how do you ever choose?

how do you ever choose a breed of dog to own? i have been currently looking at another friend for daphni, not to get for a couple of years but im getting started early but the list is just tooooo long!! how do you ever choose which one to own? its not even like i have a size difference because there is a right mixture! bearing in mind it is early days so i havent done alot alot of research, just some breed profiles, the list so far consists of:

basset hound
boxer
bull terrier
bulldog (english)
bulldog (french)
bullmastiff
chihuahua (smoothcoat)
clumber spaniel
doberman
hungarian visla
labrador
pinscher (miniature)
pointer (english)
pug
rhodesian ridgeback
swedish vallhund
springer spaniel
weimaraner

how do you choose just 1 when there is such a big list lol! looks like i have my work cut out.

good question.

My choices have been easier as they'll all rescues (though I must admit after the 1st rescue bc I kept going back for more!)

I'm sure if I was getting a pup (and bcs weren't allowed to be on my list for whatever reason), I'd be the same as you.

Quite a nice quandry to have though isn't it - and you'll have great fun researching all the breeds and trying to reach the decision

When I was researching what breed I wanted next, my husband would ask me what my 'dog of the week' was as I kept changing my mind

First thing you need to do is decide whether you are going to asl show the next dog...

And this will narrow your choice down... to whether you want a breed that is shown on the same day as toys... or are are prepared to do two days??


Start there, and your choice will be less

i think i would have to have another one to show because i couldnt bare to leave that one behind while i was at a show with the other. having them in different groups isnt that much of an issue. i love the show scene and realli wouldnt mind staying on another day lol and also getting one in the same group also presents the problem of classes clashing with each other or me missing one i think its just going to take me a long time to decide. i like the idea of a bigger dog however i dont no if i could cope with one. how much harder is a big dog to train than a smaller dog? this is going to take me ages

No problemo - I wanted a GSD since a kid and saw Rin Tin Tin. Then the others chose me as they were rescues that just needed a home.

yeh i seem to be the same. i cant decide on just one. my boyfriend prefers the bigger dogs although he did suprise me when he said he liked chis he knows he has no choice really. its me that does the work so its me that picks the dog

by they way any info on the above breeds would be great. =] especially if you own one of them then first hand experience would be good to know =] thanks

I have never had an issue - always loved border collies and the more I found out about them the more I wanted one

Dunno if I will ever have a full BC - my collie cross mutts found me and I am more than happy
I like other dogs - but dont want one

No problem with me, either! I found it really easy to choose based on the qualities I liked in a dog.

You have quite a range of breeds on your list. Some of them are gundog type I notice. If you are into showing, just bear in mind that many of the gundog types (on your list, Clumbers, Springers, Labs and Pointers) have a very defined 'split' between show types and working types. Although they are the same breed, there are big differences in them physically (you couldn't show a working type) and temperament wise. So you would really have to do your research in that respect.

Looking at your list again, because it is so varied, are you basing those choices based on how the breeds looks? because in order to narrow it down, you really have to be looking at temperament and how that breed will fit best into your lifestyle.