Puppy?

[WombleHerp]

I have decided upon a Japanese Spitz!!

slightly larger then a pomeranian, much smaller then a Samoyed, but the same all round dog with regards to shape, and fur.

I like the shape of thier snout too, not all squished in like some dogs.

thanks everyone for helping

 

[Gecko75]

I would have chosen pomeranian or chihuahua, I am not allowed a dog though. (I know, they are girly dogs, but I still like them :lol

oh or I would get some sort of dog that can find animals when herping or catch pigs, so a big dog for outdoors, a little dog for indoors

make sure you post some pictures of the dog you choose, I am one of those anti introduced animal type people but I do not mind dogs, they are very important for a lot of people and very smart animals!

 

[Shari]

sorry Dipcdame but i own a white german shepherd and a border collie. The border collie is perhaps one of the worst dogs i have ever owned, they chew, they get out she listens but chooses to ignore...my shepherd is double the size of our border collie abd lisens to every comand and s extemly loyal and will try to do any thing for me my shepherd bear is the best dog i have eva owned german shepherds are very good even my dad and and his brothers have kept shepherds since they were kids and still to this day. now the lady already bought a sheltie but i would have recomended a shepherd they also stay althetes and playfulfor a very long time...!

Here is Bear at our fav bush land park



and him as a pup



oh and rottweilers are good to here is spice our friends rottie

 

[Dipcdame]

sorry Dipcdame but i own a white german shepherd and a border collie. The border collie is perhaps one of the worst dogs i have ever owned, they chew, they get out she listens but chooses to ignore...my shepherd is double the size of our border collie abd lisens to every comand and s extemly loyal and will try to do any thing for me my shepherd bear is the best dog i have eva owned german shepherds are very good even my dad and and his brothers have kept shepherds since they were kids and still to this day. now the lady already bought a sheltie but i would have recomended a shepherd they also stay althetes and playfulfor a very long time...!

Here is Bear at our fav bush land park



and him as a pup



oh and rottweilers are good to here is spice our friends rottie

That is one gogeous dog, Shari!!! I am suprised at your comments about your Border!!! I guess theres always one or two, as with every breed that continuously, and (pardone the pun)... DOGgedly go about ruining breed reputations, one has only to look at sheepdog trials, agility trials, obedience trials and even flyball competitions to see the huge percentage of Border Collies that take part...... AND great dogs at that............. most come from Wales and Scotland, originally, I guess there's always the one or two that either came from Ireland (sorry to the Irish there! LOL) or someone forgot to get him to read the book of conduct!!

Shepherds hold a soft spot in my heart too, I have a Shepherd/mastiff X now............ the one who is scared of old ladies and thunderstorms!!! tee hee!! But he's a real gentle giant!

Borders are still my most favourite dogs though, our two took part in Obedience trials and did really well, hubby and I even bacame instructors in the club we belonged to, the dogs made us look THAT good!! LOL (well, it was nothing to do with me!!!!)

 

[Gizzard]

OH, and i definately do not want a Chiuahua, or a Maltese, or shihtzu.. No to the little STUPID rat dogs lol...

Nat

Jut cause there little doesnt mean there stupid , ive got 2 dogs 1 is a maltese x West highland White and the other is a cairnes terrior x maltese , they are both very intelligent when u tell the cairnes to get his ball he will go running around trying to find it and another good hting is the maltese has a nature to be ruffed up but wont over react ( E.g bite ) my girl and boy have never it and they are lovely dogs but good luck on the hunt

hopefully in the next 3 years ill be getting a husky

 

[Shari]

you must be lucky to get great lil dogs, i think they are cute as a button but its rare to find a charming well-manned little doggy my mum wants to get a cavilier spaniel i like them too...lets just say im more of a dog person than a cat person =D

 

[Ricko]

Anyone who gets an amstaff from andonas kennels really dont know much about the breed, (i know someone on this site has 1 of his dogs but he even says how bad andonas are) look at a few diff kennels and speak to some people b4 you just go buy an amstaff. And as for paying 4.5k for one from him you would have to be seriously stupid.

