Suggestions on dogs requested

12/11/03 | Tasmanianred

[ArrogantBustard]

Boston terriers

Cute little things ... a good friend of mine breeds the little buggers. They're one of the few pug-nose dogs I can abide, as they aren't droolbuckets.

[Wright is right!]

"You haven't seen neurotic until you've seen a cross between a Border Collie and a coyote...but I love her just the same."

We once saw a Border Collie - Samoyed mix. It was one of the sweetest, most beautiful "mixed-mutts" I've ever seen. I still call that dog a Sambor.

Michael

[Spottys Spurs]

I have owned three Bouvier des Flandres dogs since 1973 and raised 3 boys with them. They are wonderful family dogs, great and loyal protectors & very well adapted for both apartment and home living. Check out the breed and decide for yourself.

Description of the Bouvier des Flandres from The Complete Dog Book:

The Bouvier Des Flandres is a powerfully built, compact, short-coupled, rough-coated dog of notably rugged appearance. He gives the impression of great strength without any sign of heaviness or clumsiness in his overall makeup. He is agile, spirited and bold, yet his serene, well-behaved disposition denotes his steady, resolute and fearless character. His gaze is alert and brilliant, depicting his intelligence, vigor and daring. By nature he is an equable dog.

His origin is that of a cattle herder and general farmer's helper, including cart pulling. He is an ideal farm dog. His harsh coat protects him in all weather, enabling him to perform the most arduous tasks. The coat may be trimmed slightly only to accent the body line.

He been used as an ambulance and messenger dog. Modern times find him as a watch and guard dog as well as a family friend, guardian, and protector. His physical and mental characteristics and deportment, coupled with his olfactory abilities, his intelligence and initiative enable him to also perform as a tracking dog and a guide dog for the blind.

Color -- From fawn to black, passing through salt and pepper,gray and brindle. Some colors are not favored in the show ring.

Height -- 25 to 27 inches at the withers.

Weight -- 90 to 120 pounds.

Temperament -- Very calm. Usually very good with and protective of children.

[Imagine]

I just took delivery of a 6-year old Airedale Terrier. Not wanting a puppy again (at my middle age,) I searched GOOGLE for various breeds that interested me. You will find that many clubs and breeders pop up on your GOOGLE search. You will also find that every breed has a "RESCUE" chapter and will place only dogs of their breed into a family that is capable of handling one. Find a rescue chapter near you and call them up. I found a sweet Airedale in such a manner. You normally will have several weeks to find out how compatible you and the dog are -- which is good.
PS, there are some breeds that don't shed and are more "hypo-allergenic" than others -- if that is a problem for you.
Good luck.

[vladog]

Get a pure bred lab. I've had 2 pure bred lab's and you can't beat them. Great with kids, good natured, low maintenance. I love these dogs!

[Revolting cat!]

Howz about Iggy I-wanna-be-your-dog Pop?!

[Irene Adler]

Whatever breed you decide upon, let me strongly suggest looking for an adoption-doggie on www.petfinder.org.

You select the breed you are interested in, and up come often hundreds of listings, most with photos, of dogs, both purebreds and mixes, from all over the U.S. that are up for adoption from rescue groups or shelters. For each dog, there is a short write-up with the dog's history, sex, age, temperament, physical condition, and special needs, if any, and where the dog is located. I found a WONDERFUL bichon boy who is such a joy to me on the list! I will never purchase anyother puppy from a breeder. I will always look on Petfinder.org.

But, beware, you think you will be looking for several weeks before you find the doggie you want, but it happens a lot faster than you think!

Petfinder.org is a wonderful, wonderful resource, and I commend it to all FReepers who are interested in finding the dog of their dreams.

As for breeds, I just adore my bichon, my pug, and my maltese.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Golden Retrievers.

[jimt]

Consider a mutt, particularly if you can see the parents. They're generally hardier than purebreds. A puppy (with all its hassles) is preferable over an older dog, as training takes better and becomes more instinctive.

