What type of dog do you have? What type should I get?

[Rikter8]

Mine is a lap dog..........NOT

Heheheh I love big dogs.

I'd probably recommend a shephard or Lab. Spend a ton of time with them training, and unconditional love, and you'll have a obedient and smart dog to be your companion.

Nobody mentioned a Husky Malamute. Probably for good reason.

My Husky/Malamute/Wolf hybrid was probably one of the smartest dogs I've had. BUT they LOVE to run and have a mind of their own once theyre off the leash.
Absolutely BEAUTIFUL dogs, but you have to live in a country rural setting for this type of dog, and they're relatively bull headed. BUT, they're also very affectionate and family oriented from my experience with mine.

The wolf in him didn't help with obedience though. He would get a kink in his butt to run like the wind....and it didn't matter what was in his way, he was going! But he loved people as long as I was nearby. Kids - never had to worry. He'd just sit there and be petted, or welcome with a kiss. When my mom got her little Bichon, I just told him "Easy, she's just a little one. Be gentle" and he was. He enjoyed being her jungle gym.

If I ever do get my property I dream of, I may (against the advice of many) get a sister/brother pair to devote time to and see if I can train them better than my first one.
It's been 3 years since mine passed. I can't bear to get another dog quite yet. Its still too hard. I miss him.

 

[OhWiseOne]

I have a lab and a boarder terrier. The terrier is a rescue dog very loving but stand offish with strangers. The lab is just that a 110 pound loving puppy with big sad eyes that burn right through you.

Haha.....just realized I posted to this on 8/10. Oh well can never say to much about the little brats.

 

[AquaEyes11010]

I miss having a dog, but I'm not a complete person without an amazon parrot. That being said....

The best dog I've known was Becky, who grew up with me (I was 2 when we got her as a puppy). She came from an accidental breeding between a male Lab and a female Dane -- big black girl who was docile with anyone, but leery with strangers until we gave her the "ok" that things were safe. She loved kids, and let us crawl and snuggle all over her like we were her puppies. Unfortunately, big dogs don't live long enough...I was 12 when we had to have her put to sleep.

I haven't had a dog since living on my own, but I have a few breeds that I think would be awesome -- for me. I saw some mention of the craziness of Chows. If you like the general look of a big puffy chow-type but have reservations about their personality, look up Eurasiers. They were a breed created specifically as a family pet, with emphasis on health and temperament, using Chows, German Wolfspitz (basically Keeshonds), and Samoyeds. They're hard to find in this country, and in any case, I'm not sure how easy it'd be to have such a furry Nordic-type dog in Florida.

At the other extreme, I've always found various sight-hound breeds fascinating. When I lived on Long Island, a lady would walk her pair of Whippets by my house daily. Beautiful dogs, a relatively healthy breed, and not so common that they've been spoiled by haphazard breeding.

Two breeds I haven't yet met but find interesting are Ibizan and Pharoah Hounds. I don't know much about them other than what I've read.

I did get to meet a few Basenjis after being a fan of them from afar for years and years. They can be little brats when home alone (so said the three owners I met), so some degree of house-proofing would be in order.

It's true that dogs don't live long enough for their owners, and having to say goodbye to a pet is not something I'm going to look forward to when I get a dog again. I've been spoiled by the thought that Sammy, my DYH amazon parrot, will (hopefully) still be with me when I retire. He'll be 21 in March, and I'm currently 35. The survivor between us will require some serious medication when the other departs the land of the living.