Why Do You Like The Kinds Of Dogs You Do?

[Chiwogabull*]

I was first attracted to Salukis reading about the entertaining trail of brutally expensive property destruction a friend's Saluki wrought on the household. She also found it funny, she is a free spirit independent type herself, with a taste for the finer things in life

I like love them because they are reserved, independent, difficult, ancient, aristocratic, beautiful, athletic and they keep you on your toes. I am fairly sure that what a group of Saluki or Afghan owners would find hilarious or amusing a group of GSD or Border Collie owners would find completely disgraceful

Thanks for the book recommend PF, I will look it up.

Edit - I have also noticed "pairing" across groups. A lot of sighthound people also have terriers for example, and I'm sure there is a cross-over there in the attraction to an independent breed.

I have those two breeds, IG and a Bull Terrier Miniature.. Yes I absolutely love independant thinkers, both breeds IMO love to be with you when you are there but if you are unavailable they will happily amuse themselves

[Merrirose]

I love Whippets. Mine is always up for a sleep or a walk or a run or a car drive ect. Whatever you do she is happy to do too. She is also so sleek and graceful. Ive just purchased Whippet no. 2. I cant believe it took me so long to find this amazing breed.

[FionaC]

I prefer big dogs and short easy coats - and I love the enthusiasm and goofiness of a GSP..... we wanted dogs that would be part of the family, be active and get us into dog sports and these were the perfect breed for us - we will never be without a GSP ....

My boys are big sookie-la-la's, Archie in particular is a giant sook but they are also smart as can be, driven (Morty especially) but who also love lounging around in the evenings relaxing

I've never been a big fan of the toy breeds in general (although I would have a Tibbie if we ever had to have a small dog), I love the look of the sighthounds but doubt they would really be a good match for us and what we like doing right now (maybe later, my OH would adore a Deerhound), I love the big boofy dogs - DDB, Mastiff's etc but again they aren't the right fit for us ...the gundogs are perfect for us though

[poodlefan]

English Setters - The Gentleman by Nature... and they are.

I WILL own one of these one day, when I don't require a full on Gundog like my beautiful Labs Received my free Eukanuba puppy book tody with voucher and the first page I flick to has an English Setter puppy They are just beautiful dogs and I must own one in my lifetime

I have to say I'm a huge ES fan.. maybe one day..

Mind you I picture one after a romp in long grass or mud and thank Heaven for the Whippet!

[RallyValley]

English Setters - The Gentleman by Nature... and they are.

I WILL own one of these one day, when I don't require a full on Gundog like my beautiful Labs Received my free Eukanuba puppy book tody with voucher and the first page I flick to has an English Setter puppy They are just beautiful dogs and I must own one in my lifetime

I have to say I'm a huge ES fan.. maybe one day..

Mind you I picture one after a romp in long grass or mud and thank Heaven for the Whippet!

I know that one day thanks to ST I will always have an ES in the house! And I am also pretty sure that they will be the spoiled footwarmer-sleep on the bed dog

I love gundogs! However only dual purpose ones (excluding setter footwarmers) are ones I could own

I have owned two dogs that are likely staffy/kelpie mixes (Lilly and Toby) and one border collie... the staffy mixes are pigheaded and cheeky and ball obssesed and the border collie was brilliantly clever, the friendliest dog ever but... was a bit ball neurotic... i swear he never slept... and none of these dogs really liked being patted... give me a cuddly gundog with an off switch anyday!

[4Kelpies]

I love this question – so interesting. We only really learned about Kelpies early last year even though they're supposed to be such a ubiquitous dog in Australia.

Kelpies get such a real bad rap sometimes – people assume that they're massively high energy dogs, that you can't have them in a suburban backyard. Some people think they're biters, fence jumpers, hole diggers. Other people think that they're very intense and have to work all the time. It's sad but there are so many Kelpies/Kelpie blends in the pound that it can be easy to assume that there's something undesirable about them …

For us, we love our Kelpie (and our Kelpie blend) for lots and lots of reasons:

1. Smart. So smart. They're thinking dogs so they process and anticipate. They're also very trainable – house-training was relatively easy. Training them about boundaries was also pretty easy – we have bags of Royal Canin on the ground and they never touch them, they don’t chew on furniture, cables, books or anything like that. They've learned not to jump up on beds/sofas/tables etc. They never, ever bench surf even if I am forgetful and leave beef/ham/cheese on the edge of the counter!! They know which toys are indoor toys and which are outdoor toys. They have learned not to bark at the doorbell. They love obedience work.

