For all you dog-nerds out there

I admit that I'm more of a cat person than a dog person, but I still love dogs.  I'd love to work with a therapy dog, or maybe even search & rescue, but ultimately my goal is to one day have enough property and a barn to turn into a sanctuary for pets that might not otherwise be adopted - long-time residents at the Humane Society, special needs, or senior pets.  It'd be fun, for one thing, to have a herd of dogs running around like crazies, but it'd feel good too, to know that I was able to provide a happy home for them.

Along these lines, I LOVE watching dog shows on TV.  I would never buy a purebred dog - I just can't justify spending the money when so many adoptable dogs are out there - but I'm not opposed to responsible breeding.  I like watching the shows to familiarize myself with the breeds, to be able to recognize them when I see them in the world.  It's like how some people can recognize what year/make/model a car is, purely trivia, but also fun to be able to ID mutts too.

Anywhoo.  Long rambling intro to this meme I found at save the pitbull, save the world.

IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE A DOG FROM EACH CKC/AKC “GROUP,” WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?
(excluding your own breeds)

Group 1- Sporting:  Chesapeake Bay Retriever.  My nephew has one that, while I haven't met him, has been extolled as the GREATEST dog by my mom.  And that's a big compliment from my mom!  They don't strike me as being as hyper-dumb-overbred as some of the others either, but I'm no expert.
Group 2- Hound: Irish Wolfhound.  They're just so regal.
Group 3- Working:  A Swissie.  Man, I'd put that dog to WORK in the garden, hauling a cart around for me.  That, and they just have beautiful, mushy faces.  MUSH.
Group 4- Terriers:  This is tough - I hate to admit it but I love terriers.  I think I'd have to say the Norfolk Terrier appeals the most.  Any of them would keep mice out of a barn quite nicely though.
Group 5- Toys:  Havanese.  Totally my 'old lady' dog.
Group 6- Non Sporting:  Shiba Inu.  They can be feisty, but make for a good little guard dog.
Group 7- Herding:  This is also a hard one, because I love having a super-smart dog.  I think I'll say the Belgian Tervuren piques my interest the most though.

What about you, fellow dog-nuts?  (Wait, that doesn't sound right...)  Neuter and spay, everyone!  :-)

[caption id="attachment_292" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The Jake-ster, our English Foxhound/Lab mix"][/caption]