[mathilda]

Breed: German Boxer ♥

shoulder heigth: males 57-63 cm (22,4-24,8 inches), females: 53-59 cm (20,9-23,2 inches)

weight: males 30< kg (~66,1 lbs), female 25< kg (~55,1 lbs)

body: they should look sturdy, energetic, compact and muscular, neither cloddy or fat, nor too thin and sighthound-like.

colours: yellow and brindle (and white, but not not accepted by the FCI)

grooming requirements: low. it's good keep an eye in the wrinkles in the face, because the could be infections, but except of that, they are really don't need much grooming.

Energy: Boxers are working dogs, so they have energy. The're made for working with their humans. this is still part of their standard and this is what makes them happy. They want to do something with their humans, but when they get the exercise and mental stimulation they need, they are actually pretty quiet in the house and in comparison to other working dog breeds they're relatively easy to keep entertained.
The're also more sprinters than long-distance runners.

Temperament: lively and energetic, they have a relatively big portion of WTP for a Molosser breed. The're great family dogs, and good with children, when the children are older. They're very tolerant and relatively mellow towards humans, but they can have a pretty strong guard and protection drive, so you should have an eye that.
when playing with other dogs, they seem pretty rough, but the most Boxers I know get along with other dogs fine. When they're adult, some Boxers of both genders however decide that playing with other dogs is not what they want to do and they'll be happier when their master works with them alone, so they'll avoid other dogs they don't know.

breed history: The Boxer's ancestor Bullenbeisser (Bull baiter) or Saupacker (boar baiter), was a type of hunting dog, used to hold down the prey after the scenthounds tracked it until the hunter comes and kills it.
It was also used for personal protection and animal fighting.The German boxer is a mix of this hunting dog, that lost its job when firearms became more common in hunting, with the english Bullfighting Dog, the English bulldog.
The name Boxer comes from the local name in Munich "Bierboxer" (beer boxer), I don't know why they were called like that though. I assume because they were watchdogs for pubs or because of dogfighting.

What should potential first time owners be aware of:
guard and protection drive sounds cool, but it needs management and an owner that is willing to act responsible.
Boxers are working dogs. they need exercise and mental stimulation to be happy, if not you'll probably have a fat furniture-destroyer in your house.
Some Boxers have some hunting drive, most of them are manageble and can still run off-leash in the right area and with training.
Boxers are full contact dogs, it would be like them to friendly body check you. :eyeroll: So if you're a fragile person or you have small children, you should probably pick another, smaller, less energetic breed.
Boxers are prone to HD, ED, heart diseases and cancer, So please choose your breeder carefully and study the pedigrees.
White boxers also get sunburn more easily and sometimes tend to have eye defects.
Because of their short muzzle, they overheat faster and because they don't have an under coat, they get cold faster...so it's more a dog for moderate climates.
Boxers are awesome.

What is your breed experience?
I grew up with a boxer, the coolest dog buddy a teenie could have.
We also had close contact to the breeder and some befriended breeders over the years.

 

[VivaLaWhatsername]

Breed: West Highland White Terrier

Size: Small (7-10kg)

Colors: White

Grooming requirements: At least 3 times a week

Energy level: Moderate - Is happy with short walks, but is also happy with long treks.

Temperament: Friendly, Stubborn

Breed history: Were originally bred to hunt badgers, rabbits and other rodents.

What should potential first time owners be aware of? They have a "what's in it for me?" attitude, they CAN be trained but tend to have "moods" where no matter how well they are trained they don't listen to you lol, are not completely trustworthy off leash.

Anything else? They are prone to skin problems so that is something to look out for.

What is your breed experience? Very little experience, I have a 7 month old Westie and she is the first I have had.

