Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, which dog breed to pick?

The house is currently dogless. Such a weird empty space with no snores, sighs, grunts, crunches of bones or wagging tails. Odd to not drop a bowl of food, do potty breaks, share snacks or having a walking companion, since there has always been a dog in my life since 2006. 

Since we are waiting until the summer break to pick a dog, there is ample times to think about which breed to pick.

Here are options we’re considering:

• Rottweiler
  – Owned & love the breed! (Ought to hear me squeal with delight in meeting or seeing a rottie…)
  – Strong willed, aloof with strangers, they can be total doofuses and very loving if treated well
  – Not a dog for everyone, rotties need leaders and ample socialization – lack of can lend towards a pushy, naughty adult
  – They work well in family dynamics, though being big they can knock over children
  – Find as a rescue or from a breeder who focuses on temperament vs bulk and head size

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• Pitbull
  – Owned and love the breed!
  – Pitbull isn’t actually a breed! The actual breeds are: American Pitbull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier & Staffordshire Terriers
  – Happy, loving, laid back, smart, people lovers
  – They have a tendency towards dog aggression and reactivity to other dogs, can be curbed with ample socialization & training
  – Great for hiking and lounging buddies, may not be great in social situations with other dogs (depends on the dog)
  – Opt for a rescue as pitties & pittie mixes tend to make up a large amount of puppies and dogs found in shelters

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• German Shepherd
  – would be a new to me breed
  – they are smart, active, strong, protective, a great companion for all activities
  – tend to be shedders and blow out their coats twice a year (dog hair doesn’t bother me)
  – need ample training and socialization to be a well adjusted dog – love to have a job
  – can be a bit nippy & bitey (can be corrected with training) – this comes from them being HERDING dogs!
  – Adopt (often many shepherd mix dogs available in shelters, sometimes purebreds) or find a reputable breeder

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• Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
  – new to me breed
  – smart, watchful, happy, friendly, talkative, chill to moderately active
  – can be stubborn and require a strong leader
  – In the same family as the Bernese Mountain Dog
  – BIG dog, can weigh easily over 100 lbs but they hardly drool!
  – Strong & love to pull, they were bred for general farm work from watchdog to cart pulling
  – Have a double coat and shed, though less than huskies, labs and shepherds are prone to
  – Long duration for house training, could take up to 6 months
  – Very rare to find in rescue, breeders often have long wait lists

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• Mutt from a shelter
  – super variable as per what’s at the shelter though I would avoid: super high energy dogs, most small dogs, doodles, labs & lab mixes, huskies 
  – I have a mega soft spot for pitties, pittie mixes and shepherd mixes
  – The ideal age range would be puppy to a 2 year old dog

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Eenie, meenie, miny, mo… I don’t know!

Having had a rottie and pittie in the past, they make the list though I’d like to have something a little different. Kris’s son LOVES german shepherds, but I’d like to wait a little before adding a shepherd into our family so the two can grow and train together. 

Tons of research into Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs and I found myself falling in love with the breed. Their look, their personalities, a laid back but fun loving dog with a sleek coat (Berners are too fluffy for my taste, plus they’re rather short lived) – and I knew that a Swissy was going to be a future dog in my family. The quest into breeders began, all in casualness as introducing another dog with Bender was most likely not going to happen (he was super particular about dogs he liked).  Continued to collect information, figuring that it would be a couple more years before we’d be adding a new dog into the mix. Unfortunately, the liver disease Bender was living with peaked and turned into liver failure in February, meaning the movement into a new dog was sooner than anticipated. An application was filled out, we’re on the list for a Swissy!

What about a mutt? I love mutts! Both Mick & Axel were mutts! With waiting until the summer to add a dog into our family I have only been looking lightly at available dogs. 

If I adopt here are the places I’d adopt from:

• Tri County Humane Society / St. Cloud MN (Axel was from here!)
• Hawk Creek Animal Shelter / Wilmar MN (This is where Bender was from!)
• Ruff Start Rescue / Princeton MN, foster based rescue
• Secondhand Hounds / Minnetonka MN, foster based rescue
• Underdog Rescue / St. Louis Park MN
• Pet Haven / Minneapolis MN
• Animal Humane Society / 3 adoption centers!
• Unbreakable Pit Bull Rescue 
• Save A Bull of Minnesota
• Minnesota Pit Bull Rescue

That’s only a small amount of the rescues in Minnesota! Most likely Tri County Humane Society would be my first pick as they are in St. Cloud.  If you want to add a new family member to your home, I would def check out a local rescue!

What would be your choice for a breed of dog?

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This is a blog circle and will drop every Friday! Next up visit Carol Mudra of Apawture Studios in Milan, Italy as she shares some fun info on one of her favorite American dog breeds, the Catahoula Leopard Dog.