Breeds and humans tastes...

aonb

Had an interesting discussion this morning.

Im fostering a lurcher at the moment. The most beautiful, elegant, graceful, gentle looking dog. Wheaten colour with wispy/cobwebby grey ears/muzzle.

My own dogs are x-breeds, and dirt-common But I think this lurcher is just so amazingly elegant. Anyway! I met my neighbour who stopped to ask if I had got a new dog, when I told him the lurcher wasnt mine, he said "God hes a scrawny looking yoke" and other derogatory/less than complimentary comments I was amazed this this person could think that this dog was so horrible/ugly! So it all comes down to tastes and perceptions obviously. I know I favour dogs over bitches. I favour small dogs over large breeds (to own only). I dont particularly like toy breeds. Isnt it funny that what one person loves about a breed, another doesnt care for at all...

...just a thought/observation - happy weekend animal lovers!!

borderlinemeath

So many people consider small (not just toy dogs) to be "yappy little things". I've never owned small dogs myself but himself would normally have fallen into the category of not liking smaller dogs but since I started boarding he has grown a soft spot for them. In fact, if there's a small dog staying it most likely ends up in his lap in the evening time;)

I love the elegance of some of the sighthounds, the long legs and neck are just gorgeous. One thing that I tend to be aesthetically more attracted to is a dogs coat:o, if they've got a coat that I like then I'm sold! It can be a gleaming short coat that shows off their muscles or a long sweeping coat that sways when they run, the condition and colour would be the thing.

jsabina

I've always loved big dogs.. big...
I didn't really like setters before and I didn't like irish setter... too elegant for me.
Now I have Jago, he is a crossbreed setter... and now I love setters and I love the elegance

kylith

Yeah, I have a real thing for Bull Lurchers, but OH thinks their ugly, and one of my friends reckons they look like they're on steroids.

bluecherry74

I love lurchers and greyhounds! They move so fluidly and they always have a big grin on their faces. They're definitely dogs I want to have someday.

I know what you mean though, I think everyone has their preferences. I've always been a "big dog" person and I especially love gun dog breeds. I've only ever owned gun dogs, even as a child we always had spaniels and setters, so I suppose it's just what I'm used to and familiar with. That said, I've nothing against small dogs, in fact I'm very fond of my neighbours little guy.

One thing I find a bit bizarre - I've met a fair few people who say "oh I LOVE dogs!!" but are terrified when they meet a big dog.

missmyler

I love all dogs but have always preferred large dogs and owned large dogs from childhood. My parents loved all animals too but always said little dogs were for old ladies so I guess I followed them lol

German Shepherds have always been my favourite but recently since also fostering I have fallen in love with greyhounds and lurchers too. Especially Saluki lurchers, how could anyone not love those ears. Its such a shame we ship most of them off to Italy and Sweden

ameee

aonb wrote: »

Had an interesting discussion this morning.

Im fostering a lurcher at the moment. The most beautiful, elegant, graceful, gentle looking dog. Wheaten colour with wispy/cobwebby grey ears/muzzle.

My own dogs are x-breeds, and dirt-common But I think this lurcher is just so amazingly elegant. Anyway! I met my neighbour who stopped to ask if I had got a new dog, when I told him the lurcher wasnt mine, he said "God hes a scrawny looking yoke" and other derogatory/less than complimentary comments I was amazed this this person could think that this dog was so horrible/ugly! So it all comes down to tastes and perceptions obviously. I know I favour dogs over bitches. I favour small dogs over large breeds (to own only). I dont particularly like toy breeds. Isnt it funny that what one person loves about a breed, another doesnt care for at all...

...just a thought/observation - happy weekend animal lovers!!

My dad has a gorgeous long haired lurcher and one day when he was walking him someone slowed down their car and started roaring at him that his german shepard was way too skinny and my dad must be starving him! he is completely grey so not even gsd coloured :rolleyes: . I love big big dogs but as I have small children we have a collie terrier cross so he is slighty smaller then medium but very far from small, he would pass for full collie until he stands up and his short legs give him away .