 

[Bear91]

This seems fun!
I'll do my previous dog first

Breed: Cane corso

Size: medium-big (height for males is around 65 cm, weight should be around 50 kg but is often more than 60)

Colors: black, grey, fawn, brindle. Fawn and brindle dogs have a black or grey mask

Grooming requirements: it's a short haired dog with a nice undercoat, so frequent brushes (especially during molting) and nothing more. It's quite easy!
(They slobber. Quite a lot. A lot like, you could find slobber on the ceiling. There's nothing one could do about it, but I thought I might just mention it)

Energy level: medium-low. These dogs can be very athletic, but they are heavy dogs and can be quite lazy

Temperament: they are guard dogs, they almost never bark, can be classified as velcro-dogs with their family and they are usually sociable also with strangers, if they are with their owner.
Very good with children, they don't usually start a fight with other dogs (though they never back down if challanged).

Breed history: His history is... not so good actually, at least not the modern times.
He was in origin the "old roman mastiff"... that then becamen the "italian mastiff", one and only one, a dog that was used at the beginning for boar hunting and military work, as well as a cattle dog (he kept still the cattle when it was necessary), and then to guard the farms in south italy ("masserie"). In the "masseria" this dog worked with a smaller dog (the italian volpino, a small spitz): the small dog barked everytime something happened, even the smallest thing, and if the intruder did not run away the corso woke up and checked if it was a real issue (in which case he usually only had to look, or if he was in front of a really stupid person, barking once or growling did the trick).
Because of this kind of life the corso was a healthy dog, able to live outside in any kind of condition but still really close with his family.
Never aggressive without reason (at that time, aggressive dogs were immediately put down) he also never backs down from a fight. A "story" says that young dogs (8-9 months) were taken to face 2 aggressive adults: if they showed fear and would not fight they were put down (yes, that was what was "normal" at the time).
That is a story (officially it was not used as a fighting dog, but it is true that at that time it was considered by farmers as something "fun" and no one can say for certain it did not happen), but it is unfortunately a likely one.
Still, the end result was a great dog, with a wonderful temperament.
Then the war cause the almost extintion of the breed... untill Piero Scanziani decided to save it. He wanted to call the dog "italian mastiff", but the chosen name was "naples mastiff".
In 20 years the naples mastiff grew in size, became heavier, with more folds on the head.
And then Paolo Breber found in the south of Italy's masserie the very same dog that Scanziani had found in 1940-1950 in Naples.
But while Scanziani's dog had changed, these dogs were the same, smaller, healthier... and Breber decided to re-create this breed, and tried to call it Puglia's dogo.
Many lovers tried to work to recreate this dog, working hard and looking in every small masseria, and in 1988 ENCI (the italian dog federation) started recognising it with the name "cane corso" (cane means dog, that's whi people usually call him "corso").
And this is when the problems started.
Or better yet, they started 5 years before: when they decided that this dog was supposed to be prognathous.
Of the dogs that were examined, half of them had a scissor bite, the other either a "reversed scissor" (that was called a light prognathous) or they were prognathous... but it was decided that the scissor bite was supposed to be only tolerated (perhaps to better separate the corso from the naples mastiff, that has a scissor bite).
So many breeders, to get the "right" bite, started mixing the corso with the boxer... but the boxer was too "light", so hey, let's use a bit of a dogue de bordeaux... and so on. And the corso, that had been a very healthy dog (let's keep in mind that he was a farm dog: ill dogs were killed, as there was no way at the time for farmer to feed and take care of an ill animal) started having epliepsy problems (like boxers), and hip dysplasia and generally bones problems (like the dogue), and eye problem and, especially, temperament problems.
People liked this dog (I don't find it hard to believe), so many "breeders" started selling dogs without caring for his health/temperament, so what happened is this: today there are different tipes of corso. Some are big and heavy, not at all fast like the original corso, some have a muzzle that's way too short and prognathous, and they look more like boxer than corso, some are nice but a bit too heavy, some are as close to the original dog as possible. Even the temperament is different: it's not difficult finding aggressive dogs, or easily scared dogs.
And yet I still love this breed: I had the luck to find (well, my parents found him, at that time I was 9 year old) a responsible breeder, one that had worked to save the breed from the beginning, one that has healthy dogs, dogs that look like the real corso. They are prognathous, but not too much (it is very light) and it creates no problem at all for the dog. His dogs have a great temperament, and his name is well known in the area (many vets and many people, vets and dog trainers, at that time, meeting my Paco, knew where he came from just from the easy going relaxed way he behave. They said "I know he come from there, he's the only one I know that has dogs so stable").
While I have met other corso, this kind of dog is the one I described.

