# Any Dog Owners? Looking for advice on breeds...



## progmetaldan

We have a family dog, a Shetland Sheepdog who is a fantastic pet, but she's getting old, and I'm considering getting a dog of my own. I'd like one which I can take jogging regularly, and will basically help keep me fit, so something quite active, is intelligent, good with other people but not incapable of taking care of itself or others. Low on grooming and on the larger side, though not massive... Any advice from anyone with similar requirements would be appreciated...


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## Marv Attaxx

I don't know which breed would be right for you, maybe a rottweiler or something very active. But you should really get a second dog!
We've got a very large dog who's 14 years old and a young one who's 4 years old and it seems that the younger keeps the older one fit 
It's cute to see him play again like a puppy 
You can go jogging with him and at home he'll make sure that your Shetland Sheepdog will stay fit for a frew more years.


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## progmetaldan

Hmmm, might consider that! I've probably narrowed it down to either a Border Collie or a Labrador Retriever, but I'm still open to other suggestions of breeds I'm not as familiar with.


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## Anton

I would go with a Bull terrier or a Pitbull love those dogs...there not big though..
If you want a bigger dog i would defiantly go with a Cane Corso


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## Fikealox

Labs are good, man. They can be pretty athletic, but they're also generally happy to laze around at home (without getting destructive). They're not particularly smart, though. Border Collies, on the other hand, are freakishly smart. I'm not too sure about their temperament, though. Cattledogs are gorgeous, too, and well worth considering (Dave the Fot from bmusic has an awesome one).


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## ralphy1976

both breed (border collie and labrador) although mostly know for their lovely temper and intelligence can also be freakishly crazy / dumb. One of my neighbors had such experience with a chocolate labrador and had to give her up becuase she could not deal with the dog's temper and crazyness.

These cases are fairly rare, but .... 

Although it is worth noting that (accorsing to my ex-vet) contrary to popular belief, large-ish to big dogs do not need as much exercise as we think, and this includes multiple jogging sessions each week..etc.. apparently a good 1 hour walk everyday with of course the occasional fun time is already good for their overall health, the other obvious thing worse mentioning being a well balanced diet.


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## lobee

These were all on my list when we were looking for a dog(went with a lab in the end):

Vizsla - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Weimaraner - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittany_(dog)


Take a look through the AKC sporting group for more:

AKC Breeds by Group - Sporting Group


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## progmetaldan

I've pretty much decided to go with a Border Collie pup at this stage, just doing a little bit more research but looking positive...


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## ralphy1976

awesome.. you WILL HAVE to post pics!!


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## progmetaldan

Don't worry, I will... Not sure how soon one will become available though... I'll keep ya posted.


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## ralphy1976

"available" you mean "the dog will be old enough to leave his mother", i guess?!!!


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## Daemoniac

lobee said:


> These were all on my list when we were looking for a dog(went with a lab in the end):
> 
> Vizsla - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> Weimaraner - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittany_(dog)
> 
> 
> Take a look through the AKC sporting group for more:
> 
> AKC Breeds by Group - Sporting Group




Weimaraners are fucking beautiful. One of my friends has one, and he's just lovely 

Some others i was looking at when we got a dog (and still want ):
- Old English Sheepdog





- Bearded Collie





- Irish Wolfhound





- Rottweiler





- Golden Retriever





- Rhodesian Ridgeback





- Neapolitan Mastiff (drools.... lots... )





- St. Bernard





I was looking at something medium/big that is basically a bigass teddy-bear, but that is more than happy to exercise with you and so on. Also, other than the Rotty, none of them are good guard dogs


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## ralphy1976

@demoniac : Irish Wolfhound FTW!!!!


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## Daemoniac

ralphy1976 said:


> @demoniac : Irish Wolfhound FTW!!!!



Yeah dude, i MUST have a Wolfhound at some point  They're such incredible and beautiful dogs (in that scruffy way )

I'd also kill for a St. Bernard or Old English Sheepdog


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## ralphy1976

i guess you've already have seen an Irish wolfhound in person...the first time i saw one from afar i really thought it was a shetland poney with a little boy walking by his side (on a beach in Jersey (the island in the british chanel, not Bon Jovi's state!!!))

my little sister has got a newfoundland and he is pretty cute too.. and yes his lead is a horse "thingy" (sorry i know nothing about horses!!!)


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## Daemoniac

^ yeah man, they're fucking massive. It's one of the reasons i love them so muc, cos i can just run up and crash tackle them  I love how "in proportion" they are too for giant dogs, Great Danes are beautiful, but a little strangely proportioned, and Mastiffs are kind of stumpy (though i do love them lol) but the Wolfhounds are just totally _big_ dogs, in every way.

