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Original poster

Which breeds would you not have again

131 replies

Bergerdog · 14/10/2020 07:54

Following on from the which pet wouldn’t you have again...

Which breed wouldn’t you have again and why?

I’ll start with GSD. I love them, I’ve had them all my life and I am on GSD 10 of various rescues and bought from reputable breeder dogs. After my last I decided not to get another due to the fact it’s very difficult to find a non neurotic/nervous/overly sensitive one despite me viewing multiple breeders at the time.

I really feel like backyard breeders have ruined the majority of them and I work with dogs and find GSD a bit of a nightmare to deal with Blush

When I got my current dog of a different breed lots and lots of the owners have moved on from GSD due to the same reason. I think they will always by my favourite but they are hard to live with at times Grin

So are there any other breeds that people have had that they think never again?

OP posts:
Speckledhen617 · 15/10/2020 21:16

Nothing to add myself as I'm only on my 2nd dog but just wanted to say that I'm really enjoying this thread!

TheoriginalLEM · 15/10/2020 21:24

Id not have rotties again, i have owned two. One a giant teddy bear and the other with 'issues' that i dont have the strength to consider again. I work with dogs and im wary of rotties. I love the breed but just not in a position to ut the work in.

We now have two jack russes, a breed i said id never have. Omg i love them so much but they are really hard work and one of them.is an utter bastard Grin based on him id not have another terrier , but his brother is my soul mate and id have him.x 20.

I love dogs in every shape and form, we are saying no more after these....yeah right

SerialStitcher · 15/10/2020 21:38

Great Dane, sadly. My grandmother's ones when I was a child/teenager (in the 90s/2000s) were absolutely wonderful dogs. Unfortunately the ones I've met in adulthood have been nervous and standoffish, and it's not a trait you want in a big dog. They also seem less hardy health-wise now.
A few friends of my Nan who had Danes after she "downsized" to a smaller breed felt it might have been due to breeding for specific colours (ie harlequins, merles) rather than temperament and health.

balzamico · 15/10/2020 21:55

@StormBaby I came on here to say fox terrier too. He went for the vet when we first got him as a puppy (from a home breeder not a farm) causing her to warn me and over the following four months he attacked us all. When he was sick one night I had to wait until he took himself into his crate to shut the door and cover it over before I could clear up (several piles) as he attacked me every time I tried -
He went to another home with no children and another dog where he is happy and they love him but still treat him very carefully.
I now have the loveliest, gentlest Lurcher but that terrier broke my heart and I can't quite forgive him

Dontwanttobeyourmonkeywench · 15/10/2020 22:08

I love my Akita but she is the most stubborn dog with very selective hearing and horrendous recall despite having her since she was 6 months old and taking her to extensive training. Trainer stood one day with a ball and chicken to try and get her to fetch. She watched him throw the ball, went to where the ball was (no running for madam, that would require effort) then patiently waited for him to come to her Grin He stood at one end of the pen and her at the other just looking at each other while she blatantly ignored him. She finally just lay down with the ball 🤔🤣

Great with the kids, treats the cats like her puppies and is completely under their control. The first cat we got steals her bed and lies all spread out while she curls into the smallest ball on a cushion 🤔

Gardenersworld · 15/10/2020 22:44

I had a staffy x jrt or poss patterdale. Loved her to absolute pieces, she was such a great dog to me. BUT she would fight anything for fun, the bigger the other dog the better. One day she ripped part of a dogs ear off (a dog we knew well & saw at least twice a day) and from then on we just lost so much much trust in her. It was awful. It put me off the power of staffs and the tenacity of terriers.

Now have jrt×Chi. Completely and utterly neurotic, scared of everything, would rather run the whole way home rather than square up to another dog.

steppemum · 16/10/2020 10:42

springers were unaffectionate and very hard to wear out

Shock cannot agree that they are unaffectionate! Ours is sooooo cuddly.

he is quite hard top wear out, but he get 1.5 hours in the morning, most off lead running with some ball throwing too, and then he is a delight.

