Spin Off of Moon Pie (JRT) Saga—Do You Own Dog Breeds You Swore You'd Never Have?

[chestnutmarebeware]

Last evening I was playing with the three dogs, and was amused to realize that all three represent the only three breeds that I swore I would never have.

Blue the ACD: I’ve gotten on my soapbox for years about the unsuitability of ACDs for casual pet owners—working dogs, not pets! After his owner surrendered him to my vet, I took him in, thinking he could be a farm dog. After the hinny kicked him squarely in the orbital bone (cracking it), and the sheep nearly had heart attacks due to his presence, he was retired from farm work but became the best pet I’ve ever had.

Scout, the dumped mostly-border collie mix from last year, also brought out my “BCs aren’t good pets” attitude. He accurately represents the breed, and has to remain on leash at all times, but I wouldn’t trade him for the world. I’ve found ways to give him jobs, and chances to burn off energy, and he’s adapted perfectly to my life.

And now Moon Pie the JRT. I’ve been prejudiced against the breed for years (Jack Russell Terrorists!), for many reasons. And Moon Pie is a perfect example of the breed, behavior-wise. But again, his pluses outweigh his minuses and happily he’s here to stay.

So how did this happen? The breeds I always wanted are another corgi, a Clumber or Sussex spaniel, or a Kerry blue terrier. But as my mom used to say, “People in hell want ice water, but they don’t usually get it!”

[yaya]

Yep. Always swore the last dog on earth I would ever own was a male JRT.

What showed up at my house and wouldn’t leave, even after kicking him out 6 times? Yup.

That was 7 years ago. He is calm (!), quiet (!!), obedient (!!!), and super smart. Great little dog. I got him a puppy (Catahoula/Lab/Beagle/Basset) when his girlfriends died a week apart last summmer.

[Callista17]

Love the name “Moon Pie”!

Snoopy was the little yapping dog I’d swear I’d never have. Now he’s old and crusty and sleeps in my bed and follows me from room to room. Love him!

[Mango20]

I’ve always been a lab mix type of girl, and when looking for my 4th one, the one thing I was trying to avoid with a kid in the house was anything remotely pit bull-like. The rescue had a lab mix with only one picture. Looked like a lab mix in that picture. The dog was in Georgia so they offered me to “foster to adopt” and had her shipped directly to my house. When the frightened dog got off the van, I immediately saw pit bull in her, and not a strong lab presence. I was unhappy and would have ended the trial period, but she was so shy and sweet and really liked my son, so I gave her a chance. I think she’s probably a mix of four breeds because neither PB or lab is strong enough to be even half, I think. She’s 35 pounds, with some attributes of each, plus maybe something like beagle or who knows what mixed in. I’ve had her for 4 years, I think.

[jherold]

Buff male cocker spaniel - They either bite you or pee on you. Mine was given to me by a boyfriend. He would have been a biter if anyone else had owned him but we did obedience and had regular CTJ meetings when he got snotty.

German Shepherds - All the ones I’d seen as a vet tech had such unpredictable temperaments, I swore I’d never, ever own one. I found a new dog trainer for the spaniel and she bred the most wonderful shepherds. This was years ago and her puppies and the cocker have long since passed, but I have my 3rd shepherd and he’s a great dog.

[Nezzy]

i said i’d never have a hairless dog. I now have 3 American Hairless Terriers and i will never have another breed. no shedding, barely any time to groom, and fun.

[HannahsMom7]

I swore I was a cat person only. and IF I got a dog, I wanted a medium, family friendly breed. What I now own is a chihuahua cross.

[Foxtrot_s]

I have a very narrow criteria for a dog - it has to be a short haired, single coated dog. Our Lab was one of the best, but my whole house had a golden sheen to it from the hair. But over a lifetime, we seem to have had one or two of everything and they all fitted into the rhythms of this house.

