What is your bargepole breed?

[P3LH]

The older I get, the more I realise there’s not many breeds I dislike as such, but only few that I’d actually have to live with.

There’s many breeds I admire, but simply wouldn’t suit me and I wouldn’t suit them so there would be no point. It all comes from an ESS we had years ago. After four years of trying and trying we had to accept we weren’t the right home for him at all, he lived his days out with friends who had a horse stud. I loved him, and he loved us, but we weren’t right for each other and it simply didn’t work. It was a hard but good life lesson - you can’t make a round peg fit a square hole, and a square hole can’t be home to a round peg even with the best wishes in the world. Too many dog owners don’t quite get that when they make the choice.

I don’t think I could have a brachy breed, but I do have a soft spot for pekes. I’m awful I know.

Akitas and Caucasian ovcharka, or any of the ‘newer to the country’ LGD types which seem to be knocking around. I don’t like dogs I can’t read.

Australian cattle dogs. Love them, but too much dog with too much brain and too much will power.

Xl or any variation of bullies or American bulldog. Anything that wants to fight with and kill other dogs basically.

Anything with a naturally short life span. I adore Danes, and have always wanted a harlequin, but I find losing a dog after a good long life hard enough, and despite being a big, bald former rugby player - it really affects me each time. I couldn’t do it after a shorter time.

Despite having rough collies and adoring them (my favourite breed), I’m not sure I will have any long haired breeds or breeds that need lots of grooming again. I’ve become lazy the older I get for one, and for two when the dogs themselves get older they hate being groomed/hate standing about like a prat for ages from experience.

Anything with an excessive or really high energy level and/or drive. I’m not that person. I’d like to be, but I’m not. Specifically, spaniels. I like a nice long and quiet walk through fields with dogs that’ll pootle along with me and then return back to the ranch, to lower the portcullis and pull up the drawer bridge, and waste a few hours dosing with me whilst I read whilst I should, according to Mrs P3LH, be doing other things. I have a dog with a high drive and she’s given me high blood pressure, but I adore her. I know she’s mild compared to some breeds or lines in breeds, and I don’t want to have a stroke anytime soon.

I think for me it’ll be, obviously, Pembroke corgis. They get under your skin, they really do and they really suit us. Maybe a vallhund. A nice mid way type lab, probably of a colour that would
make Clodagh block me. A whippet, if I could find them that act how I remember. Maybe a border terrier or Sealyham. I’m quite taken by tollers and the ‘mini Aussies’, but don’t know enough about either to make a judgement. It’s funny isn’t it, once my ‘yes’ list would have been dozens!

 

[BallyJ]

I'm loving this thread! And my list would be easier to name the ones I'd have rather than not have!

Just an FYI Anyone that said Lab or JRT the fatcontroller has been informed

 

[palo1]

I never thought myself a potential terrier lover tbh. I don't like the short legged frame of many terriers but like a longer legged type. I always felt that terriers were terrible upstarts, hard to train, noisy and potentially anti-social. Is this a common set of beliefs I wonder? My Irish terrier has made a complete convert of me though and now I am interested in a number of terriers though I still prefer the longer legged types. I will always be a long dog person too; there is very little about them I don't love! My family had working gun dogs (FT bred ESS) and Newfoundlands (a definite no thank you from me on several counts: health, slobber, hair and their endless need for cool spaces and water!!). I have no confidence managing anything with a potentially tricky guarding instinct. I don't want anything that needs vast amounts of mental work (such as our working collies who are totally wonderful actually but not as 'pets'). There are many breeds I really admire; I know and very much like a Basenji, my BIL has a beautiful Dobermann bitch, pointers and various hunting type dogs including the GBV, Spinones, poodles etc. But for a house dog and companion my spaniel sized, small Irish wolfhound shaped Irish terrier is the best dog I have ever had. I am surprised and delighted by this. I hope there are more of them to come!

