Couldn’t agree more. We have a German shepherd - a working dog when he’s in the patrol car with Daddy, and a big goofy pet when he’s at home with Mommy and the kids. I know intellectually that Mojo can be aggressive if he’s protecting one of his people, because he does bite training at work, but he’s the sweetest, gentlest thing I’ve ever seen, especially around the baby. Pretty much 80 pounds of slightly brain-damaged, big-footed, playful 8-year-old puppy. (But you should’ve seen how hyperactive-ly protective he was for about the first month after we brought Little Miss home - I think Mojo slept less than I did during that period!)
That said, I’ve been lucky to have shared a home with some seriously awesome dogs through the years - an Airedale terrier who pulled a Lassie and literally saved my toddler brother from falling down an abandoned well, a German shepherd/collie mix who was a wonderful protector/playmate when we were kids; a Welsh corgi who was a great companion/car passenger/watchdog when I was in my 20s; a big sighthound who provided awesome protection and companionship for the years when I was single mom; and any number of pure mutts that welcomed me home from school, held down the fort while I was at work, chewed up my socks when I wasn’t looking, and so forth. Choosing a “favorite breed” probably boils down to which one lived with me most recently.
I grew up with a golden retriever and then got myself one when I was 24.
They are just beautiful dogs. They live to please. Easy to spoil. People compliment me on how beautiful Dolly is all the time and I tell them that “she’s beautiful and she absolutely knows it!” because she definitely acts the princess.
Smart as a whip and easy to train, but definitely with a rebellious streak. Everything in life excites the fuck out of Dolly. Walks! Rides! Swim! School! Grammy! Treat! Even green beans!
The cons with a golden is that they are so popular so they are over-bred and can come with some health issues. Mine has hip displaysia and lots of fatty tumors. They are also quite hard to keep slim because they are good at being very cute and begging for food.
It’s pretty hard not to fall in love with a golden retriever.
I am loving reading about all the great dogs we have! While we may not agree on the BREED, I think I can safely say, with the love-filled words here… we all agree about the love & devotion-and entertainment!- our dogs give!
My current girl is an Australian cattle dog. (The vet says she is purebreed, but I think she may be a mix.)
She is the best dog I’ve ever had. Very well-behaved, very sweet and totally devoted to me. I have had many many comments on how well-behaved she is, even strangers stop me on my walks to mention it - and this happens often.
Anything I’ve tried to teach he she learns quickly. She does seem to have a problem with children and I don’t know if that is her or the breed, but she snapped at a child at Christmas. There are signs that she may have been abused, but the vet said that some dogs, especially of this breed, just are skittish. She is a little odd in as much as she had almost no sense of play when I got her. We are working on that.
I have a softspot for Australian Shepherds (the dogs, not the people), border collies and other working dogs. The intelligence level is high, they’re loyal and gentle with children, but they’re very high energy and need something to keep them busy.
I’ll put in a plug here for my best buddy,** Bandit**. He’s a 10-year old blue-eyed Siberian Husky. Well-behaved, endlessly good-natured, very much a gentleman, loves people, even likes cats.
Huskies are one breed that only speak when they have something to say. Bandit rarely barks, but he has that characteristichusky-speak* when he wants to say something. It startles people that aren’t used to huskies.
*that’s not my dog in the video, but it’s a pretty good example of husky vocalization
Thank you for the pictures. I just had to put my bulldawg down at almost age 12. And for a bulldawg, she was relatively low maintenance. the only extra vet bills I ever had was a skin infection aka “hot spot” every year or so. At the end, she was too weak to even walk. The vet told me that Stymie was the longest living bulldog he ever cared for.
She was so sweet, loved people and kids and just wanted to be petted. And she virtually never barked. She barked at. She only barked at Thunder.
She was as dumb as rock but she could read my body language unbelievably well. Until a few months ago, she had a cast iron bladder and colon. She would sleep until noon before she would want to go out for the first time.
SHE WAS VERY FLATULENT, sometimes she would fart on every breath she took. But they rarely smelled too bad.
