Why choose the breed you own?

[mustbemad17]

A few dog threads recently got me thinking about what people look for when they look for a dog. Did you have a specific breed in mind, or did you come across yours by chance?

I'm a big dog person, always have been. But I fell into my love of bull breeds after being begged by a friend (avid EBT owner) to help an EBT x who needed a foster. It was the start of what she calls an addiction & 98% of my fosters since have been bull crosses. I love everything about them okay maybe not their smelly arses and for me they are the only breed I would consider. Unless i won the lottery & had more space 🤔

So why did you choose your breed?

Lots of varied breeds, love it.

My folks have cockers - fantastic dogs. We have had a mix of breeds within our family (including extended family); collie cross, yorkie, poodle, even a Japanese Akita. My lot think i'm bonkers having bull breeds!

Would there be any breed you wouldn't have, point blank? If so, why 🙂

Mine would be JRT. I have had one cross, but she was EBT x JRT (i don't wanna think too much about how that came about) & was more EBT than JRT. The only breed of dog to ever break my skin enough to require stitches was JRT (four times by four different dogs) & it put me off for life. I know a lot of friends with them & their dogs seem great, but I have this underlying cringe feeling when one comes too near my legs 😂 Would make for interesting living if I owned one

I wouldn't have any husky type breed, I just don't think they can be suitably exercised by many people in the UK (other than the handful of cani X participants).

Also I love pointers and whilst I do run sometimes, not nearly often or far enough to make a pointer happy.

Had a grey lovely girl but snappy with children. This time around went for cocker - I knew they were daft and cuddly. He's thick as mince but so harmless and no aggression at all. He's as I expected him to be really but maybe even more stupid

Welsh terriers run in the family! My grandparents had them, my parents had them and I’ve had them.

They are small dogs with huge characters. Good tempered and lovely family dogs. They can be a bit of a handful as they were bred to hunt independently so are quite creative thinkers and a bored Welshie will always find something to do. This is not always a good thing!

Would there be any breed you wouldn't have, point blank? If so, why

Anything longcoated that needs brushing and trips to groomers, lol

I'd not rule out any breed because other than this dog they've all been adult rescues so I pick by individual dog rather than breed.

I'd be unlikely to have a husky type, not trainable enough, a sighthound - I like them, but they're too laidback for me or a Dalmatian - they're bonkers.

I wouldn't have any dog that I couldn't offer a suitable home.
I don't do agility or Cani cross or flyball.
I don't walk for three hours a day.
I don't want to be backwards and forwards to a groomer or trying to retrieve twigs from dense undercoat!

My deal breaker would be shedding and also a breed that is prone to separation anxiety.

I couldn't have anything with too long a coat or something white and fluffy. I know greys/lurchers/whippets and poodles are favourites on here but they are just not for me at all. Also not a fan of many of the bull breeds, although some are lovely. I'd love a border collie (childhood dream) but know I can't give one what it needs so sadly will probably never make it to my list 😕 Would happily take a Heinz 57

I have a border terrier and I love her and wouldn’t be without one. Fiesty, loving, massive character, small enough to pick up and cheap to feed.
Breeds I wouldn’t have: Frenchie/bulldog/pug - all complete disasters due to their flat faces
Shar peis - again riddled with health problems and grumpy
Weimaraner - mental

I didn't want one dog but have ended up with three. They aren't small either! I have an American bulldog who's 4, a staff x viszla who's 4, and an old staff who's 16.
The American bulldog we had from a pup, one day my partner said 'I want a puppy', went online, found one, picked him up the next day. He's LUSH! So soppy and loving, doesn't need much walking, gets tired after 20 minutes.
The staff x viszla was a text one day, 'do you want a free puppy? The owner hasn't got time for her, she's locked in the kitchen all day'. We picked her up for a trial day and she never left. She's got more energy than the sun, like a rhino, bulldozing through the house. Tail more lethal than a whip but wants nothing more than to cuddle up to you and be shown affection.
The old staff was my partners dog with from his previous marriage, she initially kept the dog but decided after a while she didn't want him and ended up with us. He eats sleeps farts repeats!

Miniature schnauzers 3 girls I love them dearly, good temperament, no shedding, gets me out and about with them, they have brightened my life no end

I have always loved border collies. I currently have 3.
Im a german shepherd or border collie kind of person, only collies win hands down everytime. My childhood dog was a german shepherd cross collie and thats where it stems from.

I have a Pyrenean mountain dog, I got her because she was cute -I was 17 and just moved out of my mums although that’s no excuse for my naivety-
She’s the best dog I’ve ever met and I still have her 11 years later, she’s a big stinking maulting attention seeking pain in the bum but I bloody love her and I would love to have another one eventually but I’m not sure dh would be so keen! She’s brilliant with my dc and other dogs, sleeps when in the house and is fun when out and about, she’s just a humongous ball of fluff with a lovely personality.

