On 18 Nov 2003 07:14:25 -0800, (Nicolas The Great)
wrote:

Mary Shafer wrote in message . ..

However, there are some real conditions on this. The dogs absolutely
have to have shade, deep shade, not part shade And they have to have
abundant clean water. If your sister can't guarantee those two
things, forget it.

I really wouldn't recommend a St Bernard, if only because they are so
short-lived. What kind of dogs does your sister (not you, but her)
like? Why such big dogs?

Thanks for repying Mary (That's my sister's name Heh-heh!). We love
dogs so much there are so many great breeds it's hard to choose the
right kind. If you read what I posted in the above post that should
explain a few things. Take care.

I saw your other posting and I see what you mean. My husband is in a
wheelchair and all of our collies quickly learned the command "back
up" because the halls in our house are just narrow enough that
something has to give when dog and chair meet.

Anyway, I'd recommend collies, maybe smooth-coated, but actually
there's a better way to pick out a breed than to have each of us
recommend our favorites. There are books and, maybe, Web sites with
questionnaires that will help you find the right breed. I got one of
the books before we got this pair of dogs, because collies are kind of
heavy for someone with a bad back, and we did seriously consider other
breeds.

Dogs with "flat" faces tend not to tolerate heat as well as dogs with
pointy muzzles (like collies or GSDs). This is because the longer
nose helps cool the air more (which is one of the reasons dogs need a
lot of water in the heat). However, most breeds will do OK in the
heat.

Anyway, look for books with names like "The Right Kind of Dog for You"
or "What Kind of Dog Should I Get"; I've seen such books in my local
bookstore fairly recently. The books address the usual
characteristics of the various breeds, so they're not absolutely
perfect, because every breed has unusual dogs, but on the average, the
stereotypes are pretty much correct. And a Google search might turn
up sites on the Web or, at least, more accurate titles.

Mary

--
Mary Shafer Retired aerospace research engineer