what dog breed should I get?

[akane]

We had a laugh with some of the owners of Zami's siblings. At some point every akita owner has tried to brush a single spot enough that it stops loosing hair and everyone has failed. :lol: I got another grocery bag off her. It'll be easier with a yard where I don't have to carefully contain the fur so I can gather it up when I'm done.

There was a time I wanted a corgi but I would prefer something bigger. I will go hunting for a new training group. We just keep moving farther and farther from my favorite training building. Then we can rotate both of us doing obedience with each dog and I can do agility if my back improves enough.

 

[skysthelimit]

Seems all the German Shepherd people have Corgis as their "old age" dog.
Personally I don't care for how they look. If I has to get a smaller breed, I have always loved Shelties, but now that this rescue Shih Tzu is here, kind of makes me want to show them.

I do trip over her a lot!

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I just got a Chihuahua 2 weeks ago.. And I just fell in love with her.. I don't have watch her when she is outside to make sure she dosnt escape from my fenced in yard.. like all my other dogs did at one point or another,, she eats very little .. which is a bonus.. love to be with you .. which I like. never leaves my side.. which I like , .. good in the car.. and don't bark at everyone walking pass or see another dog.. like my other dogs do.. I have said to myself.. why didn't I get ones of these dogs before.. because I seen every ones just yappy little things.. but I was lucky.. she barley barks at all. .. my beagle and jack Russell barks more than she does and they really don't bark much at all.

 

[bantambunnies]

It might seem a little silly at first, but have you considered a Standard poodle? Ours is a very large Standard, weighing about 70 lbs. He really doesn't shed. We bought a poodle clipper (which we also use to cut the boys' hair at home - go figure) and just shave him down every couple of months. He is very smart and very well behaved. We got him just after his puppy stage (his owners were selling him because he tore up their couch and carpet, and was aggressive to their other dog). He was very responsive to training. Now he (usually) sits, stays, comes, and jumps on command. He doesn't get on the furniture or go in certain rooms. He leaves the free-ranging chickens and the free-ranging rabbit totally alone. He doesn't need attention constantly, but he isn't lazy or sleepy, either. He is very focused on humans (not on food). He doesn't steal food. Our large yard is surrounded by trees, and he never goes outside the yard. He rarely has to be walked, and we've never used any sort of shock collar or other restraint system on him.
One of the only things I would fault him on is his behavior in public, but I would assume that if we had spent more time actually socializing him with dogs and strangers, he would be much better. He doesn't get along with other dogs very well. He also doesn't like strangers - especially small children - getting in his face. After a car ride, he's always VERY excited and usually requires a heavy hand to keep him close at first. Thankfully he calms down fairly quickly and usually doesn't jump up on strangers with over-excitement like he used to.

 

[mystang89]

MSD beat me to it. Australian Shepherds are great dogs! I'd recommend them.

 

[sungura]

I have an Australian shepherd/ heeler mix and he's a wonderful dog! People keep trying to steal him from me!

 

[akane]

For now we're on hold until we start moving Aug 2nd. I've got to run some hedgehogs up past madison, WI this month before we move. Then we might go meet some caanan dogs and pick up some meat rabbits on the way. We'll probably go look at some shepherds later. I did know a really good aussie breeder but I'm not sure her health has held out to keep doing things with the animals. Her daughter competed with me in horse speed events. Usually with me winning by a small margin. She already had trouble getting around though. I don't know the whole story but she and a horse took a tumble off what counts as a cliff around here.

 

[squidpop]

I think you can't beat a herding dog for smarts, bidability and good health. Australian Shepherd, Border Collie, Kelpie, Cattle dogs, Australian Koolies (which are probably a mixture of all the breeds). I also think the ultimate would be a German Shepherd from German lines or a Belgian Shepherd. Also, I think I would always stick to working dogs bred from working lines, not any kennel club show dogs.

 

[sungura]

I definitely enjoy my herder. I had a golden retriever before him and he's been such an enjoyable dog to teach and have around. I think I'm a herding breed convert. I can't think of another kind of dog I would rather have. He's really a great dog.

 

[akane]

The person I'm talking to bred the best agility caanan in the US (master agility champion 4 times), has passed instinct herding tests with all her dogs, and just won best rookie herding dog at a national show so they have possibility. Unfortunately we couldn't get out there to watch. 4hrs away by 10am with our messed up sleep cycles due to my insomnia just isn't possible. Major reason I don't see many rabbit shows either. Can't do those 6 am drives.

 

[sungura]

Where are you getting your meat rabbits from? I'm in Janesville, wi and head to Madison quite regularly. I'm probably going to have to get a meat buck. As I think the buck I got I'm pretty sure is a doe :-(
Luckily the county fairs are this month, so I might be able to get one from there.

 

[akane]

We might be going to Green bay or we might be going north to Eau Claire instead. Depends where they are going to be when my hedgehogs get weaned and sorted. Sometimes the hoglets get diarrhea at weaning and sometimes they start to go through a quilling (growing in new, adult quills) that we have to make decisions on whether they are in condition to go to a new home. I'm looking for american chinchillas for meat and show and I did find one person near Madison but I'm not sure I like what I know about the stock so far. There is a person with very nice and less expensive standard chinchillas closer that I'm debating just getting instead. I had some amchin x cinnamons that were within an hour of me but now I can't find the guy's info to see if he's still breeding his amchin doe.