 

[P3LH]

Funny is

I never thought myself a potential terrier lover tbh. I don't like the short legged frame of many terriers but like a longer legged type. I always felt that terriers were terrible upstarts, hard to train, noisy and potentially anti-social. Is this a common set of beliefs I wonder? My Irish terrier has made a complete convert of me though and now I am interested in a number of terriers though I still prefer the longer legged types. I will always be a long dog person too; there is very little about them I don't love! My family had working gun dogs (FT bred ESS) and Newfoundlands (a definite no thank you from me on several counts: health, slobber, hair and their endless need for cool spaces and water!!). I have no confidence managing anything with a potentially tricky guarding instinct. I don't want anything that needs vast amounts of mental work (such as our working collies who are totally wonderful actually but not as 'pets'). There are many breeds I really admire; I know and very much like a Basenji, my BIL has a beautiful Dobermann bitch, pointers and various hunting type dogs including the GBV, Spinones, poodles etc. But for a house dog and companion my spaniel sized, small Irish wolfhound shaped Irish terrier is the best dog I have ever had. I am surprised and delighted by this. I hope there are more of them to come!

Funny when that happens, isn’t it? Unplanned and unforeseen. Sometimes I think when you take a breed on, despite researching it and choosing it based on the right fit for you, you don’t realise just how well they will end up fitting you. It’s the same with us and pembrokes, we picked them as wanted something smaller to go alongside the roughs, that was bright, trainable (!!), sociable and sensible. Whilst we picked based on feeling they would be a good fit, I would never have imagined just how well they would suit us. They’ve taken over a bit now, all the perks and sense of a larger herding cousins. And given their size, you can have a tribe of them, and they’ll still fit in the car. Or at least that’s what I tell my OH.

 

[palo1]

Funny is

Funny when that happens, isn’t it? Unplanned and unforeseen. Sometimes I think when you take a breed on, despite researching it and choosing it based on the right fit for you, you don’t realise just how well they will end up fitting you. It’s the same with us and pembrokes, we picked them as wanted something smaller to go alongside the roughs, that was bright, trainable (!!), sociable and sensible. Whilst we picked based on feeling they would be a good fit, I would never have imagined just how well they would suit us. They’ve taken over a bit now, all the perks and sense of a larger herding cousin. And given their size, you can have a tribe of them, and they’ll still fit in the car. Or at least that’s what I tell my OH.

Yes, exactly this lol!! My OH is not a long dog fan and actually the 'sighthound stress' living with stock made them somewhat less desirable of late to me too. Our retired fell hound was adored by my OH and was an absolute sweetheart with our children when they were young but OMG she was sensitive, stubborn, a terrible thief and about as independently minded as a dog could be. We never expected her to be domestic and we all adored her but I wanted something more genuinely 'pet' like and an easy companion for me in what feels like quite a busy and varied life. I saw an Irish Terrier at Crufts and was much taken with their size, frame and looks but only thought about them as a potential fit for us when talking to owners and breeders. It took AGES to get 'in' and then to wait for a pup though the breed society was helpful and very supportive. The informal Irish Terriers owners club is one of the best though lol. I enjoy the pride of the breed society in the breed's history and love the eccentricities of my sweet, comical lad. I have now met many Irish terriers; some more outgoing than others but all very devoted to their owners and families and generally good for a pleasant kind of mayhem. We belong!!

 

[Aperchristmas]

Yes, exactly this lol!! My OH is not a long dog fan and actually the 'sighthound stress' living with stock made them somewhat less desirable of late to me too. Our retired fell hound was adored by my OH and was an absolute sweetheart with our children when they were young but OMG she was sensitive, stubborn, a terrible thief and about as independently minded as a dog could be. We never expected her to be domestic and we all adored her but I wanted something more genuinely 'pet' like and an easy companion for me in what feels like quite a busy and varied life. I saw an Irish Terrier at Crufts and was much taken with their size, frame and looks but only thought about them as a potential fit for us when talking to owners and breeders. It took AGES to get 'in' and then to wait for a pup though the breed society was helpful and very supportive. The informal Irish Terriers owners club is one of the best though lol. I enjoy the pride of the breed society in the breed's history and love the eccentricities of my sweet, comical lad. I have now met many Irish terriers; some more outgoing than others but all very devoted to their owners and families and generally good for a pleasant kind of mayhem. We belong!!

