Okay - So many HPers on here either own a real horse/dog or have worked around them as a profession. Of course, with any animal, there's always that "one person" who loves to insult your furbaby's breed because of either bad experience/common myths around it. 

So I'm curious to know, what is the craziest misconception, you've ever heard about a certain breed? 

I'll go first: One of the craziest misconceptions I've ever heard from someone is that Border Collies should never be adopted as a pet. They said that they do not make good pets due to the fact they're herding dogs or "heelers" with sheep and since they're trained to bite, they're dangerous to any family..

"Why on EARTH would you want a Rottweiler?  They're so aggressive!  They'll bite you"

Many people think that these dogs were designed to be highly aggressive, and to be fighting dogs (this is because they are commonly used to guard locations usch as scrap metal and junkyards, or in dog fighting's deplorable rings).  The breed actually originated as a herding and cart-pulling dog.  Their role is now different, ranging from police animals to guide dogs.  And while I will not deny that you can train them to attack - they are not born aggressive, or vicious, or mean.

-points to Dozer-  If anything, the majority are gigantic wusses unless threatened.

Another breed I hear misconceptions about is the American Quarter Horse.

"They can't run more than a quarter mile."

No, they EXCEL at sprinting the quarter mile.  You can breed Appendix lineage (as in, Thoroughbreds into the lines) to extend their longevity in running, as well as exercise accordingly.  And they might not sprint longer, but they can still run!  There are other misconceptions about their height (they are not ALWAYS small - just some are bred smaller specifically for cutting and reining, where a low balance is best), their feet (as with any breed, hoof wuality and size varies, though small is a common term you hear), their build (they're so bulky - Foundation lines can be bulky, particularly certain lines.  They do not all look that way, and it is only some breeders who want them to.  They are a bulky breed - with big bums - because they are bred to sprint.  This has created a big butt.), and their temperament (they're so hyper and a high strung because they're racehorses - well, now, if you were eatign food full of energy and calories, exercised a LOT, and ran every day I'm sure you'd have energy to boil off too.)

I've heard about Rotties being "aggressive" - I met one who actually was aggressive but only because he had been trained to attack {he was a gaurd dog, so naturally he would have to be}. Once the owner gave him a signal, he was very friendly to me. I think any dog breed can be aggressive if it's trained to be, there's no limited breed, but none are ever naturally aggressive.

Never heard about the AQH's though - That's a new on one me! I agree on sizes though, I've seen all sizes/types of Quarters depending on what their sport specialty is: halter Quarters I've seen are very very bulky in muscles and racers are big-ish and muscled {though less muscled than halters}. Personally, I prefer the 'lean' type myself used in reining, equitation or hunter-jumper. They're smaller and have a more aerodynamic build for their specialty.

I think a horse's stamina, looks or performance is solely based on what the breeder wants from them - So, naturally, they'll excel in it. Just my opinion though, though I agree with you, Neke.

One of my best friends has a 175lb German Rottie and he is absolutely sweet. Now, he was bought and trained as a guard dog. But he's friendly to everyone who doesn't come off as threatening to anyone. He's honestly one of the best dogs I know. We almost lost him over Memorial Day weekend, but he's a tough guy and made it through! I love him. 

Aww sorry about almost losing him, Nyt - Glad he's okay! As I said to Neke, this who misconception about certain dogs being mean is just stupid..ANY dog can be mean if it's MADE to be. It's not within the breeds itself..

To prove my point, I've heard people say Chihuahuas are the sweetest little dogs ever. A friend of mine had one and he would bite anyone within jaw distance! 

I've never heard anyone regularly say chihuahuas are sweet haha, I've definitely been bitten by more chihuahuas than, say, pitbulls. Not all are snappy but yea, we handle with caution.

We don't really have any misconceptions in our area that are completely outlandish besides the normal "pitbulls are killers" type thing.

Some girls in my school said they were - Maybe THEIRS was a sweet little darling, but my friend's sure wasn't.