That dog there is beautiful too.


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## Marv Attaxx

Demoniac said:


> I was looking at something medium/big that is basically a bigass teddy-bear, but that is more than happy to exercise with you and so on. Also, other than the Rotty, none of them are good guard dogs



get one of these fuckers 
Mastiffs are cool


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## Daemoniac

Marv Attaxx said:


> get one of these fuckers
> Mastiffs are cool





Demoniac said:


> Neapolitan Mastiff (drools.... lots... )



 I love them


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## ralphy1976

^above : is this picture not photoshoped? where i use to live in the UK one of the guy i knew was breeding mastiffs and they were not that tall. Mastiff are big, but i did not think they were that tall...

t'intraweb says : 28-36" (65 to 91cm) tall..that's a bit taller no?


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## Konfyouzd

miniatures pinschers will run ALL DAY... i got 6 of em. i wouldn't recommend them if you have short patience, though as they're quite hard-headed and mischievous... 

just re-read your post and these guys are definitely not what you need as they're tiny. go with their big cousin the doberman (actually not the same thing... minis came first and somehow they were bred bigger... go figure...)


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## Daemoniac

After looking at all these big dogs, this is what we ended up with:


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## ralphy1976

@demoniac : let me ask you this : who had the overall say for the dog?


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## Daemoniac

The missus works at the Animal Welfare League (The pound...) and they had a little 5 year old Mini-Dachsund in, and she fell in love with it. I won't lie, she's a beautiful little dog  But i want a big-ass dog now


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## Marv Attaxx

ralphy1976 said:


> ^above : is this picture not photoshoped? where i use to live in the UK one of the guy i knew was breeding mastiffs and they were not that tall. Mastiff are big, but i did not think they were that tall...
> 
> t'intraweb says : 28-36" (65 to 91cm) tall..that's a bit taller no?


I don't think it's shoped. Minimum height is 75 cm (to the shoulders, not the head) for males and the normal weight is 150 to 250 pounds. But there are plenty bigger mastiffs known from the media. maybe that's zorba who weighs 343 pounds and stands 37 inches 
Either way, they'r fucking huge


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## Daemoniac

^ Pretty sure Zorba was an English Mastiff, not a neapolitan, and i'm reasonably sure that pic is of a Neapolitan.


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## ralphy1976

Demoniac said:


> The missus works at the Animal Welfare League (The pound...) and they had a little 5 year old Mini-Dachsund in, and she fell in love with it. I won't lie, she's a beautiful little dog  But i want a big-ass dog now


 
awww...i know where you are coming from !!!!!



Marv Attaxx said:


> I don't think it's shoped. Minimum height is 75 cm (to the shoulders, not the head) for males and the normal weight is 150 to 250 pounds. But there are plenty bigger mastiffs known from the media. maybe that's zorba who weighs 343 pounds and stands 37 inches
> Either way, they'r fucking huge


 
i am seriously impressed and schoked really!! that dog is just "unreal" really!!


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## Empryrean

Big dogs, active, low grooming =?
I say get a Japanese Akita just cause they look cool


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## ralphy1976

my cousin has got a japanese Akita, and apparently they do have a bit of a "temper"

it seems that hers decide very quickly she would not listen to her but solely her husband, and basically there is nothing she can do. According to the breeder they do such things very quickly.

Her dog is beautiful though, it is just funny to see her being ignore by her own dog!!!


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## Empryrean

ralphy1976 said:


> my cousin has got a japanese Akita, and apparently they do have a bit of a "temper"
> 
> it seems that hers decide very quickly she would not listen to her but solely her husband, and basically there is nothing she can do. According to the breeder they do such things very quickly.
> 
> Her dog is beautiful though, it is just funny to see her being ignore by her own dog!!!



They just remind me so much of little kids, kinda sticking to one parent more favorably.


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## HighGain510

Although you said you're pretty much set on a breed, I'd like to suggest Boxers as well. I've had two of them myself and my brother has two currently so I've pretty much grown up with them. ABSOLUTELY love the dogs!  I have not met one yet that didn't have an awesome personality and they do fit into the items you were looking for: very athletic/energetic, they can be fairly big as long as you don't pick the runt and they have short hair so there isn't much grooming needed either. 

Plus, I love the way they look! They look killer both with floppy ears or with their ears cropped (they look so regal that way but I do feel bad putting a dog through that process since it can be painful/annoying for them... ):



















Awwwwww!!! 


