What breed of dog would be an appropriate present for a gay couple?

I am about to buy a dog for a lovely gay couple who are good friends of mine as an engagement present. Is there any particular breed which would be most appropriate?

Dog's make HORRIBLE gifts, especially when the recipient isn't part of picking the breed.Give them a Gift Certificate for "Lunch and a Dog". Go treat them to a nice lunch, then the 3 of you can go to the local shelter and you can let them pick out a dog that is suitable for them.

A poodle that doesnt mind it from behind.

Are you an idiot?First off, giving a dog as a gift could be the worst possible thing you could ever do. Dog's are not gifts that you can just hand over for a special occasion. They're pets and they become part of the family. Never give a dog as a pet.And as for what would be "appropriate" for a gay couple? What kind of ignorant question is that? it doesn't matter if you're gay, straight, transgendered or asexual. You can't decide what kind of dog is "appropriate" for you just by your sexual orientation. You need to consider your home, lifestyle, personality, activity level, budget, space requirements, and so much more.

A stuffed toy, an art print, or a sculpture depicting a dog is an appropriate present. A real, living dog is a horrible present.

Do not EVER give dogs as a gift.A dog is a great responsibility and commitment that the people in question must think seriously over. Most gift dogs end up unwanted and abandoned, or killed in a shelter.If these guys wanted a dog, I am sure they would have gotten one. You can't impose such a responsibility on a person. You shouldn't even give a goldfish as a gift, let alone a dog!

PLEASE, NEVER, EVER give a dog to anyone as a gift !A responsible breeder would not ever let you take a dog to give as a gift in any case as they will always want to match the dog/puppy to the individual and make sure that the new owner really wants the puppy.Would you give someone a child as a gift? It's pretty much the same thing - a dog lives for around 14 years and to be a wanted, well loved member of the family for life then the people who (hopefully want a dog) should be choosing it themselves.I repeat, THINK AGAIN and do not get a living animal.

