OT: I like dogs. Do you? What kind?
Hey everyone. I’m bored on this Sunday and missing my dear Weimaraner that I had to have put down last year. This board could use a good discussion about something that is so important to so many of our lives on a daily basis. I would like to get another dog and my top choices are an Irish Setter or a Doberman (gotta have the floppy ears though). Anyone have either? If so I’d love to here about them and how they fit in your family. I love all dogs, as they are better than many humans I know. I prefer to get a bigger type dog because it fits my lifestyle a little better. I guess let’s just talk about dogs for the next 8 hours as I piss this day away without my good boy.
It is rough losing your dog. They really are members of the family. I bet there is some dog out there who would love to have you as his human.
For most of my life I've usually had a pooch to love and who loved me back, starting with a Shepherd/Sheltie mix we named "Barky" (even though really wasn't a habitual barker). Dad got her from a co-worker when I was about 8 or 9, mom never allowed her in the house so dad constructed an indoor "dog coop" in a corner of our garage so she'd have proper shelter. Good farm dog, she always was with me as I helped on Grandpa's nearby farm.
Barky got pregnant by a neighbor's Cocker Spaniel, bringing us our next doggie "Snowshoes". Snowshoes looked much more like her all-black daddy than she did her mom; she got her name because she too was all-black except for 4 white paws and a white star on her forehead. Sweetest dispositioned pooch I've ever had, everyone she met was her friend.
Snowshoes lived to age 15, shortly before she passed away (while I was away to college) dad brought home a Black Lab puppy named we named "Otis". Good boy, but being strictly an outdoor dog he became quite the barker. And he was the last dog my folks would ever own, so...
...it was now time to own my own. First came "Riley", he was a miniature schnauzer and a gift from my inlaws (who owned two schnauzers of their own). Our first "child", we got him about a year before the birth of our first human child, our oldest daughter. And he was my first indoor dog ever! Riley, though a good dog, never seemed to be very fond of kids, so I fenced our back yard, he enjoyed the company of our kids much more as he ran around the yard, fully in control of his own need for space at a safe distance from them. But he always still lived indoors with us.
Next dog we adopted was a rescue Chow-chow, "Daisy". Though our Schnauzer Riley didn't like the intruder, Daisy was a sweet pooch, though she constantly needed grooming. Let me tell you, Chow hair sticks to EVERYTHING!
Next came our German Shepherd "Storm", another rescue dog. Storm was very timid for a Shepherd, most likely as the result of mistreatment from a previous owner before we adopted her from the county animal shelter. But still a good dog, especially with my kids.
Unfortunately, though, Storm suffered from hip problems and other health issues, she only made it to age 11 before leaving us.
Which brings us finally to my oldest daughter's "baby", a Dachshund named "Udo". Udo lived under my roof for about 6 years, moved out with his mommy about 5 years ago but has never been more than a half hour away. Though I never thought I would like a like having a small dog around again (sorry, Riley), Udo completely changed my mind.
Since retirement is just around the corner (Ok, almost a year away) I'm seriously contemplating adopting another pooch, too. While I'm considering a Springer Spaniel, I'm not so sure about whether they make good indoor dogs, so it probably will be another rescue dog.
Thanks for sharing. Had a family member with a Springer Spaniel and it was indeed a great house dog.
One big enough to ride.
Great Dane. We have our fifth. Fantastic reed. Our current is named Giovanni.
We love dogs. Had a female Husky and a male white German Shepherd. We lost both about 3 years ago in the span of two months. The husky was a genius dog and the shepherd was a giant teddy bear. Both shed like mad though.
We have two yellow labs now from the same litter. Smaller, way less hair, not as smart, but very affectionate.
My girlfriend and I own a border collie. She is about 7 months old, and this picture was taken June 30th. We do have a fenced in back yard and we play fetch with her and go on walks. However, the unrelenting energy of a nuclear reactor core over-heating, causing total annihilation of your possessions, and leaving your life in shambles when it comes to herding dogs is overblown in my opinion. Yes, she likes doing things and going outside, but I wouldn't rule out herding dogs.
