Best Mixed Breed you have owned.

[Debbieg]

The first dog my parents ever allowed me to have was when I was 11 years old and I convinced my Italian Grandmother to buy her for me from a pet store. Taffy was 1/2 cocker 1/2 dachsund we were told and she looked like a mini irihs setter. She as a great friend to me and a few years later when my parents bought King, a purebred GSD pup for me, Taffy helped me raise him. She developed cancer of the kidney at age 6 and when she was in pain, no longer able to pass urine we had her put down. I remember being at the vet that day to say goodbye. She walked to me, then mom, then dad saying goodbye and then curled up in my arms. I do not have any pictures f her to share but the one in my mind is so clear

[Karin]

The best mixed-breed dog we ever owned was Sheba, a GSD/malamute mix. She had the smarts and sensitivity of the GSD and the malamute side of her was stubborn and stoic. We got her from a grooming shop right after we got married (best $35 we ever spent!). She was the quietest little pup in the back of the cardboard box. She was sweet, smart, funny, very sensitive, and somewhat aloof but always wanted to be near us. We had 11 wonderful years with her and lost her to cancer. We still miss her.

It took us a long time before we got another dog (14 years to be exact!). Heidi shares many of the same personality traits as Sheba, although they are still very different in many ways.

[Fodder]

wow, she was gorgeous Karin!

[Dainerra]

Loki, aussie/pit bull mix. he introduced me to the world of "smart dogs"

[Vio79]

Aw there are some really sweet looking (and sounding) mixed breeds on this topic!

I grew up with brother and sister pups - they were labrador retriever mixed with something else (not sure, but I think something like Chesapeake Retriever). The boy, Bandit, was yellow and the girl, Shana, was chocolate. They were the SWEETEST dogs ever and were so in tune to everyone in the family. Bandit even had a comforting smell (something I notice in our German Shepherd as well) and just knew when you needed his sweet head to pet. They lived to be around 15 and brought so much love and joy to our family (not to mention funny moments)! I would be hard-pressed to find another dog who would come close to filling their paws, though I will admit Max is right up there!

[Kaity]

Sheeba was my first dog and probably my souldog! I got her 11 years ago at a petshop in the mall for my 7th birthday. Healthy little mutt, never got sick.. ALWAYS playful. I could never figure out why she was always so energetic, guess she had terrier in her or something. Obviously part GSD, don't know what else. I used to dress her up and paint her nails, she absolutely hated having her nails cut! Took me 8 years to get her to shake-a-paw! She was always barking at.. everything and protecting us. She was territorial and hated little kids. Got along with our cats just fine but freaked the second she saw another one. At the vet, she would jump up and sit beside me on the bench. Sheebs was definetly MY dog but a really good family dog too. 3 years ago we took her to emergency and he had a low red blood cell count. Got her on some meds, it went away. Came back about a year later and it was the same problem. After that, she was fine. 8 months later she started to collapse just out of nowhere but otherwise seemed fine except for the symptoms she had before. Took her in only to find out she had anemia.Did blood transfusions.. everything that was supposed to give her 10 days to live. I had to put her down two days later. She was only 10 years old.. too young. 8 months ago already.
Out of eerything, I remember her ears. They stood right up, never flopped.




The last one was taken 3 hours before I took her in to get put down. It makes me so sad, but I love the picture..

[Vio79]

Kaity that is so sad.

I can't stand to look at a dog before he or she is put down...I always wished we could somehow relay to them what was happening and that it would be okay.

Our first lab to be put down had to be done at Tufts, which was horrible. They screwed up the first time and had to try again...by then Bandit was freaking out. Our second lab was put down at home - our vet came to the house because she knew Shana was scared of the vet and wanted her to be calm during her last moments.

I'll be devastated when we have to put Max down...whether it's in 5 months or 5 years.

