Help Me Pick A Breed, Please

[Logen Ninefingers]

Apologies about the double post. If a moderator could delete the first one for me, that'd be great.

 

[Flyinsbt]

Firstly, thanks to everyone who offered their suggestions. I spent a lot of time researching dog breeds that wouldn't have otherwise crossed my mind.

I thought, for a moment, that the Doberman was the right choice for me and my partner, as the breed seemed to encompass all of the traits listed in my original post. However...

... After much debate, we came to the unfortunate conclusion, because of the hefty price tag they carry, that purchasing a Doberman simply wasn't feasible for us right now.

We still would like a dog, preferably one that fits the description I gave, only one that we can actually afford (sounds awful writing it like that, because I know that well-bred Dobermans are expensive because of the extensive health checks they're put through).

We're looking at potentially rescuing a Doberman, so any advice about that process would be greatly appreciated. If we don't go down that route, we'll be researching breeds that aren't prone to as many diseases, so suggestions are encouraged!

Thanks guys.

You might look in shelters. You could likely find a Doberman mix that would have the traits that you like, possibly with better health.

 

[This Spot Reserved]

Hello everyone,

Great forum you have here - there are a lot of very knowledgeable posters. I hope you guys won't mind helping me out, as I'm struggling to decide what breed of dog I should own.

Whether you have had dogs previously
Two golden retrievers. Been around dogs all my life.

Your circumstances - do you work etc?
I work from home. The dog will very rarely be left by itself.

How much time you have for exercise
I'd imagine two walks per day, plus time in the back garden.

Whether you have children, other pets etc
One cat.

What characteristics you are looking for
I want a medium to large sized dog with a natural guarding instinct. Always wanted a "velcro dog" - a dog that always want to be with its people. The dog must have an off-switch and be content to curl up and be lazy. I don't like stubborn, independent dogs like Akitas or Huskies.

What breeds you have already looked at and your thoughts on them

Doberman - Never seen one out and about, but from what I've read (and I've read quite a bit), they seem like great dogs. The laundry list of health concerns bothers me, though.

Boxer - Have mixed feelings about this breed. My partner likes them a lot, and for that reason, I've looked into them.

There seems to be a lot of contradictory information out there. Some people say they slobber like broken faucets, others say they slobber only as much as any other breed. Some people say they're non-stop, bouncing-off-the-walls maniacs, others say they can be chilled out.

Don't know what to believe, but I do like that they're natural guardians, like Dobermans.

German Shepherd - Partner's family owns two that I don't particularly like, but from what I've read, they don't seem typical of the breed (they're nervous and prone to biting strangers).

I don't like the sloping-backed look that the showlines have, and worry that if I purchased a working line GSD, I wouldn't be able to meet its exercise requirements.

Anything else you think might be relevant or important

• I live in a house in a semi-rural location. I have decently sized back garden. Space is not an issue.
  
• Regarding coat length: I don't mind. Long hair/short hair, it doesn't bother me, as long as I don't have to take the dog to the groomers (happy to brush daily, etc).
  
• I like to go on long walks and hikes. I'd like a dog that could accompany me on these.

Apologies for the long-winded post! I hope I've provided enough information for you all.

A Lab would fit everything in your post, except you might need to add a little fetch into the exercise program besides the walks to a) tire them out and b) satisfy their deepest instincts.

 

[AllisonPitbullLvr]

If you're looking for a guard dog simply to ward off intruders rather than one that has any real guarding instinct, studies show that having a dog of ANY size or breed will deter someone from breaking into your house.

Keeping that in mind, what about a greyhound? They're Velcro dogs, they have a pretty good off switch, they aren't physically overpowering and they're medium sized (relatively speaking).

 

[akashbhatt]

I love German Shepherd

I I love German Shepherd - One of my Friend have that!

 

[Dogdragoness]

Owning both a Boxer and with all of my research on ACD's/having two ACDx's in the house, I will go ahead and chime in. Prep for long post.

Boxer- They do have natural "guarding" instincts, but they aren't nearly as attentive to detail and things out of place as the cattle dogs. Drool isn't an issue. She makes kind of a mess when she drinks, and will drool a touch when she is getting dinner. STUBBORN. Omg stubborn. If she doesn't want to do it and you don't have anything to make it worth it to her then screw you. She is a mix of independent and velcro. Some days, she wants to be all over you. Others, she is content to stay out of sight and sleep the day away and not get up.

Energy level is manageable, especially now that she is a touch older. A few runs a week/playtime with others and she's good to go. She has a fantastic off switch, though I reinforced it when she was little. Obedience training is a must. You will need to be consistent and keep up with it, and have "bootcamp" every once in a while where you proof everything again, again, and again. She has SOME reactivity that was triggered by a few attacks in the dog park. Other than that, she loves people, and gets along with most dogs. SSA is something that you need to watch out for. We have a foster ACDx right now that is female, and they have had words. Nothing that heeds C/R or anything, but I'm constantly watching them.

These dogs are seriously hilarious and I love them. As much as the ACD's are a better fit for me, I can't see us without a Boxer.