What should potential first time owners be aware of? Slobber!
LOL, apart from this, keep in mind that they are velcro dogs and need to be a part of the family, and be very careful when choosing the breeder.
Remember also that yes, they don't start the fight... But they don't back down, so be very careful when around other dogs: that very nice 20-30 kg dog could risk his life, if he decides to provocate your corso. And your corso will be 50 kg of muscles... you can't hope to hold him if he decides to pull. It is vital to have a good control on the dog.

What is your breed experience? I passed my adolescence with one: he was my friend, my brother and my confident.
I call him "my first love", and the first love is something one can never forget.

I will add pics as soon as I can

 

[Bear91]

Here they are, the corso pics:

 

[jagger]

Breed:
Miniature Pinscher

Size:
Toy ("King of" for good reason)

Colors:
Black and Tan (rust)

Grooming requirements:
Low.

Energy level:
Medium (lots when needed). Mine sleeps a fair bit, but is bursting with energy when it's time to go out.

Temperament:
People are surprised he is so calm and laid back, not typical of what most believe of the minpin. Fearless if raised right - they don't have the "little dog syndrome", these dogs are mentally tough and will defend itself fiercely . They are called the king of toys for good reason.

Breed history:
Nobody is 100% sure. Definitely bred in Germany but it is not a miniature Doberman. The Minpin breed is older.

What should potential first time owners be aware of?
These dogs should not be humanized. Give this dog respect, trust and a confident hand, and they will be amazing dogs. Invest time in them, socialize them (young or old) with people and other animals. Let them experience everything they can so they know not to be afraid.

Anything else?
Prey drive can be strong. If you let them hunt - do what they were bred to do, they seem to be alot more settled. You don't need to have a killer on your hands, but a good analog will suffice. Great mousers and ratters.
The breed loves to burrow, leave a blanket or two around the home and be careful where you sit. That lump on the couch might be the dog.

What is your breed experience?
Honestly, I hated Miniature Pinschers as a whole until I met this little bugger. Every minpin I met in the past seemed to be mentally unbalanced, mentally unhinged, some were vicious. But having the chance to work with this dog has changed my mind forever. They are definitely a "it's not the dog, it's the owner" breed. They are amazing little dogs - if you truly want the small dog with the big dog mentality, this is the one for you. They are fearless.

 

[Shandula]

Breed: Australian Shepherd

Size: 18-23" (although with working lines this can vary a little) Levi is 23.5"

Colors: Most recognizable is Blue Merle, but they also come in Red Merle, Black, Red, and Tri varieties. All colours can have tan present. White present on the body anywhere except the feet, face, legs, and chest/collar is considered a fault.

Grooming requirements: Not as high as they look honestly. Brushed once or twice a week, particularly the ears and pants. I trim the paws to keep the hair under control, and also thin the pants with thinning shears.

Energy level: Very high. Bred to work all day, they have boundless energy. Developing an off-switch is key. Confirmation lines seem to be less energetic and more mellow.

Temperament: They are CLOWNS. Seriously, an Aussie is going to put a smile on that face. With strangers they can be reserved/shy/protective, so good positive socialization is a must. They have what I would call a "soft" temperament, it takes very little in the way of a "correction" for them to shut down. A frustrated sigh from me causes Levi to look worried, so I have to be careful.

Breed history: Probably the most interesting thing is that unlike the Australian Cattle Dog, Aussies aren't from Australia! They were developed/refined in the good ol' US of A. The theory is that their name comes from the shepherds who went from the Basque region of Spain, to Australia, and then brought their sheep to America.

