Narrowing down dog breeds (retriever, terrier, or Aussie)

[ShrekDawg]

That's so interesting you had a sheltie that didn't do well with kids. I would say that's abnormal for the breed.

My Grandma also has had shelties throughout her life. I only knew one of them though.

My sheltie has helped mother wild baby bunnies(she found the nest and proceeded to groom and guard them- and the mother did still care for the babies) hamsters, kittens and baby birds both wild baby birds that fell into our pool and chickens. If she could have nursed the kittens I'm sure she would have and she still goes looking for anything that sounds like a kitten mew. The kittens included a 2.5-3 week old singleton, a litter of 4 - 3 week olds, and a day old singleton that survived being hit by a mower. (We cared for a feral cat colony. The day old DH2B's Dad accidentally hit the mother and whole litter when mowing some long grass behind the garage. He did check it first but didn't see them.)
The hamsters were my Mom's when I was still in high school or maybe just out of it. Mom brought home a hamster a week later we had
6 babies. Ugh oh. Lol anyways Molly was bff's with one of the hamsters and would whine unless she got to give them kisses before they were put to bed.

She loves the chickens except did get attacked by a rooster and is now a little scared of the chickens. That rooster was immediately on the freezer camp list and has been dispatched. Some of her unease still lingers but she's getting better.

She's also amazing with children, extremely patient, and will actually separate our house cats if they get too rough when playing. Pushing the offender into another room by body blocking.

She sounds like a really amazing dog!! Are a lot of shelties like that or is yours one of those special, once in a lifetime kind of dogs?

 

[TXchickmum]

-such good information on here from so many folks! I am a terrier fan, personally. Growing up, I had a Silky Terrier. -wonderful dog! -had a Yorkshire Terrier for 15 years (that passed of old age a few months ago). He was the best companion. He grew up alongside my children, and was such a beloved part of our family. We got another Yorkie pup about two weeks after he passed. This new little fellow is six months old, and is every bit as fabulous as our first. All being said, there is so much to know/understand about the breed. (and they are all individual) Many terriers have pretty extensive grooming requirements, dental care requirements, and some health issue propensities. They do tend to have high prey drives. While I am sold on terriers, many may not share that view. I think it depends upon your lifestyle, others in your family, other animals in your home, and what you personally are seeking in the new addition. Just research as much as possible, and talk to as many folks (that have the breeds in which you are interested) as possible. They can share insights and things that might not be found through the research alone. -best of luck!!

 

[ShrekDawg]

-such good information on here from so many folks! I am a terrier fan, personally. Growing up, I had a Silky Terrier. -wonderful dog! -had a Yorkshire Terrier for 15 years (that passed of old age a few months ago). He was the best companion. He grew up alongside my children, and was such a beloved part of our family. We got another Yorkie pup about two weeks after he passed. This new little fellow is six months old, and is every bit as fabulous as our first. All being said, there is so much to know/understand about the breed. (and they are all individual) Many terriers have pretty extensive grooming requirements, dental care requirements, and some health issue propensities. They do tend to have high prey drives. While I am sold on terriers, many may not share that view. I think it depends upon your lifestyle, others in your family, other animals in your home, and what you personally are seeking in the new addition. Just research as much as possible, and talk to as many folks (that have the breeds in which you are interested) as possible. They can share insights and things that might not be found through the research alone. -best of luck!!

Thank you! Sorry about your dog

Do you think that yorkies are maybe a little less terrier like or prey driven because they've been bred as companions/show for so long as opposed to the more rugged, rough coated ones like a border or cairn? Or do you think they all have pretty high prey drive and terrier tendencies? I didn't realize so many had dental issues. Do you think that's specifically terriers or little dogs in general?

 

[TAM Farm]

Ok so I will weigh in with an unsolicited suggestion. Do more dog walking, pet sitting, try to get in with a groomer pt maybe. You will be able to get lots of experience with these animals. It will give you more ppl to talk with about their dogs and such.

Someone earlier touched on specific lines of labs.. a few years ago we had a "TW" retriever breeder in the area. Their hips and eyes were certified they were doing it all right. Then I met a few of the TW dogs and I got to the point that I could quickly and correctly guess which were TW dogs. They were healthy well behaved dogs that would retrieve ducks great, but they were aloof they lacked that personality and "family dog" that we expect out of a lab.

