Well, for an expressive personality and extreme kindness to children, wrapped up in the world’s most stubborn character, nothing beats a Boxer.
Our retrievers are rescue dogs themselves, and the yellow lab seems to be a yellow lab/golden mix, so I must concur on the mixed breed thing. They seem just disgustingly happy to be with us. This morning Isaac, the lab, even got to go for a ride in the CAR! JOY! RAPTURE!
Newfoundlands, although I am also partial to Irish Wolfhounds.
I love dogs… most dogs, all dogs as long as they don’t bite me.
Of course, I’m partial to Silky Terriers as the only dog I have ever lived with is a Silky Terrier. She’s very smart and quirky and just HILARIOUS. She’s healthy for a 15-year-old dog, too. 
And Yorkshire Terriers, they’re like Silkies that shrunk in the dryer. So cute.
But really I like all dogs and this is just a matter of my own personal bias. 
Buffy was a rescued Lhasa that graced our family for 16 years. You just have to love a small hairy dog that will defend you to the death. Very loyal, very loving, very missed.
My Dalmation. Other Dalmations, not so much. After that, I too am partial to mutts. Especially the lap dog variety.
“What’s your favorite …?” belong in In My Humble Opinion. I’ll move this for you.
Cajun Man ~ SDMB Moderator
Border Collies. We have one (named, typically ‘Jess’)
I am not a dog man, but border collies do not have those qualities that define ‘dog’ - stupidity and uncleanliness…
Jess (and border collies in general) are intelligent and clean dogs.
The worst dogs in the world are those little yapping bastards often owned by pensioners - little stupid annoying rats.
I love Border Collies. We’ve had three of them, and each one I thought was the best dog I ever had.
I’m sure the same can be said for Australian Shepherds - they are very similar.
I’d also like to put in a good word for the little know, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, or ‘Toller’. The temperament of a golden retriever mixed with the playfulness of a Border Collie, and 2/3 the size of the Golden. Excellent dogs.
True – there is no better dog than the Border Collie.
My wife and I own two Boston Terriors (Emma and Emmet) both smart, sweet, and good with little kids. Very spoiled.
Absolutely wonderful, & my fave. Very affectionate, but not good guard dogs because they like people. (My experience). They need a lot of exercise because they are work dogs. And of course, they love very cold weather. They usually howl instead of bark.
Well, duh. German shepherd dogs of course. Oh, and beagles. I like to have one big dog to lead the others in my plan for world domination. MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! (1 GSD, 2 beagles)
GSD: loyal, smart, extremely affectionate to her ‘pack’ and her slowly accepted friends, obedient. But: quirky. Sometimes she gets protective at inappropriate times. Could be too much dog for some people.
Beagles: sweet, loving, very affectionate. Smarter than some people think. But: follow their noses, can’t be trusted off a leash, willful / stubborn.
Pound puppies!
We have two Boston terriers.
We will more than likely, never get a different type of dog - we’re a boston family.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are it for me! I have two (Olive and Jane)…My mom also has 2 (Sophie and Phoebe) - so when Mom comes over it’s a Cavalier Convention. (The cats don’t especially like this)…They’re wonderful dogs. Sweet, loving and always entertaining. Plus, they’re relatively small without being a “yipe yipe” dog. In fact, they hardly ever bark. They’re kind of like a big, sporting breed in a small dog’s body.
However, honorable mention goes to the Newfoundland, Great Dane, and Irish Wolfhound! Oh, and I had a Shetland Sheepdog named Daisy. Also a fabulous breed!
Heck, if truth be told I like all dogs!
Rotties…I have never met one who wasn’t a big goofball. They think they’re teeny little lap dogs and love to give big slobbery kisses and oogly eyes as they smush the life out of you. Mine was a big chicken, she’d hide in the bathtub whenever I’d make something in the oven, or when she could smell someone barbecuing in the neighborhood. She also was exhilarated by the sound of cards shuffling, she’d run around the table in circles for ever because of that oh-so-exciting noise.
Labs, too. I recently lost my yellow lab, Hannah. She was 8, and it was awful. She was the sweetest thing that ever lived. Labs have such joie de vivre, they smile and laugh and giggle all the time. I sure do miss my Hannah.
Komondor.
Followed closely by theBull Terrier.
Of course, I’m being totally superficial and going by looks. Never in my life would I even attempt to keep a komondor. Unless I had enough money to pay someone to actually sit there and clean it every day.
Hmmm, if my cats disappeared tomorrow (not likely, one is shedding on me and settling in my lap as I type), I’d replace them with a Sheba Inu, which seems like an ideal apartment dog. Very sweet, compact, fastidious, and quiet.
However, I don’t want to get a dog until I have some property.
Great danes have always been my favorite, but with the vet costs and short lifespans, I’m not sure I’ll ever have one.
I’ve become very fond of Australian shepherds the last couple years, since they’re attractive, intelligent, loyal, and an ideal size.
However, some friends of mine have a wirehaired pointing griffon whom I absolutely adore. I’d love to have one just like her, and she doesn’t seem to shed too much.
In the same vein, some other friends have a standard poodle who’s great. I was seriously researching standards a couple of years ago before the cats showed up.
SICK!:eek: