Welcome to Gaia! ::

Personally, I like terriers and I'll always have a soft spot for them, especially Rat and Jack Russell (short-legged variety) Terriers. I'm also very much enamoured with Anatolian Shepherds and especially Dobermanns.

I would very much like to have a Dobie when I graduate from college; they're extremely intelligent, drop-dead gorgeous, and rather more relaxed and one-person than some of the other highly-intelligent breeds (a plus for me; I intend to always have at least one dog that I compete in canine sports with, but I couldn't stand living with an Aussie or a BC because they'd drive me off the wall).

I'll find good pictures of each in a bit and add them here.

I'm somewhat obsessed with American Pit Bull Terriers, and to a lesser extent, Australian Cattle Dogs. Both breeds are very different, but both have traits that I absolutely adore.

Also, Twisted, both Sola and I support tail docking, although I'm not a huge fan of ear cropping. I won't start a huge debate, but there is nothing wrong with tail docking.

i have to say that my favorite is border collie but thats just me and with my experience... they can be such perfect dogs... for someone who is just as crazy as the breed is(that means me)... but i would LOVE to have a rotweiler, german shepherd or aussie... i dont have any idea why those breeds but... im odd... biggrin

Oh, trust me, I know that. It's just that they're smaller, which to me is a bit more bearable than a dog as big as an Aussie with that level of activity. (I know they're probably more destructive than anything, but I find them quirky. Herding breeds? Not quite so much.)

I love Dalmatians and Japanese Spitzes and I'm intending to own either one in the future. They just suit me so well as a breed. ^^

also Bearded Collies and Scottish Deerhounds are one of my favorite ones, although I doubt I would ever own one myself.. Oh, Spinone Italianos are an amazing breed. ^^ My cousin owns one, and I have never met friendlier dog than he. ^^

Seba (the Spinone)

Uh, no it doesn't affect the dog's personality. There's no evidence anywhere to support that. For that to be proven, there would have to be a breed-wide difference in personality between dogs with docked and undocked tails, and there is no such difference in any docked breed.

And reproductive organs are also natural, but I'm all for spaying and neutering. So are dew claws, but they are wholly vestigal and often cause severe injury if not removed. Natural =/= good.

I don't like it, but I don't really see any alternative. I don't really like no-kill shelters because dogs begin to go insane after about six months living in a pound, and there simply aren't enough homes.

If I had my way, all dogs going to pet homes would be under mandatory spay-neuter contracts, puppy mills would be shut down with a law mandating breeders to a limit of three breeds of per breeder (with provisos for a breeder to switch breeds), and every breeding dog would have to pass a basic temperament and physical test to be declared free of defects.

Oh, and anyone found to be crossing breeds on purpose without a specific job for the new breed to do would be banned from ever breeding a dog again, with rising penalties for repeated occurences. Any results of accidental crosses or the results of the abovemention 'designer dog' coterie would be spayed or neutered at the age of six months.

All breeders would also be required to explain to potential adopters the drawbacks of living with their breed as well as the good qualities and to have these drawbacks placed prominently on the breed club website.

As a final addition, the racing Greyhound industry would be required to place every dog that passed a basic temperamental and physical test, as opposed to just putting them down or sending a few dogs to rescue organizations.

I think that would eventually severely reduce the number of dogs in shelters, which would negate the whole problem of having to kill so many wonderful dogs for no real reason.