NEVER EVER GIVE A PUPPY/DOG AS A GIFT, MOST of dogs that are given as gifts END up on DEATH row as UNWANTED GIFTS in shelter/pounds/rescue.NO RESPONSIBLE BREEDER WILL GIVE YOU A PUPPY TO GIVE AS A ENGAGEMENT GIFT,. NEVER BUY FROM A PETSTORE, BACKYARD BREEDER, PUPPY MILL OR NEWSPAPER OR ONLINE WEBSITE SUCH AS PENNYSAVER,PUPPYFIND,PUREBREDPUPS, THEY ARE IRRESPONSIBLE. THE FACT IS NO PUPPY/DOG SHOULD BE CHOOSEN BY SOMEONE ELSE OTHER THEN THE OWNER TO BE, They are the ONLY ones that KNOW what breed suits their lifestyle, energy require and the size of house and whether they can AFFORD the COST of the dog lifelong care, they NEED to match the dog to their LIFESTYLE. and if they Number 2; Puppies cannnot be LEFT alone for any MORE then 2hours. 8week old puppies need to have trainning, socialisation, and housetrainning and they need feeding 3 times a day, breakfast, lunch, dinneruntil 6month old, then 2 feeds a day after that.Think Before GivingAdding an animal companion to the family is an important decision. It means making a permanent commitment to care for and spend time with the animal and to provide for his or her lifelong care. Before adopting, consider the time and money involved in proper animal care. Will your loved one have the time and patience to exercise and housetrain the animal? Is he or she prepared to pay for food, accessories (such as toys, grooming supplies, leashes and harnesses, and bedding), inoculations, and veterinary care, including spaying or neutering, flea treatment, deworming, and emergency care? If a family decides to adopt an animal, every member of the family should go to the local animal shelter together to choose the animal, having already discussed the obligations and long-term commitments involved. Please, never buy from breeders or pet stores, and always practice your ABCs—animal birth control. For every animal purchased from a breeder or a pet shop, a potential home is taken away from a homeless dog or a cat at a local animal shelter. Children May Not Be ReadySmall children may unintentionally harm animals, even breaking their fragile bones or causing other fatal injuries, when they think they are playing. Puppies, kittens, bunnies, chicks, baby ducks, and other young animals are especially vulnerable.We have heard too many stories about families in which the child has lost interest in an animal, and the adult is forced to make the difficult decision on the best way to "solve" the problem. Often this means turning the animal over to a crowded shelter or pound or—worse—passing the animal on to a series of homes, causing trauma, psychological scarring, and behavioral problems. Too Few Happy EndingsAnimal shelters are filled beyond capacity with homeless animals, many of whom were former "pets" who, for one reason or another, didn't fit into someone's lifestyle. No matter how much they would like to, many people who receive animals as gifts find that they are unable to make the lifelong commitment to care for their new companion. Sadly, many people end up turning animals they received as gifts over to an overburdened humane society or animal-control agency that is likely filled to capacity. In worst-case scenarios, some people even abandon animals on the road or in the back yard when they move away. What You Can Do •Don't ever give an animal as a gift. If you have discussed the idea with the prospective recipients and know that they have the time, willingness, ability, and resources to properly care for an animal and make that serious commitment, consider offering them a gift certificate from the local animal shelter.•If you attend a fair, flea market, or other event at which animals are being given away, educate those who are responsible. If people are offering free kittens or puppies, for example, explain the risks of giving animals to unknown passersby—some people sell dogs and cats to laboratories or dealers, and others abuse, neglect, or abandon them.•Sign our pledge saying that you will never buy an animal from a pet store or a breeder and that you will always practice your ABCs (animal birth control) by spaying or neutering your animal companions.RESPONSIBLE GIFT-GIVING ALTERNATIVES Instead of giving a pet as a gift: - Ask your local SPCA, pet rescue organization, or animal shelter whether they sell gift certificates. Give the gift certificate instead of a pet. The recipient can then go and choose their own pet, one whose personality and care requirements matches her own personality and lifestyle. - Hand-craft a gift certificate or a pet gift basket. Offer to pay for the adoption fee of a new pet, or package up a nice basket filled with useful pet care items and treats, for whenever the recipient decides to adopt a pet. SPECIAL OCCASIONS The temptation to give a cute pet as a gift can be particularly strong around special occasions such as birthdays or holidays. Resist the temptation; special occasions are often filled with noise, crowds, and plenty of activity. This is a stressful introduction for both the pet and for the people! Wait until the things have settled down and you have time to spend with your new pet. LIFELONG COMMITMENT People surrender their pets for a number of reasons. In the case of "surprise pets", it's most often because someone in the family didn't get along with the pet or never wanted one to begin with - or the novelty of having a pet simply wore off. Adopting a pet is a lifelong commitment. When bringing a new pet into your family, everyone in the family should have a chance to meet and spend time with the pet before making the decision to adopt. Remember, pets are family, too! Possible Better engagement giftsMaybe a ChampagneWhine GlassesDinnerwareCutlery setsPhotoalbumChocolateGift vouchers such as massage etcPhoto of dogsPhotos of cats

Agreed - dogs are NOT gifts. It's a just plain terrible idea in every way.

I think maybe a pug would be cool But theres not a certain type of dog a Gay couple would have just because they are gay.

Would you pick out a lover or adopted child for friends as a gift>> I thought not...and what does being homosexual have to do with it?? Are you the type of person who says ...Oh they are really nice people, even though they're gay!If you think they would like a dog (and unless they have specified they do why do you think they do??) GIve them a card with a cheque to spend on a dog of their choice.Don't ruin a dogs life (or your friends potentially for the next 15 years) for the sake of 1 hrs glowy feeling as you hand over a puppy with a bow round its neck.

being gay has nothing to do with it. some guys are femme and some are masculine. also id recommend asking them if they want a dog...id hate for them to take your gift to the shelter...if they decide a dog would be nice. why dont you go to your shelter and get a gift certificate or pay for a dog/puppy upfront and let them pick it out...just think youd be saving a life...if you get one though i prefer boxers i own two but thats me.

