What breed of dog wouldn’t you have again?

[PizzaSophiaLoren]

We have a little Beagle/Poodle cross and my word she had the worst characteristics of both. Stupid, disobedient and scent driven like a Beagle. Fussy with food and snappy like a miniature poodle. We do love her despite this.

This evening she pushed us to the limit by chasing rabbits for two hours in the local tiny park. Her recall goes out of the window when she is scent triggered. We thought she’d got better. But no, she’s still a dick.

What breed or cross of dog would you never get again and why?

Agreed. I have done so much research and believe that Havanese are the absolute best family dog. They are fabulous and are so smart and love training. No shedding and never bark. Beautiful sweet dogs and are definitely my number 1.

Anything that sheds! Or anything of a clingy breed, or a neurotic working dog. There’s loads of dogs I wouldn’t have.

My little bedlington whippet lurcher doesn’t shed and is so chilled out and it’s so much easier. I can’t imagine having anything else now except maybe a border terrier or a full beddy. Borders do shed though, so maybe not 🤣

Miniature poodle. They are fantastic dogs.

I hear you. I have a cockerpoo and he is scared of his own shadow. He hates any noises, any other dogs (and most people until he gets to know them). I live in the countryside and crow scarers make him a nervous wreck and if one goes off while he is in the back garden, he won't go in the garden again for weeks. You can't buy him a new food bowl or water bowl as he refuses to use it.

You have to constantly her his fur clipped, and if you are later his fur curls over his bum hole making him unable to poo ..... so you have to do an emergency cut.

On the plus side, he isn't overly clingy but he is very loving and enjoys a good cuddle. He was easy to toilet train and he is very protective of me. On walks he will have an initial run off lead, and then spend the rest of the walk glued to my left leg.

Best dog we ever had was a Beagle. Maybe the breed's gone downhill since as it was a while ago but he was far from stupid. He was very quick to learn, loved everyone, very patient with children -including being dressed up by them and had a good range of tricks (mainly food oriented I admit).
He did like to wander, given chance, but usually only as far as the neighbours he knew that gave him biscuits! Definitely had a mind of his own and a total character. Still miss him.

This is exactly my experience with our 2 beagles. Current one is currently snoozing on my knee! She’s a brilliant family pet, so good with the children (especially my autistic son) and has been great to train.
Just wish she wouldn’t try and steal food off the worktops when I’m not looking 😁

My current bichon/poodle cross.

He’s an absolute delight, seems to very much have taken the best from both breeds, but knowing more about the lack of ethical breeding re poodle crosses, is off putting enough that I wouldn’t have another.

My local park is overrun with cockapoos. The main problems their owners report are separation anxiety, constant barking, no recall, snappy with other dogs, very into chewing anything they can get their teeth on, guarding behaviour, and overall they are hyper.

My poodle, on the other hand, has never chewed anything. She has 100% recall, she loves other dogs/people, I’ve never heard her growl, she doesn’t guard, she loves a cuddle, she’s confident, there’s no separation anxiety.

Having had a poodle cross, I am now of the opinion that something goes wrong when you cross two super intelligent breeds.

This a hundred times over. We currently don’t have a dog but we had mini Schnauzers and if we ever have another dog that’s what we will have again. Perfect size, easy to train and easy to live with. And no shedding!

Well I had a shih tzu who was perfect, trained like she was a show dog, would play dead, great recall, did everything she was told and had long flowing hair with a pony tail and let me brush her every day. So I thought they were the perfect breed. Then I met my partner who also happened to have a shih tzu, oh my goodness. Never again. Whined constantly, barked constantly, dug in the garden and house constantly, accidents constantly, so so needy constantly, didn't listen to a word we said CONSTANTLY. You can see the pattern here. I would never have a shih tzu again thanks to her.

My beautiful girl before she passed 🐶🪽
The little devil one is the darker one on the lead haha

cocker spaniels. Ours had ear problems, was very highly strung and snappy. Also jack russell terriers. My Mum had one who used to randomly bite people who came to the house. She refused to do anything about it, so we all lived in fear until the dog died.

@TheWisePlumDuck

My god, that is horrific. Appreciate you weren’t the decision maker there given you were a school child, but how was she kept in the family home after such a clear display of aggression?

Patterdale. I adore her, but my god, this dog has nearly broken me. I've had dogs all my life but big breeds. I got her because my then-dog was getting a bit wobbly and sometimes needed help to get up into the car and I couldn't manage a big dog and lift him, so when a friend of my daughter's farm dog had puppies, I thought 'how bad can it be?'

