[JmRitchie]

I breed Havanese dogs. I am very picky about who gets one of my puppies. I talk to alot of people who have no idea and have never considered whether this breed (or any other breed) is right for their household or not. They haven't done their homework & it is situations like this that ends with many dogs being sent to the shelters. There is a book that is excellent to help people with kids (or without) learn about the different breeds and choose one that will better suit their household and hopefully give them a higher chance to be successful in their Canine~Human relationship. Dog ownership should be for the life of the pet....somethimes that is 15 years or more. Once people make the commitment, they should keep it!!

[Lunareclipse]

We prefer Saint Bernards. They make great area rugs and think they are good lap dogs. They are great with the little person and very gentle (unless they step on your foot). If you want them to do anything, you better make them do it while they are standing up, because once they lay down, good luck getting them back up again.
Saint Bernards do have health issues. We lost one to epilepsy last year just after my birthday. They are also prone to bloat. We lost Stubbs to that. He was a boxer and not a saint bernard but saint bernards get it. We have an older saint bernard that is getting a wheelchair because of hip dysplasia and not having a hip socket on one side. So these are also things you have to plan for. The bigger the dog, the more it costs at the vet also. It pays to buy from a reputable breeder. The $1500.00 you pay for the dog will save you a $5000 vet bill down the road. It cost $900 to have ex-rays taken of Sammie's hips each year to see how bad they are. She is 7 years old. $900 x 7 years is a ton of money. We have to buy pain meds for her and give her glucosamine and chondroitin. That is $120.00 a month.