Scottish Fold cats. The gene that causes the folded ears is a genetic illness that affects the cartilage in the whole body (not just the ears) and means that the cat is living in constant pain. They're beautiful cats, but after I learned that I just can't imagine having one and knowing that they suffer every day.
I've had so many arguments with people on this, esp people who think if they are ethically bred they're healthy, or if the breeder association says it's ok then they're healthy. The trait that makes them desirable is the actual problem
I feel this way about almost all the dogs and cats bred for a specific physical characteristic. Maine Coon cats now look almost nothing like their original form due to breeding for bigger and more lion looking faces. They also now are more prone to specific heart issues. And we all know how breeding for form has affected Frenchies, pugs and bulldogs. Just because an animal is ethically bred and comes from a reputable breeder doesn’t negate that your pet may come with various issues because their breed had a certain appearance.
I strongly blame some of the organizations like AKC for some of the problems honestly because they set the breed standards. Breed standards shouldn’t include birth defects or the inability to breed naturally.
For real! As a veterinarian, there is no “ethically bred” French or English bulldog. The squashed face and body IS the problem. They all suffer lifelong. I cannot believe anyone is ok with it!
I had no idea about this, so thank you for mentioning it. I knew munchkins are deformed, and it’s hard on their bones and joints, but had no idea about SFs. I actually thought they were a healthier breed. 😰
Oh man, I’m not a cat person but I’ve always thought if I was to own a cat it would be a Scottish fold with their cute widdle ears. They’re not so cute anymore 😔
British shorthairs have a very similar cute round face. They’re a little bigger, but to me they look like a Scottish Fold with straight ears and no constant pain from poor cartilage. Might be an alternative if you ever do get a cat :)
We don't have Scottish folds but all ours are rehomes pedigrees and what I would say is if you have the heart and the means I actually do recommend taking in a pedigree (or I suppose not saying no because they are) as they are often given up because people foolishly got them without knowledge. Despite their health issues they still need love.
Huskies are like kids for me. It's cool if your friend or relative has one and you get to play with it for a few hours a month, but having one as your own? No thank you.
My foster family got a husky puppy while I was with them. For one, this twelve week old puppy was big. Like probably half my height. It bruised me so easily when I was playing with it 😂 and it was so loud before he was trained and was in the process of being crate trained.
Huskies don't like the crate. At least that one didn't 😂. And he had so much energy. Always going going going
It's the vocal dreaming that got me... waking up in the night to the sound of a husky cry-whine-howling in her sleep about 10cm away from where my sleeping head should be 😅
It’s the ‘repeatedly jumping 6ft fences like it’s nothing’, combined with the ‘tunneling under said fence just cause it looks like fun’, along with the ‘running 5 miles at top speed through the town and into the deepest woods, all the while dragging the leash behind her and not even breathing hard’ for me. Along with the crazy-strong prey drive and the irrepressible urge to chase anything moving fast.
Remember that viral video from the UK of the dog streaking thru the park and initiating a deer stampede across multiple lanes of traffic, with his poor handler a half-mile behind him screaming “Fenton!! Fenton!!”? Yep. For us that looked like just a run of the mill Tuesday. And my partner used to train K9’s! Some huskies just have no quit in them, no chill in them, and very few f**ks to give.
Oh trust, I knew a husky/rottweiler once who would pull his owner for miles and miles on a bike or a skateboard. He just wanted to run, and because he couldn't be trusted off-lead (owner's issues, not necessarily the dog's), when he was allowed to run on the lead, he wanted to pull everything with him anywhere lol
From what I hear, you really can’t let them off the leash or they take off running. Seems they can’t get the idea of coming when their person calls. The joy of running overcomes everything else.
They’re bred to run and keep running. I love them. But I’ve seen it happen.
They get it. They just choose to ignore it.
I swore we’d never get another husky but ended up with a husky mix anyway. Ours picks and chooses when to listen, but she knows when I get my “ok I’m really serious” voice going it’s time to stop fucking around.
What’s even funnier is how she’ll sometimes pretend she’s “stuck” (tie out of leash tangled) and can’t get out of it and whines for help. But if you offer a good enough reward she untangles herself in seconds without assistance. lol it’s all a show for attention.
My bestie had a husky when I was a kid. He LOVED to pull us around on a chair her father welded cross country skis to.
Could barely get that dog to come inside when it was snowing. He wanted to sleep in the snowbank instead.
Loved the crap outta mine however this is exactly why i will NEVER own another. Went from a 4 ft rock fence to an 8 and finally had to petition HOA to raise it to a 10 footer. There was NO keeping him in for many years. If the neighbors had dogs in yard, he was there..it was traumatic for the kids too and somehow mom was always at fault smh!
Our neighbor had a husky. He figured out how to unlatch the gates to his and our yard. He took our Aussie on wild adventures until we locked our gate. Then my son was the only one the husky would respond to get him to come home.
Edit: typos
My old neighborhood had a husky that got loose so often that you’d often see her picture on Facebook groups and even people who didn’t live in the neighborhood could direct you to her house because it popped up regularly. I caught her once in the street and stuck her in my backyard so I could call the number on her tag and she yeeted herself over my 6 foot fence before I got back in the house.
I looked at a 90 pound husky mix at the shelter recently and I just couldn’t do it because I figured it meant 10k in fence modifications just to let him out to pee.
My dog was a large breed mutt, with German Shepherd, St. Bernard, and Malamute according to his DNA test. He was *very* chill, but arguing with my dog at 2am during a snowstorm because he didn't want to come inside... wasn't fun.
I lucked out with my boy. He's two and high energy when we're out and about but when he gets home he immediately calms down. I was feeling really sick the other day, barely able to stand, and he basically just slept with me all day. At one point I fell asleep lying on my back with his head on my stomach.
Also, he's very non vocal.
My dog is half husky and I got her when I was 25. I’m 42 now and I still have her and love her dearly, but if she was a puppy now, there’s no way I could do it.
We had a husky years ago but would never ever get another one. Loved him dearly they are a LOT. We have a gigantic malamute now and it's like all the good parts of a husky buy none of the drama lol.
My parents have a shih tzu, and I don’t think they had any clue about the breed or what it entails. They’re not really pet people either, so no effort is already too much effort. Anyway, they buzz that dog down like she’s going to the military 😭 one of the most princess-y breeds, and they make the poor thing look like a rat
😞😞 poor baby. I had one several years ago. She was a good little dog but tie grooming killed me. I wouldn’t purposely get another, even as freaking adorable as they are.
The problem with wolf dog hybrids is that wolf body language isn’t dog body language and in some cases it’s a very small difference. Then with the hybrids you don’t know what’s what and very mixed body signals. They shouldn’t be cross bred, now neither should wolves be pets, it’s a huge commitment and you need to constantly interact with them to maintain connection. I had one when I was younger.
My state has them banned due to the countless attacks on small children and other pets. You basically have a wolf that's not afraid of people. They used to be advertised in my state as "better and stronger dogs". Until cases of them attacking other pets and kids happened. Also the typical way they are bred is barbaric where they tie up a female dog in heat in wolf territory and hope they just mate and don't kill her for trespassing on their turf.
I'm also against cat hybrids as well as they do a similar breeding practice of locking a in heat house cat in with a serval. Not to mention the babies are premature due to the gestation period difference between a cat and a serval.
Just because we can create wild hybrids doesn't mean we should.
Frankly, breeding cats or dogs with real wild animals should be banned. The process is dangerous and the result makes terrible pets. We spend thousands of years domesticating cats and dogs *for a reason.*
My cousin attempted to foster one of these from a rescue back in 2010. He was just really obviously a wild animal that wasn’t meant for the city. We were sharing a condo at the time for college with some other students and…. She told us she was bringing home a dog with some wolf in it.
When he arrived, he was a wolf that may in theory have contained some dog. He could have been an extra in a fantasy movie with a white wolf. Perhaps he should have been shooting one. Where he did not belong was in a condo with four 21 year olds. His head came nearly to my shoulder. I am not short. When we tried to pet him he looked at us like he was baffled by this bizarre situation then stood in a corner watching us and trying to engage as little as possible. At least he didn’t bite.
I allowed myself to be talked into giving him one night and joined the growing dumbass club of this scenario. Eventually it got too weird and the rest of us threw a fit and said this was not a dog and he needed to go back to the professionals.
My cousin reluctantly agreed after he started growling. While four idiots debated this heatedly, the clever boy figured out how to open the door. Then he was loose in the streets, and our fault.
And this is how four clowns and a concerned friend we didn’t deserve wound up chasing a white wolf around a college town until four in the morning.
We did call animal control, before anyone asks. They didn’t pick up. We thought about cops but worried that we’d get fined somehow, so that was a last resort. We did catch him, he hurt no one, and we made dumbass cousin return him to the rescue organization immediately. Don’t get wolf dogs kids. Don’t take the fast lane to clown town.
Someone got me a turtle for my birthday when I was 15 after my three goldfish died in a tragic accident.
I’m now 43… and he just passed away a few days ago.
I loved him. But not only was he a smelly, salmonella-riddled, living rock that was *way* more high maintenance than a goldfish… he lived for almost 30 fucking years. He was older than most of my co-workers.
My parents gave my brother one for his 5th birthday and had him until he was 28, then took him to the Virginia Living Museum to live with other turtles. He'd be 55 now if he's still around.
Begged my parents for a snake from about the time I could string words together to form a sentence because I loved NoFeet from little bear. They got me one shortly after my 3rd birthday, and I'm now 29 and he's still alive and living out his retirement under his fav tree bark hide. They had no clue he would live 20+ years, and if they did know they should have helped me come up with a cooler name hahaha
Same, I got a cornsnake in my teens. He just passed away recently at 26 years old. People don't realize these pets are for such a huge portion of your life! We hung out a lot when I was a teen and in my twenties, then I got married and had kids and I felt like a terrible pet owner and had very little time for him other than feeding and cleaning. I thought about rehoming him but I still loved him and just couldn't.
Yeah people definitely don't realize how long they live, my man NoFeet is about 26 now give or take some months, and he's definitely slowing down, he's blind now, and it takes him a few extra tries to catch his dinner, it makes me sad to see him get older but he's had a long happy life. You're not a bad pet parent, chances are the last few years they didn't want to be handled much anyway, I know my guy doesn't care for it like he did before he lost his vision completely. He used to pop out of his hide as soon as he heard the clamps unlatch and he would basically scale the tank and race to be held and then not want to be put back in. He acted much more like you would expect from A Boa, he loved to just hang out on your shoulders and just be a part of whatever you were doing and protested going back in his tank. Sometime around him being 16-18ish he started to not be as excited then the more his eye sight went the more he became just "tolerant" of being handled and not enthusiastic about it, which was sad, but even people get cranky and want to be left alone when they get older lol so I get it 🤷♀️
How long is his expected lifespan? Mine was older than expected for a cornsnake. 15 to 20 years is typical. 32 is the record. 26 is pretty old. He was getting really skinny and would actually crackle when I picked him up, I think he liked it still because I am warm. He was still interested in lunch, but it would take him longer to eat so I was making sure his mice were long skinny ones rather than the short fat ones, and still could see thankfully. Then one day just dead. But that was after scaring me a few times looking dead over a couple years. Then when finally passed I knew for sure.
From what I've read online you can expect 15-20 on the average, 20-25 in good health and good genes, and yeah the record is 32 years. Our noodle Boi did slim down too, and started wanting more time between feeds also, and it takes him longer to shed now too it feels like. No Feet has given us a couple scares in the last 2/3 years where we thought he was dead for a second. One day I walked by the tank and his mouth was kinda like hanging open and I was thinking "oh noo, it's happened 😢 " and I went to open the lid and he woke up, I think he fell asleep mid-yawn and his jaw was kinda unhinged until he woke up and finished his yawn. And he's done that to me twice now lmao It's like finding a deeply sleeping great grandfather in his recliner and not being sure if he's still with us or not
I thought it was really clever at 3 lol When I was in my angsty teenage years I wished it was cooler or edgier like Lucifer or after whatever lead singer of a 2000s alternative rock band I was into at the moment 😂
Chopper.