Now I know. Reactive to other dogs, obsessive, prey-driven, guardy, fussy about food - you name it, she does it.

She has very kissable ears though, I'll give her that.

Vizslas are nice enough dogs, but I'm not a fan of "velcro" dogs. I need space! Spaniels are generally too lively, and Staffies always seem to have a particular smell that I'm not keen on. Also, I am a bit clumsy and prone to falling over small dogs, so I'm better off with medium to large breeds. That, and my dogs would not appreciate me bringing home a yappy chihuahua or something... they prefer the quiet life!

I'll stick with (laidback) Border Collies and Huntaways instead!

Adored my Lab. Yes he was hairy and a mud magnet but I had the time back then. He was a sweet heart. The best boy. He’s still very missed.

Currently have a staffie pup- thirteen weeks and all is going well. Obedient, doesn’t really shed.

As a child we had a JRT and he was horrible! Bless him but he had rage? He would bite for no reason, he was grumpy. Wouldn’t go for walks. Looking back on it he was with my mum all day and she didn’t walk him when he was young, so it could’ve been that. My dad took him in the evenings until one day the dog decided he just didn’t want to go anymore and he hid. We kept him, loved him, you just had to be careful with him- he passed age 16 from dementia. I wouldn’t touch another one though.

DM had a poodle who she adored, he was a good dog. Didn’t bark or moult. Affectionate and not bothered about walks. Very much a lap dog.

My family had border collies growing up. They are fabulous dogs, but I couldn’t give them the time they need now I have young kids. They don’t just need exercise they need a “job” constantly or they can develop issues and become very neurotic.

Ah we have a beagle x poodle and he is a very clever dickhead. Barks at everyone, eats anything (but will sit and wait for food when told), has sketchy recall which is only on his terms.

But bugger me he is smart. We've had to put child locks on the cupboards because he can open them. He can open and shut doors. He snatches the post, but often delivers it to you. He knows when you are sad, he cuddles you all the time, and all the words he understands is amazing.

However... I'd probably not get another one as it is costing me loads in socks....

Dachshund

Do you think the difference was nature or nurture?! Did you just do more training than your partner?!

When I was little we had a Great Dane. Lovely dog, but I wouldn’t have one now. Obviously they’re huge and ours couldn’t grasp he was a big dog, he thought he was a puppy. Also they’re so much work. He was my older siblings dog so they (4 of them) took care of him as a team and that worked well, but I wouldn’t be able to do all that plus kids and house. I loved having him though, he was a wonderful dog.

It pains me to say it, but realistically, I wouldn't have another boxer. My mum had boxer dogs when I was a kid and younger adult. They are such lovely dogs and such great personalities, but my God they are hard work. I also think squashy faced breeds are a bit cruel unless you get a rescue

Whippet - I adore him, but is definitely not the life and soul of the party. He is obsessive with food and behaves in a bizarre fashion if offered a treat more than bite-size - he will nurse it and whine and just be generally painful.

I would love a "happy" dog (big grin and tail wagging) - most whippets I have met are phlegmatic at best.

I think what this thread goes to show is that "the perfect dog" does not exist.

There is no such thing as "The Perfect Dog" who never barks, has a great exciting sense of smell but never uses it to hunt things, always eats whatever you give him without fuss but never eats things he shouldn't, self-regulates his own appetite, loves people and other dogs but doesn't go near them or show interest, loves exercise but not too much, also loves to sleep all day, never sheds but has gorgeous fur, doesn't require grooming, never has any breed specific medical risks at all whatsoever etc etc you get the idea.

Owners (or potential owners) can only choose what they think they will be able to work with and live alongside.

I essentially have a miniature poodle. I've accepted grooming to the tune of £54 a month, her getting tired after 90mins of walking, and being fussy with food. Those are all things I can live alongside! I couldn't live with the stubborness of a sausage dog, the over-eating of a lab (we'd just egg each other on 😂) the shedding of a goldie, or the prey drive of a sighthound.

I've got a two-year-old bedlington terrier, and she's the sweetest dog, but surprisingly dumb (my last two terriers a border, and a border X Lakeland were very intelligent). She has tons of energy, but is equally happy cuddling up, and loves just about everyone she meets. Perfect dog.

@OnlyHerefortheBiscuits In my experience, golden retrievers ARE the perfect dog.