Are there any dog breeds you wouldn't own? or don't like?

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As a general type, I like big dogs rather than small, & double coats more than single. By “big”, I mean somewhere between 50 & 100#, with the sweet spot around 75 to 80.

I’m not keen on giants only b/c of their short lifespans - dogs’ lives are so brief already, 7 to 9 years seems criminal. I did, however, have an intense love affair with an Irish Wolfhound in my youth - my employer’s dog, a lovely tempered monster named Black Michael.

I don’t care for yappers of any size, breed, or mix, or barky dogs, period - if they bark with cause, that’s fine; but if they bark for any & everything... excitement, boredom, gimme, alarms, complaints!... I don’t want them.
A Finnish Spitz will never cross my threshold unless they belong to a visitor, or s/he’s a client’s dog, or is in foster, & I am doing B-mod. Karelian Bear Dogs, same flaw. Most Chis, ditto.

I do prefer dogs who don’t adore everyone, as my personal pets - so Larry or Linda Labrador types aren’t my cuppa.
That said, I had a wonderful little dog, my 1st self-trained therapy pet, who worshipped every human alive, & Beau was a real sweetheart. I miss him still - my then-fiancée kidnapped both him & my Groenendahl bitch, & delivered them to his mother.


I don’t like excessively guardy types ... COs, Dogos, Filas Brasilieros, Presas, Corsos, & especially Boerbels are dogs I avoid as much as possible. Despite meeting only a few of each breed, I had far-too many bad experiences with them in Virginia, where novices with more $$ than brains got overdogged with expensive pups, then couldn’t or simply didn’t train them, & they became paranoid, unpredictable, & potentially dangerous adults.

As an example, not ONE Boerbel over 12-weeks age that I met, could be so much as touched by nonfamily - not even petted on a nonthreatening area such as their chest, let alone examined by a vet, or manipulated in any way. // One & all, M or F, they growled deep & serious, & informed U that if touched, they intended to rip yer arm off & beat U unconscious with it.
Even the 12-WO gave me the dead-eye Dick look, like a jaded cop eyeing a criminal with a rap sheet a yard long. Very off-putting. // I made no attempt to touch or even approach him closely, his owner was my client, & she did all the leash handling and any touching, while I coached from 5 or more feet away.
(He’d bitten 4 adults, so far, & I wasn’t going to be 5.)


I do, however, like good tempered guardians with cautious but tolerant personalities -
Akitas, well-socialized stock guards such as Pyrs & Tibbies, & similar. // Rottweilers used to be wonderful dogs, then popularity struck in the mid to late ‘80s, & now they are very hit & miss.

I don’t like beards, brachy faces, spaghetti drool, or dreadlock coats.
I don’t like indeterminate-length single coats (e-g, Maltese) which grow forever — like human hair — as they’re tangle-prone, & high maintenance.

I don’t like bad structure.
Vertical rear legs (popular in Asia - Chow-chow, Shar-Pei, etc), banana backs, dropped croups with wobbly hocks as seen in show-line GSDs, excessive wrinkle as in Dogues, massive skulls & itty-bitty toad butts as in English Bulldogs... any form of exaggeration, it leaves me cold. :shrug:
I like moderation & above all, function - a dog who can move easily & freely, reasonably agile, with strength enuf to work, decent endurance, sturdy rather than delicate.

I like dogs with forefaces, & I demand open airways - no stenotic nostrils, thanks.

I like dogs with off switches - who can work, but who then relax. // OCD workaholics are exhausting.
I usually like working line dogs better than their show-line counterparts.

- terry

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In referance to the comments about Border Collies, we have had two, well one full BC one a Collie x Springer Spanial. Both were lovely dogs. But we did obediance, agility and working trials with them. I was and still am ceartain that if they are worked then they can be lovely dogs but if someone just gets one as a pet then they can be one of the worst pets you could have. Same dog two different outcomes depending on the owners.

 

Absolutely! I love collies but believe I couldn't keep one well: to misquote Dirty Harry, an owner has to know her limitations. Also agree with Terry about the conformation of the dog being a major and important factor.

 

As to wouldn't own, two that I think are fab dogs but wouldn't have myself are Irish Wolfhounds and Deerhounds. The only reason is their expected life span. Now ok we can loose any dog at an early age but not expecting a dog to reach double figures I just couldn't accept.

 

The only dogs I wouldn't have are the working breeds as already mentioned, huskys, border collies etc, they need a really active, dedicated owner,imo, or to be obviously working! I have had a lab/collie cross and Jake is a collie/spaniel, some type of terrier cross apparently and they have both been and are fantastic crosses.. I have had everything from miniature yorkies to alsatian crosses, and worked with many other breeds, I would have them all if some didn't have the heartbreaking health problems that come with them... well actually even with their health issues, like Mad Murphey, if one crossed my path in need of a home who am I to argue with destiny!