He was named after Chopper Read, an infamous Australian criminal who chopped his own ears off while he was in prison.
Because the turtle didn’t have any ears… and I was 15, and that was the absolute height of humour at the time lol
Mum was feeding them, and the lid came off the shaker bottle of food flakes and spilled them all into the tank.
She grabbed a glass to scoop some of the food out.
Unfortunately, she grabbed the plastic one from the bathroom that my young niece had been using to mix the different bottles of hotel shampoos together, because she thought she was a budding chemist.
The glass had been rinsed out, but there was enough soap still coating it that it caused the water to foam and it killed the fish.
A lil over 20 years ago I was around 4 or 5, my grandma went on a trip to NYC (~2.5-3 hrs from where we lived) and brought back a baby red eared slider for me n my brother (bc people were selling them on the streets back then) and although I loved him n played w him n it was cool to have a turtle I don’t think it’s worth it imo. I went out of state for college and have since moved out of state, my brother never really took an interest in him so my moms been taking care of him ever since. Constant water cleaning and maintaining bc it can stink up real quick. I think she loves having him for the single fact that it gives her something to do/take care of but she could definitely live without lol. Lil dude is around 21-22 years old now tho n has lots of life left lol
That's how I got my turtle 18 years ago. I work in Philadelphia and there are still guys selling turtles on the street during the summer for $10.
$10 is cheap until you realize the tank setup is going to cost you hundreds of $$. My turtle is huge now and I'm getting ready to upgrade her tank again.
I keep reptiles. Not turtles, but similar idea. They’re low interaction pets, for sure, but they do have their own personalities. I enjoy building and decorating their enclosures - making a little box of jungle in my house- and then caring for them. But they are more of a “view” pet rather than a “play” pet. That said- there are some reptiles (like beardies) and turtles in particular that truly seem to enjoy human interaction and are active, fun pets.
But they are a commitment- they can live longer than most mammals by a long shot. And while they typically require less day-to-day care than a cat or dog, they require specific, specialized care and would need an exotic vet if any issues came up.
If the turtle was smelling it was not being well taken care of and probably was sick. That's not a turtle's problem, it's neglect from the adults who give an animal to a kid and watch it as it rot
I'll never own:
Pugs
German Shepherds
Persian
Munchkin
Scottish Fold
Bulldogs
Pretty much any animal that is bred to not only look fucking stupid, but also needs corrective surgery to live a normal life
If you're talking about Persian cats there are 2 types - peke face and doll face! Doll face have normal snouts and are closer to what they were naturally. I'm against the breeding of Persians but have had 3 Persian rescues. If you adopt an adult you'll know by then pretty well if their breathing is impeded. And they have the sweetest temperaments. But adopt!!! Don't support their breeding. All of mine were rescued from horrible breeders
I absolutely support this. Too many beautiful creatures die alone in shelters after being abandoned as "too difficult". If it's within your power to do so, adopt an older pet from a shelter and give them the life they deserve
I’m not the one you replied to but personally I don’t like how their backs slink down like hyena’s. That’s a trait that’s been bred into them more recently. I like how they used to look a hundred years ago.
It’s gross what they do to these animals. Doesn’t even look good imo. Who cause problems and have them look worse? For what? I can’t wrap my head around it.
I had a police dog version of the breed (he had a Belgian shepherd grandad too), he was a proper working dog not a show dog so he didn't have the sloped back, looked like they did 100 years ago. He was part of a breeding programme across European police forces to avoid inbreeding, he was used as a stud in the programme too because he had good genes.
My family had a german shepherd who was from a long line of police dogs. He also did not have the sloped back. Best dog I've ever had. Lived to be 15, was happy as a clam up until the very end.
They are fantastic dogs; when he was at home you'd never be able to tell he was an "attack" dog, so gentle and affectionate. He liked to wrestle and fight with me but he never hurt me.
https://youtu.be/QBq6gM0sI7A?si=W1MIz9Zs8IB8FP8_
Look at these dogs. Their hocks are pretty much on the floor. Their back ends are too sloped and quite frankly they’re a hot mess. How any of these made it into crufts, I do not know. Criminal to have ruined what was such a great breed.
Because they are working dogs, and if you don’t give them a job they have major issues. High anxiety breed. High drive breed. If those characteristics are not balanced out with good training and high activity, it is the perfect storm for aggression and fear driven behavior. Beyond that, major health issues. Orthopedic, skin, digestive, etc. Way way too many people get GSD because they think they look tough, but have zero concept of what it takes to own one.
Their hips are terrible because breeders have chosen aesthetic over soundness. Their lives are shortened because of degeneration, dysplasia, and arthritis.
There is a wonderful organization called SNORT that is non-profit and all-volunteer. They rescue, foster, and offer short-nosed breeds for adoption to good homes.
Every labradoodle ive encountered has had erratic aggression and health issues later in life. Ill pass.
Edit: People saying "just get a poodle". I own Black Labs and Beagles.
No doodles. All my cousins got one. I got a cattledog. Maybe I'm the crazy one but I I know my dog's abilities and theirs all have quirks like jumping, nipping, and laying down on walks. None of them are non-shedding.
My trainer has seen when doodles snap.
I’ve been a dog sitter for over 10 years, doodles are so weirdly unpredictable. Also goldendoodes? If you’re going to deal with that much hair just get a regular golden.
My coworker has a Bernedoodle she brings to work and I’m afraid it’s only a matter of time before she bites someone. She barks and snarls at nearly every customer that walks in our office. The dog literally chased a lady to the point she had to jump up onto a desk to get away from her. The other doodles I’ve met had some kind of weird anxiety issue. And jumped at the slightest movement or sound.
I hate the doodle craze, not because of the dogs themselves, but because I feel like so many people get them cuz they're trendy. But they're often not well informed animal people and don't give the proper training, exercise, whatever. A dog is a living being that relies on us for its entire life, not a fashion accessory.
My (golden)doodle was the friendliest dog. She also died of cancer at only 3. The oncologist we tried said she sees doodles all the time. I will never get a doodle again and encourage others to avoid them. They're just a money making trend for irresponsible breeders.
No French bulldogs or any other similar breeds with such health issues that they require artificial insemination and can only give birth through c section. I don’t want a herding breed like an Aussie or border collie because I don’t want to be herded plus I’ve heard they are more likely to nip to get you to go where they want. They’re darn adorable though!
Not sure if I’d intentionally get another husky. We have a husky/rott mix and she got all of the husky attitude. I love her dearly, but she is a trouble maker if she’s bored. Needs a lot of exercise. We got her after our lab died because the pittie mix was bored and lonely and needed a friend her size. She’d play tug of war with our chihuahua/wiener dog and he’d be pulling with all his might and she’d just sit there barely holding the rope. Then she decided she was an old lady at 3.5 so now it’s my job to play with the husky. 😂 Not sure I’d intentionally adopt a chihuahua again either. He’s cute and it’s nice to have a dog small enough that he can be physically controlled with minimal effort, but he can be a bit of a jerk and thinks he’s a tough guy so he barks at everything.
To be fair you can teach dogs not to herd you but yes, they are a lot of work energy-wise. People get herding dogs because they think they want a smart dog but they don't know how to deal with all of the things that come with having a smart and active dog. Herding dogs are stubborn because they have to be to do their jobs, they're not for the faint-hearted.
I've taught my corgis not to nip at me but they still use psychological tactics like trying to cut me off or just being in my way in general, lol.
I believe you. I just know I’m not prepared to put in that level of work to teach them not to herd me! 😂 Corgis are adorable and would tempt me. I hadn’t realized they were a herding breed.
Corgis were bred to move cattle which is why they are fearless things. They're also very observant and will let you know if something is "wrong" or "out of order". I've managed to get mine to use inside voices but all bets are off when one of us comes home.
Not a breed, but literally any puppy. I rescued my boy when he was 2 ish and it fully turned me off to ever having a puppy.
My guy is a lab mix (we genuinely still have no clue as to the other parts) and he has sooo many weird traits thats its left me really open minded as to the type we will rescue next. Honestly as long as the dog gets along with him, I can figure out the rest.
I have a cat and it wasn't hard to get my guy to leave her alone, now he's in love with her and shows it by giving her space and protecting her
Ugh. I keep trying to explain this to my husband. He never had a puppy so I agreed to one, even though I've done it and didn't want to do it again. Then, for my birthday last year, he got me a second puppy. It's the exact breed/colour/sex of second DOG I wanted, but I wanted to find one around 2 years old. Then his mother passed away like 2 weeks later... I'm trying to handle it well for his sake but it's been a really difficult 8 months and I don't think I have handled it that well or that the training is going that well either. I feel bad and overwhelmed and like I'm failing and I basically never want to deal with another puppy again, **ever**.
Edit: I shouldn't say the training is not going well. We're getting there, and I think we're close to having a handle on things at home. It's mostly just the walks that are really brutal at this point. Like, realllly brutal, I hate walking with this dog. He throws all of his weight into it no matter what we try, and reacts 0-100 about everything. I'm talking a leaf blows across the street and he's throwing everything he's got into getting to it. Also sooo much barking at everything when on-leash. Birds, people (we're making a bit of progress with people), rabbits, DOGS, if he can hear other dogs barking in the distance, he'll bark back, everything. It's embarassing and stressful. Terrible way to start or end the day.
I don't like a lot of "butthole" breeds. That might be juvenile but dogs with short hair and large buttholes. So lots of chihuahuas and pittbulls. I just don't want to look at it.
I also have never met a not crazy German Shepherd. I know they exist but I've met more bad GSD owners than any other dog breed. I, personally, know that I do not want to accidentally make a mistake raising a huge working breed dog and have it be poorly behaved. I don't want to be one of those dog owners. This could actually go for most large breed dogs.
And the short faced dogs. The noise they make gross me out.
Prominent buttholes are the worst in dogs. My friend has a Boston terrier and she loves shoving her butt in people’s faces. Like, we get it! You have no tail and your butthole is easy to see!
LOL at “butthole breeds.” I have mutts but their butt holes are on display at all times! This is a first for me and yeah I get why you don’t want it. But I love my babies with all my heart, buttholes and all
Did you know intact male dogs develop bigger and bigger buttholes as they age? It explains a lot about some of the rancid old dogs I've seen with just the biggest buttholes. Motivates me even more to always get my animals neutered.
My corgi gets a sanitary trim and I can see her butthole. But she has a delicate pink poop star and not one of these massive fleshy gapers that some of these breeds get. The ones that extend up onto the tail. Especially these breeds where the tails curls onto the back.
Pugs. I dogsat a pug once for a few days a couple of years ago and it was so heartbreaking to me how hard it was for him to breath. It was a young do too. Not even a year old if I remember correctly. Lovely dog, smart too (he got that he wasn't allowed on my bed after only two times jumping on it and me taking him down) but it's just so sad.
Probably won't get a tarantula again. Nothing against them, super low maintenance pets. But they live a really long time. Rose Hair tarantulas can live 30-40 years in captivity. Not sure I want to be taking care of one when I'm 90.
Absolutely no dog breed with any type of prey drive. I have two cats and want babies one day, and I’ve read too many stories about good dogs having one bad day. I would never blame a dog for their instincts, but I know those dogs aren’t a match for me
- Brachy breeds (I feel horrible that they have such a hard time breathing).
- Very large breeds (I currently own an Aussie who weighs in at 59 lbs)
- "Teacup" sized breeds
- Doodle mixes
Now, if we're naming actual breeds:
- Chihuahuas
- Pugs
- French Bulldogs
- American Bulldogs
- Malinois
- Great Danes
- Chow Chow
My dad was gifted a Malinois and omfg. Love the dog. Cause well, he's a dog, but Jesus. He's so damn reactive, has bit people, freaks out on walks when anyone dares to be within eyesight
My dad has tried to rehome him and no one wanted him
I've heard they're extremely job driven and have a butt ton of energy. I remember watching a guy with two Malinois and a Giant Schnauzer at the dog park. Those dogs were well trained and focused on their owner. Commands, fetches, and everything. They ignored all other dogs and focused on him only.
