Dog Choices...

[darkless]

My buddy has an Irish Wolf Hound. One of the nicest dogs ever. Only problem is that they are huge. By far one of the prettiest dog's I've ever seen though. Between your two choices, Rottweiler. Just don't let it get too vicious, my cousin almost lost his dog to one.

I have this theory wherein Irish wolf hounds are in fact mini horses and not dogs at all.

I think Irish Wolfhounds are the biggest breed of dogs, ever.

They are indeed when fully grown its not uncommon for them to be just over 4 feet tall.

Five of them on my road in various degrees of growth they start off pretty small and then spring up.

 

[Danny Ocean]

I still vote Vizsla if you can get past the docked tails.

I mean just look at them! Woosa woochie woo!

Spoiler: Woochi!

Spoiler: Woochi!

Spoiler: Woo!

 

[Xpwn3ntial]

No matter what kind of dog you get, DO NOT GET A DACHSHUND! ! ! ! ! They are evil little dogs. Yeah, when you go to adopt one, they act all cute and innocent. "Take me home with you!" But after about a week, they start to drive you crazy.

I got one of those. Luigi, I once spent an hour doing anything and everything I could do to anoy him... he licked my face.

They did that to me, too. Not two hours, though. More like half of one. They're still nicer than the average person. They're just so destructive. One of them actually dug a hole through a door to get to the other one because in the entire four years they spent together, they spent two nights apart.

 

[Aardvark]

Also a beautiful animal. But i'm worried about heat exhaustion! haha. Bothe the Dobe and the Rottie have realatively small coats, so they won't die during the summer.
If i was going cold weather, the Malamute would totally be in the running with an Akita and a few others.

I live in Australia.

If Malamutes can survive the heat down here, they can survive it anywhere.

 

[GloatingSwine]

Neither are dogs I'd go for.

I'd go for a Boxer, if I were to go for a particular breed (not Random Mongrel Type B). They have a tendency to look a bit like they've lost a fight with a train, but they're really friendly and energetic, and as they were bred as working dogs they're intelligent as well.

Need a lot of exercise though (but then so does any dog), and they tend to be a bit wary of strangers.

 

[Jamanticus]

Neither are dogs I'd go for.

I'd go for a Boxer, if I were to go for a particular breed (not Random Mongrel Type B). They have a tendency to look a bit like they've lost a fight with a train, but they're really friendly and energetic, and as they were bred as working dogs they're intelligent as well.

Need a lot of exercise though (but then so does any dog), and they tend to be a bit wary of strangers.

Plus, there's the benefit of boxers also having a short coat.

 

[Frizzle]

Also a beautiful animal. But i'm worried about heat exhaustion! haha. Bothe the Dobe and the Rottie have realatively small coats, so they won't die during the summer.
If i was going cold weather, the Malamute would totally be in the running with an Akita and a few others.

I live in Australia.

If Malamutes can survive the heat down here, they can survive it anywhere.

Just out of curiosity (non dickish tone) what are the temps down there? And is your dog pretty comfortable or does he know its hot, but just copes? (sorry, I don't live in Australia..... yet.)

 

[PureChaos]

iv'e not had either bit i'd go for a Doberman. i'm just not keen on Rottweilers. i have 2 golden retrievers and there have been many problems with rottweilers when walking my dogs.

 

[speedcoreXdandy]

Get a Rotty, they're pretty badass, whereas Dobbermans (Dobbermen?) are just bastards of the highest order.

Acctualy no, get a Husky. Huskies are great. Or even better a samoyed, like a cross between a husky and a cloud.

 

[Aardvark]

Just out of curiosity (non dickish tone) what are the temps down there? And is your dog pretty comfortable or does he know its hot, but just copes? (sorry, I don't live in Australia..... yet.)

Summers used to go to high 30s, early 40s. That's Celsius and I'm too damn lazy to do the conversions.

Ever since people started banging on about Global Warming, the temperatures have been on a steady decline. This summer is, so far, shaping up to be the coldest summer I remember.

Not my dog, the things are huge, they cost a small fortune to feed. The older one (4 years) spends the summers being lazy, the younger, larger one (11 months) doesn't seem to notice.

