Why do you have the breed of dog that you have?

[cheeseisthebest]

Just interested!
We've had our shih tzu three weeks now. I love the fact he's chilled out, doesn't yap, chew or moult. He loves to be with people.
But apart from the moulting that might just be his personality!
What breed do you have any why?

We have working springer spaniels. We live in the countryside, do lots of walking, DH works them a bit. Springers are intelligent, affectionate and brilliant with children.

@Danielle2500 I love EBT's. I'd have a house full!
We have a staffy cross. She is much more cross than staffy though! By the time we realised just how big she was, she was here and we were fostering and falling in love.
She is funny, adores us and the kids, loves to walk but also loves to snuggle. She doesn't like other dogs but that's more to do with her background than the breed I think. Our last staffy cross was all of the above and great with other dogs.
I'm a staffy lover and will always fight their corner.

Leonberger here. I have a dog allergy but for some reason not allergic to Leo’s. A friend had one and my DD and DH seized upon the fact I didn’t sneeze around them. They are very easy dogs to own tho apart from the size, the accidental mess they create and the fact mine is from a long line of stubborn bastards so not very compliant mine sleeps for around 20 out of 24 hours in a day and definitely not a needy breed…

An english/American staffy Cross. Chosen because we wanted something large (ish) robust and to be a good well trained guard dog for the house when my husband is away for work. Also wanted a male dog.

We ended up with a small, sassy, full of attitude, soft and cuddly but still robust female staffy, whose party trick is to stick her head through our cats cat flap to give kisses to anyone who 'dares' to come to the front door.

I love her to bits, I'd do anything for that dog ❤️

We have two spaniels, Sprocker & a cocker. They're just all round fun family dogs, and great with our son too. And I can't resist a pair of silly floppy ears 🥰

Working line lab
Plenty of energy and can walk/play all day but very affectionate and happy to chill if necessary

Love this thread

Shihtzus !

I got my first one 16 years ago - mainly because they were the closest thing to my childhood mongrel.

I’ve stuck with them because they’re just sooo cute with the haircuts, they don’t moult, they can have long walks but don’t need long walks, small in size but not yappy and fit easily into my home & car, they’re super loyal, and they look like my first one !

We worked out how much time we had for walks, worked out what parts of our lifestyle were fixed and which were adjustable, then looked at dogs that fit that bill. We all love large dogs, wanted a chilled, quiet, affectionate dog who would walk but not need hours as my son is only little. We have always loved hounds, so went for a chilled mix lurcher. Saw the mum and dad and how chilled and easy going and friendly they were, then watched the puppies playing and picked the most chilled out one from those. Our enormous deerhound saluki mix is a joy, not at all bright, but eager to please, sleeps all day apart from the one walk he wants to go on (where he runs like heck and plays bitey face with his husky friends). He is the absolute best dog for us, we really couldn’t have got it more “right”.

Up until out latest addition I have always had cockers.

I just adore spaniels. I love their personalities. Love training with them. Love how they greet me when I come home. Their expressions, their love of cuddles, their ears. Everythingm

The eldest came from a breeder
She seemed to pick us rather than us pick her.

The middle one, was a rescue. We fostered her and her sisters at around 5 weeks after they were abandoned. Again, after about 20 mins in the house she seemed to have decided this was where she lived. She still naps in the same spot as she did when we brought her home. So we adopted her.

The youngest came through the same rescue. Appears to be some sort of poodle mix (maybe a cavapoo). The rescue were finding it hard to rehome her because most who have been home checked, want a 'pure spaniel'. So we took her in.

She is lovely. However, if I was getting another from a breeder, I wouldn't pick a poodle mix. She is very sweet, quiet loves a cuddle. My ds adores her because she just wants to sit on your knee all day.

I like my dogs a bit more robust (she is tiny) and more active. Also the daily grooming takes ages. My spaniels are working and have short coats. Even when I have had ones that have longer coats I keep them quite short and groom every couple of days. I also clip and tidy their ears and tail myself. If you miss a day with the poodle mix, matts start to form. I can't clip her short as she looks like scat from ice age and it upsets my son . So to have her kept tidy, she goes to a groomers.

I can not do the teddy bear clip to save my life.

A poodle mix won't be repeated. Butvthem if one needs a home, I will probably cave anyway

We wanted a dog we could take up the hills and out on long country walks.

Had a lab previously but couldn't face getting another when he died.

Didn't want a dog with a strong prey drive or that struggled to switch off.

Ended up with a Spanish water dog who fits the bill perfectly.

Because he was the best dog that the rescue had to suit the home we could offer at that time.

He's still the best dog, even after 10 years. He's never put a paw wrong.

We have a beagle.

We got one because we wanted a fairly high energy dog that wouldn't need grooming and that was good with children. The notorious "poor recall" wasn't really an issue for us as we live surrounded by livestock anyway so he has to be on lead regardless.