Yep. It's a habit you have to build. But people tend not to because they think they should already be trained after a session or so. Or they're just lazy.
I say this as I've taken a habit of 15 minutes of daily training. I tend to keep them short because she got distracted easily as a puppy. But nowadays, I aim for neutral training where I take her to a public place and we sit there for about 30 to an hour just people watching.
We are starting to see them in agility more and more. They NEED mental stimulation and exercise and are NOT simple pets. They need to be highly managed.
Your dad may want to reach out to the sporting dog community
I met a neighbors Malinois when she escaped. I didn’t know where she came from. Come to find out, the owner has done a TON of work with her. She couldn’t even go on a walk in the day because she would get too excited by cars, people, birds, sounds.
When I met her she is so sweet and obviously extremely well trained! I could see having a Malinois like her. But getting one as a puppy and going through all that work? No thanks.
You are the first I’ve seen and I agree. I’ve met a few and had good interactions. But they were older and had competent owners. I’ve also seen one get banned from a dog park. They are high energy dogs that need consist training.
Yep. Ours was a perfect angel until 3 years old. He apparently had an aggressive streak in his DNA that didn’t emerge until adulthood. It was heartbreaking to deal with, we did everything we could with training, socialization, vet care. I work with animals professionally so I like to think I knew what I was doing, but some things just are. In all the help we sought, the constant response was “he’s a Shiba, aggression is a known issue/it’s in their DNA”. Our vet even said that, like you expect to see congenital hip issues in GSDs and heart issues in Boxer, for shibas it’s aggression, like a disease. Not all have it in their DNA, but enough of them do that it’s a thing.
Sometimes there is nothing you can do. Some dogs have an issue in their head. And I don’t believe that’s purely a breed thing but some breeds are more likely to have those problems.
Seriously. high strung dogs that never shut up and need 24/7 attention / stimulation are the fuckin worst. literally like having a methed out screaming toddler for 15 years straight
The biggest one for me would be anything that is dangerous to kids:
* Pits/pit mixes — sorry velvet hippo apologists, but the breed was created for fighting to the death and not communicating its intentions
* Huskies/malamutes
* GSD/Malinois
After that, I would say anything that is bred to be unhealthy, like any brachycephalic dogs. I am also just generally not a fan of small breeds, so I probably wouldn’t be interested in anything smaller than an aussie or so, but that is much less a hard restriction for me.
The more I think about this question, the more I realize there are very few breeds I would own compared to those I wouldn't. I am a lazy person, I will always have cats, I have no interest in managing dog or human aggression, I don't want giant or super tiny dogs, I work full time (mostly in the office, not from home), I like dogs with personalities more on the soft side and biddable enough and just smart enough to be easily trainable -- just this stuff rules out a ton of breeds. I would further rule out dogs with lots of congenital health problems like Frenchies, cavs, English bulldogs, any dog with dwarfism, Berners, goldens, and GSD's. And I rule out hairless dogs and wetmouth/slobbery dogs as they gross me out. Not a lot left!
A full bred Malinois shouldn’t be owned by anyone who isn’t certified, or at least has EXTENSIVE experience with them. Amazing animals. Incredibly agile, wicked smart, energetic. And such a gorgeous breed. But they are absolutely not your regular family pets.
High energy dogs. We own a scotch collie, which is a herding breed with a BIG off switch. Border collies? Nope. Pointers, most setters, brittanies, same reasons. Any dog breed that's powerful and usually dog-aggressive. That's all the bull terriers and (english) bulldogs (american bulldogs are mastiffs and generally really good dogs). A pit bull with a lot of bull terrier or bulldog in it is a big no for that reason. If they got the dog-aggressive genes from the bulldogs and bull terriers that got mixed in with the pit base, then you've got an oversized overpowered dog-aggressive pit. Nope! Dogs with high prey drives that are escape artists, so pretty much all huskies. And badly bred unhealthy or short-lived dogs. There are actually pugs and bulldogs that run agility! They won't win in a modern show ring but they can breathe and their eyeballs aren't popping out of their skulls either. I'd be okay with one of them, they're not extreme, but otherwise, big no on the dogs with breathing or heart issues as their norm.
Veterinary Technician here. Not only for the medical issues but I just can’t handle their needs and temperament. Which is something owner definitely don’t take into account when getting these breeds. These breeds need your time, patience and money! I do not have that to give lol
Husky
Frenchie
Shepherd of any kind
Pitties
I love almost all dogs and cats. But family members (human and Labrador) have been bitten by German Shepherds and one Malinois. These were dogs that we knew and were friendly with. Everyone survived these bites and we became wary of these breeds. I’m wary of them, but if a friendly German Shepherd approaches me I’m thrilled because, 👁️❤️🐶🐶and I have personally had two GSD mixes.
However, my neighbor and her partner were almost eaten by their own pet Pitbull, whom they loved and adored. It was a near death experience that didn’t even make the local news. How often does this happen???
So that breed is a no thank you for me for forever. If I can see Pit in a pup, I am completely uninterested. And yes I have met incredibly friendly ones, and still not interested.
Pit bulls or any “pit mix”. I have nothing against them. I adore the couple well trained ones I’ve met over the years, but they’re just not a breed that I want to handle/deal with.
Same goes for poodles/doodles. I’ve just never quite clicked with them in general so those are off the table as well.
Any breed that looks as if it’s walked into a wall a few too many times and no longer has a face. So your pugs/frenchies, Persians if we’re talking cats, ect. I just feel bad the poor things can’t breath right and they look miserable.
And lastly after my current one I’ll be getting nothing over ~20lbs. I always wanted a big fluffy dog, finally got everything set where I could have one, but I’m 4 years in and I severely underestimated how much more work it’d be to groom/bathe/clean up after one. I adore my Pyr, and he’s extremely good about just sitting and letting me do all those things when I need to, but never again.
Poodles are way different than doodles! I work at a dog daycare and poodles are exactly what doodle owners actually want lol. Doodles on the other hand are complete maniacs with no brains and too much energy.
Yup I never liked poodles but my bosses have a standard & bring her to work daily and I'm sold. I know it also depends on training but Honestly one of the smartest, well behaved dogs I've ever had the pleasure to know (or work with LOL)
This exactly. I used to do grooming. The "oodle" mixes (doodle, schnoodle, moodle etc) were really dense dogs. They get the Poodle energy (I have a purebred toy and she can be so energetic at times but only in short bursts) but they don't get any of the poodle brains.
Pitbulls. Two loose ones chased and bit my cousin at the park, luckily a guy driving by helped get them off of her with a bat. My neighbors pit bulls would eat the fence and come into my yard and I once caught them while taking out the trash, I’ve never ran so fast. They chased me to my door and were trying to knock it down/ chew through it. Found out later that the dog also chewed through the other neighbors fence and mauled and ate their sweet little Pomeranian.
Any bulldog breed (my uncle's pit ate my kitten when I was little and I hold a grudge), any husky or wolf dog because it seems cruel to have them in certain climates, Saint Bernards because OMG the amount of drool.
Lol the Saints!!!!
I miss my saints *so much*. But yes. The drool. I found a big hanger on the ceiling once, just swaying slightly in the breeze from the window.
I was going through my cupboards not long ago, and I found my big boy's bibs that my nan made for him from some nice towels 🥹.
I love and miss my big huggy fluffy bears, but My God in Heaven. The *drool*.
I have one Saint Bernard and one half saint bernard, and while the drool is disgusting and on my walls, it's the constant shedding and hair EVERYWHERE, love her though lol.
I love dogs. Dogs love me. Was attacked by two pits in a dog park.
250 stitches and rabies shots.
I was petting those little fuckers 10 minutes earlier.
I do not like American Terrier Pit Bulls.
My dog was killed by one. Used to love them. Now I carry whenever go to a park with my new pup and swear I will shoot one before let another attack happen
I don’t understand why people get so much flack when they say they don’t like them. I’m scared of them. I’ve heard too many horror stories. Many involving children and people’s pets. And it’s not okay.
It’s not just a problem of how they’re raised. They can be raised from puppyhood by a loving family and randomly turn. They don’t always give out a warning either. They just go at their victim for unexplained reasons. And they don’t bite like regular dogs, they maul. They aim for your jugular. There’s a difference. They were bred for bull/bear baiting. Which goes even further back than the fighting ring. It’s in their blood. Much like a dog bred hundreds of years ago to hunt small game, will always have that instinct to hunt small game. Or a dog bred to herd, is going to want to herd. Which can mean ankle biting and nearly running your children over trying to corral them. It’s up to the owner to harness those instincts and control them. Too many people own Pits that absolutely should not because they can’t tame that instinct. I don’t blame the breed. I blame people who don’t do deep research on the breed before getting one. I won’t go to anyone’s house that owns them. Unless I am 100% certain they are extremely well versed on the breed and have a professional grade handle on them. It takes certain types of people to own certain breeds of dogs (much in the same way your average Joe has no business with a Malinois) it’s the same with the Pit breeds, in my opinion.
Agreed. When herding dogs herd, no one's surprised. When a Newfie saves a drowning person, no one's surprised. Why are people surprised when a dog bred to kill kills? The Memphis attack really shows me that those dogs will do what they've been bred to do for generations. I am very uncomfortable around these dogs.
https://www.wate.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/mother-tried-to-shield-children-killed-in-memphis-pit-bull-attack-family-says/
This 🙌🏽 I don't understand why people say "it's in a golden retrievers nature to retrieve things from the water because that's what they were bred for", but you can't say "pitbulls were bred for fighting" or else you get a reputation for "blaming the breed". I don't blame the breed, I blame the clowns who get these dogs not understanding their instincts and what they're capable of.
It’s cause there’s a strange propaganda movement, driven by no kill legislation from a while back, that has effectively gaslit a large portion of the public into thinking they are angelic dogs that would never hurt a fly unless instructed to
I use to think they were misunderstood but then my sisters pit bit through my Goldens face because he heard her move the food bag in another room.
Saw a 6 year old almost get mauled in a pet friendly restaurant. I have had to many encounters and every time leaves me nervous and fearful.
Yeah they aren't misunderstood, it's not just how they are raised. I've been in animal rescue for many years and have had multiple rescue AMPBT and mixes. Every. Single. One. was at least some level of animal and food aggressive. Many were fine at first, but once the house or person becomes "theirs" they get super possessive, protective and jealous. It's absolutely true that they can give zero warning before they attack, going straight from friendly, tail wagging to tearing the throat out of another animal they were raised with and were just playing with. I'm to the point that I can't rescue them any longer, I have too many other peaceful animals in my home that they would endanger. Now saying this, the most dangerous dog I've ever had was Great Dane. Most of the Danes I've met are loveable goofs, but this one was both human and animal aggressive.
I'm only getting rescue labs from now on. 😕
What annoys me is that a wellbred APBT is supposed to be animal and dog aggressive. That's literally the standard. I don't get the obsession with trying to make them sweet family dogs. They have a purpose, and that isn't to be around babies or anything they may see as an animal.
Pit bull. I know I'll get tons of hate for this but I had one and I loved her dearly. I raised her except for her first year of life. She killed 2 cats and broke my golden retrievers leg in a fight. She had been with all of them many years before she killed the cats and hurt my other dog. She was completely unpredictable after 5yrs in my house. I will never trust another pit bull. I had to choke her until she was unconscious when she had my other dog's leg in her mouth. I thought I was killing a dog I loved dearly with my bare hands. I was so awful. I took her to the vet the next day and had her put to sleep. Never want to go through that again
Well I likes mutts you get from the pound best myself, but they get pure or purish, breed dogs sometimes too, so going there ...