What should potential first time owners be aware of? They have way more energy than you think. I remember thinking I would have zero problems tiring out this dog. He laughed in my face. He can go and go and go. Also, just because they don't require a ton of "grooming" they still shed. A lot. Hair everywhere! Boredom is a big problem with these guys - they need mental stimulation. A bored Aussie is T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

Anything else? They really are great dogs for the right person.

What is your breed experience? (ie I owned one dog, I bred the breed, etc): I own one of these big goobers, and see quite a few in training/doggie daycare.

 

[Bear91]

And now my dog

Breed: Hovawart

Size: medium-big (males are 63-70 cm in height and weight 35-40 kg, more or less)

Colors: black, black and tan or blond

Grooming requirements: they have a medium to long coat, with undercoat, wich means that during molting it has to be brushed daily. The long hair also means you have to take time to check for thorns (sometimes they gest stucked in the coat), ticks or dry leaves.
Normally though brushing them once a week is enough.
There is no need to wash them often: I wash mine once a year and his coat is always clean and shiny (and I swear it does not stink)

Energy level: medium. I walk mine 10 km every day, sometimes less if instead we play/use the bike, and I have almost daily small session of tricks and exercises, but if I have to I can reduce the walks for a few days and he does not mind (of course, if I were to reduce it always I'd have some problem)

Temperament: they are guard and defense dogs. They have an high vigilance and are quite protective of their humans (and also their humans things).
They don't bite unless absolutely necessary: they try to block/drive away the "enemy" barking and growling, and only bite if this doesn't work (if they bite though... they have big theet and a strong mouth).
Most of them are wary with people they don't know: a good socialization is vital... and still they will not be dogs that love people. They'll learn to tolerate these annoying humans that think they have a right to pet them and ask them to "sit" and "paw" (they look at these kind of people with very expressive eye, you can hear them saying "please tell me, who do you think you are? I should listen to you why, exactly? You do know you are nothing next to me, right?"), but they'll not enjoy it (it does not mean they have problems being around people, not at all)
In the family they are very expansive: they lick, cuddle...
They are smart (really smart... a "let's open the door/drawer/box, take what I need and close it, so the humans won't notice" smart), and it's not easy to get their respect: they will listen to you only if they think you are smarter then them (at 4 months old, my dog saw a fence, and inside the fence there were 3 chickens. He looked, walked around the fence, found the gate, jumped, pushed the latch that kept it closed with his nose and opened the gate. All of this in less than a minute, and he had never seen this kind of latch before. Being smarter than this is not so easy).
Males especially can be dog aggressive. It does not necessary mean that they were not socialized enough. One can teach his dog to ignore other males, but if you think to put your male hovy with another male and exspect them to play, be ready for a very bad surprise (they are not the kind of dog that is "all bark no bite": if they fight, they fight)

Breed history: it's an old german breed, probably a descendant of the tibetan mastiff.
Its name means guardian of the court, and it was a loved dog in germany (many old law books, like from 1300-1400, said that whoever hurt an hovawart had to pay a fine, that was higher if the crime was committed in the night).
While it was born to protect the house, this dog also protected farm animals from wolves (gray color was not accepted so it could not be mistaken for the wolf) and helped the human with boar hunting.
After WW1 it risked extintion, but was saved by a group of men (among them Koenig, that thought every cattle dog breed and shephard breed, including the newfoundland, came from the hovawart) that used the remaining hovy in the black forest and german shephards, newfoundland, leonbergers and also what probably was an azawakh.

