Trying to decide on a breed of dog.

[Ratt]

German Short Haired Pointer for a bird dog? My uncle has several that he uses to hunt and a few of them are champion dogs. Their prize just passed away at 13 years old. Hud was a National Quail Champ, runner up National Camp at the GSPCA in Kansas and won field trials across several states for years.

That's a Hungarian Vizsla, but the GSP, Vizsla, and Weimaraner are all closely related.

[Ratt]

I just put my Vizsla down last week because of lymphoma and he was only 4 years old. According to my breeder it's the first case lymphoma in one of their dogs in 15 years, so who knows. Research a breeds health, i hunt my dogs and spend thousand on there training, i need birdy dogs with good bloodlines. I'm about to put a deposit down on a female Brittany, 10 month wait though.

Out of the ones recommend on here.. Lab, Golden Retriever or Border Collie if you want a smart dog easy to train. Or Ridgeback, Dobi, Pit, Et cetera for home protection.

RIP Gauge...

Man, I'm sorry to hear about your pup

Our family went through almost the exact same thing with our 3 year old Vizsla last year, except it was meningitis. I still tear up thinking about Cherry and what kind of condition she was in when we let her go.

OP:
My family loves Vizslas. My sister has had three over the years, my mom is on her second one (Cherry was hers, but really a family dog since my wife and I lived with my mom the whole time she had her), and now that the wife and I have finally bought a house we are thinking of getting one as well. They do require a bit of exercise, but the dog park a couple times a week will help. They get to about 38 or so pounds on average, so not too big and not too small.

Annie, my mom's current Vizsla, uses her front paws like hands. She opens doors, she hugs you, she pets you, she shakes...they're just cool dogs all around. Really like people in a dog suit. They call them velcro dogs because they're intensely loyal, affectionate, and social.

I agree with rescuing a dog. A rescue dog, as long as it's properly vetted (for aggressiveness if from an abusive home, food aggressiveness, etc), will be the most appreciative, loyal dog you have ever owned if you treat it well.

Here's Annie in the back seat of my wife's Mini Cooper, lol:


And here's Cherry jumping like a Kangaroo (she could jump over a 6 foot fence with ease if she wanted to. Happy and healthy here, a few months before the meningitis really set in:

[KBScobravert]

I just put my Vizsla down last week because of lymphoma and he was only 4 years old. According to my breeder it's the first case lymphoma in one of their dogs in 15 years, so who knows. Research a breeds health, i hunt my dogs and spend thousand on there training, i need birdy dogs with good bloodlines. I'm about to put a deposit down on a female Brittany, 10 month wait though.

Out of the ones recommend on here.. Lab, Golden Retriever or Border Collie if you want a smart dog easy to train. Or Ridgeback, Dobi, Pit, Et cetera for home protection.

RIP Gauge...

German Short Haired Pointer for a bird dog? My uncle has several that he uses to hunt and a few of them are champion dogs. Their prize just passed away at 13 years old. Hud was a National Quail Champ, runner up National Camp at the GSPCA in Kansas and won field trials across several states for years.

[Baron Von Crowder]

I grew up raising, training and working labs and pointers. Labs are a good choice.

Boxers have a personality that most dont, and they are awesome. Mastiffs require a bit of attention early or you end up with a large problem later in life. Good dogs, but require training.

FWIW, the best dogs Ive ever had were rescues. Im a fan of mutts, they seem to get the best of everything, whereas the purebred dogs sometimes lack brains, personality, etc. I love my English Mastiff, but he just doesnt have any brains. My Mastiff/boxer mix was the smartest dog Ive ever had.

Go to the pound and check out the dogs there. The rescue groups are cool, but id rather save a dogs life than deal with some uppity tree huger wanting to check out my house to make sure I am responsible enough to adopt from them.

[Sleeper]

Lab has been the best dog ive ever owned.

[Treybiz]

My parents had lap dogs growing up and still do. I don't care for them at all.
My older sisters have lap dogs as well. One of them has a french bulldog and I love that little shit. He's the only lap dog I've ever cared for.

I have a black lab/pit/mutt mix that my ex found 11 years ago as a tiny puppy in an alley. He has been my stinky best friend ever since. He is great with our little boy now.

Owner of my company has 3 aussies that are at our office everyday. They are a mess but very well behaved. I wouldn't mind an aussie at all.

We are going to get our mutt a friend in the next year or two. Probably a Lab.

[Mike]

Boxer.

[DieselSmoke]

I just put my Vizsla down last week because of lymphoma and he was only 4 years old. According to my breeder it's the first case lymphoma in one of their dogs in 15 years, so who knows. Research a breeds health, i hunt my dogs and spend thousand on there training, i need birdy dogs with good bloodlines. I'm about to put a deposit down on a female Brittany, 10 month wait though.

Out of the ones recommend on here.. Lab, Golden Retriever or Border Collie if you want a smart dog easy to train. Or Ridgeback, Dobi, Pit, Et cetera for home protection.

RIP Gauge...

[Labora]

Have 2 mastiffs... would change a thing

I WOULD too, they are sweet dogs but so much drool.

[8mpg]

Have 2 mastiffs... would change a thing

[GrayStangGT]

Mutt Heeler from the pound

I've got an Australian Kelpie/Blue Heeler mix and she is the best dog I've ever had, minds fairly well, great personality and is calm when you don't want to play but will get rowdy when someone wants to play.

Please rescue a dog and don't get hung up on some stupid papers. There are millions of unwanted dogs out there facing death because people don't fix their animals or try to breed them to make money and then figure out they're going to be left with 2 or 3 of them.

Everyone is likely going to recommend the breed of dog that own, and I'm no exception. I'm working with my second border collie rescue and they are just incredible dogs. Sweet as hell and ridiculously smart(they are generally considered to be the smartest breed on the planet). I do have a lot of time to work with her, and they are high energy, but if you've got a big yard, they'll love it. They get to around 35-40 pounds generally. Go to YouTube and watch them doing agility competitions. You'd be surprised how EASY it is to teach them a lot of that stuff.

[71chevellejohn]

Get a pound puppy - they're always grateful once they've been behind bars!

[Labora]

Danes have a great temperament but do have short lives 7~ years seems good for them.

I know the OP wanted a boxer at one time but they have a lot of energy and can be a bit stubborn.

[Roscoe]

A mut. Go to the pound or adopt a dog.

This

I love my two, but I will never get a blue heeler again. Don't get herding dogs unless you have lots of time for them.

Heelers rock your face off!

Love my Akita as well.