 

[Ricko]

My purebred desexed male Titan who has now passed on he was the star in our family best dog to have around kids so gentle

This was our girl we had Black Betty she was a very good show dog but not as good around kids she was just too boistrous she now resides on a farm with cattle and sheep, whom she sleeps with in the barns lol
This pic is of her winning Runner up Best of Breed at the Royal Melbourne Show there were about 60 other amstaffs (she is on the right being handled by her breeder)

This shows how shiny she is

My god do i wish my Titan was still around RIP my mate

 

[shellfisch]

you could rescue a greyhound off the track. very mellow dogs, and dont need heaps of exercise

I've done a lot of research, and rescuing a Greyhound is what I will be doing next time

 

[josh14]

shetland sheep dog

 

[the.badger]

I've done a lot of research, and rescuing a Greyhound is what I will be doing next time

Best idea. We have a greyhound and know a lot of greyhounds, they are the most placid dogs around. Plus they don't chew, they're not into toys, they not escape artists, they hardly bark, they don't need much excercise (I know it's hard to believe, but they're sprinters - they have NO stamina so they only need a 10 minute walk), and they're massive couch potatoes. And the rescue greyhounds are the best because they'e already been through their naughty puppy years, and they come to you fully trained. How easy is that?

Having owned a greyhound, I can say with 100% certainty that I will only have sighthounds from now on. In the past I've had a beagle, a lab, a golden retriever, a jack russel, a kelpie, a border collie and a fox terrier, and they were all pains in the bum compared to my greyhound.

And after a while you do get used to the ribs poking out and realise they're really handsome dogs - never thought I'd say that but there you go.

Thumbs up x fifty billion.

 

[MatE]

Best idea. We have a greyhound and know a lot of greyhounds, they are the most placid dogs around. Plus they don't chew, they're not into toys, they not escape artists, they hardly bark, they don't need much excercise (I know it's hard to believe, but they're sprinters - they have NO stamina so they only need a 10 minute walk), and they're massive couch potatoes. And the rescue greyhounds are the best because they'e already been through their naughty puppy years, and they come to you fully trained. How easy is that?

Having owned a greyhound, I can say with 100% certainty that I will only have sighthounds from now on. In the past I've had a beagle, a lab, a golden retriever, a jack russel, a kelpie, a border collie and a fox terrier, and they were all pains in the bum compared to my greyhound.

And after a while you do get used to the ribs poking out and realise they're really handsome dogs - never thought I'd say that but there you go.

Thumbs up x fifty billion.

You must have a good one my next door neighbour has one and all it does is bark,and as soon as you open the gate if it see's an opening its gone.It jump over the fence one day and i saw it bolt past my window,i caught it down the bottom of the hill after it bowled a young kid over.It doesnt come when you call it just runs a hundred miles an hour lol.

 

[jessieJEALOUSY]

get a neapolitan mastiff.
i cant resist their big drooly faces! xD so cute lol

 

[euphorion]

shelties all the way! best dogs ever if you can be bothered to get a 'little' dog. dont require as much brushing as a shepherd or a collie but super smart and really gutsy to boot! would also recommend a groenendael (type of belgian shepherd) wonderful dogs in every manner, as long as you realise they are super smart, very loyal and can be protective of family members so be sure to socialise them straight away. glorious dogs!

the jap spitz is very sheltie-like in temperament, very low maintenance coat too, good choice!

my seven month old groenendael (the pure black one) my two shelties and my rottie x retriever. my little pack

 

[Jungles]

I think you should get a LABRADOODLE - Best Dogs around. lol

 

[Choco]

Hey,
Haven't read the full thread, but if you haven't already made up your mind and bought a pup...Get a Bull Arab/Mastiff. I have 2 and they are fantastic. You mentioned you didn't want a toy dog. They are extremely intelligent, easily trained but can be strong willed. Fantastic with little ones and other dogs too. I have a 14month old (Sargent) and a 16 week old pup (Diego). Sargent was 35kg when last weighed. When he goes to the beach he is fantastic with dogs of all sizes. Some poeple look worried when he comes to play with their toy dogs and end up laughing at how playful he is then ask what he is.

