Quote: Jenni Williams

For anyone interested I will be selling Sheppits. . .

An APBT and a Shepherd? A Sheppit?

I theenk ees more like BullShep.

Oh, BullShep! Why didn't you say so?!

Is a credit card OK?

Credit cards are fine. I also accept PayPal. However, Sheppit sounds so much better than Bullshep, which could easily be mistaken for Bulldog/Shepherd. No smashed faces here!

Alex, seeing as my Chi is male, he's fine w/being part of the foundation of Shepuahuas...but the GSD probably wouldn't find the the endeavor terribly, um, satisfying. Ok, Alex, we're getting a little too "adult humor" and this is a family board...

I knew someone that claimed (although I never saw any proof of the progeny, not even a pic) that their St. Bernard bitch actually laid down for their male chi. and produced a litter. Now how odd would that be??.....

I love the humor here, and, like most of you I'm sure, do not approve of the so called "designer dogs"

 Quote: Mike Armstrong

I theenk ees more like BullShep.

I like that one.....I think people would actually get one just because of the name......YIKES.....

I have heard of a designer breed you may like. I've seen several and they are a very regal looking dog. They are called by several names including Brabanter bullenbeiser (the breeders really need to get together and agree on a name that's shorter and easier to remember). They started with a dog that was a mix of 3/4 German Mastiff-the Brabanter, 1/4 mixed breed dog with nice qualities, and crossed that with a Bulldog. One of the best producing females of the breed isn't the prettiest thing (long, weak back, down-faced, and very lippy like a Mastiff) but she produces beautiful pups when line bred to two males. They are white with spots, fawn and white, and brindle and white. They are friendly, active, and make great family dogs. They are also used as guard dogs. Brabanter bullenbeisers look a lot like a Pitbull or a Boxer and weigh 50-70 lb. Unfortunately some of them are prone to brachycephaly, cancers, heart conditions, hypothyroidism, and hip dysplasia, but with careful breeding those traits can be eliminated.
They are such nice, versatile dogs that AKC is bound to recognise them in a couple of decades. In a hundred years there will be people thinking they were just dropped down on the earth a fully established breed.

 Quote: Doug Alcorn

... We had to get rid of the labradoodle because I was traveling a lot at the time and we didn't train it very well. It had issues with the pecking order with our kids and bit my oldest son (the dog's closest competition). I really liked the dog and miss his companionship, but I'm very aware of the impact such a dog can have on my family. I understand the importance of training a dog right and I want to do a good job, but I'm an inexperienced dog handler even though I've owned several good dogs.

I'd strongly recommend that you order this video:
http://www.leerburg.com/302.htm

and/or this one (if you decide on a puppy):
http://www.leerburg.com/120.htm

and that you start now to listen to Ed's Podcasts:
http://www.leerburg.com/dogtrainingpodcasts.htm

Good for you that you are researching breeds before you acquire your dog, and even better will be that you have some of this extremely important information from Day 1.

I second the folks who tell you to check out a rescue. If you look at a dogs in foster care, many of them are being obedience trained and learning to live in a home setting. Also, you are more likely to know if it is dog agressive, uncertain with children, etc. if you go through a rescue. Start here: http://www.petfinder.com

I personally would avoid breeders of the so-called designer breeds. With the current fad you just cannot be sure that you will be getting a solid puppy. There are too many people out there to make a quick buck at your and the dog's expense.

I grew up with a Brittany. She was all brains and energy, and the greatest companion I have had to date. I hear they are hard dogs to train, but we never had a problem with her. Consistency and patience are key. Might be hard while supervising the kids, but working from home helps.

 Quote: debbie bruce

I have heard of a designer breed you may like. I've seen several and they are a very regal looking dog. They are called by several names including Brabanter bullenbeiser (the breeders really need to get together and agree on a name that's shorter and easier to remember)...

From searching on the internet, the Brabanter Bullenbeiser seems to be a dog that's been around since the 1700's, and is one of the originators of the Boxer. So if someone's trying to pull a "designer breed" using this name, they should check history.

I agree with posters who mentioned getting a rescue. There are tons of wonderful dogs out there who need love, a good home and loving and motivational training.

Sandy, what Debbie is trying to say is that NO breed was just established as is, in which I agree. I know every breed we have now is a cross of multiple breeds to acheive it's purpose. Which back in the day was it's working ability. The Dogo Argentino is a prime example:

"Martinez picked the Cordoba Fighting Dog to be the base for the breed. The breed is extinct today but was described as a large and ferocious dog that was both a great hunter and fighter. He made crossings of the Cordoba Fighting Dog with Great Dane, Boxer, Spanish Mastiff, Old English Bulldog, Bull Terrier, Great Pyrenees, Pointer, Irish Wolfhound and Dogue de Bordeaux. Martinez kept improving the breed via selective breeding to introduce the desired traits."

All the dogs that did not meet expectations were culled from the program. I highly doubt that is the case with these new "designer breeds". It should've been the case with working breeds all along, and therefore we wouldn't have guard dogs scared of their own shadows, retrievers who won't retrieve, herders who won't herd, terriers who won't hunt. The list goes on and on...and the breeds decline & decline or split into "working & show".

Sorry I have been involved in hijacking your thread Doug. I just don't agree with adding more breeds to the already 400 or so breeds out there. And I'm very passionate about preserving the working dog breeds. This is a great discussion for a whole new thread and I am all up for hearing why we need more breeds. On another thread though.