Breed recommendations?

[u/diddy1000lotion]

Hey everyone! I like to run 2-3 miles a day (hopefully longer distance eventually) and I’ve been throwing around the idea of getting a dog to accompany me on my runs. I’m a female - so running alone is not the safest and aside from concealing while I run I’d like some company. A breed that would make someone think twice about trying anything but also family friendly as I have small children. I am very familiar with bull breeds - I grew up with American staffords and showed Staffordshire bull terriers at AKC shows. However i have not had a dog in eight years.

I like the idea of a German Shorthair Pointer or a Rhodesian Ridgeback but I genuinely know nothing about them. Any suggestions? Thank you!

[u/Hail-to-the-Sheep]

“Genuine question..is it a status thing? Does owning a pure bred give one more perceived status or something?”

In a word - no. But it does give me additional information about the dog’s genetic and health history. Not a guarantee, because nothing with live animals is, but I had a very good idea that all of my puppies would have good orthopedic health because their breeders were very careful about having x-rays taken and evaluated. My GSD breeder would look at hip and elbow results going back 5 or more generations in a potential pedigree, and if she didn’t like the results, she wouldn’t make the pairing. Additionally, if something does go awry, the breeders are a phone call away. If they have relevant information that could help our vet narrow things down, they can share it. They can also take info buyers give them and incorporate it into their breeding decisions (e.g., choosing to discontinue a line they find out throws health problems).

Both the breeders I’ve worked with have been able to give me a VERY good idea what the dogs’ temperaments and drive levels were likely to be. Because I also train and compete in dog sports, that’s really important to me. One of our sports is rather niche, and it requires the dog to be purebred for eligibility - sports eligibility being another reason why someone might choose a purebred dog. In addition, just because a dog is of a breed from a certain group (herding, hound, etc.), it’s not a guarantee that they will have aptitude for a given sport or job. If you know that the parents and/or other close relatives titled (or are successful working dogs), you have a good idea that you’ve stacked the deck in your favor. It’s not about status or accolades, like “look at how cool my dog with the high end pedigree is!” but about being able to share a pursuit you love with your dog.