Dog breeds

[lordVader]

Trying to decide between a German Shepherd, Japanese Akita, or a Doberman . I'd like a wolf-hybrid but my nephew is living with us and he's two

Notes:
Live in Houston TX
Have plenty of free time.
I enjoy hiking, camping, walking trails, outdoors stuff as long as i'm not running

Any of yall familiar with these breeds. any viewpoints would be appreciated.

For previous dogs I've raised a rottweiler up..

 

[lordVader]

amazing breed

 

[calstyl2]

German Shepard..........awesome dogs,

 

[gotmud]

My vote is for the Shepherd. My last one was great around kids. He would play rough if an adult got him wound up (never bit anyone), yet he wouldn't even play tug-o-war with my kids when they were little. I also had a drug sniffing Shepherd in the Army, he was awesome. Very good demeanor, passively protective of me, yet I could take him around the school kids and he was a big goof. His best trick was to drink from a water fountain by pushing down the button with his paw. -Kids loved that one, adults kinda thought it was gross. Good times!

 

[Tofudebeest]

I am partial to Spitz type breeds and mixes. They're the least fxxxed with, from their wolf ancestry. The Akita is among them, as is the chow, malamute, husky, Great spitz, even the pomeranian. Smart, attitude, lively, interesting, relatively healthy...

Watch out though, some Akitas can be aggressive, as can shepherds.

 

['74 UA FJ]

No experience with Akitas, but I've had German Shepherds and a Doberman. Shepherds are a bit smarter and probably better around small children, but Dobermans have more personality and have a little bit more energy. I love both breeds, but I would pick a Doberman if I could only have one and I lived in a warm climate.

My buddy:

 

[Dusty 66]

German Shepard..........awesome dogs,

Just got a new 10 month old one 3 weeks ago she is awesome !

 

[Tofudebeest]

Dobermans and shepherds are among the most in-bred large breeds, LOADED with health problems. Hip dysplasia is nothing less than an epidemic in shepherds, and dobermans are very prone to cancer, skin problems and other expensive and debilitating conditions.

Have you considered a Belgian (Tervuren or Malanois) or a Chow mix?

I know you do not know me, and you're not gonna really consider this advice, but believe me, I know dogs. I have worked with them my entire life. I was a vet tech in high school and college summers, I was pre-vet...

Go to the pound. Ask to see some chow mixes, aged 1-3. Find one that is playful and not at all fearful. Make sure it is not overly dog aggressive. A chow/collie, chow/lab, show/shepherd....

A chow is an AMAZING dog, if diluted, and very common in pounds (for several reasons). Amazingly loyal, stunningly smart, can be among the best-looking dogs around, generally VERY healthy, cold and heat tolerant, and will protect your family to the death. Coat can be a bit dense and the undercoat thick, but workable.

Please give this advice a try...

 

[D'Animal]

Neighbors German Sherpard has been great around his kids as well as our kids (Beagles)

 

['74 UA FJ]

Dobermans and shepherds are among the most in-bred large breeds, LOADED with health problems. Hip dysplasia is nothing less than an epidemic in shepherds, and dobermans are very prone to cancer, skin problems and other expensive and debilitating conditions.

Have you considered a Belgian (Tervuren or Malanois) or a Chow mix?

I know you do not know me, and you're not gonna really consider this advice, but believe me, I know dogs. I have worked with them my entire life. I was a vet tech in high school and college summers, I was pre-vet...

Go to the pound. Ask to see some chow mixes, aged 1-3. Find one that is playful and not at all fearful. Make sure it is not overly dog aggressive. A chow/collie, chow/lab, show/shepherd....

A chow is an AMAZING dog, if diluted, and very common in pounds (for several reasons). Amazingly loyal, stunningly smart, can be among the best-looking dogs around, generally VERY healthy, cold and heat tolerant, and will protect your family to the death. Coat can be a bit dense and the undercoat thick, but workable.

Please give this advice a try...

He asked about deciding between a GSD, a Doberman, and an Akita.

 

[lordVader]

Seems like there is a pretty strong consensus for the GSD. Now just have to find a good breeder

 

[D'Animal]

The German Shepard Rescue Mission for Los Angeles is located right next to Mark's Offroad in Burbank.

Mark can probably get you the phone # by reading it off the side of thier building.

 

[lordVader]

Dobermans and shepherds are among the most in-bred large breeds, LOADED with health problems. Hip dysplasia is nothing less than an epidemic in shepherds, and dobermans are very prone to cancer, skin problems and other expensive and debilitating conditions.

