I was just wondering what reasons different dog owners have for choosing a particular breed. What are the characteristics of your particular breed that you like so much, or is it just a more practical thing such as people with less space have smaller dogs for example?

Greyhounds have everything I'd want for myself: big chest, long legs, narrow waist, soulful eyes. Mind you, how I'd manage that long hairy tail I do not know!:D

My favourates are (in no particular order):

Old English Sheepdog
British Bulldog
King Charles Spaniel
Rough Collie
Great Dane
English Setter
Dalmatian

Years ago we had a chocolate lab, always wanted one so when we decided to get a dog we waited till we found one. Im talking 20 years ago and there didnt seem to be many around in those days.

This one (yorkie) we got cos someone was giving him away! Never thought we'd have another dog.

My favs are German Shepherds i think they are a beautiful looking dog, they're very loyal, friendly and cuddly, mines a male and he's like a big bear i love him to bits.

My favourites have to be sighthounds (greyhounds etc) i just love the way they look so elegant and fawn like, but also the hidden power and speed.
They also have such lovely natures usually, gentle, loyal, quiet and sensitive.:love:

cocker spaniels for me.
sad eyes and they have a face made for adult like expression.
they will also "make do" with whatever exercise you can manage.

Sorry, I have to be a spoil sport and say that breed wasn't overly important for me when choosing my rescue dog - it was down to personality.

i rescued my dog.
Hes a border terrier /lakeland (see front page pic on website) i visit animal shelters often and there he was with those pleading eyes..... i ignored him for 3 days on the trot because i knew he would end up being mine if i went near him....obviously i did !! and here is 3 years down the line and he is the most loyal dog ive ever known. he gets along with every dog he meets. he will play if they want to , he doesnt if they dont. he follows me everywhere he's an angel:)

both mine are rescues. Neither or them were my first choice but i would never swap them!

I got jack when he was 6 months old, i really did not want him as he looked cheeky and a trouble maker ( totally proved me right on that one:rolleyes: )

I got sandy when he was 6 years old, i had took jack to the shelter to meet another dog i had picked, all was well and they were about to agree to it when the little swine attcked jack. The manager asked if i would consider sandy, i had bypassed him due to fact he would not come out. I met the quivering wreck and took him. Boy has he changed in the 4 years i have had him:D

The breed didn't really come into it when we got Tilly. I always intended getting a puppy, a crossbreed and a rescue - she was all three. She has a lot of Staffie and a little of goodness knows what else but she is a lovely little dog. What more could I want?

Dalmatians...

I chose dallies because they are such hard work and I'd always liked them but never really had any experience with them and always heard the 'dalmatians are untrainable'.

I met one when I was younger and fell in love. He was only young, all over the place, the owners had to catch him so I could say hello to him.

By working so hard with a dog, and by that I mean a battle of the wills everyday, your bond strengthens so much with them. They have great characters and believe they are lap dogs, all they want are hugs and kisses.
They're also incredibly intelligent and the bit I love most, in the breed standard for showing - it stipulates the dog should have a waggy tail!!

They are loyal and very protective but great with other dogs (although Eddy isn't - but that's not a breed issue) and know just how to cheer you up!

Mine was my charlie breed unkown been told irish wolfhound x she's a cheeky charlie but i wouldn't change her for anything and she's dead cute too wakes me up everymorning licking my face until i wake up :@ and demands lots of walks

p.s if anyone knows what breed she could be let me know lol

Pictures of my charlie

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/hypogal1986/21909e63.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/hypogal1986/c2.jpg

aw she's lovely! She looks part lurcher but I'm really bad at guessing cross breeds!! :lol:

My favourates are (in no particular order):

Old English Sheepdog
British Bulldog
King Charles Spaniel
Rough Collie
Great Dane
English Setter
Dalamtian

I forgot to mention St. Bernards and Basset Hounds.:thumbsup:

We always had german shepherds when we were growing up, the breed are highly intelligent, beautiful, loyal, loving animals. I wouldn`t have any other breed, and love my Amber to bits.

We chose the breed we have as we use them for the purpose they were bred for: Running!. Cant beat a sled-dog for pulling a sled (even though its one on wheels most of the time) started as a hobby, but we run them in competition now.

:love: we have a dalmatian!
we didnt really think about the breed just that someone we knew had a dally who was having pups! but i have to say although shes a little crazy i wouldnt change her for the world . she really fits in well with a busy family and loves that we always have a house full...... i think dalmatians are the best now:hihi: :love:

Personality all the way for me.

