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Favorite and least favorite breeds

4K views 30 replies 14 participants last post by  sydneynicole 
#1 ·
This hasn't been discussed recently, and I'm new to the forum and would love to hear from you all! Just for fun. What are you favorite and least favorite breeds, and why? What traits are the most important to you? And what traits do you avoid like the plague? No competition as far as what breed is "best" - just curious and love talking about this stuff. :)

I like goofy, fun-loving dogs who are athletic, smart, and good with other dogs. Most of my favorites are in the sporting group - retrievers, setters, and pointers - but I also love picards, collies, sheepdogs, leonbergers, berners, and newfies.

My least favorite breeds are akitas, giant schnauzers, and chows. They haven't seemed to be friendly or good with other dogs in my experience. Not a fan of small dogs either, particularly chihuahuas and min pins - just personal preference!
 
#2 ·
I don't know if I have a "least favorite" breed. I have breeds that I don't think I would ever own for one reason or another. I don't want to own a Lab because I think they shed horribly, as in you run your hand across them and you have hair everywhere! I like their personality, though. I don't ever want to own a giant breed because...well, they're giant. I think they're nice dogs to visit, though. I think huskies are cool, but I would never own one because they tend to run off if not 100% under control at all times and go roaming, and I live on a farmstead where having a dog on a leash all the time would be super annoying.

So, I guess I see it as "dogs who fit my lifestyle" and "dogs who don't fit my lifestyle." I can't really say that a dog breed I would never own are my "least favorite." They're dogs and I like all of them well enough, I just wouldn't like to live with them!
 
#4 ·
I agree that individual lifestyle has a lot to do with it. So do individual prejudices. I wouldn't have dog, cat, or any other animal with lots of hair, maybe because I spent so many years with horses and saw so much dirty, matted hair with hay and bedding stuck on and into it, but anything with more hair than say German Shepherd is too much for me.

Another problem for me is anything bark. The only animal I ever rehomed was a Siamese cat. I always thought they were so beautiful and wanted one and when I had her the constant meowing and yowling over nothing was more than I could stand.

I had Akitas back in the 80s, and they were grand dogs that suited. At that time I was heavily into raising and showing horses, and my dog would follow along on trail rides, be loose on show grounds, etc., and never caused a problem. (None of that would be possible these days.) I liked the reserve that made them tolerant of other people but kept them from wild enthusiasm over strangers. I didn't need obedience other than housebreaking and recall.

However, I wouldn't want to try obedience competition with an Akita, and you don't see many of dogs with that personality in the obedience rings. I'm down to one old horse now and doing obedience, rally, carting, and drafting with my dogs - Rottweilers. They're a working breed, and the desire to work with and for a person is strong in most.

But I'm also getting to an age where something smaller would be smart and have been looking for my "old lady's dog" for some time. Haven't found it.
 
#5 ·
I always preferred larger dogs. I had an 85# Irish setter mix, a 116# black lab, a 90# Plott mix and a 65# chocolate lab mix. Then our daughter's miniature schnauzer came into our lives. He lived with us for 5+ years while our daughter was in school. He had so much personality (not all of it good.) He slept in our bed, fell asleep in our laps and pretty much ruled over the Plott and lab.

When he died, we rescued a Shitzu/Jack Russel mix named Franklin. He is perfect for us. We still have Molly, the chocolate lab/weim mix and she is a good ol' girl, but it's unlikely we'll ever get another dog that I can't comfortably carry. It took a couple months to recover from an attempt to lift the 116# lab.

We like our scruffy little terriers. They have big personalities in compact packages.

There's little point in me listing the dogs I would never have because I know people that have them and adore them.
 
#6 ·
I'm a fan of biddable breeds who enjoy working with their people, but prefer to keep it on a more chill level than, say, a border collie. I'm already a high-strung person, so having a high-strung dog on top of that isn't always the best combination. For allergy reasons, I have a strong preference for no/low shedding breeds. I know 100% hypoallergenic is a myth, but curly dogs are definitely kinder to my respiration than other coat types. I have a personal nightmare of having an emergency situation on a hike or when I'm home alone, so a dog small enough that I could carry and, if necessary, bike to the vets, is something I prefer. We may have a giant breed some day, but I want us to have at least two vehicles by then so we're less likely to get stranded.

My boys right now are lovely. Samwise is a little on the high-strung/excitable side of things, but I could absolutely see us having another poodle of any size some day. Frodo's only 5 months, so I haven't lived with an adult Lagotto yet, but so far he's a great match for us. Affectionate and clever, but eager to engage and train. And more level-headed than Sam... usually (he is a puppy, after all).

