Big, medium or small?

[Curious_in_Cali]

I love my 100lb black lab-ish mutt named Crue (yes, as in Motley as he came from a scrappy looking rainbow pile of puppies). No other dog will do. None.

 

[bhndblueyes88]

I'm, personally, a big dog person, but I really do love most of the buggers It's mostly the yappy insanity of small dogs that irritates me. I like a modicum of quiet around the house so I can relax. My favorite dogs are the big mountain dogs (although I don't really like their propensity for drool, and I'm allergic enough to dogs that I have a hard time living with them), and the big sighthound-type dogs (wolfhounds, elkhounds, great danes). The boyfriend wants a mally at some point, but that won't be until we have a lot more time to devote to a dog.

Despite preferring big dogs, my SECOND favorite type of dog are spunky little terriers. yes, they're yappy, but they have SPIRIT and fire! Not to mention that some aren't even that yappy. My mom just went and bought an Australian Terrier pup from a breeder and it hasn't gotten yappy ONCE. They're a really cool breed, actually. Just hard to find!!

As a short defense of my mom, she did check all the local shelters for a dog that would suit her and my dad. There simply weren't any dogs there that did. So instead of giving a dog an inappropriate home, she chose to buy a dog that she knew would suit our home. I know a lot of people will harp religiously about ONLY ADOPT EVAREVAREVAR!!!, but the MOST IMPORTANT THING about getting a dog is to make sure the dog will be happy in the household, and the household will be happy with the dog. People shouldn't be forced to take an animal into their home because it's "wrong" to buy a dog instead of adopt. Adoption should be the first place you look, DEFINITELY. But it is not the only "right" way to get a dog. There are a ton of benefits to buying a dog from a reputable breeder that make it ideal for first-dog families or busy families who don't have time to deal with a rescue dog's uncertain history and potential behavior issues. Anyway...just my 2 cents.

 

[rekane]

The best kind of dog is my dog.

We currently have a rescued Pembroke Welsh Corgi and we're looking to adopt a Golden Retriever when the right one comes along. So no giant dogs but no tiny ones either.

I love corgis!
That breed is on my wish list.

We have only adopted our animals, and corgis are hard to come by in shelters.

To amuse...the cat? Yesssss, I believe you. *nods*

I love that one too! Great movie.

I know this isn't a cat thread, but our cat is the alpha in the house. He is an American Curl with a big ego.
And, honestly, the lobster suit on the dog does amuse the cat.
Really.
He swipes at the extra appendages.

"Best in Show" is one of my favorite movies, and I regularly sing "God Loves a Terrier" to my mutt.

 

[JMohegan]

With the exception of cats.

This was a great thread.

And then you uttered the c-word......

 

[Keroin]

This was a great thread.

And then you uttered the c-word......

.....

 

[Chiara_searches]

I used to be an exclusively cat person. Then I started hanging out with my friend's black lab. He's goofy smart. Now I love big dogs and have considered getting one sometime in the future...but alas, I'm also torn by the freedom of being pet-free for the first time in nine years. Maybe I'll just borrow other people's pets: all the fun and none of the work.

 

[Ellafun]

As a short defense of my mom, she did check all the local shelters for a dog that would suit her and my dad. There simply weren't any dogs there that did. So instead of giving a dog an inappropriate home, she chose to buy a dog that she knew would suit our home. I know a lot of people will harp religiously about ONLY ADOPT EVAREVAREVAR!!!, but the MOST IMPORTANT THING about getting a dog is to make sure the dog will be happy in the household, and the household will be happy with the dog. People shouldn't be forced to take an animal into their home because it's "wrong" to buy a dog instead of adopt. Adoption should be the first place you look, DEFINITELY. But it is not the only "right" way to get a dog. There are a ton of benefits to buying a dog from a reputable breeder that make it ideal for first-dog families or busy families who don't have time to deal with a rescue dog's uncertain history and potential behavior issues. Anyway...just my 2 cents.

It's ironic that this thread appeared the week that we just adopted two puppies. We had a gorgeous, loyal Shetland Sheepdog until a few weeks ago -- she was the runt of the litter, and only about 18 lbs. full grown -- and she managed to escape the yard and was the victim of a hit and run. We searched every shelter within driving distance...and had the pick of any pitbull we desired. Not my cup of tea (nothing to do with their disposition...I like smaller dogs with pointy noses!) We ended up with two Miniature Pinschers from a very reputable breeder. They are small enough for me to pick up and move if I have to; something I could NOT do with the German Shepherd that we ended up surrendering for adoption because I simply couldn't control her before we had the Sheltie. (and yes, that was WITH the training classes!)