[Herbaceous]

Not with dogs, but cats - I swore I’d never have a long haired cat. Too much work to brush, too much vacuuming, too much shedding, husband is allergic.

Until the day my friend texted me and told me about the sweet, sad, scruffy stray tortoiseshell cat that showed up at her barn and needed a home. Guess who came home with me and turned out to be longhaired?

She’s super-sweet and loving, and she purrs up a storm whenever she’s near people. She likes being brushed and she doesn’t shed as much as I thought. And husband loves her!

[cschattner]

Yep I got one. I swore up and down that I would NEVER get a lab anything. I cant stand the breed, i think they are over breed and dumber then a box of rocks…I got a lab mini aussie mix…yes he is dumb.
His saving grace is that he is the sweetest lab. All he wants is to play and love you at all hours of the day and night.

Also I grew up with a JRT. She is a mean witch when she does not want to do what you want. But she is smart, energetic, and a great family dog. My parents picked her out of a friends oops litter. Her daughter brought over her intact male to visit her mom and hello puppies. My mom picked the one puppy that looked just like the TV show Wishbones JRT. My dad did not want her at first but now that my parents are divorced 15 years later my dad refused to hand her over in the divorce proceedings.
She is getting old and slower now and we have had to start thinking about what is going to happen when she passes and my dad the guy who never cries over a pet balls his eyes out.

[JanM]

I had a great girl Mini Schnauzer, but she was high maintenance because of the coat. I didn’t intend to get another Mini, but I went with a friend to the local Humane Society to pick out another dog for her. I saw my boy, and he was very friendly, and looked so sad when I kept walking. I went back the next day, put in a bid on him, and a few days later I picked him up. Yes, I ended up with two schnauzers in a row, but they were the best dogs ever.

[french_fry]

A friend of mine was always going on about how she wanted a beagle and I could not understand it. They’re loud, unreliable off leash, not particularly trainable, and they’re not even cute! (I don’t like long ears unless they’re fluffy.)

Everyone on this board knows how obsessed I am with the sweetest, most trainable, quietest, most gorgeous beagle mix that landed in my lap a few months ago.

Since then, I’ve met many more beagle and beagle mix owners and I’m beginning to realize that my girl is the rule, not the exception. They are the sweetest, calmest, loviest dogs with the biggest brown eyes!

[Tucked_Away]

I’ve never been into herding dogs. Too hairy, too barky, too needy and potentially neurotic. I like tough-minded independent thinkers; I had kind of figured I’d have pit bulls forever.

Which is obviously why my new kid is a cattle dog mix.

It actually makes sense on paper. I was looking for a hiking dog capable of doing big miles and some friends with Heelers reminded me that they, unlike the herding dogs I was more familiar with, are kind of jerks. I like jerks! And I really wanted dog social with a really stable temperament and I was struggling to find the brain I wanted with the athleticism and age range I wanted in a pit bull that was available to me. (I found some lovely dogs with rescues that, for example, wouldn’t adopt to anyone who didn’t own their home.) So I thought hard about my criteria and my friends’ Heelers and I expanded my search…and the right one came along.

(For added laughs, I also don’t care for nordic breeds – much like the herders, I enjoy them as individuals but have never wanted to own one – and this guy is prooobaaaaably heeler and husky.)

He is indeed kind of hairy abs barky and I’m not sure I’ll have another one, but MAN, I love this little guy to bits; he is sweet and funny and creative and sticks to me like glue. He’s not my kind of dog, but he is without a doubt MY DOG, you know?

[khall]

Yes, me. I ended up with a small dog, I don’t like small dogs, I like big dogs, 50lbs + usually. Pit bulls or bullies in general, or GSDs (good ones which are hard to find). I ended up with Roger https://www.facebook.com/347546461986279/photos/pb.347546461986279.-2207520000.1461358547./607035932703996/?type=3&theater
He was supposed to be our DS’s dog because we had our big 96lb family dog and DH wanted DS to have a smaller dog for him, yeah Roger is my dog. He is my shadow all day every day but not a in your lap type of dog, just be with you either at the barn or in the house. He is not tiny at 28 lbs, but has typical little dog syndrome that wants to control all the other dogs, only works with our 96 lb big dog, does not work so well with our other two especially our female Gracie. She has put more than one hole in Roger over the years, usually deserved.

