What is your favorite breed of dog?

I specialize in adopting last chancers and oddballs, so I have had a very eclectic assortment over the decades. I have a bit of a pack, but I have land, housing, and food for it.

My favorite breed is probably the Rhodesian Ridgeback. Affable, intelligent, athletic, very good eyesight, the breed was originally used to track lions. They are not exactly good a good guard dog as they have a rather strange quirk of behavior when their masters are around. You see, they will try to get the threat to chase them to their master. That is when the Master would shoot the threat. Apparently it was a common enough tactic for Afrikaner dangerous game hunters to use that this behavior was breed into the dogs. I don't know who was running a Rhodesian Ridgeback breeding program in the middle of rural Oklahoma but there were at least 3 which ended up abandoned at a munitions factory over a decade and a half. I took home 2.

Next up is Belgian Malinois. Think of a traditional working dog line German Shepard, but smarter, way better at following commands, and generally healthier. Has started to replace the German Shepard in working dog lines across almost the entire spectrum. High strung, not great for first timers. Typically eager to please. Due to a family connection, I adopted a couple of failed assistance dogs, I guess I just missed having teenagers in the house.

Huskies and Malamutes are great dogs. Can be rebellious little shits though. Thankfully I have stopped seeing so many of them around where I live and work. It's just too hot for them 9 months out of the year south of the Mason-Dixon and under 6,000 feet. Be prepared to look for escapees, they have a serious wander-lust. They scare the shit out of crack-heads. I can't tell you how many time I have heard: "Is that a wolf?" shouted in ebonics.

Border Collies are still one of the smartest breeds out there, and their temperament is better for families than the Belgian Malinois. Be warned, the previous breeds I have mentioned are very food-treat biased, the Border Collie like to play fetch and similar games with toys. They are great for families with a lot of kids that need to be entertained, because the dogs need somebody to play those games with. Sure, they will sort of play with other dogs, but not much. That leaves their attention on you, or the herd of livestock that they would also be perfectly happy with.

Shout outs to the ever dependable Labrador Retriever variants. Good starter dogs. Practically never seen any with behavioral problems. If you are a first time dog owner a Labrador will meet you 75% of the way there, just try to be a decent human being and read a couple of dog care articles, the dogs won't be the cause of your problems.

If a Labrador is to blasé for you, a Black Mouth Cur is also a decent pick. Be advised, punishments don't work on the dogs, they will dig their heels in if you do that. Positive reinforcement (food treats) all the way for them. Otherwise well tempered. Very strong prey drive, don't keep them around small non-dog pets (cats can be alright).
 
  • Like
  • Informative
Reactions: skjora, From The Uncanny Valley, Oatmeal2000 and 5 others
Terriers are like big teddy bears. Especially Airedales and Irish. Though they're often naughty.

e915ea4f6b9bf16b7c96bef5e218385a.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Feels
Reactions: MerriedxReldnahc, From The Uncanny Valley, Chao Garden and 5 others
I like Corgis because they're goofy little shits.
We never owned large dogs and I'm not a huge fan of them (my sister owns a Weimeraner and its the most obnoxious, most stupid dog I've ever seen and way too large for my taste), but we did own several smaller ones.
So if I ever get a dog, it's going to be a smaller breed, but maybe not purebred as those are usually inbred as all fuck.
 
  • Feels
  • Like
  • Agree
Reactions: Monolith, From The Uncanny Valley, Florch and 5 others
I love Basset Hounds.

Basically the frat bros of the dog world. All they want to do is hang out with you and the family, go for a walk every now and then, and then sleep in the corner. And if you are not there? Even more sleeping in the corner. Food motivated so there is always a easy solution on how to get them to do something.
 
  • Feels
  • Like
  • Agree
Reactions: From The Uncanny Valley, Chao Garden, Florch and 5 others
I've had several Mastiffs over the years, 2 English, a Bull, and a Cane Corso. They were all fantastic animals and vastly different.

The first English was the laziest, loviest dog I've ever seen in my life.



The second English was very sweet to me and family and friends, but an absolute unit of a guard dog. Right around 200lbs, with a fluffy brindle coat. He never barked or growled if something was outside, just went to the door and waited. He wanted the smoke.



The bull mastiff required a lot of work and honestly just wasn't too bright, but a total pushover in temperament. He was a rescue.



The Cane Corso had some sort of neurological issue I think. He was always underweight no matter what I did, but had no parasite issues or anything of the like. He was INCREDIBLY high strung, he existed in a perpetual state of "zoomies". He ended blowing a ligament while I was playing in the backyard with him. The vet said they could fix him but that it would be expensive and that he would favor the other side which would make him more likely to blow out the other side. I wanted my buddy, so I emptied my savings (I was 21, so it was only $1400) and they did the surgery and he blew out the other side less than a year later. He was 7 at that time, and they don't live a whole lot longer than that usually, so I had to have him put down and I still feel terrible about it.
 
  • Feels
  • Like
Reactions: BONE_Buddy and Canopus The Brilliant
Generally I like guard dogs. It's kind of a three way tie between Rottweilers, Dobermans, and German Shepherds. Larger breeds are cool too and I've thought of getting something like an Irish Wolfhound, but I'm told they don't live very long. I need to get at least 12 years out of my dog.
 
  • Feels
Reactions: BONE_Buddy
TIMECUBE 2.0 said:
I've had several Mastiffs over the years, 2 English, a Bull, and a Cane Corso. They were all fantastic animals and vastly different.

The first English was the laziest, loviest dog I've ever seen in my life.



The second English was very sweet to me and family and friends, but an absolute unit of a guard dog. Right around 200lbs, with a fluffy brindle coat. He never barked or growled if something was outside, just went to the door and waited. He wanted the smoke.



The bull mastiff required a lot of work and honestly just wasn't too bright, but a total pushover in temperament. He was a rescue.



The Cane Corso had some sort of neurological issue I think. He was always underweight no matter what I did, but had no parasite issues or anything of the like. He was INCREDIBLY high strung, he existed in a perpetual state of "zoomies". He ended blowing a ligament while I was playing in the backyard with him. The vet said they could fix him but that it would be expensive and that he would favor the other side which would make him more likely to blow out the other side. I wanted my buddy, so I emptied my savings (I was 21, so it was only $1400) and they did the surgery and he blew out the other side less than a year later. He was 7 at that time, and they don't live a whole lot longer than that usually, so I had to have him put down and I still feel terrible about it.
Click to expand...
My cane corso is 13. She's a complete goof as long as she knows you. She's obsessed with animal crackers.
 
  • Feels
Reactions: BONE_Buddy and TIMECUBE 2.0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back