Dogs

[Rogue Hobbies]

What is your favorite breed of dog and why?

What breeds or mixes do you currently have?

Have you ever had your favorite breed?



My favorite breed of all is the Chihuahua. I was blessed to have one in my life when I was 12. He was the best friend you could ask for. We did everything together. I wouldn't eat something in front of him unless he could eat it with me (like chocolate). His name was Rusty, but I called him Baby Boy. He answered to others by Rusty, but would only answer to Baby Boy if I said it. He has a LONG story of many wonderful times, and he will always be in my heart.

[buggainok]

I've been married forever, and we raised 5 kids, so I've had lots and lots of dogs in my life through the years. I have fond memories of them all. We seemed to be an equal opportunity family, and we had some mixed breeds and some pure breeds. Here's a partial list:

Great Dane named Sheba
Beagle named Abner
Beagle/Bird Dog mix named Daisy
Toy Pomeranian named Aimee
Pug named Daphne
Boxer named Zor
Chow/Pit Bull mix named Hercules
Bichon Frichee named Beauregard

Our longest living dog was a wonderful black Toy Poodle named Monet, after the French painter. When the kids grew up, married and left home we were "dogless" for a few years, but had cats. We got Monet when my husband retired. It's a funny story how we came to get her.

We were at the grocery store one night, and the car next to us had about 4 darling Chihuahuas jumping up to the window. My husband stopped to look at them, said how cute they were. The gal said her mother bred them, and gave us her card. When I got home from work the next day, my hubby said, "Do you want to go look at those dogs?" I was shocked, because I was always the one who got our dogs, and he never seemed very interested, but liked them after we had them.

So off we went, to look at Chihuahuas. The lady had puppies and they were adorable. While we were looking at the Chihuahuas, a small black poodle came into the room, ran over to my husband and jumped right into his lap. He said, "This isn't a Chihuahua" as he petted her.

The lady said she used to have Poodles, too, and this one was a year old, and she hadn't been able to sell her because she was a "larger" toy. My hubby was a goner already. He said, is she for sale? Yes, she was and so we brought home Monet. She was so smart and loving, and followed my husband everywhere in the house. She lived to be 17 and we were so upset to lose her.

So.....we went and bought a Black Toy Poodle puppy, and named her Monet II, because I knew my husband could never remember another name, and would call her that anyway, lol. She is a year and a half now, and runs us ragged, but we adore her. Because of her name, our daughter calls her "Monet the Perpetual Poodle."

You can't "replace" an animal, but you can fill that place in your heart that needs a sweet little dog to love.

[sistajay]

I also have been married many years, and raised 4 children, and had an assortment of pets. We also raised Dobies, and provided rescue and re-placement services for people who were unable to keep their pets. We were very successful in finding new families for our babies. My husband was extremely picky about who would take one of our rescued pooches. Currently we have no pets, and I miss the company.

[MsBhaven]

I have 3 lhasa apso's I love this breed. Although they are catergorized as non sporting dogs, lhasa's are really small guard dogs they were originally bred as an interior sentinel in the Buddhist monasteries, to alert the monks to any intruders who entered. This is a trait that has not left this breed my dogs will bark at anything that comes near my house or the neighbors.

The history of Lhasa Apso is just as interesting as having one in your home. It amazes me every day how smart they really are. They have trained my husband so very well. lol

I want to share a short story of just how smart they are. When I got my first Lhasa (Pudgers) my neighbor came over to visit and she would not pay him any mind she was not a big fan of dogs. However Pudgers wanted to be paid attention to and wanted her to pet him so he played with her shoe stings and untied them. She bent down and tied her shoes and she gave Pudgers the petting that he wanted. Every time she comes over Pudgers unties her shoes and will untie shoe of anyone that does not reach down pet him when they come in the house.

When it comes to training you have to be a strong leader or they will train you.

[MsBhaven]

Oh I have also had
George he was a Heinz 57 ( dad brought him home on a saturday morning he got his name George because my brother and I were watching george of the Jungle)
Jinx a Chihuahua mix that was given to us when his owner an older lady was going to have o go and live in assisted living facility and she wanted Jinx to go to a loving family
Sam an old English Sheepdog mix sam was my buddy and a gift from our grandparents after Jinx passed away
Sarge a German German Sheppard ( they are a bit bigger then an american german sheppard) I had to give sarge up when I got hurt and could not take him for a walk let alone a run. but he went to a loving family that kept his name. Sarge became a mascot for a Marine Unit in Camp Lejuene NC I got to see sarge at the front of a battalion Formation running every friday. Sarge 's new home was to a first sargent with 2 teen boys. so he got a very active family something every German Shepard should have.
and now I have Pudgers Penny and Angel all lhasa apso's

[Magnolia Blossom]

I too have had many dogs over the years. After my first husband passed away I bought Missy- a poodle -cocker mix. She was wonderful. She passed away last year at age 11. Will always miss her. I didn't want to get another dog because of mine and Tom's age. Was afraid the dog would out live my present husband and me. Sitting in church one Sunday, I over heard a friend asking another friend if he wanted a dog. No, was his answer. Long story short we went to his house after church and came home with a little 4 pound girl chi- weenie. I still didn't want to get her until Tom said 'I need her" So of course I melted. Then a month later he bought a full bloodied dachshund so Abby would have a playmate. I am soooooooooo glad we have them both. They are a joy and delight.