I currently have a 13 yr old lab she is wonderful. Great family dog and wants desprately to please. She enjoyed excavating the yard which is not super cool but she never wanted to chase the chickens she would lay down and play with the cat when we had one.

I had a friend who had a Boston Terrier. I loved him like crazy! Except he would do handstands to poop and pee. So there was a lot of hygene maintenance with him.

I have some other friends with a small Aussie. She is a great dog. Very energetic, little dog with big energy. She lives on a dead end street and the play fetch a lot to wear her out. She does get a shave in the spring.

Growing up we had an Aussie that came with the house he was a great family dog he lived outside. He did like to chase cows a bit but he was loyal to us and one time we were in our pasture the bull decided to charge him...well he was with us so we got charged also, that was scary. He was super defensive of any pain that he had. He got cought in a bear snare and we had to anesthetise him to get him out because our sweet loving boy was not going to let anyone get near his owie. (His brother was on site before we bought the house. He did not come with the house and he was on a runner all the time I not sure why).

I personally don't have much experience with other terriers. The ones I have met did not imprint on my heart.
Personaly I would like another Aussie someday. I hope to not be without a lab for too long. I would love to have a boston Terrible I mean terrier.

It is very rewarding to rescue an animal, (adoption imo is rescuing) it's work but so rewarding, it sounds to me like you have the right stuff for it when the time is right.

 

[TAM Farm]

Ok so I will weigh in with an unsolicited suggestion. Do more dog walking, pet sitting, try to get in with a groomer pt maybe. You will be able to get lots of experience with these animals. It will give you more ppl to talk with about their dogs and such.

Someone earlier touched on specific lines of labs.. a few years ago we had a "TW" retriever breeder in the area. Their hips and eyes were certified they were doing it all right. Then I met a few of the TW dogs and I got to the point that I could quickly and correctly guess which were TW dogs. They were healthy well behaved dogs that would retrieve ducks great, but they were aloof they lacked that personality and "family dog" that we expect out of a lab.

I currently have a 13 yr old lab she is wonderful. Great family dog and wants desprately to please. She enjoyed excavating the yard which is not super cool but she never wanted to chase the chickens she would lay down and play with the cat when we had one.

I had a friend who had a Boston Terrier. I loved him like crazy! Except he would do handstands to poop and pee. So there was a lot of hygene maintenance with him.

I have some other friends with a small Aussie. She is a great dog. Very energetic, little dog with big energy. She lives on a dead end street and the play fetch a lot to wear her out. She does get a shave in the spring.

Growing up we had an Aussie that came with the house he was a great family dog he lived outside. He did like to chase cows a bit but he was loyal to us and one time we were in our pasture the bull decided to charge him...well he was with us so we got charged also, that was scary. He was super defensive of any pain that he had. He got cought in a bear snare and we had to anesthetise him to get him out because our sweet loving boy was not going to let anyone get near his owie. (His brother was on site before we bought the house. He did not come with the house and he was on a runner all the time I not sure why).

I personally don't have much experience with other terriers. The ones I have met did not imprint on my heart.
Personaly I would like another Aussie someday. I hope to not be without a lab for too long. I would love to have a boston Terrible I mean terrier.

It is very rewarding to rescue an animal, (adoption imo is rescuing) it's work but so rewarding, it sounds to me like you have the right stuff for it when the time is right.

 

[TAM Farm]

Ok so I will weigh in with an unsolicited suggestion. Do more dog walking, pet sitting, try to get in with a groomer pt maybe. You will be able to get lots of experience with these animals. It will give you more ppl to talk with about their dogs and such.

Someone earlier touched on specific lines of labs.. a few years ago we had a "TW" retriever breeder in the area. Their hips and eyes were certified they were doing it all right. Then I met a few of the TW dogs and I got to the point that I could quickly and correctly guess which were TW dogs. They were healthy well behaved dogs that would retrieve ducks great, but they were aloof they lacked that personality and "family dog" that we expect out of a lab.

I currently have a 13 yr old lab she is wonderful. Great family dog and wants desprately to please. She enjoyed excavating the yard which is not super cool but she never wanted to chase the chickens she would lay down and play with the cat when we had one.

