Why do I want a dog now..!

Well you can't go wrong with any of those dogs, i have a golden right now but he's super active lol...but we have 7 rotties in our house in mexico that were trained as command guard dogs but they also double as pets and they are the sweetest dogs ever, you just have to give them a lot of affection and a lot of people are afraid of them because of the bad reputation they've gotten same with dobbies...my next door neighboor here owns two doberman show dogs, they are the most beautiful dogs i've ever seen and they have a gentle disposition...but yea as long as you train them well they should be fine...i'd go with the rotts just because i've had a lot of experience with them and the puppies are really cute lol

I was thinking about this too.. how many horse owners have dogs also. Horses are awesome animals.. but they don't get as close to humans generally as dogs can. For one, it is pretty tough to have a horse lying around in your living room :) But in general, and certainly in my horses' cases, they are not cuddly, affectionate animals. Some might be, but mine are more content to eat and play amongst themselves.. see, a dog would be something I could interact with more. I am not saying that the horses are something to be ignored.. they are going into training this spring. This year was too much with the wedding and all, but we will change their loafing habits this spring :)
So.. anymore hints on working my loving husband over with? :) I casually planted the seed this morning about getting a dog.. but if he is dead-set against it, I would not get one.. we share this house equally and it would not be good for anyone involved.
Another consideration is our cat.. but I think that he'd be fine. mark's sis brings her Aussie shepherd over alot and they generally sniff noses and he/she both move on.. but another cat would get pummelled!

Personally, I would say go with a bullmastiff or english mastiff if you want something a little larger. They are awesome dogs with wonderful character, however they still do need some training otherwise thats a lot of out of control dog. Make sure you socialize the heck out of them so they are people friendly (which is mostly in their nature anyways), they are great family dogs, and WONDERFUL with kids. Just seeing a large menacing looking dog should be enough to deter people from wandering on our property. lol

The downfall of these large breeds, medical problems and a shorter lifespan...:(

reediculous - Cane corsos are my favorite mastiff too.

Pits are great dogs.. they get such a bad rap that they really don't deserve.

My friend who owns the doberman also trains horses.. when I asked her how she trained Renegade (her dobie) so well, she said she uses the same techniques she uses with horses.

If you like the mastiff-type, consider a boerboel.
Ginevieve, the breeder I describe in your Dobie thread is a boerboel guy. These dogs are incredible...steady, calm, quiet, smart, and astonshingly athletic for their size...his 120lb chunky-butt (muscle, not fat) girl went right over a six-foot chainlink fence (show me an English or bullmastiff who can do that without getting out of breath).

We met all of his dogs...not one barked as we came up to the property, and every last one was calm and gentle and affectionate. They were clearly eager for attention, but not the least bit pushy about it. They were smart, well-trained, and responsive to his commands. I absolutely fell in love...and I know he's not local to you, but he does ship. ;-) His main girl is loose next to a busy road with cows on one side and horses on the other, and was absolutely fine...they are not a stock-chasing breed. She has a kitten that sleeps on her!
However, the guy he swaps bloodstock with uses them to work cows and says one dog can grab a charging steer by the head and put it on the ground...and I'd believe it. They sound like a great fit for your environment.

Cons: A sudden spike in popularity means that a lot of dogs with poor temperament and bad hips are suddenly on the market. It can be tough to find a good breeder. They can be dominant...you need to get them into obedience and stay on top of them as puppies, or they can try to challenge you as adults.

Boerboels are really cool.. they're too squishy-faced for me though.

Rhodesian ridgebacks are cool too, but you need to find a good breeder with them to avoid temperament problems.

They're not all squishy-faced...the breeder we met said the ones with flatter faces aren't any good at work because they overheat too easily. He's breeding ones with longer noses. He's all about solid function. :-)

Check out his gallery of adults:
http://members.aol.com/jblack132/boerboel/boerboel.html

They look so chunky, and then when you see them move...strong, fluid, athletic...nothing like you'd imagine from a still photograph. :-)

When we buy a house and I can have another dog I want a Argentinian mastiff. They are incredible dogs, I have read, and read about them. I have always wanted some sort of mastiff but this one just blows me away every time I see it. Weird though, I never liked all white dogs that much until I saw this one, well except my Great Pyrenees.


Also known as the Dogo Mastiff
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/dogo.htm

Jen, maybe check out this link for dog shows in your area. If you want a purebred then talk to breeders about the pro's and con's of various breeds.

http://www.infodog.com/panels/ny.htm

Back that up with your own research about health concerns, exercise levels, coat care, etc.

Figure out what would work best for your specific situation...you live on a farm so a dog could get lots of running space, but you want one that easily responds to commands to return, not a runner like many of the northern sled breeds are for instance. You want a breed that can get along with your horses but not run/herd them, so perhaps something like an australian cattle dog might not be a good choice. Because of the horses and issues with coyotes a tiny breed might be a poor choice because it's at risk for death or injury. Since you are often alone on the farm you might want a dog with a more natural guarding instinct. Labs are great dogs on farms and with kids for instance but don't tend to be much good as a guard dog (they tend to lick burlgar then beg for a ride in their truck with your stuff LOL). How much time and money would you want to have to put aside for coat maintenance. For me, I just don't like that too much so I prefer dogs with low coat requirements. You like in an area that gets very cold and very snowy...what breed can be outside for a walk in that climate and not suffer for it. That sort of stuff.

Since Mark's on the wall a bit on this issue perhaps making it a goal as a couple....to list breeds you both like...then find which one works best for you two, your family, your living situation. Then you can decide if you'd prefer a puppy or perhaps a nice adult from a rescue. Breed specific rescues are often the best place...you get a dog that's out of that irritating puppy stage, they all are health and temperment checked, often they have their basic obedience already done and the rescue will help you decide if in fact that breed is suited to your home. Most rescues really strive for a good "fit" so you can take a few visits, walk the dog, maybe even be allowed to take it on lead near your horses and cat to see if it's safe that way, really take the time to decide if there's a good situation there. For a working couple like you and Mark a puppy that needs constant care at first might be more hassle than it's worth.

Great points Jo.. I m thinking that we would go with a "teenage" dog rather than a puppy.. While pups can be great fun, I know that they can be more demanding. I dealt with my mom's dog, now 9-10, when I did not work and lived at home.. I do not have that luxury of time now. Also, they are more marketable generally.. I would rather get a dog that's a little bit older that might not have an easier time of finding a home as a youngster does. But I might shy away from a much older dog, because I guess that the larger breeds have shorter lifespans.. This is how we got our cat; we passed up the kittens at the SPCA that were more easily adopted (everyone around us there looking.. had to have a kitten...) And I actually have my doubts as to how old our cat is; by their accounts he should be 13 now (got him when he was 8) but he does not seem that old!
I love GSDs too.. they are a breed that Mark likes. I adore the sled breeds but I know that they are bred to run, run, run.. I worked with one for a little while when my mom was at the pound choosing a dog and boy did that dog wanna run! For me personally after my research, it'd come down to either a doberman, or a GSD. But the hairiness of the GSD is a little more of a turn off; while I love the looks of longhaired animals, I see how muhc my mom deals with extreme hairiness on her floors with 2 longhairs; a golden and shepherd mix!
Anyone a fan of crate training? I was wondering how dobermans take to that.. I know that some people love it and some despise it. I know people who both crate and let their dogs have free-range of the house; seems like free-rangers have more of a tendency to get into things that they shouldn't regardless of how you try to prevent that. My mom's cat knocked a can of pineapple juice off her fridge, and her Golden bit through it and was lapping up the juice!!!