 

[Susan Arendt]

They're both intelligent, very trainable dogs, and can be real sweethearts if you treat them well. I'm not familiar with any species-specific diseases for those two (e.g., Dalmations are particularly prone to blindness, Weimeraners to fatty tumors, etc.) so the biggest difference is in public reaction. Both are likely to inspire fear, but the Rottie is perhaps a bit more so.

Both will require a strong hand to discipline and keep in check, so if you're not dedicated to spending a lot of time training them, you might want to check out a different breed.

 

[Bulletinmybrain]

My buddy has an Irish Wolf Hound. One of the nicest dogs ever. Only problem is that they are huge. By far one of the prettiest dog's I've ever seen though. Between your two choices, Rottweiler. Just don't let it get too vicious, my cousin almost lost his dog to one.

I have this theory wherein Irish wolf hounds are in fact mini horses and not dogs at all.

The only downside is there usually short life span.

 

[darkless]

My buddy has an Irish Wolf Hound. One of the nicest dogs ever. Only problem is that they are huge. By far one of the prettiest dog's I've ever seen though. Between your two choices, Rottweiler. Just don't let it get too vicious, my cousin almost lost his dog to one.

I have this theory wherein Irish wolf hounds are in fact mini horses and not dogs at all.

The only downside is there usually short life span.

Yeah they only live between 5 and 8 years which is short even for dogs

 

[Frizzle]

They're both intelligent, very trainable dogs, and can be real sweethearts if you treat them well. I'm not familiar with any species-specific diseases for those two (e.g., Dalmations are particularly prone to blindness, Weimeraners to fatty tumors, etc.) so the biggest difference is in public reaction. Both are likely to inspire fear, but the Rottie is perhaps a bit more so.

Both will require a strong hand to discipline and keep in check, so if you're not dedicated to spending a lot of time training them, you might want to check out a different breed.

Well from what i've read (that's all I can really do without experience) they both can have hip problems, gastric torsion etc. But nothing truely debilitating is overly common in either. I know that not cropping and chopping a Doberman makes it look like a regular hound dog, and i'm fine with that. Fewer parents to shun me from their children in the park.

I have no problem with the disciplin part, and i'll definately have time to train it (taking a long break from serious working for a while). I do appreciate you opinions though. Because i'm slightly ignorant to it, are there many countries outside the U.S. that ban either of these dogs? I know certain counties and states here in the U.S. are starting to get on that train.

 

[mokes310]

I'd go with a Pug. I've had two and they were the greatest dogs that I've ever had. They were tough, loyal, great with kids, loving, and relatively easy to train.

 

[Frizzle]

Just out of curiosity (non dickish tone) what are the temps down there? And is your dog pretty comfortable or does he know its hot, but just copes? (sorry, I don't live in Australia..... yet.)

Summers used to go to high 30s, early 40s. That's Celsius and I'm too damn lazy to do the conversions.

Ever since people started banging on about Global Warming, the temperatures have been on a steady decline. This summer is, so far, shaping up to be the coldest summer I remember.

Not my dog, the things are huge, they cost a small fortune to feed. The older one (4 years) spends the summers being lazy, the younger, larger one (11 months) doesn't seem to notice.

Haha fair enough. No worries on the conversions, Celsius is easier anyway.

On a somewhat related not. Does anyone own a dog that hunts for iteslf occasionally? Meaning when it's bored or needs a little extra food? Or do you guys with dogs feed them dry food all the time, as opposed to meat?

 

[DuncanRR]

Jack Russell Terriers are fun, but they're a handful.

 

[mokes310]

I'd go with a Pug. I've had two and they were the greatest dogs that I've ever had. They were tough, loyal, great with kids, loving, and relatively easy to train.

...and they look like they've been beaten in the face with a brick.

Well, that may be, but they are still wonderful dogs.

 

[Jamanticus]

On a somewhat related not. Does anyone own a dog that hunts for iteslf occasionally? Meaning when it's bored or needs a little extra food? Or do you guys with dogs feed them dry food all the time, as opposed to meat?

Dry food for my dogs.

Of course, that doesn't stop them for gobbling up live creatures when they're bored. They've munched on birds and at least one rat.

Why do you ask?

 

[TMAN10112]

I would say rottweiler, my cosins got one and they love'em. I have a Boston Terriar, their small, loyal, and great with little kids, and aparently are good at telling you if you have mice in your house.