What's the “Best” Dog Breed?

Discussion in 'Animals & Pets' started by longknife, Nov 15, 2014.

  1. longknife

    longknife New Member

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  2. wyly

    wyly Well-Known Member

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    Each owner has the dog that suits his/her lifestyle, a chihuahua definitely has its place in a urban environment....

    Having experienced a number of dogs in my extended family over 60yrs and only recently a border collie I have agree with the assessment they are on a separate level for intelligence than other breeds...I'd heard the stories before owning one but it wasn't until I owned one did I truly comprehend how intelligent they are(yes my BC can count to five :eyepopping:)....but they're not for everyone, they have tremendous amounts of energy and need to be kept occupied and require constant groming...in home with low activity owners a chihuahua may be a better choice...
     
  3. Phoebe Bump

    Phoebe Bump New Member

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    I'm in the middle of shopping around for a dog right now. My most recent one was a male miniature poodle who lived to 16. I'm not looking for another poodle because there is no sense trying to replace a great dog like that. My other great dog was a small, female, Airedale.

    This time around, I'm looking for something fairly big (but not lumbering) that doesn't need trips to the groomer. I'm thinking maybe Doberman. Check this out.

    http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...&mid=CF652F1974AA906A8CD9CF652F1974AA906A8CD9
     
  4. Phoebe Bump

    Phoebe Bump New Member

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    Yeah, the only way to harness BC energy is with another BC. But I think they are great dogs. The ones I've known feel they have to herd everything.
     
  5. RedWolf

    RedWolf Well-Known Member

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    Hot dogs are my favorite.
     
  6. btthegreat

    btthegreat Well-Known Member

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    English Springer Spanial on a Ritalin spiked dog food is the perfect family dog.
     
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  7. Pardy

    Pardy Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I wanted a little dog that I could take on my boat. The only little dog that I like is a Jack Russell but they are too yappy and need tons of exercise. A Burmese is, imho, the most beautiful dog around, but they seem so high-maintenance. I settled on a Boxer. He's up for anything (hiking, boating, frisbee) and he gets along well with other dogs. Thankully, he's healthy and not much of a barker, but he's a bit excitable and it's hard to calm him down at times.

    All things considered, I'm happy with my choice.
     
  8. Phoebe Bump

    Phoebe Bump New Member

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    Can you leave him alone? My niece's boxer gutted her home.
     
  9. Channe

    Channe Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Vizslas, period.

    [​IMG]
     
  10. Unifier

    Unifier New Member

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    Beat me to it.
     
  11. wyly

    wyly Well-Known Member

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    Dobermans have a statistical history of serious and sometimes deadly attacks, not anywhere near the record of pittbulls but something to be aware of if you choose one, they're a big dog capable of a lot physical damage.
    you had a small poodle before why not a standard size poodle, low maintenance, intelligent...or the most popular dog by far a Lab, good size, low maintenance, excellent temperament,biting incidents are very rare...
     
  12. wyly

    wyly Well-Known Member

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    My 14 yr old keeps our BC occupied, but he still needs an hour walk every day...yeah they love to herd, he herds/stalks everyone in my home, it never ends...BCs are fantastic dogs but owning one does require lifestyle adjustments...
     
  13. wyly

    wyly Well-Known Member

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    I had one in my home for a while and considered keeping it as companion for my BC but that only lasted a half day...Russels make my BC look like a Sloth, they never stop moving and never shut up, I have no idea how people can handle them...
     
  14. Pardy

    Pardy Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    He's destroyed a few things but he's still young. It only happened when he was alone longer than about 10 hours. I am thinking another dog may help keep him company.
     
  15. Texan

    Texan Well-Known Member

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    My boxers were terribly afraid of thunder. If a storm happened while they were outside, they would go nuts trying to get into the house even though they had a huge double walled insulated dog house on our covered back patio. They were great in the house, but we had to leave them outside when nobody was home. Annie chewed up my metal back door and Rowdy dove through the screen of an open window during a surprise storm while we were gone. Neither boxer liked water, but they were very protective and great with small kids.

