What first attracted you and what helped you make up your mind?

Viv

;-)

A photograph in the local paper

Seeing the pups in the flesh :D

Actually, we were looking for a replacement Spaniel (we worked 2) and couldn't find what we were looking for. I saw a piece in the local paper and said 'they look a bit like spaniels - let's go see them'

We came home with one! She was a brilliant worker, pet, friend, guard dog, mum.............

She was a Large Munsterlander. The first of many :D :D :D

This was the way to get round OH - BCs were his favourite. Nearly changed our minds when we realised what hard work they were going to be, but I'd waited so long to be in a position to get a dog, I thought we might as well go for it properly! Now have 2 and think they're wonderful - but then don't we all think that? ;)

2 moments of complete and utter madness :D

We were actually really close to getting a weimeraner pup(every time we saw one we'd go mad-thankfully we never went to see a litter or that would have been it and we wouldn't be where we are today!) when we saw a picture in a book of a hungarian vizsla. My dad knew what they were as he had worked in a house where the guy had 2 of them(he used to be a gas engineer)and that sort of immediatley changed our minds! We then did a bit more research and the rest is history as they say :)! And the wire(s!) have always been attractive to me(knew someone with a wire dachshund who had a gorgeous expression)so when we thought about adding another dog to our lives a wirehaired vizsla seemed the natural choice!
Now I can't imagine having another breed, strange how you find one breed and stick with it, isn't it?!! Wonder what you peeps out there with different breeds think of us with only one breed!!!!

I'm a one breed person too :D  though my first dog was of a different breed altogether.  The Elkhounds are my perfect match, whereas much as I loved the BSD it was not a good match for me.

After a couple of bottles of vino, no doubt! ;) :D

yep "lesh get a Great Dane and call him Willish"

I chose my breed totally by accident. I took in my first afghan hound as a rescue...she was found wandering. That was it, I fell in love with them and have had them ever since :)

grew up with staffs so the natural choice is funny how you get tottally obsessed with one breed, saying that i am madly in love with dogue de bordeauxs, spend loads of time looking into them, its nice to learn about allsorts of breeds on here!

I watch Magnum P. I. and fell in love with Apollo and Zeus.
Mary

Border Collies:- It was completely by accident! I went to a rescue centre to pick up a male, under 6mths, GSD, got there and they showed me a 4yr old crossbreed bitch! Not impressed, she showed me round, when in the background, I spotted a 'colourful' dog bouncing up and down. He was a tri Border Collie. I asked about him, she said, "you don't want him, he's 16 months old, had 2 previous homes, very badly treated, been here ages, uncontrollable, he is, will be really difficult to train"............he now works novice at open obedience competitions and agility shows! :p So, of course I needed another one to train up, so now got a red and white tri collie too.

Next on the list is a Siberian Husky, getting one next year. But would also love, if time and space allowed: A GSD, Alaskian Malamute, Flatcoat Retriever, Leonburger, Beardie, Terveuen (grey), Australian Shepherd - I could go on forever! :D

Regards, Claire

My daughter campaigned for about 2 years for a dog - we had no breed in mind. We said when we move house we'll get a dog. Almost to day we completed the purchase of our new house an add appeared in the local paper - black lab puppies for sale - and it was days away from my daughters birthday. I rang to find only one boy left. We went to see mum and litter, and the rest is history. He choose us I am certain of it. He is our grand gentleman, kind and gentle. We now have two with another one on the way. Great dogs, wonderfully intelligent, patient, tolerant and fantastic friends.

My first pedigree dog was a Pembroke Corgi - I wanted another dog a similar size to my Jack Russell X, and thought the breed was ideal temperament and size wise. I got the Jack Russell from the RSPCA, I originally wanted a larger dog but chose her as her owner had died and she was terrified in kennels!

I now have two Miniature Schnauzers, I have no idea why I picked the breed but I have no regrets.

The choice was my daughter's, some twenty years ago, and labrador it had to be!  I am still happily "stuck" in the breed!  :)

An all-breeds dog book.    The Large Munsterlander caught my eye.  This was in about 1985/6, then I bought Dog World, saw some more in adverts, then saw 2 in the flesh, handled one for the owner & the rest is history!   Makes me sound ancient now...I was a teenager when I bought my first Munster!!!

I got Staffs as I know they have fantastic characters are very affectionate and playful, good with kids and are in my pups case completely bonkers!!

:d

GSD's were always a way of life for me from a very young age.