2. They're responsive and very keen to please. The trick is making them understand what you want but once they understand that – they deliver it up and seem to have fun doing it. They love to play and play and are such happy dogs. They're not mindless though – both our dogs have minds of their own and can be quite naughty and disobedient at times – when it rains, neither wants to go to Poo Corner

3. They're very motivated – food, toys, cuddles, attention, doesn't really matter what …

4. They can be very sensitive. Elbie and Hoover are both extremely sensitive to correction and also to our moods. Elbie in particular is very mood-sensitive. Hoover is a little more oblivious but he is extremely sensitive to being reprimanded – just a harsh word and his head and ears drop and he will give puppy eyes.

5. They are people dogs and incredibly affectionate. Both our dogs love being around people. They will play on their own in the yard, but they prefer to be near us even if we're not playing with them. They love pats and cuddles. They're not bitey or aggressive at all.

6. They can be very veggie. They're happiest in their dog beds snoozing/resting near us. Sometimes for hours and hours on end. Basically they do whatever we do – if we go out, they do that. If we walk, they do that. If we're on the computer, they snooze and play among themselves. If we watch a movie, they snooze or watch with us. If we play Rockband, they snooze or watch. Elbie gets hyper in the car sometimes and in new situations but he is a bit bonkers and that's probably the crossbreed in him rather than the Kelpie Hoover is pretty placid. At home, both are extremely calm and placid.

7. They're not very obsessive. They don't have 'jobs' but Elbie will play Elbie ball on his own for ages if we don't play with him and they play among themselves. They love it best when we play with them of course but they're very well-entertained by their own antics.

Our two are not very destructive (some minor hole digging in early days but not so much now), they're very much homebodies who show no desire to stray/fence-jump/bolt out the front door. They are not very barky either – Elbie only went bonkers when our neighbour was standing on the fence between our properties trimming his tree with an electric saw thing that was very noisy. Otherwise they don’t bark too much except to warn us that someone's approaching the house.

When I spoke with breeders and the Working Kelpie Council, they were all of the view that a working line Kelpie can make a wonderful, wonderful member of the family as a pet. Well-bred working line Kelpies don't even actually need that much early socialisation and they're still fine because they're so adaptable – Hoover and his litter were all on the farm until 3-4 even five months and all have apparently adapted beautifully to city life. Hoover's fearless in the face of an electric mixer, a Dyson, a washing machine, a car ride, a thunder storm …

For such a new Kelpie owner you've described the breed so well.

I love my Kelpies for their enthusiasm for life, their intelligence and willingness to please me. They have opened up more social life and allowed me to meet more people and provided challenges for me through training and trialling. I'm basically lazy and while I'm happy to walk twice a day and work sheep, when I come inside I want dogs that can chill out and will sleep (at least one at my feet) while I am on the computer or reading a book. I would get fed up with dogs who want to be played with or entertained all day and I'm not into constant fetch games.

I love their general athleticism, soundness and good health, easy care coats that come clean with very little help from me, their ability to get along with each other, the way they want to be with me but don't suffer separation anxiety when I leave them, the warmth they throw out on cold nights when they snuggle up beside me. And they come in very handy when I need to do any work with sheep. I would hate to have to run around the paddocks to bring sheep in without them.

[Monah]

rallyvalley, I love gundogs too , but not just dual ones , triple ones, HPRs, hunting pointing retrieving

both mine are HPRs.(as are GSPs)

[newfsie]

I like working newfoundlands.newfies that are trained in both drafting, water-work and obedience. they are very trainable and naturally very friendly to people. But not to the point where they roam to find "friends". They are very loyal to their family. They are very sensitive and require a lot of attention and care. I love their innate need to rescue people. And how easy that is to redirect with training to be usefull as both water rescue dog, assistance dog and therapy dog.

I have owned different working breeds, which we have worked on stock and enjoyed, but the newf is still my preferred.

[jacqui835]

It's really beautiful reading about people who have found the perfect dogs for them. The kelpie posts in particular have been very powerful.

Well I love dobermans. I love them because to me they're the best looking dogs in the world. I'm the opposite from MonElite, I don't mind the long tail even though it really is a weapon (it's very useful for reading his moods), but I would love for him to have upright ears. To be honest, that is one of the biggest reasons I want a GSD - I want a dog with proper ears that has full mobility of them but with a similar temperament to a dobe.

