Favourite non-everyday dog breeds?

bigpinkelephant · 26-12-2008 2:11am #1

Hi all,
Just wondering, what's your favourite not-so-common breed of dog?
I mean dogs that you don't see all the time like you would Labradors, GSDs, Staffies, collies etc.
What breeds do you think are underrated?

My favourite underdog (pun intended!

) is the Papillon. Gorgeous little things and full of spirit. You hardly ever see them though!

Sigma Force · 26-12-2008 2:40am

Papillions are a great little dog, we are still debating wether to get one or not.
They are great all round little dogs, good with kids and other dogs, although small and a little delicate they are agile and well able for walks, their hair needs a bit of work but nothing major (we have a dog already of similar size and similar type hair although a total mix breed and the prettiest dog in the world no other dog comes near..well not to me anyway lol).
They're the only small pb dog that so far fit the bill.

If we do go the non rescue route this is the type of pooch we would be getting next, they rarely come in to rescue and pups never do as far as I know which I guess is a good thing.

Collies are my top favourite or collie crosses can be very cute esp. if fluffy.

bigpinkelephant · 26-12-2008 2:48am

The thing I love about Papillons being more unusual than your regular Golden Retrievers etc is that they're not being mass-bred, so it's generally only specialist breeders that breed them.
I have noticed along with all their other great points, they have very little odour. They are also reputed to be great agility dogs.

I love the fact that they are parti-coloured- I love lots of markings on dogs. The tri-coloured and sable ones are the nicest

Beth · 26-12-2008 4:46am

I have a Papillon. They are beginning to be mass bred bigpinkelephant because they're becoming popular now. Temperament wise they're fantastic but like every dog if they're being churned out, there will be temperament issues - which are now starting to show. As with any dog, a reputable breeder will also breed for temperament as well as form so as long as people go to a reputable breeder, there should be no issues and it will help stamp out the mass breeding that will take off.

Odour is dependant on diet so like all dogs, if its on a crap diet, then it will smell. Fantastic dogs for agility and are in the top for it. True livewires

Their coat doesnt take too much work at all Guineapigrescue.
A brush once a week if they're on a good diet. On a good diet, their coats are self-cleaning and you just need to brush out the dried muck that hasnt fallen off - which you're more likely to brush off the sofa!, or brush out the matts which are rare if on a good diet. When they're losing their coat, a daily brush does the job but lots of people assume the coat takes work. Other than that, once a week is enough. The better the diet, the less work on the coat. The more rubbish the diet, well, more work on the coat is needed.

I'm now on my second Papillon and waited 8 years for the circumstances to be right to get another one. I dont know how i did it, I couldnt see myself last 8 years without one again

I admire the wolfhound and the Samoyed

leopardus · 26-12-2008 1:14pm

I'm a big fan of Belgian shepherds; particularly malinois and laekenois, of which my dog is a cross (although officially registered as 'laekenois'). They're like a handsome GSD in by humble and unbiased opinion! Don't suffer from nearly as many genetic defects either.
I was also really taken by a dutch shepherd I saw in France; don't think they've reached here yet though.
I'd love to see a kangal in the flesh too.

fits · 26-12-2008 1:23pm

I think Borzois are stunning dogs.

However if I get another dog (and its unlikely for the foreseeable) I think I'd get one more likely to have a guarding instinct than a sighthound.