As far as my Briard is concerned, went to France 4 years ago, fell in love, got back, thought about it for a very long time, went back to France several times, still was madly in love and then 2 years ago realised that I would be missing out big time if I didn't have one and the rest as they say............is history :)

When I was young, our parents wanted a medium sized dog that was good natured and fitted in well in a family situation, so we had a black and white english springer.  So I grew up around spaniels, so when the time came for me to get a dog of my own, I stuck with what I knew best and went for another springer.  Now I also have 2 English cockers (show and working) and an American cocker!  But I love their nature, and they fit in well with my lifestyle, I would love other breeds, but for some reason they are mostly in the gundog group!! :D  Aside from a Great Dane, I'd love a Dane! :D

I have a dalmatian - wanted one since "spotty dog" on the wooden tops.

originally i was getting a parson russell terrier my uncle died in october and we went to dublin about 8 days and during that time his wife asked me to mind his beloved dog max a tibetan terrier i spent every day with max and i groomed him and brought him for walks and i can honestly say i fell in love with this beautiful breed so as of sunday 28th of november 2004 i will be owned by Lil a black and white Tibetan Terrier

my uncle really wanted me to see max as he knew i loved dogs just wish it had been under happier times
everytime i look at Lil i will think of my uncle

georgina

Me too - even though his movement was diabolical! :D

:-D

With Penny we "just went to look". :D :D  And came home with a pup.

With Tamino though..........I spent about a year researching breeds and half a year looking at breeders, narrowing the list down.  :) Finally I saw the breeder of my Vall, and it was love at first sight for the breed.  I then waited a further year for her next litter. :)

I had two GSDs and a Yorkie.  I was showing the GSD and always had to use a professional handler.   Too much running for me and no way a no-name owner-handler would be placed. I wanted a dog I could show myself and both the number of owner-handlers and the high cuteness factor of Cairns made me choose a Cairn.  (I love their catlike faces.)

Of course, Zoe, the "dog I could show myself" would not show for me.  A piece of liver in my hand was hardly as interesting as a microscopic piece of something that some handler dropped in the ring.   Put a complete stranger on the end of her lead and she lit up like a young child seeing pressies under the Christmas tree for the first time.  As soon as I was out of the picture she was made up as a champion in record time, beating some of the best champions.  And she was not as good as them either, she was just a little showgirl without me.  <sob>

Now I do not show, but I've stuck with Cairns because they are cute, are always happy and love life to the fullest.  Tried to talk myself out another one when I got my second dog, but didn't manage.   Would have liked a big dog, but husband vetoed that idea.

Stacey

After having labs for nearly 20 years, I fell in love with my friends German Wirehaired Pointer, spent a lot of time at shows watching the breed and when he was used at stud I had one of the puppies, rest of the family fell in love with the breed and now we have 5 gwps in the family.

Tracy

Hadn't heard of a Tibetan Terrier until I saw my friends and just fell in love with it.    Now I have two.

I always wanted a Weimeraner but had trouble locating one which hadnt been docked. I really wanted a big dog but a gundog because I wanted to do some form of work with it but I wanted something a bit different and a bit showy (I had always had Afghans and loved the attention they attracted with their pure elegance and grace) When I saw the Irish Setter at Discover dogs last year I fell in love they just look so stunning, ok so they arent rare but you dont see many about round here.  I located Fagans breeders just after crufts this year and Fagan was born a few weeks later and I love him to bits, we have another joining us in a couple of weeks, I dont think I would ever go for another breed, they arent only great to look at but they have fantastic personalities, Fagan loves to play, cuddle and talk in his own little Setter way :D :D

tara found me,she was in the local paper,free to a good home. id never considered a collie really,but a girl at the stables had 6 & was impressed by how trainable & fun hers were.
that started this obseession with BCs & obedience!!!! oh dear

We went to look at the rescue kennels and OH spotted Jazz I didnt see him as he was so nervous he wouldn't come out of his kennel.  OH asked to take him for a walk and the rest is history.  He is a black lab, OH has always wanted a lab and a great dane but after hearing the Tales of Willis I'm not sure I want one :D :D.  I can honestly say though with having Jazz I think no matter what other breed/s we have there will always be a lab.  Jazz has had his problems but that was to be expected being a rescue dog but now he is the most wonderful dog I have ever met.

Michelle :)

Grew up with Lab x Collies.  Couldn't find a similar cross when we were looking so got a BC x Springer turned out to be a wonderful cross despite my reservations.  Got a call a year ago from a friend saying a BC pup was being drowned as he was the runt - the rest they say is history!  Wouldn't swop them for world and now love BCs.  Starting agility next year!

