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I can't go past a rescue pup. They might not have the purebred stature but there are so many dogs in this world that need a home.
Also "Muts" have less health issues to worry about :D

I have a 35 kg mixed breed rescue. We don't know exactly what she is....my best guess is AmStaff x mastiff/bullmastiff x stumpy tailed cattle dog/Queensland heeler x lab. I'm all about the rescues!

I prefer large dogs to small as a rule and have strong feelings about breeds that have drifted a long way from their original job, especially where the "show dogs" are obviously different from the "working dogs" (German shepherd I'm looking at you!).

@Goobanni just on that """Mutts" have less health issues to worry about" is untrue. A recent study was done over many vet practices looking at the health problems of purebreds compared to crosses, and it was basically the same. If you're getting from a breeder, demand health tests of parents and an all clear from your vet and you should be fine, no matter what that person breeds.

My issue is that I can't help a bigger dog get around once they get older. My Terv was 60lbs and I had a hard time getting him up and down stairs, and in and out of the car, towards the end. The 13lb dachshund is about my speed these days! :P

I would LOVE to adopt a senior dog. I've always wanted to foster the old guys that need a home. My first Pem was a senior whose owner passed away. He was just the sweetest boy!

I work with service dogs so work tends to put me around Golden Retrievers and Labradors a lot. They are great dogs and I've owned two Goldens that I have loved. But, personally, I tend to lean towards the serious and more one-person working breeds.

Love Akitas. They are high on my list. Also, I'd love to have a Giant Schnauzer a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog one day.

I swear by boxers! They are smart enough to be careful around horses, and learn relatively fast. They are sooo happy to be around you. They love trail riding. They are not complete snobs, and don't cry at miner issues. And they aren't too noisy. Not a crazy amount of hair

My first love is Boxers ♥ After my last one past away of cancer a few months ago we decided to get another dog breed that fits with what we do. So, now we have a Dalmatian and another on the way.

I've got a black GSD so I am a *tiny* bit biased :P
Though I will say, I do prefer the working line shepherds over the show line. Usually a bit more traditional in built and not so 'loose' in the hind end, but there is good and bad in every bloodline. The working lines are usually a bit more 'intense' than the showlines as well and generally have a higher drive, which must be used for goo and not evil lol My GSD comes with me to the horses and is very well behaved around them, but we made a point of certain manners when she was a pup, like no going under the horse's legs, down hang around the hind legs and DO NOT CHASE under any circumstances.
I've got a JRT too, but she is untrustworthy around stock. Got typical little dog syndrome and is extremely independent; likes to go and do her own thing, her own way, even if it gets her in mischeif. She stays at the house lol

My friend has a kelpie (possibly a cross, he was a rescue) who is also a great little farm dog. Much higher herding drive than my GSD, so he can 'harass' (and I use that term very very lightly, he mainly just does the herding stare and circles around them a bit. None of the stock is bothered by it lol) and much higher energy than my girl. However, kelpies are generally very trainable so if you've got the time to exercise and entertain they are great hardy dogs =D

I have always loved llewellin setters and boykin spaniels. I have owned one lewellin, and she was great if a little sensitive at times. My aunt has had boykins, and they are great little dogs. I have owned and loved a lot of beagles and labs as well. They were all of working lines, and most were "saved" from various situations. I used to hunt a lot and I loved having a dog with me. My most missed dog was a lab I got in high school. I had started working for a vet, and my mother had made it clear I was not to bring home anymore animals (I had a small herd of Nubians, chickens, rabbits, and two beagles already!). A few months after I started, someone brought in lab about a year old to be euthanized because he would not settle down to be trained. The vet wrote out the ticket, the person paid and left the dog. The vet, bless him, did not put him to sleep, but gave him a month to live " rent free" until a home could be found. The home turned out to be be me - my mom just sighed when I came home with him sitting in the front seat beside me. He was with me through high school, college, two moves, marriage, and a kid. My oldest son learned to walk by pulling himself up on Sam, and the two would make careful steps together. He was an old dog at this time, and died not too long afterward. This was thirteen years ago, and I still miss him. We have two dogs right now a boxer-lab mix that may be the goofiest dog on the planet and a dachshund-beagle mix that I call a weegle. They are good dogs, and are my kids pets.