What should potential first time owners be aware of? This is a great dog, but is not a dog for everyone.It is not for you if you believe that dog should stay outside: this dog loves human company and needs to feel part of your everyday life (walking you to the bathroom as well).
It is not for you if you can't be patience: they mature slowly, so you'll have a 3 year old body with a 8 months mind, and that means a "big dog" with the energy and self-control of a big puppy. Also, during adolescence, they challange your authority, and one needs to have a lot of patience (losing it means losing the dog's respect, and this not something you want with an hovy)
It is not for you if you think you might challange them in a strenght show: they are stronger than us, and they know. Thinking you can get your dog to sit getting mad or raising your voice or spanking him means having a dog that will get mad, raise his voice, and show his teeth in turn
It is not for you if you find it difficult to say no and scold your dog when necessary: of all the hovy I've seen, the ones that were difficult and had problems were those that grew up with the "carrot or no carrot" way, praised when they did well and ignored when they did wrong. It's very risky doing this with hovawarts: they need to learn that some things are forbidden.
It is not for you if you have the kind of home where everyone comes and goes, if you think you'd like to say to a friend "sure, you can go, I'm not home but it's fine, the dog knows you", because it doesn't work with hovawarts, or if you enjoy having people in your house and you don't mind them walking around on their own: the dog might, especially if they start touching your things (I've seen with mine: when he was 8 months old I had a couple of friends at home. Once it was time for them to go, I went in the kitchen to get something for them, and one started getting ready, took her purse, then moved to take her coat, that was under mine. As soon as she touched my coat, Baloo jumped in front of her barking and growling, I ran out and found her against the wall, with her hands up, and Baloo growling. He calmed down as soon as I got there: apparently no one touches my things if I'm not there)

This is a great dog, a great guard and defense dog, and one should appreciate this breed for everythin it is.

Health: This dogs are extremely healthy. In europe, hip dysplasia hits 4% of hovawarts, more or less, and evry other medical problem less than that.
That is because germans worked really hard on this, and their work should be respected and continued, so make sure to buy only from people that test dysplasia (both hip and elbow), eye problems (progressive retinal atrophy) and (there have been a few cases in the last years) degenerative myelopathy.
It should be noted that, while they are big dogs and molossoid dogs, their life expectation is around 14 years

What is your breed experience? I own one

http://www.petpaw.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Three-Hovawarts.jpg

http://www.doglib.com/wp-content/uploads/ho/hovawart-hovawart-dog-face-breed.jpg

http://www.wds2015.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/testa-asper-824x1024.jpg

 

[SpicyBulldog]

Breed: American Pit Bull Terrier
Size: 30-60lbs
Colors: Black nose with black, red, buckskin, black & tan point, brindle, seal or fawn coat.
Red nose with chocolate, red, buckskin, chocolate & tan point, red brindle, chocolate brindle or fawn coat.
Blue nose with blue, red, buckskin, blue & tan point, blue brindle or fawn coat.
When both liver (red nose) and dilute (blue nose) are inherited the coat color ranges from lilac, champagne, lilac & tan point, lilac or champagne brindle.
White markings may be present, up to having a solid white coat.
Eyes can be brown, amber, blue or green.

Grooming requirements: The short coat does not require that much grooming. Brushing during shedding is advisable. Bathe and trim nails as needed.

Energy level: Medium to high energy. Most Pit Bulls can settle very well in the home, but be sure to provide plenty of exercise to curb boredom and destruction. It is even better if you can give them a job or dog sport to participate in. Combine physical activity and training.

Temperament: The breed temperament should be balanced and confident. The Pit Bull should not exhibit human aggression, but a fondness for human interaction and attention. Some Pits experience separation anxiety due to the attachment to their owners. They have a strong bond to people and most can be considered velcro dogs. Pit Bulls love children and should be very tolerant of them, many can be gentle, but if they are excitable they could knock over a small child. Most Pit Bulls are sensitive to their owners, if scolded they will look very hurt. Overall they are relatively easy to train, though it can vary how quickly they pick things up from one dog to the next. Pit Bulls usually want to please you, so praise goes a long way, some can also be highly food driven.

When it comes to other dogs, the Pit Bull might exhibit dog aggression. The level of which depends on the individuals genetics and training. Many are dog social and happily play with other dogs, but many are also dog selective, only enjoying the company of select dogs. Some Pit Bulls do not desire to play with other dogs at all and can barely tolerate them, unfortunately some also have a high fight drive and so it is best for them to be kept away from other dogs. It is not recommended to take Pit Bulls to dog parks in general. One should also be aware of the fighting style and capability they can posses even if dog social.

