Help me pick a dog

My vote is for a Golden Retriever. Mine, obeys great! I live on 3.5 acres with no fence and he stays in our yard. My 2 year old abuses him a lot....tries to rind him like a horse etc..and he takes it all with greatness! Not an attack dog, but he does have a terrific bark! Mine is 7 now and even though I know he has a long way to go before he passes, I'm going to miss him greatly because he's been such a wonderful dog....more of a dog than I could have ever wished or deserved!
 
Haven't heard it yet,so Airedale! I've had two of the large variety(both 90 to 100+lbs.)and they were both GREAT dogs. CJ
 
http://awpga.com/index.htm

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I would suggest a Border collie… Fits most of your criteria.

1)Needs to be good with kids and other pets (cat). My Border collie is great with my kids. She loves the cats too. I do catch her herding the cats around the house sometimes.

2) Minimal shedder. This might be a problem they do tend to shed.

3) Must be able to spend time indoors and out. Great in the cold of winter and the heat of summer. They probably need to be inside in the winter at night depending on where you live of course.

4) Size can vary, but generally between 50 and 120 lbs. They are in the 40 to 60+ pound range depending.

5) Fairly good guard dog, or at least an early warning system. They are very alert animals. Don’t miss anything.

6) Needs to be able to log long miles on the trail (upwards of 20+ miles a day), and in hot summer conditions as well as winter snow. They have lots of energy so they can put in the miles.

7) Not too dominant, should be easygoing and medium to easy to train. Easy going.

8)Minimal health problems. Unknown.

9) Not too hyper. They do have high energy. If you give them exercise everyday they will do great.

10) Mixed breeds OK. We like mutts. Lots of mixed Border collies out there.

Let us know what you end up with. Pictures woud be great too.
 
DannyboyLeather - yours looks more like an Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier .....a great, stout dog!

I wish I had one!!!





raindog101 - you're getting lots of good advice here....but, ahem....it's a bit "all over the map"...:D



There are a few websites out there that can help you figure out what dog breeds to start with...(note the careful wording....no one breed will be the perfect breed...but there are probably several very close...)


Here's one I mess around with all the time:

http://www.glowdog.com/bestdog/
(you'll need to take time to learn how to use the settings properly - and make several "best dog" lists...not just rely on one...I still go back and revisit this site)



You can get breed-specific info here: www.dogbreedinfo.com



And you can search your local rescue shelters here:

www.petfinder.org




Now...some random thoughts:




guard dog = will protect property (may or may not bark)
watch dog = will raise the alarm, but under threat of injury, will back down

Most dogs are some mixture of both....but several breeds swing more toward the extremes. Most terriers make great watch dogs....while mastiffs, dobermans, shepherds, AmStaffs, StaffieBulls, Rotts, Schnauzers...make great guard dogs.




Try and decide which 3 of your list are the most important and go for those.




"Dominant" is not necessarily breed-specific...it depends a lot on the dog...and also on its owner. Even the lowly chihuahua can end up being very dominant if it is catered-to too much (you become servant instead of master)...or if it was just raised that way. You just need to show it who's the boss and you'll be ok.

Granted, some breeds are more stubborn/independent upon being told "I'm the boss"...but problem-dogs aside....most dogs will eventually submit.




At the shelter, avoid any dog willing to sit in its own feces....(don't feel sorry for it...just walk away).....also, avoid any dog that pees when you pet it (can become a fear-biter).



Also generally speaking...:D....bigger dog = more food...don't know if that matters.




Since your property is unfenced....you are probably going to want a breed that is owner-dependent (such as a lab, retreiver, bird dog, etc.) and not a wanderer (any hound) or an independent dog (any terrier).





Here's the reason why I say "pick the top 3 most important traits":


Border collie - energetic, working dog, med size, easy to train, smart.....but sheds, is somewhat hyper, and may or may not attach to the kids (they prefer to work).

Lab - good "family dog", great w/ kids, med size, not hyper....not a good guard/watch dog, not as easy to train, health problems, overeats, sheds.

Doberman Pinscher - great guard/watch dog, trainable, low shedding, med size.....but aggressive, not as good w/ kids, excitable (not really hyper though).

Golder Retreiver - great w/ kids, med size, trainable, decent watchdog.....but sheds like crazy, won't last 20 miles/day.



Know what I mean?
 
a lab meets all your requirements and it make a good watchdog. NOT a guarddog, a watchdog. I had one and it barked whenever it heard a noise any where in the yard or house and ran out to investigate. great with kids and easy to train. (I taught mine to rollover in about 15 minutes.)
 