Other breeds I've considered are smooth collies, chinese cresteds (including powderpuffs), cirneco dell'etna (an oddball breed but I fell in love), some of the pinschers (esp. German Pinscher), a smattering of terriers (rat, fox, Airedale when I'm feeling brave), and saluki. I could see a staffie some day too. But a lot of these are more 'daydream' than likely to become reality any time soon, and I've put very little research into the details. Dachshunds and Leonbergers are also on the list, but that's because my wife grew up with the breeds and adores them (and I admit that the ones my in-laws have are absolutely charming).

I'm not a spitz person. They're gorgeous dogs, and I've met plenty I adore, but it's just not a temperament I see myself living with, barring a couple breeds that have a less 'spitz-y' personality if I absolutely had to choose one. Also the fluff, but there's ways to make that manageable if I really felt the need to own one. I also can't do breeds that have SUCH prevalent, extreme health issues that they're almost impossible to avoid - think Cavalier King Charles or English Bulldogs. Both for financial reasons and - more importantly - mental health reasons. Of course getting a special needs and/or short lived dog can happen in other breeds, but I don't want to set myself up for that heartache. I'm also just not that into... dopey dogs. Like, labs and setters are extremely biddable, but are often just super exuberant and not always great with the critical thinking and problem solving. They're lovely and sweet and I find them exhausting and am happy to love on them if they get to go home with their owners afterwards, haha.
 
#7 ·
Least favorite = any unleashed, uncontrolled or untrained dog. Breed is immaterial. These 3 items paint a clear picture of the owner.

Favorite = any leashed, controlled, trained dog. Breed doesn't matter. These 3 items show a clear statement about a responsible owner.

Now, when I say "trained", I don't mean doing cute tricks or dances or nonsense. Trained is a dog with good behavior without nuisance barking or aggression or stalking or charging or humping.......the list is very long. I think you all understand my meaning.
 
#8 ·
Totally understand what you mean! Though I would say that there are plenty of breeds that are a lot less likely to just sit quietly and obediently on a leash, even with training. You don't have any traits you like/dislike? Like size, coat type, energy level, natural instinct (herding, guarding, hunting, etc.)? Just asking for fun!
 
#9 · (Edited)
I'm addicted to terriers. I currently have a Miniature Schnauzer, salt & pepper coat. When he came into my life, I was searching for a Welsh or Airedale terrier.

Intelligence, trainable, good energy, alert, low shedding, not too large but robust, bold, not aggressive....... Big, calm dog wrapped in a little dog suit.
.
Downside is the grooming requirements. But this becomes part of the daily routine. I spend 10-20 minutes each day grooming. Really very little time.

Natural instinct side is rat hunting. To date he has killed 5 rats, lost 2. He goes into full schnauzer hunt mode when he hears or eyeballs one. His agility and quickness is amazing. I've seen him jump onto a 1 meter high wall from a standing position, he is only 35 cm tall. Don't know if this is pro or con.....just a trait of the breed. Absolutely no training in this skill.
 
#10 ·
I like big floofy dogs. We currently have a Newfie and a Eurasier (though I don't actually consider the Eurasier "big", lol). Dogs we are considering in the future are Goldens, Danes (I know, not floofy, but they definitely qualify as big), more Eurasiers, Leos, Sammys, and I really love the Kooikerhondje.

I don't really dislike any breeds, but terriers in general usually don't do it for me. Like I said, I don't dislike them, but they'll never be my first pick when there are other breeds I want more.
 
#12 ·
Trained is a dog with good behavior without nuisance barking or aggression or stalking or charging or humping.......the list is very long.
Just thought I'd say that a dog with these issues doesn't preclude lack of manners training or an irresponsible owner. Many dogs have behavioral issues due to genetics or past trauma (obviously outside the handler's control) or due to poor handling in the past (may or may not be the fault of the current handler, but I don't like to judge people who realize they made a mistake and make an effort to fix it). These behaviors can require long-term training, management, and behavior modification efforts, sometimes for the lifetime of the dog. Just because you see a dog behaving poorly in the streets doesn't mean they aren't undergoing training in more controlled settings; dogs with behavior challenges need exercise and enrichment too, of course!

But I do agree that some people just think their dogs' rude behavior is funny or fine because "s/he's friendly" or just that it's too much bother to train a more polite alternative. I just encourage people to be kind in their opinions of strangers when basing opinions on the dog's behavior alone, not obviously dangerous or neglectful handling on the handler's part.
 
#13 ·
For convenience I prefer dogs with minimal grooming requirements and not too noisy by nature. Any dog with a physical impairment brought about by unethical breeding like flat faced pugs is out though I feel sorry for them. A giant breed would be a poor choice for me as I am 5ft and under 8 stone as well as in my seventies. That still leaves plenty of dogs and I have four right now. I really enjoy their various personalities and the fact I have to adapt the way I train them to keep us all happy. I always say variety is the spice of life after all :).
 