Pit Bulls typically have a medium to high prey drive. Just as with dog aggressive, the level of prey drive varies depending on breeding and training. Some want to chase all small (or even large) prey animals, but if raised with other animals they can get along with them. A Pit Bull might be fine with the cats they were raised with, but still have a strong prey drive towards other cats and animals. So that is something to keep in mind when taking your dog around other animals. It is important to keep Pit Bulls contained or on lead like any other prey driven breed.

Breed history: Not everyone agrees upon the same breed history. One school of thought is that Pit Bulls descended from purely bulldogs and have been preserved all this time as such. Bulldogs were used to work and bait bulls in the UK. These dogs were also used in dog fighting pits. Though it is hard to believe they would have survived completely pure for all these centuries. Especially since they were not a pure breed as we define breeds in modern times. Dogs back then were bred for function, if they completed the job, if they survived, they would bred. This did not require a narrowed, "pure" gene pool, only that the dogs did the job needed.

Another commonly accepted history is that Pit Bulls came from crossing bulldogs and game terriers. At the time many working terriers were also a type, breeds developed by looks or location. There were differing strains of bulldog and terrier, it is possible some pit dog breeders crossed these breeds together to form their own fighting dogs. Even though bulldog type dogs were used in fighting pits, terrier blood cannot be discounted, because terriers were also used to fight prey in work or blood sport.

The truth is that many different dogs were used as the foundation for the modern APBT, with dogs imported from different countries. Some were more bulldog, some more terrier, some a good mix, they were of different sizes and looks- 20lbs, 70lbs, short square muzzle, long snippy muzzle, short legged, long legged, ect. This variance came about because different men were doing breeding that they thought worked best or families kept their own strains of pit dogs for generations. As people immigrated to the United States they brought pit dogs with them, bringing this breed and blood sport to America for refinement. It is also documented that some Bull Terrier blood made it's way into the Pit Bull gene pool up to the early to mid 1900s, during which time a number of Pit Bulls were AKC registered as Bull Terriers. Pit dogs were imported for decades and continued to be bred primarily for dog fighting, though some were kept as pet dogs, hunting dogs, guard type dogs of property, cars or buggies (usually trained to tackle and hold people, rather than bite), farm dogs or even police dogs. Though historically and even presently the Pit Bull has been associated with dog fighting they actually developed into a very versatile breed.

What should potential first time owners be aware of?
Some things to be aware of are dog aggression, fighting ability and prey drive as previously mentioned. Athletic ability and determination are two others, this might be positive traits for sport dogs, but it can make a pet dog capable of being an exceptional escape artist.
There are people who will hate or fear your dog, just because they are a Pit Bull. You need to be prepared for that. Some people will negatively stereotype you because you own a Pit Bull.
If you are a renter it might be difficult to find housing while owning a Pit Bull. If you are a home owner insurance choices can be limited and having a Pit Bull might also cost you more. Breed specific legislation exist in some cities or could be enacted in your city. BSL ranges from requirements and restrictions for Pit Bulls/their owners up to a complete ban on Pit Bulls within that city.

Anything else?
This breed is fairly healthy, they do not have a high frequency of serious health problems. Though some to be aware of are hip dysplasia, heart defects, hypothyroidism, allergies, cone rod dystrophy, demodex, degenerative myelopathy, hyperuricosuria, cleft palate (can be genetic or environmental), mass cell tumors.
If you are going to a breeder make sure to find one that really cares about preserving and improving the breed. Pit Bulls are one of the most common breeds, so finding a breeder is not hard, but finding a good dedicated one is not easy. Learn as much as you can about different breeders and bloodlines. If you choose as bad breeder you could set yourself up for a temperamentally unsound dog or one with health issues.
If you want to adopt a dog make sure you go through a tumors good rescue that will give you information on available dogs and help match up to one who fits your lifestyle. If you want to go the shelter route (there are many Pits or Pit mixes in shelters) try to spend as much time with the Pit(s) your interested in as possible. Some shelters do temperament testing and as much interaction as they can, but not all do so it's important to get a good assessment for yourself as you possibly can.

