health problems. 50% have heart problems. Some of them literally have skulls too small for their brains, and that's a painful condition. 😞 My vet is constantly saying, wow, I can't believe your Cavalier doesn't have heart problems or joint problems. Her sweet personality and small size is just what we needed, but I hesitate to recommend them to other people due to the health issues.

I love Chihuahuas. I can't help it. The dog of my heart was a Chihuahua / terrier mix. ❤️

I would say go with a dog who's been in a foster home, so that their behavior is very well known, and, as others have said, go with an older dog--three or more years old. A stable personality that meshes well with your family is more important than breed. 

Good luck!

[lynn]

I always wanted a sheltie but my dil just got a king Charles terrier.  Now I'm not sure.....

[SanDiegoMom]

8 hours ago, Pam in CT said:

But all to say: when the breeder says "this is a lively one" or "this is a calm one", be attentive, lol.

 

Totally.  You can only say so much about a breed, when personality goes a lot farther I think.  We kind of knew going in our bernie was going to be a little strange.  He stares a TON, and when we watched the playground videos of him from the breeder you could see it then.  He must have been more nervous than the others, and seeking reassurance or something?  He still stares at us a ton, and can get pretty nervous in the car and if I am gone, but he's getting better and better with other people and dogs.   He rarely ever chewed on toys or chased a ball.  He prefers his walks and his days staring out the window in the front or backyard.  (We try to let him out as it's all fenced, but he prefers it inside, lol. 

My daughter's labradoodle was a calm one.  She will play some, loves her walks, loves to snuggle, and can sleep for hours and will eventually bark and paw my daughter when she's bored.  But it doesn't take a ton to wear her out. 

Our first golden was a backyard bred dog with so much energy.  And he ate so many things he shouldn't have.  Garden hoses, decaying birds, our sofa.  But our second golden was calmer and a sweetheart. 

[Ausmumof3]

Border collies and kelpies work for our lifestyle. They are able to be trained about livestock even if not actively working dogs. Obviously not what I’d choose for a town dog. I loved our beagle when we were in town. The only issue was a tendency to escape any and every attempt at dog proofing and take herself to socialise with the neighbourhood. Thankfully her lovable personality meant she mostly didn’t come to harm. I wouldn’t have a beagle where we live now because the wandering tendency would be a problem here with livestock and 100km/hr roads but I would in the suburbs. They’re not as big as a lab but still have that relatively calm personality. Otherwise oodles seems to be fairly dopey and calm.

[Tap]

We have a Shiba Inu and I just rehomed my Goldendoodle. :(. I had to rehome her due to my daughter (long story) the dog was a a sweetheart. 

Goldendoodle-she was curly coated, smart, silly, loving and protective. Great dog. 50lbs and cost me about $100/10weeks for grooming. She shed very little around the house, but grooming was expensive. When she wanted attention she would put her paw on your leg and look up with big golden eyes. She wanted to please you and would do what ever she could to get attention. 

Shiba Inu=20lbs. sweet and definitely a 'pack dog' (always with her people). The bread is known to be more cat like and independent. She is very much this! No tricks, rarely comes on command, and is not a bread to want to please. But she is very sweet, cuddly, and doesn't need much. When she wants attention she looks you in the eye and wiggles her but. LOL Everyone loves her instantly. She sheds A LOT! but it brushes off easily (not like the wirey hair of some breads. 

[Momof4sweetkids]

If I was going to get an inside dog, I'd get a mini doxen. We had a couple growing up and they were the perfect lap dog. I think a lot of other small dogs are ugly so their cuteness was a plus.

I loved our border collie/lab mix but she was hyper until she turned 4. Our lab/GP mix is our guard dog now and she's good at her job and pretty good with our kids (sometimes doesn't realize her own size with the toddlers). 

[crazyforlatin]

My 7 year old husky is a mix so barks like a lab, has a goofy personality of a lab, looks like a husky, thought she lacked a couple of brain cells until she removed the stakes from the yard and escaped 3 times this week plus 4 other times the previous free months through a small opening with rose bushes and thorns around. She has Aussie and German Shep and loves to pull Dd on her skateboard - urban skajoring.
 

