The Perfect Breed?

*blackrose

"I'm kupo for kupo nuts!"
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
7,065
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
33
Location
WI
#21
My perfect breed/dog: No interhouse animal aggression, imposing towards strangers but a complete and total goob with people he knows, social temperament in public, athletic, has the ability relax in the house, short coat (no grooming), intelligent, food/toy motivated, likes water.

I'm really contemplating a Chessie. But I also love bully breeds. And labs. And Rotties.
 
Joined
Aug 10, 2012
Messages
126
Likes
0
Points
16
Location
Washington State
#22
Mine are:
- Must be able to keep up with my lifestyle. I have two very active dogs and any addition must be able to keep up with them.
- Drive-y
- A good balance of work and play. I like working breeds, but they need to have a goofball side as well
- Be able to turn off
- Large breed
- Social (with both people and other animals)

That's about it really. The next dog I get will be a Beezer, and they pretty much hit the nail on the head with what I want!
 

Emily

Rollin' with my bitches
Joined
Feb 13, 2008
Messages
2,115
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Illinois
#23
Musts: No smaller than 15 lbs, big is ok but not giant (over 100 lbs). Energetic, with toy drive and food drive. Low maintenance coat - no clipping and no coats that grow indefinitely. AKC or UKC registrable. Social to neutral with friendly strangers. Hardy/healthy in general - nothing delicate or brachycephalic.

Likes: Some natural guardiness/aggression, and some attitude. :p

I have a Cardi, who so far hits all of those and is great for me, and next I'm getting a black Belgian, who should also hit just about all of those. :)
 

OwnedByBCs

Will Creep For Sheep
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
588
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Colorado
#25
I like drive, eagerness to work, toy drive, very affectionate, tolerant of strangers, wash and wear coat, and most of all I want a dog who really wants to have fun. I really have had real success producing the type of dog I like.
 

Toller_08

Active Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
8,359
Likes
1
Points
36
#27
My ideal would be:

- Very handler focused and highly eager to train. Biddable too.
- 25-45lbs, 17-22" tall, sleek and athletic build.
- Low maintenance coat. Brushing occassionally is fine, and so is minor feet and ear tidying, but I don't want more than that.
- Playful, happy and fun.
- Active and energetic but with a good off switch. Good endurance.
- People and dog tolerant (can be friendly or indifferent, but not shy or aggressive). Dog park (or large dog gathering) friendly.
- People oriented (doesn't have to be cuddly, but I want a dog who at least likes to be with and near me).
- Prone to off leash reliability.
- Lots of toy and play drive. Food drive too.
- Long life span with minimal health issues.
- Not totally push button. I like a bit of attitude.
- Not prone to insecurities.

Herding breeds tend to attract me the most. And the occassional sporting breed (ie: Tollers).
 
Last edited:

ihartgonzo

and Fozzie B!
Joined
May 14, 2006
Messages
5,903
Likes
0
Points
0
Age
35
Location
Northern California
#28
My trainer and I were just talking about the perfect breed for the average family.... W agreed that we wouldn't recommend a Lab for 95% of families. And yet it seems like most families go for the Lab! It was interesting to try to figure out breeds that are friendly and fool proof enough for busy, lazy families.

I feel like my ideal dog really is a GSD. Corgis are my love, but they're very independent and poor guard dogs. I want a dog who I can trust to make good judgement calls and who will save my life. Corgis are all about self. ;)

My musts are:
-40 lbs or more
-Classic canid structure; prick ears, substantial muzzle, wash n wear coat, powerful structure, and full tail. I don't want a dog who is docked, cropped or flat-faced
-Biddable and work oriented, always ready to go
-Able to go from on to off in a heartbeat
-Dog friendly
-Accepting of friendly strangers
-Natural protection drive
-Toy drive
-Double or fluffy coat. No smooth coats, no dogs with hair.
-Reliable, solid temperament
-Watchful without being annoyingly Velcro
-Has to have a goofy, cuddly side!
-Competitive in dog sports
-Strong eye contact and excited to learn
-Sense of humor
 

monkeys23

New Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2011
Messages
1,621
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
PNW
#29
Kastle is perfect except for his coat, his coat bugs me. I think he's handsome but his coat *sigh* is annoying. Otherwise, this dog suits me to the ground.
I feel the exact same way about Scout's coat! And how the long feathers get wrapped around the vacuum brush/roller and you have to stop halfway across the living room and cut the hair out of the vacuum.