Irish Terriers are a good compromise for sighthound lovers. I think they put some Irish Wolfhound in the breed to get the height into them so many of them aren't that far in build from some lurchers. Ours are from the slimmer strain of Irish Terriers and in full flight they are so lurcher-like. And then you get the fun terrier character too!

 

[paddy555]

no brachy breeds, no bull breeds, definitely no staffies, no footstools, no toys. No dobermans or rotties. No labs or spaniels. No afghan types, no bassets and most definitely no terriers. Hate terriers.
Very sadly nothing large enough to put it's drooling head on the table. That is OH's stipulation. OTOH if I get rid of OH then hello Pyrenean, Newfie, Leo, bloodhound and Irish Wolfhound. You will all be very welcome. Preferably don't bring any health problems.

On the possible list are lassie collies, shelties, eurasiers. Love sammy's, possibly pure poodles, love red and gordon setters but do they have a brain?

problem is there is only one breed I seem to have any affinity with ie GSD's and I am getting too old for another so another dog would have to be completely different.

 

[Moobli]

no brachy breeds, no bull breeds, definitely no staffies, no footstools, no toys. No dobermans or rotties. No labs or spaniels. No afghan types, no bassets and most definitely no terriers. Hate terriers.
Very sadly nothing large enough to put it's drooling head on the table. That is OH's stipulation. OTOH if I get rid of OH then hello Pyrenean, Newfie, Leo, bloodhound and Irish Wolfhound. You will all be very welcome. Preferably don't bring any health problems.

On the possible list are lassie collies, shelties, eurasiers. Love sammy's, possibly pure poodles, love red and gordon setters but do they have a brain?

problem is there is only one breed I seem to have any affinity with ie GSD's and I am getting too old for another so another dog would have to be completely different.

I think when I’m “too old” for a GSD puppy I’ll rescue some oldies.

 

[paddy555]

I think when I’m “too old” for a GSD puppy I’ll rescue some oldies.

I had thought of that. The problem is all GSD's seem to want to protect me, a lot! It's not the puppy so much as the adults. It is wonderful to feel totally safe. However I would prefer he let the ambulance people in if needed and people do seem to be so worried about GSDs.
I saw someone with a tiny rescue breeding bitch and she was so lovely. Maybe a shelter would have similar.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

As others have said it’s not that there’s anything necessarily wrong with goldens/labs/springers/cockers etc they’re just so popular I find them boring in character!

I confess I’ve never heard anyone say springers are boring in character! I find most dogs are their own little characters, although my first was an ‘easy’ dog. Not boring when he jumped in the canal in front of a barge to chase a duck or cantered up the river when my bil was dog sitting. That made him want an identical dog. Apparently he was a ‘good dog’.

 

[palo1]

Irish Terriers are a good compromise for sighthound lovers. I think they put some Irish Wolfhound in the breed to get the height into them so many of them aren't that far in build from some lurchers. Ours are from the slimmer strain of Irish Terriers and in full flight they are so lurcher-like. And then you get the fun terrier character too!

Yes, my lad is sportily built and VERY fast but full terrier lol I love watching him really stretch out and run. They are a wonderful breed imo and very much underrated.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I'm enjoying how much certain breed people are defending theirs to the hilt and others are like, 'yep, fair enough, they're twats'.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

no brachy breeds, no bull breeds, definitely no staffies, no footstools, no toys. No dobermans or rotties. No labs or spaniels. No afghan types, no bassets and most definitely no terriers. Hate terriers.
Very sadly nothing large enough to put it's drooling head on the table. That is OH's stipulation. OTOH if I get rid of OH then hello Pyrenean, Newfie, Leo, bloodhound and Irish Wolfhound. You will all be very welcome. Preferably don't bring any health problems.

On the possible list are lassie collies, shelties, eurasiers. Love sammy's, possibly pure poodles, love red and gordon setters but do they have a brain?

problem is there is only one breed I seem to have any affinity with ie GSD's and I am getting too old for another so another dog would have to be completely different.

