I have been reading the topics on the "searching" thread and its amazing how many breeds are on there that i have never even heard of.If theres a breed i dont know i go to google and images and see what it is.I wondered if there are any others out there that do the same or is it just me being a novice? :)

Good on you :D  I wish people would research more hwen they decide on a breed of dog for their family, sometimes they would be far better suited to a breed that is less common than the usual GSD, Lab/Golden, Springer, Collie, Staff or Jack Russel that are the breeds most people have heard of off the top of their heads.

Also there would be fewer takers for strange crosses if they realised that there was probably a breed with the traits they were hoping for already in existence.

Had you heard of my breed?  Chances are you hadn't yet they ahve been in this country since the 1870's and in fact were three times  as numerous in the 60's.

I do exactly the same thing guiness!

Every time I come across a new breed, I immediately go off and Google for it too. I am curious and always keen to learn more :)

I had encountered your breed, Brainless, before I found this site. We used to meet a beautiful bitch regularly on our walks and I was very taken with her :)

If I rember rightly you live in the Emerald isle?  I beleive they are quite a popular pet over there, they register more with IKC than we get in UK yet far fewer people show them over there.

I have heard of Elkhounds but didnt know anything about them till recently.They are lovely looking dogs but looks alone dont mean that they will be the right dog for you.
A while ago there were alot of lovely dogs for rehoming on a rescue site,huskys and malamutes.Though stunning looking dogs they would be no good for us as a family or the area/house we live in.Its a shame as they were the most beautiful things i have ever seen.It would of been so easy to just go and adopt without any research and then found that you just couldnt cope.I do wish people would do the research before making any commitment.It would solve alot of problems with dogs in rescue or being returned to breeders.

This is what amazes me about the Huskies and Mals and the numbers bred each year.  I thought my breed was independent, but they are a doddle compared to these breeds yet Huskies are bred in the thousands compared to our 20 litters a year,even the poor Mals have attracted soem puppy producers.

There are so many at the moment in rescues its unbelievable.There are also alot of westies,which is a bit strange.They are usually quite a quickly snapped up pup.Then you find we are getting the usual overflow of GSDs and Staffies.They always seem to be the most put upon dogs.Its a pity that some people dont think when breeding these unwanted dogs,dont they realise that too many are already out there looking for homes.I think there should be something done about tighter restrictions on breeding.These puppy farms MUST be stopped some how.They are breeding these poor animals with health problems and they are not adjusted to a home life either.Its no life at all for the poor things.I know that many tell you to walk away from the puppy farms then the buisness will stop but how can you let them suffer like that.I dont think i could.Id like to go and buy the whole farm full of dogs.Then at least i would know there was no more over breeding and no more suffering.Even then the farmer would probably use the money to buy a bigger and better farm.Dont think i can ever win. :(

Unfortunately among people that view dogs and breeding as supplyng a product it really is supply and demand, of there wasn't the demand (people were educted enough not to buy a dog that they could not make a long term commitment to, and were able to provide the right sort of lifestyole for it) then it wouldn't be profitable for the puppy farmers to produce their product.

I think the Huskie/Malamute resucr problem was largely caused by the Snow dogs type film, and soem advertising using them.  A year or so later (often a lot less) people want rid.

Westies sadly ahve long since ben a puppy farmers cash crop, along with Cavaliers, Labs etc.

I dont understand how people can use these poor deffenceless animals just to make money with no regards to the animal what so ever.They dont give a damn about their health or welfair at all.How could they walk into the sheds everyday and see such suffering and be able to turn a blind eye?Do these people actually know anything the type of dogs they breed or just breed them regardless? Do they get vets treatment? I dont know alot about the way this sort of thing is run and dont know if i really want to either.Though i do think that more about it should be shown on the tele and the papers and the net then maybe people would know what to look out for when buying a pup.Another idea is to name and shame wether its legal or not.

>> even the poor Mals have attracted soem puppy producers.

Far more than some unfortunately :( In the last BRS, only 1/3 of the breeders that had litters registered adhered to our clubs Code of Ethics, and of those 1/3 it is doubtful that all hip scored and eye tested which will reduce the number even further. It is very sad :(

Malamutes are wonderful looking dogs but they need an awfull lot of time and exersize (if i am right in what i read?).Have aslo heard that they have a loud bark/howl and are very vocal.I wish i had a farm in the middle of nowher,then i would go and buy one of each breed that i like (after researching it of course) and give it all the time and attention and love it needed.There are so many dogs that would fit into our lifestyle,its so hard to choose which one.My OH is a big fan of GSDs so i doubt i will get alot of choice in which breed we have.Not that im bothered by that as i do love my two GSDs to bits.I suppose my OH is a calming influence and sees reason where as i dont.There have been times when i have seen some poor dog being given away as the owner no longer wants and ive felt sorry for it and wanted to take it in.The OH has put his foot down and said NO.Its a good thing though or we would be over run with a houseful of cross breeds by now. :)

I too Google to have a look at all the different breeds.  Although of course having a rare breed maybe this is why all the other new breeds interest me.  Also makes me wonder why we are getting so many crossbreeds at extortionate prices when there are so many different breeds to choose from.  (Says me who imported a new breed (although centuries old) 13 years ago :d).

