Crenelate:

I prefer the look of larger dogs, and the have the benefit of being able to withstand rough and tumble, massive cuddles and for making you feel safer when you're out on your own. If I wanted something small I'd probably just get a cat instead.

My mum is scared of German shepherds too, but my dad had a few as a kid so he loves them

In that case, I'd probably go with the stafordshire, or german shepherd, and possibly the malamute if you are in a good region for them and can manage to even find one. Shiba are also scarce outside of Japan and are generally expensive. And as I mentioned before, dogs with hair is a bitch, so if you're prepared to deal with the shedding, going with fur will make your life easier.

German Shepherd of course, they are best puppies. Especially mine.

Durgiun:
German Shepherd. Smart motherfuckers. Now if I could get a hybrid between a GSD and a Lab, I'd be the happiest bastard on the planet.

Oh I dunno...they can be some of the dopiest dogs ever, still brilliant dogs.

On Topic: ooo I dunno... Either a German Shepherd or a Staffy, I love Staffys, brilliant dogs.

However if given the choice rather than picking one of the above...An Irish or a Gordon Setter, all the way.
Gordon:

Irish:

These aren't great pictures tbh, especially the Irish Setters. If I had access to my other computer I'd upload a picture of my two Irish Setters.

Daystar Clarion:
Weimaraner is best dog!

You want to know the nickname of this breed?

'The Grey Ghost'

Best dogs ever, although I may be bias, since I have one.

...that is the scariest looking dog ever.

its eyes, why are its eyes so far apart? Why are they staring in to the depths of my soul!? GET OUT OF MY SOUL!

...i mean uhh..yeah scary.

Erana:

Crenelate:

I prefer the look of larger dogs, and the have the benefit of being able to withstand rough and tumble, massive cuddles and for making you feel safer when you're out on your own. If I wanted something small I'd probably just get a cat instead.

My mum is scared of German shepherds too, but my dad had a few as a kid so he loves them

In that case, I'd probably go with the stafordshire, or german shepherd, and possibly the malamute if you are in a good region for them and can manage to even find one. Shiba are also scarce outside of Japan and are generally expensive. And as I mentioned before, dogs with hair is a bitch, so if you're prepared to deal with the shedding, going with fur will make your life easier.

The bf and I have looked into Shibas and they range from about £600-1000, pretty pricey, so if we ever do get one it'll probably be many years from now. Staffy looks like a good bet, how can you resist that grin?

Of those you listed, I'd pick Samoyed.

Mainly because I own an American Eskimo Dog.

They're just so god damn fluffy.

Daystar Clarion:

El Luck:

Daystar Clarion:
Weimaraner is best dog!

You want to know the nickname of this breed?

'The Grey Ghost'

Best dogs ever, although I may be bias, since I have one.

...that is the scariest looking dog ever.

its eyes, why are its eyes so far apart? Why are they staring in to the depths of my soul!? GET OUT OF MY SOUL!

...i mean uhh..yeah scary.

It's only a puppy, and all puppies look a bit derpy.

Here's a more judgemental stare.

Adult weimaraner disapproves of your criticism.

I still stand by the fact I feel cold in dead inside after staring at that picture.

Ah its that dog, never seen a puppy of it. Pretty damn cool looking dog. Especially being able to pull off a stare like that.

haz7dog3:

Mr Cwtchy:
Of your options, Malamute looks the best to me.

But we have a Border Collie at home, who essentially beats every other dog hands down. ^_^

The Collies are unequivocally the smartest breeds of dog, and the best looking (opinion). They are medium-sized, friendly and loyal but demand a lot in return.

Temperament and the needs of the dog are the most important factors that should be considered before taking on a life long commitment. My last dog was an Irish Terrier (also medium-sized) who had a lot of character. He had playfulness, intelligence and stubbornness in equal parts. His needs were a fraction of that of a Collie's. Though I would love to have another Border Collie, I know it would be selfish of me, as I know i don't have the time or space to fully stimulate and care for it. My first Collie demanded constant stimulation, and I dont think I will be able to provide such levels until im retired! (But thats me and my plane of existence...)

