What Kelly said about them picking her is what happened with Kasey too. We went to see this litter, not knowing whether we would want one or not, when they were 4 weeks old. There were 10 of them in a big pen. Nine of them were playing with each other, racing around having a grand old time. Kasey, as soon as he saw me, came calmly over to the side of the pen and just sat and looked me in the eye. He stayed there watching me the whole time that we were picking up various pups and handling them to see their reactions. After a little while, I picked him up and he looked me in the eye again and put his paw on my cheek and licked me (sounds corny too!), but it was as though he had known me forever.

I had a specific temperament in mind for this pup since I wanted to take him to visit the sick from our church, and maybe therapy work, so I told the breeder that I wanted her to watch them all over the next 4 weeks and pick out the right one. But I loved THAT one! It was hard to not just tell her I wanted HIM! But I waited until the 4 weeks were up and I got the call. She had her friend, who is a professional judge in dog shows come over and test all the pups. Turned out that Kasey was the one that she chose for me and the temperament I wanted!

He has definitely been my 'perfect, best ever dog"! A great mix of loyalty, affection, eagerness to please, calmness, and love that never quits!

I decided I wanted a Border Collie when I started raising sheep at 13. I had watched them at work and fell in love with the breed. Serious, hard working, go get 'em, loyal. But it took 9 years before I finally got one.

Went looking for a pup and ended up being given a 3 y/o. I guess she kind of fell in my lap. I really think she will be my best dog ever. She decided she was mine and the rest is history. She's done everything with me from 2 am barn checks for newborn lambs, to going on vacation, to coming along to my job for nearly 2 years. I've done obedience classes, therapy dog classes, herding lessons, regular farm work with her. Because of her I know the working relationship one can have with a dog. Anything I've asked her to do, she's done - just for me at times.

The choice was simple when I wanted dog #2 - another working BC. Went to a breeder I trusted told him what I wanted and he recommended a dog he had for me (instead of a pup that I had asked about).And this dog did have the main elements that I wanted and was right for me. But instead of the intensely loyal "I'm your dog" type I got an aloof ho-hum adolescent with an "did you say something" attitude. So I've learned more. And he has become a dog that I love to work with and he does have tons of drive and try, but it's taken some work to draw it out.

BC #3 kind of fell in my lap. I was toying with the idea of getting another dog to train for SAR and I was browsing Border Collies on petfinder one night and her face stuck out to me. So I emailed the foster home, never expecting it would get much further than that. Yup, one thing led to another (right down to me turning her down once because I wasn't sure she had the drive I was looking for) and 5 weeks later I had Kenzi.

All 3 are very different in many ways, but they're all very much Border Collies. I do love a few other serious working breeds, but I think I'll always have a BC in my life. Versatile, trainable, hardworking. What more could one want in a dog?

My "breeds of choice" would be mals and GSDs, even though I own two bully breeds. But as for friends who had dogs that gave me "dog-envy," those two were always at the top of my list. I wouldn't trade my current girls for any price, though.

When I bought Rose, I was really looking for a Fila, GSD or a Mal. My girlfriend wanted a Boston terrier, so we had a pretty big bridge to gap. We went to shelters, and almost pulled the trigger on a few dogs, but didn't want to rush into anything. When we went to the American bulldog breeder, I even let him know we were just exploring our options, and I wasn't seriously considering his pups or even the breed. But the parent dogs were SO good! He warned me that she wasn't "a lookie AB, but was a working line farm dog." I think I said something along the lines of, "Oh, I've had a doberman, got it!"

As for Shortstack, I once fostered an EB, and wanted one ever since. For all the downsides, no dog breed makes you smile more times a day.

I like dogs of all makes and sizes. I stumbled upon the rottie from a needy situation and have just chosen to stay in that place. They are great for me in so many ways; a few reasons

1) They snuggle, they lean and sit on you
2) I wear dark colors a lot and their hair blends in
3) A clean face (no beard stink)
4) Their bark and talk is of a lower octane
5) Pretty durable to me tripping and dropping things
6) They can be intense
7) They can be completely goofy
8) Most days non-dog people don’t approach us and most
don’t ask if their dog can meet my dog
9) Their coat doesn’t tangle and suds up easily
10) They like you or they don’t
11) We mentally and physically challenge each other.
12) They snore and snort
13) They prefer the a/c vs heat and humidity
14) I would say their tail doesn't knock things over, but
one has a tail
15) Their facial expressions are plentiful
16) They stop what they're doing and come check in
17) Desire to please

I'm sure I could keep on listing..

For me its GSD! My grandparents bred German Shepherds so I've been around them all my life. I wish as a kid I understood why exactly we had so many dogs. I could have learned so much. I love everything about German Shepherds; (eyes)expressions, loyalty, strength, intelligence, and majestic look.

