[philjam]

Have been a life long lab person, so the lab is my choice. My labs have been trained, to flush and retrieve, water and land. They are also good, to very good, protection and alarm dogs. I will qualify that, any lab person would know how to disarm a lab into their "lick you to death" mode. Labs are big enough to keep you warm at night. Which is OK unless it snores or farts a lot. The worst thing about labs is they die too soon.

 

[The_Blob]

Labs are big enough to keep you warm at night. Which is OK unless it snores or farts a lot.

:lolsmash: that is SO true... :lolsmash:

The worst thing about labs is they die too soon.

also too true my 12-yr-old 'Big Dummy' has cancer, chemo only has < 30% to be effective... I've decided to let him live his life fat & happy until he starts to have pain/symjptoms that affect his quality of life. He's enjoying the extra spoiling, a LOT. I'm not sure if I'm going to get another dog anytime soon after he passes tho...

 

[PopPop]

I have had Labs almost forever and my Jake is a beloved companion. We also have a Yorkie, Joe Joe and he is like a furry tick. God help me, but I do love em both. My belief is that a dog, like a child, are only gonna be as good as you make them.

 

[Sonnyjim]

Labs would be good dogs, but my golden retriver would be a great prepper dog because she will eat ANYTHING. I blanched about 5lbs of carrots from the garden last year and use those as all natural organic free treats instead of spending money on expensive treats. She LOVES them. She'll eat spinach, corn, peas, dried fruits, potatoes, fish, zucchini, pickles, you name it. Unfortunately one of her self-staple diets is fox and coyote poo from behind the house

 

[BadgeBunny]

I have had Labs almost forever and my Jake is a beloved companion. We also have a Yorkie, Joe Joe and he is like a furry tick. God help me, but I do love em both. My belief is that a dog, like a child, are only gonna be as good as you make them.

My sister had a Yorkie ... The nurse at my doctor's office has one ... based on what they have both told me your description pretty much sums the breed up ... LOL (But danged if they aren't cute!)

I am more of a big dog kinda gal ... I love my German Shepherds!

We had Labs when I was growing up. Have to agree with others comments to the overall usefulness of the breed. Good Lord they are "stinky" though!

 

[carolexan]

I have a female chocolate Lab that is about 8 weeks old. When she grows into her paws she will be a big girl! She is a good swimmer and loves to fetch. I noticed she will eat out of the cats litter box when she is in the house...must be a Lab trait. Yesterday morning she had dragged a small deer carcass up on the porch. A natural born hunter.

 

[GoldenBoys]

Labs are big enough to keep you warm at night. Which is OK unless it snores or farts a lot.

Very true! I have a pair of goldens - one farts and the other belches, usualy right in your face!

 

[BizzyB]

Australian Cattle Dogs. Fast. Territorial. Smart. Fearless. Fiercely loyal to their people. Our two have managed to scare the :bullit::bullit::bullit::bullit: out of almost everyone who comes over. (They are well-trained, but we let them 'alert' us when someone is at the door.) Not good for retrieving much of anything, though.

 

[UncleJoe]

If your asking from a security aspect, here's an 8 page thread you could look at.

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f23/best-guard-dog-87/

 

[sunny]

Okay, I read through the 8 page thread, and did alot of remembering. I came to the conclusion that the best dog for YOU is the dog you want the most.
My very best dog was a mix of Weimeraner and Australian shepherd. She was bright eyed , happy, smart, and wonderful in evey way. I got her when I was 12. She went through the moods and temper of a young girl. She loved children, like me, and chasing seagulls on the beach. As I got older she was OK with meeting boys in the woods but, if anyone started a fight with me she was between us growling. She was truely the only good part of being a bored rural raised teenager. I was devastated when she was killed and yet, that is also part of life.
I could be wrong, but I don't think of dogs as alarm systems, although they are good ones, and they are definately not the sacrificial animal to test a situation.
They are a way of life. They must be in your thoughts at all times to make sure they are safe. They have much to teach us about playfulness and delight and they will protect their pack under any circumstanses. Even a muddy beach is their best playground.