Next time around I’m still going to adopt a husky because there are too many in shelters that euthanize due to lack of space. In CA some shelters don’t kill, many do. 

[Ellie]

We rescued an elderly French bulldog, and he was such a great dog that if we ever bought a brand new one (a puppy, you know), we'd consider a Frenchie.

Another one I'd consider is a Papillon. They're so dang cute, and in all my research I never read a bad word bout them.

[DawnM]

Someone needs to re-home a mini Aussie and he is beautiful.   But he is not fixed.   I will get him fixed if we get him, but do I want to go through that hassle again?   Tell me honestly.

I also have another dog I am inquiring about, but there seems to be a lot of interest in her so I am not getting too hopeful on her, but she is already spayed.   She is a Aussie/Pomeranian mix.

[Pawz4me]

Just now, DawnM said:

Someone needs to re-home a mini Aussie and he is beautiful.   But he is not fixed.   I will get him fixed if we get him, but do I want to go through that hassle again?   Tell me honestly.

 

What hassle did you experience? A neuter is a simple procedure and most dogs recover completely within a day or two. I've been through it with numerous dogs of my own and fosters, and it's never been anywhere near a hassle.

[DawnM]

13 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

What hassle did you experience? A neuter is a simple procedure and most dogs recover completely within a day or two. I've been through it with numerous dogs of my own and fosters, and it's never been anywhere near a hassle.

Just needing to get him to/from the location, it is about 45 min. each way, either DH or I will need to miss work to do it and I start back in a week and a half.   

I guess it isn't too bad of a recovery, just trying to get the dog not to lick, etc....   and thinking with a new to us dog, would he think we are hurting him, or would it be fine?  

[Terabith]

Are you sure this is the right time for a new dog?  I would think it might be better to wait till you have finished construction.  

[TravelingChris]

My first dog was a cocker spaniel when my son was little- we adopted her from a family who couldn't afford her thyroid meds.  Her grooming was expensive and the thyroid condition, even when treated, didn't leave her skin in such good condition.  She didn't bite, she did alert us when a car drove into our car which was parked on the street and that woke us up.  She liked to bark at hot air balloons.  Next dh wanted a bloodhound--cause he thought it would be good for exercising- she had mange which was hard to manage and after a year or two, we re-homed in a farm setting because he had no time for exercising the dog and I had issues with having 2 young kids. 

Then we adopted from the shelter a wonderful poodle terrier mix- he was so smart.  He protected me once when a workman came over who he didn't like even before I opened the door.  I was holding him but would have thrown the dog on him even he tried anything.  He was a little thing but really did protect us in many situations.  He lived for about 10 years with us but unfortunately he developed brain cancer-and he did nip then before we discovered that he had that. 

Then we tried labs- 1st lab bit or tried to bite my youngest so went back to that lab rescue right away.  Then we adopted a lab that had been adopted by  an AF woman but she had separation anxiety and that woman had 12 shifts, versus I was homeschooling my  kids.  Her separation anxiety completely went away but we had to re-home her due to us moving overseas and we didn't want her to get such anxiety again.

We gpt am old English bulldog from a family who was leaving Europe-the dog was 9 and we had him about six months.  Very sweet, totally calm.

A Westie we adopted later in Europe was in a shelter from birth to nine months- and he did bite my youngest and I took him to a closer shelter (we had gotten him from a city about 3 hours away) and said that he should only go to homes with no children and he was adopted right away.

