Breed traits that aren't commonly known

Cali Mae

Cali Mae

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#21
Laurelin said:
About half the papillon books/web pages don't seem to get the energy level right. I still see a lot that talk about how papillons need very little exercise and that drives me batty. Some paps are really good without exercise but there is a substantial number (I would say most) that need much more than all breed websites tend to mention. I've seen 5 minutes a day mentioned before. Seriously? Not going to work for the vast majority of papillons. No wonder I see so many people complaining that they're hyper.

One thing I don't see mentioned is that papillons are quirk balls. I see it mentioned with shelties a lot but in my experience paps are pretty darn quirky too. Not as motion sensitive but quirky. Ex: Beau likes to walk around with blankies on his head. Summer likes to put herself in down stays then wait to be released. Mia spends about half her time walking around and just putting her tennis ball inside things and then getting them back out.

I also find that papillons love to climb and also jump/fling themselves off of high places. One of the first things Beau's breeder showed us was how to hold them so they don't try to push off your chest. Mine have ended up in shelves, on tables, they frequently hang out on the back of the couch, Mia wants to ride in the car on the head rests, Summer has flung herself off of a 5' wall before without thinking, etc. Couple that with their size and it can be problematic.

They are about the least stoic/pain tolerant dog breed ever. They are so dramatic about everything. If they are happy, they are really really happy but they have woe is me down pat.
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Laurelin summed my thoughts up pretty well.

Out of all of them, the exercise level bugs me the most. Cali gets called a "cat" all the time and most people don't even consider her an actual dog. In reality, she'd go crazy if she got zero exercise each day. She's fine with only a couple walks, but she gets insanely annoying when she wants to play/etc and she hasn't already been exercised. She's the only reason why I'm dressed before ten on a weekend. :p

She has loads of quirks too, and yes, is relatively dramatic. She's seriously the most excitable dog I've ever met, which is a good thing sometimes, but when she gets excited and starts barking uncontrollably... it gets annoying.

I know about five or so other papillons from a breed forum and I know they all have their own little quirks. They also fit in with the excitable and dramatic group.
 
Dizzy

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#22
GSP sleeping positions.

Seriously, these dogs don't lie down. They lounge, legs akimbo, on their backs. Or head lolled back feet straight up. Twisted round upside down, one leg up, the other down. Upside down hanging off chairs. Sat upright like a human, head lolled to one side.

They don't do boring laying down, thank you.
 
Sit Stay

Sit Stay

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#24
I find English Shepherds to be well represented, although of course there is some variety in the breed, like any other. One really cute breed trait though is that it seems a LARGE amount of ESs sleep on their back with their legs straight out. Quinn does this and every time someone posts a picture or mentions that their dog sleeps like this, tons of other ES owners say their dogs do it too.

Here's an example off of FB - this boy is from Cimarron ESs.
 
Dizzy

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#25
AdrianneIsabel said:
No one warns about the sounds that vizslas make, GSP too!
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Aaaaaaaah the noises. Yes, soooooooooooooo vocal!!! He whines and woos and grumbles and huffs! Funny thing is when I met up with his siblings owner when they were pups, she was asking how loud Fred was, and I said he wasn't too bad..... Well, we laugh now. He groans and moans and squeaks. It's lovely :D

They're not dogs for people who like order and sanity, but we just love it.

Also.... THEIR FEET!!!!!! You have to be pretty hardy and not care about being bruised. I'm clawed at on a daily basis. If he's not clawing at me, he's jumping at me. Launching at the face, feet first most often.

Yes... Gsp are loud and feety. I don't remember reading that when I was researching :D

You will be bruised, and you will be moaned at. And you will have to look at their privates All. The. Time. (When sleeping ;) )
 
LostAndConfused

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#26
Sit Stay said:
I find English Shepherds to be well represented, although of course there is some variety in the breed, like any other. One really cute breed trait though is that it seems a LARGE amount of ESs sleep on their back with their legs straight out. Quinn does this and every time someone posts a picture or mentions that their dog sleeps like this, tons of other ES owners say their dogs do it too.

Here's an example off of FB - this boy is from Cimarron ESs.
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Lol. This does seem pretty common.
 
Linds

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Koolies are water lovers! It seems pretty well known among the owners but when I was researching I didn't see much talking about it.

And this may be a line thing but being up on things. Koolies like to be on things just because.

One thing I've also noticed and heard other people notice is how cat like their movements can be. They don't like a cat in personality but in body movements.

And noises. The talking, groaning, moaning etc. I didn't realize other people's dogs did it until someone posted a video of their Koolie greeting them in the morning and it could have been Traveler. That got everyone talking about it and it seemed pretty common.

How good they are with kids. They just overall as a breed are wonderful with children.
 
PWCorgi

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With JRT nothing ever says "They are the best, most amazing dogs ever in the world. Ever." when obviously they are :p

Linds, the thing that struck me most about your two was how FERAL they look when they move. They move like slinky, feral dogs. It's awesome. And yeah, I guess they do look like a feral cat running.
 
