Schipperke. We had one when I was growing up and she was so smart and playful and such a bad-ass - she was the Alpha among a bunch of dogs that included a pack of hound-mutts and 2 pit bulls.
English bulldog. 2nd cutest puppies on the planet, and so easy-going and expressive when they grow up.
Basset hound. Cutest puppies on the planet, and more clever than they look, in a devious kind of way. My best friend has one.
Pomeranians. Because they look like tribbles. Little bouncy barking tribbles.
Bluetick coon hound. Again, I had one when I was growing up (the matriarch of the aforementioned hound-mutt pack) and she was sweet and goofy and loveable and not-too-bright and a beautiful color. Her name was Bluebelle.
Golden Retrievers, are hands down my favorite breed. I’ve had 3 of them but I don’t know if I would get another because they are a little too big for me to lift and that makes it difficult to lift them into the tub for baths, lift them into the car when they get old and can’t jump up anymore or carry them to the car to take to the vet clinic when they finally collapse of old age. It’s also just too hot here for long coated dogs and Florida Goldens never get those nice thick coats.
I also like Border Collies and Australian shepherds, they tend to run a little smaller than Goldens and don’t have as thick coats but they like a lot of activity.
I always wanted a Samoyed but I don’t think they’d do well in the Florida heat with their thick coats. A co-worker who had one agrees and would not get another in Florida.
I don’t really have a favorite small dog because I haven’t found a breed I like yet. I like Corgi’s but outside of obedience trials I haven’t seen any well-behaved ones. Too many small breeds have too many genetic problems.
Another vote for Border Collie. We had Dottie for just a bit over 2 years, if there was ever a perfect dog, Dottie was it. Unfortunately she broke her back and we had to have her put to sleep. Damn, got something in my eye.
Airdale Terrier. Not very bright but probably to most loving dog I have ever owned. Red was a character and loved being the center of attention.
Corgi. I was adopted by Motley when I visited a pound with a friend, I had no intentions of getting a dog myself. I was looking at a dog in a neighboring pen when I looked over to see a dog with big eyes and a grin on his face. I was told his time was short, he was already 10 years old and if he wasn’t adopted soon, he was going to be put down. I took Motley home and he was my shadow for almost 5 years.
4 and 5. Standard poodle and miniature poodle. My mom loved poodles and we had many as a kid.
When I was born, my parents had a Standard Poodle (in a non-show clip, not the obnoxious poofy kind.) She was a fiercely loyal dog, excellent at guarding the house, and very smart. But she was unkind to strangers and would bite you if you fucked with her. When I was 5 they got a Great Pyrenees, which I liked a lot more. Ours was a female and had a solid white coat. She was a very kind, easy-going dog most of the time, although she would bark very very loudly at anything strange happening outside. The Pyrenees has an extremely loud bark and it could be bothersome at times. This dog was perfect to cuddle with and had a great big fluffy coat.
Other pure breed dogs I like are English and American Foxhounds, Basset Hounds, and Newfoundlands.
Scottish Terrier: Fierce, proud, a big dog in a small dogs body.
Basset Hound: Our Shelby is a special girl, possibly the sweetest dog we’ll know. She doesn’t drool but she does shed. But that’s all right because Shelby is sweet.
Everytime I see an English Bulldog I tell myself I have to have one. Everytime I see the price tag and the costs of proper care I have to convince myself a Bassethound or Beagle will do.
Collies - the best dog ever! I have had them my whole life. I just had to have my beloved Fergus put down last Friday - he had a heart attack at age 12. It was not a good day. They’re the most loyal and loving dogs around, great with children (My mom tells the story about how she heard one of our collies crying in the next room when I was little and she went in to find me teething on his nose.) and don’t always have to be doing something.
I love all dogs and have had mutts, Labradors, Goldens and Irish Setters but Collies rock!
Retrievers, especially labs and goldens, are my favorite dogs. My favorite individual dog in the world is a yellow lab, who I miss horribly since moving across the country from him almost a year ago (he lives with my parents, he’s family!). Goldens run a close second.
Another one that is high on my list are Clumber Spaniels. They’re very uncommon but they are great dogs.
Shetland Sheepdog- “little lassies”, although a completely different breed than collies. Sweet temperament, deep eyes, gentle and loving. Barks way too much, but ours chased an intruder away from my kids in a fenced yard, so I’m ok with that!
(Miniature) American Eskimo - I’ve only ever had two dogs, and both were AEs. They’re adorable. They’re fluffy. They get you more phone numbers than any other breed.
1 - German Shepherd. Although I had a wolf/shepherd hybrid I adored. German Shepherds have beauty, brains, and when they have a sweet disposition, they are a dream. They can occasionally have a nasty disposition, but that is a natural variant.
2 -Norwegian Elkhound - Had one, also beautiful, smart, sweet tempered. I had a sweet bitch that was a pleasure to hang out with.
3 - Borzoi - beautiful dog, would love to own one some day.
4 - Irish Wolfhound - a friend had one, wonderful temperment, very loyal. A but of a handful to walk at first until the training was fully reinforced but after that obeyed incredibly well.
5 - Kommondor - I always wanted a mobil string mop=)
My parents raised golden retrievers and black labs. Great gentle patient dogs for people with kids. A friend with 6 daughters had a border collie that used to try to heard the girls - hysterical to watch. Nice loyal family dogs.
I bred pugs for many years, and sold lots to people in big cities because they don’t need a lot of exercise, and they are so social. I’m down to one pug now, but she is the queen bee in the house.
Rottweilers – I have a rescue one now that is a great dog – a big baby that thinks she’s a lap dog and wants to be cuddled, but also a VERY protective scary-looking dog that my girls take hiking and jogging and I know they are safe.
Basset hound – we had one when my kids were little, and she was infinitely patient with them, and put up with being used as a pillow or being dressed up. Sadly, she was nearly deaf but tried to single-pawedly take down the coyote that was after our chickens, but didn’t hear the car barreling down the road.
Irish Wolfhound --always wanted one, but couldn’t convince my hubby
Greyhound – always wanted a rescue one, but my kids think they look too freaky
Thanks. I’ve been miserable and non-pet people just don’t get the depth of the emotion. Fergus wasn’t “just a dog.”
Your pooch is adorable. I’ve often contemplated getting a sheltie and maybe it’s time to downsize in a couple of months. Do shelties come in blue merle? I’ve always wanted a blue merle collie but have always had tri-colors.
They’re the most loyal and loving dogs around, great with children (My mom tells the story about how she heard one of our collies crying in the next room when I was little and she went in to find me teething on his nose.) and don’t always have to be doing something.
Do shelties come in blue merle? I’ve always wanted a blue merle collie but have always had tri-colors.