How do you guys...

Before I got Quinn I was so sure I was going to get a GSD. I had been in contact with the breeder for probably 4 or 5 years beforehand and was absolutely set on getting one of her dogs this time around. I had already inquired about a female puppy she had, even. Then I started reading up on English Shepherds and they reminded me so much of my childhood Aussies. My mom really liked the sound of them, too. The only breeder in the province had a litter planned and we ended up putting our name down as we didn't want to lose the spot. I was still unconvinced at this time - there was so much variety in the breed and I was seeing dogs I wasn't particularly fond of on the internet and youtube that were making me second guess my decision. Two things happened in particular - I found a breeder with amazing dogs, one bitch in particular who was my absolute dream dog that made me go "THAT'S the kind of dog I want". I was also able to meet Quinn's aunt, who, while it wasn't a big lightbulb moment like the previous, I really liked and it was nice talking to her owner about her. We were given the news that someone had backed out and there was an open spot for Quinn's litter and we were next in line so we put a deposit down on a puppy, which was still a bit of a leap of faith, and not long after we met Quinn's breeders, Quinn's mom and granddam, and the litter for the first time at 6 weeks old.

I'm not really sure what the point is I'm trying to get across - maybe just that I went through a similar thing! I was familiar with and set on a GSD for years prior - English Shepherds were that new breed that sounded great but I'd never met or heard of before. I took a leap of faith by going with Quinn vs. that GSD puppy. I wouldn't change anything even if I could and now I know that at this point in my life, I'm more suited for ESs than GSDs. However, if I had gone the opposite way I'm sure I would still be thrilled with and loving my dog. I still love GSDs and would love to own another. Either way, you will love the dog you end up with!

I am planning on eventually spaying her maybe after a litter or two (if I even breed her), so we will run AKC then. So that's my way around it

That's not a bad plan really, though it would be harder with a male. Now someone just needs to let me come meet their dogs.

I guess it depends on how much you want to breed. Altering around 2 and starting to trial after that seems fine to me really. Usdaa is a good option though!

Maybe I'm boring, but..

I think if it ain't broken, don't fix it. I found a breed that I think I really get along with and I don't think I'll probably stray for awhile. Unless I rescue, in which I won't be picky on breed. My problem is that if I get a different breed, will I enjoy it as much as I enjoy labs? However sometimes variety is good.

My only breed I know for sure I'll get is a Tibetan Mastiff when I own a home.

I guess part of the choice would be...how serious are you about Tollers? Are you interested in them from a pet/casual performance perspective only or do you see yourself getting really involved with the breed (showing in multiple venues, going to nationals, possibly breeding, etc). Belgians are my breed for sure. Almost always when I have been able to have another dog, regardless of what I have thought of getting (or keeping) a quality Belgian was more important to me than how much I wanted something else. Actually in almost 15 years, I have opted only to get Belgians...until I decided that I absolutely had to have a PyrShep. For me getting a non-Belgian had to be different enough from a Belgian that another Belgian wouldn't fit just as well, a dog I for sure without a doubt had to have even after 3 years of waiting/researching and timed so I could still keep a puppy from a future Belgian litter. I'm definitely seriously involved with Belgians but I'm very happy I decided to venture out of my "comfort zone" and get a breed not as familiar to me. OTOH there's something really nice about having multiples of the same breed and being so very familiar with a breed that they are totally normal and natural for you to have.

So that probably wasn't too helpful. I tend to think indecision like this will work itself out. In the end, you'll know what you really want. If you have doubts about getting a puppy of any breed, you can always wait for future litters until you're totally sure.

I can't decide at all. I think that's the biggest reason I'm so apprehensive to get a second dog. I like so many breeds from afar, but can only see myself owning a few specific ones, but I still haven't quite narrowed it down and I'm kinda sorta all over the place...

I'm really comfortable with Jackson and he's really the perfect dog for me. There's only a few small things I'd change about him if I could. So that's why I keep leaning back towards Silky's (even if he's a big Yorkie, he looks and acts like a Silky) and I've already kind of gotten myself involved in the Silky world, and spoken to many breeders, and have found some I really like. But I feel like I'd get something similar and what I'm comfortable with.

On the other hand, I want to branch out and try something different and get out of my comfort zone before getting stuck on a breed so early on (I'm only 21, so hopefully will have many years to try other breeds). And then if I decide for sure that Silky's are the one for me... I guess I'll know.

I don't know! Basically.

I hate decisions, and would still rescue given the chance, but my other half still won't shift on that....

My search keeps coming back to the same breed though.... They just sound exactly what I want. I've never lived with one either, so it'll be a learning curve

my only other** breed. yeesh.

p.s why does edit have a time out?

I wish I had an answer to this, too. I've been switching between breeds for the past three-ish years. Just recently I was sure I knew what my next dog would be, until I realized an old dealbreaker wasn't a dealbreaker any more, which put an old favorite back on the table...

It's not going to end until I actually get another dog, I think. Until I'm actually ready to get another dog (~1 year from now), I'm going to keep flipflopping. It's tremendously frustrating!