My wife, daughter and I have an informal dog sitting business. We love all our guests but my personal favorite was a border collie. AWESOME DOG. Kinda psycho, but smart? Holy crap. Well trained, obedient, fun, playful...we almost didn’t give him back
That looks like a Border Collie Aussie Sheppard mix.
I have one and she just turned 1 last week. Amazing dog.
We have 6 (!) Shi Tzu rescues. Have had 1 Chesapeake Retriever, 1 Lhasa Apso, and 5 other Shi Tzus (including the 2 in my avatar) before these six pictured (from our Christmas card of last year). All of our current dogs are rescues, as were most of the previous ones.
Grew up with dogs my whole life, have two of them now. A lab and a mastiff. Love dogs to death. Their love, their loyalty, everything. Doesn’t matter how shitty a day I’m having. Seeing them happily greet me at the garage door when I come home from work every day, and then my lab bolting over to me when I sit down in the couch and jumping right into my lap is among the best parts of my day.
Fuck cats. They treat you like they don’t need you, don’t care for you. All they need you for is to clean the shit out of their litter box and make sure the milk saucer stays full. We’ll never adopt one as long as we live.
We know several people with cats, and they love them. They'll say, "She's a great cat, she's just like a dog." So why don't they get a dog?
Just a personal opinion. Not saying no one should ever adopt a cat. Just saying I personally will never adopt one. My experience with them has been that they are very indifferent, distant creatures, who treat you like they don't really care if you're there or not. I'm sure there are exceptions, but my experience has shown me that the type of personality I listed above is more than the norm than the exception.
Obviously some people feel differently, and that's fine. Not everyone cares for dogs. They definitely require more maintenance and attention than cats. But based on what my wife and I look for in a pet, cats have never really fit that description.
Bigfoot
Great day for this thread! My pug turned 10 years old today!
He is the goodest boy in the whole wide world and that is no exaggeration.
Grew up w German Shepherds so have always been partial to them. Athletic, smart, nice dispositions. Only problem is hip problems.
Had a black lab named Manda when I was very small. I can't say much about them since my dad kept the dog when my parents split and the next time I went to visit, Manda was gone.
When I turned 16, I got a Redbone Coonhound for my birthday. He was a great dog, but I wasn't a great dog owner as a 16 year old, and he was pretty destructive until he was about 3 due to not getting enough stimulation (literally ate a couch). He ended up being a fantastic dog though. Someday I'd love to own another coonhound, but I wouldn't recommend one if you're looking for a low maintenance dog.
Next, my wife and I got a French Bulldog about 7 years ago. She is probably the best dog I've ever owned. I never really liked small dogs, but she is amazing. Incredibly easy to train, silly, tough, just wants to be in your lap at all times. Only downside is they are very expensive if you're getting one from a reputable breeder.
After her, we got a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. We loved her so much, but she ended up having back problems that led to the beginning of paralysis, and then had a stroke from s blood clot and died at 3 years old. We found out after that these are somewhat common issues with Cavaliers. She has so much love and was just fantastic, but I'd never get another one. We were just too devastated when she died. I don't think I could handle that again.
Finally, we got a rescue around 2 years ago. She's part Dachshund, part something else. She's a huge derp. Was very difficult to train. She's not the smartest dog, and she's still very skittish (think she may have been abused). She loves our Frenchie, who has no time for her whatsoever mostly. But they get along and cuddle when they think no one is watching.
Siberian Huskies, their only flaw is shedding of fur. Happy , loyal, energetic and smart breed.
My wife and I are a weim family for sure! My profile pic is my best friend in the whole world, Woodson. She turns six on Tuesday and we have had her for all but 7 weeks of her life. Its crazy how much a dog can change your life for the better. I've been at the point the past couple years that when I hear the name Woodson I think of my weim not the actual Charles Woodson. Although her formal paper work name is "The Legendary Number 2, Charles Woodson". Only said that as a joke, not realizing my wife (an OSU grad) would fill that in!