Lily's coat to me is perfect, still thick and soft, but none of those long feathers to detangle. Just run a rake through every few weeks and we are good to go.

To me Lily is the perfect dog. She's got all the best traits of the GSD and Sibe combined into an awesome little package.

That said, I plan to go Malinois next time. I very much click with GSD's as well, but there are a variety of characterists about Malinois that suit me better. I sure wouldn't turn down a really good GSD, but I would prefer a Malinois or good Dutchie for a variety of reasons. Clearly I'm insane with what I want in a dog!

Will probably always have a sled dog around. Probably will adopt an older one when the girls pass. They aren't as adoptable as the younger ones to most and would still be energetic enough to play with a crazy working shepherd. :p

I adore BC's a lot, but honestly the shepherd herders suit me more so I don't really see a lot of BC in my future. Would someday like a high drive red & white with bat ears that I can do something fun with. My family only ever has had B&W's and someday I'd like a nice R&W BC. :)
 

monkeys23

New Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2011
Messages
1,621
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
PNW
#30
No interhouse animal aggression.
I feel like this isn't really a fair requirement of any dog. Yes some breeds are more friendly to other dogs/animals than others, but dog (and other animals) are animals and will act like animals, which includes not always getting along with other animals even animals they sorta like most of the time.

And to anthropomorphize for a moment... do you like every single person you meet? Would you feel it fair that you HAD to like every single person you met on the street? Add in that animals do not come with the morals and ethics that allow us to act one way and think another... Just saying! ;)
 
Joined
Feb 4, 2008
Messages
7,099
Likes
1
Points
38
Location
Illinois
#31
I feel like this isn't really a fair requirement of any dog. Yes some breeds are more friendly to other dogs/animals than others, but dog (and other animals) are animals and will act like animals, which includes not always getting along with other animals even animals they sorta like most of the time.

And to anthropomorphize for a moment... do you like every single person you meet? Would you feel it fair that you HAD to like every single person you met on the street? Add in that animals do not come with the morals and ethics that allow us to act one way and think another... Just saying! ;)
But you could say that about any of the requirements. "Needs to be drivey/energetic/fun" you can get BC's, Field bred Goldens etc that come from lines that have all that typically but manage to get a fluke that doesn't and it's not "fair" to them to say they need to have it.

This thread seems to be made on generalities rather than anything else so I think adding "no interhouse animal aggression" is fair and valid, just as much as saying you don't want DA or HA in your "perfect breed"
 

Shakou

New Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
790
Likes
0
Points
0
#32
I have asked my husband this question a few times, what his perfect, ideal breed of choice is, and his answer is always "Charlotte". lol
 

~Dixie's_Mom~

♥Chloe & Violet♥
Joined
Aug 22, 2006
Messages
8,159
Likes
1
Points
0
Age
32
Location
Tennessee
#33
For me, it sounds weird but, I really don't have many "must haves" or even deal breakers (except major aggression) just mostly preferences.

Any "must haves" for me are mostly training things, so I'd say my must have would be biddablity/trainability. I mostly just prefer well mannered dogs. The rest is negotiable. I like and would likely own many different breeds all varying greatly from one another.

I want my next dog to be a Whippet, then in no specific order I'd eventually like to own a Dachshund, Chihuahua, Alaskan Klee Kai (if I get a chance to meet some), Greyhound, Border Collie, Sheltie, and surely more I can't currently think of. That's not including the rescue mutts I want someday lol! So yeah, pretty varying physically and care wise, even personality wise (though several go along with my "must have" of trainability).

So yeah...confusing lol!
 

*blackrose

"I'm kupo for kupo nuts!"
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
7,065
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
33
Location
WI
#35
I feel like this isn't really a fair requirement of any dog. Yes some breeds are more friendly to other dogs/animals than others, but dog (and other animals) are animals and will act like animals, which includes not always getting along with other animals even animals they sorta like most of the time.

And to anthropomorphize for a moment... do you like every single person you meet? Would you feel it fair that you HAD to like every single person you met on the street? Add in that animals do not come with the morals and ethics that allow us to act one way and think another... Just saying! ;)
I really don't think it is unfair. Blackie and Rose lived together for 12 years and they never once fought. Ever. They did not like strange dogs and were very territorial, but even then, I was able to introduce other dogs into the family and they accepted it because "strange dog" did not equal "dog we are used to". Cynder, Gracie, and Cooper all live together in a tiny apartment...no problems.
I do not want to deal with dogs that can't be loose in the same room with one another for fear of them fighting. I've done it. It sucks. I don't want to do it again.

