Help me pick a dog?

[The Good Citizen]

I'm in preliminary negotiations (badgering) toward getting a doggy!!

I'm trying to settle on a breed though, I'm liking a Welsh Springer Spaniel?

Or a Welsh Border Collie

Thoughts? What breed would you recommend...keeping in mind I'm a bloke and want to look manly when walking it.

 

[CherrySlushie91]

Out of the two i'd say collie, beautiful dogs, my grandma had one when i was young. manly enough i'd say

 

[MissGuided]

Well, there are some things to contemplate before taking the plunge.

If you intend on keeping your new furbaby inside, consider the consequences of shedding and/or known chewing breeds. Also, you need to find a dog that suits your lifestyle habits. Labs and huskies are big shedders and require a lot of grooming maintenance, in that respect. But, it can be done.

For example, are you an outdoorsy dude? Like to go camping, hiking, etc? Rather be outside than inside? If so, you may want to select a 'high energy' dog like the ones pictured in your post. Many hound, shepherd, spaniel and retriever breeds need lots of exercise to avoid 'bored habits, like chewing, digging in the trash and other naughtiness.

If you are a stay-at-home, couch potato-y person, you will want more of a calm, lap dog (manly man, of course) type - like a bulldog, dachshund, or shitzu perhaps? <--all still very studly and total chick magnets.

Unless you deal directly with a breeder, you will likely get a new friend with several breed traits - just like a new 'people' friend.

The best dogs I have ever had were shelter dogs - some were mixed, some were purebred. They have always been the most loyal, sweetest and grateful dogs. It's eerie in a way, almost as if they know that someone has given them a second chance at life.

Have you had a dog before or will this be your first?

 

[Felix]

I'd go with mr. border collie but make sure you can take him to the park dialy, that dog needs to excersise a lot.

 

[Barbaloot]

Unless you are an extremely active family, I wouldn't recommend getting a border collie. They require way more exercise and stimulation than most people can keep up with to maintain a healthy, mentally balanced dog. I see so many mentally unbalanced border collies because of this.

Miss Guided brings up some good points. The important thing to consider is to pick a dog whose breed temperament and energy level matches your family. Although there are of course variations within breeds, if you work full time and only plan on an hour walk once or twice a day a high energy working breed is unlikely to be the best fit. Dogs like that really require a 'job' and something to do, e.g., regular, daily training in agility, to keep them at their best behaved.

You'll have to thoroughly assess your lifestyle and ability to meet the dogs' needs on a daily basis and decide from there.

http://animal.discovery.com/breed-selector/dog-breeds.html

This is a good resource that can help you find the right match.

 

[Lilianna]

I'm in preliminary negotiations (badgering) toward getting a doggy!!

I'm trying to settle on a breed though, I'm liking a Welsh Springer Spaniel?

Or a Welsh Border Collie

Thoughts? What breed would you recommend...keeping in mind I'm a bloke and want to look manly when walking it.

Doberman Pinscher. < To look manly walking it.

I would definitely get a Spaniel, any kind of Spaniel, they are the sweetest dogs ever!

 

[PyramidHead]

Want to look manly? Take the biggest dog you can get.
I recommend that you get a dog from an animal shelter. The breeders always find a new home for their babies, the shelters don't.

But if it has to be between these two, I would say broccoli ... I mean Border Collie, sorry, I misspelled.

 

[LoneKiller]

The Welsh Springer Spaniel seems like a "Manlier" choice.

 

[theraab]

Want to look manly? Take the biggest dog you can get.

I recommend that you get a dog from an animal shelter. The breeders always find a new home for their babies, the shelters don't.

I second getting a dog from the pound.

Don't worry about looking manly with a small dog - I have a Shih Tzu and I don't feel unmanly walking it; the women in my complex like to pet her and talk to me about her, which I'm sure wouldn't happen if I had, say, a Rottweiler.

One other good thing about Shih Tzu is that they don't shed - they have human-like hair rather than fur, so it just keeps growing (you do have to get them groomed/cut every few months).

I do know that Border Collies are extremely active (I had one years back) - so keep that in mind.

 

[PyramidHead]

Want to look manly? Take the biggest dog you can get.

I recommend that you get a dog from an animal shelter. The breeders always find a new home for their babies, the shelters don't.

I second getting a dog from the pound.

