Sell me your dog breed!!!!

[tessdurbervilles]

We have a yellow lab, Twiggy. We are looking to get another dog in the future and yes, I adore my lab but I want to explore other dog breeds. So, give me your experiences etc.
Thank you!

Get a pointer. More specifically a pointer from Cyprus . We have and know a few others and they are by far and away the Best Dogs Ever. And you can feel righteous that you’ve done a good thing

Look on their FB page for photos and stories and info

What do you want in a dog breed?
How much exercise?
Intelligence
Trainability
Grooming needs
Size
Temperament etc. etc.

It's no good me trying to sell you a chihuahua (I don't have one) if what you'd really like is something that will pull a sled, or a basset hound if you want to take up competition obedience or agility. .

Why get 1 breed when you can get a mix.

We have a mainly Australian Labradoodle with some Goldendoodle (who loves labs) and is the nicest natured Dog ever.

And a gorgeous little lady who is a Frenchton (Frenchie x Boston) with a bit of Pug who is completely adorable.

I've got a Rottie... he's great, but, it's not a breed I often recommend because all the things that suit me and make it a great breed for me are things that some people aren't so keen on.

If you've got loads of time though, and you like having a dog permantly involving itself in everything you're doing and you're up for loads of walking and training... they're amazing.

Not so fabulous if what you want is a dog that'll sleep in between walks.

Whippet here,
Don't need a lot of exercise, off lead run and she's ready to Flop. Will happily lay on the sofa or in her bed for the rest of the day.
Doesn't shed hair wise much. No slobber. Was very quick to house train, very quick to train generally.

You have a lab. You have everything you could ever want in a dog.

Get a mongrel, they are the most healthy

Jack Russell Terrier - unbelievably stubborn but very smart. Can train him to do anything and he'll do it if/when he feels like it, LOL. Border collie cross (0.75 collie, 0.25 Chow chow) - Are chows incredibly stupid, generally? He's certainly not got the stereotypical collie intelligence, but is incredibly loyal and eager to please (whilst seemingly too daft to learn much.)

Prior to these we had a lab. She was faultless - the perfect dog.

Labradors rock. Need I say more?

I have one too.

I also have a cocker spaniel, if you fancy a kindly, crazy and energetic dog (mine is, anyway).

French bulldog. So stubborn but so clever and really good around other dogs people and especially children! Mine has a mad hour in the morning and evening so is good if you can't walk every single day they will just run round a garden for a while. Don't shed a lot and they love cuddles. Iv never been a dog person but honestly couldn't imagine life without her now

I’d love to recommend Papillons but after the morning we’ve had with ours I wouldn’t recommend them to anyone!

So far today we’ve had - chasing frogs all round the back garden, refusing to come back when called, barking at our rabbits, chasing skinks across the garden and colliding with the rabbit run, digging under the rabbit run to keep chasing the skinks, climbing the clothes aired to steal socks and undies from the top rail, bringing a frog into the house and chasing it into DD2s bedroom, creating half an hour of panic as one of them was missing (later found shut in one of the kitchen cupboards and finally pulling all the bedding off my bed and dragging it outside to the garden (in the 10mins it took me to catch the previously mentioned frog!).

They’re great dogs but they’ve been a total pain this morning!

Get a mongrel (Heinz 57)- ours steals things from pets at home. He takes a chew to bed with him puts it in his bed then won't sleep in his bed because the chew is there.. then the next day when he starts to get tired he'll go upstairs and bring his toy downstairs and carry it around until we say 'ok it's bed time' and rinse and repeat.

He also takes his pig on walks with him.

I've attached a photo of said dog and pig

I can heartily recommend a random collieish lurcher free off gumtree. In reality I was a naive first time dog owner looking for a lurcher and got incredibly lucky with my delightful dog. It could have gone so wrong!

Seriously though she's really bright but the greyhoundyness chills out the collie intensity. She does sometimes use her smarts for badness like stealing a can of sardines opening it in the proper fashion eating them and hiding the can under the sofa in the time it took me to put the bin out. She is proper lovely though. Great with humans of all ages and not really fussed with other dogs so she doesn't get in any bother.