I had a friend who had a Boston Terrier. I loved him like crazy! Except he would do handstands to poop and pee. So there was a lot of hygene maintenance with him.

I have some other friends with a small Aussie. She is a great dog. Very energetic, little dog with big energy. She lives on a dead end street and the play fetch a lot to wear her out. She does get a shave in the spring.

Growing up we had an Aussie that came with the house he was a great family dog he lived outside. He did like to chase cows a bit but he was loyal to us and one time we were in our pasture the bull decided to charge him...well he was with us so we got charged also, that was scary. He was super defensive of any pain that he had. He got cought in a bear snare and we had to anesthetise him to get him out because our sweet loving boy was not going to let anyone get near his owie. (His brother was on site before we bought the house. He did not come with the house and he was on a runner all the time I not sure why).

I personally don't have much experience with other terriers. The ones I have met did not imprint on my heart.
Personaly I would like another Aussie someday. I hope to not be without a lab for too long. I would love to have a boston Terrible I mean terrier.

It is very rewarding to rescue an animal, (adoption imo is rescuing) it's work but so rewarding, it sounds to me like you have the right stuff for it when the time is right.

 

[TAM Farm]

Sorry for the duplicate posts.

 

[TXchickmum]

Thank you! Sorry about your dog

Do you think that yorkies are maybe a little less terrier like or prey driven because they've been bred as companions/show for so long as opposed to the more rugged, rough coated ones like a border or cairn? Or do you think they all have pretty high prey drive and terrier tendencies? I didn't realize so many had dental issues. Do you think that's specifically terriers or little dogs in general?

Thanks. We miss him so, but have full hearts with our pup. -not a replacement, but a true joy!!

My experience with yorkies is that they are definitely all terrier! My two were very loyal companions, that would happily sit in my lap or curl up next to me. That being said, they would chase anything that moved. -relentless with squirrels and birds on the lawn. -chased a neighbor's cat over the fence. I, too, always watched them around the chickens. My old guy pretty much was content to lay in the grass and watch the chickens scratch and peck. He didn't chase them in his golden years. The new little fellow wants to run with them, chase them, play with them, corner them. I don't get the dog/chickens out at the same time.

Yorkies are prone to severe dental issues. -teeth require brushing and professional cleaning. They build up tartar like humans. I don't know that this is all small dogs, but I do think that a few of the small terrier breeds experience this issue.

 

[jvls1942]

consider your future plans on moving into an apartment.
any dog is trainable with the right owner.
owning a dog is a full time commitment.
do you go on vacations?
.....jiminwisc.......

 

[ShrekDawg]

Sorry for the duplicate posts.

It's okay!! Thank you for the info and your experiences with the breeds! It was helpful.

Thanks. We miss him so, but have full hearts with our pup. -not a replacement, but a true joy!!

My experience with yorkies is that they are definitely all terrier! My two were very loyal companions, that would happily sit in my lap or curl up next to me. That being said, they would chase anything that moved. -relentless with squirrels and birds on the lawn. -chased a neighbor's cat over the fence. I, too, always watched them around the chickens. My old guy pretty much was content to lay in the grass and watch the chickens scratch and peck. He didn't chase them in his golden years. The new little fellow wants to run with them, chase them, play with them, corner them. I don't get the dog/chickens out at the same time.

Yorkies are prone to severe dental issues. -teeth require brushing and professional cleaning. They build up tartar like humans. I don't know that this is all small dogs, but I do think that a few of the small terrier breeds experience this issue.

Thanks for all the info! He sounds great. I wonder why they have teeth issues? I have seen some small dogs have to have dental procedutes procedures on TV so do wonder if it is smaller breeds in general. Maybe smaller teeth?

consider your future plans on moving into an apartment.
any dog is trainable with the right owner.
owning a dog is a full time commitment.
do you go on vacations?
.....jiminwisc.......

Thanks, that's a good point. I'm going back and forth between moving to an apartment or just staying here and saving and going straight to a house. But idk. Anyway, that's very true. Definitely trainable when you find the right motivation. And nope, never really go anywhere. The only thing I might do is might go out West to some of the national parks within the next like month or two but that's before I get any dogs. Sometimes I do go in to concerts but that's not that often and I'm usually either back that night or early the next morning. Besides that, don't really take vacations except the occasional weekend trip which the dog could go on.