Recommend a Dog Breed

In My Humble Opinion
101

Border Collies and Aussies need exercise like any other dog, but it’s not true that they need much more exercise than other breeds.

What they DO need is MENTAL exercise. Much more so than other breeds. They have very agile minds that are tuned to doing something all the time. They don’t like to just lie down and stare into space.

That’s why I would recommend a Border Collie for someone who wants a constant companion. You don’t have to run the dog like crazy, you just have to BE WITH the dog. For those times when the dog doesn’t have your attention, make sure it has lots of toys, chewy bones, etc. Even better, if you can come up with a job for your dog, it will be happy.

Our current Border Collie could care less about exercising. Oh, she’ll run until she drops if you want to play frisbee with her, but there are lots of times when she just wants to stay in the house. However, what she does want is attention. Just a few minutes ago while I was reading the SDMB she came wandering over and dropped a ball in my lap. So I stopped and played catch with her for a few minutes. She’s got some toys she loves, and when I get up for a coke or a coffee I’ll go grab one and shake it at her and toss it over, and she’ll play with it for a half an hour. My daughter keeps her busy the rest of the time.

If you’re going to be with the dog all the time, Border Collies and Aussies are wonderful.

102

The argument is isolating decisions on one actor and seeing all the ramifications of that.

It’s the essense of logic and math.

No breeder plans a breed just for one person. Of course not, but by adding one incremental unit of demand, you are doing the same thing. Suppose it wasn’t one person but 50,000 people demanding purebred dogs. Then those breeders would have to breed 50,000 dogs just for that purpose. So they do respond to demand. Correspondingly if they have unwanted purebreds the price will go down, and they won’t be breeding (creating) as many.

Whose fault are unwanted dogs? Irresponsible owners, owners who didn’t like their dogs, etc. Obviously it’s not your fault that they are there.

But if someone is absolutely indifferent between getting a purebred and getting a pound dog, then by creating a demand for that purebred dog you’re unneccessarily dooming a dog. Now if you want a purebred, well then that’s just too bad for the pound dog. Similarly, if I had a bigger yard so I didn’t have to keep a dog inside (I’m allergic) I could have a dog or two. So my decision to not get a bigger house…well put it this way, if I got a bigger house I’d have the OPPORTUNITY to save a life of a dog. Not that it’s my fault in the first place they are in the situation they are in.

103

bri1600bv:
You are assuming purebred dogs won’t be bred and that’s wrong.

Consider it this way…

There are ##,###,### number of dogs in the US. Some are in pounds, some on the streets, some with breeders, etc… By taking a dog home you are doing a good thing.

As was mentioned breeders do not make a dog to order. They breed their dogs and hope for buyers. Hopefully they can sell them all but if they can’t they very well may euthanize some of the dogs. They simply cannot keep an unlimited number. They will continue breeding however since if they sell 6 pups out of ten in a litter they still are in business. The other 4 pups will be put down.

If a breed is in high demand a litter may well be sold before they are born and breeders try for this but it doesn’t always happen (people will pay in advance as the pick of the litter is usually given in order to the people who paid money in advance).

104

Just back from vacation - figured I’d toss in my 2 cents.

Initial disclaimer - I’m a golden fan. AFAIAC, their personality cannot be beat, which makes up for any grooming/cleaning problems caused by the hair. Which I have not found too significant. But, you have experience and a firm opinion on the topic.

Many people discuss goldens and labs together. I have met and known many wonderful labs. But I have to say that I have met some labs that are a total pain in the ass, but have never personally met a really objectionable golden. I’m sure they exist - just I have not met them. Also, many of the labs I’ve met and disliked may have suffered from poor training. But I have heard of far more frequent and more severe destructive behavior by labs as puppies/young adults than goldens. And my perspective is that some labs tend to be more rambunctious as adults, and their solid body and tail can get in the way more, knock down toddlers, etc. Labs are probably a close second or third choice to goldens for me.

Also, with respect to goldens, look at smaller ones bred for field trials, rather than the huge chunky ones that are so popular. my current dog is maybe 60 pounds dripping wet. I’ll have to weigh her.

But, you said you had goldens and don’t want another.

Of the dogs discussed, I’d recommend Wheatens. Again, concentrate on the personality. They are just about as friendly as a dog can be. I have NEVER met an ill-tempered Wheaten. A very manageable size as well. If my next dog isn’t a golden or a lab, it might well be a Wheaten.

You asked about Brittanies. IMO extremely attractive dogs and a wonderful size. Big enough to be a “real” dog, but small enough that the wife could pick her up and bathe her in the utility sink.