That said I am not going to have another one. My next dog will probably be a rescue mutt. I used to have a Boston Terrier, and she was also a sweetheart.
My girl hardly ever barks either. Which made it odd last week when she woke me 3 times barking and growling at something. I finally got up and went out to see if there were something in the house or out around the house.
As nearly as I can figure: I am trying to learn to sleep on my back because I am having troubles with my shoulders and my doc says it may be due in-part to sleeping with my arm up under my head. I think this may be the first time she has heard me snore and she was barking at my snoring.
Oh goodness what a beauty, thanks for sharing the picture. I’m so sorry to hear of her passing. To get 12 years out of a bully is pretty amazing. My Pia was about 11.5 when we said goodbye.
NONE of my bullies have been barkers either. I think I can count on one hand the number of time my current bully, Punk, has barked in 3 years, and when she does we’re so surprised it almost panics us.
Obviously, no one in this thread has ever had a Border Collie.
They are the best dogs ever. Except for my Aussie (RIP). He was the best dog ever, too. …and my Golden. … and I guess my Min-Pin’s pretty cool. … and my Samoyed…
Cindy was the second most awesome breed I ever had. A hyper-active, batshit-crazy beast, but every bit as loving as Schatze and Hans (my sheperds as mentioned upthread) were.
Favorite Schatze story: many moons ago, I was having a large cast party, one post-community theater performance night at my place. I was busy in the kitchen doing my hostess with the mostess thing, when I heard people laughing.
That in itself was not unusual so I paid no attention until somebody hollered for me. When I rounded the corner to see what was up, there sat my ten-week-old puppy - proudly holding a pair of my pantyhose in her mouth.
I grew up with a Jack Russell Terrier. Never-ending energy, completely understood English, way too smart for her own good most of the time. A great dog to grow up with, we tired each other out, but I could never keep up with one now.
Since growing up I’ve had a couple of Bassett Hounds. They just make me happy.
I have a couple of beagles now and I love them beyond all reason. They’re good dogs for our lifestyle and I like the hound look and sound (god help me).
That said, I love dogs. All of 'em, pretty much. Big, small, purebred, mutt, you name it.
I love most dogs but I’ve had two Westies, among other mixed breeds. My ex got one in the divorce, and my sweet little buddy died a few months ago. Oh, he was the cutest, smartest, most loyal, best dog ever.
To know a pug is to love a pug.
But to be realistic, they shed like crazy and and a pug fart could wipe out an army. Their snoring can be heard all over the house and boy can they run up the vet bill . Angels had knee surgery twice and had a tumor removed from a hip and I’m still so glad she’s mine.
Pugs are easily trained and wonderful companions. The most important thing in her life is pleasing us so training is only a matter of communicating our wishes/ She barks to alert us but only once, just a whispered “woof” and she’s done. She spends hours on the tennis court, content to lay inside my tennis bag. After our 3rd outing of this kind she learned to stay in the bag until I walk to the net to shake hands at which time she runs over to join me.
Her idea of asking to go outside is staring at the door until I open it and in 11 years she has never had a potty accident. Not sure if its good or bad but pugs are known to love everyone, there is no fear of strangers at all. That’s why I’m not sure its a good thing, she’d happily go home with anyone who smiled at her. Yet when she looks at me with her adoring eyes I know what its like to be unconditionally loved.
I have a “little dog” for the first time ever and although I will always prefer big dogs, my little Norfolk Terrier/ Poodle cross is a pretty sweet guy. He never went through the hyper/chew everything phase as a puppy. He is very mellow and happy to cuddle on the couch all day, but also loves to run with me in the warmer weather.
Opie is a sweetheart and has convinced other people to get dogs that had previously been on the fence.
They’re so darned smart and a lot of fun, and they’re cute, sweet, lovable and loyal.
However, they’re also psychotically addicted to HAVING to have a job! They have WAY too much energy for any one creature, so you really have to be willing to spend lots of time and attention on them.