@Salvistar It was just advertised on our TV before I clicked on this! Even if the guide dogs don't have any available, there are plenty of dogs trained to do certain work who either get too old to do it, or they don't pass testing and have to find a new home. In NZ I think the most two common jobs that dogs get rehomed from are guide dogs and ex-police dogs, who were either proper police dogs or were broodies.

You could also try the Military Working Dog program at lackland. We have puppy fails that can be adopted and then retired working dogs who need homes after their service ends. There are also many contract working dogs that need homes :) they may not be puppies but many of them served in war and saved people's lives

I also like Great Danes, like the big dog personality. I have shown an Irish Wolfhound too, and they are more of a "hunting" type breed.

I adore my Great Dane. She is absolutely the friendliest, most loving dog I have EVER had. However, if you are looking for a dog to go with you on trail rides, they won't be a good fit. They are not designed for long periods of work and they are prone to joint/bone issues. They are wonderful house dogs, though! My other dog is a GSD/border collie mix (a rescue) which I would highly recommend as a trail riding companion as they are (typically) super intelligent, highly trainable and extremely energetic. Mine is about 65lbs at 3 years old and smart as a whip. Of course, there is always a downside to intelligence, as she certainly lives up to her name... Trouble! She has a high prey drive, so she enjoys terrorizing my cats and would definitely go after my turkeys/chickens if left to her own devices. Despite that, she is very loyal and well trained, so we don't have any issues with her being out with the horses and birds while she is supervised. Unfortunately I don't have a lot of trails around where I live and I'm not comfortable taking her when I ride on the roads.

My Dane is a whole other story! Thumper's nickname is "bigdumbdog" because she truly is one! :) She is highly offended by sneezing, automatically assumes every animal and person on earth LOVES her, and she insists she is a two pound chihuahua. If she could, she would crawl in my clothes with me. She has an obsession with trying to lick my mini mare (who hates her!) and she they are the same size, the poor horse can't put her nose up high enough to avoid it. If I take her on a walk, I have to make sure it isn't too long because she will throw herself down in protest when she gets tired. Of course, that is just one of the many things she protests. Other devastating events for her are going outside in general, getting out of the car, being told no for any reason, when the cats refuse to throw her toy or will not allow her to slobber them up. Sigh. Good thing she is cute. :)

I love kelpies they are so nuts and smart and love to learn =)

While I love all dogs, my favorite is a Collie. Yeah, they can be a aggravation to brush, but I grew up watching Lassie, and I did have a half collie (My avatar picture!) named Greydawn, that was the best dog I had ever owned.

I have a few lol. Pitbulls are #1 but sometimes not good with livestock (not all! I know of quite a few pitbull farm dogs!)
Andddd of course theres the stigma that surrounds them so a lot of people arent fans. But theyre loyal and loving and happy and the best babysitter dogs for little ones as long as theyve been around them and arent nervous etc.

#2 Australian Shepherds (I love the miniatures too!) theyre fabulous all around dogs. Whether youve got a farm or not. Theyre so smart and loyal. Perfect dogs for going anywhere. And would be very happy to be little trail riding dogs!

Smaller breeds - french bulldogs, pomeranians, and italian greyhounds! And Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are also pretty freakin adorable it just sucks that they have heart issues!

I like dogs in general.... almost every breed. Of course I have some that Im not a huge fan of and have had experiences with specific dogs however Ive met dogs of those breeds that I love and that are fabulous so I never judge a whole breed. Its like with anything! People, dogs, cats, horses etc. Can judge an entire group based on a few bad eggs!


I also think Irish wolfhounds are SO cool. Theyre so different and... almost majestic in a weird way lol. I dont know any personally but Ive seen a few and once had the pleasure of loving on one at tractor supply she was so sweet.


Good luck on finding your perfect pup!

