What sucks about your breed?

Question

All dog owners and enthusiasts are quick to point out all of the wonderful qualities of their chosen breed. But, what about those not-so-great qualities? What about the other side of the coin?

For example, being a pit bull person, I'll be the first to say that they tend to be stubborn and think they're smarter than their handlers. They're also prone to animal aggression, and posess strong prey drives. All these traits posed a challenge for me with my pits.

So where and how does you're breed pose a challenge? And how do you overcome it? Who's brave enough to show the other side of the coin?

Answer 1

I own a mini american eskimo and everyone mistakes it for a cat :P Also, he gets really hot in the summer with his eskimo coat we just shave it down

Answer 2

Well heck, it's pretty hard to beat Loki's answer on this one!  LMAO!

Aussies have energy...too much sometimes.  After a long day of fighting with people at work, then sitting in traffic for 45mins-1 hour (to get 13 miles) and finally arriving home, there are days when they're ready to bounce off the walls and I'm not up to it!  There are some days when kicking off the heals and pouring a glass of wine are the only things on my mind!

Or better yet, when I arrive home from a trip.  Yeah, I really want to play when my rear side has been planted in an airplane for 10 hours...

But, alas, I put my own needs aside the minute I walk in the door no matter how grumpy or tired I am.

Answer 3

Samoyeds- Bark, dig, shed, run away, smarter than most humans,

On the positive side: You develop a high fiber diet whether you want to or not - Sam hair adds bulk to any meal

Bernese Mtn Dogs- Big expensive dogs, heat intolerant, like to sit on feet or in your lap, die MUCH too young... oh.. and they shed- bad- WORSE than a Samoyed.

Love Loki's description and much of it rings true for the Sams.  Gotta love northern breeds.

Overcome the issues?  No.. I embrace them.

Answer 4

-Stubborn

-LOVE food, leading to obesity (or in less extreme cases, counter surfing)

-Major separation anxiety

-Can be noisy

-Will lunge at any rabbits

I could go on and on and on..

Answer 5

the thing that sucks about my breed is that she is very picky with dog food and treats but with human foods she eats everything if its given by my mom dad and brothers and me. idk y

Answer 6

**Go Loki**

Siberian Husky fur in your coffee is not nice.

Because you said so is not a valid reason to do something

“I wonder what Simba would taste like”

How do I overcome it?

Its all part of owning the breed. And I wouldn't have it any other way.  

Answer 7

Border collies well what can i say??

1. Cant plan a day out with the kids if the dogs havent been out to drain there energy.

2.You dont get a break & just chill on the couch

3.No visitor can look under my couch for anything without me defluffing it first.

4.You have to power walk when there on the lead,they dont know what  "walk" is.

5.Last but not least having to put up with peoples comments on the border collie.

The sentences i often here have the words

Crazy,hyper,snappy in it.

Answer 8

I have a golden retriever so TO ME, they are absolutely perfect :) but other people might say that they

1.  shed a lot

2.  they act like puppies until they are about 2

3.  They are very messy drinkers and get the floor all wet after they drink....and they like swimming in the water bowls

4.  They love making nose art on your windows

5.  Their tails can sometimes knock things off tables

Like I said, they are PERFECT  ;)

Answer 9

My breed, APBTs, are neurotic :)

Easily excitable, rambunctious, crazy wild, stubborn, animal aggressive, easily become aggressive if not conditioned and cared for properly, entices the "wrong crowd".

And everything you said.

For right now, my particular dog has issues with fear aggression, and stranger aggression.  I'm trying to condition her to new people!!

Answer 10

ugh i love my breed [Golden's] but god i really hate the shedding!! its really hard to keep it under control. and the extreme desire to retrieve. like sometimes when you have company they pick up some pretty embarrassing "presents" ie: underwear or bras and what not, and parade it around. but other than that i love my pooches to death :)

Answer 11

I own APBT's..what sucks is the uninformed people who think my dogs will eat you..but they wont, they are so well behaved, I can foster other dogs

the only thing bad I have to say is...lazy, mine would rather sleep than go play!!

Answer 12

I have three dogs, there all different breeds.  We have a chihuahua and the

bad thing about them is they have small bladders and can be little feisty things.  

Answer 13

The 2 poodles- grooming is a B*tch., You have to think 2 steps ahead of them.