I own a Border Collie. Perhaps I should say, I live with her. Terrific dogs, super intelligent, funny as heck...and VERY high energy. A lot of Border Collie owners, myself included, will be the first to caution against getting one unless you're willing to basically make your dog your hobby. Just giving them room to run won't do it, you've got to find a "job" for them to do or they get bored. And you just don't want to see them bored.

Here's my gal, doing her thing. She's a smooth coat (short hair) BC, btw. The (rough coat) seem to be more popular these days, for all that rough coat is a recessive trait. My mum-in-law grew up in Northumberland (near the English/Scottish border that their name comes from) and she tells me that the working collies up there were all short haired.

And here she is, finally tuckered out. Give her 15 minutes, she'll be back at it again.

Final comment: mine was a rescue. It's not true that if you want a specific breed that you have to go to a breeder. Not to say that getting a mutt is bad, either-- I've owned and loved mutts, too (had a German Shepherd mix that was every bit as smart as my BC)

I was sat waiting for the thread to load thinking, this son of a bitch better have a staffy on here. Then I saw the first picture and made a mental apology for swearing.

El Luck:

Daystar Clarion:

El Luck:

...that is the scariest looking dog ever.

its eyes, why are its eyes so far apart? Why are they staring in to the depths of my soul!? GET OUT OF MY SOUL!

...i mean uhh..yeah scary.

It's only a puppy, and all puppies look a bit derpy.

Here's a more judgemental stare.

Adult weimaraner disapproves of your criticism.

I still stand by the fact I feel cold in dead inside after staring at that picture.

Ah its that dog, never seen a puppy of it. Pretty damn cool looking dog. Especially being able to pull off a stare like that.

My mum loves Weimaraners, and Viszlas, just the smooth coated graceful look i guess. I prefer rough and fluffy generally. Also dogs with pale eyes and brown noses creep me out. I know, it's kind of weird.

Oh no....to..much..cute. Oh, that is so unmanly to say. Must get something more manly in here like....

*looks at dogs again*

SAXTON DIDNT HELP!

Fine....

Probly a German Shepherd or a Husky. Also, Corgies are pretty cute too:

Saladfork:
I really hate smaller dogs, so good on you for picking the larger ones, I say.

+1. In the immortal words of Jeff Dunham: "anything i can easily drop kick over my back fence is not a dog" :D
_{I'd just like to point out for the idiota about to fire up the outrage bus, don't bother, it's a joke.}

OP: Go for a German Shepherd. They're awesome. Apart from my parent's current pet, who runs away from almost anything, including the vacuum cleaner and (as I found out today) the sewing machine, and attacks anything coming through the letterbox. Le sigh. So much mail destroyed...

GigaHz:

Saladfork:
I'm partial to huskies (malamute? I'm not big on dog terminology but I've never heard that term before), myself. You're probably going to have a hard time finding a recognizable breed though.

I really hate smaller dogs, so good on you for picking the larger ones, I say.

Yeah, smaller dogs are usually the noisier ones of the bunch. I regret getting my little terrorist.

I'd go with a Husky (Malmute?). Such a gorgeous looking dog and they look the closest to wolves. I've always wanted a pet wolf.

Have you heard of Utonagans? They're a mix of Malamute, German Shepard and Siberian Husky, they look almost exactly like wolves and they're very friendly as well.

BlackStar42:

GigaHz:

Saladfork:
I'm partial to huskies (malamute? I'm not big on dog terminology but I've never heard that term before), myself. You're probably going to have a hard time finding a recognizable breed though.

I really hate smaller dogs, so good on you for picking the larger ones, I say.

Yeah, smaller dogs are usually the noisier ones of the bunch. I regret getting my little terrorist.

I'd go with a Husky (Malmute?). Such a gorgeous looking dog and they look the closest to wolves. I've always wanted a pet wolf.