I still can't get over the smell and drool that my neighbors Newfie creates he's such a simpleton too, bless him!

Newfypoos are a thing. Makes me shudder.

 

[palo1]

I still can't get over the smell and drool that my neighbors Newfie creates he's such a simpleton too, bless him!

Newfypoos are a thing. Makes me shudder.

Quite! If you have ever swum with an untrained newfie they can be...unhelpful...as they desperately attempt to rescue you by essentially drowning you. I have lived with 3 of them. The hair, the poo, the slobber, the unwavering love of being in water (and thus the constant wet dog) the constant looming presence..deffo not a breed for me!!

 

[Morwenna]

Anything with a cutesy name. A colleague just told me she’s getting a “Schnoodle” puppy.

 

[P3LH]

I'm enjoying how much certain breed people are defending theirs to the hilt and others are like, 'yep, fair enough, they're twats'.

I tell everyone who tells me corgis, and formerly roughs, aren’t for them the exact same thing. ‘If I love them, yet think they are tossers and incredibly annoying, you of course will!’

 

[P3LH]

Anything with a cutesy name. A colleague just told me she’s getting a “Schnoodle” puppy.

I’ll take that and raise a Pomappochon. Which sounds more like some form of upholstery.

 

[Clodagh]

I never thought myself a potential terrier lover tbh. I don't like the short legged frame of many terriers but like a longer legged type. I always felt that terriers were terrible upstarts, hard to train, noisy and potentially anti-social. Is this a common set of beliefs I wonder? My Irish terrier has made a complete convert of me though and now I am interested in a number of terriers though I still prefer the longer legged types. I will always be a long dog person too; there is very little about them I don't love! My family had working gun dogs (FT bred ESS) and Newfoundlands (a definite no thank you from me on several counts: health, slobber, hair and their endless need for cool spaces and water!!). I have no confidence managing anything with a potentially tricky guarding instinct. I don't want anything that needs vast amounts of mental work (such as our working collies who are totally wonderful actually but not as 'pets'). There are many breeds I really admire; I know and very much like a Basenji, my BIL has a beautiful Dobermann bitch, pointers and various hunting type dogs including the GBV, Spinones, poodles etc. But for a house dog and companion my spaniel sized, small Irish wolfhound shaped Irish terrier is the best dog I have ever had. I am surprised and delighted by this. I hope there are more of them to come!

I thought of you today. We were at Chagford show and they had dog racing for a lure in the main ring. A man walked up and down the dogs shaking the lure at them (there were no fights, amazing testament to dogs in general!). When they started the race all the dogs chased the lure except the IT who ran to the bloke and it looks like bit him on the bum.

 

[druid]

I thought of you today. We were at Chagford show and they had dog racing for a lure in the main ring. A man walked up and down the dogs shaking the lure at them (there were no fights, amazing testament to dogs in general!). When they started the race all the dogs chased the lure except the IT who ran to the bloke and it looks like bit him on the bum.

The Manchesters got banned from the terrier racing at the gamefair and made have their own race as they kept winning

 

[palo1]

I thought of you today. We were at Chagford show and they had dog racing for a lure in the main ring. A man walked up and down the dogs shaking the lure at them (there were no fights, amazing testament to dogs in general!). When they started the race all the dogs chased the lure except the IT who ran to the bloke and it looks like bit him on the bum.

That's marvellous!! Live prey preferable any day...My IT would probably do that too. I hope the bloke wasn't hurt actually and also hope that everyone was able to accept the spirit of 'fun' that was probably intended. Not sure I would trust my IT in that rather exciting situation lol.

 

[Clodagh]

That's marvellous!! Live prey preferable any day...My IT would probably do that too. I hope the bloke wasn't hurt actually and also hope that everyone was able to accept the spirit of 'fun' that was probably intended. Not sure I would trust my IT in that rather exciting situation lol.

I think it was only mouthing but it just looked so funny.

 

[palo1]

I think it was only mouthing but it just looked so funny.

