When we adopted Sutter from the shelter, my requirements were: housebroken, good with kids, friendly. I was completely ignorant about pack structure, drives, dominance, etc. I really think I lucked out twice, because Sutter is mostly a great dog, and because I ran across this site about a week after I brought him home, and this site is a treasure trove.

The only breed we are set on having at some point in the future, when the kids are a little bigger and the basement is finished, is a whippet. They're the only breed that my husband and I both like everything we've seen and read about them, and I would love to lure course. I've become a little obsessed with other sighthounds, too. I'd like a borzoi someday. My husband fell for the Dogo Argentino, but I know I'm not enough owner for one.

Growing up I showed horses and after my first year of college I took a year off (my first year GPA was somewhat below sea level <vbg>. During that year off I worked as a horse trainer at a small barn in MI. As with many of the horse show set they had dogs that I call "horse show accessories". Dogs that basically ran around the farm and got drug to horse shows.

Well, one day the barn owner brought home an ACD puppy and left it essentially to my care. I immediately fell in love. Buck was obstinate, hard-headed, and absolutely devoted to me. I knew that this was the breed for me. When I got out of college and got into law school I sold the horse I had at the time and downsized to an ACD. Thought it would be cheaper to have a dog. Uh yeah, that did not work out quite like I thought ;-)

Other than ACDs, I will probably be getting a mal one day. Michael Ellis has been after me for years to get a malinois and each year I get a little closer to breaking down :-p

That's a tough one. There are many breeds I would love to own circumstances being right and others that I love but would never own (i.e. Newfoundlands because of all the drool).

My current breed of choice is a Toy Fox Terrier chosen because (1) it's small enough to travel easily, and (2) has definite big dog, terrier attitude (in spades!). My previous breed of choice was the Collie (I've had 3 rough collies). Other than that I've had a Keeshond and A GSD/Malamute mix; good dogs both. I'd have another collie in an instant as well as another TFT. And, assuming it was the right situation and timing, I'd love a GSD if I could find one as nice as the one my Uncle had back in the 1950's.

I think my ultimate breed of choice is the doberman followed by GSD and yes pugs ........ LOL. I will own another dobie once my current dog numbers have gone down and i think getting a rescue dobe would be awesome and my girl heidi would have a fun playmate.

My breed if choice is most defiantly GSD and than Bull Mastiff... I love bigger dogs but breed has a lot to do with that as well. I have always liked the way a GSD looks, and they are so attentive and easy to train. A Mastiff is stubborn but loyal and very noble. Zuki is half lab but I needed a dog and out of a litter of 12 unwanted pups... She found me. She has a few things I wish were different but she looks a lot like a GSD and I am still learning about the breed. I can't believe I paid $20 for such a smart pup that no one else wanted because they were not pure breed!!! Pure means something but not everything

LabxShep seems to be a wonderful mix. People seem to love that cross. Zuki is so pretty too.

I think growing up in the era of Roy Rogers/Dale Evans movives made me love horses and GSD's. I didn't realize it until much later in life though. I had forgotten that Dale had a GSD. I love their loyalty, beauty and intelligence. I just love the feel of hugging a big dog. Having said that, I also love smooth fox terriers for their fiestiness, single-mindedness and affectionate nature. They are harder to live with than a GSD though. I have to say my *best-dog-ever* remains Phinney who died four years ago. He was mostly GSD and we don't really know what else, although we always suspicioned a little wolf. He was a pound puppy and was simply amazing. He was the gentlest soul I've ever met. He never did one naughty thing in his whole life. He virtually trained himself and it tore a hole in my heart so big when he died at age 10 of liver failure that I thought I'd never get over it. Actually, I don't think that hole will ever heal. I just have to live with it.

 Quote: elizabeth anderson

Pure means something but not everything

Some of the best dogs we've ALL had were good ol' fashioned "mutts". Shatzie, the mutt I grew up with, was a one in a million family dog. Part shepherd and rottie and God knows what else, he was completely devoted and loyal to our family. With five kids at the beach, he ran up and down the sand keeping an eye on each of us, and lo be to the idiot who tried to come into the house unannounced. Once allowed into the home, any friend of ours was a friend of his. Except for one man who used to deliver eggs and milk... Shatzie never trusted that guy and consequently we never did either. Great dogs are awesome, regardless of their pedigree, aren't they?

GSD. When I was 9 years old the next door neighbor owned a male GSD and the family across the street owned a female. They bred them and we got one of the pups, a female.

Brenda smart, fun, and protective. For a 9 year old and a 6 year old (my brother) she was a great friend and playmate, and just seemed to always want to be with us. She seemed almost to train herself.

That was 1961. Fast forward to 2004 and when my son asked for a dog, and I started looking into breeds, I kept going back to GSDs, because I has such fond memories of Brenda. But GSDs weren't like what I remembered. They had these funny sloped backs and almost walked on their hocks, and a relative who is a vet told me they have a lot of hip problems. Then a friend of mine clued me in to working line dogs, and in 2006 (sorry you had to wait so long Joseph) we bought Hans from a working line breeder. He had two puppies available, and he asked us if we were looking for a pet, and when we said yes he steered us away from the female he had and towards the male. Thank God for that. The female was a little monster of a wiggle worm, reminding me of the pup that Cindy is training now. Hans is much more mellow. Oh, he has plenty of drive, but "high drive" is a relative term.

So for me, I think my breed of choice is a GSD because of my childhood experience.