We both love Woodson so much we just recently adopted a silver weim from a place just outside of Detroit. He is starting to grow on me. Needs some training for sure, but we hope he gets to 80% of what our Woodson is.
Airedale Terrier. 60-100 pounds. Amazing with kids and other dogs and they look like stuffed animals. So squeezable and lovable. We’ve had 3 and they are amazing. They also don’t really shed which is nice.
I'm a cat person but have a Husky named Katya.
She's a good Kat.
I’m a lab guy...we’re a lab family. I’ve had a lab in the fam since I was 7 and I’ve always loved them. Have 2 now. Big ole chocolate boy, Bentley, and a yellow female, Maddie Mae. 2 & 5 years old respectively. 12 acres and a swimming pool helps with their high energy needs. Can’t imagine a day without them.
A lab is what a dog is supposed to be. Everything else is a variation. :)
Look at this guy. That giant head (he's part Newfie). The drippy nose. The perfect temperament. Some random little kid comes flying up and throws his arms around him? No problem. He'll never react. Never barks. Never had an accident. He is the platonic ideal of dog-hood. No, I'm not biased.
Sorry, late to the party...just finished serving 3 kinds of dogs to my entire MGoFamily (11 total)...had three kinds - BallPark skinless bun length, Ekrich 100% Beef and some chicken andoullie sausages...all done via the beer soak (red wheat ale and cascade hopped homebrew) angular slash and char style...excellent!
Then realized it was about poochies...had to post anyways.
Loved my Westie, but she had to be put down at Christmas, miss her a lot.
I like home dogs getting more than a field goal and off a loss......oh wait thought you meant underdogs
Where can I bet that your MGoUserName checks out?
I prefer bratwursts
I have 3. Seymour, my oldest, is 10. He's a black lab, pit mix. Handsome old man. I call him "my staying up late" buddy. If i get home late, he always comes out and hangs out with me until I'm ready for bed. When we had our baby in February, he would always stay up with me on my shifts at night. He's such a good boy, he just wants cheese and pets. Lyla, my sweet pea baby girl, is a German shepherd lab mix. She's 4 going on 5. We got her almost 4 years ago. She's my OG baby girl and she knows it. When i get home from work, i look at her and snap my fingers and she hauls ass back to jump on the bed and get her belly rubs. She poses for the camera any chance she gets and loves going for a "ride" or "bye bye". She's the smart one of the group. She knows everything and loves to show off how smart she is. She loves her baby sister. I think she thinks it's her baby. She can't stop giving her kisses and gets so excited when she comes home from daycare. Felix, whom i call Feef, is our newest. He's a rhodesian ridgeback mix. He's going on 2 and we've had him just over a year. He's finally coming into his own and showing his personality. When we adopted him, we had to pull him from the back of his cage. He was so scared of everything but my wife. He had no self confidence, his head was always down and his tail never wagged. But now that he knows he's got a family, he's such a goof ball. He likes to steal food off the counter any chance he gets. He punches me with his nose and now cuddles with me at night. He's definitely still a mommas boy, but he likes to run and play in the yard. He follows his sister lyla everywhere. They've even successfully ruined a perfectly nice (and expensive) couch by sitting on the back of it looking out the window all day long. I love dogs, and couldn't even imagine a life without them. I seriously look forward to coming home to see them and having them jump all over me in excitement. I hope you find yourself a new buddy that you can love and hangout with and find so much joy in. Please, follow up when you get a new dog.
Aww, I love dogs and am really enjoying seeing all the pictures of MGoPups.
I think MGoBun Leo (profile pic) might think he is a dog. Rabbits, being prey animals, tend to be understandably cautious of new people/situations. Not Leo. He's all "HI! I have never seen you before but pet me! Let's be best friends!" He's half Flemish Giant though and Flemmies are usually pretty laid back and friendly.
I'll keep our two beagles on the leash. They lose their minds when they see a rabbit.
They'd really love mine, then. My two combined weigh over 18 lbs.