Letsleepingdogslie8 · 16/10/2020 11:04

@SBTLove My husband is desperate for a Cane Corso. I’m not ready for it so plan on working our way up to it through the bull breeds.

katmunchkin · 16/10/2020 11:10

@m0use @sarge89 interesting you say this as our GSP is perfectly happy on her own - the main reason I probably wouldn't get another GSP is the constant anxiety when she's off the lead - will she see a pheasant / rabbit / deer and how long will it take her to come back to us this time!

Mydarlingsleepthief · 16/10/2020 11:17

I wouldn’t have a pug again. We loved ours so much, but his health problems were awful and after him struggling so much I realised how cruel it is for his breed to continue to be bred

GeorgesMummy1 · 16/10/2020 11:34

I currently own a Boston Terrier, she is amazing, would have another one but apperently she is not of 'breed type?' They are 'usually' very energctic?

My sister has a French Bulldog (Lots of problems/vets bills) and an older Huskey (Rescue/Poss 10 yrs old)

The Huskey is lovely, very affectionate but I would not reccommend to someone with allergies or who hates having lots of hair all over their furniture/car

The Frenchie is also lovely, but has has quite a few health problems (eyes/hips/allergies)

As always, research your breed but as (lucky) as I have been, they may not ben to type?

Good Luck, possibly look into fotering/adoption?
Just remerembered my sisters MIL had 2 wonderful lurcher/greyhounds? They were both lovely and did not require as much excersise as everyone thinks? BUT their breath stinks! lol

m0use · 16/10/2020 11:39

[quote katmunchkin]**@m0use* @sarge89* interesting you say this as our GSP is perfectly happy on her own - the main reason I probably wouldn't get another GSP is the constant anxiety when she's off the lead - will she see a pheasant / rabbit / deer and how long will it take her to come back to us this time! [/quote]
Ours had a similar but slightly different issue. Despite being so anxious we couldnt leave her home alone, if off the lead she'd adopt another family and wander off with them! I do remember my parents losing her on walks (on their private property - no risk of canine adoption!) and just going home - knowing she'd bring herself back when she was ready.

m0use · 16/10/2020 11:40

Hmm I'm now remembering her so fondly, maybe a gsp isn't entirely out of the question....

Frenchfancy · 16/10/2020 19:11

Thanks for the thread everyone.

We are looking for a new dog after losing our 14 yr old Gordon Setter. We have ruled out getting another one because the hair is just incredible. We swept up the equivalent of a small dog every day. We made the mistake of not getting her used to grooming when she was little so it was always a battle. She went senile so the last 2 years weren't fun, but she really was a great family dog. Yet I wouldn't have another setter.

Jakobabear · 16/10/2020 19:17

Border Collie. We had one when I was a teenager and we were totally unprepared for the amount of exercise that he needed. He was by far the most intelligent breed we've ever owned though, so intelligent he could break into the fridge with a child lock on it.

FinnegansWhiskers · 16/10/2020 23:11

As far back as I can remember I’ve always had a dog by my side - mostly dogs/puppies from rescue shelters. You name it I’ve had it. The only breed, I can think of at this time, that I would never have again is a Golden Retriever. I was brought up with border collies. Wow! They are so intelligent! The retriever was as thick as pig shit in comparison. Give me a lively, intelligent, willing to please, easy to train, easy to settle dog any day! I have a Cockapoo and a cocker spaniel at the moment (both rescues). I have worked hard to put in the training with them and they are amazing dogs ❤️ But nothing can compare to a Border Collie in my mind - as long as you are willing to put in the work to train them, walk them and keep them happy. No dog will ever come close to a BC. Not even my (late) beloved GSD.

ElspethFlashman · 16/10/2020 23:36

I know its been mentioned already but I would never ever have a JRT again.