 

Alsatian/German Shephards.

Only because I spent time around two of these, both had little to no training and both very aggresive. I would constantly harrased if I went round, in an aggresive manner. It all came to a head when I was stood in the front garden talking to the owner and one got let out - ran straight for me and chomped my leg. Those paticular dogs were like that with all strangers apparently, but it's gave me some anxiety about the breed. I think I just need to spend time around some well mannered ones .

 

I love Germany Shepherd, s but wouldn't have one. I prefer a more working style dog. I have a Goldie,Duck Toller and an American Shepherd so all lively and clever. I, m not keen on stupid breeds like Cavaliers.

 

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I have not met many Cavs / CKCSs, they are not common in the U-S, but I must say that those I have met, every one was incredibly sweet & very friendly - happy little dogs, who adored their families, & liked humans in general.

I would not seek out one to be my personal pet, but as a therapy pet who doubled as “my dog” I think most Cavs would be overqualified, LOL - so far IME, each one i’ve met was very tolerant, approachable, loved attention, but none were demanding or obnoxiously needy.
If a Cav needed a home & I was looking for a dog at that time, I might very well choose that little dog.
The sole downside to Cavs are their many heritable illnesses, but that’s not the dog’s fault.

I would much rather have a sweet dog who isn’t brilliant, than a consistently nasty or even unpredictably irritable dog, who’s extremely smart.

Pet-owners, even novices, ALWAYS say they want “a smart dog” — for a 1st time owner, a wickedly smart dog is a curse. It’s also very sad for the dog, whose canny mind needs stimulation & occupation, & they all too often lose their homes. // What novices really want, unbeknownst to themselves, is a sweet biddable dog, not too bright, but eager to please, & whose greatest ambition in life is to be loved, & to love others in return.


- terry

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JudyN, I quickly found out that training a Whippet is totally differant from training my previous breeds. She will do something once, possibly twice but thats it. So in training sessions I had to keep changing what I wanted her to do. Having quite a long list to run through, that way she kept being interested. But no way would I say or think she lacked intellegence, just differant from say a BC.

 

My border collie was my best friend he just wanted to please, we did everything together and i still miss him like crazy. Like said the difference between him and my whippets is huge Zak was so easy to train and always wanted to learn but my whippets get fed up so easily you have to keep changing things around or they just walk away!

 

Personally I wouldn't own a bull dog/flat faced breed because the genetic health conditions can be awful and they are only bred for the 'cute faces'

 

Let's just say it's easier to list what I will own.

Especially after having a career in dogs (in both grooming and boarding). It has turned me off a lot of breeds.

 

I always said never a small dog....and yet we have 2 small dogs!! I always laugh when I meet people who have small dogs and say they got them as they don’t need excercise!! What a load of drivel. Ours since they were small went on a hour walk and afternoon walk with our biggies. Learned to retrieve tennis balls and literally run the legs off any ‘big’ dog. Even Belle now with her partially torn Crutiate, Vestibular and Brain Lesion is doing a half hour ‘gentle’ walking morning and afternoon. They are both 9 and show no signs of slowing down.
We have had Great Danes, German Shepherds, Golden Retriever, Labradors, Border Collie crosses and a Beagle Springer cross.
I don’t think I would never say never, I think choosing a dog depends on how much work your going to put in.
I wouldn’t however choose a pit bull/Staffs purely because of our little Rex has ever been attacked it’s always been by one of those, and a Springer Spaniel. Yet working in rescue they really are the friendliest of dogs if they have had a good start in life.
My dream is an Irish Wolfhound however I keep saying when the 2 little ones decide they have had enough and it’s time for the great Squirrel Park in the Sky then we are having no more.....Whenever I say that Hubby just laughs.

 

Who knows maybe in a few years my taste in dogs might change.

Although not keen on slobbering dogs.

 

Comments like this about Jack Russells are so hard to read for me!

You must have been very unlucky to have never met a nice one ...I believe my dog would totally Change your view because she's the most loving, sweet natured dog I could ask for...even with young kids she's brilliant and tolerates anything she's great off-lead, she's great being groomed and she's great with other dogs as long as they're nice to her, and she's never even growled at anyone, human or canine ...Maybe I'm just lucky to have found the loveliest Jack in the world!

 

I have owned jack russells forever and have never had a nasty one either ...

 

I like jack Russells as well, mind you I'm biased because I love the character of terriers in general,fabulous dogs.

 

Well i grew up with an airedale terrier he was gentle until i brought a boyfriend home and suddenly he would let them in and ferocious when they wanted to go home which was quite out of character. Our next dog was our black labrador what can i say wonderful family dog. Now we have a sproodle who is feisty bites also loving perfect for me as i have a allergy re-sneezing dust etc wouldnt be without her !!!