Breed experience: I have been around Pit Bulls most of my life and have been competing with / breeding them for many years. I have experience with a good number of different bloodlines and also rescue or pet bred Pits too.

 

[WolfDogHeeler]

Breed: astralian cattle dog
Size: medium, 40- 50 lbs
Colors: brown blue, tricolor, usually speckeled
Grooming requirements: a good vacuum once a week should do it. (Kidding, although my dog has let us vacuum him before) just done brushing not to bad.
Energy level: high definetly high
Temperament: friendly excitable not to bothered by most dogs but will become the enforcer when fights break out
Breed history: herding wascreated by mixing dingos with other herding dogs, though the actual breed isn't definitive some day they where blue merle drovers dogs and others say border collie and others say dalmations. I personally believe it was drovers dogs. There was a romour the red cattle dogs are more dingo than the blue. I can see why!
What should potential first time owners be aware of? energy level and potential stubbornness. The are very intelligent and learn fast but sometime decide not to listen in none critical situations e.g they don't want to sit or lay down they want to run.
Anything else? The are a Velcro dog and will love you forever.
What is your breed experience? Owned 2 and met loads at the dog parks and other events.

 

[NWLagotto]

Breed: Lagotto Romagnolo

Size: 25-35Lbs

Colors: White, Brown, Roan, Orange and any mixture of these

Grooming requirements: Hypo-Allergenic but requires trimming as hair grows like ours!

Energy level: Working dog. Requires exercise. Is not lethargic, but does not tend to hyperactivity either.

Temperament: Loving, gentle

Breed history: Ancietn Italian Waterdog. Thought to be the foundation breed for all hypoallergenic dogs.

What should potential first time owners be aware of? Digging, gentle spirit requires a gentle but consistent touch in disciplining. Does not like to be left alone for hours

Anything else? Known as the Italian truffle dog, this dog specializes in finding underground mushrooms!

What is your breed experience? I breed the dog:

 

[shadowfax]

Breed: Shiba Inu

Size: 15-25 pounds is the standard but larger dogs are common in the US.

Colors: Red, Black and tan, Sesame, Cream

Grooming requirements: Double coated breed that can blow their coat and shed heavily year round. Regular grooming required. Does not need to be clipped or trimmed.

Energy level: Young dogs can be very energetic but generally pretty laid back.

Temperament: Not for inexperienced owners. Shiba's are very intelligent and can come across as stubborn and opinionated. They are a Basal breed. Can be destructive and go through terrible twos. hey don't tend to develop good recall when off leash. They are also very loyal and funny.

Breed history: The smallest of the Japanese dog breeds. Shibas were almost extinct after WW1 but a breeding program was able to save the breed. They have not been in the United states for very long and are an uncommon breed in most places.

What should potential first time owners be aware of? Shiba Inus are generally not known to enjoy close physical contact. They enjoy being petted on their terms but are more like a cat in this respect than a dog. Adult Shibas don't tend to like to cuddle. Grooming and vet appointments can be trialsome. They will eat your house when they are around age 2. They tend to prefer to live alone and can have issues with other dogs. They are masters at escaping from restraints and fences and finding the right harness or collar can be a challenge. Double gating your doors is a good idea. Training is vital with these dogs.

Anything else? Be prepared to have many conversations with strangers about your dog. Introverts beware.

What is your breed experience? (ie I owned one dog, I bred the breed, etc)

I am a first time Shiba owner and have had my senior rescued dog for about a year. I have also spent a lot of time in the company of a friend's shiba inu getting to know the breed and spend a lot of time reading about them. I still have a lot to learn but I really have come to love these dogs.