Almost seven years ago I found the love of my life in a dog named Bruno. With his recent passing and the aquiring of a spunky little gal named Vashti, Kiersten, I find your words below to be so true and encouraging. I miss my boy immensely but Vashti has quickly found her own spot in my heart.

 Quote: Kiersten Lippman

One thing I've learned is that you can never find the same dog again, nor can you expect the same type of relationship with a new dog, compared to the one you built up over 10+ years with your last dog. It takes time, and each dog has different strengths.

I must say I am very partial to bully breeds. Especially Rottis and Pit Bulls. I have bred many Rottis and find them to be an overall wonderful dog. I agree with everything and then some of what Aimee said. Pit Bulls have had such a bad rap! I have numerous friends and family member with this wonderful breed. They are hard working, have a great desire to please their owners, they are very smart and trainable, and will lick you to death To me the breed's bad rap is from lack of training or the wrong training. Plus you dont need an alarm system with one of those just looking out the window

With that said I have neither of those breeds right now. I had previously moved into an condo that would not allow any dog over 15 lbs which is how Shrek (Chihuaha/Schipperke mix) came into the picture I rescued him from a local shelter and fell in love. The only thing I must say is...he barks A LOT. Plus, I would trust my father Pit with children before my little Shrek. He is not a kid kind of dog. Chihuaha's are a one family home preferably with no kids from what I have seen. Most become over protective and fearful towards anyone outside their pack.

I also have another rescue Maggie (Whippet/Terrier mix) she is by far one of my best dogs ever. She is agile, high energy, smart, and a great mingling dog (she can be the dominant or the submisive one and knows her role once established. She learns who she can play with and will ignore the ones she can't). I have used her for acclimation with other dogs many times and she actually gets other dogs who may be afraid of playing, or just doesnt know how to play, to play and have fun.

Overall, breed specific can be to what your needs are (herding, working, GSD, ect...) but as for a great companian, well that could be any breed or mix. That one is fate.

GSD's all the way. My love of them started when I was a child and had an uncle who had this beauty named Princess. She was everything you could want in a dog.
Intelligent, loyal, easy to train and so loving, and she had a noble quality that I can still remember.
She actually found a baby bunny, took it gently into her mouth, brought the bunny home and laid the bunny at her belly, expecting it to nurse! How sweet is that?

I love that they are very loving and loyal to their family.
My female likes everyone who comes to stay at our house, sleeps in their room if she is allowed and follows them everywhere.
Both of my dogs have great ball/play drive and enjoy being outdoors. They also enjoy having the good life as they are inside house dogs.
My male is my heart dog, a very fun dog, yet loves to cuddle and is so sweet. He wakes me every morning with a lick, and plops down ontop of me, so we can go play and train outside.
They may not be trained in personal protection, but I like that they both are intimidating to strangers who come to the door.
I hope that intimidation will make anyone think twice before coming into our house unannounced.
I just love the look of the GSD, all colors and talents, but my fave are the police K9's as they never cease to amaze me.

Where Kiersten wrote" You can never find the same dog again" that made me tear up, that is so, so true.
I wish that I had a dog with the noble quality mentioned by Joyce Salazar. My last ACD would bite me immediatly if I tried to take a tick off her, or do any procedures, but she was incredibly loyal and would never eat a mouse or chase a chicken, seemed to act like such an act would be "beneath" her. Neither of my present dogs (ACDx and IG) have that depth. They are not "true", in the sense that horsemen know a "true" horse, i.e. one that won't take advantage.

Mutts. No other breed comes anywhere near in variety. Don't have to worry about poor breeding, breed traits and all those fine points

I've loved many a mutt, and love many that I know peripherally now. The top best and worst behaved dogs I've fostered have been mixed breeds. The upsides are vast, the downsides can be traits that are really breed traits! But it's really hard not to project -both my bullies occasionally "point" when looking for a thrown ball. If they were mutts that looked remotely like a pointer or setter etc., I'd feel sure that was in the mix. At the end of the day, a mastiff and a chihuahua are both dogs, and share the same basic foundation.

I feel like the OP was asking about breeds, though. And every point Aimee made except #2 fit both my bullies. But any generalization about a breed is just that. I have customers with pits that LOVE other dogs, and mals that are quite affectionate to folks who don't own them. My own rottie was a frisbee/ball dog of the highest order. Nature vs. nurture is a long-held debate in children and human behavior, but with animals selectively bred to do certain jobs, you have to respect (and expect) the nature side. Even if that breed trait is only 1/8 of the genetic make up. That said, I wish more people adopted mixed breeds for their family pets. My business has "adoption days" from time to time, and it always breaks my heart to spend some time with the dogs and see the unchosen get loaded back up to the shelter.