whats the best the worst the easiest or the hardest breed to own??
i reckon the easiest is the retriever! the best-a siberian husky ofcourse! not sure about the hardest,although a husky is a handfull!!! any thoughts?

staffie's. my max is 9 and still a nutter. i think they stay puppys forever

Easiest I would say a Labrador, hardest Border Collie.  Not just from a physical point of view but more so the mental.  Although I love them dearly and wouldnt swop them so they are also definitely the best.

How long is a piece of string? Most people find bcs hard work. I do agility with mine and watch people desperately trying to encourage a lazy lab or retriever around a course and think what hard work they are. Two of my collies are rescue because they came from homes that couldn't cope with them, they were too much like hard work for them. Huskies are difficult if you live in a flat with a pokey garden with a two foot wall but if you lived in the frozen North you would be ever grateful for thei toughness, working attitude and sixth sense for danger. Horses for courses as they say! :-) 

It depends on what you're looking for and comes down to individual dogs. My retriever is the most difficult dog i own. She tends to be nervy and headstrong, and isn't as moivated to do things when i ask. My collie however is the easiest, she is incredible intelligent and learns fast as long as i know how to train her, and when she is out on a walk as long as i have a ball she never leaves me and ignores everything else. Like theprevious poster i find their eagerness much easier to deal with. Trying to motivate my lazy retriever can be hard work sometimes. Exercise (mental and physical) for me is no problem as that is why i have the dogs.  I think unless you have lived with the breed you can't really guage who is easiest. I would have to say i probably couldn't live with a husky, even though they are beautiful, because i like my dogs to run off lead.

good points! just interested on views of different breeds.i dont find my sheltie easy going,shes nervous and walking her is a chore as shes constantly running round my legs and hiding! on the other hand,my mums retriever is so placid and willing to please,she makes both my dogs look monsters!!!!

Spanish Water Dogs.  Easy to train, willing to please, love learning new things.  Downside, if people are not willing to put the time in to socialise and train them then forget this breed.  Socialisation with people is a must as they can be wary (NOT NERVOUS) of people that they don't know.  If they are trained incorrectly and are allowed to do things at an early stage that people don't want them to do later on a Spanish Water Dog will not forget what they were shown to do as a puppy so will continue to do it :d

Hard handling, forget it in any breed but a Spanish should never be handled heavily, you won't do the dog any favours or yourself.

my schnauzers are very stubborn and mischevious!

I also think that you get huge differences within the same breed - my own dogs characters range from so chilled out they're practically horizontal to bouncing off the walls and worried about anything new. Age also plays a big factor - a youngster can be very hard work in most breeds but change completely once they have grown up mentally.

I too like dogs that are eager to work as I like to have a go at lots of different doggy activities with them and would find it really frustrating to have a breed that just ambled through life - maybe once I've retired :D

Yvonne

Golden Retrievers and Great Danes are my fave! Big, Slobbery, Gorgeous! love em! :)

My lab bitch is very laid back & yes the ideal dog for an "older" (!) couple......her son is a bouncy boisterous pup still, at 19 months...not ideal for these 2 old codgers, I suppose, but has made life so much more fun...:D :D :D

Well my Shar Pei are pretty difficult, stubborn, independant and very willful!  Although fantastic to train they are not obediant!  My friend has a curly coat retriever who has been an angel to own from day one.  Also have a few cavaliar king charles at the classes my boys go to and they seem very easy.  Definately wouldn't recommend Shar Pei for the novice dog owner - we have had a sharp learning curve with ours!  Shar Pei are on the good side very affectionate, intelligent and gorgeous.

Solid black, german import GSPs - the worst, without a doubt!  Far too intelligent for their own good:  they problem solve and make decisions. Exceedingly high hunt/prey drive:  the red mist descends, the brain leaves the body and the hearing aid gets switched off.   You can never tire them physically, but the more mental work you give them, the more you increase their problem solving abilities.  These skills are generally applied to the sort of things you wouldn't want them applied to - ie how to open every door in the house (be it lever, latch or knob), how to undo bolts,  how to remove the screwheads out of handles and take them off the door that way, how to get onto the roof of the outside loo by utilising the nearby californian lilac as a stepping stone, how to climb trellis work, how to remove the membrane from underneath the gravel in the garden, how to open the oven and remove whatever is cooking in it (amazingly without ever burning himself!) etc etc.  I must be the only person I know of who has bolts on the outside of my living room door to keep my dog in!  Can't think how I am going to explain that one to the estate agent if I ever come to sell this house.  Love him dearly though!  (Well, most of the time!)  :-)

Your post about GSPs made me laugh - and reminisce!  I had a liver and white GSP bitch (Wittekind line).  She was a nutter!  Went COMPLETELY deaf whenever she was chasing something!  She was a character.  Had a litter of 12 gorgeous pups before being spayed.