If we had chosen by looks we wouldnt have our Millie... half hairless half deaf and now blind in one eye due to her previous mistreatment before Thornberry rescued her - but we love her all the same. :love: (she is an oooollllddd collie cross!)

We never went out for a specific breed with any of our rescue dogs although I must admit my husband does have a soft spot for greyhound and when we came accross one in the RSPCA with those sad eyes...well he had to come home with us!! :rolleyes:

I must admit I would def have another greyhound in the future and would recommend them to anyone :)

Westies all the way. I always wanted a Westie, from being a kid. Got 3 now & they are my babies. I like them because they are always a kind of 'young' dog, even as they get older. I would love a big dog though one day - the Hubby really wants a Husky though !

The dog we had before The Chocador was a rescue. She had previosly been a stray s0 nothing was known about her background. After a few teething problems she settled in quite well we thought, until one day she bit someone quite badly.

After alot of heartache, soul searching and consulting with the rescue people and my vet, we made the decision to have her put to sleep.

Following this we decided to minimise the risk of this happening again. After alot of research we ended up deciding to get a labrador, as they're well known as a breed to have very low levels of agression and for being dogs that tend to get on well with children. I would have liked another rescue dog, but Mr Scoop was very wary, and wanted a pup so that it got used to our family when it was small, and also we didn't want to take the risk of getting a dog with with hidden problems.

Its all worked out well on the whole. The Chocador and Scoop jr are like brother's, and he's a real family dog.
The only personality defect is that he is rather over enthusiastic with the cat, but we're hoping that along with just persisting with being firm with him about this, that he'll grow out of it as he matures.

i have springers because they are crazy like me, but they are back in wales, miss them!

at the moment i am craving for an old english sheep dog, there is a 5 month old pup, barney, that comes into the shop, he is my favourite customer! cant wait until i have the room for a dog - should have my own house in a couple of years!

Sorry, I have to be a spoil sport and say that breed wasn't overly important for me when choosing my rescue dog - it was down to personality.


here here Gempud me too, Heinz 57's ;) I chose one of my rescues because of her temperament and the fact that she had a horrendous start in life and would have had a horrendous end come to that.

The other two rescues are here by a sneek in :hihi:

Grew up with various mongrels and moggies, and fostered cats for the CPL for a few years when I was younger, but always ALWAYS wanted a doberman -even tho I'd only seen them on movies and in books.

Didn't think our lifestyle would be suitable for a dog of any kind, but things change and so 5 years ago, after lots of research, talking to other dog owners to remind us of the commitment we would be making/checking out likely costs, visiting breeders and Crufts, searching the internet, chatting to the vets and a whole lot of nagging, I finally persuaded the other half to let me have one. (My avatar: Ailsa)

(I think it was when we went to see 'America's Sweethearts' at the cinema and there was a dobe in the story, that was the moment Chris knew I would never shut up again about wanting a bl**dy doberman).

What do I love most about the breed? Dobes are fearless, noble, highly intelligent, devoted to their owners, will do anything to protect them but are also the biggest clowns around. They can be stubborn in the face of weakness but are also strikingly handsome - watching a dobe run is like watching a thoroughbred racehorse - they are fast, powerful and their glossy black n tan(or whatever colour combination you choose) coats shine in the sunlight. They let you sleep on the smallest corner of the bed or might just allow you to perch on the sofa if you 'll share your maltezers.. They can hear a fridge door being opened from 2 storeys up and know when someone else has sneezed further up the street - no tradesman/ visitor or potential burglar can make it past a dobe.

There are no secrets from a doberman- you cannot go to the loo or leave the room without this 'velcro' dog following you. They can take or leave other dogs. They adore people but their big booming bark can be a little off-putting to the uninitiated.

They have cat-like paws and are really just big pussycats...and despite all the concerned comments from our friends when we first announced we would be getting a dobe- contrary to popular belief, they don't eat your cats (unless they've been encouraged to of course). Ailsa's best buddie is her little bengal brother Alfie
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u30/katkin2/alfieailsa2903052.jpg

Mine was my charlie breed unkown ....

p.s if anyone knows what breed she could be let me know lol

Pictures of my charlie

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/hypogal1986/21909e63.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/hypogal1986/c2.jpg
Now my first reaction was PBGV (http://www.digitaldog.com/images/pbgv.jpg) or Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen - with something greyhoundy go give her those style of ears :)

If somebody has suggested 'irish wolfhound' that's probably because technically a lurcher is a greyhound irish wolfhound cross but has more recently been bastardised to mean any animal that has greyhound in it somewhere. Her coat isn't the right texture for irish wolfhound