Thanks so much for all your great advice, everybody! I have to admit, I did have a "Perfect Dog" list of traits, huh? I realize that there really is no "perfect dog" like I describe, but I think Mr Koster nailed it on the head about picking a few of the most important traits, and going from there. FWIW, unless we get really attached to a specific breed, this dog will probably be mixed, and most likely from the pound. Makes for a bit of a crapshoot, but we're really into the idea of "rescuing" or "saving". That's how we got Max, our cat. But I'm not ruling out the idea of a purebreed. Really like all the pics you guys have posted so far. Beautiful dog, Johnnymac. I would not be disappointed in getting one like that. Also, kgd, your dog (and black labs in general) crack me up. You're absolutely right, they just run and run and run. And finally, Pitdog, I've been admiring your dog for some time, I just love the look of Staffordshires. I just wonder if that short coat might be too little protection from our cold weather here. Anyway, here are the breeds I'm most fond of. We'll probably get a mix of something in this list:
Lab
Golden
Husky/Malamute
Shepherd
Border Collie
Staffordshire

Now, it's all about picking the right dog. I'll keep you all posted. This should be going down in the next 3 weeks or so. Thanks for all the great advice, and keep it coming!
 
I've always had german shepards and love them even when mixed with something such as a husky.
I can't remember but I think either the Norweigain elkhound or Keeshound (sp for both) are non shedding
Ps standard poodles make excellent family dogs just make sure you check out their bloodline first
 
raindog101 said:
Beautiful dog, Johnnymac. I would not be disappointed in getting one like that.
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Thank you very much raindog!;) Of course, I am biased, but that's all my wife and I have ever had, so it's what we know. This one especially is a true friend. He really takes the cake. Good luck with the search. Enjoy it, because it's one of my favorite parts of having a dog.

Cheers,
Jon
 
I've got a Pomeranian / Pekingese cross. Great watchdog. Barks at everything. Sheds a bag full of hair just about every day. I love him, but wouldn't recommend him for what you are looking for.
If you go with 2 dogs, and have lots of room, my suggestion would be a Blue Healer AND a Jack Russell or a Blue Healer AND a Rottie Shepard cross.
Someone else mentioned that the dogs should be about the same age which I agree with.
The big thing is the training. Whatever you get, make sure they are trained and socialized right. An added bonus on the Jack Russell (from friends who have one), is that they are great ratters. A Jack Russell will keep your place free of the rodents. Will do a good job on prairie chickens too...
Anyway, my 2 cents worth.
Dave
 
El_Toro said:
People are probably going to laugh at this, but here goes...:o

You should check out a standard Poodle!:thumbup::D My family got one last year after our Chocolate lab passed away. These dogs are friendly, very smart, and best of all, they don't shed! I know most of you probably think of those dog show "foo-foo" dogs when you hear the word poodle, however they were originally used as water/hunting dogs. The only weird thing ours does is watch airplanes as they fly over the house. Not just a quick glance, but actually tracks them until out of sight, lol. As for the guard dog role, they don't really compare to a German Shepard or Doberman. They are more of a watch dog. Ours barks pretty ferociously at anything that even comes close to the property. But I must say, his bark is much worse than his bite, lol. Here's a pic I just took of the "little" guy. He just turned 11 months old and is somewhere between 80 and 90 lbs.

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There is nothing to laugh about, these dogs are wonderful!! They are great with kids, smart, loyal and great watch dogs. The poodle is regularily used by the French for Customs searches, to include drugs and explosives and have been used in patrol. The breed are amazing hunting dogs and work birds with the best.
With kids they are fantastic.
I have always been a German Shep owner but my wonderful lady was put to sleep after her 15th birthday. I could never bring myself to get another so I tried a Standard Poodle and wow!!!!
 
Two beautiful animals you have there..... :thumbup:

Just a word of caution - be advised that bigger breeds tend to have more serious health issues, particularly hip and elbow dysplasia problems. Very expensive to fix! Personally, I have had large and small breed dogs and prefer small. Dogs do NOT know what size they are, and a big dog can be a handful!

Also, as one person mentioned - big dogs eat a lot! You want to feed them good quality food, so this can be expensive (they'll also leave much bigger landmines). Choosing a dog from a pound is a noble thing, but you might be inheriting a lot of health problems that only manifest themselves later. Be advised - vets charge like a wounded buffalo!


Dannyboy Leather said:
So many great breeds to choose from out there! Like knives, there is no "best" breed for the family dog. Your environment, climate, room or space, children, etc., are often considerations that help narrow things down a bit.

Our two dogs shown below are both great guard and watch dogs (there is a difference). Both have been formally trained and properly socialized...and I can't emphasize that enough. The dog will often be no better than the time and energy you invest in to him. Problem dogs are dogs without responsible owners (just look at the shelters).

Our AKC registered shepherd (we have had four) are high maintenance dogs that need to be brushed daily to keep shedding at a minimum. The shepherds are generally a highly intelligent breed (ours quickly responds to first time commands). Most properly trained and socialized shepherds LOVE children and are loyal beyond belief to their owners. We sleep soundly with this dog around.