Leonberger. Huge (obviously) but very gentle, do not bark without reason, great with kids. Do not shed excessive hair, do not dribble. Will sleep for the majority of the day ( if you allow them to). Very intelligent. Do not jump. You can do cart pulling/ water rescue if you want another hobby. Very chilled dogs. Negatives - recall to them is optional, persistent if they want to get at something, can swipe items off tables without much effort and no jumping. Not a lap dog ( obviously) or a dog to sport fancy outfits if you fancy one of those. Coat is like Velcro on a walk, you can find anything lurking in it afterwards...
I love my Leo

Irish terrier. If you want to laugh every single day at the latest clown activity your dog has come up with, get an Irish terrier.
Medium sized, medium to high energy non shedding but not very low maintenance coat. Absolutely adore children and even more devoted to babies.
I have two bitches - they are both loving and loyal, one is the kindest, gentlest, most sweet dog I have ever owned the other is a little monkey .
They have been very easy to train and love training and doing things. They patrol the garden for squirrels and cats but I wouldn’t say they have a scary pray drive when out and about, no more than any other dog.

I second a jack russell. Compact size but will have no problems keeping up with a lab. Not as fragile as many other smaller breeds. The smooth haired variety in particular is super easy maintenance wise. Dries in seconds after a wash, never smells doggy. Loves training (and will PROBABLY follow commands for the right treat lol).
They are not all hyperactive little yappers.
What people often don't realize is that they are super affectionate (in my experience especially bitches), and love their home comforts and their people.
I seriously did not want one based on my preconceptions of the breed. I have had golden retrievers since I was a kid and they have always been my ideal kind of breed - sweet, affectionate, easy going and willing to please. Our jack russell just turned one, and she seriously is all of the above and more (yes also willing to please, she'll do anything for me. Not so much for other family members unless they are holding a piece of sausage 😂)
Just one special, special pup.
I also have a very placid, super loving 9 year old golden. They adore each other and really are the perfect pair.

Finnish lapphund. Medium sized, active clever little dogs with the most amazing human loving temperment.very healthy breed as a whole. Beautiful dogs that can turn a paw at anything.tracking agility flyball basic obedience endurance etc all possible.
Cons- can be yappy if not training out of it,do shed out badly around twice a year and need a weekly brush through as a minimum and sadly quite rare in the uk(im in oz where numbers are growing :) )

I dont think il ever have another breed though.

Mines 16 weeks so her colours arent sharp yet.they are a breed that get prettier as they age as well. This is her mother and grandmother as adults in Finland

Thewolfsjustapuppy

I'm so happy to see Irish terrier. We had the most lovely boy who died last year He was obsessed with his tennis ball and such a good boy. Miss him terribly.

I second a lurcher, they love a cuddle, good with kids, and as long as they get a good off lead run they'll happily sleep 20 hours a day (normally on their back with long legs all over the place!). They also have hybrid vigour (so cheaper to insure) and have a surprisingly big woof to scare off burglars!

JRT - ours is long legged. Either on the go loving long walks/days out/chasing ball or fast asleep preferably on someone's lap.

Quite happy to skip walks in bad weather and sees it as an opportunity to sleep!!

Very gentle with everyone, tail whipping and foot treading does not hurt like lab low maintenance, very hardy, cheap to feed and insure!

The best dog to complimenting a lab is a springer spaniel- hands down.
If both are working types they have the same stamina levels. Lots of gundog types have one of each.

Banana I’m sorry for your loss. They are one of the best kept secrets if the dog world - way better than their popularity would have you believe.

Get a setter. Gentle, beautiful, athletic, affectionate, our Irish setter is bright and very obedient and is head-turningly gorgeous.

Get a beagle! If you have a Lab you're already an expert in training a pig food-motivated breed, and at least this one can't reach the kitchen surfaces.