What I did was decide I wanted a sheltie, started talking to Terv people, and then found a litter I liked. ;]

Really, I realized they'd fit better with my lifestyle at this point (size, appearance, energy level, that sort of thing) and that I liked the community. Now that I have Elsie, I wouldn't change anything. I'll still probably have another sheltie at some point, but Elsie's the perfect dog for me right now.

That's probably not super helpful.

Collect, freeze and snip. Done. Though personally I don't like the breeders who do that across the board with every male they have (makes me wonder if their dogs can work and be intact or if that was/could be an issue), lots of breeders do it.

This is a factor for me too. The breed's community.

For many, many years I badly wanted a GSD. Loved Collies too. I had a Collie and several GSDs. I really, really wanted to be involved in GSDs but when I accidentally found Belgians, I them to be a great fit. Part of the deciding factor with them, for me was the community involved in the two breeds. I felt the Belgian world was a better fit for me all around. There are ways I still like GSDs better than Belgians. There's ways I like Belgians better than GSDs. In the end, the Belgians are a more practical breed for me. And now, they are such a natural and normal choice for me that I can't imagine being without them.

The only problem with that idea is that your dog is still getting neutered. Some people actually prefer having intact males.

There are also issues with planning to breed first then spay and compete at a younger age. Sometimes life gets in the way of having litters right at two, puppies are a ton of work and seasons aren't always conveniently timed. If you're talking about a competition dog, breeding can put them out of training/trialing for at least 4 months. Breeding two litters back to back or skipping a heat and having two litters will be putting them out of training/trialing for at least 8 months of a 2 year period. Then if you keep a puppy from a litter, you have just a couple years between your new puppy and your still young competition dog. You also don't have a chance to see how your dog develops, matures and if there are any later onset health issues prior to breeding. Some dogs in my breed aren't fully mature until they are 4ish. And if you want to prove the dog prior to breeding by titling, that puts a lot of pressure to try to get to the upper level titles by time the dog is 2 or 3. And of course having an intact girl in itself is a PITA for trialing...

I'm not saying that any of this will be an issue any other specific poster here. Just food for thought. If one wants to keep their dog intact for whatever reason, the "breed them young or collect then alter" option still may not be ideal for them.

Yes! The breed community in Belgians is fabulous. Although some Malinois unsavories are creping in, the vast majority of Belgian people are smart and proactive.

Then I look at the APBT/AmStaf community and hear Dueling Banjos playing in my head...

Oh, and you Koolie people need to start looking into the AKC FSS program. That would give you a lot of options without needing full registration. I am pretty sure FSS breeds can do performance stuff.

I never said the dog had to be bred at 2. Breed her at 4 & 6 and then spay, or 3 & 5. What's wrong with a 6 year old dog competing in agility, especially if they have already been running other venues for the last 4 years? Or even a 7 year old dog? Yes, there is a risk that certain titles *might* not be completed but the dog will be seasoned to trials by then so the chances of that are slim. Especially with a breed like koolies who have relatively long lifespans. Yes, heats do make competing more annoying, as does taking several months off for a litter but in the grand scheme of things it's not that big of a deal. I don't intend on competing nonstop, every weekend with my dogs anyways as I believe they need breaks, but that's just me.

Like I said, that wasn't directed at anyone specifically. It was food for thought with the idea that "you can just breed or collect then alter and compete". A lot of it depends on your goals, what you feel is ideal for yourself/your dogs and what you want in terms of breeding/competing. For example, I never want to neuter a male dog unless there is a medical reason, so that option would be out for me. It would work perfectly for many people though.

Well I am not big on making decisions, I pretty well narrow it down to a few choices that fit what I am looking for and see where it goes from there (look into breeders and rescues until a particular dog or litter catches my eye). The next breed I specifically know for sure that I want is a collie, I know them, I love them and they suit me. But after that it is a toss up between several different breeds and I really do not know which one will win out.

:rofl1::rofl1::rofl1:

Thanks all for sharing your experiences!

I guess the biggest question for me at this point in time is which breed is better suited to my lifestyle right now. I know I'll have both breeds in the future, it's just a matter of which comes first. Because after this dog, it will be my last one for quite a while.

That's kind of how I feel too. I know Tollers work for me and I love them, so I worry that another breed might not fit quite as well. Even if they sound like they would on paper. I don't really see Koolies not fitting, as they sound incredibly similar to all that I had in and miss about Tango. But one never knows! Which is why I definitely want to meet some before I make a definite decision either way.

I think I'll always be interested in Tollers just as pets/casual performance dogs. I am serious about the breed and can't imagine ever not having at least one around, but I don't think breeding and showing in different venues is for me. I've definitely thought about it, but it's very expensive, extremely time consuming, stressful (I'd want to make sure I did everything just right), and taking care of a litter is a ton of work. After living with my Dobe breeder for a while with her last litter, that really put things into perspective. I think breeding properly and raising puppies is best left to others at this point, haha. So yeah, I adore the breed but I may not ever venture past just living with them as pet/performance dogs. But who knows. I'm still young and don't know what I want to do with any of my life, let alone what I want to regarding dogs/my breed.

I am sure everything will work out as it's supposed to in the end. I feel like I'd be more than happy with either breed for my next dog. Like I said, it's just a matter of which comes first. I just feel like it's a huge, important decision so I don't want to mess it up.