#14 ·
DaySleepers. I understand your thoughts and comments.

But, my first priority is me and my dog. If the other dog is behaving poorly, then I really don't care about the history or the handler. I avoid those encounters.
I don't judge the person, I evaluate the situation. If I have a negative feeling, then avoid.
 
#15 ·
@Knute, oh that's fine! Trust me, most people working with or managing a reactive dog are going to be appreciative when others give them space. It's just that the attitude of dog acting up on-leash = untrained and bad/lazy/ignorant owner is depressingly common, and it's honestly discouraging and unfair to people who have put in hours of behavior modification work. It's hard to remember sometimes that when we compare a strange dog on the street to our mental image of a well-trained dog, we're missing a lot of context. How long as the handler had the dog? What did the dog's behavior look like a month, six months, a year ago? Is this a bad day for the dog/handler or a good one?

Like I said, I just want to encourage kindness in our judgements. Especially on a forum where a lot of people come looking for help with fearfulness, frustration, and other emotionally rooted issues that typically require a lot more time and understanding to address than a basic training problem, you know what I mean?
 
#16 ·
@Knute, oh that's fine! Trust me, most people working with or managing a reactive dog are going to be appreciative when others give them space. It's just that the attitude of dog acting up on-leash = untrained and bad/lazy/ignorant owner is depressingly common, and it's honestly discouraging and unfair to people who have put in hours of behavior modification work. It's hard to remember sometimes that when we compare a strange dog on the street to our mental image of a well-trained dog, we're missing a lot of context. How long as the handler had the dog? What did the dog's behavior look like a month, six months, a year ago? Is this a bad day for the dog/handler or a good one?

Like I said, I just want to encourage kindness in our judgements. Especially on a forum where a lot of people come looking for help with fearfulness, frustration, and other emotionally rooted issues that typically require a lot more time and understanding to address than a basic training problem, you know what I mean?
Thanks for this! Well said and exactly what I was thinking.


As far as my favorite and least favorite breeds go; this changes, honestly. I'm absolutely obsessed with my current dog, who is some kind of poodle/terrier mutt and about 15lbs. I could definitely see myself with a poodle in the future. I am torn about size, because I really want a bigger dog that I don't have to worry about as much on unleashed hikes or in the backyard (ie getting snatched by a coyote). However, I love how portable he is and the typically longer lifespan. I would also like a dog who looks more intimidating as I usually am hiking and camping alone, with just my dog. And a dog that is aloof with strangers and less inclined to want to greet and play with everyone it meets.

With that said, I would have to say my two favorite breeds/dream dogs right now would be a Cane Corso and a German Shorthair Pointer. Poodles, border collies, and chesapeke bay retrievers are honorable mentions. I realize those are wildly different dogs. However I feel they would both suit my lifestyle well for different reasons.

As far as my least favorite breeds go, I wouldn't really say I have a least favorite breed. I tried to think of 2 breeds I don't think I would ever own and couldn't. I would say I probably wouldn't own a livestock guardian breed, a sight hound, or any super small dog (which to me is under 10lbs full grown) as I don't think they would fit my lifestyle very well. With that said, we have a Great Pyrenees who does fit my lifestyle. There are exceptions to every breed which makes it hard to choose or say definitively I would never own a breed.
 
#17 ·
Trust me, most people working with or managing a reactive dog are going to be appreciative when others give them space. It's just that the attitude of dog acting up on-leash = untrained and bad/lazy/ignorant owner is depressingly common, and it's honestly discouraging and unfair to people who have put in hours of behavior modification work. It's hard to remember sometimes that when we compare a strange dog on the street to our mental image of a well-trained dog, we're missing a lot of context. How long as the handler had the dog? What did the dog's behavior look like a month, six months, a year ago? Is this a bad day for the dog/handler or a good one?

Like I said, I just want to encourage kindness in our judgements. Especially on a forum where a lot of people come looking for help with fearfulness, frustration, and other emotionally rooted issues that typically require a lot more time and understanding to address than a basic training problem, you know what I mean?
Well said! It's frustrating when people only see that you're struggling to control your dog. They don't see that how he's acting could be 10 times better than how he was 6 months ago.


As for my favourite breeds - I really love Weimaraners and German Shorthaired Pointers. But I don't think I will ever own one because I'm just not that active of a person and I'm too busy. Maybe one day if I had more free time to spend with them.

Generally speaking I prefer medium-large breeds, with short hair. I don't like the idea of the dirty, tangled mess of hair, and having to do regular grooming. No thanks. Just my personal preference. Although my dogs with short hair shed a lot, so there's something to be said for longer-haired dogs.
 