Also, not a big dog, but for something similar but smaller I recommend the Boston Terrier. They are REALLY energetic and seem to have great personalities as well.  Once I'm settled in my house I'm finally getting my own dog and it will either be a boston or a boxer, the hard part will be deciding which one to get!


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## ralphy1976

my sister was looking at boxers..and then she rescued / rehoused a newfoundland which my littel niece uses as a poney!!!!


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## technomancer

Honestly if the dog population is anything in South Adelaide like it is in the US, get a dog from a shelter or if you HAVE to have a specific breed for some reason go to a breed-specific rescue.

The number of people buying dogs from breeders and pet stores every day while thousands of awesome pups are being killed in shelters makes me want to smack somebody when I think about it.

With that said your biggest challenge may be making sure your older dog gets along with the new one. Sometimes this can take some time and effort to work out, while sometimes it goes off without a hitch.


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## ralphy1976

i do second technomancer's idea here. Although having a pup is great, older dog or even pups from shelters shouldn't be overlooked.

maybe they may not have the "pedigree" you are after but my 100% pedigree West highland terrier was not exactly 100% without any illness due to "family breeding" and alike.

man i want a dog...but i live in a flat!!


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## HighGain510

technomancer said:


> Honestly if the dog population is anything in South Adelaide like it is in the US, get a dog from a shelter or if you HAVE to have a specific breed for some reason go to a breed-specific rescue.
> 
> The number of people buying dogs from breeders and pet stores every day while thousands of awesome pups are being killed in shelters makes me want to smack somebody when I think about it.
> 
> With that said your biggest challenge may be making sure your older dog gets along with the new one. Sometimes this can take some time and effort to work out, while sometimes it goes off without a hitch.



+100  When I go to purchase mine, I will be checking out shelters first.


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## technomancer

Getting a puppy isn't even hard, you just need to look around and be patient. Our lab mix was from one of four litters a shelter a 1/2 hour from here had in the spring... and we got our pure bred blue doberman as a puppy from a local doberman rescue.

Actually our first lab mix we had a couple years ago we got as a puppy as well, she was surrendered at 8 weeks old.


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## Daemoniac

HighGain510 said:


> Plus, I love the way they look! They look killer both with floppy ears or with their ears cropped (they look so regal that way but I do feel bad putting a dog through that process since it can be painful/annoying for them... )





So far as i'm aware, and i'll double check with the missus (vet nurse), there's absolutely no practical or medical reason to crop a dogs ears. It's pain for the sake of looking like you own a fighting dog.


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## HighGain510

Demoniac said:


> So far as i'm aware, and i'll double check with the missus (vet nurse), there's absolutely no practical or medical reason to crop a dogs ears. It's pain for the sake of looking like you own a fighting dog.



No, that's not quite it at all. They are usually done for show (as in Westminster show dogs) actually, not for "fighting dogs" .... that's a ridiculous stereotype and if you actually believe that you are quite misinformed.  Like I said, there's not medical "benefit" to cropping the ears and I don't know that I would do it to *my* dog, but the last boxer that my dad owned had his ears cropped and he looked very regal, extremely alert.  It was not done to make him appear to be a fighting dog.... that's pretty bizarre....


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## Daemoniac

^ I guess i was thinking more of Pitbulls, cos i have seen quite a few around here with their ears cropped, and owned by people i wouldnt want to know, so my apologies for the sweeping generalisation. My point is though, that it's a pretty cruel thing to do to any animal for the sake of a look


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## HighGain510

Demoniac said:


> ^ I guess i was thinking more of Pitbulls, cos i have seen quite a few around here with their ears cropped, and owned by people i wouldnt want to know, so my apologies for the sweeping generalisation. My point is though, that it's a pretty cruel thing to do to any animal for the sake of a look



Right, but if you had read my whole post the first time around:



HighGain510 said:


> They look killer both with floppy ears or with their ears cropped (*they look so regal that way but I do feel bad putting a dog through that process since it can be painful/annoying for them... *)



I don't neccessarily agree with the process either.  I said I liked the way boxers look with their ears cropped (again, boxers aren't bred for fighting, they're lovers!  ) but I probably wouldn't do that to my dog personally.  Many dog owners have their dog's ears cropped but I would venture to say the vast majority are not even "fight dog" breeds since you commonly see them on boxers, boston terriers etc. which are not dogs that are normally bred with that intent in mind.


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## Daemoniac

^ My apologies dude, my observational skills are fucked today 

I couldn't do it to any animal personally, especially not a dog, it's just too cruel IMO (and in Australia, even docking tails is illegal).


