Any dog bred strictly to the standard is a georgeous animal. We all have our favorites but, each breed is unique. So why say a Lab is not a great dog and a Schauzer Is?
2006-11-23 02:13:29 · 24 answers · asked by st.lady (1 of GitEm's gang) 6 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Yeah, I guess I let my feelings get hurt. I have a Lab service dog and he is my heart. Saints are and have been my favorite breed since I was a little girl. I was fortunate enough to have a" no kill "shelter as my neighbors growing up. At age nine I started volunteering. I have seen some really rotten stuff. But aIso, some beautiful events there that will stay with me always. Iam now and always will be a dog lover. I admire a good specimen of any breed.
2006-11-23 03:40:04 · update #1
Hmmm.... I'm one of those that may qualify as 'others' you've mentioned. But not for some irrational reasons. I love annimals and don't like see them suffering. And some breeds are, let's say, artificial. In other words too much of human input was involved while creating the breed and as an effect we have breeds that have lowered immunity or are under greater risk of problems of anatomical nature. Not too mention shorter lifespan in some cases. That doesn't make them any less adorable. They are still good and devoted friends and they love their families with all their canine hearts. But it doesn't mean that given a choice they wouldn't prefer to look different if it meant for them being healthy or staying longer in this world.
2006-11-23 02:39:13 · answer #1 · answered by Luinlothana 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because some people expect certain things from a dog....other than being a companion. I want a dog that is calm, has a great temperment, a coat, can swim, can draft, loves cold weather, is big, and doesn't resemble a pitbull in any way. No other breed fits that description. No other breed would do it for me. If the only breed out there was a Lab, I would be a cat person. Labs are great....for someone. Terriers are great...but NOT for me!!!
I think for the right person, Saints are great...but I would never have one. That is the great thing about dogs!! There is something for MOST everyone!!! If only people would take the time to find the breed that is right for them!!!!!!!
2006-11-23 10:24:47 · answer #2 · answered by ARE YOUR NEWFS GELLIN'? 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I work for PAWS (Protection and Animal Welfare Society), and I have also seen a lot of horrific things.
I have a Lab Service Dog also. :)
A lot of the mutt breeds are the BEST dogs! My goodness, I have seen some terrible losses at the shelter.
Sometimes they are not as streamlined as purebreds, so people don't rescue them...and they end up euthanized.
What I remember most, is a lab cross who kept bringing me his food dish. He would sit pretty for me when I walked by. I was about to take him home, because nobody took him, but he wasn't there one morning, any longer.
People need to give muts a chance. They are awesome dogs a lot of times.
Labs are exceptional dogs. They will retrieve almost anything, and can be trained so easily.
Ours came to us at 6 months old, after he ate his owner's bathroom wall apart...lol...and already, at only 1.5 years old, he does over 38 commands and tasks. He does seizure protection and alert, without ever being trained to do it, and he does many trained tasks as well.
He has enriched our lives so much, and he could have ended up in a shelter so easily, because he was such a serious chewer and he was stealing cookies from toddlers and knocking them down.
I think the biggest thing that makes dogs end up in shelters is the fact that owners don't spend time to train them.
Well, I agree with you. Labs are WONDREFUL DOGS!
:)
2006-11-25 10:47:17 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is just all about personal opinions and choices people make. For me, I think all dog breeds have some wonderful characteristics, tho that doesn't mean I'd like to own every kind of dog out there. I have my favorites based on what I like in and about a specific breed.
You won't catch me saying "Get a [breed I have] cuz they're just the best dogs", because not all breeds are going to work for all people.
2006-11-23 10:24:01 · answer #4 · answered by Shadow's Melon 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I don't like the personality of some as much as others. Dogs that are wanting my attention all the time don't appeal to me as much, nor do drooly dogs (sorry St lady).
I love my Whippets and all Sighhounds. I like their independence, sensitivity, and ability to think for themselves.
That is not to say I can't appreciate a good dog of ANY breed, I have even admired certain Labs and Aussies in the past and they are maybe my two least favorite breeds.
2006-11-23 10:51:26 · answer #5 · answered by whpptwmn 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Many people think everyone should like & want to own the breed they like. Kind of like belonging to a club maybe?
If someone says they are looking for a purebred dog, I always tell them the best is the one that fits YOU & your lifestyle, and advise people to read & research at www.akc.org, narrow it down to a few & then contact members of the closest chapter of the breed's club. Learn as much as they can from owners, breeders, and more in-depth breed specific books. Then, when the final decision is made, to buy from a club member that tests & certifies their breeding dogs free from genetic defects known to the breed (which good breeders know - and so should they after all that research!). This is the BEST way to ensure having a wonderful, healthy pet to enjoy for many years. Some work, yes, but a big payoff!
2006-11-23 11:47:28 · answer #6 · answered by mustanglynnie 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It depends on what fits their lifestyle best- energy level, temperment, grooming, etc. and also what "look" they like best.
For example, I've got Bostons and I think they, and most bully breeds, are adorable. My one friend thinks that smooshy faced dogs are ugly, but she adores Mexican Hairless dogs, which I think are just plain strange looking. I think Belgian Shepherds are gorgeous; my mom prefers Labs. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
You shouldn't get a dog for looks alone though. I looove Siberian Huskies and think they (along with Belgian Shepherd Tervurens) are the most beautiful dogs. However, I don't have a fenced in yard at the moment so they just aren't an option. And Bulldogs are cute, but I can't see one doing agility so they are pretty much out for me.
2006-11-23 11:32:22 · answer #7 · answered by lickitysplit 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's really a question of suitability for a specific purpose. If I want a hunting dog, I won't get a chihuahua; if I want a guard dog, I'll skip the Papillon; if I want a dog to snuggle with, I'd probably not adopt an Irish Wolf hound. So, you're right, all breeds are perfect IF they are used for the purpose intended.
-MM
2006-11-23 10:53:52 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
It's not so much a case of "better" as "better for me". I like the personality of the basset hound, their intelligence, their affectionate nature, their versatility, their ability to switch from calm couch potatoes to active working dogs, the challenge of getting them to want to work for you, their relatively low grooming/exercise requirements, and their unique appearance. On the other hand, while my gordon setter, lab, border collie, afghan & collie were great dogs, either their energy levels or their grooming requirements made them not my "ideal" breeds. Or sometimes it's a case of personality. While I can admire a nice terrier, I would not want to live with one. Others would be delighted with their fiesty nature.
This is why there are hundreds of breeds, because everyone's canine needs are different.
2006-11-23 10:31:36 · answer #9 · answered by DaBasset - BYBs kill dogs 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Every breed is better than another ... for different purposes. The trick for people is to find the best match between their needs and lifestyle, and a breed's strengths and weaknesses to fit within that lifestyle.
Nobody said this would be easy.
2006-11-23 12:26:50 · answer #10 · answered by Ginbail © 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