As for anthropomorphizing...I don't like everyone I meet. I don't socialize with everyone on the street. Nor do I expect my dogs to. But do I try to actively kill my siblings? No. Nor do I want my dogs to.

Now, to keep the peace am I willing to make sure the new dog I'm bringing in meshes well with the current dogs? Sure. I don't want dogs that don't mesh well. That's the entire point.

Another side of the "no interhouse aggression" part also is in regards to pocket pets and non-dog animals. I don't want to have a dog that actively tries to kill the other pets in the house. Now, I can understand if the dog and non-dog animal can't be loose together...but the dog better not be trying to eat the non-dog animal when the non-dog animal is caged.
What I *really* like is a dog that can differentiate between "family pets" and "strange animals". Chloe is really good at this with non-dog animals, as is Rose. They both critter and they both will also chase cats, but they ignore/enjoy our own personal animals. Chloe goes one step farther and actually protects our own personal animals.
I like the "livestock guardian" mentality. Any animal, once introduced properly, is accepted...but strange animals are guarded against.
 

Laurelin

I'm All Ears
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
30,963
Likes
3
Points
0
Age
37
Location
Oklahoma
#36
Obviously everything is a generalization to some extent. I've lived with 3 shelties that were in many ways very different from each other. And 7 papillons who ran the gambit of the breed's temperament. Mia is very very different than Rose. I think everyone knows that the likelihood of getting a whole BREED that behaves the way you like is not going to happen. However you can stack the odds in your favor.
 

Pops2

Active Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2008
Messages
3,072
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
UT
#37
criteria: strong prey drive, strong work ethic, biddable, low maintenance coat, low goofball factor

breeds: smooth & broken coated terriers- pat, fell, jrt, rat & feists; curs including houla, plott, ridgeback, BMC & lacy; scent hounds- beagles, basset, welsh foxhound, american foxhounds, plott; sighthounds- grey, whippet, stag, deer; birddogs-pointers, field setters & spaniels; bull & mastives, and mixes of these (not a complete or exhaustive list)
 

Romy

Taxiderpy
Joined
Dec 2, 2006
Messages
10,233
Likes
1
Points
38
Location
Olympia, WA
#39
I'm pretty thrilled with my bozos, and can't imagine not having at least one around at all times. They're just so easy to live with, get along so well with each other and everyone else, smart enough you can teach them to leave your stock alone but they still love to chase stuff and hunt. They're smart and potty train easy.

The only thing really missing for me is most of them aren't interested in nose work unless they're working toward a good chase once they find whatever they're tracking. Some day I'd like a good tracking dog, but I'm kind of glad I'll have to get a really different kind of dog for it. I like variety too. That and I'd like a good watch/guard dog. Strider would protect me if a stranger tried to hurt me, but he sleeps so hard he's oblivious when people are coming and going.
 
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
1,226
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Ontario
#40
The things I don't want are more defined than those I do, they are the things I won't budge on the rest I am fairly flexible with.
My preferences though are:
-Smart/serious. I don't like an always goofy derpy dog. My aussie has a sense of humor which I like but he can be very serious when he needs to be. I like that he is always thinking and I can see the wheels turning in his head.
-Biddable and willing to work with me
-Drive, I don't need an over the top drive but a good ball drive and enough overall drive to at least enjoy various dog sports with me.
-I like long coated and double coated breeds. I prefer flashier coat patterns and colors.
- Velcro dog, after owning herding breeds I feel personally offended if a dog does not want to follow me into every room:lol-sign:.
-Athletic with a medium size build
-Confident, not shy or timid
-Aloof with strangers. I need them to be able to walk down a sidewalk in the city and be fine with passing all types, but would prefer if they where not people crazy.
-Good off leash, I know this will vary from dog to dog as well as from breed to breed but I take the dogs hiking and out to my parents property which is not fenced so a dog with a good sense of boundaries and a reliable recall is preferable.
-No DA, especially with housemates. Been there done that, it sucks.
-No 'heartbreak' breeds or brachycephalic dogs

The next dog I am planning on getting is a smooth collie and they pretty well fit my requirements perfectly.
 

Members online

No members online now.
Top