I had a German Shepard many years ago. Great dog. The shedding was bad. I haven’t had another dog since as they are a lot of responsibility. Maybe one more before the end. Probably would have to be a small mutt because the larger ones make travel harder.
While I love the looks of a German Shorthaired Pointer and my uncle had an amazing Norwegian Elkhound, they are too energetic for my schedule (not counting the quarantine).
We did a lot of research on healthy dog breeds and ones that really fit in our lives and settled on Miniature Longhaired Dachshunds. They need a good walk and then act as lap warmers for the rest of the day. They have lots of personality and their coats are pretty easy to maintain. I built ramps for the bed and couch and their backs are fine. They can be a bit stubborn but are easy to pick up and take out of a bad situation if one comes up. Also, they are funny as hell!
As someone who trains dogs in SAR and law enforcement, I’m not sure how to answer that question. Most all breeds have +s and -s. My Bloodhounds would be hard to beat, but, that little dog to the left is a Field Spaniel a breed that I call the best kept secret in the dog world.
I had an Irish Wolfhound/Wolf/Labradore mix that made me want a real purebred Irish Wolfhound. Fantastic breed, but too much real estate and they have short lives (8 years) Those dogs are amazing. So I’d go with a Labrador retriever.
Some dog breeds are healthier than others, but the existence of so many dog breeds isn't a form of cruelty; it's one of the best things on planet Earth.
You do realize there is a huge demand for so many different dog breeds.
And creating the different dog breeds was not done intentionally so that some would have health issues, so cruelty has nothing to do with it.
Whether or not the average pure-breed is healthier than the average mongrel is debatable, and I'm not going to get into that.
But when you choose a mongrel, you have no idea what you are getting.
Maybe it'll be a healthy one, maybe not.
If you care about health issues, the smart thing to do is to choose a healthier breed that doesn't typically have health issues that you care about.
When I get my next dog, sure I'd like a pure-breed, but I'd also like a dog that looks like it's mostly a German Shepherd, because then I have an idea of what I'm getting.
If you want a mongrel, be my guest, but there's no need to trash pure-breeds.
I'm extremely partial to Australian Shepherds too. Spooky smart, personality out the wazoo & velcro to a fault.
I'm currently on my fourth & fifth Aussies over the last 35 yrs. Soon to be a sixth when my 12 yr. old Blue Merle leaves this world, 'cause his 4 yr. old Red Merle Mini Aussie companion has never known life without a canine companion of her own.
The vast majority of AKC pure-breeds are very healthy, and that's what I'm interested in.
I'm not interested or talking about unhealthy AKC pure-breeds.
What you're talking about makes up a very small percentage of AKC pure-breed dogs.
Remember, when you get a mongrel, you have no idea what you're getting, and you have no guarantee that you'll get something healthier than a healthy breed.
This is a thread about your favorite breed, not about unhealthy breeds that are suffering.
So save your hatred of pure-breeds for somewhere else because right now you're just threadcr*pping.
Whatever mine is lol. Rescue told us lab/terrier. Loves being outside and laying across your lap. He loves the kids. I can’t even scold them without him running over trying to intimidate me. He is stubborn though, and very chatty. Needs more training. Some kind of terrier mix. Looks like an oversized patterdale or jack Russel lab mix?