Of course we all love Labradors! But I was just thinking how interesting it is that different breeds appeal to different people. I'm not talking about rational things, like wanting a particular size to fit with your lifestyle, more how we (well I anyway) respond emotionally to different breeds. At the dog club I attend I was immediately drawn to the Viszla whereas the miniature poodle (despite being friendly to people and dogs, not yapping and being the star of the show behaviour-wise) left me cold. I also could never imagine becoming attached to a Bulldog or a Chihuahua. I'm attracted to all gundog breeds (especially spaniels, as well as Labs of course), but also Great Danes, Giant Schnauzers, Dalmations and Basset Hounds. Do you have other breeds that you coo over? And do you know why? (I've a vague feeling with me it must be to do with ears and noses!)
I do love a setter....Most of them but I'm particularly drawn to the black and tans, the Gordon Setters Obviously I love the Clumber Spaniel too as I have one!
Setting aside all practical considerations (lifestyle, health etc) I like Great Danes and I like Dalmatians. I like working cocker spaniels, and springer spaniels, but not sure I could cope with the hair...
I love a border collie. Strangely, because it's the only breed I've been (badly) bitten by. Completely impractical for the average pet owner, and I would certainly never have one. A neighbour of mine once had boxers that I fell in love with, and I always thought I would end up with one, but the drooling isn't something I'd want to deal with and I meet so many with behavioural issues (bully dogs), so that's put me off. I think Weims are beautiful looking dogs and I'd love to understand them more. I've only ever known gentle ones, but are they all like that? I don't know enough. I would always have said that my two favourite breeds are BC followed by Labs, and, knowing that a BC would end up killing me, I always saw myself with a Lab. A nice big, soft, floppy, show lab, like my friends had. Now quite the two small, skinny, streamlined, hyper things I ended up with Wouldn't change them for the world, though
A school friend of mine had a Gordon. He was beautiful. Did slobber a lot, though! I was saying to J on Monday that you don't see anywhere near as many setters as you used to. Typically, an Irish Setter walked by about three minutes later...
I used to work for a vet and once we had a Pekingnese (sp!) to be destroyed, vet couldn't do it, so we put it in a kennel and at lunchtime I took it out for a walk. What a fantastic little character; so I think I could love all dogs. However, my choice if push came to shove would be for a shortcoated gundog, or even a wire haired Viszla.
Well having had two border collies before Simba, obviously I would have to say that Border Collies are definitely one of my favourite breeds. I'm developing a soft spot for Great Danes, though....and of course I really do love the Labs, even if Simba wasn't my dog of choice when I got him (via my son's ex-girlfriend, who couldn't cope) he has definitely wormed his way into a heart, and the rest of the breed with him....
Im drawn to gundogs for sure but I understand what you are saying Lisa and Stacia ....spending time with any dog I don't think you can help but get attached ...I've really realized that recently being thrust into the rescue world. My parents upgraded from spaniels to Irish Setters .....I think it should have worked the other way as you get older go smaller not bigger they've had 3 and their current one is beautiful....but huuuuuuuge,not in a bulky way ,he's very tall ......so slobber reaches where really slobber shouldn't!Mum's always got a tissue about her person wiping him up!
In the family we have always had dogs like flatcoats GS and shelties and I like all of them, but just a bit too hairy. Never wanted a lab as they were too big , went through loads of research talked to loads of people about loads of dogs short listed valhund, english pointer, wirehaird viszla and working cocker. Visited more dogs all the while my friend who a vet nurse and has know me since I was 2 years old kept saying labrador, you need a labrador and lab get a lab. I did not want one she then found one an presented Doug. Or Saint Douglas as we call him. She knows me better that i know myself. I Got 2 more labs after Doug, midge I didn't intend to get but the breeder i got Doug from asked me if i wanted to see the new pups.........husband said that ones lovely get her (it was all a planned trap between my husband and breeder), and Rory he I definately wanted as he seemed the perfect lab for me and the other 2. We all needed Rory for various reasons. He is a wonderful if not silly lab, but he has injected lots of fun into the house and does a great job of being the Bez in our house The Dogs just seem to turn up at the right time its strange. I intend my next dog which I will get in 2 years to be a vizsla or pointer or maybe a flatcoat but I know it will be a black Lab I don't know why? I could have another dog other than a lab but its just not the same. My friend says we have the same personalities and ideas about life and I'm not sure how to take that.... I don't jump into rivers that much. I think all dogs are great and i'm like Stacia I think I could love most breeds and cross breeds but labs I think are different in a hard to define way. My friends english toy terriers are great little chaps but I can't ever see myself with one. I have to accept my fate and just get another lab
Oh yes Setters are gorgeous - I'd love an English Setter, though not practicable in reality. I certainly wouldn't want to have a healthy Pekingese PTS , but I also feel no urge to go and make a fuss of one the way I do with some other breeds. I'm not really drawn to Border Collies - the ones I've known have been very fixated on their owner or task in hand.
