Thinking outside the box, breed suggestions~Update pg 8~

[bagendhens]

skippies (like MANY breeds) are an aquired taste...

i personally think chinese crested are stunning, affenpincher are adorable and labs are boring...someone else might think labs are the most beautifl dogs in the world and cresties some ugly gremlines fomr another planet (though i will admit, im fairly sure there from an alien world)...
everyones personal likes and dislikes are different, and thats 100% ok

ive only met 2 icelandics, they came ot doggy daycare when i worked their for 2 months while thier people were working temporarily in the area.
one was a bit of a barker...mostly during drop off and pick up times when everyone was already riled up...the other one i think i only heard bark once or twice...
their people said they bark at strangers passing by the windows but they were taught the quiet command form day 1 and it seemed to work well as theyd bark once or twice and once told to be quiet they stopped.

 

[lishah2000]

Long coat, but I think they are interesting and not common - Pyrenean Shepherd. Shyness is a negative.

 

[Stacykins]

I don't think anyone mentioned the Keeshond. The grooming doesn't require shaving, but they do go through huge coat blows which seem like it is snowing dog fur

Very intelligent and fast learning dogs!

 

[lockedhearts]

I will be honest and say I did not read all of this thread. That being said. I have owned and or raised the following breeds:

PitBulls , ours were used as Hunting Dogs. Mine were sweet and loving and protective of our family. They got along with our other animals (even my pet goats)

Blue Tick Hounds, again we used them as hunting dogs, except for my favorite. Her name was Fred, she got so ecxcited on the way to the woods, she ended up losing her voice. SHe became a house dog. She was the best dog.

Irish Setter- The one I had should have been blonde...... not the brightest crayon in the box and I swear her favorite color was clear......

Doberman- I had one and he was great, very protective and yet extrememly sweet and gentle with kids and other animals.
My grandfather had one that was a Guard Dog, he was protective, but allowed us to humiliate him in numerous ways when we were kids (can't say Grandfather was amused either)

Blue Heeler- Mine was found, and she was by far the BEST dog ever. SHe stood by me through a lot of crap and I cried many times on her shoulder (literally)

Jack Russell - Mine make me mad daily, but then again they are Jacks.... They also give love freely and the entertainment value is priceless.

Giant Schnauzer - Again found, he is one of the best dogs, unless the jacks get out of hand, he then barks at them until they stop (which really saves me yelling at them) He is loyal, protective and a big bundle of sweetness. Aside from his recent medical issues (infection in his toes) he is pretty easy to deal with.

Manchester Terrier - We grew up with these, while they allowed us to dress them up, they were snippy and yappy. My dad came in one time filthy dirty from working all day, dog latched on to his pants and wouldn't let go for awhile. Other than that they were good.

Now, did mine all have the best manners, probably not. Two of our Jacks, my husband has spoiled completely rotten. So , in that respect I can't offer a lot. Mine have the basics in obedience, but not much more. I would love to do agility with one of them, but have no idea where to start. Jacks do shed quite a bit, so does the Giant. My dobie and heeler and pits never really did.

Not sure this helped, but I am just sharing my breeds I know personally.

 

[watchdogps]

Quote:
YES! They are barkers! Most herding breed are going to be more prone to barking than other types (which you already knew), but Ices are def similar to shelties in that aspect. I would say the Ices remind me of shelties and am eskies the most, but with an overall less "nervous" demeanor than you often see in those two breeds.

 

[shadowpaints]

ya know, i have had everyone say that shelties are barkers.. i wonder if mine are broken then?? mine only bark if some one knocks on the door....
the rest of the time, they are sleeping at my feet.

i find that many people end up keeping shelties out side, or locked in a kennel. they are family dogs and i have found that as long as they are with their family they are quiet.. mydoberman barks 2x as much as the 3 shelties.

 

[onthespot]

What about Patterdales? I know theyare in the Terrier Group, but they don't have typical feisty terrier personality. They are good hunters and might not be compatible with chickens, but agile as can be, good with people and other dogs. They come in smooth and broken coat, black and wheaten mostly.
http://www.loveofbreeds.com/PatterdaleTerrier.html

 

[FourPawz]

Hey Jamie,

Well, of course I'd suggest a Papillon first. You're going to be doing training, so you want a breed with higher trainability. Have you ever thought about a Keeshond, or is that too much hair? They're very good at companion events. They're a little weak on chaining multiple behaviors (the signal exercises in utility can take some time to perfect). They are so affectionate and social, you cannot move though your house without them on your heels. And, they do amazingly well in agility. They're not real keen on hot summer trials though. One perk of the breed - since they were bred to live on boats, you almost never find one that gets carsick.

Cattle dogs are very bright and they're medium sized. I've seen some amazing agility work and obedience from them.

 

[FourPawz]

Quote:
GMTA!

It's a shame the breed has fallen in popularity so much. They're great dogs and there are some very dedicated breeders involved with them.

 

[LyonFuzz]

What about a whippet?