I guess it depends on preference and what would work for you, I adore huskies but read a lot about them and wasnt sure I would be able for one so I cleverly went for the super calm mixture of collie and terrier :rolleyes:

Pabmac

I love all dogs. I've had large dogs before and now I have two miniature daschunds. Before I thought that most smaller breeds were very yappy. I was RIGHT The ground shakes when they bark !!! :eek: literally. I wouldn't be without them though.

OP I can't believe that some people can be so insulting. Maybe think it .. but don't say it :rolleyes:

I think bichon frise are ugly and Rottweiler's are cute. Although once you learn a dogs personality, they then grow on you no matter how they look.

Dr. Nooooo!

I love Golden retrievers, lovely coats, lovely ears, lovely eyes and they just look happy and friendly. They seem very popular too I always have people coming over to pet mine, especially kids. Non dog people seem attracted to them, much more so than in comparison to a jack Russell I fostered for a while.

Obviously something people find appealing about them

Alun

I have to say the only dogs I don't really like are skinny, bony ones, so, despite knowing they're lovely dogs and everything, breeds like greyhounds, whippets etc. don't really appeal.

pervertedcoffee

I do have preferences for breeds and types, for example I don't like or agree with the idea of toy breeds and certainly not Crufts standard pure breeds (John Bradshaw's In Defense of Dogs - a must read for all of you informative and beautifully written). I have a soft spot for "restricted breeds" - especially Staffies!

However, I have never met a dog "in person" (excuse the turn of phrase) that I haven't instantly fallen in love with.

I'm just a doggie person through and through

ISDW

I love floppy ears, so not sure how I've ended up with so many dogs who's ears stand up. lol

I have some gorgeous pure breed siberian huskies, and then I have Vincent, who only has one ear, the front of his nose is missing, and he has a wooly coat. I love him to bits, but I think he's ugly, cute, but ugly, however he has more facebook friends than I do, and so many people think he's gorgeous and go past all the 'proper' huskies to get Vince cuddles when we meet up.

Inexile

Im a mass of contraditions re dogs.
Im not keen on boxers as a breed but I have liked any that I have met.
I love greys - they are so elegant. Sometime Im think I should dress up and slap on some make up when walking mine as I really let her down in the style stakes when walking in the morning in leggings, fleece and wellies.

Big plus for me is a waggy tail . Retreivers have great ones, they put an smile on my face just looking at their tails. I prefer bigger dogs though recently adopted one that is not much taller than a CKC.
I also am drawn to dogs with shaggy coats. Until I remember about hoovering up after them.

SillyMangoX

I never liked jack Russell's but when I was on placement I fell in love with so many sweet little ones, my mam was laughing at me cos about once a week I'd come out saying " I never really liked jackers but this one is just soooo sweet"... "Yeah you've said that about 6 times now!"

Lord TSC

Deleted User wrote: »

I think bichon frise are ugly and Rottweiler's are cute. .

I am, quite literally, the complete opposite.

Layinghen

Jack Russell Terriers (or terrorists) for me either in pure or x form. They have got to be the smartest and funniest little dogs, of course they think they are the size of wolfhounds. And as for training, my little lady has me trained so well I don't even realise until it is too late that I have done exactly what she wants me to do

baby and crumble

I'm a big dog person too. I really want to have greyhounds someday when I have the time and space for them. I'm quite enthusiastic as a person- my gf reckons I'm actually a dog in human form! (Particularly a golden retriever!!!) I like dogs I can mess around with and that I'm not scared of walking on!!! I'm really not keen on tiny dogs, like chihuahuas, or ones that seem 'delicate'.

mymo

I like most dogs, but have a real soft spot for that shaggy look, hence the hairy monster Tibetan terrier Oliver. They are such funny dogs, I loved them since I was a kid, every one I met was smart, stubborn and nutty as squirrel poo!
Mine is certainly nuts, but I love him to bits and if I could I'd have 10!
His partner in crime is a Lhasa apso, cheeky fun little dogs, bit cat like at times, but also cute and shaggy.
I love saluki and their crosses, Great Danes, wolfhounds, lurches seem big babies that love a snuggle from what I've seen, as I said anything scruffy, and boxers!
I also love cairns and border terriers, but would be a little iffy around jackers, but have met some lovely ones.