Have you considered a Belgian (Tervuren or Malanois) or a Chow mix?

I know you do not know me, and you're not gonna really consider this advice, but believe me, I know dogs. I have worked with them my entire life. I was a vet tech in high school and college summers, I was pre-vet...

Go to the pound. Ask to see some chow mixes, aged 1-3. Find one that is playful and not at all fearful. Make sure it is not overly dog aggressive. A chow/collie, chow/lab, show/shepherd....

A chow is an AMAZING dog, if diluted, and very common in pounds (for several reasons). Amazingly loyal, stunningly smart, can be among the best-looking dogs around, generally VERY healthy, cold and heat tolerant, and will protect your family to the death. Coat can be a bit dense and the undercoat thick, but workable.

Please give this advice a try...

Yea, I'll check it out. doesn't hurt to visit the shelter and see what they got. Gonna take a trip tomorrow to scope them out

 

[lordVader]

No experience with Akitas, but I've had German Shepherds and a Doberman. Shepherds are a bit smarter and probably better around small children, but Dobermans have more personality and have a little bit more energy. I love both breeds, but I would pick a Doberman if I could only have one and I lived in a warm climate.

My buddy:

Yea Doberman's are awesome. And they got that short coat so the Houston heat shouldn't bother them. Maybe I will get the doberman. I'm torn between the Doberman and the GSD. Everyone is telling me to get the GSD since they are more loyal, easier to train, people aren't as afraid of them, etc.. But there is just something about the Doberman that I like. Do people get a little bit edgy and fearful when they see you with your Doberman ?

 

[Tofudebeest]

Good. Really, if you love dogs, you gotta like the idea of giving one a second chance. I swear to all that is holy and good, they know it and don't forget it. They know they owe you for saving them. Breeders, by and large come in three types and the industry is totally dominated by two of them: 1) back yard breeders not knowing what the hell they're doing, 2) puppy mills, and 3) legitimate breeders who track (real, not fabricated) pedigrees and attempt to actually improve the health of the breed. More than 99% of puppies come from the first two. Random matings (mutts) actually create better dogs. "Hybrid vigor" in mutts makes them more balanced and heathy, with exceptions, of course.

 

[lordVader]

Good. Really, if you love dogs, you gotta like the idea of giving one a second chance. I swear to all that is holy and good, they know it and don't forget it. They know they owe you for saving them. Breeders, by and large come in three types and the industry si totally dominated by two of them: 1) back yard breeders not knowing what the hell they're doing, 2) puppy mills, and 3) legitimate breedrs who track (real, not fabricated) pedigrees and attempt to actually improve the health of the breed. More than 99% of puppies come from the first two. Random matings actually create better dogs. "hybrid vigor" in mutts makes them more balanced and heathy, with exceptions, of course.

I'm all for cross breeding; Gonna scope out the shelter tomorrow, just a bit hesitant since the little nephew is living with us.

 

['74 UA FJ]

Yea Doberman's are awesome. And they got that short coat so the Houston heat shouldn't bother them. Maybe I will get the doberman. I'm torn between the Doberman and the GSD. Everyone is telling me to get the GSD since they are more loyal, easier to train, people aren't as afraid of them, etc.. But there is just something about the Doberman that I like. Do people get a little bit edgy and fearful when they see you with your Doberman ?

Some are fearful. Anyone who is around him for 10 seconds though, knows that he is just a big sweet baby.

I wouldn't say that GSD are easier to train than a Doberman. I've trained both with excellent results.

 

[LC_Hamma]

I've owned 2 of the 3 dogs you're lookin for - GS & Dobies. One of my GS had hip dysplacia & the other was big & dumb Now, the Dobes I've owned, only one had health problems & she was a rescue. The others lived to be over 10 yrs. old. I had one pass away last month & she was 14. I'm down to one & she's also a rescue. They'll want to be at your footsteps or in the same room wherever you go round the house. Hope you have a big, fenced in yard. Mine love the fruit trees:

 

[calphi27]

I just picked up a GSD/husky mix from a rescue. She is smart and already beating up on my 7 month old hound mix. She is about 3 months old.

 

[FineWynsFJ40]

Are you going with rescue or breeder? If breeder, talk with people who have bought from them, to determine if the breeder has dogs with good genetics. We had a Brittany Spaniel that got epilepsy after only 1.5 years old. Genetics can be a real downer.