Don't worry about looking manly with a small dog - I have a Shih Tzu and I don't feel unmanly walking it; the women in my complex like to pet her and talk to me about her, which I'm sure wouldn't happen if I had, say, a Rottweiler.

One other good thing about Shih Tzu is that they don't shed - they have human-like hair rather than fur, so it just keeps growing (you do have to get them groomed/cut every few months).

I do know that Border Collies are extremely active (I had one years back) - so keep that in mind.

Nice you reminded me of the fact. Little dogs may not seem very manly for us guys, but they are cute (woman like cute things, in general).
As well, I know a few women who actually are scared of large dogs. Like my mother, my sister, a few friends from school, a co-worker and even an online friendship once told me that. So maybe you should aim for a cute one that isn't too big.

 

[Lawrens]

Shiba inu, they're pretty smart and clean, and usually really quiet, it's really up to you what kind of dog you like, pick the one you like!

 

[bodafuko]

The first breed, in my experience, is not quite as friendly as the second. However, the second breed tends to have annoying habits of being protective and trying to herd people.

 

[Syber Tiger]

collies are aresome,i have one

to look manly get a great dane

 

[nerdygirl]

I would like to suggest approaching a rescue group. Dogs in shelters are caged while they wait to be adopted. While it's sad, and they should be rescued from such a fate, you also don't know what you're getting into. A dog that seemed perfectly fine at the shelter might be a complete disaster in a home environment.

Rescues put dogs with foster families. These dogs are put into houses, where the foster family can get a pretty good idea of what kind of dog it is. You'll be able to talk about specific traits you need a dog to have/ not have. If they have a suitable dog, they'll be able to introduce you to it.

 

[Lost Drifter]

I’d ignore the whole manly aspect as no matter what the breed you’re still going to be stood behind it with a tissue or bag waiting to pick up it’s poo; if you want to be manly then sit in a shed stirring paint with a broken piece of wood all day, dogs aren’t tools for that.

I’ll echo what the others have said about picking a breed with the temperament and energy in line with your own lifestyle, very important that, and read up on things like moulting, seasons, food allergies and especially training. Even the calmest dogs can take months of hard work for just basic commands. Also how about spending time with different breeds from a shelter? At least then you’ll be able to see the differences and hopefully find one which you feel better with.

Whatever you decide on you MUST post some pictures!

 

[The Good Citizen]

Hello all, hope you had a lovely weekend.

Thanks for the replies, to answer a few points yeah I grew up with dogs we had a Welsh Border Collie, a Blue Merle Collie and couple of Black Labs. I know how much excercise Collies can require, I spent a lot of my childhood at my nan's farm in Wales and they have several working dogs all collies and they would quickly go bat honeysuckle if they didn't get constant work, wonderful dogs though. Our first dog was actually off the farm, a collie that was too timid and afraid of the sheep so my uncle tricked my mother into thinking he was going to shoot her unless he found an owner (safe to say my mother fell for it and insisted on taking the dog home with her before my dad explained they'd never shoot a dog )

Well that was my childhood dog who I grew up with until she was 14 so I suppose I have always had a soft spot for collies having been round them so much growing up. In all honesty with work commitments I will probably have to verge toward a slightly more sedate dog. Its not until I move house anyway, hopefully later this year as my 2 bedroom flat isn't really suitable just right now.

I do like spaniels though but I may well go to a shelter, I'm not a breed snob. I was only joking about the looking manly in the park, I've spent many hours walking my friend’s little toy terrier trying to convince her she can't take down a swan! I’d probably prefer a medium sized dog though.

Always wanted one since I left home and hopefully this year could be the year! I'll be sure to post a picture when it finally happens.

Lawrens, that Shiba inu is a fine looking dog (and it knows it!). One problem with a show dog that really stands out I found is my friend has a Klee Kai and he'd take it round town and everyone would continually approach him and ask him about it. He was a sociable enough chap and try to be accomodating and answer questions but it did used to get annoying if he was in a hurry, he had this whole routine worked out that he would just go through. I remember walking through town with him once, must have been asked about 4 times in half an hour, normally by old ladies who'd just dive in asking the same questions.

 

[LoneKiller]

You could get a Basset. You won't have to worry about them running away on you. We used to have one that looked like this one in the image. He never did jack honeysuckle.

Seeing as how you want to look "Manly" I recommend the Cane Corso. They're badass.

 

[bulmabriefs144]

You should totally get a wolf. Or a wolf-dog hybrid.