[Kaity]

medical school? still though how do you screw up putting a dog down? I wouldve flipped out, wow. very sorry to hear that. I think I stayed in the room 45 minutes or so afterwards, finally took her collar off and left. Since then, I alway look at my dogs and cant help but wonder what the future has in store for them. I cant help it. I think every dog has his or her way of telling you when they need to go. Ive never lost anybody close to me, my dog was the first one. that week they had to put down 3 shepherds due to anemia, my vet told us that it might be breed related because he saw it often. he used to give my dogs shots in the car because they were too scared to go in! 80 pound babies. putting a dog down is terrible. I feel so selfish just thinking about how I wanted her to hold out one more day, but dont we all? A lot of people I know that dont like dogs act like its not a huge deal. I feel bad for them because they will never know the amount of love, loyalty and respect you recieve from such an amazing form of life.

[lovemybuddy]

Originally Posted By: Kaitykaitymedical school? still though how do you screw up putting a dog down? I wouldve flipped out, wow. very sorry to hear that. I think I stayed in the room 45 minutes or so afterwards, finally took her collar off and left. Since then, I alway look at my dogs and cant help but wonder what the future has in store for them. I cant help it. I think every dog has his or her way of telling you when they need to go. Ive never lost anybody close to me, my dog was the first one. that week they had to put down 3 shepherds due to anemia, my vet told us that it might be breed related because he saw it often. he used to give my dogs shots in the car because they were too scared to go in! 80 pound babies. putting a dog down is terrible. I feel so selfish just thinking about how I wanted her to hold out one more day, but dont we all? A lot of people I know that dont like dogs act like its not a huge deal. I feel bad for them because they will never know the amount of love, loyalty and respect you recieve from such an amazing form of life.

It is so hard to say goodbye! I sat there and sobbed, completely caught offguard by the depth of my emotions, after having our Sunny put down. It was just so odd to have her breathing one second and not the next. I think people could probably hear me sobbing the next city over. (sigh)

Anyway, our Sunny was the best dog ever (well, besides our Ben and now our Buddy, lol!) Sunny was a doberman, hound mix. But it didn't really matter what mix she was, she was my dog, she was by my side always. She went through my pregnancies with me, I think she ate more veggies in each of those 9 months than I did. She's in all of the pictures of me pregnant, standing watch over me and the babe. And when the boys were born, she was yet again in every single picture of them. She would never leave their sides, or mine. Gosh, do I miss my girl. She passed away from a tumor in her spleen at 11 years old. We rescued her as a 4 week old, very, very sick girl. I know she's waiting at the rainbow bridge for me.

Ben we had the same time we had Sunny ~ not from the same litter, but we got them both as puppies w/in a few months of each other. We to this day don't know what mixes were in Ben. He was also a rescue dog. I'll have to try to find a pic of him to post it, see what you guys think he might have been. The vet thought possibly some sort of Australian Shepherd, but I have no clue. He was hilarious, just a sweet, sweet boy. He was brindled in color and walked bow legged. He caught everyone's attention at how unique he looked. Just a sweet soul. After his passing, which was 3 years ago now, I couldn't even think of getting another dog. The pain was so raw. But now, with my big Buddy at my side, I couldn't ask for anything more. I think with each dog you love and lose, the next dog benefits. Benefits in the knowledge that you have that nothing in life is forever or guaranteed. Having watched two pups through all their stages of life and seeing how hard it was as they got older, I can appreciate so much more Buddy's puppyhood and mischevious ways, and the wonder in how everything new to him is just so amazing. I've been truly blessed by all of my precious pups.

[Kaity]

Mixed dogs always have such great, welcoming personalities! When you said you were completely caught offgaurd by the depth of your emotions, it was like the perfect way to describe how I too, felt. You know its going to be hard but can never anticipate it exactly. Atleast we know for next time though. Personally I think if vet care was cheaper, our dogs would last longer because we might catch things quicker. Not to say that we dont do everything ethically possible to keep them going strong. Its great to witness the differences between your previous dog and your current puppy.