Labs are a good choice for most people--intelligent enough to be easily trained but easy going enough that you can get by with minimal training and still have a dog you can live with, energetic enough to want to go for walks but lazy enough that they don't need a ton of exercise every single day (border collies and kelpies, not so much!), people loving but once they get through the 3 year chewing phase they are fine to be left at home alone for long periods. Because they aren't naturally hunters or herders, they tend to leave livestock alone, or at least not harrass it. Obviously these are all sweeping generalizations, and some labs will defy these rules.

A couple further things I would want to mention:

A Puppy of 8 weeks old is sort of the ideal time to get a dog because they are blank canvases. No bad habits, no irrational fears. If you have a ton of time to put into a young pup, you can come out with a super well adjusted, friendly, beautifully trained dog. That said, your vet costs will be higher because they will need all 3 rounds of shots plus their desex operation (plus a gastropexy if you get a deep chested breed) in addition to all the normal maintenance costs. You also need to be able to devote time every day to training, socialization, Puppy classes and of course, house training! And remember, just when you think they've got it all at about 10 months, they hit puberty and you have to deal with a whole new round of adolescent bad behavior and chewing and destructiveness. Most dogs don't have a fully mature brain until they are about 2 years old.

If you Adopt an older but still young dog, their behavior is likely to be pretty set already. You may have a very hard time introducing them to livestock. If they come already chasing horses, you may have a devil of a time getting them to stop. They may be fearful of new situations. They can be retrained, but it will be harder. Dogs this age that are surrendered to rescues are almost always surrendered due to behavioral issues associated with an energetic, bored adolescent dog. That said, your vet costs are likely to be lower as all that Early work should already be done.

If you Adopt a geriatric dog you are generally looking at a lower energy, more easy going dog. They may not need as much exercise and are likely to be reliable when left home alone. You may be starting to look at an uptick in veterinary costs associated with aging--hips may be stiff, livers maybe starting to give out, etc.

There are pros and cons to every breed, every Rescue organization and every individual dog. I would highly recommend that you talk to friends who do with their dogs what you want to do with yours. I would also talk to your vet as they may know local Breeders or which local rescues are likely to have what you're looking for and they can help tell you what to look out for or what questions to ask about parents health. They are also usually a good resource for finding a good Puppy class or a trainer.

There's one thing I'd like to add on to Cheers' information. If you're getting a puppy, 8 weeks old is the absolute youngest you should consider taking a puppy home. If a breeder tries to convince you to take the puppy earlier, find another breeder.

There's a growing trend of irresponsible breeders sending puppies home between 5 and 7 weeks of age. This is one of the absolute worst things one can do for a dog's development. Play with their littermates and mother is crucial for development of proper bite inhibition and impulse control. I can often peg puppies that were placed early by just watching their behavior.

Some really dedicated breeders insist on keeping puppies until they're about 12 weeks of age. This is ideal, but only if they're properly socializing the puppy.

Growth times and rates in dogs can vary considerably. As a general rule, the larger the dog, the slower they develop. With giant breeds, it can be as late as 2 years. With smaller dogs, it can be sooner. Your vet or breeder, if you go with a dog from a breeder, should be able to give you more specific timelines for your breed.

Chihuahua's!

There are some differences between the different types of pointers. German Wirehaired and Shorthaired Pointers tend to be very energetic and driven. English pointers, from my experience, are still quite energetic but not to the same degree as the German. Most of the English Pointers I've known have an easier time settling when not in work mode.

But, like all dogs, we can understand a lot about their personality by what they were bred for. Pointers were largely bred to work independently by moving through brush and grasses in search of prey. When they locate one, they freeze and point. So they tend to be fairly independent, sometimes seem a bit "stubborn" and hyper-focused on prey. They may have have as much drive to chase it, but it may be hard to "call them off" of something that has their attention.

They need a lot of exercise and, in that sense, could make good dogs for riding with. However, their inclination is not to stay right with you. It will probably take a lot of work to train them to stay close to you on trails / riding areas that are open to the public. They also can be a bit suspicious about strangers, strange noises and other abnormalities.