A dog is not a suitable surprise gift for anyone - ever - irrespective of their personal orientation...and what does them being gay have to do with anything? Why would you even think to mention it? Surely you don't think that certain breeds of dogs would be better for gay people as opposed to straight people. Not slightly homophobic are you?

None.Whether they are gay or miserable has nothing to do with it.The point is that dogs are NOT suitable as surprise presents.I have accepted that a relative arranged beforehand to pay for the pup IF their birthday person chose one, but I insist that every actual future owner MUST choose the pup him/her-self, because I know that in the best dog-human pairings there is an almost-mystical bond. (One business person who had second choice saw "his" choice picked by the lass who had first choice, so he left. Then he came back and offered her double my price to choose a different pup so he could have "his" pup.)A pet is a COMMITMENT, not a gift that can be auctioned off or discarded at the back of a "For garage sales" box if it doesn't suit.You obviously DON'T know the couple well enough to be able to choose a suitable pup.Proof#1: You don't even know what breed or breeds THEY would like!Proof#2: You certainly don't know whether they would want one to win in conformation shows, or would want to compete in obedience training trials, or would want to race around an agility course, or would want to train it as a personal protection dog, or get involved in search&rescue, whatever.I'll bet you haven't even thought to check whether either of them is allergic to dog dander, let alone whether they are so house-proud that they would HATE having a hair-shedding dog around.So either give them an inanimate gift that includes a refund-receipt in case it doesn't suit them or they already have one, or create a fancy voucher promising to pay for any puppy they choose during the next 12 months - if cost worries you, stipulate a price range; maybe check with a humane society shelter what they charge for dogs they allow to be rehomed then stipulate that the engaged couple can get any pooch they like from that shelter during the next 12 months.But do NOT give ANYONE a living creature that might not suit them at all - have respect for both your human acquaintances and the non-human living creatures.Les Powner of GSD_Friendly: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/GSD_Friendly"In GSDs" as of 1967

LOL. I don't of any breed of dog that is bred specifically for people based on their sexual orientation. Giving an animal as a gift is not a good idea, stick to conventional type engagement gifts they'll be much happier.

I have to agree a dog is not an apropos gift, the human needs to feel a bond with his pet but if they asked for one or you are that close to them they would trust your decision, you must get them a rare and extremely beautiful and smart dog like a Boykin Spaniel. They are hypo allergenic as far as I can tell and everyone stops to ask what breed they are, so they will be the center of attention. Picture at linkhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1407221/the_boykin_spaniel.html?cat=53

make a gift certificate for a local shelter and let them pick their own. I assume that they are adults and capable of making their own choices? besides, dogs make terrible gifts.

Please don't give them a dog as a gift. A dog is never an appropriate gift. Please find something else, preferably non-living, to give them.How do you know if they even want a dog? or even have the money and time for a dog? What will they do with a dog when they go away? If you know for a fact that they want a dog, you need to go with them together to choose it. Tell them your idea, have them do research on the breed(s) they like or go with them to the local shelter. Whatever you do, don't spring it on them.

It's nice that you're thinking about buying a nice gift, but pets are not nice gifts.Which dog a family gets is a highly personal decision. Even if they LOVE a certain breed, they still need to pick out a specific dog. Also, pets are terrible gifts because they come with a bill attached. Now the couple will have to feed, care for, and buy supplies for this dog. It's like giving them 13 years worth of added expense.If they get a dog on their own, it would be a very nice idea to buy some supplies for the pup, though.

Never give a live animal as a gift.If you want to give a pet, bring the giftees with you to pick it out. After all, they are the ones who have to live with it!