I had one briefly and gave it away. The dog loved me as long as I was working her. You could not wear that dog out. You don’t have to hunt them, but they love it. Dinah pointed instinctively. She also hunted and killed mice, rabbits, possums… But she was very aloof, and did not seem to bond with the family. For example, if we were reading or watching TV, she would not even be in the same room as us. And she caused some damage in the yard. She was an incredibly impressive beast, but not the companion I desire in a dog. So I gave her to a friend who has a farm. She is very happy in her proper element.

Other folk have mentioned Viszlas (sp.) I have known several. Like the Brittany, I consider them beautiful and a great size. I am not terribly familiar with their personalities, tho. I understand they really want a lot of exercise, and the ones I know don’t strike me as overly affectionate - which you might consider as either a plus or a minus.

A couple of people mentioned Giant Schnauzers, Dobes, Staffordshires, Rotts, and pits. I like all of these, tho I would shy away from the GS as I have known a couple of aggressive ones. One slight possible problem is that other people tend to (unreasonably, IMO) fear these breeds. Hell, some folk act as tho my stupid golden is going to pull a Cujo and go for their throat. So you might want to consider how it will make you feel, if you are walking your dog, and people you meet act as tho you are threatening them with public enemy #1. Not a determining factor, but possibly relevant.

And tho I love massive dogs, I personally have a hard time with their generally shorter life expectancy.

I’m not sure whether I understood that you definitely want a purebreed. But I’ll mention again the possibility of a mutt. I’ve known some really nice and really attractive lab, golden, and shepherd mixes. You might want to make a shortlist of the breeds that you like, and then keep an eye out for mixes that contain those breeds you like.

Have fun!

105

Hey-
are there really any truley Hypo Allergenic dogs?
I’d love to get a pooch- but I’m allergic :frowning:

106

Hey Yvonne - I’ve heard that folks who are allergic to dogs are (often/usually?) allergic to their saliva, not their hair per se. This site seems to bear that assessment out.
http://www.theallergyauthority.com/allergy/articles/pet-allergies.asp
Shedding dogs, however, do contribute to dust (mites) which trigger many allergies.
In my limited experience, most people who talk about allergy-safe dogs are referring to dogs that don’t shed much.

BTW - neat band site. Sorry the downloads are blocked at work. I’ll have to check in to hear you guys elsewhere.

107

I would never in my life consider buying a dog from someone who mass produces them for the purpose of profit. A reputable dog breeder does it for the love of the breed, because if you truly, properly raise your litter of puppies and maintain your adults, you will never turn a profit. Additionally, a reputable breeder will never produce a litter of puppies without a confirmed waiting list of buyers with deposits, or the ability to keep every dog they produce, if no suitable homes are found. Dog breeding is done as a hobby and a passion, not a profession.
Educate the backyard breeders, nuke the puppy mills, and educate dog owners about spaying and neutering their pets, and you’ll solve the overpopulation problem. The problem is not the reputable hobby breeders–these people grill you like you’d never believe, it’s like adopting a child. They put far too much time, care, and money into their dogs to let them go to unsuitable homes. The problem is the “breeders” that think that because they paid $500 for fidette that they ought to get a litter out of her to sell, and recover their money. Or that their children should see the miracle of birth. Or that their friends and neighbors all love fluffy and want a puppy just like her but poof they’re gone when the fluff-lets turn five weeks and it’s time to chuck them out the door. Or that guy who thinks that Sparky’s testicles are a direct reflection of his own masculinity, and therefore refuses to neuter his dog on basic principle, therefore also allowing him to scale the fence at will to go romance the lovely french poodle down the street, et al. Or that lady who thinks that it’s her dog’s god given right to give birth and raise puppies. Or the puppy mills who produce dogs to sell to any unprepared, unsuspecting yutz who walks through the door, ready to plunk down his cash and walk out with his cute, fluffy, genetic mess, who by the way pees and eats and chews things up, oops!

Responsible breeders produce quality, mentally and physically sound dogs for a purpose, and place them in devoted, loving homes. They’re not the ones producing 95% of the dogs that end up in animal shelters. They’re not the reason those dogs exist, the root of the problem, nor is shutting them down the solution to the problem.

~mixie

108

Hijack: My family raised Rotties for years, they’re my favorite dog breed. That being said, they’re not for everyone. When we had our Rotties, we either lived in a) the country or b) the suburbs, but our house had a HUGE backyard. These are big animals and they need room to romp. They don’t have the insane energy levels of some breeds, but they’re definitely not apartment dogs.

Don’t buy a Rottie to impress people, buy one because it’s a beautiful, smart, loving animal. Sadly, many people have bought into the “big bad macho dog” image and as a result the breed has suffered. Always train your Rottie. Ours were always well-behaved, but there were others who, due to bad training, bad breeding, or a combination of the two, were uncontrollable. These animals are a threat to everyone around them, including their owners. Rotties are simply too big to ignore, so if you don’t have a lot of time to spend playing and training the dog PLEASE don’t get one.