I love dobermans because of their loyalty. I love that when I leave the park, or even walk through a new area, my dog is at my side because that's where he wants to be, and he's not even desexed. I love that they're a guarding breed, they always check on you and don't stray too far away. I get a not so secret kick out of the fact that whilst he'll do anything for me, it's like he can't even hear strangers. I love how safe he makes me feel. I love how happy he is to see me all the time and how he doesn't do that for anyone else, you have to develop your relationship with a doberman and they don't just love everyone automatically. I love the way that he seems to recognise what my actions towards other people mean, and for example, if I hug someone, he is very affectionate with them, and now my partner loves him too (and in fact is jealous and thinks he wants his own doberman now).

I particularly love the way he works with me, anything new happens and he looks at me immediately and doesn't even always need instructions, he can just tell how I feel about the situation and reacts accordingly. He is so intune with me. I also really love the fact that we can walk down the street, and I don't even have to worry about what sort of dog we may come across, that whether it tries to attack him or not, he will ignore it and trust me.

I love how smart he is. This dog knows a lot of words that I have made no effort to teach him. He just randomly responds sometimes when you say words that you previously had no idea he would understand. He really gets that everything has a name, so you can ask him, where is whatever and he will look for it immediately. I love how powerful praise is as a reward for him - I don't need food or treats to get him to do things for me, all he wants is acknowledgment and some loving. Of course BBQ chicken never hurts...

He is the perfect energy level for me. Sometimes I just like to go for a run and quite a long one at that, and he's there at my side the whole time, or he can spend all day running and swimming at the beach. But sometimes I want to sleep in, and again, he's there sprawled out beside me.

I love that he stands at my side as we approach the door when someone knocks. He looks at me and just knows how I feel about whoever is there, and responds accordingly. I don't even need to say a thing, but if it's someone I don't want (like random sales people etc) he will just start barking and growling until they leave. Otherwise he doesn't bark at all, and gets ready to meet an old or new friend.

And finally, I actually love that it has been hard work to turn him into the perfect dog for me. He was so modifiable and so responsive - I can imagine that you could train a doberman to do just about anything, and it's been a hugely rewarding process. Of course it's not over yet.

[RubyStar]

English Setters - The Gentleman by Nature... and they are.

I WILL own one of these one day, when I don't require a full on Gundog like my beautiful Labs :D Received my free Eukanuba puppy book tody with voucher and the first page I flick to has an English Setter puppy They are just beautiful dogs and I must own one in my lifetime :D

I have to say I'm a huge ES fan.. maybe one day..

Mind you I picture one after a romp in long grass or mud and thank Heaven for the Whippet! ;)

I know that one day thanks to ST :D I will always have an ES in the house! And I am also pretty sure that they will be the spoiled footwarmer-sleep on the bed dog

One day, one day for me... when I am retired from dog sports or I have enough room and income to allow for an extra dog around the place that has no other purpose but to be my footwarmer and lap warmer, too

I love Labs so much, keep umming and ahhing over getting a boy next (must be yellow, they are just :D to me), but I also want to try my hand at an Aussie Shepherd :D But must say, ES keep tugging at my heart strings!!

[poodlefan]

One day, one day for me... when I am retired from dog sports or I have enough room and income to allow for an extra dog around the place that has no other purpose but to be my footwarmer and lap warmer, too

I love Labs so much, keep umming and ahhing over getting a boy next (must be yellow, they are just to me), but I also want to try my hand at an Aussie Shepherd But must say, ES keep tugging at my heart strings!!

I think I'm almost at the point where choice of breeder would probably be as influential on selecting a breed as the dogs themselves. The right breeder makes such a difference. If I was tossing up between a few breeds, my guess is that the right breeder would be a deciding factor.

[RubyStar]

One day, one day for me... when I am retired from dog sports or I have enough room and income to allow for an extra dog around the place that has no other purpose but to be my footwarmer and lap warmer, too

I love Labs so much, keep umming and ahhing over getting a boy next (must be yellow, they are just to me), but I also want to try my hand at an Aussie Shepherd :D But must say, ES keep tugging at my heart strings!!

I think I'm almost at the point where choice of breeder would probably be as influential on selecting a breed as the dogs themselves. The right breeder makes such a difference. If I was tossing up between a few breeds, my guess is that the right breeder would be a deciding factor.