 

[Etoile]

I am 110% a cat person. That said, I would not mind having a dog, for all the reasons people like dogs. It would have to be small enough, though, that the cats could beat it up. Because they still come first.

 

[Cattypuss]

I'm a lifelong big dog lover. Anything under knee-height wasn't a proper dog and my dream dog has always been an Irish Wolfhound.

Then because I was living in a small flat with a postage-stamp-sized garden, I decided that THIS dog would have to be a small one (for the sake of the dog.... any dog of mine always gets walked at least 4 miles a day off-lead, but I think big digs also need big houses and big gardens) and that even a small dog was better than no dog.

Had I known that within two years of getting the microscopic puppy I'd be living in a big house with a big garden, 100 yards from a big beach, I might have got a big dog but there we are.

So now I have a 6-year-old, 13 inch high, 13 pound in weight dog and you know what? They fit better on a lap. They fit better in a British car. They cost less at the vet's (smaller doses of drugs etc). You can feed them on THE most expensive, healthiest kibble for mere pennies a day.

I would still probably have a big one for my next dog but the biggest surprise is that even little dogs are 100% canine - my tiddler plays fetch, hunts cats, guards my property and goes on 12-mile hill-hikes like the best of them.

 

[Cattypuss]

That said, the most intelligent dog I ever met was a Border Collie.

They are, officially, the most intelligent breed. My dog's breed (poodle) is the second most intelligent.

Intelligent dogs are a mixed blessing. Sooooooooooo much reward in the interaction with them, both mentally and emotionally (I swear that this dog understands the depth of the human-dog bond in a way none of my other (less intelligent) dogs have).

But they do take a lot of stimulation (mental as well as physical).

On balance I'd find it very hard to have a less intelligent breed in the future. As luck would have it I have no choice - I developed a fairly extreme dog allergy a few years ago - and poodles are now the only breed that don't set my reactions off. But the next one may be a big standard poodle instead of what I have now - a small miniature poodle (so small most people mistake her for the next size down - toy poodle).

 

[Kojote]

They are, officially, the most intelligent breed. My dog's breed (poodle) is the second most intelligent.

Oh my ...
Poodles are nasty.
Trust me. I grew up between loads of them. My grandma breeded when I was young.
If your's isn't nasty it has to be buggy ...


Personally I like big dogs.
My extended family had all sizes of dogs and I clearly remember my uncles huge, blue Great Dane running straight into my direction after taking a bath in the river and after he gave me some of her tidbits (which she must have sensed telepathically).
She didn't stop completely and I was about 10.
The story ends with me lying on the street, her standing above me, drooling into my face and demanding her treats. I should have taken my uncle's advice and dressed the way he suggested ...

But apart from being large and heavy enough to throw over a standing giant Ira was a saint.
Well … Not exactly in the eyes of the other family dogs around …
She loved chase the orange mixed-pedigree and seriously coward whatever of my parents around. But she never hurt her. Even if she managed to get her …

That one of my parents, Jenny, had some Terrier and Spitz inside, was orange (once nearly mistaken as a fox by some hunter in the woods), a coward, afraid of water (she always remembered for months who bathed her) and incredibly healthy.
She survived a complicated birth with some of the pups staying inside and starting to decay and was the dog of my childhood and youth. She reached the amazing age of 19 years and … Well … Let’s say I was very sad when she died …

And then there was the coolest dog I ever met.
He was a pug and the dog of my grandpa. One eyed and old, but dignified and able to scare away even the Great Dane with a terrifying look.
I never met any small sized dog like him. Most of them are … nasty …


(Sorry for getting carried away …)

 

[Cattypuss]

Oh my ...
Poodles are nasty.
Trust me. I grew up between loads of them. My grandma breeded when I was young.
If your's isn't nasty it has to be buggy ...

A lot depends on the breeding lines. I did a lot of careful research and visiting different kennels before I bought my puppy.

A lot also depends on the training and socialisation you put into them.

My poodle is very much her own dog, sweet-natured and shows loyalty that I have never seen the like of in other dogs I've had. She is utterly loyal without ever being clingy.