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## Marv Attaxx

Demoniac said:


> ^ My apologies dude, my observational skills are fucked today
> 
> I couldn't do it to any animal personally, especially not a dog, it's just too cruel IMO (and in Australia, even docking tails is illegal).



It's illegal in the whole EU, too


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## Daemoniac

^ I'm glad. I can't see any benefit to it, and i like dogs with ears


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## ralphy1976

Marv Attaxx said:


> It's illegal in the ewhole EU, too


 
i think in the UK you can not legally crop dog's tail, as i recall one of my ex work colleague having her vet doing it kind of "hush hush"


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## cycloptopus

technomancer said:


> Honestly if the dog population is anything in South Adelaide like it is in the US, get a dog from a shelter or if you HAVE to have a specific breed for some reason go to a breed-specific rescue.
> 
> The number of people buying dogs from breeders and pet stores every day while thousands of awesome pups are being killed in shelters makes me want to smack somebody when I think about it.
> 
> With that said your biggest challenge may be making sure your older dog gets along with the new one. Sometimes this can take some time and effort to work out, while sometimes it goes off without a hitch.


Please adopt! Puppies are available too. I got my mix breed @ about 7months old and she is the greatest dog in the world (aren't everyone's?) But seriously, she is the best dog ever. She is smart, athletic, active, and absolutely the cutest. When we adopted her the foster dog mom said she was a pit-lab mix. Got the gene test which came back all over the place without any pit or lab mention. I don't know if I believe that. She is 45lbs so she isn't as big as what you may be looking for, but she can hang with any dog. We take her to a local dog park where she prefers to play with bigger dogs. She also has a beautiful brindle short hair coat and gets the best compliments from everyone. Ok, end bragging now.

For what you're looking for I would recommend you look into Dogo Argentinos







A guy at the dog park I go to has 2 of them and they are some of the most beautiful, best behaved dogs and have great personalities. Though that may be a result of his excellent training. They get from 80-100lbs and are an offshoot of a Mastiff.

If I were to get a larger dog that's what I'd get. But please look into adoption. Mix breeds can be some of the best dogs out there and there are SO many dogs to be adopted.


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## technomancer

Demoniac said:


> ^ I'm glad. I can't see any benefit to it, and i like dogs with ears



There is a slight benefit in sound detection and reaction time in tracking sounds, so it's somewhat useful if you're actually getting a dog trained as a guard or attack dog. HOWEVER for personal ownership it's nothing but cruel to do to the dog and serves no purpose other than making an owner feel they look cooler.

The adoption contract for our dobe actually forbid ear cropping (which I had no problem with as her floppy ears are cute ). Her tail is docked, which was done before the rescue got her litter in, but apparently in dobes their tails are very prone to breaking so there is a practical reason to get that done.


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## jaxadam

Dobermans are probably the best dogs I've ever owned, and will own them for the rest of my life.

Loyal, intelligent, playful, energetic, good with people, and have a bad reputation that is very undeserving.


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## HighGain510

jaxadam said:


> Dobermans are probably the best dogs I've ever owned, and will own them for the rest of my life.
> 
> Loyal, intelligent, playful, energetic, good with people, and have a bad reputation that is very undeserving.



 I've met quite a few awesome dobies, awesome dogs when trained by someone who isn't a moron.


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## Daemoniac

^ So true. Lovely dogs 

Also, +1 to the adoption thing.

My little Dachsund is from the Animal Welfare League, as are my 2 cats  There are some really beautiful dogs there all the time, most of whom haven't had a nice start to life, so not only is it just a great thing to adopt one, but they will love you in return infinitely for taking them, and showing them a little bit of love


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## JeffFromMtl

I've never owned a dog because my mom's allergic to them, but I've always been a dog lover and as soon as I have my own place that's big enough, I'm getting a Great Dane. They're loyal and protective and have a really great temperament and they do relatively well with an active lifestyle even though they tend to appear lazy because of their low metabolism. They are prone to a few health issues, but the're just so damn cute, especially with harlequin coat/colouring. 

People tend to crop the ears on Great Danes as well, which I just don't get... I'd never put an animal through that, plus they just look so much better with their natural ears.


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## Daemoniac

JeffFromMtl said:


> I've never owned a dog because my mom's allergic to them, but I've always been a dog lover and as soon as I have my own place that's big enough, I'm getting a Great Dane. They're loyal and protective and have a really great temperament and they do relatively well with an active lifestyle even though they tend to appear lazy because of their low metabolism. They are prone to a few health issues, but the're just so damn cute, especially with harlequin coat/colouring.
> 
> People tend to crop the ears on Great Danes as well, which I just don't get... I'd never put an animal through that, plus they just look so much better with their natural ears.