We didn't have anymore dogs in Europe but when we moved to Florida, I got in touch w/coastal poodle group and got a full breed poodle-they thought he was 3 but the vet said he was 6. Absolutely my best dog---I trained him super easily to bark and scare away deer from my yard when we lived in VA.  He had heart problems. then he was going blind, and finally dementia-but the medicine that doesn't work well in humans, worked miracle in my mini poodle. We had moved here to AL by that time.  He had become very cautious because of his blindness so we would not be so careful about keeping doors closed to the outside all the time or the garage would be open.  He disappeared and I got in touch w/ the tracking co, and other means of tryimg top find lost dogs. A woman who already had 3 Great Danes w/ rescue called me about a poodle/corgi mix just found and he had a big lump under his throat.  I was happy to tale him in and the vet hadn't thought it was cancer but did send it to Auburn Vet School to check.  Yes, cancer.  We didn't do amy treatments (except changing diet to very specialized cause this dog was allergic to so many things- including bees, oatmeal, beef, chicken and on  and on)  He didn't like men much, but usually ignored.  We had left him at a vet's kennel -and this was probably 3  years later, and yes his cancer spread.

I have also had short involvement w?mini Aussie but dd1 took to  be a companion to her Lab/boxer mix

I have also fostered over the years- a Golden retriever, a Basenji, another cocker spaniel, a Basset hound, and I know I am not thinking of all of them.

 

 

 

[Spryte]

I love Aussies. 

Our current Aussie is almost 9, and still very active. Also, just the sweetest, cuddliest girl, and very happy to chill out with the family when it’s time to relax, too. She is a snuggler. Did I say active? Very, very active! She loves to run, super eager to please, would have been delighted to be an agility dog. She is easy going with kids and other dogs. I’m not sure how she’d handle the pool.

My doggy soulmate was an Aussie mix — he was right around 100 lbs, so was mixed with a bigger breed. I’d guess Bernese Mountain Dog, based on shape, but he was a blue merle. He was on the giant, mellow dog side. Loved hiking, fetching, swimming. Very maternal with babies, kittens, baby birds, you name it, kind of like the dog Nana in the Peter Pan book. On the pool — my guess is he’d have gotten in to swim. However, we used to hike to hot springs and those he could not tolerate. He would pace and cry while we stayed in the water, so who knows? I miss him, still. We had 16 years together and it wasn’t enough.

I would probably not choose another poodle mix. Our schnoodle is the sweetest, most loyal, kind dog. He was born a little old man, and at 15 he’s really an old man now. He’s had so many issues common to poodles. We’ve had allergies, chronic ear issues, he’s prone to fatty tumors which we need to biopsy, sometimes have removed, he’s had a toe amputation when a benign tumor caused issues with it, he’s completely deaf, and has arthritis. And he has dementia, which I didn’t even realize could plague dogs. Not to mention the grooming.  Between grooming, arthritis shots, and chronic ear meds and monthly shots — just those three necessary things run around $300/month, as a baseline. We are committed to making him as comfy as possible and loving him every moment we can, but it’s been a hard road and I probably would avoid poodle mixes in the future. I’m sure our experience hasn’t been everyone’s, though.

We’ve had lots of other breeds, Aussies just happen to be my favorite. I love them all, though.

Edited August 6 by Spryte

[Drama Llama]

19 hours ago, wintermom said:

Just out of curiosity, why a cross? Does he prefer something a little smaller? My border collies are small (both about 40 lbs). 

My friend has two sport dogs and she competes in both agility and flyball with them - and does frisbee and dock diving for fun. One is a whippet/border collie/staffie mix and the other a staffie mix. They both have short hair, which is a bonus for some people.

He has this idea that he wants to get a puppy, raise it as an ESA and take it to college.  I can see reasons why it is a good idea but also reasons why it isn’t.  
 

But a BC is too much dog for either our current living situation or for college.  So he is fantasizing about something smaller and/or a little more chill.

Also, for a long time we thought our current dog was a BC cross.  Recently someone who is a BC expert looked at him and said that they think he is an Aussie cross, because of the shape or his hind quarters.  He has been the perfect dog.

Does anyone have experience with a dog in college? 

[wintermom]

36 minutes ago, Drama Llama said:

He has this idea that he wants to get a puppy, raise it as an ESA and take it to college.  I can see reasons why it is a good idea but also reasons why it isn’t.  
 

