I have never owned a dog before, my mum and dad used to own one when I was really small and all I can remember is my dad patching up the back door again after the dog had bitten it's way through it when they were at work!  My husband had a spaniel that died when he was a child so because he experienced the loss of a dog was reluctant to get another one.  So instead, I bought a hamster and 2 rabbitts over the last few years, and finally got my husband to agree to buying a dog last year.  The plan was to wait until the christmas break and to get a rescue dog.  I didn't have much knowledge about dogs to be honest but a friend of mine has a border terrier and I love the size and temprement of her.  Anyway in October on a Friday afternoon my husband was buying hay at the pet shop and came home to say that a sign was in the window saying that a patterdale terrier needed re-homing, so the next morning I ran the couple giving her away and they wanted her to go to a good home because they were expecting their first child, so I viewed the dog at 10am and at 11am she was delivered to my home.  It was a bit of a shock at the speed in which it all happened.  To be honest that evening I sat down thinking did I do the right thing because it was mainly my idea and my 8 year old son's.  But once we got a routine in place (like having a new baby really) and got to know her as well as her getting to know us she's been a joy to have.  She's adorable as well as being bonkers and has won us all over.  My husband has gone from saying before we got her it will be your dog, don't expect me to walk her to arguing with me at the weekend as to who will do the dog walking.  My son loves her as she makes him laugh so much.  I would really recommend a patterdale, she's great in the house whilst I am at work (part-time) doesn't chew things, doesn't make a mess.  Although I have to say since having her the hamster has had to be re-homed and she isn't allowed anywhere near the rabbitts.  The only problem I would say that I have is walking her on the lead, I am training her not to pull which is improving, it's getting her to learn to recall is the problem.  If there are no distractions, she'll come back to me, but if there is something more interesting she's selectively deaf!  I will also say that despite being a small dog, she's deceptively strong, and likes to say hello to every dog she meets on her walk.

My mom had bought Casie, a pin, and I feel in love with her. 

I always wanted a dog, that would stand out.  I didnt want to have the same dog as everyone else.  So I went to a dog show, and was looking at all the different rings, and every time a dog took my fancy, then I wrote it down.  When I got home, I chatted with my mom about the breeds.  She crossed many off my list, so it left me with about 5 breeds (of course the pin being one of them)

Did lots of research, lots of chatting with people in the breeds I liked.  After seeing what Casie was like, I said "You know, I could handle one of these".  She was quiet, a cuddler, a couch potatoe.  Now, all the books I read, didnt describe this, but I had living proof that it could happen!!!  So I put the cresteds off, and decided on a min pin. 

Noticed that what I liked was:
Friendly to people
Deep Chested
Noticable stomach
straight topline
playful
Had to have something flashie about them (and with the pin, its the hackney gait)

Went 6 hours away to get my dog.  It was so worth it!  Mind you, she is the absolute opposite of Casie, but its nice. 

Mind you, the breeds that did make my list, of initital "oh I love that dog" I still make sure to watch every time I am at a show.  And they are quit diverse, from the working group Dobes, to the Springers, to the poodles. 

But ever since getting Cher, I wouldnt change my decision in the world!!!!

Because i once saw a programme about newfs who were water traininng in Italy and one jumped from a helechopper into a lake.
i thought wow that's the dog for me.

However our water trainning does not invole helechoppers etc just a man ( my husband) in a boat!!!!

thank god.
xxx

I had never seen mastiffs until a man in the village got one and used to walk her round the village, then he got another and I just thought they were fantastic. I fell in love instantly especially once I'd met them and had a cuddle!!! We got our first mastiff not really knowing what we were doing and since then have learnt alot. At this moment in time we have 4 and I wouldn't be without any of them!!

I have always been dog mad !! From a very young age I would ask every single birthday and christmas for a puppy, I wasn't fussed what type to be honest then, any puppy would have been fabulous. My parents really don't like animals though so, it never happened. I luckily found my partner when I was just 16 though and he bought me my first when I was just 17 !! She was a Boxer which was his choice as his family already owned one. She was the most fantastic dog ever and used to literally go everywhere with me, more like a best friend then a dog. When she died at 10 years old though I just couldn't bare to have another Boxer and have spent a lot of time looking at lots of different breeds. I think I may well have just found 'the' breed for us though and they are very similar, I just love those squishy type faces but, couldn't be doing with a really drooly dog otherwise I would have mastiff's in a shot !!
I do also have Cavaliers and they are a whole different story. As I was not allowed a dog of my own as a child I used to walk other peoples everyday after school and one was a tricolour Cavalier boy called Jasper. I adored him and said one day I would have one of my own, well now I have 5 !!!!

I do like a LOT of breeds though I have to admit and find it hard to resist any puppy !!

Debbie  

We chose our cavvies as they have a brilliant reputation with children and they are easy to look after and train (very willing to please) and they are so beautiful. They curl up like cats on the sofa with us and love everything and everyone!!

I love all dogs though! 

we were originally going to get two english bull terriers, we spoke to some local people and everyone of them said that they has loads of trouble with them breeding, we might sound like money grabbers, were not, but im a very soft person and i dont think i could have coped with recognised problems with the breed, so we decided to read up on staffords instead, i loved everything i read about them, besides we new that eventually we would have children so therefore this would be a perfect breed to have, now i realise that it dont matter what breed we get were always gonna have our problems, but in still so pleasrd we chose the stafford in the end, theyre so characteristic, yu could call them crazy, bit like me n partner, lol, wouldnt change it for the world, we will have 3 by the summer and if i had my way i would have a house full, id be like cesar millan, lol lol

I chose my breed as i was working for someone that breed Japanese Chins and CKCS and i chose the chins as they are characters, cleaner than the cav, there was something that was so different about them that they just clicked with me.

I have been in the breed now for nearly 12 years and i wouldn't change them for anything as i love them.

Before i started to work with them i didn't even know the breed but the first day that i met them i fell in love and would spend most of my time with the chins.

I have 5 chins now and on my 3rd generation but love to have more just don't have the pennies to get another.

   

Same as  Astarte, I was born into them.... a house full of Boxers... breeding.... dogs shows etc.

When I left home ( along with my own boxers) I had a Border Collie to do competitive obedience.When I had my baby the collie started curling her lip up at him and giving him the evil eye so the boxers would stand guard over him. My son learned to walk by holding onto their collars and used them to reach out of bounds shelves by treating them as 'steps'. They shared his rusks, got dressed up, were his constant companions, slept at the bottom of his bed  and the only days sickness that child ever had was something he got from another human.

Years later my Mum said that's exactly how I was brought up too...... so I had no choice in my breed really did I?
I've had other breeds over the years and now keep a 'few' cavaliers....same character smaller package.... but in my whole life I've never been without a Boxer.
My Mum had 4 children..... 3 keep Boxers and the fourth,my sister, hates dogs and is a cat person.

We fell in love with our neighbours beautiful husky boy, he was a brown and red almost brindle colour with gorgeous melting brown eyes.  So we thought we want one of those!  And eventually we got two a red/brown with light brown/hazel eyes and a grey/white with blue eyes - both girls.  We did all our research and we were prepared for our mischevious, capricious, intelligent, loveable, noisy, stubborn, energetic, furry bundles of joy.  Did not even consider any other breed.  We are much poorer and fitter and could not imagine life without them.