GSD or Samoyed - What breed for me? Questions

I've been thinking more and more about possibly getting a second dog. It's not something I can do just yet but I've at least now narrrowed down the breeds - also I definitely want a rescue again.

The two breeds I am most drawn to are GSD and Samoyed. I've met lots of of GSDs, but never owned one. I have never met a Samoyed but have always been interested in them.

So just wondered if those of you who own one or both breeds could give me a bit of info as to what they are 'really like'....?

As I already have a Labrador, I'd ideally want a second dog that would be happy to play with him.

I realise one can't generalise about all members of a breed, but generally speaking - how are GSDs and Samoyeds when living with another dog...?

Thanks so much for any info

I do not do dogs that come in white..........

So, IME GSD are happy to live with any other dog as a general rule.

I have a gundog and a GSD.

GSD are gobby, in your face, loyal, fantastic companions.

They DO like to manage situations though, not quite as much as the BC, but they like their "flock" to stay together.

The only Sammy i knew was a very vocal shedding machine ..
Where my experiences with gsd's have always been good..
Grew up with a shepherd and spent 12 years of my childhood and teens with him..

Colourist.

Both are Pastoral herding breeds, the Samoyeds(reindeer herders) are very barky & cast their coats like a fleece & need mega amounts of grooming, GSD are gobby & also cast their coats in copious amounts, but nothing like the Sams. GSDs are more tractable & biddable, Sams do like to do their own thing, GSDs are more of a"team"player

GSDs come in white


I grew up with GSDs and only once have we ever had less than two dogs, and Prue was a bit of a special case - bundle of health and behavioural issues. She was fine with a select few dogs so I'm sure with the right dog she would have been OK but circumstances ended up changing, and she remained a single dog.
I think I will always lean towards GSDs as "my" breed and I will always lean towards two dogs as I love seeing how multiple dogs interact in their own home, I don't think you'll have a problem finding a GSD to get along with your boy.

Your also more likely to find a rescue gsd than a sam..
I

I have only known one Samoyed, and he was lovely but they just don't "do it" for me.

I have two shepherds as well as a bunch of border collies and have found the sheps to mix very well with the others. I agree with SB and JoedeeUK descriptions of the GSD. They are gobby, loyal, biddable, trainable, totally devoted and gorgeous to boot

I always thought I would have longcoats, although have had a standard coat bitch in the past, but for various reasons think my next may well be a standard coat. Hopefully that won't be for years and years yet though.

There are loads of dedicated GSD breed rescue organisations, so you could probably be fitted up with a suitable GSD rescue in a much shorter space of time than waiting for a Samoyed. So that could be also taken into consideration.

I have only ever known one Samoyed and it was a nightmare! Always saw it on the park when Cherry and Parker were going to the groomers that morning and had been bathed ready to be trimmed. The blooming dog would come over and hump Parker and it was a lot bigger than him! Owner completely besotted with her dog and unable to see it was annoying other people's dogs.

I wanted to operate on it with 2 bricks but in the end I got my pet corrector spray and stopped it mounting Parker (she wasn't near her dog-no recall whatsoever) and she said "Oh don't you like your dogs meeting other dogs?" and I replied "Yes, but your dog has a lack of social skills!"

I think this was a numpty owner rather than the breed being like this though as other dog owners said she had a blind spot about her dog and spoilt it and did no training when it was a pup. It's died now and she's got another Samoyed puppy

i think a female sammy would go well with a male lab,sammys are active,bouncy,playfull(but noisy)

Apparently not, as there are many Samoyeds needing new homes:
http://www.samoyedrescue.co.uk/

Thanks so much for your responses guys

I now have quite a lot more to think about.....!

personally i'd go for a Samoyed. Both breeds can be vocal, true, but I just can't 'do' the Shepherd screach. I like an independent character anyway, GSDs are way to loyal for my tastes, always needing you and wanting to be with you etc. Both breeds blow their coats in a big way, but if you invest in a blaster or find a decent groomer, neither will be a problem. I like the look of GSDs, but that's as far as it goes. I would consider a Sammy though, despite their whiteness (which IS a downside in my book - I'm already contantly washing our Mal and JRT as they show the dirt)

http://www.dogsblog.com/james-5/

big boy looks like he is wearing bling .lol

Screech?!

:LOL

My dog can do a very good imitation of Chewbacca, if my dog was an opera singer, he could sing falsetto to bass!

He is rather handsome....

noooo Tupac is chewy i was even considering calling him wookie at one point mind u he sounds like a cross between that and the thing out of 'the grudge' now

..i think a bitch would be better for Dex..and if he wants a playmate id say sammy too,imo GSD's can be a bit like collies,they want YOU and YOUR attention.
..mind u,u need a good sense of humour to have a sammy, life is defo not serious to them

And give up wearing black.............

Samoyeds don't do anything for me, no offense to anyone who owns one!

I'd get a GSD, hands down.

same here..but i think as a playmate to Dexter a sammy(bitch) would be great