PS - there's also a larger version of the PBGV - GBGV (grande)

well, having had a (long coated) westie, and a jack russell as kids, I knew I'd be getting a short haired dog - but jack russells are renowned for snappiness with kids, so I began trawling the dog encyclopaedia, and talking to people. I fell hook line and sinker for the beagle. Having attended a dog show full of the little stocky cute balls of personality, that was it

everybody I knew was sick of hearing about:
wrinkly socks
floppity hears
waggitty tails
snuffitty snozzes

you kind of get the picture? ;)

I grew up with a Border Collie who was my best friend (sadly died just over a year ago) but i'd always wanted a little staffie after meeting my brothers, he was just so fun and loving and cheered everyone up if they were upset. I researched the breed before getting one and decided it was definately for me, a year later and i wouldn't be without him, although he knows exactly how to wind me up, exactly how to get what he wants and he is thoroughly spoilt. Put Reeve and my son together and i don't get a look in :(

Now my first reaction was PBGV (http://www.digitaldog.com/images/pbgv.jpg) or Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen - with something greyhoundy go give her those style of ears :)

If somebody has suggested 'irish wolfhound' that's probably because technically a lurcher is a greyhound irish wolfhound cross but has more recently been bastardised to mean any animal that has greyhound in it somewhere. Her coat isn't the right texture for irish wolfhound

PS - there's also a larger version of the PBGV - GBGV (grande)

my brother used to breed irish wolfhounds

English Cocker Spaniel,
not quite so flouncy as the American version but as soft as a brush!
He isn't a big dog, but doesn't look lost on a lead if you know what I mean, He is going through an identity crisis at the minute, he thinks he is a lap dog, loves company and mumbles instead of barks!

Rhodesian Ridgeback or African lion dog
we got Zeus cause you dont see many so you get complemented all the time,
we wanted a large, strong, unusual, inteligent dog.
they also are really interesting, just to know that they track lions in Africa!

Sorry, I have to be a spoil sport and say that breed wasn't overly important for me when choosing my rescue dog - it was down to personality.

To be fair, most owners who go for pedigrees also pick their dog because of personality. Different breeds have particular characters and temperaments which is all part of the breed standard. It's not just all about looks. :)

To be fair, most owners who go for pedigrees also pick their dog because of personality. Different breeds have particular characters and temperaments which is all part of the breed standard. It's not just all about looks. :)

Thank you Purdy,

This has been mentioned SO many times on the forum and I have to say it does upset me when people think I got my dogs just because they're striking and spotty :rolleyes:

There are always exceptions to the rule but in general you can predict somewhat the temperament and character you'll be getting with certain breeds and neither have my dogs have failed to meet the typical breed characteristics.

If somebody has suggested 'irish wolfhound' that's probably because technically a lurcher is a greyhound irish wolfhound cross but has more recently been bastardised to mean any animal that has greyhound in it somewhere.

I'm sorry, but you're wrong. A lurcher is a sighthound crossed with a herding dog, NOT a sighthound crossed with another sighthound. The most capable lurcher is a greyhound cross collie; it has the ideal poaching combination of speed, intelligence, silence and stamina.

Thank you Purdy,

This has been mentioned SO many times on the forum and I have to say it does upset me when people think I got my dogs just because they're striking and spotty :rolleyes:

There are always exceptions to the rule but in general you can predict somewhat the temperament and character you'll be getting with certain breeds and neither have my dogs have failed to meet the typical breed characteristics.

Yes, I agree with Purdy and I've mentioned this myself, but my post was deleted...

blip i've just been through the thread and there are no deleted posts...
Are you sure the page fully loaded when you pressed 'post'? Sometimes my posts don't appear because of a slight technical fault with either my pc or maybe a senior moment of SF!

Edit: ah - I've done a search for your posts (most of which appear to have been deleted due to personal insults) and realise what you mean by the deletions.

If you have a problem with this, please go via the helpdesk or one of the group leaders privately rather than bringing it onto the public forum and we can tell you what exactly the problem with your post was so that you know what to avoid doing in future :)

my dog needs a friend to play with lmao she runs all the other dogs mad lmao she plays with em until there too knackerd and then she still bounces on em lol

It has to be Staffordshire Bull Terriers.They are fantastic dogs,great with kids and other dogs and are so loyal and loving.Sadly they recieve a lot of bad press which is unfunded.I have had them as long as i can remember and never had a problem with them.

To be fair, most owners who go for pedigrees also pick their dog because of personality. Different breeds have particular characters and temperaments which is all part of the breed standard. It's not just all about looks. :)

Vey true- in speaking with many other dobe owners, we've realised just how much Ailsa typifies the breed in terms of temperament and those wierd little habits and mannerisms she has.