How do you guys...

[chaospony]

I am a sighthound person through and through! Most other breeds from other groups would probably drive me nuts! Not keen on the great huge scraggly guys so the wolfhounds and deerhounds are out, looooove the desert hounds!
Afghan hounds are the perfect breed for me. Adding salukis now and hoping they are a good fit too. Sloughi and Azawakh's fascinate me. Greyhounds and Galgos are possibilities one day too, if I ever want something different. But since I got my first Afghan at 13, it's been nothing but sighthounds in the cards. I'm almost certain I will never suddenly find myself debating between a Labrador and an Afghan hound. No contest! I find it comforting somehow that any future dogs way down the road are already somewhat decided if I decide to move away from Afghans. Takes some pressure off or something!

Never met a Toller that wasn't amazing! Only met about 8 or so though! But all the Tollers here in town are super dogs. I wonder if they are all from the same breeder... I see a couple around town with a group of 4, they can take those dogs anywhere and ask them to do anything and they comply with a grin. Tollers are one of those dogs that always caught my eye... Then I spend some time playing with them at the dog park and run back to my Afs!

[Laurelin]

It's really kind of nerve wracking thinking of going with something other than a sheltie or a papillon. For the last 17 years the only dogs we've added have been shelties and papillons. And between the two breeds, that's been the last 10 dogs we've owned!

It's easier for me because I know I want something larger than a papillon this go around. If I were to get a small dog, I don't think I could get a dog that wasn't a pap. Papillons are just perfect dogs for me and I've never been drawn to any other small dog over them. But I do find myself thinking maybe a sheltie very often and I'm pretty sure that's just me wanting to go with something familiar again. Shelties and papillons are just so comfortable for me and so easy. I don't feel like I'd have any huge surprises with either and I know I'd do well with them. But I really do want something bigger than most shelties next. It's kind of frightening for me, I like the familiar. But you never know till you try, right? I've loved BCs more than any breed since I've learned about them. Been going back to that breed over and over again for years. That must mean something.

[Aleron]

Originally Posted by Toller_08

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.

If you think either will work equally, it sounds like you can't make the wrong choice

Originally Posted by stafinois

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.

And very supportive of each other overall. You will always have some unsavories but in some breeds, it seems there's more of them than not.

Originally Posted by stafinois

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

Originally Posted by stafinois

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.

Not sure if they are interested in pursuing any sort of official recognition with the breed. FSS registration does allow performance stuff and I think breed appropriate competitions too like herding. They have to be recognized by another registry, either foreign or domestic. This outlines the steps to getting a breed included in FSS: http://www.akc.org/reg/fss_details.cfm

[Linds]

Originally Posted by Aleron

Not sure if they are interested in pursuing any sort of official recognition with the breed.

Yeah, I know I personally and a lot of the people in Oz in no way want recognition by a larger body such as the AKC so I'm hoping they don't get dragged into FSS. I'm happy with them under the radar and doing other venues such as ASCA, APDT and agility not through the AKC.