I was thinking...

[zoomer]

I was thinking about my next dog, which is coming up soon. I was thinking

-Rottweiler
-Weirmeraner
-Chesapeake Bay Retriever
-APBT

I'm aware that they're all totally different breeds, but I've been researching a lot and like all of the breeds. I need help choosing out of the 4 though. Here's my profile.

-I like to swim, and would like a dog to swim with
-I want a friendly dog but a dog that will like me the most.
-I have a 1/4 of an acre, but we're moving and will have 2 acres
-Don't have much time for grooming... so short haired dogs are best.

[luvofallhorses]

I would say Chesapeake Bay Retriever. they love to swim, I think they are dog friendly..you never if the dog is going to like you the most. unless you get a puppy and you bond with it.

I don't know how much research you have done on pit bulls, but they are friendly if raised properly. you have other dogs and you'd have to be very educated on the breed since some don't like other dogs, but if you adopted a puppy..you could have it with your dogs..still if you adopted a puppy they were bred to fight but I think they are the best dogs in the world if raised properly.
I don't know if they like to swim as I want a pit bull someday and I need to be more educated before I adopt one. that is my dream dog. I LOVE LOVE the breed!

rotties are great dogs, friendly..not sure if they like to swim. (I have a mix but she HATES water with a passion!) they DO shed a lot. I don't think you can get a dog that doesn't shed at all unless it's a chinese crested or like a jack russel terrier.

not sure about weimaraners. they are cute, not sure how friendly. I don't think they shed much and I have NO idea if they like to swim!

all these dogs that you are interested in need lots of exercise! are you planning on getting a fourth dog??

I hope I made sense here.

[Tralee]

Get a mutt from the shelter

[lute]

aren't you wanting to show dogs? i would get a dog you can show. unfortinatly out of your listed breeds the pit bull can't be shown at AKC events.

[Flatcoatluver]

Get a mutt from the shelter

I agree, there are so many animals right now that need to be adopted.

[Jadapit]

Since I own a pit bull I do know quite a bit about them, also I have done a lot of research on the breed. They are an amazing breed, Ebony loves to swim, she doesn't take grooming a bath is about it they dont have much fur at all. They do have a very high engery level I walk her everyday. You must be the top dog with them they are very smart but also very hard headed at times.

When you own a pit with multiple dogs you can NEVER leave them alone together. It takes someone that is willing to watch them with your other dogs at all times. I dont allow my three to play together unless I'm watching them, I even take Ebony with me when I use the bathroom. I crate her when we leave the house. A pit bull is a wonderful dog, but you have to have the time to do all your supposed to when you own them. Check out this site. If you ever do decide to get a pit bull please rescue one and do lots of research on them. My next one is going to be rescued.

Look at the number of American Staffordshire Terrier's, scroll down look at the number of Pit Bull Terrier's. The numbers are unreal and so heartbreaking.

http://www.petfinder.com/pet.cgi?action=3&type=Dog

[k9krazee]

Your criteria - likes to swim, like you the most, friendly...is all based upon the indivial dog and its personality, in my opinion. Go to the shelter, the perfect dog will find you.

I don't think you can get a dog that doesn't shed at all unless it's a chinese crested or like a jack russel terrier.

Jack Russells shed like crazy! I can no longer wear black pants because they ALWAYS get covered with little white hairs!

[luvofallhorses]

Your criteria - likes to swim, like you the most, friendly...is all based upon the indivial dog and its personality, in my opinion. Go to the shelter, the perfect dog will find you.


Jack Russells shed like crazy! I can no longer wear black pants because they ALWAYS get covered with little white hairs!

I should have said mostly ALL dogs shed.

I can't copy this but look at the top and that'll be your answer for a dog that sheds little-none.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/lightshedders.htm

[Karen]

-I like to swim, and would like a dog to swim with
-I want a friendly dog but a dog that will like me the most.
-I have a 1/4 of an acre, but we're moving and will have 2 acres
-Don't have much time for grooming... so short haired dogs are best.

If you're not planning on showing the dog, so wouldn't need a purebred, I'd go to the shelter and get yourself the rarely adopted Big Black Dog - a young Lab mix would fit all of those criteria, except for the rare individual. And no one can tell you whether any breed, never mind even any individual dog, is going to bond with you more than your other dogs, that is completely up to how you raise it.

[Suki Wingy]

I agree with the shelter but since you said you want to show, how about weims. They are hunting breeds, I don't know too much about them but I'm pretty sure they'd fit the criteria nicley, you might want to do a bit more research on them though, go to some shows and talk to breeders, etc.

[zoomer]

Thank you everyone. I am planning on showing, so I won't be adopting a mutt from the shelter, althoguh I'd like to, my dream has been to own a show dog, so that's what I'm going to do. We won't be getting a 4th dog, our limit is 3, the reason I made this thread is because Alaska is reaching the age limit and he's not the kind of Boxer that's always healthy. He's always got some kind of problem. He's got 3 tumors right now that have a chance of growing back if they're removed, and sadly, we cannot afford to remove the tumors, because we're moving shortly, he's got a ways to go, but not long.

I was considering another dog, a Portugese Water Dog, I've researched quite a bit of the breed in the past and heard that they don't shed and LOVE to swim.

I've been thinking over the APBT, too, and have decided they're not the perfect dog for me because they need special socializing and training, and cannot be left alone with other dogs, BUT I still will be reading about the breed.

Also, just for some extra knowledge, a pit bull is not the same as an APBT, although I have called the APBT a pit bull in the past, I've learned myself that a pit bull can be a Staffy, APBT, a pit mix, and so on. So now I call them APBTs or AmStaffs or... whatever breed they really are. Not just a 'pit bull'.

My TOP choice right now is a Portugese Water Dog.

[luvofallhorses]

yes, an APBT is the SAME thing as a pit bull.

APBT = american pit bull terrier

[zoomer]

yes, an APBT is the SAME thing as a pit bull.

APBT = american pit bull terrier

I still call APBTs pit bulls since I'm stuck with it but still...

[luvofallhorses]

btw amstaffs and pit bulls are completely 2 different breeds.

[Suki Wingy]

Krista, I think she meants the legal term "pit bull" means all those breeds. I avoid calling American Pit Bull Terriers pit bulls for that reason.

Porties DO require a lot of grooming though.