Totally 

The missus wants a Great Dane someday. I do too, but i'm set on an Irish Wolfhound  I loves me some scruffy dogs


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## jaxadam

HighGain510 said:


> awesome dogs when trained by someone who isn't a moron.



Yup, that is the key. It really is with any dog. Dogs really like having a job to do, and consistency is key when training.

We constantly try to work with our dogs with obedience, and it is really wonderful to have two well trained dogs sharing our house with us.


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## progmetaldan

Hey folks, thought I'd give an update, thanks for all the advice, I am now the proud new owner of a Border Collie pup, beautiful little fellow he is, and so well behaved (so far...)


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## Daemoniac

Very nice man 

Border Collie's are beautiful little things, and can be trained AMAZINGLY. Pics or it didn't happen


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## progmetaldan




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## Marv Attaxx

Very cute doggy!
Congrats 
EDIT: I'd like to hug him


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## Daemoniac

progmetaldan said:


>


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## HighGain510

Fluffy!!!


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## White Cluster

May I suggest a name?


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## DarkKnight369

Cute dog. 

As far as breeds go, our dog is a lab/German shepard mix...







He is a great dog. Smart, loyal, and well behaved. If I had a choice, I would get this mix again, or maybe a full Shepard. I will always get a dog from a shelter though, as I don't believe in buying from breeders when innocent animals get killed at these shelters daily.


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## lava

There is no better dog on earth than a mutt. That's all I'll ever get for the rest of my life. Here's mine:


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## progmetaldan

I totally understand the mindset behind rescueing dogs from shelters and support it, but in some instances your lifestyle dictates that you need to know exactly what you're getting in the dog, in regards, to things like size, coat, temperament etc. I went with a purebred Border Collie as this was the perfect dog for my circumstances. However I made sure I did an ENORMOUS amount of research to make sure, so that under no circumstances would I be adding to the amount of dogs that need rescueing. If people did this rather than just going down the pet shop and getting one that looks cute it would go a long way towards helping with this problem. And I also made sure I got him from a very responsible and reputable breeder as they don't just breed indiscriminately to make more money. I had to wait a bit longer, but well worth it.


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## Daemoniac

DarkKnight369 said:


> He is a great dog. Smart, loyal, and well behaved. If I had a choice, I would get this mix again, or maybe a full Shepard. I will always get a dog from a shelter though, as I don't believe in buying from breeders when innocent animals get killed at these shelters daily.



Good stuff, though i will say that its not the shelters fault that they have animals to put down, blame stupid people for that.

My partner works at a shelter, and the #1 kind of dog that people give up and take to a shelter are mini-foxy/jack russel crossbreeds. Why? Because people are fucking idiots and think that getting a "small dog" will be no work, doing no research, then going to their local pet store and buying the first tiny, cute puppy they find not realising that the dog they're getting is one of the most high-energy, jumping escape artists ever...

I hate people. I have nothing against _not_ getting it from a shelter, as long as people look into what will suit their lifestyle (good work progmetaldan ) and don't buy from pet stores.


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## progmetaldan

Yeah, would never buy from a petstore.

Interesting you mention the Jack Russells, our first dog was a Jack Russell, and it was a total escape artist, would jump the fence and just ran. One time it got out and injured a neighbours rabbit and another neighbours cat, and we had to get rid of it. However we made sure it ended up on a farm with heaps of running space and a rat problem to help with, so we and it were much happier.

Family then got a Sheltie which was just perfect, we've still got her, and now I've got the Border Collie for myself, liked the Sheltie temperament, just wanted something slightly larger and more energetic for jogging and playing, and they're also just fantastic dogs if given enough training and exercise to keep their keen minds busy.


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## Daemoniac

Oh yeah man, JR's and Mini Foxy's are 2 of the _most_ energetic dogs you'll come across, and pitifully few people are actually aware of that  It's why so many of them end up at the pound/shelters/animal welfare league/abandoned 

Pet stores don't fucking help either, you need _zero_ knowledge to work in there, they don't teach you shit, they only ever have ridiculous crossbreeds for sale, they can't tell you jack about them, and if you want proper advice then you have to do the research yourself.

(Mischa has a really big problem with a) pet shops, and b) stupid people )

The Collies are phenomenally intelligent dogs too man, you'll have an absolute ball as it grows up  I'm still trying to coax the missus into letting me get some behemoth of a dog (Irish Wolfhound, Neapoltan Mastiff, Great Dane, St. Bernard, Old English Sheepdog etc..) Not having much luck  She wants another Dachsund


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