Yay for the Irish Terrier!! Such characters hahahahaha. Chagford show is a blast from the past - I haven't been since I was a child but I don't expect much has changed. Terrier showing and racing is taken VERY seriously in these parts so I have never dared to enter my ginger nut into anything like that locally. After your tale I think it had best stay that way....

 

[Spotherisk]

The bumfluff problem is indeed a thing, our Irish Wolfhounds managed to create bumfluff-poo dreadlocks that needed bi-annual excision.

So did my MIL’s long haired dachshunds

 

[Aperchristmas]

I thought of you today. We were at Chagford show and they had dog racing for a lure in the main ring. A man walked up and down the dogs shaking the lure at them (there were no fights, amazing testament to dogs in general!). When they started the race all the dogs chased the lure except the IT who ran to the bloke and it looks like bit him on the bum.

Oh god this doesn't surprise me at all To corvuscorvax's point, I completely understand why some people think terriers are complete twats. Why do we love them?

 

[Spotherisk]

I think it was only mouthing but it just looked so

Yay for the Irish Terrier!! Such characters hahahahaha. Chagford show is a blast from the past - I haven't been since I was a child but I don't expect much has changed. Terrier showing and racing is taken VERY seriously in these parts so I have never dared to enter my ginger nut into anything like that locally. After your tale I think it had best stay that way....

I am fairly sure the same person who would have run the terrier racing today also did it when you were a child!

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

I thought of you today. We were at Chagford show and they had dog racing for a lure in the main ring. A man walked up and down the dogs shaking the lure at them (there were no fights, amazing testament to dogs in general!). When they started the race all the dogs chased the lure except the IT who ran to the bloke and it looks like bit him on the bum.

So were my bil and sil. They moved to not far from Chudleigh from Birmingham last year. I'm not sure why, there's no family down there and my other bil wants to retire to Herefordshire too.

 

[paddy555]

Quite! If you have ever swum with an untrained newfie they can be...unhelpful...as they desperately attempt to rescue you by essentially drowning you. I have lived with 3 of them. The hair, the poo, the slobber, the unwavering love of being in water (and thus the constant wet dog) the constant looming presence..deffo not a breed for me!!

yes but you must be able to train them. I saw a video many years ago of people going out in a boat in a quarry and "falling in" The the newfie came to the rescue. I always fancied that.
My neighbour has 2. They are amazing.

You have a lot in common with my OH. He was traumatised as a child when his mother took in a Pyrenean rescue that slobbered on the table.

 

[palo1]

yes but you must be able to train them. I saw a video many years ago of people going out in a boat in a quarry and "falling in" The the newfie came to the rescue. I always fancied that.
My neighbour has 2. They are amazing.

You have a lot in common with my OH. He was traumatised as a child when his mother took in a Pyrenean rescue that slobbered on the table.

I did love all 3 of them and we did successfully teach 1 to rescue in water (though it was not much needed in the everyday world lol!). My parents were quite keen on the water trials but their young dog grew enormous, huge even for a newfie and took so long to mature that everyone lost interest in trials by the time he was strong enough!! I enjoyed swimming with them initially and they ARE amazing dogs but I think not for a domestic setting. I used to actually feel somewhat unnerved as 3 of the huge things would come bounding toward you in the garden, with me knowing full well that they saw no reason to slow down until the last minute, by which time the forces of physics had overtaken any canine calculations about distance, speed and things in the way. Personally, they were just too big physically for me and not sharp, mentally. I prefer a sharper temperament in both dogs and horses but my parents absolutely adored them and worshipped graven images of newfies (as well as working gun dogs)!! They are extraordinarily loyal and affectionate dogs and I have lovely memories of their utter devotion to my ailing dad. The slobber from 3, in a house, however, is genuinely revolting and has a certain quality of adhesion that is hard to appreciate...So, lovely dogs just not for me!!

 

[DabDab]

I'm enjoying how much certain breed people are defending theirs to the hilt and others are like, 'yep, fair enough, they're twats'.

yeah well my westie is literally the coolest dog to ever walk on this planet and for that reason I do feel bad for the owners of all the other dogs. So got to be diplomatic and all that...

 

[Spotherisk]

I do like Cairns, not seen one in years though.