Claire

Went to the World Show in Spain 13 years ago, myself and a friend saw the breed being shown, my other friends saw them being worked.  We got talking about the breed that we'd seen and realised it was the same one!  Got talking to one of the breeders who was doing a Discover Dogs type stand and hey presto 2 months later 2 were in quarantie and then a few months after that my girl Dilita and Relampago came to England.  Now totally hooked and have 5 Spanish Water Dogs, 4 living with me and 1 at my parents.

If you'd asked me 13 years ago wd. I be having Spanish Water Dogs I would have said Spanish What!!!  Can't believe that from Pomeranian's I went into the Spanish big time :d   They are not always the easiest of breeds but they are the most affectionate loving dogs ever !

I was looking for something different and had seen a piece on Spanish Water dogs in Our Dogs and fell in love, after lots of research seeing them in the flesh at a couple of shows and then meeting them and the mad Manchester lot !!!!(sorry Di) I had to have one, after nearly a years wait my first star arrived, then 6 months later I was lucky enough to get my 2nd.
How I wish Id found the SWD sooner, they are the most loving willing dogs ever, yes they arnt always easy in somethings but after having a weimeraner, ESS, and PLS, they are so easy to train and so willing to do anything for you.
Yes Di they will always be my stars win or lose .

Well you know me Jenny, I think the same too.  Don't care whether my dogs win or lose I just love them.  They make me laugh every day, sometimes make me cry but they are a wonderful breed especially when they are over enthusiastic and nearly break my foot :d (don't ask).  I don't think that I'll ever be without a Spanish now, it's weird how a breed can make you totally addicted.

And us mad Mancunian's, JENNY, I don't know what you mean, I'm a good girl I am!

Well all I can say about Mad Mancunians is I cant wait to see what you have all thought up for the fancy dress at the  SWD New years party, I havent thought of anything for the girls yet,it'll be har dto beat Lyns St Trinians of last year. My girls definately not going to LKA as Ive also clipped Daisy off now, couldnt stand it anymore,Abbys coat still not long enough really, but hopefully will go as a spectator and actually get to walk around for once.

We'd always had Yorkies in our family so I grew up believing I would be a Yorkie owner.  Then my sister got a Westie when I was about 18 so I decided I wanted one of them (a definate terrier family I'd say!).  Then I met OH who had always wanted a Scottie since he was a kid.  I wasn't keen as I thought they were grumpy, stroppy dogs, and I wanted the loveable affectionate Westie.  Then the more he went on about them, the more I thought of the grumpy stroppiness as endearing (I know now that the grumpy stroppiness is a misconception anyway!).  But as time went on until we were finally in a position to become dog owners (ten years!) I noticed how the world and his wife were now Westie owners (no offence to Westie owners, I still love them and my sister has one) and that maybe a Scottie was the way to go for a bit of originality.  So I did my research, came round to OH's way of thinking and about a year later I became a complete Scottie convert when Millie moved in:-D

Started off with Labs and Irish Setters in 1976, just loved the two breeds ..came out of Labs after there many problems the biggest in my mind not hips but OCD, l still see so many in the ring with that complaint..so wont touch them, after my last Irish died i had heard about the 'black setter' and wanted to know what it was...saw Sh Ch Carek Bronze Clansman and fell in love with the breed...now i have 5 and have gone back to Irish  one of my first loves and now own one then got intersted in Field Spaniels a much under rated dog , could never see me living without this noble breed you dont own them they do you a dog that gets under your skin and sucks the soul out of your body..they live so well with other breeds love love emmmm

Shelties, definitely.  I had a few growing up, amongst many other breeds, but when it came time to get my own dog (not my family's), I chose a Sheltie.  I looked around at other breeds, but there's just something about them that I like.  They're small-ish, but not so small that they're breakable.  They're hardy and can run and play with the big dogs and be rough-housed with, but they can also curl up next to you on the couch without being too imposing.  I love dogs with long hair, so that was a plus.  They're smart, and excel in obedience and agility, both of which I had previously done.  They can be crazy and hyper at times, but most of the time they just lounge around by your feet and want to be with you.  Oh man, I just love em!

I am a one breed person, but when i was at home with my parents had a totally different breed which i adored, Then many years ago we went for a boxer and got totally hooked on them and up untill recently i lived with four clowns of the dog world, but sadly im down to three now.