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?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

LOL, I so much did not want a labradoodle (or any other kind of doodle) that I almost didn't go to see Jack when the shelter told me about him. And even then, I went home without him to think it over for a few days. I'm a purebred girl through and through, and truly a Poodle person, but you said we have to exclude those. 

There are a lot of breeds I love and would like to own, but there are reasons why most of them wouldn't work for me. Those reasons include size, exercise and "work" requirements, trainability, and genetic health issues. The breeds I'd consider if I were younger and more energetic would be German Shepherd, Bouvier, Spinone Italiano, Briard, Bearded Collie, and lots of others.

At this point in my life, if I were going to get a puppy and couldn't have a Poodle, I'd probably get a Tibetan Terrier or Standard Schnauzer.

[Kaitee and Orwell]

Our back door neighbors have a large piece of property and sometimes their Spinone comes out and says hi to anyone in their backyard that borders her property. Sweet dog... I think they actually grow up relatively quickly to be calm. If Orwell and I are out there and she is also, she just lays down and watches Orwell's antics with a face that says she is far to sophisticated to take part in anything so juvenile. 

Standard Schnauzers are great-- on the more intelligent side, which I would say most of us here are used to. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jack's actually been mistaken for a Spinone twice, once by a native Italian! 

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

Spinones are cute and sound like a lot of fun - but not sure I'd get used to the drooling! Less grooming is appealing, I must admit!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

And look at how cute this Tibetan Terrier is. They're a perfect size, and they're not really terriers.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I would get a French Bulldog and name him Pork Chop :)

[DonMarie and Picco]

I'd have to say a Poodle. I've always liked them and I really like the idea of non-shedding!  And my husband would leave if I had a shedder.

[Andrea, Belle and Honey]

If I were 20 years younger, I would have a Viszla.  One of my sisters has had 3 of them, and they were the sweetest dogs, beautiful with little or no grooming needs, and they provide a great incentive to hike. If I had a full time housekeeper I would have another yellow lab.  Since neither of those eventualities are likely to occur, and some really mean ogre prevented me from having a mini doodle, I would have a non-shedding, affectionate Havenese, hopefully like the charming ones many of my cousins have.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Have you seen the Wirehaired Vizslas? They are now a recognized AKC breed and they look somewhat doodle-like! http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/wirehaired-vizsla/

[Andrea, Belle and Honey]

Thanks for the tip Karen.  I looked them up and saw a number of pictures, and the heads of some of them really look like doodles - one even had the wavy ears.  The bodies, not so much. .They seem to have considerably larger bodies than the smooth coated Vizslas I have known, but it sounds as if they are better gun dogs. Aren't canine genetics fascinating?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

They sure are.

You might also like Wirehaired Pointing Griffons and German Wirehaired Pointers, which have similar looks and are often mistaken for Doodles. There was a Christmas ad a few years back featuring a WPG or a GWP and we had all kinds of posts here and on FB from doodle owners thinking they were doodles.

[Andrea, Belle and Honey]

That explains the doodle-looking Vizslas - Wirehaired Vizslas were apparently bred in the 1930s by crossing smooth coated Vizslas with German Wirehaired Pointers.