Well, I have a dog from a truly individual breed, loves cold weather, stubborn as hell, and once I got him through the puppy stage, has been a total delight.
He's a Lhasa Apso.
Before you say "lap dog!" look at their history. They were bred to guard monasteries and to hinder intruders, barking loudly (and I mean loudly) until help arrived. Mine is a little larger than standard, weighing in at around 25-30 pounds. They are known to be fearless and I can attest to that: Buddy routinely leaps up to bite the back of the neck of our Anatolian (130 pounds) who looks bored and walks around till Buddy turns loose. They have super keen hearing. They were used in the development of the Shih Tsu. They have some herding tendencies but it isn't a priority with them. Buddy learned how to use a standard doggy door in about two minutes. He's not expensive to feed, but the grooming bills could become costly unless you have your own set of clippers. I'll try to find a picture of him.
Anyway, hope you find a dog that suits you!
He loved 'em to death (we caught him talking to one dog - ol' softie!)...but hey - he never had a bit of trouble........Rural Md., Ga. and WVa.