But a BC is too much dog for either our current living situation or for college.  So he is fantasizing about something smaller and/or a little more chill.

Also, for a long time we thought our current dog was a BC cross.  Recently someone who is a BC expert looked at him and said that they think he is an Aussie cross, because of the shape or his hind quarters.  He has been the perfect dog.

Does anyone have experience with a dog in college? 

Has your ds ever seen a flyball or agility training session or competition in-person? Sport dogs are not 'chill' from what I see with my friend. In fact, the handlers work hard to increase the dog's excitement and focus (they call it 'engagement') so that the dog will run hard. They use tugs to encourage the dogs to run after it, and the dogs often are swinging on the tug while the handler sometimes pats the dog. There is also a ton of dogs excitedly barking at the training facilities while they wait for their turn to run. "Chill" is far from what I picture a sport dog being. They seem to thrive in an environment that is noisy (flyball buildings are often loud and have lots of echo).

 

Edited August 6 by wintermom

[Spryte]

56 minutes ago, Drama Llama said:

 

Does anyone have experience with a dog in college? 

Yes. I lived off campus in a house in college, and that’s when my doggy soulmate (that I posted about above) entered my life. We did everything together.

I rented a house and was primary on the lease, rented out extra rooms. Lived there year round, with some visits back home — maybe once or twice a year, tops. I lived close enough to walk home between classes as needed, and dog went with me hiking, backpacking, camping. Sometimes my dog flew home for the holidays with me, or we drove cross country. Occasionally one of my long-term roommates volunteered to hang out with him during my trip — I would invariably come home to a spoiled, happy dog. 

No experience with dogs living on campus, that wasn’t allowed where I went to school, so I’m not sure how it would work with someone who wants the typical dorm/college experience.

 

[Innisfree]

2 hours ago, Terabith said:

Are you sure this is the right time for a new dog?  I would think it might be better to wait till you have finished construction.  

And until you have time off to be home and help him settle in, too

[rebcoola]

Our Boxer is pretty much the perfect do. Active enough to play and do anything  you could ever want your dog to do but so chill most of the time happy to lay around sun herself. No special grooming. Big enough to not be under foot but small enough to lift easily. Was easy  to train

 

[Melanie32]

Neutering is especially easy for a male dog! I would take either one of those. The pom Mix might be a little more neurotic. The mini Aussie may be less so if he is full bred and not a mix. Some people call a Pom Aussie mix a mini Aussie as there isn’t technically a recognized breed as mini Aussie. A true one would be where they just took small aussies and continued to breed them until they got smaller aussies. A really small Aussie is unlikely to be a pure Aussie from what I’ve read. Ours is 35 lbs and you can tell he is full Aussie but I have friends who have tiny ones and you can tell they are not fully aussies. The super small aussies that I have been around have all been a bit neurotic and don’t have the classic Aussie personality. 
 

I only mention all of this because it changes their personalities and possible health issues.

We absolutely adore our mini Aussie! He is a bundle of joy and keeps us in stitches! We love taking him everywhere we possibly can with us and we miss him when we have to leave him at home. He’s the sweetest thing and oh so very smart! He does bark when people walk by or come over but not excessively. He’s only ever been friendly to other dogs and people although every now and then he will take a dislike to someone for some reason and growl a bit or just refuse to go near them. I completely trust his judgement! 😁

 

He is obsessed with cats! We have a cat and they get along great and when other cats come up to him he’s great with them. However if they run, he wants to chase them. 
 

He does well with two 1 mile walks a day, and a short daily training session or play time. His love language is play and he would play all day if we would. I have to put his toys up when I want him to stop begging us to play. 
 

So I really think aussies are best for someone who wants the whole dog lifestyle of taking their dog places and playing with and walking their dog. Most are not lap dogs but I’ve heard some can be. Ours likes to cuddle at night and in the morning but otherwise just wants to play play play! 

I kind of feel like I might be hooked on aussies now. They just have the greatest personalities! 

And after all of that of course I had to include a picture!