I have two cross breeds and have never had a pure breed, but I really hanker after a Dalmatian. I walk for miles so this breed would really suit me as they were bred to run along side horse carriages. I also love St. Bernard's but I'm guessing they are not really up for long walks and also their very short lifespan is a consideration. xxx
Labradors first and foremost have my heart, but when I was born my family had a little golden spaniel who was an absolute darling and allowed me to dress her up and push her around in my dolls pram . We then had a mongrel we bought from the pet shop. he was the most gorgeous chocolate colour, but apart from that all I can remember of him was that he bit me so I bit him back (I was only 4 at the time ). Our next family dogs were yellow Labradors, and we used to be visited weekly by my cousin with her family and her 2 Jack Russells. I've also owned an Italian Spinone - a gentle, intelligent boy but incredibly stubborn, just as all the breed info says. Since having Juno, I've come to know well a border collie (whom Juno adores), a Coton du Tulear, a Lhasa Apso, a French Bulldog and some Cane Corsos. I've been very impressed with the small dogs and how keen they have been on walks to keep up with the bigger dogs (apart from them keeping trying to hump Juno, but that's another story). Have to admit we have fallen for the Cane Corso and their gentle temperament., so would love one of them or a German Short Haired Pointer (apart from the exercise). I think really though for me, it's not about the breed (apart from Labradors ) but about their temperament and willingness in training.
I love border collies but I wouldn't have one. My trainer has three and he says they are difficult. I like boxers and Rhodesian Ridgebacks probably because members of my family have had them. My nan had Labradors, German Shepards and Yorkshire terriers. Which I always thought was a strange mix. I did think I'd have a boxer but I couldn't stand the drooling. A Labrador was really the only choice for me. Although she's a choccie the colour wasn't important as they are all gorgeous.
I love the size and hair of Bernese Mountain Dogs but I don't want to look after all that hair. We looked into the breed, visited some breeders, and were told a Berner wouldn't be able to keep up on the kind of things we like to do, like cross country skiing in particular. That the breed was more suited to slow, steady work. Personally I think the people who told us that over estimated our skiing but even so, the hair is still there. Fortunately there are three BMD in my small village so I can get my Berner fix when we meet them. Our first dog as a married couple was a rescue English Springer Spaniel. Whisper was field bred, purebred, registered and gun trained. The OH was still hunting then. I was never partial to white dogs and particularly did not like white dogs with a colour patch on only one side of the head. Of course that's what Whisper was and now a dog like that attracts me like a magnet. The only reason we got a Lab and not another ESS was I didn't think I could bear the comparisons likely if we got another ESS. Plus field bred ESS are not common here, only a very few good breeders. Our next dog might be a Brittany. Very like ESS in many ways but less hair. I like to be able to lift and carry my dog and as we age a Lab will be too heavy. I boost Oban into my jeep and lift him out, at 68 pounds I can still sling him around if I have to. All that said, every stray dog I've ever found I was prepared to keep. Let's see; Standard Poodle, Samoyed, Golden Retriever, Airedale x Afghan (really, strange mix) and several mutts. Incredibly I have found the owner of every one. I wish I could say the same for all the cats we find.
Labradors all the way for me but I have a bit of a fancy for a WH Viszla and a secret hankering for a little Cavalier - such charming little characters.