Have you heard of Utonagans? They're a mix of Malamute, German Shepard and Siberian Husky, they look almost exactly like wolves and they're very friendly as well.

UtonaganPHA+PGltZyBzcmM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cuZGVqYXZ1cGhvdG8ubmV0L1Bob3RvZ3JhcGhzL0xva2ktTWlzdHktOXRoLUphbnVhcnktMTAvSU1HXzE4NzFmcC5qcGciIGFsdD0iaW1hZ2UiLz48L3A+

THAT. LOOKS. AWESOME. I WANT IT NOW!

BlackStar42:

GigaHz:

Saladfork:
I'm partial to huskies (malamute? I'm not big on dog terminology but I've never heard that term before), myself. You're probably going to have a hard time finding a recognizable breed though.

I really hate smaller dogs, so good on you for picking the larger ones, I say.

Yeah, smaller dogs are usually the noisier ones of the bunch. I regret getting my little terrorist.

I'd go with a Husky (Malmute?). Such a gorgeous looking dog and they look the closest to wolves. I've always wanted a pet wolf.

Have you heard of Utonagans? They're a mix of Malamute, German Shepard and Siberian Husky, they look almost exactly like wolves and they're very friendly as well.

UtonaganPHA+PGltZyBzcmM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cuZGVqYXZ1cGhvdG8ubmV0L1Bob3RvZ3JhcGhzL0xva2ktTWlzdHktOXRoLUphbnVhcnktMTAvSU1HXzE4NzFmcC5qcGciIGFsdD0iaW1hZ2UiLz48L3A+

OH MY. That's perfect. Personally, I love samoyeds, malamuts, huskies and german shepherds the most. And I can't choose between a samoyed and malamute on the poll. But I've never heard of this breed before. They are so beautiful! I adore big dogs, and even though I'm a cat person, I'd very much like to own such a beautiful big dog. However, I wouldn't get them without owning a house with a yard. Keeping such big breeds in an apartment seems like a torture to the poor dog, unless you can invest a lot of time to walk them for hours per day.

Still, thanks for sharing about this breed. One day, I'll have it. One day.

Crenelate:
snip

With those choices, I would say it depends entirely on where you are living - malamutes, samoyed and some shiba really struggle with hot weather as their coats are so thick, so some people think its cruel keeping them in warm countries.

Also, staffies tend to suit inner city/apartment living more so than the rest, and German shepherds do better in the countryside as they need more exercise than most.

EDIT: As to temperament/personality, I have never experienced a difference - my dogs have all ended up having similar personalities, so I think it has more to do with how they are raised (i.e. scumbags favour mean looking dogs like rottweilers and pit bull terriers, so they get raised to be mean and get a reputation). So far in my life, Ive owned a staffie, 2 labradors (chocolate and black), 2 great danes, a springer-cross-poodle mongrel, a border collie, a Jack Russel, an Alsatian and a weimaraner...were dog people.

Go Greyhounds! I mean, come on, they're loyal, fast, smart, strong, and best of all, they look kinda like little deer! And they're not always hyper! They can be couch potatoes!

while they are all awesome dogs, they lose to corgi's...

St Bernards are the best especially the docile ones if I ever get a St Bernard I'd want it to be big as an ox but a total creampuff...

Pembroke Welsh Corgi!!

I'm so looking forward to getting one. I've already got a name picked out and everything.

I'd also like a German Shepherd, but that's for a time when I have a house and not an apartment.

Edit:

loc978:
Not fond of purebreds, too many physical issues come with all that inbreeding.

That's not entirely true. The older breeds don't have as many issues as newer ones. This is why older, more stable breeds are considered fairly healthy as opposed to newer ones (when calling a breed new, we're talking breeds that have only exsisted a hundred years or less). All dogs have a genetic predispostion to various issues, and just because a dog is a mutt doesn't mean that they will be immune against certain conditions.

For example, if you breed two dog breeds that have a genetic propensity to get hip dysplasia, then the resulting dog will have a good chance of getting it too. This is actually a rather common ailment in larger dogs, so even a large mixed breed could be prone to this. A large mixed breed will also be susceptible to bloat, which just comes with the territory.