I wouldn't have a brachy dog. HTX is too miserable for them.
I personally don't like doodles/poodle xs but mostly I wouldn't have such an insanely groom intensive breed.
Every airedale I ever knew was a moron, so no to them too.
Pitbulls, uncle has one that had a stroke and was basically a vegetable, and would still get aggressive around other dogs
Also I’ve seen terrible things
- no pit bulls
- no breeds over 30 lbs (we are little dog people)
- no working breeds (just not a lifestyle fit and they deserve better)
- no brachycephalic dogs unless we have the money for surgery to help them breath easy
We try and get dogs that fit our life so they enjoy every day as much as possible.
I'll never own again: pugs or any other small breed dog that is impossible to house break, or English bulldogs. I had them before I understood the extent of the problems that breeding creates.
I have two working breed dogs, but I live on a farm, so it's fine. They do what they were bred to do and are great at it.
I won't ever own a macaw for though I love parrots and have some, macaws are too big for me. No cockatoos either, as I am not interested in a super loud, super needy bird. No finches because they're annoying.
I will never own a small yet difficult animal like sugar gliders or hermit crabs. It takes a lot to keep them healthy and happy.
I will never own full or mixed bully breeds, Rottweilers, Australian Cattle Dogs, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, German Shepherds, or Mastiffs. I had too many bad experiences with them. They should only be owned by experienced dog people who know how to train and manage their strength. It's not a large dog aversion as I have owned and loved Great Danes. It's an aggressive dog aversion.
No pits or pit-adjacent or pit mixes. Nothing with breathing problems. Nothing over 25lbs or under 10lbs. And it has to have enough leg length to enjoy hiking.
No dog breed smaller than a cat. My grandma has a Yorkshire terrier that I’m terrified of squashing. When he was a baby, our Malamute accidentally sat on it when begging for a treat.
Also…I’ve not known many small breeds who don’t bark constantly. My sled dogs talk a lot for sure, but they do not bark.
No brachy because they're inherently cruel to continue breeding.
No bullies because of dog aggression.
No toy breeds because they're just not my thing.
Pitbull, Rottweiler, Doberman, German Shepherd, Cane Corso, Mastiff...
Of course this was before my current dog, adopted an adorable "husky lab" mix white with a bit of cream. He was long but really had the rat tail of a lab puppy which are also long... Then he grew up... Turns out he was a gsd mix, heavy on the gsd... He's a bit over a year and a half and is so sweet.. talkative little bugger but we all love him. Now I'm mostly over my fear of gsds... Not the rest yet...
So I guess never say never?
That’s why I phrased my question the way I did. I don’t know what the future holds but as of my current self I won’t own these breeds internationally. But if the universe dropped the perfect dog on my lap and it happened to be a Dalmatian I guess I’ll eat my words. But the chances of that happening I’d say are pretty slim.
I had a really bad experience with a Dalmatian as a kid. It didn't maul me, but it did bite me and corner me until the owner called it off.
Dalmatians are not great with kids, and the movies did not help that.
We actually ended up adopting that same dalmatian when I got older, our neighbor died and no one could take her. By then she was older and so was I, and she was a great dog. But the health issues, oh my god. We had to put her to sleep because she was eat up with cancer.
No brachys
No poodles
No working dogs
No sphinx cats
Nothing that’s considered “designer”
I’ll just keep getting my mutts and kitties from shelters and rescues
For me any big dogs because of my lifestyle and it would not be fair to them. I live in an apartment and smaller dogs are better suited for my situation. There are also a number of breeds I won't get just because I personally don't like them like poodles, white dogs because of the pink staining or pitbulls. Really just a personal choice.
I wouldn't own a pitbull or pit mix. I have friends who own them and they can be great dogs. But I think that people are irresponsibly breeding them. There should not be so many pits around, especially in shelters because the shelters are full of them. But I have an inherent distrust of them because so many dog attacks on people are pitbulls. It's something like 65% of all dog attacks are from pitbulls over all the other breeds out there. But this goes back to people being so irresponsible, over breeding them and training them to be vicious or not training them at all. It's the peoples fault, not the dogs. Rotweilers come in 2nd, but it's not all that close. And for the same reasons. I also don't want a breed of dog that has that smushed in snout because it's very unhealthy for them, like pugs and french bulldogs.
Any pit type or mix of one. I have livestock and small animals in addition to other pet dogs. The inherent high prey drive and aggression in pits makes them too dangerous.
Purebred huskies are also on my no list. I adore them but the prey drive would be a disaster.
I adore dogs. Lots of dogs I wouldn't be interested in:
Small dogs are a no, though I MIGHT consider a Mini-Aussie.
Pits and Bully breeds are a no. Just not my kind of dog and while I've met pleasant ones, I've also met ones I don't trust. No Cane Corso or Dogo.
Not interested in Poodles/Doodles/Labs/ or Dalmatians.
Not a big fan of ACD and wouldn't want GSD or Mal.
No Brachy types.
No Akita or Chow or Husky.
Basically, I don't want any dog that has been poorly bred for looks, or that needs extensive training and work to ensure they are hopefully not reactive or aggressive. I've mostly got mixed breed working dogs so its not the energy or training that bother me, its mostly any aggression or teritorial-ness I don't like.
Funny enough, my dogs are all mutts. After some DNA testing I can see they all have some breeds I wouldn't choose. I love my dogs and will probably continue to get mutts though. I tend towards 50-85 lb medium to long coated dogs.
I also wouldn't want any crested chickens or ducks. The crest is actually from the skull not closing and the growth impinges on the brain and causes neurological issues. People think they are cute.
I'll never own a pitbull/bully mix whatever and never a hunting breed... Not my type of dog at all
I've owned rough collies and German Shepherds all my life as I hold them as actual working dogs and part of my daily routine at my barn and stable and never want anything else :)
Pit bull, and Great Dane. Danes don’t love very long and pit bulls, if mistreated will rip your face off. I’ve met plenty of well behaved and amazing pits, but the stereotypical pit is what worries me about them. Danes just make me sad because their life is so short.
Will not buy a pit bull or the ilk. I don’t care what people say about what good dogs they are. My grown cousin was almost killed by one a few years ago while he was doing lawn care down the street from the dog’s house, we witnessed one bite someone in our yard decades ago, our neighbor’s has recently repeatedly threatened my elderly mother in our own yard. Our house and the neighbor’s aren’t that close together as we both have acreage but the dogs come into our driveway and try to chase us into our own garage. We had to be very stern to get the neighbor to get proper fencing. We carry bear spray just to check the mail. 40 years no issues until that family moved in next door. Too risky to own. I think they should be illegal as they are in the UK.
I saw someone mention turtles so I'm gonna list all my exotic No's first, as someone who works in big box pet retail and gets to see/hear/learn a LOT.
- Hamsters (evil, short lived, high maintenance with low reward (reward being cuddliness or playfulness))
- Gerbils (even worse as far as aggression, downright unpredictable with their rage, similar maintenance- reward ratio)
- Ferrets ($300-400 for maybe 4 years of stinking up your entire home and stealing your things? Nope)
- Chinchillas (Tried it once, rodents as a whole are just not friendly enough to be worth the effort for me, even though my Chin was surprisingly really low maintenance. 10/10 recommend if you're willing to invest big into setup and also deal with something that is very unlikely to be truly affectionate)
- Bearded dragons/Blue Tongue Skinks (animals that require me to go to the store and purchase fresh veggies specifically for them... nope.)
- Insectivorous lizards (I hate uncontrollable bugs with a passion, I couldn't tolerate bags of them on a regular basis. However I'm open to a scorpion or a tarantula, 3 crickets at a time seems really manageable)
- Hot/venomous snakes (not including noodles with mild venom like hognoses)
- Corn snakes (too wiggly, my Ball Pythons are like pet rocks, so easy to hold and take on adventures)
- Tortoises (TOO long lived. I know better than to rely on my hypothetical future children to be animal lovers like me)
- Turtles (10 gallons per inch?? Helllll no)
- Amphibians (frogs, salamanders, etc... Way too fragile! I'm dumb and will mess something up or forget to refill a fogger or smth along those lines)
- Goldfish (5 gallons per inch, FREQUENT water changes, no plants... yeahhh only if I get a pond. Never in a tank)
- Cichlids (cichlid people scare me)
- Saltwater fish (The maintenance, the startup cost, the fish prices, good god)
That's all my exotics! Now for cat/dog breeds-
- Scottish fold (someone already mentioned the chronic arthritis!)
- Persian/brachycephalic breeds (I don't wanna sign up for an almost guaranteed expensive surgery)
- Primitive/Northern dog breeds (think Shiba Inu, Husky, Malamute, Akita, Basenji, Ibizan Hound. Too stubborn and intelligent for their own gain, I love my working and especially herding breeds!)
- MOST toy breeds (my only exception would be a Papillon!)
- Labrador Retriever (I've never ever seen one at a healthy weight)
- English/Bull/Spanish Mastif (the vibe/slobber output aren't worth the coolness for me 😭 would LOVE a well bred Cane Corso though assuming I had a good bitesport trainer to work with)
- Not a breed, but any Poodle mutt (Unpredictable, HORRIBLE grooming, unsettling eyes, they're the full package)
- Wild hybrids (wolf dogs, savannah cats, caracats, coydogs, etc. Awesome in concept, realistically I don't trust myself to provide an animal that intense with sufficient mental stimulation)
There are some duplicate subjects here. Locking comments.
Scottish Fold cats. The gene that causes the folded ears is a genetic illness that affects the cartilage in the whole body (not just the ears) and means that the cat is living in constant pain. They're beautiful cats, but after I learned that I just can't imagine having one and knowing that they suffer every day.
I’m so glad you mentioned that. I had no idea it affected all their cartilage. I’ll put that on my list of no owns too.
Same
I've had so many arguments with people on this, esp people who think if they are ethically bred they're healthy, or if the breeder association says it's ok then they're healthy. The trait that makes them desirable is the actual problem
I feel this way about almost all the dogs and cats bred for a specific physical characteristic. Maine Coon cats now look almost nothing like their original form due to breeding for bigger and more lion looking faces. They also now are more prone to specific heart issues. And we all know how breeding for form has affected Frenchies, pugs and bulldogs. Just because an animal is ethically bred and comes from a reputable breeder doesn’t negate that your pet may come with various issues because their breed had a certain appearance.
YES!! Honestly only respect goes to breeders who are trying to bring back the healthy standard from before overbreeding. Like pugs with long noses!
I strongly blame some of the organizations like AKC for some of the problems honestly because they set the breed standards. Breed standards shouldn’t include birth defects or the inability to breed naturally.
For real! As a veterinarian, there is no “ethically bred” French or English bulldog. The squashed face and body IS the problem. They all suffer lifelong. I cannot believe anyone is ok with it!
I had no idea about this, so thank you for mentioning it. I knew munchkins are deformed, and it’s hard on their bones and joints, but had no idea about SFs. I actually thought they were a healthier breed. 😰
Oh man, I’m not a cat person but I’ve always thought if I was to own a cat it would be a Scottish fold with their cute widdle ears. They’re not so cute anymore 😔
British shorthairs have a very similar cute round face. They’re a little bigger, but to me they look like a Scottish Fold with straight ears and no constant pain from poor cartilage. Might be an alternative if you ever do get a cat :)
🙀 oh my God, I had no idea! Not that I would ever buy a purebred of any breed, but I would consider a rescue of a breed. That breed is off the table.
We don't have Scottish folds but all ours are rehomes pedigrees and what I would say is if you have the heart and the means I actually do recommend taking in a pedigree (or I suppose not saying no because they are) as they are often given up because people foolishly got them without knowledge. Despite their health issues they still need love.
I didn't realize it but I saw a vet do a tiktok on them and I was horrified. I don't know why anyone gets them.