>Also makes me wonder why we are getting so many crossbreeds at extortionate prices when there are so many different breeds to choose from

Ah, but they aren't mere crossbreeds are they? They're designer dogs! Hence the ludicrous cross breeding and the stupid prices. Grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

Guiness, I've always been a dog breed anorak from being a youngster! I'm pretty clued up on what most KC breeds look like, but I'm always willing to learn more and am forever Googling exotic breeds. Nothing wrong with being a novice as none of know everything and I for one am forever learning new things. It's all good fun.

I remember about a decade ago when there was a sweet old Norwegian Buhund who lived near me and his owner said I was the only person in 13 years that knew what he was without being told!

I am always ridiculously pleased when someone actually knows they are Elkhounds, rather than the usual insistence that they are Huskies or Akita's. 

Duh you would think with five (now 4) I would know what they were!

I see a sealyham sometimes near me- and when i said oh he's a smart little sealyham, the owner said- oh everyone thinks he's a westie!!! quite shocking we thought as his body is a totally different shape, but i think people these days just have their own list of breeds, and dont expect others.
I also find that people assume the norwegian lapphund is some sort of malamute. Quite different dogs tho!
I think that westies may be seen in recsue alot as they have lots of health probs- ie skin, people dont research them and then decide they cant commit.
The only breed i hadnt seen but have known about was the neopolitan mastiff, i met one at work the other day called cerbs, and he was a lot shorter than what i thought he'd be, but alot more friendly too! It was really sad as kids were petrified of the dog, and he was just dying to play- but at 50kg he could do some damage i suppose.
I dont think the majority of people these days have interest in stopping to ask you about the breed anymore, i remember i was a kid and people would always stop and chat about your dogs, whether they owned dogs or not. Its changed now

maggy

Brainless, some of the questions I get asked are hilarious. NOBODY has known what my Tibetan Mastiff is! He's usually accused of being a GSD cross, with more near the mark guesses being Newfoundland, 'Burmese' Mountain Dog (I can't even be bothered explaining), Mamalmute?!, and Pyrenean. No, I tell a lie, an old woman at a dog show knew what he was and gleefully proceeded to tell me that her friend had one and when he was 18 months old he attacked her friend and had to be put to sleep - all this while my puppy was sat on the floor happily being hugged by a 5 year old child who'd fell in love with him. Wicked old crow!

The shar-pei were even better as I used to have a mother and daughter, the daughter being an unusual long haired one. Are they pugs, chows, them japanse fighting dogs, akitas, huskies, them wrinkly dogs, that's a lovely neo puppy (said about the mum) and my all time favourite was "are they a male and female like a lion and lioness?" because the longcoat really did look like a small black lion. I thought that last one was really cute!

Oh my god chrisjack,you have got me on google again. he he he he.More dogs to look up.Some of the names im finding hard to pronounce let alone think about what they could look like. :)

yep the neopolitan to me is gorgeous! hagrids dog from harry potter is one!
From a piccy you dont see the dog as he really is, you have to see one in the flesh guiness- now theres a challenge for ya...

HA,i have seen one of those.Afriend use to have one.Stunning dogs all round.Another friend had a dog de bordeaux (appologies if spelt wrong),and although a bit scary at first i found him to be a big soppy old boy.Very strong on the lead and extremely affectionate. :)

I found this site quite by accident one day but spent ages looking at all the breeds. Many of them are not my cup of tea at all but fascinating nonetheless :)

Dear Phoebe,
                Do you ever think that maybe if you had bought your TM puppy form a good successful line ,and from a breeder and exhibitor that may have known what he was doing your TM may actually look like one
                          Love Wes

I take it Phoebe that the response from Wes is a windup as I cannot find ANYWHERE in your post that states that your TM doesn't look like a TM and that other people who are not up on breeds have been confused by their own lack of breed knowledge and have classed it as a dog that they know and recognise - I can certainly see where they would get both Newfie and Bernese ideas from :)

Wes - the sire of my pup is so horrid and not typical of the breed that he was BOB at Crufts in March. And you well know that as you were on the other end of the lead at the time...

...don't worry Boxer Mum - he's the wind up merchant that actually bred my TM puppy. :D

That's ok then (thought it was :) ) just couldn't stand another post going off the rails :D