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

[ShrekDawg]

Btw this is why I need a terrier

Sorry, started rambling and mumbling in the last one is really embarrassing and also all the junk but there are some hilarious parts so I'm gonna put it up anyway. Although you have to increase the quality to 480. Idk why it only goes up to 480 though when it recorded in 1080 but oh well I guess. But yeah. Idk why I'm posting these embarrassing videos LOL

But I either need a terrier or a barn cat or both

Or just some mouse traps lol

 

[ShrekDawg]

He was a good farm dog, protective and brought the horses in. Good for the owner anyway!

Ohh that makes sense.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Btw this is why I need a terrier

Sorry, started rambling and mumbling in the last one is really embarrassing and also all the junk but there are some hilarious parts so I'm gonna put it up anyway. Although you have to increase the quality to 480. Idk why it only goes up to 480 though when it recorded in 1080 but oh well I guess. But yeah. Idk why I'm posting these embarrassing videos LOL

But I either need a terrier or a barn cat or both

Or just some mouse traps lol

Gator would do well with a terrier side kick.

 

[Conan]

Golden Retriever. All the way.
Had a couple dogs as a little kid - one was a German Shepherd/Collie named Smoke. She was a gorgeous girl and she loved what was hers, but she was neurotic and a little crazy.
Best dog in the world was Andy, our Golden Retriever. Got him in Kindergarten from a classmate who was allergic. He was tied to a tree in their back yard. He was completely insane and was also the best dog ever. We raised meat rabbits and he would patrol when we let them out for their exercise time. If one took off, he would bring it back - unharmed. He lived 16 years.
I have two dogs now. I love them. They come nowhere near him.

 

[Dharmachick]

I have 2 brindle English Mastiffs and I would never have a different breed. My girls keep my chickens safe, the house safe, are gentle and loving with children, happy, don't need or want a lot of exercise. Perfect for me. They would wait quietly for me at the gate of the dog park for me to finish my walk. They would run around the first two miles, but anything after that I was on my own. We took them camping, on picnics. Great family dogs. Nugget and Sissy having a heart to heart.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Gator would do well with a terrier side kick.

LOL right!?

Golden Retriever. All the way.
Had a couple dogs as a little kid - one was a German Shepherd/Collie named Smoke. She was a gorgeous girl and she loved what was hers, but she was neurotic and a little crazy.
Best dog in the world was Andy, our Golden Retriever. Got him in Kindergarten from a classmate who was allergic. He was tied to a tree in their back yard. He was completely insane and was also the best dog ever. We raised meat rabbits and he would patrol when we let them out for their exercise time. If one took off, he would bring it back - unharmed. He lived 16 years.
I have two dogs now. I love them. They come nowhere near him.

Andy sounds like he was an amazing dog!! I really do love Goldens

I have 2 brindle English Mastiffs and I would never have a different breed. My girls keep my chickens safe, the house safe, are gentle and loving with children, happy, don't need or want a lot of exercise. Perfect for me. They would wait quietly for me at the gate of the dog park for me to finish my walk. They would run around the first two miles, but anything after that I was on my own. We took them camping, on picnics. Great family dogs. Nugget and Sissy having a heart to heart.View attachment 1499851

They sound like great dogs! That's hilarious about them stopping after so many miles too. Sounds like something Gator would do LOL

 

[mominoz]

I eventually want a second dog but I'm having a ridiculously hard time narrowing down breeds. Cause I have sooo many I want to try lol

But I think I have managed to narrow it down to a few. Retriever, terrier, or Aussie. But also love English Shepherds, GSD, and Huskies. But I don't think GSD is gonna happen.

Anyway, I realize retriever and terrier are more categories than breeds but that's because I love lots of breeds within them. For instance, retriever I love Labs and Goldens equally so can't decide. And terriers I'm pretty sure I would want a Rat Terrier, Border Terrier, or Boston Terrier, as they seem the most trainable/biddable and least terrier like of all of them but still plenty of terrier spunk. But then Cairns and Westies also seem like great dogs. Plus terriers would be small enough to be under a weight limit if I ever moved into an apartment.

Anyway, I am having a ridiculously hard time deciding because I think all 3 would be a great fit for me so it's just a matter of deciding which one I would want which is impossible because I want them all haha

Soooo...

Does anyone own any of these breeds and have any thoughts or opinions or anything on them?