Chihuahua- Sheds way more than a little dog should, deaf people across the country hear her when she barks, stubborn little devil

Lab- either she is very stubborn or very dumb and opinions change daily

Border Collie/Aussie/Golden Retriever mix- sheds like no bodies business, She is so hyper she is like a giant mexican jumping bean, sneaky little Sh*t  

Answer 14

ugh our golden has to fascination with retrieving news papers on peoples drive way.  It is extremely convenient, but not when she takes it from everyone else drive way!! Also the shedding is tough, and the constant vacuuming is not fun, but I love this dog and wouldn't trade her for the world.

Answer 15

Loki and Alicia already has the Huskies covered...

Bernese Mtn dogs..

They are NOT St Bernards

Stubborn

They are hairy beasts

Much stronger then you think

Some do drool..mainly when food is involved

Think everything IS food

They think they ARE lap dogs

Did I mention hair

If not taught better, they feel the couch, your bed and your favorite reclining chair was bought for them

Will sleep all day and only wake up for food

Will get into the trash

Big time counter surfers!!

The spot in front of the fridge was made for them!

You will never be able to open the fridge without them knowing about it

Animal and Berner Lover...what did I forget

Answer 16

The thing about my breed (bullmastiff) is the health issues.  Big dogs are prone to tumors, cysts, and hot spots and my dog gets all 3!

Answer 17

Oh puhleeeze! I live and breathe the other side of the coin! :)

Siberian huskies:

* Eat cats

* Eat birds

* Eat Yorkshire Terriers (they like to floss with the topknot)

* Shed enough to stuff a comforter

* Dig holes just to watch people trip

* Flip you the paw if they're loose and you call them

* Flip you the paw when you tell them to get off the counter

* Flip you the paw when you're not holding food

* Flip you the paw after they've eaten the food you gave them

* Eat leather couches and expensive electronic equipment (no cheap c**p)

* Scream like their leg is being sawed off...just for fun.

* Think humans are dumb. No, really. You're dumb.

To the fine people of Y!A: Do yourself a favor -- NEVER get a Siberian. Ever. You don't want one. I promise. EVER. I'm begging you. My rescue group can't take it.

ADD: How do I overcome it? Pomegranate Martinis and Xanax.

Answer 18

I have three different breeds...

Lab: She's loving and kind but.. Waaaay too hyper! She loves to jump and bite and scratch... I have a lot of scars to prove it, too.

Min Pin: A pretty girl.. But She is very selfish and doesn't litsen to a word I say. When I call her name, she ignores me, making her impossible to train!

Poodle: Like the pinscher, he won't litsen to anything I say. I CANNOT train him.  

Answer 19

Well i have 2 dogs a pug and a basset.

Pug(3 years old)- he sneezes a lot! lol and they can get over heated from the sun fairly quickly, so you cant have them in the sun for long. You also have to clean in between the rolls on their face!

Basset(almost a year)- when he drinks he slobbers EVERYWHERE! my family will actually slip on the drool he leaves behind! hes fairly stubborn, and gets really car and boat sick! lol he also is scared of loud noises!

both breeds shed a LOT! theres dog hair like every where!

But i still love them!  

Answer 20

Newfoundland dogs require ALOT of grooming. It seems as though mats always form behind the ears, under the front legs, inside the back legs and in the long hair on the front and back legs (furnishings).

Answer 21

A chinese shar-pei - with her skin problems and being so muscular that she can drag me down without realizeing her own strength.

Answer 22

Well I have goldens and they are velcro dogs, which is not for everyone (personally I don't mind an entourage when I go to the bathroom).  But I do have to make sure I make enough time to spend with my dogs every single day or I can expect mischief of some kind.  If they get ignored, there's always payback.

Hair management is probably the biggest pain in the ***. And I have one that is hypothyroid and allergic to a ton of stuff - common in the breed.  So that's a possible downside, but no everyone has that problem.

Mostly at average lifespan of 10-12 years, they just don't live long enough.

Answer 23

**Falls out of her chair laughing**

The Border Collie:

Sheds like the dickens

Never.  Stops.  Doing.  

Will stare under the couch for hours on end.

Neurotic.

Answer 24

American Bulldogs:

Stubborn hardheaded mules!

Shed like there is no tomorrow!

Bred for pulling...so they pull like mad at the leash...takes tons of work to get them to walk properly

The minute you "give" even a tad...they will take over!

Answer 25

I love absolutely everything about my breed.

Answer 26

I would need a book!! ( Afghan hounds)

MOST exasperating, is their unreliability off lead.

Second, is their stubbornness, like pushing a chain up hill.

Third, is the grooming, It is NEVER caught-up.