Nikki123

I have friends with GWPs and they appear to be the same, let themselves out of kennels. Think they know best etc. They have had pointers for over 40 years and still find them a challenge!

You can't beat a Cavalier for the best breed ever! They are big enough to be proper doggy dogs and go on long walks, and small enough to pick up and cuddle, and they're so loving and snuggly. They do have a bit of a mind of their own, and might take a long time to teach a proper recall in the park, as opposed to a wag of the tail that says 'yes I hear you, but I'm just going over here first!' But they are the most beautiful friendly happy dogs I know of.

Hi
  I think one of the hardest breeds to train to do "anything" is the Basset Hound, they like to have their own way, do not like to be left alone and are really stubborn.
But I wouldn't own any other breed as they really make you laugh at all their funny ways.
Carol

i once heard someone say that a mongrel is easier to look after than a purebred?but isnt that generilising too much? i know some mixed breeds sometimes are less prone to defects and health problems,but easier to own?!?????

Well my mongrel was not healthier than a pedigree she had HD, a heart defect, eye problems & exceptionally nervous & much harder to train than my pedigree dogs

The best breed has to be a staffie for me, probably one of the hardest as they are very headstrong and seem to have a goldfish memory which can be frustrating.  They are highly intelligent animals and do learn very quickly although whether they apply what they've learnt is another matter ;).  Grew up with a greyhound, lovely dog but very quiet and didn't seem to have much life in him (until he did a runner every time I took him out!).  My other fave is a black labrador, my grandparents owned one and he was very mischevious until the end, similar temperment to a staff.  Worse dogs in my mind are yappy, snappy little dogs, maybe they feel they have to prove themselves 'cos they're so small but they are so annoying - sorry to owners of well behaved small dogs, I am sure they are lovely :)

I think that the only reason it's said that mongrels are healthier is because they don't have the health checks that pedigrees do, if they did they'd come up with exactly the same problems in my opinion. I could be wrong but until every breed of dog and mongrel are tested then I don't know how they can say that any breed/x is healthier than the other!

The easiest IMHE are GSD's. eager to learn, willing to please and so so loyal, I just love 'em. But like any breed, can be a handful with the inexperienced owner.

The most stubborn, devil like, immature, complex, low boredom threshhold breed I have experienced is the Briard. Perhaps it's something to do with the herding breed. Highly intelligent but very quick to lose interest if life isn't stimulating enough :)

One of the reasons for this being said is that insurance companies see mongrels as healthier - or that they go to the vets less and cost less for medical treatment. Obviously there MAY be other reasons - 1) people who have mongrels don't take them to the vets, as they have paid less for them so don't see they should pay for expensive treatment - 2) They may not insure them etc .

I have a mongrel and a pedigree which are both insured and get identical medical treatment when required. To date (one is about 7 and the other is 3), they have only required treatment for injuries, not illness or inherited conditions, so I am none the wiser. My gut instinct is that (and it's only a guess)  - given equal care - the mongrel is probably, on average, the healthier :) If ALL pedigree dogs were bred with the same care degree of care that the best breeders give, then I would change my view - but I believe that there are so many badly bred pedigree dogs around that they give the rest a bad name :(

Daisy

I think that the reason that they don't go to the vets as much is because they may not be able to afford it as much and that's also why they don't insure mongrels as often because it can become quite expensive.

I've had 3 different breeds in my lifetime, Rough collies, Pomeranian's and now Spanish Water Dogs.  We only had one of the Collie's die young with cancer of the oesophagus.  One Pomeranian die young due to a bee sting.  Dilita my SWD died at 12 years of age with illness only a few weeks before she died.  The Pomeranian's have all lived on average until 16 years of age.  The Rough Collies into their early teens and hopefully the Spanish into their mid-teens.

Now it can't be that I'm lucky with my dogs.  I don't think that the pedigree world is as bad as some try and make it out to be, just that the different health factors are looked into when the odd case comes up, whereas in a mongrel it may not be looked into as vigorously??

