Why your breed appealed to you?

[Aru]

I didn't really know about Lapphunds when I got Liberty, but they're her breeders second breed, so I asked to meet them. They're cute but very fluffy! Her breading male looked like he would have been happy to come home with me and was actually very quiet compared to the Aussie madness! I wouldn't say no to one in the future.

They would happily leave with anyone who showed them love and affection!
Very much not guard dogs!
People seem to pair them with Aussies a lot as breeds to own! Owners have a preference type fluffy herders!

The noise level varies a lot. 2 out of my 3 are pretty good with barking...the third expresses all emotion with her voice I definately try not to downplay the vocal tendencies of the breed.

But they have so many good qualities. They are incredibly tolerant and great with kids. Usually very dog social- though some adolescents do go through an excitement reactive phase on lead I've found because everyone is a new best friend.
The coats a lot easier then it looks to manage as well! Big sheds twice a year, and just brushing in between. They are much much less work then the oodle coats.

My main catch with them is recall.
Mine are unreliable, so I'm very careful with where I let them off lead. They will always come back eventually- they won't bolt off for hours but they are horrors for just hearing you call them and going..Nah this is more interesting despite a lot of recall training. So we long lead a lot.
It's especially frustrating because in other ways they are incredibly rewarding and easy to train for tricks, obedience etc

I love them though! Would still recommend them as a breed.

 

[malwhit]

I don't really have loyalty to one breed - I tend to get a dog that will fit into my lifestyle.
I went to the RSPCA 32 years ago wanting a big dog but came home with a Jack Russell.
I had Mini Schnauzers because they were calmer & less aggressive than some terrier breeds.
Despite being pro KC and anti Doodles, I have ended up with 3 Labradoodles and a Cockapoo in the last 20 years. Typical me, I didnt the flashy coats, I got the black or brown ones which moulted. My best dogs have been my Labradoodles With my mischievous Mini Schnauzer male just after them
I now have a two year old Whippet and it has been a steep learning curve The single word that describes Lola is "Weird"

 

[Janique]

Thanks. I have friends who lost their BMD in who are near Bordeaux in France. Will give them rescues details. My friend has had 4 BMDs and used to work with the Californian rescue.

www. Svpa.ch Svpa Refuge St Catherine
Route de Berne 318
1000 Lausanne 0041, 21 784 80 02 Bordeaux - Lausanne : 743km. A good opportunity to take a few days holidays ! Good Luck !

 

[AppyLover1996]

I was born into the Border Collie hype (I didn't learn to walk with a walker like most children do - I learnt to walk by hanging onto dear Benji's coat and bumbling along beside him - such a sweet boy and he was one hell of an intelligent dog!), and I've always had a Border Collie or Border Collie cross in my life growing up.

I adore the breed - they're loyal, smart, love to learn, but also have their own personalities and make cracking working dogs or family dogs. Sid our current Border Collie is such a dude - I've taught him so many tricks, he put up with me learning how to bandage for my pony club exams by using his legs, he also put up with me learning how to lunge a horse for pony club too One year for Christmas I dressed him up as Santa Paws and he sat there the entire time, wagging his tail with the goofiest look on his face. He is insanely loyal and once ran from home to the local hospital when I got taken in for a major concussion - we pulled up into the hospital car park and as I'm getting out the car, Sid appears from a random bush and sprints towards me, wagging his tail and barking like a loon x He's an absolute laugh to take to the beach and trying to get him out the sea nearly always ends in me getting outsmarted and Sid taking me off my feet in the process aha! He's getting on in years so is a bit of a grumpy sod sometimes, but overall he is such a sweetheart - I honestly think I will loose a piece of me when he crosses Rainbow bridge as he's been there for me through so much.....when my ex broke my heart, I sat on the floor in my room and was howling like a hyena, Sid came up the stairs, pushed my door open, gently walked towards me and popped his paw on my leg as if he were letting me know that he was there for me

Now onto my terror from another planet (I mean darling! ) - Loki - he's a Weimaraner! I have always adored Weims and when I had my wonderful cob cross Molly on loan, her owner had a pack of Weims and I was hooked from the moment I met them....

They're incredibly intelligent (sometimes this can backfire spectacularly - my Dad for a laugh taught Loki how to open the door to the garden and now we've had to turn all the handles in the house backwards to stop Loki making a break for it!), loyal, they don't suffer fools gladly, will happily goof around but are also incredible when given a job. They also have the most beautiful paces and just scream elegance when trotting out nicely in the show ring. I also love their massive ears and beautiful sheen that they get on their grey coats. With Loki, we hide things around the house, take him to various new places so that he can really use his nose to do scent work, do regular training sessions with him teaching him new things/reinforce what he already knows and he thrives off of this. We have a lovely big field that we take him to for a good run and he sprints around, ears flapping having an absolute blast.