See...
1st pic Sargent @ 8 weeks
2nd pic Sargent @ 12 weeks
3rd pic Sargent @ 13 months
4th Pic Diego @ 10 weeks

 

[mouse_has_faith]

I have a large yard, and i am after a dog that can stay inside and outside and not completely destroy the inside (after training of course, every puppy will destroy at least something :lol

Then cross the Husky off the list, they will leave you with a yard full of craters.

 

[giggle]

I dont know how you went with getting a puppy but may I please be the voice of reason LOL

Many people here immediately put in their recommendations for the breed they currently have fallen in love with. Dont listen to any of them, sorry guys <3 I mean it with the utmost respect ^_^

Why?

1. because not everyone is the same nor has the same opinion on 'easy to train', 'not messy', 'easy to groom' etc. Someone here recommends shelties, but for the average person the grooming requirements of a sheltie are excessive. Their coats do mat up compared to that of a jap spitz or papillon. The other thing about shelties coats is they hold dirt due to their texture, so if like me you are allergic to dust/dirt you might find yourself in a pickle. Same goes for most working breeds.
2. not every dog of that breed is the same. I had a Tibetan Spaniel, who I trained fully in obedience, who I could take offlead in public and recall and who did many complex tricks. But on the whole as a breed and without strict experienced training, they are not obedient and can never be trusted offlead.

Jap spitz are a very nice breed for someone with a bit of time to dedicate to them. Be aware, they bark for attention and at any odd noise or movement, they do dig, they jump high and they do escape. They require your attention, they need to feel a big part of the pack... so if you are too busy to spend time every day giving them a cuddle then they arent the breed for you. If you work long hours or go out of an evening, these dogs will soon have you regretting it. They can be problem barkers. They are also very clever so training for someone with out firm training techniques may be difficult. However with the right person these dogs do great in agility. I would have one of these dogs myself because I am an experienced trainer, I have the time to spend with them and I am an experienced groomer and would find their grooming requirements minimal according to my own standard.

Another dog you might consider, seeing as you like a tapered muzzle, is the papillon (with erect ears) or the phalene (with dropped ears). They are rather similar in appearance to the pom, but a bit larger, friendlier, quieter and have a soft silky coat instead of the spitz coat.
Grooming wise, silky coats will always be easier to groom, they shed dirt easier and don't tangle as much. Silky double coats being the easiest maintenance of all. Such coats keep dirt from the skin (they have a top coat which is thick, firm, silky and long and an undercoat which is soft, short and dense), meaning bathing is required less often. Smooth (i.e. short to the skin) coats such as the greyhound will require the least amount of grooming and dogs with silky coats tend not to have a real doggy odour.

My opinions come from years as a groomer, rescuer, vet nurse, dog handler, animal control officer and dog breeder ^_^ I've seen everything from yorkshire terriers to wolfhounds and probably either groomed it, treated it, rehomed it, trained it or handled it at a show... or even fined its owner for having it offlead.

Most important thing is to be honest with yourself while searching your heart. I promise there are so many breeds out there you should be able to narrow down to one that has most of what you want.

If you get a spitz, make sure you get two

Knowledge is power <3

Ari

 

[rash]

my sister-in-law has a husky........stupidest dog i ever met........will dig under everything, jump into every goldfish pond it sees (mine) and kills every bit of animal life it comes across (cats, birds, bush turkeys, chickens....even one ladys 10yo pet parrot), runs the other way when called, stupid stupid stupid.......might be a "one of" husky, but.....stupid......grrr

 

[noidea]

Hope you have had luck in getting a new puppy. I'm a huge fan of many different dog breeds but the breed we always seem to end up with is the good old staffordshire bull terrier.
Although they are escape artists, downright cheeky and sometimes a bugger to train they seem to hold rank in our preference for family pet. I call them lap dogs with grunt because they are small enough to co exist inside but tenecious enough to protect you when needed. We have a red girl Chilli she is 3 and our newest edition Demon a blue fawn (he was suppose to be a doge de bordeaux but as usual we found him first) Chilli is hand trained, as in I make a gesture and she knows what to do. Demon on the other hand is a headstrong pup that has some cheek, but he is slowly learning. He's the kind of dog that would go really well at fly ball or lure racing when hes a bit older.
Good luck and as many have said retired grey hounds make great family pets.