It's certainly a difficult question to answer - I'm sure that a lot of people just don't take mongrels to the vets until they it's too late :( Insurers only base their rates on the claims that they receive - that's why certain breeds are more expensive, because it just costs the insurers more to cover the claim :) I assume that the insurers only base on their claims - they could base their figures on statistics from vets which would be more informative.

Daisy

I used to think that mongrels were less likely to have health problems, but my boy had his fair share. I had a collie X that had middle ear disease and had 5 operations on his ears, then he was allergic to everything and finally, he died of cancer when he was 12. Pet Plan must have hated me, but I never thought of not insuring him becuase he was a cross and more importantly, WOULD take him to the vet without any hesitation when I knew he was not right. I must have been really unlucky healthwise with him, but he was my life for 8 years.

I don't think the reason they don't take their dogs for treatment is not because of the breed, but because they are not responsible owners. In general, insurance for crosses are cheaper because they less like to have the same problems pedigrees have.

mmmm, I think it depends on the individual dog not necessarily the breed, one mans meat is another  mans poison or so they say.... :-) I love working bred BC's but I know a lot of people that find them too much. My first boy has ignored my commands and gone on and gotten me eliminated as he wasn't convinced that was what I really wanted, the same independence gets me out of trouble when I stuff it up. Yesterday he was going really well and then I fell over... I shouted a command at him for the next obstacle and he just kept going and we got placed. I don't mind his occasional "mishaps" as I love a dog that can think for itself and the upside is that he will break his neck for me even if it's not what I thought I asked him to do :-) I don't find BC's difficult but I went into it with open eyes knowing just how much work was involved. Anyone that gets a dog without thinking about the effort that's needed with their chosen breed is always going to find it hard work. I have to say though that flat coated retrievers are certainly not easy dogs and most of the ones I have seen are like a retriever with a collie brain, they are enthusiastic, bouncy and faster round an agility course than most people seem to expect, I love watching them run, they are wonderful :-)

I would say our staffie is the easiest dog to own, he only wants one walk a day in the morning then wants to sleep the rest of the time... :)

My Staffs have been remarkably easy to train and are exceptionally obedient, eager to please and never challenge me.

My bassetts and petit basset griffon vendeens on the other hand were a nightmare to train, constantly challenging and conveniently deaf when it came to anything but food! :-)

All I can say is, I personally think I own the best, but FAR FROM the easiest breed. I agree with Hairypooch's earlier posting as I too have a delinquent, teenage, ratty, far too intelligent for his own good, bolshy, mouthy, pain in the backside BRIARD!!!!!!!! But you just have to love them!!! :-o

Julia

Hi Julia, how are you? ;)

How's Barney???? I won't ask if he's grown up yet, 'cos we both know the answer to that!!! :D I've yet to meet a Briard that has grown up :P

Callie, so far.......touch wood and all that, is turning out to be easier than Monsterman was at that age, of course she might well be slow in catching up :rolleyes: He might have been more delinquent than her and still is but he's far more rewarding.... ;) Or is that just blatent favouritism??? :D

Will PM soon x

Retreivers I think are easier to train I think. all it took with mine was to repeat a command a few times and he learns. When we taught him to take a treat out of our hands "nice" it took me to guide his mouth to my hand slowly three time and he was expert. I was really lucky with his toilet training. Like most pups he had an accident at night until me and my boyfriend went away for a long weekend and he stayed with my inlaws who have an 11 year old retreiver. After spending three nights with her he came back to us completely toilet trained although i am still in the habit of getting up at 5am to open the back door and let him out. I think we were extremely lucky with Chester.

Biased opinion for me , i think my goldens are the easiest breed i have owned (reason why i have 4 :P). Hardest dog i've owned were my late 2 sibe huskys , they were such a hassle to correctly leash and housebreak.

I think the temperament of the breed and owner being a good match makes all the difference.

I have owned two breeds (Belgian Shepherd and Norwegian Elkhound)and had dealings with a fair few others that freinds own, and I have had them to stay. 

I am most familiar with living with for at least a few weeks, Dobermans, Welsh Springer Spaniels, GSD, Golden Retrievers and Border Collies.

