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Which Breed For Me?


Whichbreed
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I have always owned dogs up until about 12 months ago, and have been dogless since then....however I miss having one around and have started doing some research into breeds that would suit my lifestyle and my family. I kind of have a short list, but would like opinions from people that actually own them! And I know this gets done to death so I'm sorry! LOL

Ok, I have 4 cats, one of which was badly mauled by a dog last year, and nearly didn't make it. So any dog with an instinct to chase or hunt is a big no no. I have two kids, one is a teenager but the other is 3 this year.

I am home most of the time as I study, I am a single mum. I also have horses, but they don't live with me, so dog might see them occasionally.

I want a couch potato type dog. I have had high drive dogs in the past and in between studying and having a toddler I don't have time for hours and hours of training and walking every day. I have competed in obedience in the past and attended quite a few training clinics, so I am not a beginner owner, but just time short!

I am able to train and walk every day, would like a dog I could teach basics too, and tricks etc, but not something that will come home from an hours walk and still want to eat my couch :p

Dog would be inside most of the time, would sleep inside with me at night etc etc. Grooming is not an issue either, I don't mind that.

So the dog I love the most of my list so far is the Keeshond, I think they are just beautiful! But friends have also suggested the Toller, the Whippet, the Brittany, Briard or Lagotto!

So I'd like to hear from anyone that owns these breeds if they'd suit what I am after......

I have also contacted a few breeders asking questions, but haven't heard back from anyone yet. Do breeders prefer ph calls rather than emails as initial contact?

Anyway any advice about those breeds mentioned (or even others I may not have thought of yet!) would be appreciated. Bearing in mind that I REALLY love the Keeshonds, and I hope they are what I need! LOL!! Thanks :)

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I have always owned dogs up until about 12 months ago, and have been dogless since then....however I miss having one around and have started doing some research into breeds that would suit my lifestyle and my family. I kind of have a short list, but would like opinions from people that actually own them! And I know this gets done to death so I'm sorry! LOL

Ok, I have 4 cats, one of which was badly mauled by a dog last year, and nearly didn't make it. So any dog with an instinct to chase or hunt is a big no no. I have two kids, one is a teenager but the other is 3 this year.

I am home most of the time as I study, I am a single mum. I also have horses, but they don't live with me, so dog might see them occasionally.

I want a couch potato type dog. I have had high drive dogs in the past and in between studying and having a toddler I don't have time for hours and hours of training and walking every day. I have competed in obedience in the past and attended quite a few training clinics, so I am not a beginner owner, but just time short!

I am able to train and walk every day, would like a dog I could teach basics too, and tricks etc, but not something that will come home from an hours walk and still want to eat my couch :p

Dog would be inside most of the time, would sleep inside with me at night etc etc. Grooming is not an issue either, I don't mind that.

So the dog I love the most of my list so far is the Keeshond, I think they are just beautiful! But friends have also suggested the Toller, the Whippet, the Brittany, Briard or Lagotto!

So I'd like to hear from anyone that owns these breeds if they'd suit what I am after......

I have also contacted a few breeders asking questions, but haven't heard back from anyone yet. Do breeders prefer ph calls rather than emails as initial contact?

Anyway any advice about those breeds mentioned (or even others I may not have thought of yet!) would be appreciated. Bearing in mind that I REALLY love the Keeshonds, and I hope they are what I need! LOL!! Thanks :)

I would say a Whippet probably wouldn't be appropriate if you don't want a dog with high prey drive, although some do get along very well with smaller pets. Being sighthounds, they love to chase.

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Any dog will chase your cats ,drive has nothing to do with .

Infact of all the breeds we have owned the only safe ones around cats where the Greyhounds .

The breeds you have listed are all so different in size & needs.

If you don't have hrs to spare then factor in coat care .

Keeshond need a good few hrs a week for brushing .

Briards are big powerful dogs with lots of coat again a few hrs each week.

Lagottos need hair cuts so factor in the expense.

Tollers easy coat care but are thinkers

Brittany easy coat care & again thinkers.

Infact of all the things you have listed the Whippet would fit the couch potato aspect the most & the other areas,great with toddlers & small enough they can enjoy the dog

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Yes I didn't think whippets would be suitable being a sight hound, but so many people that own them said they never chase their cats!

Like I said grooming doesn't bother me, I used to own a Malamute. LOL.

Thanks for the other suggestions too!