Airn

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#29
Well, when I was looking into Kelpies I found... little information. So, most of the traits Gwen has were unknown to me. Granted she's a rescue so I'm sure several of her traits could be linked to trauma, bad breeding, personal quirks, etc. Most of the books/info I gathered on the breed pretained to their abilites as a herding dog. How they are great ranch dogs and good with children, but like to be out and about.

I will say Gwen is not great with kids. She particularly hates small boys, especially handsy ones. We just moved and were walking here when this small boy came galloping up and she was NOT happy that he wanted to pet her. She ran behind me and kept running from him. She wasn't fond of my two younger brothers, but she will tolerate them now. Doesn't like spastic movements.... and with a 6 year old and 12 year old with ADHD, there's a lot of spastic going around.

I would say after reading about the other dogs on here, she's most like Koolies, which makes sense. Also similar to BC's. Definitely a herding breed.

Gwen is also very cat like in her movements. Always stalking something. I would really love to meet some more Kelpies (or even some Koolies!) to get an idea of where Gwen falls on the breed scale.

Oh and OMG THE WHINING. She's not a very barky dog, whether that's her or her breed, I'm not sure. But she has no qualms about whining and groaning and boofing.

Maybe FG will jump in and mention something about Limit. Would be nice to see how they compare!
 
Oko

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What I've noticed in BCs I've met, no idea if this is just the area or working lines or what, is they like to be in super close proximity to their owners. Like, sitting on their feet, constantly touching, making sure they always know where they are.
 
Babyblue5290

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#31
OwnedByBCs said:
BCs I've met want to melt into your skin pretty much... they swarm you, like they will die without fairly regular petting....
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Talon is kind of like that. As long as we are home and not working, or he isn't acting goofy, he just melts into me. He wants to be touching as much of his body on mine as possible. It's starts with both legs on my shoulders, head resting against my face. His butt scoots his way up on my lap and just melts into me.

But at the same time, he isn't overly affectionate, not annoyingly so. He's ok being by himself and keeping himself busy, but when we wake up or come home he has to melt into us first then he feels he can go do his own thing.
 
Lizmo

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#32
Oko said:
What I've noticed in BCs I've met, no idea if this is just the area or working lines or what, is they like to be in super close proximity to their owners. Like, sitting on their feet, constantly touching, making sure they always know where they are.
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Yes! Blaze loooves to sit on my foot, be in between my legs, or in just some way touching me.
 
Southpaw

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Well if Happy has BC in her she definitely has the cuddly part down. She hangs on me for attention. Loves to just be hugged and scratched and lean into you. Which is funny because her description from the rescue said she was NOT an affection seeker, so I was not expecting it :)
But I've seen this from the random BC's I've met too.

As far as boxers go I think everything gets mentioned appropriately - intelligent, loyal, stubborn, good with kids, lap dogs. I guess one of the only misconceptions I can think of, most people seem to think they are supposed to be these great watch dogs that bark at everything. Reality is, IME, that's hardly the case at all - they're pretty quiet, observant yes, but don't alert to everything.
 
OwnedByBCs

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#34
Babyblue5290 said:
Talon is kind of like that. As long as we are home and not working, or he isn't acting goofy, he just melts into me. He wants to be touching as much of his body on mine as possible. It's starts with both legs on my shoulders, head resting against my face. His butt scoots his way up on my lap and just melts into me.

But at the same time, he isn't overly affectionate, not annoyingly so. He's ok being by himself and keeping himself busy, but when we wake up or come home he has to melt into us first then he feels he can go do his own thing.
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See this is what I mean. Its not like my dogs are up my butt 24/7 but they definitely want to be all over me if I give off that "vibe".
 
stafinois

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Both of my Malinois have/had to touch everything with their noses, often slurp. It makes working in the kitchen hard when there is an annoying brown dog licking all of the pans and utensils you are trying to get out. Both are/were as bad as children. They have to touch everything.
 
Red.Apricot

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#36
stafinois said:
Both of my Malinois have/had to touch everything with their noses, often slurp. It makes working in the kitchen hard when there is an annoying brown dog licking all of the pans and utensils you are trying to get out. Both are/were as bad as children. They have to touch everything.
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Elsie does exactly this! Pokepokepoke.

If I tell her 'no that's mine,' she'll poke something near the thing she wants to touch.
 
Dizzy

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#37
Both my dogs are very much into cuddles, and are lap dogs.

I'm not sure it's a breed thing, more of a me thing...
 
Laurelin

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#38
stafinois said:
Both of my Malinois have/had to touch everything with their noses, often slurp. It makes working in the kitchen hard when there is an annoying brown dog licking all of the pans and utensils you are trying to get out. Both are/were as bad as children. They have to touch everything.
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My favorite terv pokes me with her nose constantly. It makes me melt a little.
 
MicksMom

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#39
stafinois said:
Both of my Malinois have/had to touch everything with their noses, often slurp. It makes working in the kitchen hard when there is an annoying brown dog licking all of the pans and utensils you are trying to get out. Both are/were as bad as children. They have to touch everything.
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Caleb does that, too, without the slurp, tho. There's no simply looking or sniffing at something. His nose must touch it. Which makes it interesting when I come home and he greets me with one of his big stuffed animals in his mouth.
 
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