The more different breeds I have become familiar with the more they convince me that my present breed is the only one for me :D

As for ease of training there is a difference between the dogs ability to learn something and it's willingness to do what it has been taught :D :D :D

My own breed is very quick to learn anything, but in order for it to do what you ask (note ask not tell) it needs to know that there is soem point (something in it for them) :D

As for Goldens I took my freinds girl out every day with mine until she ruptured her cruciate.  Lovley as she is talk about thick.  She would chase birds that were in the sky.  She woudl get into the River and swim back and forth after the diucks that would always be ahead of her.  Now my own dogs will chase a squirrel, but once they know it is out of reach, they shrug their shoulders and do something else.

true about the chasing thing :P But my goldens also stop chasing if its too far. They even chase birds in the sky!

-- Wondering , anyone train a sibe husky to be off lead? I've never managed to do it :p

>She would chase birds that were in the sky.

One of my dals does this - also low-flying aircraft ... ! :o I think his hunting instinct is a little overdone! :rolleyes:

>> As for ease of training there is a difference between the dogs ability to learn something and it's willingness to do what it has been taught :D :D :D

>> My own breed is very quick to learn anything, but in order for it to do what you ask (note ask not tell) it needs to know that there is soem point (something in it for them)

Oh yes - My Mals are the same, they are very quick to pick things up but there has to be a point to it when you want then to perform said task. Throwing something for them to retrieve is a no go (unless it has food inside ;) ) They are of the mind that if I threw it away I obviously don't want it so there no point in retrieving it.

>> Now my own dogs will chase a squirrel, but once they know it is out of reach, they shrug their shoulders and do something else.

Again my two are the same, anything on the ground is considered fair game, but once it has taken to wing or gone up a tree they stop as they know they have no chance and it's not worth the effort.

Yep typical spitz logic :D

Out of all the different breeds I have had, I will say the hardest to trust they will listen when something more interesting is about has been my Jack Russells.  They are lovely intelligent little dogs but out in the open they would rather follow thier nose or a rabbit than acknowlege you exist.  Select deafness they suffer from.
Easiest I have found German Shepherd.

Bev

That is quite interesting as I ahve found those who like my breed often ahve or do own terriers.

>Select deafness they suffer from

Ah yes , selective hearing my dogs have as well!

It's a good job everyone likes different breeds or the dog world would be a very uninteresting place. 

The easiest dog I've owned is a sheltie bitch.  She's an absolute delight and everybody loves her, especially children as she's so gentle.  However, my other two shelties are not like her in that way at all.  Fine with me but reserved with strangers.   Border collies need mental stimulation or they can be nutty but they are still a favourite of mine.  The hardest dog I own/have owned is a papillion.  Absolutely mental, lively is not the word for it.  At almost seven months she's still not reliable housetraining wise.  With the door open she will still go in the house.  As for a recall, forget it.  But she is the most affectionate little thing and loves everybody so I can easily forgive her.  As she matures hopefully she will calm down a bit.

Hmm...my cocker spaniel loves chasing birds on the beach...she'll keep running into the water until she needs to swim even tho' the birds have taken off a long time ago! And then she finds a new batch to chase! She jumped into the duck pond in the park and chased a duck half way across before responding to me to come back!  As she started coming back the duck came after her so she naturally turned and went after it!  funny at the time!!!  She's a great little dog tho' even if she doesn't really like other people!  As for our collie x (we think with lab and possibly dalmation in there somewhere!)  He's fantastic with people, not interested in chasing birds but will chase a ball.  Again a great dog although he has destroyed our own pond, his bed and anything else he can lay is paws on!  No matter how many toys he has!

I reckon its an individual thing as some folks will find the behaviour of one type of dog easier to cope with than others.

So there cant be a best for everyone it has to be best for the individual

Well Lana who is a SWD and has nearly 5 week old pups at the moment is a nightmare.  She keeps on opening the Pomeranian puppies cage, she knows how to lift the handle and nudge it.

Last week I popped out of the room for about 2 minutes, she'd opened her puppies pen and also let the Pomeranian out and they were all running around the living room having a great time.

A friend has loaned me her puppy pen for the SWD pups, within a day she had learnt how to lift the latch up on the gate and open it.  Luckily the pups are too small to get out of it.  We've even attached a rope around the Pom's cage to stop her and she soon found out how to unfasten it!

She's just way tooo intelligent, but a lot of fun :d

My easiest dog so far has been my Alaskan Malamute
Hardest Dog my Labrador
Best dog??? GSD :)
Easiest to train? My Border Collie