So with the Tollers and Brittany's being 'thinkers' do you mean they need to be constantly entertained? Or will an hour or so of obedience and being taught new tricks all the time be enough? Or are they the sort of dog that gets destructive if not kept occupied enough? I would also consider getting an older dog too rather than a puppy.

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Yes I didn't think whippets would be suitable being a sight hound, but so many people that own them said they never chase their cats!

Like I said grooming doesn't bother me, I used to own a Malamute. LOL.

Thanks for the other suggestions too!

So with the Tollers and Brittany's being 'thinkers' do you mean they need to be constantly entertained? Or will an hour or so of obedience and being taught new tricks all the time be enough? Or are they the sort of dog that gets destructive if not kept occupied enough? I would also consider getting an older dog too rather than a puppy.

That's because the instinct to chase can be moderated by socialisation with cats. Cats will be chased by most dogs who haven't been socialised with them as pups.

If you don't want to do a lot of walking or a lot of training I'd avoid the Briard (working breed) and the Brittany (utility gundog).

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Definately not a Toller if you want a couch potato and something low in prey drive.

Like with any breed you can get either end but it's safe to say majority of Tollers are very active (mentally and physically) and have an instinct to chase.

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Definately not a Toller if you want a couch potato and something low in prey drive.

Like with any breed you can get either end but it's safe to say majority of Tollers are very active (mentally and physically) and have an instinct to chase.

I have to second this - you being home is great they will chill with you but the moment you stand up they will be ready to do something and they do have a high prey drive, although I think if you bring a puppy into an environment with cats you might have half a chance as the cats will be boss. You can be waiting up to 12 months to get a toller puppy too.

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Hi Whichbreed. :)

Which Breed For Me?

Seriously, that's the wrong question for this forum! :laugh:

With any luck the breed will find you.

Get a name for your dog.

Then, it will come to you.

You'll see.

However, I think it's Keeshound.

Although, Beagle would fit your criteria.

Good Luck

Px

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Yes I would never describe a Brittany as a couch potato!!! My girl Zora will chill on the couch but if she does not get our for a walk and/or training she becomes a bit antsy and can vent that into destroying things.

Plus she has free run of 3 acres and another dog to play with...

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I would probably steer clear of most of the Gundog breeds - mine certainly keeps me on my toes!

I do agree with HW about socializing with cats. Both my dogs are pretty intense and the ESS is obsessed with birds and bunnies. However they have both grown up with cats and they would never dream of chasing our cats....except Dizzy and that's because he encourages zoomies and rather savage wrestling. He's not your average cat ;)

ETA: I would disagree about a Beagle. Wonderful merry little hounds but can be very active and do better in a pack. They will also follow their nose and disappear into the distance if you aren't careful!

Edited by The Spotted Devil
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ETA: I would disagree about a Beagle.

Wonderful merry little hounds but can be very active and do better in a pack.

They will also follow their nose and disappear into the distance if you aren't careful!

Well I didn't put my reasons and I think your advice is misguided.

I've had a Beagle and found him very responsive to training.

He could cross a four-laned highway purely on commands. (It was an emergency of course).

Not a pack dog at all but a single companion animal.

He did go off after a Wallaby one night at dusk in the State forest, but this is the esssence of a Beagle, he found his way across creeks and streams to our cabin a distance of several kilometres where he had never been before, purely by scent.

They are a nose attached to a dog. :laugh:

Temperaments are always great and family pets and animals never a problem.

Wonderful merry little hounds
errhh On Disneyland perhaps.

Regards.

Px

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If you want a real couch potatoe I would stay away from gundogs or working dogs. When I read your description I was thinking of smaller dogs, Shih Tzu can be a great little dog and easy to train, I have seen some great working Chinese Crested dogs and of course Papillons

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If you are willing to invest the time, and have patience than I think a Dalmatian would suit your family, although they are of high energy if you are walking your dog on a daily biases and persistent with training then you should be fine..... If my boy was allowed inside on the couch he would snuggle up with me all day, he loves people and loves to be around me every chance he gets, I always knew Dalmatians to be an outdoor dog because of their size then I woke up to myself.

Every dog is going to react to something they are not familiar with, be it objects or other animals so the key is to expose them to everything early and teach them how to react to that animal/object.

With any dog that you decide on the more they are played with, walked, tained and socialised with other dogs the better companion IMO you will have.

Good Luck with your search.

Edited by TheCheekyMonster
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