Rottie puppies look like little cuddly teddy bears, they’re the most adorable things imaginable. The adults are generally gorgeous. They’re very good with children and protective, and we never had one run away. Even if one broke out, he never went farther than the front yard. Ours were good with other dogs too and loved people. Note: if you really want a good guard dog, don’t get a male. Most folks get males because they’re larger and more intimidating, but it’s the females who are more protective. Our female Rottie, Rena, would bark up a storm if an unknown intruder approached our house – sounded like a typhoon with teeth. Our male Rottie, Victor, on the other hand, probably would have helpfully escorted a burglar to the good china and then licked his face.

Like many of the popular big breeds, Rotties suffered from genetic diseases like hip dysplasia. Ours stayed healthy up till the end, then went downhill very suddenly.

109

Hear, hear, MixieArmadillo!

110

I second that. Wonderful post MixieArmadillo!

111

Padmaraga - I have ex-racing greyhounds and they do seem to fit most of the desires that you have set out. Here’s a few thoughts:

You mentioned in one of your posts that you do not find them particularly attractive. Don’t let this get in the way of meeting some and finding out what they are like. If you find that you like the greyhound personality type, you won’t care what they look like. Trust me on that. You may even find the body type growing on you as you get more used to it.

Good things about greyhounds:

  1. Clean, neat, single coated, easy to care for. An occasional brushing and a bath a couple times a year will do for grooming. Since they don’t have an oily undercoat, they stay smelling nice for a very long time. They also come in a lot of colors.

  2. Most of them bark little or not at all (this is not always the case, though - I’ve had four myself by now and one of them loves to bark. He does obey when I tell him to stop though).

  3. Hounds vary in how affectionate they are. Males tend to be more affectionate than females. You can pick whether you want a hound who solicits for attention a lot, or one who is more indepedent.

  4. Adopting a greyhound is an excellent way to both save a dog that could potentially have been destroyed and still get a well-bred, purebred dog. Since most greyhounds are adopted out through adoption groups, you get (or SHOULD get - check out the group’s reputation!) help and support if any problems should arise, and if the dog doesn’t work out for any reason, you can give it back to the group without worrying about its safety.

  5. They have great hips - hip dyplasia is almost unknown in the breed.

  6. They have a good lifespan for a large dog - 12-15 years. The two I’ve had that passed away were 12 and 14 years. I’ve got one now who is 12.

  7. They don’t need a great deal of exercise or space. A 30-minute walk per day is fine, and while they do like having their own fenced yard, it doesn’t need to be large.

  8. Because they are clean, calm and quiet they make good dogs to take to work if you are allowed to do that. They do need to be in a confined area though - a babygate across the office door, or in an ex-pen, etc. so they don’t wander off.

The bad stuff:

  1. In ex-racing greyhounds, the one big health problem is bone cancer - osteosarcoma. This is a sh*tty disease - it’s painful and aggressive. My current 12-year-old got it when he was 9. We had to choose whether to put him down or amputate his leg (most often it shows up in the leg) and do chemo. We did the treatments and he’s still here 2 1/2 years later. That’s unusual, but JC’s a survivor. He did just fine adjusting to being a tripod too.

  2. In show (AKC) greyhounds, which are a much smaller gene pool, osteo is not nearly as big a deal, but bloat is. Most likely the differences in conformation between AKCs and racers is responsible for the much higher incidence of bloat in AKCs, but no one is really sure. The higher incidence of osteo in racers is suspected to be due to repeated microtrauma to the leg bones from racing and training, but again no one really knows for sure.

  3. You can not, ever ever ever, let your greyhound off lead in an unfenced area. Not ever. They have been bred (and in the cases of racers, trained as well) to chase and kill small furry things. This means if they get loose, they can kill the neighbor’s outdoor cat, a loose small dog, or get hit by a car because they are focused on chasing a small fuzzy and don’t even see the car. It also means that once they are out, they may very well be unable to find their way home. Some folks would prefer a dog they can train to stay in the unfenced yard - a greyhound won’t work for those people.

If a greyhound is too large a dog for you (they range from about 50 lbs. up to 90), you might consider a whippet, but they have terrier bred into them and therefore have more energy. They are also amazing athletes - I’ve seen a whippet jump 7 ft. in the air from a standing start. This can be a problem if you don’t want a dog on your kitchen counter.

In other news, I’ve noticed the comments about basenjis. It’s true that basenjis don’t bark. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t make noise. Basenji folks call it “yodeling.” I call it “screaming.” To see what I mean, go to http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/9467/thebasenji.html and scroll down to the bottom of the page. There is a sound file of a basenji “yodel” there. I’d take a plain old barking dog over that noise any day. They also aren’t very easy to train - even for the stuff they’ve been bred to do.

If you want more details and some pictures, visit my site at http://www.unc.edu/~nbeach/. I’m always willing to answer questions.