What AKC recognized breed would you get if you had to pick?

[Kaitee and Orwell]

I know we all love our doodles, but it occurred to me that I think I'm actually different than most of you. Getting a labradoodle was NOT my first choice. Heck, it didn't really even register on my top choices. Since I still live at home with my parents, I had a size requirement (which didn't really work out anyway, lol) and had to compromise. Needless to say, I absolute LOVE and adore Orwell and wouldn't trade him for anything. I just know that I probably won't get another doodle. Most of them that I've met seem pretty independent and headstrong. Orwell is not. He can be an independent thinker, but I know how to get him to do whatever I want because I know I'm at the top of his priority list. I love my velcro dog.

If Orwell wasn't in his litter, I can honestly say that I would not have a labradoodle right now. I did not particularly like his brothers and sisters. I'm sure I would have come love them eventually, but Orwell was special. I even met his new brothers and sisters and didn't really like them either. While I thought it would be pretty cool to have a girl the same color as Orwell, none of them really connected with me.

If things were entirely up to me, I would have gotten an Irish Wolfhound. I have loved those dogs ever since I met one when I was 7 years old. I was scared at first because this dog who was almost as tall as me at the time came lumbering up to say hi, but he was the sweetest thing ever. All Irish Wolfhounds I've met are like that. I must say that I don't have any allergies to dogs, and I know some of you might, which would influence your decision on a breed.

However, let's all pretend that we don't have allergies for a moment. Let's also exclude poodles, labs, goldens, bernes, and any other breeds that might make up your doodle. Under these constraints, what AKC recognized breed of dog would you get, and why?

[Gail and Bailey]

My daughter has two Viszlas and I can tell you they need ten times the exercise of a normal dog!
Great dogs but they need to run!!!

[DonMarie and Picco]

Another good choice is Romanian Mioritic Shepherd but I don't think they are recognized by AKC yet (which can be a good thing).   I used to work with a guy from Romania and thought that Picco was a puppy Mioritic Shepherd.  They don't shed and are very loyal. They look more like a shepadoodle!  https://www.europuppy.com/dog_breed_choosing/romanian_mioritic_shep...

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

So cute, but so huge!! :)

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

I had not heard of this breed.  My there are over 100lbs, but yet their life span is 12-14 years.  Interesting.

[Kaitee and Orwell]

Those are cool. I really wanted a Shiloh Shepherd, but they were too big for my parents to allow. Turns out they could have just let me get one. Wouldn't make much of a difference since Orwell is so big. :P The idea was to be able to reuse my yellow lab's dog house which entrance is 23" tall. That dog house is still in the backyard, but is definitely out of commission with Orwell being 27". 

Shiloh Shepherd are a developing breed (since the 70s if I remember correctly) that has many breeds in it... the majority of the line coming from German Shepherds. On average, they are bigger than German Shepherds, and have less protective personalities. They are absolutely gorgeous too. 

This is my favorite Shiloh I've seen:

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

For sheer adorableness (is that a word?), you can't beat PBGVs (Petit Bassett Griffon Vendeen, but it's so much more fun to say PeeBeeGeeVee, lol). There's one in my neighborhood who just looks so cute and happy all the time! But they're hounds, so you have a lot of ARRROOOOOOO , and they are not the sharpest tools in the shed. Plus, thus elongated bodies with short legs put them at risk for the same back problems as Bassett hounds and Dachshunds, and I've had enough of that with JD to last me several lifetimes. 

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

Adorableness, adorability - it's all good! I'm looking up those wire pointer guys next...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

And just for the heck of it, look up Otterhounds. They are the sweetest, gentlest, "softest" dogs around, and they're absolutely adorable and very doodle-ish looking. 

BUT...they're huge and not at all suited to life in a typical home. If there's really such a thing an "outside dog", this is it. They're like bulls in a china shop. If I had a farm, though....

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

oh so cute!

[Kaitee and Orwell]

I love Otterhounds. Also, they are incredibly rare. I think I heard there are only 100-200 in the US. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We had a couple of people identify Clancy as an Otterhound and both had experience with them so they should have known better.  Dumb!  Clancy is NOT huge but looking at his face . . . .