My lab mix, about 30% larger than a purebred black lab, is generally a great dog. Living under a neighbor's house for most of a year without any training made her a bit stubborn when she came to live with us. But she was glad to be there.

The comment about a shelter dog being grateful is probably very true. If you choose one of those make sure you take extended time with it. Considering that the poor dog is ecstatic to be out of jail, even briefly, keep a sharp eye on behavior. Growling, etc., doesn't need to be tolerated as there's plenty more in the shelter who'd like to be in your home.

Be prepared though, for the emotional impact of the shelter. There are hundreds of nice animals there through no fault of their own. Every time I go there I'd like to rescue five or six, but can't. But the tail wagging, begging faces sure tug at the heartstrings.

[Xenalyte]

He doesn't drool but occasionally at mealtimes, but he does snore like the very dickens. Especially when he's all the way under the covers. (He seems to breathe easier when his head sticks out from under, though.)

I would add that he has THE worst gas of any living being I've ever met. Bacon can attest to its lethal potency.

[July 4th]

I'd rather have a dog, but I have heard the same thing about the Bengal cats. Apparently, they don't even mind the water...which I suppose is good if you ever want to bathe your cat.

[John Robertson]

Our Vizsla bitch is 13 months old. A heckuva dog. Low maintenance (shorthaired, like a Weimerainer, so it never needs brushed), a dedicated couch/lapdog, smart as can be, and tireless in the field or yard. Caution on the latter: An hour a day of exercise is NOT too much for a Vizsla. I took Roxie out to an 1100 acre park once, where she RAN, flat-out, or hunted, nonstop, for a full 95 minutes, and when I tried to get her back in the car, she gave me the, You think that was a lot of exercise? look.

But she is loyal and cuddly and frankly, beautiful, both in face and her highly muscularized figure (uh, yeah, I'm talking about a dog)--be ready for people stopping you in the street to compliment you. And fast: nothing has ever caught her, where dogs and their owners gather.

The Vizsla is officially a midsized dog, meaning the females come in 40-48 pounds, the males, 46-60 pounds. This was the first dog we ever bought, at $500 (they can go for more than double that), but I've since heard there's a Vizsla Rescue League.

At any rate, great dog.

[abner]

Click on the "A few of our dogs" link

German Shepherds are the best...

[Revolting cat!]

The best breed!

[chimera]

Mutts rule. They're the best. I love them. All our dogs were shelter/animal hospital mutts. The best dog I ever had was a cocker-spitz mix. Very sweet, and very cute. He was my little pal.

[Xenalyte]

The bad part is that Salty KNOWS he's photogenic, and he's quite the ham when Xena's Guy gets out the digital camera.

[AngryJawa]

Stay away from beagles...had one that was literally the hound from hell

Same here. I love my beagle dearly, but she tests my patience literally every day. I dunno, maybe the fact that she can't stay out of trouble is why I find her so entertaining...

My other dog is a black lab / whatever / whatever "Shelter Special". Great, smart, loyal dog. She tries to keep the beagle in line.

[old and tired]

Stay away from the currently in-bred breeds, such as German Shepherds.

A well bred German Shepherd is an excellent dog. They are highly intelligent, loyal and adaptable. We have owned 4 of them and I cannot imagine owning another breed of dog.

They've all been excellent with children. We've never had one that didn't let the kids (or grandkids) climb on them, stick fingers in their eyes, and pull their tails.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that they shed a great deal.

[ImProudToBeAnAmerican]

Go for a boxer! Smart, sweet, playful, loving, gentle, loyal, protective, quiet - minimal shedding - wonderful with kids.

Ours follows my wife around like a shadow - lays on her feet whenever she sits down.

[mystery-ak]

PUGS...if you don't mind lap dogs and a dog that has to sleep with you....I have 3 of them and allow only one in bed at a time....