 

[Etoile]

That reminds me... are there any QUIET small breeds? I know greyhounds aren't big barkers, but they're big. I'd be afraid of getting a yapper when I got a small dog. Are there some that dont?

 

[Cattypuss]

That reminds me... are there any QUIET small breeds? I know greyhounds aren't big barkers, but they're big. I'd be afraid of getting a yapper when I got a small dog. Are there some that dont?

I will admit that my little poodle barks too much. It's the one behaviour in her that I don't like. And I HATE it.


I dunno re. your question.

My dad always said every house should have a big dog and a small dog in case of burglary - the big one to scare the burglars away and the small one to wake up the big one

 

[Cattypuss]

That reminds me... are there any QUIET small breeds? I know greyhounds aren't big barkers, but they're big. I'd be afraid of getting a yapper when I got a small dog. Are there some that dont?

*thinks*

If greyhounds don't bark much.... I wonder whether whippets or Italian greyhounds bark a lot...

 

[Keroin]

That reminds me... are there any QUIET small breeds? I know greyhounds aren't big barkers, but they're big. I'd be afraid of getting a yapper when I got a small dog. Are there some that dont?

The Bichon Frise might be a good option for you, Etoile.

The ones I've encountered have had very sweet temperaments and they are quiet.

As for the whole small dog thing...

I think the "pocket pooch" craze started by Hilton has done a lot to turn people off small dogs. But I've dealt with several small dogs that are just lovely companions. My old boss, the Vet, had a mixed breed named "Crumb", that was adorable, quiet, very social and well behaved.

 

[Keroin]

This is interesting.

A snippet...

"...small dogs are no different than large dogs. What gives them their different temperaments is that humans treat them differently. We over protect them and treat them like babies. Things we do not allow large dogs to do which are common pack leader issues because of the dogs size are addressed. These are issues all dogs need to have addressed, yet the smaller dogs tend to not get this discipline."

 

[bhndblueyes88]

That reminds me... are there any QUIET small breeds? I know greyhounds aren't big barkers, but they're big. I'd be afraid of getting a yapper when I got a small dog. Are there some that dont?

My mom's new Australian Terrier puppy is quiet. They're terriers, but they weren't bred to bark like most other terriers, so they're pretty quiet. I've also met a lot of small dogs of particular breeding lines that were quiet. I knew a litter of Jack Russells that were VERY quiet (particularly for jack Russells). So it's worth looking in to a particular breeder if there's some small dog breed you really like but are afraid will be yappy.

Bichons (As someone suggested) are not, in my experience (my grandparents have had them since I was young) quiet by nature. They are frequently quiet because one of the practices within that breed is to cut their vocal cords though. So take that as you will... My grandparents' dogs have always been yappy, despite proper training elsewise.

 

[FurryFury]

This is a VERY important point. Dogs have needs and are not humans. We should as good stewards research any specific needs and issues an animal in our care has.

I like dogs but I don't love them unless they act rather cat like. When I am traveling without a cat I will often be delighted to have a dog sit in or put his head in my lap.

Speaking of traveling: I think cats can be good travelers, better even than dogs. However, finding places that allow cats is MUCH more difficult than ones that allow dogs. This puzzles me. Clearly there is an unfounded prejudice.

However, I suspect that most "cat people" do not feel the need to bring thier pet(s) with them "everywhere" as so many "dog people" clearly do. I think there might be an interesting dependence thing going on there.

I've always felt dog lovers tend to want servile fawning creatures which may or may not be true. Whereas cat lovers prefer an animal that has a little more dignity. Often that dignity is taken as being distant. My cats are very people centered but a lot depends on how they are raised and treated by humans. Mine are all rescues and were not treated well but the adore and seek their humans out very companionably, just not slavishly.

This is interesting.

A snippet...

"...small dogs are no different than large dogs. What gives them their different temperaments is that humans treat them differently. We over protect them and treat them like babies. Things we do not allow large dogs to do which are common pack leader issues because of the dogs size are addressed. These are issues all dogs need to have addressed, yet the smaller dogs tend to not get this discipline."

 

[Cattypuss]

This is a VERY important point. Dogs have needs and are not humans. We should as good stewards research any specific needs and issues an animal in our care has.

Word.