How do I overcome it? I understand that it is what I have to suffer through for the privilege of living with them. I learn to communicate better.

My little Benji type mutt's only aggravation is her strict code of TRADITION.

If you do it once, and she likes it..She pushes for it to become tradition.

She loves routine.

How do I overcome it? Either give in, or tell her 'No, not this time' and watch her heart break..lol

Answer 27

Nothing my dashmunds are wonderful, listen to me, look at me.

Anyone else, no strong vioce, no response. I'm just getting to let them lose, and they listen.

Answer 28

Papillons can be barkers.  I read a book, "More Memoirs of a Papillon" that described their barking pretty well.  To paraphrase, it said something along the lines of "She'll bark at every leaf that blows by in the yard as if it's a matter of national security". That's pretty much true :)  My Papillon isn't too bad with barking unless someone actually comes into our house.  

My Golden Retriever is another story.  What "bothers" me most about him is that he's a social w***e.  I am not.  He doesn't like to let anyone walk by without introducing himself and becoming best friends with them.  He also adores children.  I do not.  Whenever a child is within 50 feet of him he nearly bursts with happiness.  What's more of a problem is that he's my guide dog and I worry that if there's ever a child on the other side of a canyon, he'll lead me off a cliff to go meet it :)

Answer 29

I own an Italian Greyhound and a Corgi mix.

The negatives of the IG....and I'd be the first to point it out to a potential owner.  They are extremely stubborn about potty training.  Even with routine and the best training, they still have their occasional accidents.  The main reason a lot of them end up in shelters.  They are also VERY needy.  If you don't want a dog that acts like a toddler, don't get an Italian Greyhound!!

The negatives of the Corgi mix, she has the thickest undercoat that sheds ALL OVER THE PLACE.  Even with brushing everyday, that undercoat is crazy!

Answer 30

WHAT??!!  Jeez, Rach, I don't think I've EVER been quick to point out the good qualities of my *breed* (used to describe wolves and wolf dogs for this question - wolves and wolf dogs are NOT a breed, people.)!!  

Far too often I'm writing why NOT to get one, then look outside at those pesky pups and think "God, if they could hear me now!"   OH!  What a betrayal!

I read Loki's answer - Loki, you KILL me!!!

Some not-so-great qualities:

*1500 psi jaw power HURTS like a Mutha *%@#er

*Getting your *** stiched up time and time again is quite humiliating - really.

*Being a fire hydrant for intact males just comes with the territory

*It's IMPOSSIBLE to get rid of the smell of wolf pee on your pants

*Explaining to them that they DO NOT get fed if I cannot find their bowls is d**n near impossible

*Digging up burried dog bowls is the perfect opportunity to bite me in the ***... we seriously need to open up the lines of communication!

*Dog houses are *only* put in the enclosure for their urinating and chewing pleasures.

*They CAN climb trees

*What's theirs is theirs, and what's yours is theirs - this often includes the clothes you are wearing.

*No small animal is safe, whether in the sky or out of the enclosure (saw one wolf bonk a rabbit over the head with his paw once outside the entrance, killed the poor bunny).

*They feel the need that ALL their canine cousins should join in their howling sessions whether they can how or not - Labs should NOT howl.

*They have the capability to clear a room full of people with their amazing forced ability to have explosive diarrhea at any given moment - they can use this power on walls, trees, cars, other dogs and even innocent bystanders.

... I leave it at that.

But, I love them :)

How, just HOW do I overcome it?  I scream, I yell, I throw a tantrum and drink till the wolves look like cuddly big dogs  ;)

Answer 31

Ah yes, the "S" factors....

They:

Shed.  A lot.  Twice a year they shed even more.

Slobber.  Some don't actually drool much, but they'll dribble water from their bowl all across the floor, and when they shake they can fling spit quite a distance, and the stuff sticks to walls, furniture, ceilings etc.

Smell.  Bassets do often have a distinct houndy odor.

and they're:

Stubborn.  They're not interested in what YOU want them to do, only in what THEY want.  Training is a challenge.

Sneaky.  Yes, they WILL wait until you are not looking, then snatch your dinner.

Smart.  Unfortunately, they use their talents for evil.  They can figure out all sorts of ways to get into trouble and overcome your attempts to keep them in line.

Slow to housebreak a lot of the time.

Strong.  And they have a low centre of gravity, so they can drag you down the street.

They tend to wander, so they need a "S"ecure fenced yard.  Some of them are "S"cape artists.  My first one was nicknamed "Houdini" by the neighborhood newsletter.