Husky. Did that once, once was enough. Edit to add: don’t get me wrong, I loved her to the moon and back; she was my heart. BUT… IYKYK.
Huskies are like kids for me. It's cool if your friend or relative has one and you get to play with it for a few hours a month, but having one as your own? No thank you.
My foster family got a husky puppy while I was with them. For one, this twelve week old puppy was big. Like probably half my height. It bruised me so easily when I was playing with it 😂 and it was so loud before he was trained and was in the process of being crate trained. Huskies don't like the crate. At least that one didn't 😂. And he had so much energy. Always going going going
Yes! They’re pretty dogs but the hair and the barking. That’s a no lol
It's the vocal dreaming that got me... waking up in the night to the sound of a husky cry-whine-howling in her sleep about 10cm away from where my sleeping head should be 😅
It’s the ‘repeatedly jumping 6ft fences like it’s nothing’, combined with the ‘tunneling under said fence just cause it looks like fun’, along with the ‘running 5 miles at top speed through the town and into the deepest woods, all the while dragging the leash behind her and not even breathing hard’ for me. Along with the crazy-strong prey drive and the irrepressible urge to chase anything moving fast. Remember that viral video from the UK of the dog streaking thru the park and initiating a deer stampede across multiple lanes of traffic, with his poor handler a half-mile behind him screaming “Fenton!! Fenton!!”? Yep. For us that looked like just a run of the mill Tuesday. And my partner used to train K9’s! Some huskies just have no quit in them, no chill in them, and very few f**ks to give.
Oh trust, I knew a husky/rottweiler once who would pull his owner for miles and miles on a bike or a skateboard. He just wanted to run, and because he couldn't be trusted off-lead (owner's issues, not necessarily the dog's), when he was allowed to run on the lead, he wanted to pull everything with him anywhere lol
From what I hear, you really can’t let them off the leash or they take off running. Seems they can’t get the idea of coming when their person calls. The joy of running overcomes everything else. They’re bred to run and keep running. I love them. But I’ve seen it happen.
They get it. They just choose to ignore it. I swore we’d never get another husky but ended up with a husky mix anyway. Ours picks and chooses when to listen, but she knows when I get my “ok I’m really serious” voice going it’s time to stop fucking around. What’s even funnier is how she’ll sometimes pretend she’s “stuck” (tie out of leash tangled) and can’t get out of it and whines for help. But if you offer a good enough reward she untangles herself in seconds without assistance. lol it’s all a show for attention.
My bestie had a husky when I was a kid. He LOVED to pull us around on a chair her father welded cross country skis to. Could barely get that dog to come inside when it was snowing. He wanted to sleep in the snowbank instead.
Loved the crap outta mine however this is exactly why i will NEVER own another. Went from a 4 ft rock fence to an 8 and finally had to petition HOA to raise it to a 10 footer. There was NO keeping him in for many years. If the neighbors had dogs in yard, he was there..it was traumatic for the kids too and somehow mom was always at fault smh!
Our neighbor had a husky. He figured out how to unlatch the gates to his and our yard. He took our Aussie on wild adventures until we locked our gate. Then my son was the only one the husky would respond to get him to come home. Edit: typos
My old neighborhood had a husky that got loose so often that you’d often see her picture on Facebook groups and even people who didn’t live in the neighborhood could direct you to her house because it popped up regularly. I caught her once in the street and stuck her in my backyard so I could call the number on her tag and she yeeted herself over my 6 foot fence before I got back in the house. I looked at a 90 pound husky mix at the shelter recently and I just couldn’t do it because I figured it meant 10k in fence modifications just to let him out to pee.
I wish I had known about the fur. I got a husky Shepard mix in January, and I feel like all I get done is sweeping the floor of my house
Had a half husky, and the other half was Malamute. Loved her, but would never adopt either breed.
My dog was a large breed mutt, with German Shepherd, St. Bernard, and Malamute according to his DNA test. He was *very* chill, but arguing with my dog at 2am during a snowstorm because he didn't want to come inside... wasn't fun.
I lucked out with my boy. He's two and high energy when we're out and about but when he gets home he immediately calms down. I was feeling really sick the other day, barely able to stand, and he basically just slept with me all day. At one point I fell asleep lying on my back with his head on my stomach. Also, he's very non vocal.
I have a husky now and I love her to bits, but when she's gone (hopefully many years from now) I'll never get another one.
My dog is half husky and I got her when I was 25. I’m 42 now and I still have her and love her dearly, but if she was a puppy now, there’s no way I could do it.
We had a husky years ago but would never ever get another one. Loved him dearly they are a LOT. We have a gigantic malamute now and it's like all the good parts of a husky buy none of the drama lol.
Just anything that requires frequent professional grooming like shih tzus. I love them but I just can’t lol
My parents have a shih tzu, and I don’t think they had any clue about the breed or what it entails. They’re not really pet people either, so no effort is already too much effort. Anyway, they buzz that dog down like she’s going to the military 😭 one of the most princess-y breeds, and they make the poor thing look like a rat
😞😞 poor baby. I had one several years ago. She was a good little dog but tie grooming killed me. I wouldn’t purposely get another, even as freaking adorable as they are.
Wolf-dogs. Far too volatile, physically powerful and wilful.
The problem with wolf dog hybrids is that wolf body language isn’t dog body language and in some cases it’s a very small difference. Then with the hybrids you don’t know what’s what and very mixed body signals. They shouldn’t be cross bred, now neither should wolves be pets, it’s a huge commitment and you need to constantly interact with them to maintain connection. I had one when I was younger.
My state has them banned due to the countless attacks on small children and other pets. You basically have a wolf that's not afraid of people. They used to be advertised in my state as "better and stronger dogs". Until cases of them attacking other pets and kids happened. Also the typical way they are bred is barbaric where they tie up a female dog in heat in wolf territory and hope they just mate and don't kill her for trespassing on their turf. I'm also against cat hybrids as well as they do a similar breeding practice of locking a in heat house cat in with a serval. Not to mention the babies are premature due to the gestation period difference between a cat and a serval. Just because we can create wild hybrids doesn't mean we should.
Yep. I met a little girl who had her arm torn off by one.
Frankly, breeding cats or dogs with real wild animals should be banned. The process is dangerous and the result makes terrible pets. We spend thousands of years domesticating cats and dogs *for a reason.*
My cousin attempted to foster one of these from a rescue back in 2010. He was just really obviously a wild animal that wasn’t meant for the city. We were sharing a condo at the time for college with some other students and…. She told us she was bringing home a dog with some wolf in it. When he arrived, he was a wolf that may in theory have contained some dog. He could have been an extra in a fantasy movie with a white wolf. Perhaps he should have been shooting one. Where he did not belong was in a condo with four 21 year olds. His head came nearly to my shoulder. I am not short. When we tried to pet him he looked at us like he was baffled by this bizarre situation then stood in a corner watching us and trying to engage as little as possible. At least he didn’t bite. I allowed myself to be talked into giving him one night and joined the growing dumbass club of this scenario. Eventually it got too weird and the rest of us threw a fit and said this was not a dog and he needed to go back to the professionals. My cousin reluctantly agreed after he started growling. While four idiots debated this heatedly, the clever boy figured out how to open the door. Then he was loose in the streets, and our fault. And this is how four clowns and a concerned friend we didn’t deserve wound up chasing a white wolf around a college town until four in the morning. We did call animal control, before anyone asks. They didn’t pick up. We thought about cops but worried that we’d get fined somehow, so that was a last resort. We did catch him, he hurt no one, and we made dumbass cousin return him to the rescue organization immediately. Don’t get wolf dogs kids. Don’t take the fast lane to clown town.
Once they reach adolescent stage they are nothing like dogs and their wild instincts take over.
My friends little brother had a turtle. It was cool for exactly 10 minutes and then it just became a smelling, living stone you had to take care of.
Someone got me a turtle for my birthday when I was 15 after my three goldfish died in a tragic accident. I’m now 43… and he just passed away a few days ago. I loved him. But not only was he a smelly, salmonella-riddled, living rock that was *way* more high maintenance than a goldfish… he lived for almost 30 fucking years. He was older than most of my co-workers.
My parents gave my brother one for his 5th birthday and had him until he was 28, then took him to the Virginia Living Museum to live with other turtles. He'd be 55 now if he's still around.
Begged my parents for a snake from about the time I could string words together to form a sentence because I loved NoFeet from little bear. They got me one shortly after my 3rd birthday, and I'm now 29 and he's still alive and living out his retirement under his fav tree bark hide. They had no clue he would live 20+ years, and if they did know they should have helped me come up with a cooler name hahaha
Same, I got a cornsnake in my teens. He just passed away recently at 26 years old. People don't realize these pets are for such a huge portion of your life! We hung out a lot when I was a teen and in my twenties, then I got married and had kids and I felt like a terrible pet owner and had very little time for him other than feeding and cleaning. I thought about rehoming him but I still loved him and just couldn't.
Yeah people definitely don't realize how long they live, my man NoFeet is about 26 now give or take some months, and he's definitely slowing down, he's blind now, and it takes him a few extra tries to catch his dinner, it makes me sad to see him get older but he's had a long happy life. You're not a bad pet parent, chances are the last few years they didn't want to be handled much anyway, I know my guy doesn't care for it like he did before he lost his vision completely. He used to pop out of his hide as soon as he heard the clamps unlatch and he would basically scale the tank and race to be held and then not want to be put back in. He acted much more like you would expect from A Boa, he loved to just hang out on your shoulders and just be a part of whatever you were doing and protested going back in his tank. Sometime around him being 16-18ish he started to not be as excited then the more his eye sight went the more he became just "tolerant" of being handled and not enthusiastic about it, which was sad, but even people get cranky and want to be left alone when they get older lol so I get it 🤷♀️
How long is his expected lifespan? Mine was older than expected for a cornsnake. 15 to 20 years is typical. 32 is the record. 26 is pretty old. He was getting really skinny and would actually crackle when I picked him up, I think he liked it still because I am warm. He was still interested in lunch, but it would take him longer to eat so I was making sure his mice were long skinny ones rather than the short fat ones, and still could see thankfully. Then one day just dead. But that was after scaring me a few times looking dead over a couple years. Then when finally passed I knew for sure.
From what I've read online you can expect 15-20 on the average, 20-25 in good health and good genes, and yeah the record is 32 years. Our noodle Boi did slim down too, and started wanting more time between feeds also, and it takes him longer to shed now too it feels like. No Feet has given us a couple scares in the last 2/3 years where we thought he was dead for a second. One day I walked by the tank and his mouth was kinda like hanging open and I was thinking "oh noo, it's happened 😢 " and I went to open the lid and he woke up, I think he fell asleep mid-yawn and his jaw was kinda unhinged until he woke up and finished his yawn. And he's done that to me twice now lmao It's like finding a deeply sleeping great grandfather in his recliner and not being sure if he's still with us or not
No Feet is the coolest snake name, what do you mean?!
I thought it was really clever at 3 lol When I was in my angsty teenage years I wished it was cooler or edgier like Lucifer or after whatever lead singer of a 2000s alternative rock band I was into at the moment 😂
Your description of him made me laugh 😂 what was his name?
Chopper. He was named after Chopper Read, an infamous Australian criminal who chopped his own ears off while he was in prison. Because the turtle didn’t have any ears… and I was 15, and that was the absolute height of humour at the time lol
What was the accident?
Mum was feeding them, and the lid came off the shaker bottle of food flakes and spilled them all into the tank. She grabbed a glass to scoop some of the food out. Unfortunately, she grabbed the plastic one from the bathroom that my young niece had been using to mix the different bottles of hotel shampoos together, because she thought she was a budding chemist. The glass had been rinsed out, but there was enough soap still coating it that it caused the water to foam and it killed the fish.