I agree on the pitbulls and I don't understand really how people love to rumor that Pitbulls are anymore deadly than a Rottie, really..I think it truly just depends on the caution you take with the dog or if they were handled badly. Otherwise, all are sweet companions! 

That's interesting, Neke. There are no small QH's around here. I don't know that I've ever seen a "small" QH. They must breed 'em big in MN. xD

I have a standardbred and he is amazing but there are always people who look down on them. He does some amazing stuff under saddle but is a little green. They are such amazing horses and I have owned and ridden all sorts of horses incuding some very expensive thoroughbreds. Nothing beats a standy though

In my area we have a lot of western/english pleasure QH people, who look down on our Morgans.  I rode in the county fair bareback class and as I rode into the ring, got a couple comments about how I was crazy to be riding that morgan bareback (he was a very steady older gelding, he would only get a little excited leaving the ring because that's when the energy picked up for him).  I like to prove people wrong in their assumptions, so came back the next year and rode in the bareback class on a morgan stallion.

Alot of people around my area have made comments about Arabians being hard to handle because they're "hot"-- meaning they are spastic, energetic, and independent, which overall leads to high maintenence. 

My aunt and myself have owned Arabians and they are very sweet, sound, calm horses. True, there are some that can be "hot-blooded" but those are usually the young, green Arabs (at least in my experience).

A misconception I have come across is Appaloosas being stubborn/mean/bratty. I worked and rode for an Appaloosa only barn for 3 years and only encountered that in one horse out of a herd of probably 10-12. I'm convinced he thought he was a donkey because of his stubbornness. But other than that one instance I have NEVER had an issue with Appaloosas. Heck one of my favorite horses I ever competed with was a leopard App with THE BEST jump I have ever ridden. This horse rounded his back sooooo nicely over fences and his flying changes were flawless. He is one of 2 horses that if I won the lottery and could go back in time I would buy no questions asked.

It's funny you bring this up cause just the other day I was talking to some friends who are wanting to get a dog and they both have so many different things they want in a dog. To help you see the delima he wanted a German Shepherd and she wanted a Yorkie. He wants a buddy to play with and go on runs and that sort of thing while she wanted a smaller, non-shedding, easier to handle on her own kinda dog. I told them that the best compromise would be a pitbull or something along those lines and the first words out of his mouth were "Is it the purebreds or mixes that have something wrong in their brain?" and I just sat for a minute trying to totally process what he had said because it just amazed me. I went on to explain that no pit has a thing wrong with their brain. They ones that attack are the ones that were trained to do it and that the only dogs I had ever heard of having a crazy switch in their brains is a Malanois. lol

I live in the Metro Detroit area so if it's not a purebred something else you can generally wager it's a pitbull mix of some variety. And people are still all on about how they're terrible awful dogs and my Ex's dad was stupid for fostering a few and... Look. My friend has a pit lab that is bigger than any Pitbull or Lab I have ever seen in my life and he was afraid of his own shadow. If someone broke into their house Sirius would just pee. No joke.

Same with the Rottweilers. Rottweilers aren't aggressive. They aren't mean for the sake of being mean. If you're threatening their people, however, you better think twice. I could stick my whole hand in Ella's mouth (and have, to demonstrate to a friend that was terrified of her that she was harmless) but got chewed up by a minpin for petting her in a way she didn't approve of.

And yes every Chi I've ever met comes in one of two varieties. Satan, or terrified of everything. But it's the big dogs that get the bad raps!

Link Tree

Another one is that Morgans are stubborn.  I hate that misconception.  I find them so intelligent!

I've heard people say Standardbreds are really ugly, useless horses that don't excel in /any/ discipline. I rode one at RDA and she was a fiery chestnut. We did dressage together. Weren't very good though lol. I think that's more because of me than her though. I've also heard the stories about Arabs being too crazy to ride. Well, I used to ride one at my RDA and he was dead quiet and easy to do ANYTHING with haha.