Thanks for the replies everyone. Such a varied and interesting response too

I think it must have been looks first with my fav breed, GSDs, but I can't honestly remember, as I have loved them for as long as I can remember and asked for a GSD puppy every year for Christmas and Birthdays for years! I also loved Rebel in Champion the Wonder Horse, adored all of Joyce Stranger's books, especially the ones about her own dogs and all the novels featuring GSDs.

I did sway on my breed choice a few times as a youngster, as I also really loved Lassie and therefore Rough Collies. Again, probably looks first but then everything about them when I got to know a lovely Rough.

And then my second fav breed, the Border Collie, I loved mainly through spending every summer on my grandparents farm and pretending the dogs were mine. So I think it was more the full package with the collies.

My GSD was given to me. If I were to get a dog GSD's would be one of my top pic's anyway.

All of my initial dogs were not of my choosing.

When the opportunity did come for a choice, it was temperament first and foremost, however within a certain category that someone might class as belonging to "looks". I classify them as belonging to "amount of care required" - as the look is not my concern. This includes, for me, a size range I like to stay within and specific coat types that I like to avoid (all the bearded fluffy dogs or dogs with long heavy coats).

Health is right up there, but I have found the breed/s that I like, temperament wise, are inundated with breed wide health issues (the Cavalier) or have a coat that I find impossible or other exaggerations that I would hate to live with (American Cocker, Bichon Frise, Shih Tzu).

There are some breeds that I would exclude on looks alone as I do not like exaggerated "looks" in a dog. That means brachycephalic heads and on the other extreme the long fine narrow heads.

With English Springers it was more of a case that they chose me tbh! We've had ESS for nigh on 30 years, so I'd be lost without at least 1. The main reason my family keep them is due to their nature and being good with children, second would be for that soppy Spaniel face!

With HWV I gave it a lot of thought and they weren't my first choice. I knew I wanted a breed with a more manageable coat, preferably a hard coat though. I love black and white GWP, but on researching them it transpired that they can be a little aloof and some temperaments can be poor. I then looked at the Slovak Pointer and almost bought one, but after that falling through and speaking to a few people in the breed I decided to leave it until the breed was more established. So then I looked at HWV, I wasn't totally sold on the colour if I'm honest, but they were well renound for being sensitive and that bit easier to control than other HPRs. This was essential as I knew my dogs would be spending 40% of their time with my parents who are both in their 60s (if I'd have had it my way I would've got an Anatolian Shepherd Dog! ).