Knine

I love wire coated breeds of fit for purpose dogs. I show mine but all can work. I do a bit of agility too. It is important to me that the dogs have excellent confirmation but could do a days work.

Hence I love Italian Spinoni & Border Terriers. I have both.

I can appreciate a nice example of any breed but I guess the toy breeds & lap dog types don't appeal to me.

I do love crossbreeds too and have had lots over the years.

dodderangler

Knine wrote: »

I love wire coated breeds of fit for purpose dogs. I show mine but all can work. I do a bit of agility too. It is important to me that the dogs have excellent confirmation but could do a days work.

Hence I love Italian Spinoni & Border Terriers. I have both.

I can appreciate a nice example of any breed but I guess the toy breeds & lap dog types don't appeal to me.

I do love crossbreeds too and have had lots over the years.

I love the spinoni's
Big clumsy lumps but from watching videos they are great hunting dogs
IMO I always felt that a dog has a job.
Like all dogs I've grown up with and have now are hunting dogs mostly pointers and an Akita but remember Akitas were used for hunting aswell and for guarding
I don't like small dogs and I know terriers are also hunting breeds but to me a small dog is way too needy
I hate seeing toy dogs being treated like children and pampered with little outfits and bows
To me that is ridiculous and not what dogs are for.
Dogs were domesticated all them thousands of years ago and used for hunting and guarding and to me should remain so and will be companions to any human
A dog doesn't want to be pampered or dressed up. It wants to be out in open fields and play, be active, run, hunt and be a protector of its pack.
That's my opinion and I'm sure I can expect a lot of disagreements but as I said it my opinion

Knine

Nothing clumsy about the dog I have at the moment however he is extremely powerful but very agile.

They hunt naturally if you take them anywhere that there might be birds. They don't gallop around but use a fast extended trot. They need an awful lot of exercise and love water!

Not for the houseproud. :-)

mymo

Knine, I met an Italian spinone at the beach last summer, a gorgeous girl so friendly and such a cute scruffy face. My poor fool just wanted to play with her, but she could really run, and loved the sea, mine hates water and was very upset she kept jumping in, and ran up and down barking for her to come back!
She was a gorgeous cream and pale orange, but solid and strong as a horse, I fell for that cute scruffy face straight away.

ISDW

We used to walk with a spinone when I lived in London, gorgeous dog, first one I'd ever met, but really got me interested in the breed. She used to wear a bell on her collar so that her owner had some idea where she was in the park.

Dodderangler, lapdogs were bred to be just that, sit on laps and keep people warm, so they are doing what they were bred for. I don't like seeing dogs dressed up either though

Whispered

I find that the more time I spend with different dogs the more my preferences change. I've always loved lurchers and sight hounds and would have never considered the flat faced breeds very appealing. That's changed though and at the moment I'm head over heels over frenchies, they make me smile so much with their little fat bums and the way they wiggle around. I'm totally in love with a little pug, again her face and the way she walks makes me smile. I've recently been getting to know an English bulldog and you can't help but find him hilariously cute.

Number one for me though are staffies and staffie crosses, all mad as hatters and very sweet. As I have one of each, I think my next dog will be a lurcher (a little girl) unless something else comes along in the meantime.

Vel

I think its very true what a previous poster said that actually meeting and spending time with the breeds can totally alter your tastes/preferences. I remember years ago a friend telling me they loved whippets. I guffawed, exclaiming how ugly and skinny they are and now 10 years on I have 2 greyhounds and a lurcher, run a small sighthound rescue and spend most of my spare time promoting them as pets :rolleyes::D

In the main I do prefer larger breeds, with the exception of mini dachshunds. I WILL have one one day when my kids are older!

I adore staffies, mainly because their amazing personalities instantly cheer me up, although again, in the past I wouldn't have been mega keen on their looks. Another breed I hope I will have one day soon while the kids are still young as they are such great family pets!