It's been one hell of a learning curve and it's really challenged me as a dog owner and handler, which has been fun but I think that with my lifestyle, I won't get another Weimaraner - I'm lucky that someone is always home so he's never left on his own, but I've known Weims to become extremely destructive as they are known as the "grey ghosts" and will follow their owners anywhere. I can't even go for a wee in peace as Loki will pace up and down until he can see me....so whilst Loki is with me I'm enjoying being owned by a Weim aha x

 

[DabDab]

The only breed that we have actively chosen (and then chosen again) has been a Kelpie.

I love the athleticism, trainability, loyalty and reliability of border collies, kelpies etc. But with Kelpies it is just their level of enthusiasm and goofy personalities. They have an enormous sense of humour, love a problem to solve, and are friend to everyone (even if that friendship is expressed by attempting to herd their friends)

 

[Chiffy]

Only just got round to reading this thread, it’s very interesting and lucky we all like different breeds!
My first dog as an adult was a whippet.
My parents made me train for a proper job but as soon as I could, I stopped and started working with horses. This meant we could have a dog. I had met a whippet when living with a horsey family for a summer helping out. She was wonderful and we bred a litter and kept a puppy. Such country dogs but good in the house too. On losing the Mother we decided to try a size up, we went for a smooth lurcher, bred in Lambourn in the days when lurchers were specifically bred rather than anything with a pointy nose as they can be today.
She was absolutely wonderful too, very intelligent and obedient enough to come out riding . We bred from her too, using a stud dog from Norfolk , another area that specialised in breeding lurchers.
Eventually, I fancied a breed to train for obedience competitions but still a country dog…..sorry no Collies, not my favourite!
I didn’t want a Labrador either so thought I would like a Golden Retriever. However fate intervened and I saw Flatcoats at Crufts. I had never seen such beautiful dogs with fabulous temperaments and constantly wagging tails. No difference in the show and working variety, they do both jobs. I have never looked elsewhere, they are perfect, kind and enthusiastic about life. I have trained five to a high standard of competitive obedience and gundog work inspite of my trainer trying to persuade me into a collie ( that would be even better! hmm! ) Such wonderful dogs to share your life with.
My daughter now has a whippet which is lovely, I am not sure she shares my enthusiasm for flatcoats though!

 

[Asha]

We wanted a true family dog. Husband had a golden when he was younger and insisted on that breed. I was just happy he wanted a dog. So along came Wallace, who really was the perfect dog for a young family. Super kind, not too boisterous and generally just a happy chap. Was an absolute nightmare off the lead, had zero recall no matter what we tried. Even food wouldnt tempt him back. The one thing that did work was the sound of me starting the horsebox up. So if he ever got into the neighbours field, id start the box up and back he came. I did have to treat him them to a trip around the block. Id always wanted a lab, so when Wallace passed i knew we wouldnt get another golden, as a family we all decided the new dog would have to be similar in temperament but look different. Stirling is everything ive read and wanted with a lab. Super friendly, happy and trainable. The kindest boy. Very much like Wallace, but without the extra fluff everywhere

 

[tinselbobs]

Roxie is a dachshund x JRT. I wanted something small that would snuggle on the sofa but be athletic enough to enjoy good walks.

She definitely fits into what I wanted, and has turned out to be a fabulous family dog too.

When she goes I’d choose something different as I’d like a slightly less barky breed!

 

[Moobli]

I always coveted GSDs from as far back as I can remember. I think as a child I wanted a large, impressive dog who was super loyal, would happily hang out with me whatever I was doing and who was intelligent and trainable, and who also had the ability to watch your back (too many Disney films maybe! ).
So I chose a GSD as soon as I could have my own dog and I haven’t been without one since.
My grandparents were farmers and we spent every summer on their small farm in Ireland where I spent the entire time with the border collie dogs. That breed wrestled in my affections with the GSD and I also loved watching One Man & His Dog. My mum always stressed though that collies should be on farms and were not pets (fair point).
I decided to get my own border collie after I’d started to attend a competitive obedience and agility club and liked the collies I met there. My first collie was very worky so I ended up forgetting agility and taking him to weekly lessons with his breeder to learn to work sheep. I soon added another collie because I enjoyed it.
Through my collies I met my husband who is a shepherd and so we now have multiple working collies at any one time but I also still have GSDs.
I do occasionally consider different breeds but it’s likely I’ll stick to the two I know as I like energetic, trainable breeds who suit my active countryside lifestyle.