[scierra]

I’d had Dobes and Rotts for years, swore I’d never have a small dog or one with a tail or one that drooled. Took a N/M Bull Mastiff home from the shelter where I worked. Tail, yep, drool, like a faucet. He had CHF, I knew it and just wanted him to have a soft landing for his time left. After he was gone I took a S/F Bull Mastiff home. During the time Clifford was with me I also had a Rott, so my home was full of dog. Then I got a call on my day off and my small dog rule was broken. Enter Lelow, a blind 14yr old Min Pin. Another who came in for the soft landing. Clifford was only around for 2 months, but that damn little Min Pin stuck around and ruled my house for three years. LOL.

Now I have a pit mix.

[Tornado_Run_Farm]

I held no prejudice against Springers, but a friend’s father needed to find a home for his asap or the dog was going to get turned into the pound, so I took him. (This was 9 years ago.)

I ADORE my Springer - he’s the love of my life! But I will NEVER actively seek another one!

[Ladylexie]

I used to say I only liked big dogs, but, all of a sudden it dawned on me every time I saw a little dog I was all drooly so I realized I do like little dogs. I also realized I could dress them up in fabulous outfits so here I am head over heels with my little adorable and amazing Chi …Lady Laxie!!!

[dressagetraks]

Well, tune in in several years.

I am more of a cat person, but in my dogs, I like them large (as in 100 pounds and up) and black. We had some family dogs who were nothing but when I was a child, but so far on my own, I’ve stuck with it and have been very happy.

The thing I’m totally set against is little dogs. Yapping beasts. Pass the ear plugs. But this is just a very strong dislike, nothing like my innermost being revulsion at the idea of me having children, so someday, in the right or enforced circumstances, I might well wind up with one through a twist of fate. Stepmother, for instance, owner of the hyperist yappingist Chihuahua on the planet and avid disliker of hyper yappers, inherited same when her father died. She often comments about the dog in fond (yes, really) exasperation, never what she’d choose, but in his name, that dog is with them till the day the dog dies. And she is, of course, young.

But if I do wind up with a yap mutt someday, I reserve the right to have earplugs.

[Ladylexie]

[QUOTE=dressagetraks;8633041]
Well, tune in in several years.

I am more of a cat person, but in my dogs, I like them large (as in 100 pounds and up) and black. We had some family dogs who were nothing but when I was a child, but so far on my own, I’ve stuck with it and have been very happy.

The thing I’m totally set against is little dogs. Yapping beasts. Pass the ear plugs. But this is just a very strong dislike, nothing like my innermost being revulsion at the idea of me having children, so someday, in the right or enforced circumstances, I might well wind up with one through a twist of fate. Stepmother, for instance, owner of the hyperist yappingist Chihuahua on the planet and avid disliker of hyper yappers, inherited same when her father died. She often comments about the dog in fond (yes, really) exasperation, never what she’d choose, but in his name, that dog is with them till the day the dog dies. And she is, of course, young.

But if I do wind up with a yap mutt someday, I reserve the right to have earplugs. :)[/QUOTE]

I used to say that and now I’m head over heels in love with my tiny dog!!! Had two amazing GSD’s one was 100 pounds.

[bits619]

I didn’t have anything against weimaraners, they just weren’t even on my radar as a breed I’d be drawn to. I grew up with standard poodles and love scruffy faces.

I still love my scruffies but weimaraners… Ahh love. But he is not my easiest dog at all… If I wanted to guarantee an easy dog I’d probably go with something more poodley/companion like… And less houndy!