#18 ·
My favorite dog is a working border collie, owned by a farmer, but I am not a farmer or even a rancher.
I like large dogs; I once almost adopted an abandoned GSD who looked to be ~100 lbs. I am not situated to own such a dog, but I sure loved him, and he wanted to come home with me. I was assured that he would always have a good home, so I was able to resist (still love that dog)
What I am is a retired couch potato/animal lover, on a limited income, who needs motivation to walk a lot.
I am sharing my experience, since I do have "favorite breeds", but do not own one of them.

I thought I didn't like chihuahuas - I had what I now see as prejudice that they were mean little yappers who annoyed the heck out of me.
I adopted my chi-mix mutt Cappy at age 7.5yrs, 3 years ago. Over time, he has become the perfect dog for me, and I love him more than words can say.
He is almost the opposite of the dog I would choose by looking at photos, since I seem to be attracted to luxurious coats (Aussies), dutiful nurse-type dogs (BCs), and gentle giants.
So, I just want to make the point that our "favorite" breed in theory, may not be the one we actually own. The reality turns out to be better than the dream.
 
#19 ·
My favorite breeds are pitties and greyhounds. I have owned both in the past, and absolutely love them. As far as personality, I love curious, dopey, snuggly dogs. I love it when they just want to curl up next to you on the couch, or be in your lap.

I'm going to get some flack for this, but I don't really care for pugs, corgis, or chihuahuas. Just my personal preference...
 
#20 ·
A stereotypical newfie is pretty much my ideal dog, both aesthetically and temperament-wise. Unfortunately I'm allergic to fur, so it's a good thing I like most terrier breeds, too. Giant Schnauzers are a good compromise for me - it's too bad they're hard to find in my part of the world.

I get why other people like GSDs and similar breeds (e.g. Malamutes) but they're too intense for me. Same with cattle dogs. I also understand the appeal of tiny breeds, but they're just not suited to life in my region and also their fragility makes me nervous. I wouldn't say I dislike them, just that they don't suit me. One thing I do actually dislike in a dog is shyness, but I don't know any breed standard that promotes shyness, although some are more prone to it than others.
 
#30 ·
I get why other people like GSDs and similar breeds (e.g. Malamutes)
o_O I meant Malinois, durr.

Hah! Poodles. I love their enthusiasm, really I do, but it does have a tendency to go over the top.
Yes, lol. Jet is permanently turned up to 11. I love him and he's very funny, but it's A LOT. He spent his first puppy class just jumping up and down and yodeling, he was so amped up. On the bright side, when he directs this enthusiasm toward a job he's really amazing.
 
#24 ·
Parus....Hmmmmm....I have searched for breeders of standards and giant in USA. I saw more standards than giants. Anyhow, just a suggestion. MiniS are big dogs in a great little package, but I think a MiniS is too small for your liking.

You had control of Jet as he was playing pinball. I know I would have avoided a dog/dog interaction. Considering you were in a class to learn training, then I would have dismissed ill thoughts and just figured you had a new dog involved in learning.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Parus....Hmmmmm....I have searched for breeders of standards and giant in USA. I saw more standards than giants. Anyhow, just a suggestion. MiniS are big dogs in a great little package, but I think a MiniS is too small for your liking.
Minis were the 18th most common registered dog breed in the US in 2017. Standards were the 90th. Giants were the 80th. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/most-popular-dog-breeds-full-ranking-list/ AFAIK it's common for Giant litters to be spoken for, so it's not surprising if you didn't see a ton of ads for them.

FWIW, Standards aren't just bigger minis (or vice versa). There are some distinct differences in temperament and tendencies between the three breeds that can make one or another more suitable for various people and situations, even besides the size issue.
 
#27 · (Edited)
I love Dutch Shepherds and Chihuahuas. Both are very independent breeds that can be incredibly stubborn. I like that. That's my kind of dog, super fun to train. I like breeds that tend to question "are you really worth listening to?" instead of just blindly obeying anyone with a treat. Makes for fiercely loyal dogs once you bond with them. I also am a fan of Border Collies but would never personally own one. They are that breed I like from afar lol I know I would bore the heck out of a Border Collie and then it would end up driving me insane so realistically I would never get one despite liking them.

Dislike.. hmm Pomeranian is definitely up there. Never met one that I liked, even well trained ones have just been nasty out in public. Also don't like the look of them either, too much fluff. I am also not a fan of any of the Bully breeds. Not my kind of temperament and find majority of them ugly. Oh and Bulldogs are much too lazy for me, have not met one that will get off the couch for anything except for food!
 
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