Independent vs. dependent

Pro and cons.

I have one independent dog who can be a real pain to walk as I have to always have one eye on her in case she decides to shoot off and turn deaf. But at home she doesn't need to be glued to my side and is quite happy to be downstairs if I am upstairs.

Conversely my dependent dog is so much more relaxing to walk, he never goes out of my sight or wanders off too far but at home he has to be in the same room as me or he will vocalise his displeasure - continually.

In a perfect world a combination would be ideal, but failing that if I had to pick the least worst characteristic I'd go with the dependent character.

What are your dogs like? And which characteristic would you pick?

J

Think the sort of dog that suits you depends on your character. My breed are independent and that is the main reason I like the breed, don't like clinging dogs I much prefer thinking dogs. There are down sides to both types but as I said at the start, it all depends on what you would prefer to live with.

i like a independant one that loves me!

Jobie's pretty much in the middle, aka will ignore me when he feels like it but will not give me 5 mins alone

Have to say I like dependent dogs....providing they don't suffer from seperation anxiety.

Skye and Reah are independant in the house and don't show much bother about where I am, content with just keeping one ear up just to make sure i am somewhere around. Bruce is more dependant and likes to have me in his vision. However outside they all become dependant, especially Reah, who stays close to my side.

I think I like them just the way they are. at least I know where they are.

I guess Im really lucky and have the perfect lot, my lot are happy to stay close to me when out and about, they dont do vanishing acts, but are happy to go and have a sniff around the woods, they always come back when called, yet they are not clingy in the house.

lol that must be the nicest thing I have ever said about my lot, normaly I call em all sorts,

I guess the above is really why I love em though.

My first jack Spotty was sort of dependant.. she loved nothing more than to be near me.. although she would go for a run off in the park, she always kept an eye on me and returned the second I called. She'd sit next to me or on my lap - loved nothing more than being close and having a fuss. Yet if we had to leave her at home for the day, she wouldn't be anxious, she'd sleep. When we came back we'd get a huge fuss.
Now my second jack Missy, she was older when we got her and she was wary - not truly independent. She likes being close by to me, yet sometimes chooses to sit apart. Right now she is asleep on my jumper which I left on the armchair - away from me. She has grown to be affectionate and independent. In the park, Missy will come back if she sees I am leaving. If I called and was still walking forward, she used to dither over obeying. She doesn't get anxious now if we have to leave her at home.

Which do I prefer?
Actually, I like both - for different reasons. Each dog was their own character, and I loved - and still love - both.

Neither of my two go far when we're out. I've played games trying to hide from them but I can never escape
Inside they don't follow me around unless they think I'm doing something really interesting like getting my jacket on.

Independent every time, it is why I changed breeds. My first breed of a Pastoral breed was far too 'needy' and I found this suffocating, and too much responsibility in an emotional sense.