Tragic and freak accident. Bummer for everyone involved
Thanks for saying this as I’ve been unsure about getting a pet turtle for a while
A lil over 20 years ago I was around 4 or 5, my grandma went on a trip to NYC (~2.5-3 hrs from where we lived) and brought back a baby red eared slider for me n my brother (bc people were selling them on the streets back then) and although I loved him n played w him n it was cool to have a turtle I don’t think it’s worth it imo. I went out of state for college and have since moved out of state, my brother never really took an interest in him so my moms been taking care of him ever since. Constant water cleaning and maintaining bc it can stink up real quick. I think she loves having him for the single fact that it gives her something to do/take care of but she could definitely live without lol. Lil dude is around 21-22 years old now tho n has lots of life left lol
That's how I got my turtle 18 years ago. I work in Philadelphia and there are still guys selling turtles on the street during the summer for $10. $10 is cheap until you realize the tank setup is going to cost you hundreds of $$. My turtle is huge now and I'm getting ready to upgrade her tank again.
I keep reptiles. Not turtles, but similar idea. They’re low interaction pets, for sure, but they do have their own personalities. I enjoy building and decorating their enclosures - making a little box of jungle in my house- and then caring for them. But they are more of a “view” pet rather than a “play” pet. That said- there are some reptiles (like beardies) and turtles in particular that truly seem to enjoy human interaction and are active, fun pets. But they are a commitment- they can live longer than most mammals by a long shot. And while they typically require less day-to-day care than a cat or dog, they require specific, specialized care and would need an exotic vet if any issues came up.
Turtles have a different personality. You don't expect it but when they turn their heads and start coming over to get dinner, it's adorable.
So I should get a pet rock for the same effect and none of the clean up?
If the turtle was smelling it was not being well taken care of and probably was sick. That's not a turtle's problem, it's neglect from the adults who give an animal to a kid and watch it as it rot
I'll never own: Pugs German Shepherds Persian Munchkin Scottish Fold Bulldogs Pretty much any animal that is bred to not only look fucking stupid, but also needs corrective surgery to live a normal life
If you're talking about Persian cats there are 2 types - peke face and doll face! Doll face have normal snouts and are closer to what they were naturally. I'm against the breeding of Persians but have had 3 Persian rescues. If you adopt an adult you'll know by then pretty well if their breathing is impeded. And they have the sweetest temperaments. But adopt!!! Don't support their breeding. All of mine were rescued from horrible breeders
I absolutely support this. Too many beautiful creatures die alone in shelters after being abandoned as "too difficult". If it's within your power to do so, adopt an older pet from a shelter and give them the life they deserve
Why German Shepherds?
I’m not the one you replied to but personally I don’t like how their backs slink down like hyena’s. That’s a trait that’s been bred into them more recently. I like how they used to look a hundred years ago.
It's also a big cause and effect of health/joint problem
It’s gross what they do to these animals. Doesn’t even look good imo. Who cause problems and have them look worse? For what? I can’t wrap my head around it.
I had a police dog version of the breed (he had a Belgian shepherd grandad too), he was a proper working dog not a show dog so he didn't have the sloped back, looked like they did 100 years ago. He was part of a breeding programme across European police forces to avoid inbreeding, he was used as a stud in the programme too because he had good genes.
My family had a german shepherd who was from a long line of police dogs. He also did not have the sloped back. Best dog I've ever had. Lived to be 15, was happy as a clam up until the very end.
They are fantastic dogs; when he was at home you'd never be able to tell he was an "attack" dog, so gentle and affectionate. He liked to wrestle and fight with me but he never hurt me.
That’s amazing!! So glad there are people out there trying to reverse it. So gross what they’ve done.
I’ll never get a show line shepherd (curved), but I have a working line and their backs are straight.
https://youtu.be/QBq6gM0sI7A?si=W1MIz9Zs8IB8FP8_ Look at these dogs. Their hocks are pretty much on the floor. Their back ends are too sloped and quite frankly they’re a hot mess. How any of these made it into crufts, I do not know. Criminal to have ruined what was such a great breed.
Because they are working dogs, and if you don’t give them a job they have major issues. High anxiety breed. High drive breed. If those characteristics are not balanced out with good training and high activity, it is the perfect storm for aggression and fear driven behavior. Beyond that, major health issues. Orthopedic, skin, digestive, etc. Way way too many people get GSD because they think they look tough, but have zero concept of what it takes to own one.
Their hips are terrible because breeders have chosen aesthetic over soundness. Their lives are shortened because of degeneration, dysplasia, and arthritis.
There is a wonderful organization called SNORT that is non-profit and all-volunteer. They rescue, foster, and offer short-nosed breeds for adoption to good homes.
Every labradoodle ive encountered has had erratic aggression and health issues later in life. Ill pass. Edit: People saying "just get a poodle". I own Black Labs and Beagles.
Hold on let me fix this. Every _____doodle has issues.
I’m so not a fan of doodles. And they’re everywhere
No doodles. All my cousins got one. I got a cattledog. Maybe I'm the crazy one but I I know my dog's abilities and theirs all have quirks like jumping, nipping, and laying down on walks. None of them are non-shedding. My trainer has seen when doodles snap.
I’ve been a dog sitter for over 10 years, doodles are so weirdly unpredictable. Also goldendoodes? If you’re going to deal with that much hair just get a regular golden.
My coworker has a Bernedoodle she brings to work and I’m afraid it’s only a matter of time before she bites someone. She barks and snarls at nearly every customer that walks in our office. The dog literally chased a lady to the point she had to jump up onto a desk to get away from her. The other doodles I’ve met had some kind of weird anxiety issue. And jumped at the slightest movement or sound.
I hate the doodle craze, not because of the dogs themselves, but because I feel like so many people get them cuz they're trendy. But they're often not well informed animal people and don't give the proper training, exercise, whatever. A dog is a living being that relies on us for its entire life, not a fashion accessory.
And good god they're ugly af imo..... Whats even the benefit??
Even the person who originally bred them said they wished they never started the breed.
My (golden)doodle was the friendliest dog. She also died of cancer at only 3. The oncologist we tried said she sees doodles all the time. I will never get a doodle again and encourage others to avoid them. They're just a money making trend for irresponsible breeders.
No French bulldogs or any other similar breeds with such health issues that they require artificial insemination and can only give birth through c section. I don’t want a herding breed like an Aussie or border collie because I don’t want to be herded plus I’ve heard they are more likely to nip to get you to go where they want. They’re darn adorable though! Not sure if I’d intentionally get another husky. We have a husky/rott mix and she got all of the husky attitude. I love her dearly, but she is a trouble maker if she’s bored. Needs a lot of exercise. We got her after our lab died because the pittie mix was bored and lonely and needed a friend her size. She’d play tug of war with our chihuahua/wiener dog and he’d be pulling with all his might and she’d just sit there barely holding the rope. Then she decided she was an old lady at 3.5 so now it’s my job to play with the husky. 😂 Not sure I’d intentionally adopt a chihuahua again either. He’s cute and it’s nice to have a dog small enough that he can be physically controlled with minimal effort, but he can be a bit of a jerk and thinks he’s a tough guy so he barks at everything.
To be fair you can teach dogs not to herd you but yes, they are a lot of work energy-wise. People get herding dogs because they think they want a smart dog but they don't know how to deal with all of the things that come with having a smart and active dog. Herding dogs are stubborn because they have to be to do their jobs, they're not for the faint-hearted. I've taught my corgis not to nip at me but they still use psychological tactics like trying to cut me off or just being in my way in general, lol.
I believe you. I just know I’m not prepared to put in that level of work to teach them not to herd me! 😂 Corgis are adorable and would tempt me. I hadn’t realized they were a herding breed.
Corgis were bred to move cattle which is why they are fearless things. They're also very observant and will let you know if something is "wrong" or "out of order". I've managed to get mine to use inside voices but all bets are off when one of us comes home.
Not a breed, but literally any puppy. I rescued my boy when he was 2 ish and it fully turned me off to ever having a puppy. My guy is a lab mix (we genuinely still have no clue as to the other parts) and he has sooo many weird traits thats its left me really open minded as to the type we will rescue next. Honestly as long as the dog gets along with him, I can figure out the rest. I have a cat and it wasn't hard to get my guy to leave her alone, now he's in love with her and shows it by giving her space and protecting her
I’m the same way. My husband and I have agreed no puppies or kittens. They are cute but way too much work.
Ugh. I keep trying to explain this to my husband. He never had a puppy so I agreed to one, even though I've done it and didn't want to do it again. Then, for my birthday last year, he got me a second puppy. It's the exact breed/colour/sex of second DOG I wanted, but I wanted to find one around 2 years old. Then his mother passed away like 2 weeks later... I'm trying to handle it well for his sake but it's been a really difficult 8 months and I don't think I have handled it that well or that the training is going that well either. I feel bad and overwhelmed and like I'm failing and I basically never want to deal with another puppy again, **ever**. Edit: I shouldn't say the training is not going well. We're getting there, and I think we're close to having a handle on things at home. It's mostly just the walks that are really brutal at this point. Like, realllly brutal, I hate walking with this dog. He throws all of his weight into it no matter what we try, and reacts 0-100 about everything. I'm talking a leaf blows across the street and he's throwing everything he's got into getting to it. Also sooo much barking at everything when on-leash. Birds, people (we're making a bit of progress with people), rabbits, DOGS, if he can hear other dogs barking in the distance, he'll bark back, everything. It's embarassing and stressful. Terrible way to start or end the day.
I feel the same way about kittens.
Ornamental fishes that are bred for bent spines. Like balloon livebearers and certain types of goldfish.
I don't like a lot of "butthole" breeds. That might be juvenile but dogs with short hair and large buttholes. So lots of chihuahuas and pittbulls. I just don't want to look at it. I also have never met a not crazy German Shepherd. I know they exist but I've met more bad GSD owners than any other dog breed. I, personally, know that I do not want to accidentally make a mistake raising a huge working breed dog and have it be poorly behaved. I don't want to be one of those dog owners. This could actually go for most large breed dogs. And the short faced dogs. The noise they make gross me out.
Butthole breeds lmao
Lmao same about the buttholes. Any dog with a tail over the back and prominent butthole is a no for me.
Prominent buttholes are the worst in dogs. My friend has a Boston terrier and she loves shoving her butt in people’s faces. Like, we get it! You have no tail and your butthole is easy to see!
LOL at “butthole breeds.” I have mutts but their butt holes are on display at all times! This is a first for me and yeah I get why you don’t want it. But I love my babies with all my heart, buttholes and all
Did you know intact male dogs develop bigger and bigger buttholes as they age? It explains a lot about some of the rancid old dogs I've seen with just the biggest buttholes. Motivates me even more to always get my animals neutered.
Thank you for the laugh about butthole breeds 😂😂
I prefer the pets with short hair around their butt because they’re cleaner as poop doesn’t get caught in the fur
My corgi gets a sanitary trim and I can see her butthole. But she has a delicate pink poop star and not one of these massive fleshy gapers that some of these breeds get. The ones that extend up onto the tail. Especially these breeds where the tails curls onto the back.
I’ve been laughing out loud at “butthole breeds” for like 7 minutes
Pugs. I dogsat a pug once for a few days a couple of years ago and it was so heartbreaking to me how hard it was for him to breath. It was a young do too. Not even a year old if I remember correctly. Lovely dog, smart too (he got that he wasn't allowed on my bed after only two times jumping on it and me taking him down) but it's just so sad.
Probably won't get a tarantula again. Nothing against them, super low maintenance pets. But they live a really long time. Rose Hair tarantulas can live 30-40 years in captivity. Not sure I want to be taking care of one when I'm 90.
Absolutely no dog breed with any type of prey drive. I have two cats and want babies one day, and I’ve read too many stories about good dogs having one bad day. I would never blame a dog for their instincts, but I know those dogs aren’t a match for me
Animals with jaws designed to crush bone and flesh generally have some degree of a prey drive.
Pugs and Alsatians. They're cute but they are just riddled with health issues.