    I used to walk or run about 5 miles/day with Rowdy. He died from a brain tumor about 4 years ago at the age of 9 1/2. I don't think I can get another boxer again. I have a pitbull/dalmatian now. I think I will always want a big protective dog. I'd like to have an American Bulldog someday.
     
  16. Anders Hoveland

    Anders Hoveland Banned

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    Wolf or wolf-breed -- best looking and most intelligent
    but animal needs to be treated with respect and some precaution
     
  17. PoliticalWatcher

    PoliticalWatcher New Member

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    Boxers are wonderful dogs...intelligent & easy to train because they live to please their owner. When young they are very active and need a lot of exercise to keep them out of mischief. My last boxer never realized she was not a lap dog.
     
  18. longknife

    longknife New Member

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    A bit off thread, but one of my favorite reading genres is historical fiction. I also have an affinity for the history before history was written - about the Ice Age and stuff. Jean Aul, famous for the Clan of the Cave Bears wrote about the girl becoming friends with a dog-like breed and how the two interacted. There's another pair whose name I can't remember right off hand that wrote about crossing the Bering Bridge into North America. They two traveled with dogs.

    The bottom line is that humans and dogs have depended upon one another for thousands of years. It solely depends upon how you treat your canine companion as to how it will treat you. They look upon us as their pack, their Alphas, and give us unconditional love.

    Fine the one you can bond with and that is, by far, the best breed! :salute:
     
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  19. Phoebe Bump

    Phoebe Bump New Member

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    As I hear it, a lot of the aggression has been bred out of Dobermans over the past few decades AND I think they look sharp. At one point, they were too inbred and became schizo. They've been making a pretty big comeback in my area as of late.
     
  20. wyly

    wyly Well-Known Member

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    insanity, they are never to be trusted, two of my brothers each had one they're like bomb waiting to go off...
     
  21. wyly

    wyly Well-Known Member

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    fear of thunder/lightening is normal it kills, taking shelter would be instinctual...I can't recall owning any dog that didn't hide during storms, we do the same...
     
  22. Shangrila

    Shangrila staff Past Donor

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    Try your local shelter or rescue persons. They have a good grip on the individual breeds and their temperament, and will advise you accordingly.
    You will be surprised how many pure breeds and even puppies are available from shelters. And they come already neutered.
    Everything depends on your personal need and circumstance, what best fits your lifestyle.

    In general, I have rescued, fostered and trained a variety of breeds over many years and have found only very few that were basically not adoptable. Most often, it is the owners and not the dogs who are the problem.
     
  23. Texan

    Texan Well-Known Member

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    My pitbull/Dalmatian plays in his swimming pool/water bowl during the rain. He's a good dog, but he's not very smart.
     
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  24. Dale Cooper

    Dale Cooper Well-Known Member

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    I'm a lover of large (huge) dogs, but I live in an apartment and can no longer have or handle the big guys. Mutts are seriously the best, and I say that after having spent many years raising and showing purebreds.

    That said...................the one breed I simply have zero use for is Chiwawa. OMG, the runny eyes, the yappy mouths, they chase everything, and they are just plain mean. I have never seen a Chiwawa I didn't want to kick into the next county.

    However...........it's not the dogs as much as the owners. They seem to think their dogs are cute and funny when they run off leash attacking everybody and everything.

    Any other breed is fine with me, but if I never again see a Chiwawa, it will be OK with me.
     
  25. wyly

    wyly Well-Known Member

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    Yeah i dislike them too but they're small, so annoying but harmless... if they're were a big dog they'd be a serious danger to everyone...if people want to own big breeds they need to careful of the breeds agressive history...

    I have hate for my neighbours shih tzu, that ******* hairball never shuts up...
     

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