marijuologist wrote:
boxers - give the best licks
I'd be willing to consider an auxiliary list of dogs that are useful at useless things. Licking and farting would be on it.
marijuologist wrote:
boxers - give the best licks
I'd be willing to consider an auxiliary list of dogs that are useful at useless things. Licking and farting would be on it.
Gary Oldman wrote:
Saluki for actually catching fast animals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD2LJBhxLfU
Would it be illegal to get a pint of blood from that dog as a transfusion just before a race? LOL
GSs wrote:
German Shepherds are better family dogs.
German Guy checking in. Had bad experiences with GS growing up. Which is probably because back then a lot of Germans owned a GS for personal protection.
Also, not particularly a healthy dog. Major back problems/ hip dysplasia. Even though in the US, that seems to be less an issue.
Have to say, I would put Goldens over labs, because in Obedience, Goldens are king, the AKC has statistics on competition obedience, and Obedience trial Champions, are dominantly goldens (36 goldens and only 3 labs achieved the same title), not labs. This is despite Labs having a much higher number of dogs registered. Further, Goldens are great bird dogs, agility dogs, show dogs, tracking dogs, they are also seeing eye dogs, service dogs, SAR dogs, drug dogs, and excel at therapy. They do everything labs do, but more and better. :)
They get more titles than labs, in almost all venues, and have less overall dogs.
Here's the source:
https://images.akc.org/pdf/events/2013AnnualStatistics.pdf
Page: 84
Golden Owner wrote:
Have to say, I would put Goldens over labs, because in Obedience, Goldens are king,
Here in NYC, virtually every single bomb or drug sniffing dog I have seen is either a Labrador Retriever or a Yellow Lab. So far, I haven't seen many Golden Retrievers doing that job. There must be a reason for that.
Source: my observation.
We adopted a GreyBull about a year ago. She is, without a doubt, the most athletic dog I have ever been around.
She can outrun every dog at the dog park (including greyhounds). She can jump high enough to pick an object out of my hand held above my head (so approximately 8 feet in the air). No one has been able to win a game of tug-a-war against her.
We are pretty sure she was a fighter in her previous home. She is not socialized well and is currently banned from the dog parks.
But, I wouldn't want any other guard dog at my house. She is amazingly loyal to our family. If another animal or a threatening human came into our home/yard, she would literally die trying to kill it.
Golden Owner wrote:
Have to say, I would put Goldens over labs, because in Obedience, Goldens are king, the AKC has statistics on competition obedience, and Obedience trial Champions, are dominantly goldens (36 goldens and only 3 labs achieved the same title), not labs. This is despite Labs having a much higher number of dogs registered. Further, Goldens are great bird dogs, agility dogs, show dogs, tracking dogs, they are also seeing eye dogs, service dogs, SAR dogs, drug dogs, and excel at therapy. They do everything labs do, but more and better. :)
They get more titles than labs, in almost all venues, and have less overall dogs.
Here's the source:
https://images.akc.org/pdf/events/2013AnnualStatistics.pdfPage: 84
It's not a bad argument, but there are more trash goldens than labs due to backyard breedings. Labs have this problem, but also far more high end working dogs that don't get titled. People who rely on dogs for work don't use Goldens.
Labs stay. More athletic too.
Mundus Vult wrote:
We adopted a GreyBull about a year ago. [..] She is not socialized well and is currently banned from the dog parks.
That is a lethal combination. The speed of a greyhound, the killing instinct of a pitbull.
I know, it's all a matter of training, but for every 1 nice pitbull in the dogpark, I encounter 5 problematic pitbulls.
Just like my dog is genetically predetermined to fetch tennis balls, a pitbull is predetermined to kill.
Dog Expert wrote:
I know, it's all a matter of training, but for every 1 nice pitbull in the dogpark, I encounter 5 problematic pitbulls.
Just like my dog is genetically predetermined to fetch tennis balls, a pitbull is predetermined to kill.
Whatever socialization issues our greybull has, they were from her prior situation. We have considered hiring an expert to help socialize her but, instead, we just don't take her to the dog park anymore.
Pits were bred to be aggressive towards other animals (but not humans). This is why I trust my dog around my 2 year old.
I can't find statistics about working dogs by breed, but I'd agrue its got to be pretty close, if you include therapy dogs. Walk into any nursing home, you are bound to find a golden.
Yes backyard breeding is a problem in both breeds. But the reputable breeders of goldens, are much more versatile than lab breeders, the number of titles is higher, even though labs have more dogs registered. Champions for example, 100 more goldens finished last year than labs, even though labs far outnumber goldens. That either says golden retriever owners are more motivated, or the dogs themselves are more willing. But golden's success in obedience, says they are more biddable than labs.
I don't think you can say there are more BYB goldens than labs, but I do agree Back yard breeding is the worst thing that happens to popular breeds. Most people don't recognize my breed champion as pure golden, because he has big bone, straight golden coat and a big head, they are use to weedy ugly wiry back yard bred goldens, pretty sad.
Border Collies are still functional work dogs. They work cattle and sheep. Blue heelers and Aussies are also good hearders who are still used by ranchers.
German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois (do better in hot climates) are preferred dogs for law enforcement. Very strong and smart. Can catch and take down a suspect, who will then be happy to trade getting bit on the arm for a peaceful surrender to law enforcement.
Bird dogs (labs, pointers, retrievers) are very popular with hunters. Without them, most hunters leave a lot of dead birds lost in the woods because they cannot find them after shooting them out of the sky.
Bloodhounds are still used in search and rescue, although many other breads can be trained.
Beagles are excellent drug sniffing dogs. It is also helpful that they are small and do not startle little kids waiting in line at the airport.
I've got a Goldendoodle...you get the good of both breeds (intelligence, family friendly, athletic) with very little concern for the traditional health problems of both...the only downside is that we have to get her groomed regularly (she doesn't really shed at all).
Up The Irons wrote:
I've got a Goldendoodle...you get the good of both breeds (intelligence, family friendly, athletic) with very little concern for the traditional health problems of both....
The health problems are mostly from the Golden side and the poodle is plenty intellgent, family friendly and athletic. I'd argue that a poodle is actually more athletic than a Golden Retriever.
FWIW, I am talking about a king size poodle here (up to 100 lbs). Even though
from a health perspective, consider going down one size to medium size poodle (~40 lbs). Greatest dog there is.
Mundus Vult wrote:
We have considered hiring an expert to help socialize her but, instead, we just don't take her to the dog park anymore.
And that my friend, was the wrong decision. For both you and your dog.
Dog Expert wrote:
And that my friend, was the wrong decision. For both you and your dog.
Tell me why?
Mundus Vult wrote:
Tell me why?
If your kid got into trouble with other kids in school, would you take it out of school?
Or would you try to help solve the problems?
Dog Expert wrote:
If your kid got into trouble with other kids in school, would you take it out of school?
Or would you try to help solve the problems?
If one assumes that letting a dog socialize at a dog park is as necessary to its livelihood as an education is for a child, then your analogy is correct.
However, I have read and heard from numerous pitbull advocacy groups that socializing a pitbull at a dogpark is not only not necessary but foolish.
By the way, greyhound groups say the same thing about greyhounds.
7/10
Got a rise out of people who own breeds not on your list.
Well done
*golf clap*
How dare you leave off my Pitbull terrier and Boston terrier
Giver of golf claps wrote:
7/10
Got a rise out of people who own breeds not on your list.
Well done
*golf clap*
I'm serious. With the exception of the greyhound nobody mentioned a single breed that does something not on the list.
Malinois provide all the protection you need in a controllable form. Bully breeds serve no function that can't be replaced by a better dog.