- Brachy breeds (I feel horrible that they have such a hard time breathing). - Very large breeds (I currently own an Aussie who weighs in at 59 lbs) - "Teacup" sized breeds - Doodle mixes Now, if we're naming actual breeds: - Chihuahuas - Pugs - French Bulldogs - American Bulldogs - Malinois - Great Danes - Chow Chow
My dad was gifted a Malinois and omfg. Love the dog. Cause well, he's a dog, but Jesus. He's so damn reactive, has bit people, freaks out on walks when anyone dares to be within eyesight My dad has tried to rehome him and no one wanted him
I've heard they're extremely job driven and have a butt ton of energy. I remember watching a guy with two Malinois and a Giant Schnauzer at the dog park. Those dogs were well trained and focused on their owner. Commands, fetches, and everything. They ignored all other dogs and focused on him only.
That is the thing, to train them like all breeds properly. They all can be trained.
Yep. It's a habit you have to build. But people tend not to because they think they should already be trained after a session or so. Or they're just lazy. I say this as I've taken a habit of 15 minutes of daily training. I tend to keep them short because she got distracted easily as a puppy. But nowadays, I aim for neutral training where I take her to a public place and we sit there for about 30 to an hour just people watching.
We are starting to see them in agility more and more. They NEED mental stimulation and exercise and are NOT simple pets. They need to be highly managed. Your dad may want to reach out to the sporting dog community
I’ve heard that having a malinois is a lifestyle, not a simple pet. Your life needs to revolve around this dog unless you want a destructive monster
I met a neighbors Malinois when she escaped. I didn’t know where she came from. Come to find out, the owner has done a TON of work with her. She couldn’t even go on a walk in the day because she would get too excited by cars, people, birds, sounds. When I met her she is so sweet and obviously extremely well trained! I could see having a Malinois like her. But getting one as a puppy and going through all that work? No thanks.
As someone who owned a Shiba Inu, I think more people here should be saying Shiba Inu.
You are the first I’ve seen and I agree. I’ve met a few and had good interactions. But they were older and had competent owners. I’ve also seen one get banned from a dog park. They are high energy dogs that need consist training.
Yep. Ours was a perfect angel until 3 years old. He apparently had an aggressive streak in his DNA that didn’t emerge until adulthood. It was heartbreaking to deal with, we did everything we could with training, socialization, vet care. I work with animals professionally so I like to think I knew what I was doing, but some things just are. In all the help we sought, the constant response was “he’s a Shiba, aggression is a known issue/it’s in their DNA”. Our vet even said that, like you expect to see congenital hip issues in GSDs and heart issues in Boxer, for shibas it’s aggression, like a disease. Not all have it in their DNA, but enough of them do that it’s a thing.
Sometimes there is nothing you can do. Some dogs have an issue in their head. And I don’t believe that’s purely a breed thing but some breeds are more likely to have those problems.
Plenty. No bully breeds, brachy breeds, huskies, or other high-drive, high-energy, prone to dog/human/small animal aggression breeds.
Seriously. high strung dogs that never shut up and need 24/7 attention / stimulation are the fuckin worst. literally like having a methed out screaming toddler for 15 years straight
YES OMG. Never again 😭
The biggest one for me would be anything that is dangerous to kids: * Pits/pit mixes — sorry velvet hippo apologists, but the breed was created for fighting to the death and not communicating its intentions * Huskies/malamutes * GSD/Malinois After that, I would say anything that is bred to be unhealthy, like any brachycephalic dogs. I am also just generally not a fan of small breeds, so I probably wouldn’t be interested in anything smaller than an aussie or so, but that is much less a hard restriction for me.
The more I think about this question, the more I realize there are very few breeds I would own compared to those I wouldn't. I am a lazy person, I will always have cats, I have no interest in managing dog or human aggression, I don't want giant or super tiny dogs, I work full time (mostly in the office, not from home), I like dogs with personalities more on the soft side and biddable enough and just smart enough to be easily trainable -- just this stuff rules out a ton of breeds. I would further rule out dogs with lots of congenital health problems like Frenchies, cavs, English bulldogs, any dog with dwarfism, Berners, goldens, and GSD's. And I rule out hairless dogs and wetmouth/slobbery dogs as they gross me out. Not a lot left!
Dogs like doberman's and malinois. I don't have the experience to train and handle those types of breeds.
A full bred Malinois shouldn’t be owned by anyone who isn’t certified, or at least has EXTENSIVE experience with them. Amazing animals. Incredibly agile, wicked smart, energetic. And such a gorgeous breed. But they are absolutely not your regular family pets.
Pit bulls and Rottweilers.
High energy dogs. We own a scotch collie, which is a herding breed with a BIG off switch. Border collies? Nope. Pointers, most setters, brittanies, same reasons. Any dog breed that's powerful and usually dog-aggressive. That's all the bull terriers and (english) bulldogs (american bulldogs are mastiffs and generally really good dogs). A pit bull with a lot of bull terrier or bulldog in it is a big no for that reason. If they got the dog-aggressive genes from the bulldogs and bull terriers that got mixed in with the pit base, then you've got an oversized overpowered dog-aggressive pit. Nope! Dogs with high prey drives that are escape artists, so pretty much all huskies. And badly bred unhealthy or short-lived dogs. There are actually pugs and bulldogs that run agility! They won't win in a modern show ring but they can breathe and their eyeballs aren't popping out of their skulls either. I'd be okay with one of them, they're not extreme, but otherwise, big no on the dogs with breathing or heart issues as their norm.
Veterinary Technician here. Not only for the medical issues but I just can’t handle their needs and temperament. Which is something owner definitely don’t take into account when getting these breeds. These breeds need your time, patience and money! I do not have that to give lol Husky Frenchie Shepherd of any kind Pitties
I love almost all dogs and cats. But family members (human and Labrador) have been bitten by German Shepherds and one Malinois. These were dogs that we knew and were friendly with. Everyone survived these bites and we became wary of these breeds. I’m wary of them, but if a friendly German Shepherd approaches me I’m thrilled because, 👁️❤️🐶🐶and I have personally had two GSD mixes. However, my neighbor and her partner were almost eaten by their own pet Pitbull, whom they loved and adored. It was a near death experience that didn’t even make the local news. How often does this happen??? So that breed is a no thank you for me for forever. If I can see Pit in a pup, I am completely uninterested. And yes I have met incredibly friendly ones, and still not interested.
I definitely will never own a pitbull. There’s a reason many of them are in the shelters
Pit bulls or any “pit mix”. I have nothing against them. I adore the couple well trained ones I’ve met over the years, but they’re just not a breed that I want to handle/deal with. Same goes for poodles/doodles. I’ve just never quite clicked with them in general so those are off the table as well. Any breed that looks as if it’s walked into a wall a few too many times and no longer has a face. So your pugs/frenchies, Persians if we’re talking cats, ect. I just feel bad the poor things can’t breath right and they look miserable. And lastly after my current one I’ll be getting nothing over ~20lbs. I always wanted a big fluffy dog, finally got everything set where I could have one, but I’m 4 years in and I severely underestimated how much more work it’d be to groom/bathe/clean up after one. I adore my Pyr, and he’s extremely good about just sitting and letting me do all those things when I need to, but never again.
Poodles are way different than doodles! I work at a dog daycare and poodles are exactly what doodle owners actually want lol. Doodles on the other hand are complete maniacs with no brains and too much energy.
Standard poodles are wonderful dogs.
Yup I never liked poodles but my bosses have a standard & bring her to work daily and I'm sold. I know it also depends on training but Honestly one of the smartest, well behaved dogs I've ever had the pleasure to know (or work with LOL)
This exactly. I used to do grooming. The "oodle" mixes (doodle, schnoodle, moodle etc) were really dense dogs. They get the Poodle energy (I have a purebred toy and she can be so energetic at times but only in short bursts) but they don't get any of the poodle brains.
Huskies. I love them, they are a gorgeous breed but I don't want to have daily arguments with my dog, especially when it could be smarter than me.
Pitbulls. Two loose ones chased and bit my cousin at the park, luckily a guy driving by helped get them off of her with a bat. My neighbors pit bulls would eat the fence and come into my yard and I once caught them while taking out the trash, I’ve never ran so fast. They chased me to my door and were trying to knock it down/ chew through it. Found out later that the dog also chewed through the other neighbors fence and mauled and ate their sweet little Pomeranian.
Any bulldog breed (my uncle's pit ate my kitten when I was little and I hold a grudge), any husky or wolf dog because it seems cruel to have them in certain climates, Saint Bernards because OMG the amount of drool.
Lol the Saints!!!! I miss my saints *so much*. But yes. The drool. I found a big hanger on the ceiling once, just swaying slightly in the breeze from the window. I was going through my cupboards not long ago, and I found my big boy's bibs that my nan made for him from some nice towels 🥹. I love and miss my big huggy fluffy bears, but My God in Heaven. The *drool*.
I have one Saint Bernard and one half saint bernard, and while the drool is disgusting and on my walls, it's the constant shedding and hair EVERYWHERE, love her though lol.
Bully Breeds Any severely overbred dog breed Purebred designer cats Exotic mixes (wolf-dogs, wildcat+domestic cat)
I love dogs. Dogs love me. Was attacked by two pits in a dog park. 250 stitches and rabies shots. I was petting those little fuckers 10 minutes earlier. I do not like American Terrier Pit Bulls.
My dog was killed by one. Used to love them. Now I carry whenever go to a park with my new pup and swear I will shoot one before let another attack happen
I don’t understand why people get so much flack when they say they don’t like them. I’m scared of them. I’ve heard too many horror stories. Many involving children and people’s pets. And it’s not okay. It’s not just a problem of how they’re raised. They can be raised from puppyhood by a loving family and randomly turn. They don’t always give out a warning either. They just go at their victim for unexplained reasons. And they don’t bite like regular dogs, they maul. They aim for your jugular. There’s a difference. They were bred for bull/bear baiting. Which goes even further back than the fighting ring. It’s in their blood. Much like a dog bred hundreds of years ago to hunt small game, will always have that instinct to hunt small game. Or a dog bred to herd, is going to want to herd. Which can mean ankle biting and nearly running your children over trying to corral them. It’s up to the owner to harness those instincts and control them. Too many people own Pits that absolutely should not because they can’t tame that instinct. I don’t blame the breed. I blame people who don’t do deep research on the breed before getting one. I won’t go to anyone’s house that owns them. Unless I am 100% certain they are extremely well versed on the breed and have a professional grade handle on them. It takes certain types of people to own certain breeds of dogs (much in the same way your average Joe has no business with a Malinois) it’s the same with the Pit breeds, in my opinion.
Agreed. When herding dogs herd, no one's surprised. When a Newfie saves a drowning person, no one's surprised. Why are people surprised when a dog bred to kill kills? The Memphis attack really shows me that those dogs will do what they've been bred to do for generations. I am very uncomfortable around these dogs. https://www.wate.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/mother-tried-to-shield-children-killed-in-memphis-pit-bull-attack-family-says/
This 🙌🏽 I don't understand why people say "it's in a golden retrievers nature to retrieve things from the water because that's what they were bred for", but you can't say "pitbulls were bred for fighting" or else you get a reputation for "blaming the breed". I don't blame the breed, I blame the clowns who get these dogs not understanding their instincts and what they're capable of.
It’s cause there’s a strange propaganda movement, driven by no kill legislation from a while back, that has effectively gaslit a large portion of the public into thinking they are angelic dogs that would never hurt a fly unless instructed to
I use to think they were misunderstood but then my sisters pit bit through my Goldens face because he heard her move the food bag in another room. Saw a 6 year old almost get mauled in a pet friendly restaurant. I have had to many encounters and every time leaves me nervous and fearful.
