Thread is closed; thanks everyone! (dog choice)

[kage no neko]

Mistress of Rain

no offence to anyone, to me, it sounds like you would love a mutt of some sort. And the only way to really find those guys are going to shelters and petfinder.

I've already said that a mix or mutt from a shelter hasn't been ruled out. :3 Just trying to settle on a breed, between my boyfriend and I. We both also agree that shelter dogs can be great, but right now we're focusing on the pure bred kinda thing.



Akiska: Ty for your input on dalmatians! biggrin I'll keep all that in mind. Though I don't much want a dog that's been abused, I'm not opposed to one that's deaf.  

[Gabrielle_AnimalLuver]

Forgive me for skimming through comments briefly but...Border Collie over Husky??? If you don't think you have land enough for Husky, Border Collie is not really a plan b. They have A LOT more energy, and really need a job to do. Teaching tricks might not cut it, They are arguable the most intelligent breed and need need need a job to do. Sorry if all this has already been mentioned.

That being said, following are suggestions. Australian Shepherd is very similar to border collie, but a lil calmer, lil more laid back, still needs lots of exercise and mental stimulation, but not AS demanding as a BC. Duck Tollers for medium dogs are a favorite of mine, incredibly cute, energetic but not overly, smart but not demandingly so.  

[kage no neko]

I don't want a husky. He wants a husky. These aren't exactly going to be family dogs. While he's going to help out with my dog, and I'll help out with his, it'll definitely MY dog, so I'm looking for one that will fit best with me, that he won't mind helping with.

And I wouldn't mind looking into an aussie shepherd instead, I'm just picky about what I want it to look like... Most of the pictures I'm finding of them, I can't see a tail. And I definitely want one to have a tail. Edit: reading back over them, there's just something about them that I don't like. sad

I'm also currently trying to figure out how I could become a shepherdess... and there's like no information on that. sad Or I would totally become one.  

[Skeksis]

kage no neko

Skeksis

Oh a hound will be your partner... a partner is the true sense of the word, though. They'll work with you but not for you if ya get my drift. xd

Sounds like you are after something super handler orientated and highly biddable, in which case the BC would be a better choice than the dal. Dals can be pretty hardheaded and stubborn, and are probably just as active as a BC. I wouldn't count on a dal wanting to stick by your side.

BCs are great dogs. If you are going to go through a breeder then take your time, research lines, talk to people in the breed and find a line that is known for having an 'off' switch. If you go the rescue route then a breed specific rescue that runs it's dogs through foster homes before adoption will be able to find something to your specifications.

Also, I highly reccomend hanging out in malinois forums and talking to malinois owners. Those poor folk generally have a pretty comprehensive understanding of how to satisfy super high energy dogs. xd A lot of valuable stuff to be learnt from them, no matter what breed you'll be getting. razz

What else do you want in a dog?

My cats are inside-only, so I'm wanting a companion that I can go outside with... one that can keep me company while I do yard work (maybe even help by attacking the rake or broom).. One that I can go for walks through the neighborhood with, since I feel too shy to do it alone. One that'd be willing to play fetch with tennis balls and frisbees. One that would love to snuggle, but also not mind having alone time in it's kennel. I'd like one with the fur style of the border collie, the not too long, but definitely not a smooth coat. One that I can play with the fur, and not have to worry about it overheating during the summer (since it gets pretty warm here). But it also snows, so it'd be great to have a dog that can go out and enjoy romping in the snow. It DOES get pretty cold too, but I'd be willing to get it a coat.. Much rather get it a coat than have to shave it for the summer. And a smart one! I would love to be able to teach it tricks and spend lots of time just having fun doing those tricks and learning more. I can't see myself ever actually entering it in competitions though.. But I'd also want to take it out hiking (which we do) and trust it to stay by my side. I don't hunt, so I don't need a hunting dog, and I certainly don't want one that'll go off just because it smells or sees something and completely ignore me... that'd really suck.I also love the tri color spots above the eyebrows, like the rottweiler, and also the... is it called a blaze? the strip of color (or white) between the eyes. I love black and white and also tri color. But I'm not too fond of blue eyes. For some reason blue eyes on a dog are just weird to me. If they were darker blue it'd be okay, but they're usually ice blue and just.. weird, lol.

How do ya feel about Spaniels?


English Springer Spaniel could fit your requirements. They are sweet and biddable and would happily do what you've listed, though they do need exercise to keep them happy. They aren't as full on aa the BC though.

Bolded: That is something that has to be trained; all young healthy dogs will, to an extent, want to check stuff out if they find it interesting and as adolescents they can sometimes turn a deaf ear no matter what breed they are. Even BCs! whee Early recall training is a must. 3nodding  

[kage no neko]

Skeksis

How do ya feel about Spaniels?


English Springer Spaniel could fit your requirements. They are sweet and biddable and would happily do what you've listed, though they do need exercise to keep them happy. They aren't as full on aa the BC though.

Bolded: That is something that has to be trained; all young healthy dogs will, to an extent, want to check stuff out if they find it interesting and as adolescents they can sometimes turn a deaf ear no matter what breed they are. Even BCs! whee Early recall training is a must. 3nodding

I'm fond of spaniels. smile And that one is super pretty. Totally looking into that breed now.

Something else that came to mind.. One of those alaskan klee kais. I think he'd go for one of those, even though they're small, since they're like the husky he wants. But... over all, I'm having trouble finding breeders for most things. sad I live in the middle of the US and there's not much out here besides corn and cows. And neither produce puppies, haha.
Do you know of any good sites to find breeders? I'm not really interested in a show quality dog, but just one that's healthy.

Edit: Oh, neat. I showed my mom a picture of one, she said my aunt had one that was golden. I remember that dog, he was such a sweetie. Didn't know what kind he was though. Point toward the english springer spaniel!  

[XxXCocoa_CookieXxX]

what about a yorkie? theyre cute, but people dont like the color that much. besides that, what about a german sheperd? everyone loves those. trains well to. ^.^  

[kage no neko]

Yorkies are too small and german shepherds are too... hmmm... I'm not sure of the word I'm looking for.  

[Krissim Klaw]

What about a Finnish Lapphund? They are a medium breed and one of the more biddable breeds out of the spitz family.  

[Vanilla eXee]

Spaniels are a good choice. My aunt had a cocker (Beba) when I was growing up and that dog let my cousin and I do whatever we wanted to her. She was a really good sport. Think of Spike on the rugrats, that's how patient she was with us.  

[kage no neko]

Awww, how pretty the lapphund is!!

I guess now I should close this thread. Lots of new ideas, thanks so much to everyone. And thanks for helping point out dogs that are calmer than the border collie. biggrin