All you animal lovers....

[Sheltie]

Border collies have a lot in common with Shetland Sheepdogs (Shelties) My sheltie was a handful when she was a puppy. She has calmed down some, but she is very bossy and herds me and the cats. She also nips at my heels. Most people would not tolerate that type of behavior but she is only doing what she has been bred to do. She needs a lot of excersise and play to calm her down. I would not suggest any herding dog to just anyone. You really have to be devoted and patient.

 

[Liesje]

The announcers last night mentioned what you guys said: they're the smartest but also VERY driven. I'll probably need a more apartment friendly dog for starters!

Kudos to the pointer! That dog was amazing.

 

[Liesje]

I'm sort of glad the Border didn't win, because people tend to go out and get them as pets when they see that, and if they're not prepared for how much work a Border is, they end up rejected in shelters and such.

Good point, although from my experience, the pointers can be CRAZY hyper and man do they slobber! Our friends got one and even though they have a huge yard, the dog still was nutso and had to go to doggy therapy, lol. My dad has always wanted one for hunting and his friend breeds them, but when we moved when I was 11, our new house had a tiny backyard so getting that kind of dog would just be cruel. Consequently, I've never had a pet dog, but since my mom does kinda like them, we used to constantly dogsit for the neighbors and friends.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Yes pointers would probably be just as tough as Borders

There are sites online where you can match up your needs and wants w/ a breed of dog, I used to know of one but for the life of me I can't remember the URL. It was ages ago that I looked at it.

American Kennel Club might be a good source of general info about breeds

 

[Tania]

I would highly recommend a German Shepherd if you have some room in your back yard, are prepared to go for a minimum of two one hour walks per day and don't mind the hair (they drop a lot especially if they live in doors like mine does). My dog is great with kids (she is the third Shepherd I have had), is very smart and good with other dogs (I think I was just lucky in this instance because some are not). The only down side is that she hates thunder which means she wants to sit on my lap when a storm is coming!

Have you thought though of the mid-size dogs like Cocker Spaniels which don't require quite such a vigorous amount of exercise?

 

[edgerulz]

i have 3 dogs that we got from the animal shelter. they all love kids and any human for that matter. i truly think breed doesn't matter. if you give a dog lots of love it will give it right back ten fold.

i wish i knew how to post pics. i have a bunch of my dogs doing those cute kinds of things (at least i think they look cute). lots of film spent on my girls.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I think breed only matters re for example, you wouldn't want a Jack Russell if you want a mellow, low maintenance dog. I definitely think getting a dog from a shelter is great My dog is from a Border rescue.

People get the wrong breeds for them if they know nothing about them, and sometimes end up giving them up. Training can only accomplish so much, there are traits inherent to breeds that you can't eliminate.

 

[edgerulz]

you are right about the jack russell thing. and sure there are a lot of other variables involved but if you want a loving dog though you just need to love it yourself.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Good point - I love my dog and she is very loving, but she can still be very trying on my patience once in a while She's just not all that mellow even though she's 12! That's what I mean about certain breeds, that's all

Sometimes it's true, the more people you meet the more you love your dog

 

[Tania]

Sometimes it's true, the more people you meet the more you love your dog

All of my dogs have been "rescue animals" and all have been brilliant, in their own special way.

 

[She Is Raging]

My dog is a mix and a shelter dog too... I couldnt ask for a better dog. He's a black lab/german shepherd mix, and one of the laziest dogs I've ever met. That's him in my avatar.


If you're thinking of getting a pet... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE consider a shelter or rescue before going to a breeder!! Petfinder.com is great for finding what you're looking for...