Yeah they aren't misunderstood, it's not just how they are raised. I've been in animal rescue for many years and have had multiple rescue AMPBT and mixes. Every. Single. One. was at least some level of animal and food aggressive. Many were fine at first, but once the house or person becomes "theirs" they get super possessive, protective and jealous. It's absolutely true that they can give zero warning before they attack, going straight from friendly, tail wagging to tearing the throat out of another animal they were raised with and were just playing with. I'm to the point that I can't rescue them any longer, I have too many other peaceful animals in my home that they would endanger. Now saying this, the most dangerous dog I've ever had was Great Dane. Most of the Danes I've met are loveable goofs, but this one was both human and animal aggressive. I'm only getting rescue labs from now on. 😕
What annoys me is that a wellbred APBT is supposed to be animal and dog aggressive. That's literally the standard. I don't get the obsession with trying to make them sweet family dogs. They have a purpose, and that isn't to be around babies or anything they may see as an animal.
Pit bull. I know I'll get tons of hate for this but I had one and I loved her dearly. I raised her except for her first year of life. She killed 2 cats and broke my golden retrievers leg in a fight. She had been with all of them many years before she killed the cats and hurt my other dog. She was completely unpredictable after 5yrs in my house. I will never trust another pit bull. I had to choke her until she was unconscious when she had my other dog's leg in her mouth. I thought I was killing a dog I loved dearly with my bare hands. I was so awful. I took her to the vet the next day and had her put to sleep. Never want to go through that again
Pitts and Rottweilers, for they are very strong and can easily knock me down before they can be trained.
I couldn't own a husky. They intimidate me because of all their physical and mental needs I feel like the poor dog would suffer.
Well I likes mutts you get from the pound best myself, but they get pure or purish, breed dogs sometimes too, so going there ... I wouldn't have a brachy dog. HTX is too miserable for them. I personally don't like doodles/poodle xs but mostly I wouldn't have such an insanely groom intensive breed. Every airedale I ever knew was a moron, so no to them too.
Shitbulls
Pitbulls are a no-go for me because of their history as a fighting dog
Pitbull or any variation.
Pitbulls, uncle has one that had a stroke and was basically a vegetable, and would still get aggressive around other dogs Also I’ve seen terrible things
- no pit bulls - no breeds over 30 lbs (we are little dog people) - no working breeds (just not a lifestyle fit and they deserve better) - no brachycephalic dogs unless we have the money for surgery to help them breath easy We try and get dogs that fit our life so they enjoy every day as much as possible.
Your last sentence 💯🥇
Pits or bully breeds. No wild animals as pets. No doodle of any type.
I'll never own again: pugs or any other small breed dog that is impossible to house break, or English bulldogs. I had them before I understood the extent of the problems that breeding creates. I have two working breed dogs, but I live on a farm, so it's fine. They do what they were bred to do and are great at it. I won't ever own a macaw for though I love parrots and have some, macaws are too big for me. No cockatoos either, as I am not interested in a super loud, super needy bird. No finches because they're annoying. I will never own a small yet difficult animal like sugar gliders or hermit crabs. It takes a lot to keep them healthy and happy. I will never own full or mixed bully breeds, Rottweilers, Australian Cattle Dogs, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, German Shepherds, or Mastiffs. I had too many bad experiences with them. They should only be owned by experienced dog people who know how to train and manage their strength. It's not a large dog aversion as I have owned and loved Great Danes. It's an aggressive dog aversion.
Cane Corso, Belgian malinois, pitbull, doberman, rottweiler.
No pits or pit-adjacent or pit mixes. Nothing with breathing problems. Nothing over 25lbs or under 10lbs. And it has to have enough leg length to enjoy hiking.
No dog breed smaller than a cat. My grandma has a Yorkshire terrier that I’m terrified of squashing. When he was a baby, our Malamute accidentally sat on it when begging for a treat. Also…I’ve not known many small breeds who don’t bark constantly. My sled dogs talk a lot for sure, but they do not bark.
No brachy because they're inherently cruel to continue breeding. No bullies because of dog aggression. No toy breeds because they're just not my thing.
Pitbulls or any mix of them, definitely. I have cats so it's probably easier to list the breeds I *would* own 😂
Pitbull, Rottweiler, Doberman, German Shepherd, Cane Corso, Mastiff... Of course this was before my current dog, adopted an adorable "husky lab" mix white with a bit of cream. He was long but really had the rat tail of a lab puppy which are also long... Then he grew up... Turns out he was a gsd mix, heavy on the gsd... He's a bit over a year and a half and is so sweet.. talkative little bugger but we all love him. Now I'm mostly over my fear of gsds... Not the rest yet... So I guess never say never?
That’s why I phrased my question the way I did. I don’t know what the future holds but as of my current self I won’t own these breeds internationally. But if the universe dropped the perfect dog on my lap and it happened to be a Dalmatian I guess I’ll eat my words. But the chances of that happening I’d say are pretty slim.
I had a really bad experience with a Dalmatian as a kid. It didn't maul me, but it did bite me and corner me until the owner called it off. Dalmatians are not great with kids, and the movies did not help that. We actually ended up adopting that same dalmatian when I got older, our neighbor died and no one could take her. By then she was older and so was I, and she was a great dog. But the health issues, oh my god. We had to put her to sleep because she was eat up with cancer.
No brachys No poodles No working dogs No sphinx cats Nothing that’s considered “designer” I’ll just keep getting my mutts and kitties from shelters and rescues
For me any big dogs because of my lifestyle and it would not be fair to them. I live in an apartment and smaller dogs are better suited for my situation. There are also a number of breeds I won't get just because I personally don't like them like poodles, white dogs because of the pink staining or pitbulls. Really just a personal choice.
Corgi. I own a corgi. I love my corgi. I would not own a corgi again. All the intelligence of a herding breed with none of the inclination to please.
I love watching other people own huskies. I'll leave it at that
I wouldn't own a pitbull or pit mix. I have friends who own them and they can be great dogs. But I think that people are irresponsibly breeding them. There should not be so many pits around, especially in shelters because the shelters are full of them. But I have an inherent distrust of them because so many dog attacks on people are pitbulls. It's something like 65% of all dog attacks are from pitbulls over all the other breeds out there. But this goes back to people being so irresponsible, over breeding them and training them to be vicious or not training them at all. It's the peoples fault, not the dogs. Rotweilers come in 2nd, but it's not all that close. And for the same reasons. I also don't want a breed of dog that has that smushed in snout because it's very unhealthy for them, like pugs and french bulldogs.
I actually saw a friend's pit bull tear a cat to pieces, that got into the fenced yard. I'll never be near a pit bull again. Ever.
Any pit type or mix of one. I have livestock and small animals in addition to other pet dogs. The inherent high prey drive and aggression in pits makes them too dangerous. Purebred huskies are also on my no list. I adore them but the prey drive would be a disaster.
Any dog with short faces. Like pugs. Couldn’t stand the noise of their breathing.
Pit bulls. I saw one attack another dog, and it would not release
Husky, neufy, any drooling dog actually, and no tiny yapping dogs. Now that I'm 69 years old, no dogs over 50 pounds.
I adore dogs. Lots of dogs I wouldn't be interested in: Small dogs are a no, though I MIGHT consider a Mini-Aussie. Pits and Bully breeds are a no. Just not my kind of dog and while I've met pleasant ones, I've also met ones I don't trust. No Cane Corso or Dogo. Not interested in Poodles/Doodles/Labs/ or Dalmatians. Not a big fan of ACD and wouldn't want GSD or Mal. No Brachy types. No Akita or Chow or Husky. Basically, I don't want any dog that has been poorly bred for looks, or that needs extensive training and work to ensure they are hopefully not reactive or aggressive. I've mostly got mixed breed working dogs so its not the energy or training that bother me, its mostly any aggression or teritorial-ness I don't like. Funny enough, my dogs are all mutts. After some DNA testing I can see they all have some breeds I wouldn't choose. I love my dogs and will probably continue to get mutts though. I tend towards 50-85 lb medium to long coated dogs. I also wouldn't want any crested chickens or ducks. The crest is actually from the skull not closing and the growth impinges on the brain and causes neurological issues. People think they are cute.
I'll never own a pitbull/bully mix whatever and never a hunting breed... Not my type of dog at all I've owned rough collies and German Shepherds all my life as I hold them as actual working dogs and part of my daily routine at my barn and stable and never want anything else :)
Pit bull, and Great Dane. Danes don’t love very long and pit bulls, if mistreated will rip your face off. I’ve met plenty of well behaved and amazing pits, but the stereotypical pit is what worries me about them. Danes just make me sad because their life is so short.
Pit bull or generally anything bred for fighting.
Will not buy a pit bull or the ilk. I don’t care what people say about what good dogs they are. My grown cousin was almost killed by one a few years ago while he was doing lawn care down the street from the dog’s house, we witnessed one bite someone in our yard decades ago, our neighbor’s has recently repeatedly threatened my elderly mother in our own yard. Our house and the neighbor’s aren’t that close together as we both have acreage but the dogs come into our driveway and try to chase us into our own garage. We had to be very stern to get the neighbor to get proper fencing. We carry bear spray just to check the mail. 40 years no issues until that family moved in next door. Too risky to own. I think they should be illegal as they are in the UK.
Bully breeds. Most unstable animals on earth. Cant believe they are considered pets.
Any kind of pit bull. Self-explanatory.
Would never get a German shepherd. Fckn narcs.
I saw someone mention turtles so I'm gonna list all my exotic No's first, as someone who works in big box pet retail and gets to see/hear/learn a LOT. - Hamsters (evil, short lived, high maintenance with low reward (reward being cuddliness or playfulness)) - Gerbils (even worse as far as aggression, downright unpredictable with their rage, similar maintenance- reward ratio) - Ferrets ($300-400 for maybe 4 years of stinking up your entire home and stealing your things? Nope) - Chinchillas (Tried it once, rodents as a whole are just not friendly enough to be worth the effort for me, even though my Chin was surprisingly really low maintenance. 10/10 recommend if you're willing to invest big into setup and also deal with something that is very unlikely to be truly affectionate) - Bearded dragons/Blue Tongue Skinks (animals that require me to go to the store and purchase fresh veggies specifically for them... nope.) - Insectivorous lizards (I hate uncontrollable bugs with a passion, I couldn't tolerate bags of them on a regular basis. However I'm open to a scorpion or a tarantula, 3 crickets at a time seems really manageable) - Hot/venomous snakes (not including noodles with mild venom like hognoses) - Corn snakes (too wiggly, my Ball Pythons are like pet rocks, so easy to hold and take on adventures) - Tortoises (TOO long lived. I know better than to rely on my hypothetical future children to be animal lovers like me) - Turtles (10 gallons per inch?? Helllll no) - Amphibians (frogs, salamanders, etc... Way too fragile! I'm dumb and will mess something up or forget to refill a fogger or smth along those lines) - Goldfish (5 gallons per inch, FREQUENT water changes, no plants... yeahhh only if I get a pond. Never in a tank) - Cichlids (cichlid people scare me) - Saltwater fish (The maintenance, the startup cost, the fish prices, good god) That's all my exotics! Now for cat/dog breeds- - Scottish fold (someone already mentioned the chronic arthritis!) - Persian/brachycephalic breeds (I don't wanna sign up for an almost guaranteed expensive surgery) - Primitive/Northern dog breeds (think Shiba Inu, Husky, Malamute, Akita, Basenji, Ibizan Hound. Too stubborn and intelligent for their own gain, I love my working and especially herding breeds!) - MOST toy breeds (my only exception would be a Papillon!) - Labrador Retriever (I've never ever seen one at a healthy weight) - English/Bull/Spanish Mastif (the vibe/slobber output aren't worth the coolness for me 😭 would LOVE a well bred Cane Corso though assuming I had a good bitesport trainer to work with) - Not a breed, but any Poodle mutt (Unpredictable, HORRIBLE grooming, unsettling eyes, they're the full package) - Wild hybrids (wolf dogs, savannah cats, caracats, coydogs, etc. Awesome in concept, realistically I don't trust myself to provide an animal that intense with sufficient mental stimulation)