[Pixieglitter]

My favorite breed: A rescue baby!!! I currently have 2 rescues, Sasha who happens to be a beautiful perfect purebred Pekingese (as far as the breed goes, she's perfect in every way), and my Mae-Mae love who I think is a chihuahua pomeranian mix, no one wanted her because she was born without a tail. I also have a gigantic black standard poodle, Cody, I bought him from a very reputable breeder almost 9 years ago and I'm too ashamed to say how much $$ I paid for him.

When I was 11-12 I had a big black poodle, Misha. She was my protector and the love of my life. She hated my father, he was abusing me at the time. I came home from school one day, I was in the 6th grade, and discovered my father had given her away. My heart was shattered. It was the ultimate hurt he could do to me. Misha is the reason I purchased Cody, for my boys and for myself. I wanted my kids to know the love of a big sweet poodle. Getting Cody was a big part of my healing process. My boys are grown now they're 20 and 23, both live away from home so it's just me now. And Cody is my big old baby. He has arthritis now and sleeps most of the time. He's overweight (weighs 90 pounds) and he's still the sweetest boy. But I will never buy a purebred dog again, not after having my 2 little rescues in my life.

Shelley

[crochet4fun]

Over the span of my life I've had a lot of dogs. Growing up we generally had 2 dogs at all times. Although we have never bought any. Mostly were from friends whose dogs had pups and were looking for homes. A few rescues. Mostly mixes some mutts. One of my favorites was my ridgeback hound who was my best friend for 20 years of my life. A german shepard mix who I had for about 10 years. A pure bred brindle boxer, loved life and was killed by a neighbor. While my dad was in the hospital for a brain aneurysm. I currently have a pure bred great pyrenees. Beautiful dog shes about 6 years old, we just rescued her from a breeder who was downsizing and "had no more use for her". Sort of a sad story. I took her to the vet to catch up on her shots, and was told for her breed she is very underweight and in very rough shape. So trying to give her a better life than she had and fatten her up.
As for my favorite breed I have always liked rotweilers. But never had one maybe someday I'll find one in need of a home.

[seashells_Shelly]

Hmmmm. This is a good question. When we were married for a year, we got a beagle/dachshund mix. She was the best dog. When we had children, she would protect the babies even from my Mom...which was really funny because my Mom thought she ruled the world. She lived for a little over 16 years. We were all crushed with the loss of this wonderful part of the family (even though at one time she got onto the table and ate the roast we were to have for supper). We got a rescued beagle, a puppy mill beagle and a dachshund/American Eskimo mix. Having 3 dogs wasn't bad at all. Beagles are definately beagles. If you've ever had one, you know what I mean. I had to have both beagles put down at the same time. Corky was old with serious health problems and Scooter was 10 with Cushings Disease. We still had the doxie/American Eskimo mix but she was very lonely. I was still grieving for the first dog we had. I started studying dachshunds. For two years I read everything I could about the breed. My hubby worked in a mall where there was a pet store next door. He took me to see a longhaired dachshund. That was it for me. I searched for a reputable breeder and checked her credentials, etc. We made an appointment and drove 5 1/2 hours to her. She had a litter ready to go. We got to connect with the mom and the dad. I did all the puppy tests I'd studies about. I picked the puppy that passed all the tests with flying colors and I knew she would still be around when grandchildren started coming so she had to have the best temperment. I had her spayed as soon as the vet recommended as I didn't want a show dog. Sunny saved me from dying of depression. If I wouldnt' have had to take care of that puppy, I would have stayed in bed until I died. At 4 1/2, she jumped onto the bed but slipped back off landing on her tailbone and broke 3 vertebra in the middle of her back. The vet tried for a week to save her. I finally couldn't take her suffering anymore and had her put down. That was it for me and dogs I decided. I was wrong, I now have 2 longhair doxies. Red Baron is 10, nearly 11 but he takes care of me when I'm having a physically or emotionally bad day. We got our Molly, a black and tan longhair from a "breeder". She has never been right but we love her dearly and our 2 doxies get along great. I've never had either of them think about snapping at a grandchild. But Red Baron protects me if someone comes in the house to fix something or other. He stays right at my feet and if anyone starts to come near me, he lets them know to back off without so much as a sound. And no, my doxies are not barkers. As has been said before, either put on your grown up panties and be the Alpha dog or you'll be doing what the dog wants you to do (example: my hubby). I love my dogs enough to be the Alpha dog .....HUGS, Shelly....Sunday after church, our pastor had a "Blessing of the Animals" service outside. It was beautiful.