Breaking the mould

[CorvusCorax]

....just wondering, prompted by comments on a couple of other threads, saying they want a dog of X breed or type because it could be just as good a dog as Y.

None of my dogs (all the same breed) have been the same, some breed traits obviously but personality wise, different, even, if not especially, a litter brother and sister.
Some have had no breed typical traits at all (I LOVE EVERYBODY, COME ON IN! Ball? You want me to chase a ball?!) and some have had them so ingrained there is no way you could train them otherwise.

If I'm honest, if I could have the D, dog I had when I was a teenager again, I would, I know her pedigree inside out, I've come across a lot of dogs since she died and I've never found another like her, to me she was the perfect dog, but I have never actively compared any other dogs to her and I know it's incredibly unlikely that I will have a dog like that again.

My mother went through a period of loathing two of our newer dogs, because they weren't like good old N, who was just so good and quiet and nice, whereas these two were a pair of hooligans, to me, they were just different dogs. I'll not lie, I have had my 'favourites' and there have been dogs I haven't gelled with, but to me, there is no way of comparing them.

Has anyone managed to find a carbon copy of a previous dog, or do they actively seek one? Has anyone had a bad experience, in that a first dog had been so perfect and the new dog came in like a whirling dervish, or vice versa?

Having said all that, I do know what lines and pedigrees I want my dogs in future to come from

 

[Dobiegirl]

As I said In that thread all my Dobes have been different even the 2 siblings I have now, yes they share breed traits but they are different.

I was one of four children and although we share similar features are very different personality wise so I dont see why dogs should be different.

As an aside all my Dobes have come in like whirling dervishes but have reverted to commited christians after training and reaching a certain age.I dont compare my dogs favourably or unfavourably I rather celebrate their differences.

 

[satinbaze]

4 flatcoats all very different. Three all closely related ie. aunt, mum, daughter. They all have different attitudes. Inca my first would look at you with a what we going to do expression, Maya her niece sits next to you and looks at you with an "I love you" expression. Lily is Maya's daughter and she sits and looks at you with a "Do you love me" expression. Tiva is not closely related but has some common ancestry with the others. She is still at that puppy "can I eat/chew it?" stage.
All my dogs have been trained for working trials or obedience and have all been very different to train. Without wanting to sound rude the easiest to train was Maya who to be honest is a bit dim! She doesn't think things too hard so is so willing to try whatever I ask.......just an observation

 

[Morag4]

3 Chinese Cresteds although there are breed traits in each one, they are very much individuals. The beauty of dogs I think is that each one is an individual, one can never replace a dearly loved dog personality etc because they are not off a mechanical production line they are a living breathing thing with all that entails, experience, genes etc all mould who they are ultimately.

 

[milo'n'molly]

I think you are quite right, my neighbour who I dogsit for has had Airedales for years and all the ones I have known, all bitches, all from same breeder/bloodlines have been very different. I personally think with these dogs, hers have become progressively much less "terrier" in attitude but put this down to the change of use from working dog to pet dog.

I am dreading when anything happens to my dog, he is a mixed breed and he is practically perfect in every way. He is my first dog and I don't think any other dog could possibly match him.

If people can breed characteristics the difference between tiny yorkies to Great Danes, surely they could breed dogs with longer life expectancies, it just seems so sad.

 

[MurphysMinder]

That is so true CC. I have owned a lot of dogs over the years, there are 4 that absolutely stand out and all were different. In 3 cases I had offspring from them and they were different again, although I could see certain traits of their mothers in them.

 

[Clodagh]

Having tried it with a horse, and it so didn't work, I would never ask it of a dog.
My husband and children shoot so for them it is a working labrador, so we buy them as puppies and research the breeders and parents. We would have liked to get one of our lab's sister's pups but she didn't take so we are now getting a totally unrelated, but equally working bred, puppy. Labradors are, IMO, pretty straightforward and although I have only known working ones they have all been bumbling fools who love to make you laugh and work like demons.
For my own dog I always get an adult rescue, so they tend to be whatever I fancy or crops up at the local pound. Last time I fancied a lurcher, next time probably something collieish. I actively won't get another lurcher (apart from OH banning me) because it wouldn't be Sash, whio is perfect.

 

[Blanche]

I've never tried to replace a dog with one I thought might be the same , mainly because I don't think it is possible . Collies are the breed I've had where most were closely related and they were all different . The only thing I have found with all my collies is that they were all fairly laid back even though they were working bred . After my last collie(border) was put down (still had a Bearded x border) I actively looked for another breed as I knew I'd never be able to replace any of those that had gone before . Twenty something years down the line I sometimes look longingly at collies and may get one in the future .