The one breed I just can't warm to looks wise at all are bichon frises. Not for me at all at all!

nala2012

Totally agree with not judging dogs till you meet them. Before we were left two greyhounds i would've never considered them as dogs i'd like. People i've spoken to think because they wear muzzles when out that they're dangerous to people! Our dogs get a totally different reaction when they've muzzles on. I do prefer bigger dogs and have a mastiff and mastiff x but i sometimes walk dogs at a rescue and i'm always suprised by which dogs i fall for

dodderangler

@knine

I didn't mean any disrespect over Spinoni
I love them. Just the ones I've seen we're pups and were just big clumsy lumps and were very funny to watch
Almost as if theirs legs and paws were to big for their body but they grow into them
Big strong dogs and that's what I like about them
The pup I have at the moment is a Hungarian vizsla x German wirehaired pointer and she has the upper body and face like her mother(gwp) but her legs are like her father(hv) and as a young pup she just looked very strange
But she's growing into them now and is looking better than I thought she'd look
Smooth coat with a beard

Knine

I own this dog in partnership.

bluecherry74

That is one beautiful dog Knine.

dodderangler

This be mine vizsla x gwp
Smooth coat bar the beard and she has kinda Clydesdale feet. Loads of hair around her paws

Censorsh!t

I've a huge soft spot for staffies and pitbulls.

I never was really keen on jack russells or many smaller dogs. Although I do love yorkies, but that may be because we owned one for 16 years.

I love big dogs, both the friendly looking ones and the 'dangerous' looking ones. Oh and wolfhounds, they are beautiful.

The dog I own now, I think she's really...handsome I think is a good word. She's a cross between a few things, some terrier and perhaps a big dog.

fredweena

My favourite dog is the mutt, probably some kind of collie cross. Cheap to buy, very low on vet bills, friendly, long lived and smart. We have a rescue collie mix (mixed with god knows what). Not a fan of any pedigree dog that has special needs. Don't really like boxers. Seem a bit short in the brains department and i'm not really fond of any dog that looks like it got a door slammed in its face and squashed its nose. That said, a dog's a dog. They're all pretty great.

The Bishop Basher

fredweena wrote: »

Don't really like boxers. Seem a bit short in the brains department and i'm not really fond of any dog that looks like it got a door slammed in its face and squashed its nose.

Sacrilege !! Their lack of brains and squashed nose are 2 of the things I love about them. But then i suppose that's the point of this thread !!

boomerang

Toy breeds do nothing for me. Too dim! I don't want a dog that adores me unconditionally and I love a dog with brains and independence.

Plus I like to have a good, solid dog under my hand, that I don't have to stoop down for to interact with. My rule of thumb is if the dog's too small to look out the car window while sitting on the passenger seat, it's too darn small!

I don't like any dog that's exaggerated in any way. Love German Shepherds, collies and mixes of both! And greyhounds. And gundogs - the pointers, setters, Vizlas.

SillyMangoX

All I've ever wanted it a Great Dane but the more I think about it they are rediculously big!!

boomerang

And ridiculously short-lived! I couldn't bear it, and I admire them too!

SillyMangoX

boomerang wrote: »

And ridiculously short-lived! I couldn't bear it, and I admire them too!

Yeah that's such a pity about their life span. i was at a dog show last summer and spend nearly the entire day milling around the harlequin danes with exception for seeing my cousin show his dogs. I really love them anytime they come into the vets, but the bills are just so massive!

boomerang

Even a simple thing like worming!

Danes

The vet bills for Danes are massive, pet insurance is loaded, dog toys last no time at all, neither do dog beds or human sofas. If you are house proud or love your garden, they will drive you crazy and the short life span is heartbreaking but they are worth every euro and every hardship they bring. I have had one who lived to be ten and my current girl is eight, it's not long enough but if they lived to be forty that wouldn't be long enough either.

Pumpkinseeds

I love the bigger breeds like Bernese and Wolfhounds, not so much big dogs as small horses:D I do have a soft spot for Collie X and retrievers as well.