However, I suspect that most "cat people" do not feel the need to bring thier pet(s) with them "everywhere" as so many "dog people" clearly do. I think there might be an interesting dependence thing going on there.

Dogs are pack animals - they are genetically programmed to want to be with their pack (= family, for pet dogs). They get very lonely if not with their pack. Cats are not pack animals. They enjoy solitude and independence more than dogs do.

I've always felt dog lovers tend to want servile fawning creatures which may or may not be true. Whereas cat lovers prefer an animal that has a little more dignity.

LOL you sound like Robert de Niro in Meet the Parents LOL.

 

[bhndblueyes88]

I've always felt dog lovers tend to want servile fawning creatures which may or may not be true. Whereas cat lovers prefer an animal that has a little more dignity. Often that dignity is taken as being distant. My cats are very people centered but a lot depends on how they are raised and treated by humans. Mine are all rescues and were not treated well but the adore and seek their humans out very companionably, just not slavishly.

This is speaking personally, but I like dogs because they tend to be a little bit more cuddly than cats (although I certainly don't believe that cats aren't cuddly!!), and you can take them out to play at the barn, take them running, and be generally ridiculous with them, even when it's a more dignified, stately dog.

Side note: One of the most dignified and stately dogs I've ever met was a close-cut poodle. He was like an old wise lord gazing upon all those before him.

However, I like cats because they have a good concept of personal space (although they will make the choice to ignore it) and do not REQUIRE constant cuddling and play.

Dogs are like that forever-fun-friendly companion that you can just dick around with (Platonicly, please don't sexually dick around with your dog). You can also just sit and relax, but you're really having the most fun when you're doing something crazy.

Cats are like your quiet roommate where the best way to enjoy each other's presence is to read a book in the same room. Some people can't find enjoyment that way, though, and I think it's those people who tend to dislike cats.

 

[Netzach]

Med-Large but not immense.

There are some toy/tiny dogs that I periodically like, but if I were going to get a dog, it would be a working dog large enough to kick someone's ass if it had to, but smart enough to understand not to fuck with cats or kids. And it would be a mutt/cross. Or a black dog rescue. (look up "black dog syndrome" if you want to be depressed) The best dog I ever met was a black lab from the humane society. People are stupid.

Also, my cat is a dog. He is currently sitting in the kitchen waiting for his dinner like a puppy. Servile, no, but expectant of attention, highly.

 

[Netzach]

That reminds me... are there any QUIET small breeds? I know greyhounds aren't big barkers, but they're big. I'd be afraid of getting a yapper when I got a small dog. Are there some that dont?

Italian greys, whippets. All the timid cuteness in a small fast package.

I've absolutely met small dogs that don't yap, or they're trained to the point where "no" is interpreted as "shut up time." I've got friends who have a schnauzer who's enviably well behaved, and that's typically seen as a "yappy" dog.

Also pugs. One of the smaller dogs I've obsessively thought about getting. M hates them because well, they're unattractive and wheezy, but they are seriously the *sweetest* of dogs ever, and I've not known many of them to be yappy.

 

[bhndblueyes88]

Italian greys, whippets. All the timid cuteness in a small fast package.

I've absolutely met small dogs that don't yap, or they're trained to the point where "no" is interpreted as "shut up time." I've got friends who have a schnauzer who's enviably well behaved, and that's typically seen as a "yappy" dog.

Also pugs. One of the smaller dogs I've obsessively thought about getting. M hates them because well, they're unattractive and wheezy, but they are seriously the *sweetest* of dogs ever, and I've not known many of them to be yappy.

I didn't know schnauzers were considered yappy. All the ones I've met were pretty quiet. Shows what I know

Pugs ARE incredibly sweet...but I don't think I could ever have one. They're not just wheezy, they're a medical nightmare. A vet I was working with had one almost die on the table during a dental because his larynx just collapsed on itself >.< I'd make sure you had a good fund set aside for veterinary bills before getting a pug!!

 

[MasterandSir]

I utterly adore big dogs my family rescued a dog from a shelter when i was little but he grew too big and went to another family. Then we rescued a chow/lab mix, sweetest dog you could ask for and big enough that I could roughhouse with her. I like dogs I can wrestle with and play with and those tend to be big ones.

I, like DVS, have to avoid shelters because I want to take every last one of them home with me. I can't have a dog where I live currently though but that will change soon enough.