We created dogs, in the image that we wanted. Whatever image you choose, they are the best acomplishment of the human race.

 

[Ezmerelda]

I totally agree with Sunny - the best dog to have is the dog YOU want. I love my Pit-Lab mix. He's big and scary looking, but as sweet as can be.

He's a deterrent to anyone who doesn't know that he's really a big softy. His Pit side makes him aggressive to other dogs. When he was a puppy, we trained him to submit to our adult German Shepherd, but a new male dog introduced to the mix resulted in Dog Fight Central.

We had to give away the other dog. After the Shepherd died, we decided we'd have to be a one-dog family (or...don't tell my hubby...start with a younger puppy (famale this time)).:sssh:

 

[sunny]

We had to give away the other dog. After the Shepherd died, we decided we'd have to be a one-dog family (or...don't tell my hubby...start with a younger puppy (famale this time)).:sssh:

please don't start with a very young pup unless you are home to keep her off the floor until she can protect herself. Pitbulls are dog agressive, not sex agressive, but, are mostly food agressive, we learned this one the hard way.

 

[41south]

I have several different kinds of dogs, we have seven and only two are the same breed. My favorite is a Jack Russel mixed with something and I have two BIG Plott hounds outside.

I agree the choice is what suits you best, but I have found that if you pick up a dog that some scumbag has thrown out to starve, that dog will be YOURS for his life and it doesn't matter what breed they are, it seems you can feel the love when they look at you.

 

[HardenedPrepper]

I'm finally going to be picking up my new family member next Wenesday. Here's a very very short video of her, she a Chesapeake Bay Retriever... my last chessie ddied about 6 yrs ago, I miss him alot, sorry didn't recognize the video file it was taken from an Iphone"damn things".. heres a pic 6 weeks old

 

[The_Blob]

I have had many dogs of different breeds from Chihuahua to English Mastiff, I have never had a 'bad' (mean or overly aggressive) dog... of course my threshhold might be higher than most & I do allow them a lot of freedom in & out of the house.

 

[rflood]

Another Rottie is on my calendar to start looking for. My ole buddy died a while ago and I am finally up for getting another one but NO PUPPIES! I would like to get a young one either from a breeder or a rescue group. Other posters are hitting the nail on the head, it is the dog that suits you best, I've had Retrievers, Shepherd, Beagles,Lab-mix and oddly enough a Corgi (wife's dog) but I keep coming back to another Rottie

 

[Ezmerelda]

please don't start with a very young pup unless you are home to keep her off the floor until she can protect herself. Pitbulls are dog agressive, not sex agressive, but, are mostly food agressive, we learned this one the hard way.

We aren't likely to get another dog, unless we can afford a Labradoodle. Just found out the youngest is allergic.

 

[tsrwivey]

I've had Retrievers, Shepherd, Beagles,Lab-mix and oddly enough a Corgi (wife's dog) but I keep coming back to another Rottie

Ahhh, a woman after my own heart! We have two cardigan corgis & a golden. They'll let you know someone's here, however they'll likely bring their ball to greet them. Our previous corgi was slow to warm up to new people & kept our property free of animals that didn't live here, including 3 pit/rottie mixes, some goats & a bull. That dog was serious about her turf. Our male may end up being like her, he's still a pup so we'll have to wait & see.

 

[sunny]

We aren't likely to get another dog, unless we can afford a Labradoodle. Just found out the youngest is allergic.

Oh darn, that's way too bad. I'm not sure how well I could function with out my hiking buddies.
On my post, I was just warning you because my when pit was a pup he took a playful snap at one of my smaller dogs (we have 5 altogether) and caused $300 dollars worth of vet bills. He is too strong for his own good sometimes. Over a year old now and much more mature he is a wonderful addition to the group and is actually the freindliest dog on the place.

 

[lotsoflead]

Labs, I have one that will lick you to death and one that will chew your pants off.