And yes I realize I have a lot of dog threads but I'm mostly just researching and comparing at this point. And I didn't want to make separate threads for all three breeds so I'm making one thread for opinions on all of them haha

I have had 2 rat terriers, 1 JR, and 2 labs (and Smooth collie, shelties, GSD,Irish Setter, malmute cross). One of the rat terriers was a great dog, the other the worst with other dogs and not safe around active kids (he would get very upset with 'emotional activity: running, wrestling, yelling, boy play) until we had to put him up. The other was fine with kids, except the one time one pulled his tail ...needless to say they are somewhat sensitive...good with adults, friendly with adults (both rescues, so that may play in.) Oh, and once we took in a rat terrier young dog that had been a familys pet with young boys and it was fear aggressive, so we couldn't keep him with even older kids). The labs were great family dogs: but tried to get out of our fence and roam until we had to put electric fence collars on our fenced property! they would dig out; 2 neutered females! and I was home all day! I see loose labs all the time. We had an Irish setter and she would do the same thing...wanderlust I guess.. also ; one of the rat terriers (very stock built; may be a cross, although I have seen some like him) is very food aggressive and bullied my JR terribly...sooo it may have been bad breeding or what happened before we got him...but our other terriers were great as pets...just not so much with our birds and small kids and each other... I am not going to get any more terriers (I have too many birds and grandsons who are wrestlers)...

 

[ShrekDawg]

I have had 2 rat terriers, 1 JR, and 2 labs (and Smooth collie, shelties, GSD,Irish Setter, malmute cross). One of the rat terriers was a great dog, the other the worst with other dogs and not safe around active kids (he would get very upset with 'emotional activity: running, wrestling, yelling, boy play) until we had to put him up. The other was fine with kids, except the one time one pulled his tail ...needless to say they are somewhat sensitive...good with adults, friendly with adults (both rescues, so that may play in.) Oh, and once we took in a rat terrier young dog that had been a familys pet with young boys and it was fear aggressive, so we couldn't keep him with even older kids). The labs were great family dogs: but tried to get out of our fence and roam until we had to put electric fence collars on our fenced property! they would dig out; 2 neutered females! and I was home all day! I see loose labs all the time. We had an Irish setter and she would do the same thing...wanderlust I guess.. also ; one of the rat terriers (very stock built; may be a cross, although I have seen some like him) is very food aggressive and bullied my JR terribly...sooo it may have been bad breeding or what happened before we got him...but our other terriers were great as pets...just not so much with our birds and small kids and each other... I am not going to get any more terriers (I have too many birds and grandsons who are wrestlers)...

Thanks for all the info!! It's sounding like terriers are out cause I too have small animals. No little kids but my brother is engaged so I'm sure within a few years. I have chickens and a cat atm. Possibly rabbits or quail eventually.

I do love Labs and they're great dogs but yeah, they definitely tend to roam. And be overweight. I do wonder though if they were never out alone and taught a solid recall if it could be managed? But I guess that's kind of a pain. Our old Lab used to roam all over the neighborhood and even crossed a busy road to the apartment buildings across the street because if the dumpsters and people feeding him. Even people on our side of the street fed him. Everybody loved him though, except maybe a few people. But of course this was totally irresponsible letting him roam loose but I was a little kid and didn't have any say. One year he got hit crossing that road but he lived another 2 years after that. Thankfully, he was built like a tank and had a very hard head so no injuries except some abrasions. I know we got lucky. I'm not sure if he roamed again after that, I don't think so but idk. But my dad worked and travelled a lot then and my mom was raising 3 little kids so I don't think they really had the time to exercise or train him and my dad had always had his dogs roam as a kid so that's what we did. He was 18 months old and a terror when we got him but he turned into a great dog. We put him down in 2009 at 12 or 13 years old, forget exactly.

Our current dog tried to roam a few times too but he actually always came back unlike Bailey. Well, Bailey eventually would but Gator mostly would go off to chase a deer or go for a swim and come back within the hour or two. And yes he really went for a swim once. It was hot and there is a pond down the street. Fairly small and man made but still. He walked down, went for a swim, walked back. Completely ignored dogs and people and kids (I think my dad saw him on his way back).

But anyway, after a few times and some neighbor complaints (they have a dog and kids and he is BIG), we got a long rope. After about a year of that, my dad decided he had matured and "wouldn't go anywhere" and let him loose. He took off. Yeah, after that he's now tied permanently when he goes out. Although now he is old and slow and I don't think he would go anywhere now.

But he is also half Pyrenees so I think the roaming may come from the Pyr? Or maybe Lab since his pursuits were animals and water

Anyway, my brother's Pyrenees/Lab/Boxer/unknown mix doesn't roam even before they fenced the yard or when she is loose in the unfenced front but she's also female, only 9 months old, and gets plenty of attention, exercise, stimulation, whatever. 3 walks a day usually, tons of play time and fetch in the yard, training, etc.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Boxers generally don't wander and stay close to their people, so I'm guessing she's being more of the boxer by staying close.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Still impossibly hard to decide. Now I'm also considering poodles, keeshonds, samoyeds, american eskimo dogs, pointers (GSP and otherwise), spaniels, bichons, havanese