He fits in perfectly with our family, comes to work with me everyday and spends the rest of his life upside down on the sofa snoring! He's so friendly to everyone, loves children, people and other dogs, and actually has surprisingly good recall!

German shorthaired pointers.
Athletic, intelligent, generally very healthy, affectionate and loads of fun. They are high-maintenance in terms of of training, mental stimulation and exercise but totally worth it. Very vocal - the range of noises is quite amazing.

One was bred by a falconer who worked her mum under hawks, the other is from good working stock. They are both prey driven so you need to be on the ball.

2 dogs - first is a Border collie because DH had one when he was younger and loves the breed. Very loyal and loving dog and has walked miles with us over her lifetime (she's 13 now). The other is a big fluffy Romanian rescue dog that was our sons until he got a job in London. We think he's largely a Carpathian Shepherd with German Shepherd colouring. He's gorgeous but has taken a bit of work to trust us and feel at ease with strangers

@Mamainthemaking

Walked into the rescue and asked who they had a hard time finding a home for. They said a big Rottweiler X. We took him home a week later.

People like you are fabulous . I hope it worked out well for you

You too @PrtScn 🥰

Border collie. We wanted a medium size breed, with no known health issues, energetic and able to go for long hill walks, and intelligent enough to train easily. We have 3 cats so we also wanted something not known for hunting small animals (the previous dog was a whippet x Staffie, and he was horrendous around cats), and we wanted a puppy for that reason too. She's just beautiful and so sweet-natured.

Previous dog - we went into the rescue centre and asked if they had any dogs who were known to be good with kids and other dogs. They said only one, who had been living with a family but brought back to the rescue because he kept running away. He was overweight and terribly sad and confused by being back in the rescue. We took him home and he sat on the sofa with his head turned away because he was so scared - that didn't last long, he turned into the snuggliest dog you could ever hope to meet. We found that he did know recall so long as there wasn't a squirrel or a deer or a cat nearby, and he reacquired his whippet waistline very quickly once he was getting regular walks and chasing balls and rabbits.

Working Red Fox Labrador Retriever.

Same reasons as most have stated, biddable, lovely temperament, sociable and simply so loving, she's absolutely batshit crackers out on lovely long walk when she wants to play, but happily curls up at my feet whilst I'm working at home. She's well bred, 5 generations of Field Trial Champions in her blood and excellent health tests of both Sire & Dam.

I've had a Lab previously from being a teen who sadly passed away last year, my Dad recently got a new pup, and we saw our girl needed a home at 5 months old and when we went to see her she attached herself to me like velcro. Thus far she's not trashed my house, is fairly well behaved and we couldn't imagine our life without her.

Prev dogs have been a Show Lab, Cairn Terrier, Beagle and German Shepherd (retired RAF dog who came to live her best life with us). All chosen for being slightly wacky, energetic and biddable with the right training. The beagle was probably the naughtiest of the bunch initially, I wouldn't have one again personally as training him broke us as a family, but I adore my best friends Beagle and happily have her stay with us (she's well trained and now she's 5 much prefers to lie on the sofa with my Lab than dash around my townhouse and eat my skirting boards )

I have a bichon, he’s 16 now! Been the best dog and companion. Doesn’t moult, needs only a short walk each day. Very affectionate and snuggly. Loves children and doesn’t yap at all. Don’t know how I’ll cope without him

Retired greyhound - we always liked the look of them at the RGT stall at the local County Show. I was thinking of a small one. We got one the size of a small pony. He is brilliant, has a great temperament, sleeps much of the day and still loves to run.

Sadly because they're often poorly bred and extremely brachycephalic which predisposes them to significant health problems and suffering.

Shame because they're often nice characters

Thanks @Veterinari.

Working Cocker spaniel. I wanted an active dog for forest walks that could be let off the lead and was small enough they I could carry him home if he couldn't walk (remember old family dogs that were too big to pick up when they collapsed outside ).

We originally narrowed it down to a few breeds but kept coming back to a spaniel.

An 11 month old Jack Russell girl and a 10 week Jack Russell cross boy (? on the cross!). Always had JRs. The girl is typical JR, feisty, selective hearing, never fully switches off but love her to bits. The boy is an absolute sweetie, very gentle and loves a cuddle. Here they are helping me recover from a broken ankle at the moment!

I bought a Huntaway as I wanted a sheepdog that wouldn't herd and nip at my kids. We've got a detached property, live rurally and have our own sheep so we're able to provide the lifestyle he needs - he's very big, boisterous and noisy BUT is awesome with the kids, doesn't chase or nip at them (even when they're on their scooters), is super-trainable and well behaved in busy environments and a delight to have about (once you get used to the barking, which is almost on tap now at a year old!)

I wouldn't recommend one as a pet but as a working dog who spends his days with the family, he's perfect.