Here are Blue and Maizey in 2014. We sadly had to have Blue euthanized shortly after this, He was a Plott Hound mix. Maizey, who though she looks like a 2/3rds scale Blue, is a completely different kind of dog (25% percent Shar-pei, rest mixed about seven things). Blue was a very good dog. Maizey is still a great dog, but unfortunately lives with my ex wife now.
Odie, a little chihuahua/dachsund mix goes back and forth between our houses with my daughter. Odie is okay, but not a nearly as good a dog as Blue or Maizey.
ZEKE
We've had three MGoPodles (miniatures), named Stormy, Henry Poodle (named for a Winnie the Pooh character named "Henry Pooh-tel") and Tashi (short for Hamantash -- we got him on the Jewish holiday of Purim, when we eat a three-corner pastry with that name)
We chose our first poodle for allergy reasons, and it turned out they are very smart and wonderful companions, just wonderful dogs. You should see a poodle smile. They're always happy. And my wife swears that she heard Stormy call her, "Mom."
Tashi loves watching Michigan football with me and gets as upset as I do when things go wrong.
When my daughter grew up she also got a poodle, and she takes him everywhere, and I mean everywhere. He goes with her to work. We've gone on vacation with him to Mexico and Florida. He even went to her dissertation defense when she got her Ph. D. Of course, he had to leave the room when the committee deliberated, but I think they didn't want to have to face him if they turned her down. That's a joke, I assume she'd have gotten her Ph. D. without him, but it's a good thing we didn't have to test it.
My wife and I are into pits and pit mixes. Our current dog, Penny, is a pitbull / Staffordshire mix that is about 80 pounds of pure spoiled brat.
Our dog, a chocolate lab named Buster, is happy 100% of the time, and it's hard not to appreciate that. He's 12 and is going to be our last dog. But if i got another one, I'd get an English Mastiff.
God made dogs because he knew we were going to have it rough down here.
We had a Dalmatian for 12 years. Had to put him down 4 years ago. Still think about him every day
I've owned 5 Irish Setters, and currently have one Irish and one English. I love the setter breeds. Irish are big, goofy life lovers. They need brushing, but really don't shed (the English sheds almost like a Labrador). Irish are great with kids, but not the best obedience dogs. All of mine have been good with almost anything you do, as long as they are included. One of them had a little anxiety/separation issue (all but one was a rescue situation). I also had one that had severe epilepsy that could not be effectively treated.
I'd be glad to answer any questions you might have about the breed.
Great information. Do you know of any rescue or breeders I could find a puppy Irish Setter? Im in the Ann Arbor area.
I am in Oklahoma, and have dealt with Irish Setter Rescue of North Texas. You can find them on Facebook, Glenna O'Dell runs the rescue. Great lady. She might have contacts in your area. There is also a national rescue through the Irish Setter Club of America. Finding Irish puppies in rescue is really pretty rare. You can at times find young setters, less than a year if you are patient, but I've seen no more than a handful of true puppies over the years. Males are more frequent than females and the females go pretty fast unless they are a bit older.
I know there are breeders in your area, though I'm not familiar with any of them. If luck is with you, they do from time to time, have an older dog that didn't get purchased that they will part with at a discounted rate (similar to the fee for rescue). Irish Setter puppies in my area go for upward of $1000. Way more than I ever wanted to pay, especially when there were rescues available.
Wow! You don't see that breed much anymore.
Awesome dog!
I know. Rough Collies are amazing dogs. Nothing like them. While other dogs are nice, they are a breed apart. I get stopped all the time with him. If I had him when I was single I would have cleaned up with the ladies.
Told a friend whose lab just died to get a Collie. She got one and is absolutely in love with the dog, like I am mine.
Hey, why the long face?
It truly blows my mind people invest so much time and money in a filthy animal.
I see you're trying to double down on the -99959340 points.
in my 36 years of life, I have learned a few things. One, is to not trust people who do not like animals.
I love animals. I think the idea of one living inside a human residence is outrageous.
humans have been sharing living quarters with dogs since the discovery of domestication. Get a husky or malamute. They may blow their coats a few times a year (get a roomba), but they require minimal bathing. Their coats are hydrophobic and shed water.