ACD's- I personally don't see them being a good fit, BUT that is just my opinion. An ACD is going to need more than two walks and a run around the yard. They need different channels for the quirky weird energy. The more jobs the better or they will find their own. Recall has to be epic because of their prey drive. These guys LOVE their person.. who they choose. They will normally do just about anything for their person and you will never again go to the bathroom again. Or the kitchen. Or outside. Or to sleep. Or really do anything, if they can come. They are super good listeners to a point. Prey drive will override if you don't work on impulse control, and even then it is constant management. They can be stubborn and are VERY hardy/have a high pain tolerance. They are hard dogs. Harder than Boxers.

Here is what our exercise plan is for a normal week:

Sunday: A walk for me/run for the dogs. Fetch in the house for about 30 minutes. The cattle dogs watch for any intruders of the yard that conveniently look like squirrels.

Monday/Wednesday/Friday: Dogs chase each other/wrestle in backyard for up about 45 minutes. Then fetch in the house/more wrestling for up to 2 hours.

Tuesday/Thursday: One cattle dog goes to daycare for 5 hours. Then either bike ride (3-5 miles at varying speeds from full run to walk, but normally at a brisk trot), training session, or major run/swim occur.

Saturday: Sometimes we go on a trip and go for a long-ish hike, or we take them to one of our parents, or we go on a socialization trip.

I try to have Rider in classes every session. He's normally doing Nosework, but we did try agility last time. Lucy is a foster, so just when I feel motivated to train her. Boxer requires a bike ride every 2-3 weeks. Before the cattle dogs, a nice long hike once a week, with a good bike ride, and a walk/play date and we were set for exercise throughout the week.

Oh yeah I have awoken in the middle of the night to see my ACDs just staring at me lol. I don't know if it was because I was restlessly sleepinf, having a bad dream or what but they were like "hey, you ok?" If you want a gal do dog then they do fit that bill, but they do have some prey drive so supervision around the rabbits is a must ... Even if they are separated.

If you go with a good breeder you can work with them and ask for a pup that is more laid back and less drivy.

IME boxers might be too goofy and childlike, and they aren't much of a guard dog.

Dobermans are also great but watch their temperament as they have a lot of shyness in the breed as well as aggression. If the breeder avertises "white" do dobermans or "warlock/kimbertal" dobermens RUN SCREAMING in the other direction.

Good luck wih your search

 

[frostfell]

Hello everyone,

Great forum you have here - there are a lot of very knowledgeable posters. I hope you guys won't mind helping me out, as I'm struggling to decide what breed of dog I should own.

Whether you have had dogs previously
Two golden retrievers. Been around dogs all my life.

Your circumstances - do you work etc?
I work from home. The dog will very rarely be left by itself.

How much time you have for exercise
I'd imagine two walks per day, plus time in the back garden.

Whether you have children, other pets etc
One cat.

What characteristics you are looking for
I want a medium to large sized dog with a natural guarding instinct. Always wanted a "velcro dog" - a dog that always want to be with its people. The dog must have an off-switch and be content to curl up and be lazy. I don't like stubborn, independent dogs like Akitas or Huskies.

What breeds you have already looked at and your thoughts on them

Doberman - Never seen one out and about, but from what I've read (and I've read quite a bit), they seem like great dogs. The laundry list of health concerns bothers me, though.

Boxer - Have mixed feelings about this breed. My partner likes them a lot, and for that reason, I've looked into them.

There seems to be a lot of contradictory information out there. Some people say they slobber like broken faucets, others say they slobber only as much as any other breed. Some people say they're non-stop, bouncing-off-the-walls maniacs, others say they can be chilled out.

Don't know what to believe, but I do like that they're natural guardians, like Dobermans.

German Shepherd - Partner's family owns two that I don't particularly like, but from what I've read, they don't seem typical of the breed (they're nervous and prone to biting strangers).

I don't like the sloping-backed look that the showlines have, and worry that if I purchased a working line GSD, I wouldn't be able to meet its exercise requirements.

Anything else you think might be relevant or important

• I live in a house in a semi-rural location. I have decently sized back garden. Space is not an issue.
  
• Regarding coat length: I don't mind. Long hair/short hair, it doesn't bother me, as long as I don't have to take the dog to the groomers (happy to brush daily, etc).
  
• I like to go on long walks and hikes. I'd like a dog that could accompany me on these.

Apologies for the long-winded post! I hope I've provided enough information for you all.

you want a dog that is lazy and is content to lounge around the house, but then you want somethign for hiking as well. dobes and boxers and GSD are all very high energy and need lots to do. what about a dane?

 

[*blackrose]

This thread is old, but since it has been bumped I just have to say...

If you spend the money to purchase a dog from a reputable breeder, health issues down the line should be much less of a concern. I purchased Abrams for much more than some Chessies are going for (aka, I saw pups being sold for $400). He does, however, come from health tested parents, and because of this I am much more confident that he won't end up with hip dysplasia, and he won't have DM, PRA, or EIC. The thought of, "I just spent x amount of money to purchase him, what am I going to do when he gets a crippling genetic disease?" hasn't really entered my mind, because I'm confident that he likely *won't* have a crippling genetic disease.

Especially in a breed prone to health issues, I'd much rather spend the money on a well bred dog than spend less money up front and end up with a dog with health issues.