I'm sure smaller dogs have their issues, but admittedly, I am more familar with the ailments of larger dogs.

It is true that some cross breeding could result in fortified genetics, but keep in mind that this is also how we got a lot of our purebreds today. Most breeds resulted from mixed breeds, but it is only when breeding results in consistent pups that it is considered a breed. Once a larger genetic pool is created for a breed, and then allowed to diversify, the breed then becomes "stable" and the breeders can work on breeding out major issues. Admittedly, this takes a long time to do, but that is also why older breeds are more stable than newer ones.

As an example, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi (as I mentioned above, since I love them and have done some research) are fairly healthy. They have been around since at least 1107 A.D. Their biggest issue is they can get obese quickly, but this can be easily managed by not over feeding. They can get hip dysplasia and a few other things, but these aren't very common, and only appear if the parents of the pup had them too. So, they are an old, stable breed.

Shepherds, on the other hand, have only been around since 1899. They have a high chance of getting hip and elbow dysplasia, leading to arthritis, as well as a high chance of getting a spinal issue, and degenerative myelopahty, which is a neuroligcal disease. They can also get Von Willebrand Disease, which is common for this breed. But they are a newer breed, so they haven't had as much of a chance to breed out these issues. It will probably come with time.

The ultimate example of a stable breed is a Beagle. Genetic disease has basically been completely bred out of them. Purebred, but possibly the healthiest dog you'll have.

There will never be a perfectly healthy dog though. All dogs will have potential genetic problems, even mutts.

Ive always had cats... [Deploy Flame Sheld]
Tho Id have a Shiba and call it Hatch [Hatchico] Yes it is, an I am, that sad.
My nans Poudle [now passed. The dog, not my nan...] was fun tho. Gentle and well trained. I alway thought that they were a nice bread to have. That compared to my mates dogs, bat-shit-bonkers!

Malamute looks best out of your options. I like Siberian Huskies, Labs, and Pitbulls. I'm on my second pit and my second lab. And they are the sweetest little cuddle bugs....

we also have a small half terrier half chihuahua that is a yappy little thing. All of our dogs in one way or another are all rescue dogs. The larger two from a shelter and the yappy thing we got from ...i'm not sure. I just know it was an abusive home. She suffers from the large dog complex and bosses the two bigger dogs around which is hilarious. But since she likes to stand outside my window and yap because she wants in and my brother doesn't want the dogs in and wakes me up I want to pick her up like the american football sized dog she is and throw her.......I swear that dog has the most annoying yap. I like large dogs personally. They're a lot more fun to play with. And to walk.

Well... I didn't see Arcanine on the poll list, so I guess I'll stick with the mutt I have now.

... Though I've always been partial to German Shepard/Border Collie mixes. I've known three through my life and those are some of the best damn dogs I've ever encountered.

Heh, its kind of funny. I saw this forum in the ZP review of Fable 2 and all I could think when looking at the pictures was "OhwookitsadoogymashhisfaceandcallhimChips!" In all honesty, I'd go with the German Shepherd.

I've had numerous German Shepherds (4 and some temporary puppies), and I currently have 1.
I also currently have an American Pit Bull Terrier.

All things considered, I'd go with the APBT. Soooo much smaller and bouncier and doesn't shed like crazy. Mine is a ridiculously happy little goof ball of a dog.

Assuming the SBT is like the APBT, I voted for the Bull Terrier.

If I wasn't lazy and likely to be stuck where I wouldn't have much room, I'd probably choose a Husky, or maybe that Utonagan mentioned above. Though for now I'd probably get a daschund. If you can train them, they can be pretty good. Main problem with them is they aren't afraid of much anything. I've seen one chase some labs away from the park. Not surprising, when you realize they were bred to go into badger burrows, bite them on the nose, then have the hunter yank him out by the tail, dragging the badger along with it. They're also hounds, which means they're content to just sit there with you, no 20 mile jogs required.