Very true PF. I guess for me at the moment, the deciding factor is what my intended purpose is with the dog. If I want to continue training retrieving (plus obedience/agility), Lab it is. If I don't, Aussie it is (purely for obedience/agility). If I don't want to do any dog sports, or at least not seriously, ES it is. It's a tough decision

[The Spotted Devil]

One day, one day for me... when I am retired from dog sports or I have enough room and income to allow for an extra dog around the place that has no other purpose but to be my footwarmer and lap warmer, too

I love Labs so much, keep umming and ahhing over getting a boy next (must be yellow, they are just to me), but I also want to try my hand at an Aussie Shepherd But must say, ES keep tugging at my heart strings!!

I think I'm almost at the point where choice of breeder would probably be as influential on selecting a breed as the dogs themselves. The right breeder makes such a difference. If I was tossing up between a few breeds, my guess is that the right breeder would be a deciding factor.

Yes, that's another reason I have a Dally and a working Springer!

[jesomil]

Well-bred working line Kelpies don't even actually need that much early socialisation and they're still fine because they're so adaptable – Hoover and his litter were all on the farm until 3-4 even five months and all have apparently adapted beautifully to city life. Hoover's fearless in the face of an electric mixer, a Dyson, a washing machine, a car ride, a thunder storm …

I hadnt heard this before but have certainly experienced it. We got a girl at 5 months who had basically no handling, lived in a pen, never been on lead etc and she turned out to be the most solid, people friendly, bomb proof dog. She is highly social and fine in every situation.

The boy had no exposure to life apart from sheepdog training/trialling and is the same. 100% perfect with people and walks happily through the city with all sorts of noise.

I think the lack of socialising could really mess up some other breeds.

Edited January 13, 2011 by jesomil

[Poodle Mum]

I fell hard for the clowns of the dog world 20yrs ago........... THE POODLE!

I needed a dog to love after a natsy, life changing experience with a dog that I hand raised from 5 days.

I love that they need to be part of the family, l love their fun nature, I love training them - they are so eager to please - even when they do a lap of the agility training ground.....just so everyone can see how fast they can run :D

I love how beautiful they look ;) .......nothing better for me than a beautiful Std in continental trim moving/dancing in the show ring.

[mita]

I'll have what the Dalai Lama is having. Tibetan Spaniels (check out those hare feet!).

For the same reason. It's said Tibbies are 1/3 dog, 1/3 cat & 1/3 monkey. That captures their personalities & how they behave, perfectly.

They're such a delight & so easy to own.

[Inevitablue]

I think I'm almost at the point where choice of breeder would probably be as influential on selecting a breed as the dogs themselves. The right breeder makes such a difference. If I was tossing up between a few breeds, my guess is that the right breeder would be a deciding factor.

Completely agree (especially with my fav breed - ACD's), whilst training can alter many behaviours, why start off with an undesirable personality.

The breeder of my new puppy has selected for temperment for generations ACD's as friendly to strangers as Labs

[FionaC]

rallyvalley, I love gundogs too , but not just dual ones , triple ones, HPRs, hunting pointing retrieving

both mine are HPRs.(as are GSPs)

Go the Triple Threats :D ;) ;)

[poodlefan]

rallyvalley, I love gundogs too , but not just dual ones , triple ones, HPRs, hunting pointing retrieving

both mine are HPRs.(as are GSPs)

Go the Triple Threats :D ;) ;)

Should that be treats or threats?? sometimes both are applicable.

[SpotTheDog]

I like big dogs.

I've never been a fan of small fluffy dogs. I like tall, powerful, but intelligent dogs. I can't stand dogs that appear to be all instinct with four legs and a tail - the sort of behaviour exhibited by a dog who's jumped its fence - passing you, nose down, hackles half up, following a scent, won't even give you a glance if you call to it.

I didn't pick a breed when I was adopting, I just picked a bitsa. I had a good idea that he was a bull arab bitsa, but I went entirely on his behaviour when I interacted with him. Gus is intelligent, but a 'soft' dog. He's responsive to training but a bit clingy. He is also an obsessive licker and it drives me bats sometimes.

He's probably a good dog for me given that he's the first dog I've owned as an adult - biddable, and low maintenance. He loves a good walk and is starting to love swimming, but currently due to a change in my job circumstances, he's on his own in his run for eight hours a day, five days a week. I ensure he has toys and treats and bones and so on, but it's not ideal. However he's spectacularly good about it - not a barker, howler or whinger. However if you're home, he wants to be involved. He's most destructive if he's left alone in the yard while I'm home, even for a half an hour.

So if I'm home, he's in here with me including sleeping on his own bed in my room. He's a bit clingy - you can't go from the couch to the fridge without an escort - but generally I count my lucky stars to have had just an easy introduction into dog ownership.