We wanted a small hardy bright and active dog, and also didn't want to raise a puppy. So: JRT rescue. We've had 4 year old Milo for 8 months now and he's definitely our dog now. We were initially a bit overwhelmed by his energy levels but we've got used to him now and settled into two walks with long off lead ball playing sessions each day. He's very nippy and grumpy and barky but also funny loving and beautiful. Not for the faint hearted though, this breed.

We've always had gsd since I was a child.

I love the breed. Very loyal, affectionate, easy to train and I feel safe walking them in the dark

I’d never have a cocker spaniel - my parents had a beautiful blue roan when I was a teenager and she was a 1 in a million dog. Very loving and friendly, you could do anything to her and DS and DD2 did when they were younger.

There’ll never be another dog like her and I don’t want to get a cocker and be constantly comparing them.

My cocker is fine left alone as long as he's contained - my grey was shocking and really couldn't cope

I have lurchers - chose them because we a) wanted rescue dogs b) dogs that would be happy to snooze while I work at home but c) would enjoy long walks/runs and d) didn't need a lot of mental stimulation.
I'm not keen on very hairy, slobbery or noisy dogs either.

Absolutely perfect for us! I wouldn't have a border collie or husky type as I couldn't offer them what they need

I wanted a smallish fairly portable, go-anywhere, do anything, fit-on-a-lap, clever dog with stamina and personality so I ended up with a JRT.

Pros - he’s incredibly clever. I actually intended on just doing a bit of everything with him especially tricks but he picks things up so quickly I might get back into competitive obedience with him. He’s incredibly focussed, loves food, toy mad and just a joy to train.
At 8 months he’s got a brilliant recall and ignores squirrels etc.
Gorgeous sweet nature. Loves cuddles. Unflappable. Confident and outgoing. Doesn’t bark much, especially not AT things eg things going past the window or the doorbell. Isn’t triggered by other dogs barking. However....

Cons - he’s so opinionated. Although he doesn’t bark AT stuff he has strong views on how I should do things. In particular he finds me very slow at times, for example when I am preparing for a walk and seems to think a few sharp yaps hurry me along. If we’re training and he isn’t sure what I want he goes through a selection of frustrated vocalisations that range from soft purrs to Chewbacca-style howl/rumbles to Husky type woo-woo-woos.

He is the busiest dog I’ve ever had. When he was little I used to gaze at him when he napped, willing him to wake up. Ha. Ha hollow laugh.

He doesn’t have separation anxiety in the true sense, in that if I go out he settles quite happily and sleeps or works on a Kong til I come back. However he does suffer badly from “I know you’re in the house and doing something without me and I am very much not happy about it”, separation annoyance.

He’s a little shit at times but I am obsessed with him. I’ve had many many dogs before that I’ve adored but he is truly my heart dog 😍☺️

We got a staffie as there are so many in rescue. He’s a bugger but we love him. He’s done agility but was hilariously bad at it. Staffies are great dogs, very interactive and bright. Although there’s always a hint of stubborn - you can train them but just occasionally they just won’t do as they are told because it’s more fun not to.
I the future I think I will get a retired greyhound or two, they seem gorgeous.

.......and since I sat down to do a bit of mumsnetting, with him mercifully asleep on my lap I’m reminded of another con; he farts a lot and they stink 🤢

My first dog was a rescue greyhound. Who I loved but had terrible teeth, we also got a vw camper van while we had her and she took up so much room we had to turf her out every time we needed to open the fridge.

After she died I wanted another sight hound, but smaller and hopefully without the teeth issues and also with a chance of good recall, so that ruled out whippets which may have been the obvious choice. So got a Portuguese Podengo. Which turned out to be the nastiest, most vicious dog on four legs.

In an attempt to calm the hound from hell down I got another dog in a bit of a hurry. Wanted something small, with a good temperament and available quickly as things were so bad with other dog this was a last ditch attempt before having dog put to sleep. Got a cavachon who is as good natured as they come.

Another Greyhound fan here, love my boy to bits and for all the reasons that Tatie gave. Mum has a lurcher and she is fab too. If I had a huge house and loads of land I would have more, although DH may not be so keen on the costs - this week I am feeling thankful for his pet insurance as he is a bit accident prone!

I tend to go for smaller dogs. Had a bichon growing up and I’ve now got a chihuahua cross. He doesn’t need to much exercise so suits our life style and the kids were here before him and he’s been brilliant with them. He’s got the naughty, playful side but he’s small enough to handle too. He’s my third child 😍

We had a collie x Labrador who was the most amazing dog when I was growing up. So good with us but wasn't too keen on children or big dogs. Loved to try and "round" my friend and I up when we used to ride horses. I still miss her now. DH and I would love a dog when our cats have passed on. I like most breeds though not keen on Bichon Frise. MIL has one and I really don't like it - super needy, jealous, lots of grooming needed, doesn't seem to have been easy to train (might just be a bit thick and may not be the breed to be fair).