I've wanted a dog ever since my old English Springer Spaniel Jemma died a number of years ago. Jemma was a family pet, and now I've flown the nest I have a burning desire for a canine companion.
The chap who runs our building has told us that if we get a dog it has to be a small one. Generally I prefer larger breeds, but I have to say the Sheltie is gorgeous and ticks all the right boxes for me. My girlfriend wasn't convinced at first, but she has very quickly warmed to the breed.
My only concern is that, living in a flat, there may be a barking problem, but the breeders I've spoken to tell me this characteristic is somewhat exaggerated, and that a lone dog shouldn't be too much of a problem, especially if trained diligently from the outset. Plus working from home means the dog will not be left alone during the daytime. In any case, I doubt it would be any worse than the Spitz owned by some people upstairs.
Anyway, it's nice to see such an active forum. Considering it's based around a single breed, it's an impressive testament to the passion people obviously feel for these dogs.
If all goes well, we hope to have a new puppy by early July. We're both rather excited by the prospect. I'm trying not to overload on videos and the like, just in case, but it's hard not to.