We had a female rescue that was lovely to us, and absolutely perfect in the house, never ripped up anything, perfect toilet manners, so clean and so loving.....but absolutely horrendous to anything else outside the house. If we were in an open field and dared to leave her off lead, she would spot a dog about 100 yards away, almost out of sight, and take off like a rocket to terrorise it. So we could never let her off the lead at all. She was terrible on the lead too - she would strain so bad to get at someone, we had to go through about 3 different harnesses to find one that clipped at the chest so she swerved herself sideways if she pulled. But she was still very stressful to walk.

And we were unprepared for her needing 2 hours of walking a day, 365 days a year! It worked out well for her, she became just a ball of lean muscle and had perfect health, but we were exhausted!

Her prey drive was so bad that she would have killed any cat that crossed our garden, and then we had a baby and.....well. It got scary. We ended up rehoming. Broke our hearts.

We were so stressed after that experience that it has put DH off having another dog for life. Sad I'm hoping i can persuade him in 5 years or so, but it would have to be a bug lazy non-reactive lump for him to agree. Basically a cat-dog, lol.

susandelgado · 17/10/2020 00:56

Irish Setters, I've had two, they are gorgeous dogs and absolutely soppy, but both my setters had chronic ear problems and needed surgery to turn the ear canal inside out. With the second one I was ready for it and did all the right things, but as they got older, the ear problems started again.
Also they need a LOT of exercise.
I have three dachshunds now, with the fear of back problems!

Juanbablo · 17/10/2020 16:17

We have a JRT who is super sociable and friendly. Maybe we've got lucky with him. The other JRTs I know are really nice dogs too though.

Paddy1234 · 17/10/2020 16:35

We have a JRT - completely delightful and free range. All the delivery drivers love him. He's 11 now and starting to slow down but still going off for massive hikes.
But I wouldn't get another as we would compare
Our children were little when we got him so he was handled like a play thing and one of them - my in laws had one who was yappy and not good around children

Paddy1234 · 17/10/2020 16:37

And boy are JRT hardy - you will find a lot of vets in country practices have them.

CarolVordermansBum · 17/10/2020 16:39

nothing can compare to a Border Collie in my mind - as long as you are willing to put in the work to train them, walk them and keep them happy. No dog will ever come close to a BC.

Totally agree @FinnegansWhiskers, my current dog is a Border Collie and I don't think i could ever have any other breed now! As long as they get what they need mentally and physically they are amazing :)

HotDiggidy2017 · 17/10/2020 17:00

Collie, unless we lived on a farm! Got one for our parents who are on a Retired sheep Farm of 12 acres and have had collies their whole lives. Other than massive anxiety over cars (as they’re in the middle of now where), he is a wonderful, sociable, intelligent and very calm dog but can completely see that all of that is because he has 24 hour company and 4 fields to run around in 4/5 times a day/often all day if they’re pottering about. Without all of that he would easily become neurotic and miserable. Can’t see how anyone makes it work with this breed if they’re in a ‘normal’ sized town house/garden and owners work in the day!

vanillandhoney · 17/10/2020 17:05

Can’t see how anyone makes it work with this breed if they’re in a ‘normal’ sized town house/garden and owners work in the day!

I walk three border collies. One is getting on a bit now so no longer needs as much exercise, but when he was younger he got three walks a day, plus the owner ran him in cani-cross at the weekends. The other two are brothers and they get four hours of walks per day at 5am, 10am, 3pm and 7pm. You really do need to have a lot of dedication and time (or money) or commit to them, that's for sure!

MrsJunglelow · 17/10/2020 19:24

Can’t see how anyone makes it work with this breed if they’re in a ‘normal’ sized town house/garden and owners work in the day
I don’t work and tbh, think it very unfair on any dog to be left for hours each day.

But I have a Border collie in a small house.
My opposite neighbour in a small but bigger than mine house also has one.
I know several other border collie owners aswell.

We are all managing fine 🤷‍♀️

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