Our American Staffordshire (below) is a very low maintenance dog. She sheds very, very little and, is portable at 48 pounds. Contrary to popular belief, this breed is often not the best breed for guard and watch dog use because of their general affection for people. This particular dog is the exception. She is incredibly intelligent, loves children, but will not let suspicious people around her family. She will not hesitate to guard if the situation calls for it.

At one time we raised and trained labs and beagles for hunting. Excellent family dogs all-around if trained properly. Someone mentioned the Labradoodle. These too are excellent dogs that don't shed and have a great love for the outdoors and family (expect to pay hansom).

We chose these dogs because of our outdoor hobbies. We backpack a bunch and both of these dogs love nothing better than days on a good trail and nights in camp. The shepherd went with us on a 400-mile backpacking trip last summer down the PCT. We hiked 400, she hiked 800 keeping everybody together. :)

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Alright, I can't hold it anymore. Anybody posts about dogs or epoxy and I bear no responsibility for my ramblings !:D
I've deleted two long 'dog' posts already......feel free to disregard this one !

For starters, I work for a breeder: 5.5 rural acres and breeding Lab and Golden retrievers, poodles (standard and moyen), Rottweilers, and soft coated Wheaten terriers (first litter on the way!). Newfies might be on the horizon as well. Total is about 60 adults - but it grows because we keep the same number of dogs we retire (to good homes) + about 10% to keep the business happy. Being a dog guy, I wasn't crazy about working for a kennel but this place is top-shelf. Human grade food, nurseries are all sterilized 'clean rooms', big parks to play in...for anyone who lives in an urban environment and buys dog food at the grocery store: your dog is NOT as happy as these ones!



My own dog is a 3 yr old ShepX and she's my third shep (1 pure, 1 X) and is from the SPCA (as is the 2nd, first was the family dog from a breeder). There's gotta be 1/2 dozen pictures of her on this very site. If not:
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All that aside, if I may offer my thoughts...

1) Single biggest decision: is a pup/young dog a good idea ? If you don't have the time to give a puppy, then maybe put it off for a while or look for an older dog. A pup requires someone 24/7 - it's a baby for 10 months at least, pure and simple. This is also what will make or break the dog as far as future training is considered.

2) A dog has ONE ONE ONE master and that's it. Period. Full stop. Dogs need a place in the pack. As long as they grow up knowing they're not #1, they're fine. If not, they'll try to be number one. This is the root cause of 100% of future behaviour problems and this is precisely why consistency in training is SO important. The ideal situation is to have the person whose dog it will be raise the dog from a pup. I was finally able to do that with my current mutt and it shows.

3) Why do you want a dog ? You alluded to some of it, but looking at your criteria I'll bet the basis is simple companionship for your family. Now we can start talking breeds. Notice that comes AFTER development and training.

I don't think there's much argument really, but labs are the standard 'family dog'. While not a natural watchdog, the natural instinct to protect the pack will kick in (regardless of breed) provided condition 2 is met. A desire to be near 'the pack'(family) is the over-riding thing here. From what I've seen, doodles seem to keep the lab traits in a low shedding coat. Personally, not my cup of tea, but I can see the appeal.

If you're looking for a pet that's a little more than that, I would look at Shepherds. Imagine the personability of a lab with the innate intelligence of a Shepherd. When training, just be sure that the dog knows EXACTLY what is expected. That's the difference between fun for the dog and behavioural stress - dogs (universally) don't handle stress well.
Other Shepherd owner can attest to this, but sheps develop a routine where they can wake up from a dead sleep and need to go outside NOW. If you watch, it's not a sudden bout of incontinence, they just need to 'patrol' the yard. If that's important to you... (at 2 am !!)
If you throw a ball, a dog will chase it. A shepherd(yeah, I'm a little biased) will go to where it's going to land and wait for it. In training, consider the dog as smart as you but it thinks in a different 'language'. The 'old dog/ new tricks' analogy disappears with good training !

Shelter dogs: all in all, probably a more ethical choice. Giving any unwanted dog a home is great given what they (as a whole) give us back. Every dog needs a pack. Obviously, it's a bit of a crapshoot but the majority of behavioural problems can be fixed through training if the dog feels it's part of a pack (broken record yet?...)

Rottweilers have a mean reputation and look nasty through a fence, but all the ones I've seen are pushovers when you get right up to them. Honestly, they're not really a hiking dog or a snow dog though, IMO

I could go on to breeds I've seen in passing (boarding and training kennels) but I don't know that my limited exposure would be a fair assessment. These are the only ones I have experience with, so should be compared only against those I've mentioned and not all breeds.
 
DeadeyeLefty was pretty dead-on in his advice concerning dogs, IMO :thumbup:

Here are a couple more breed choices raindog101, based on my own preferences:

American Bulldog - have you ever seen Homeward Bound? The white dog, which Michael J. Fox did the voice for, is an American Bulldog. The typical AmBull is good with kids, energetic, loving, protective, sheds little and is adaptable to different weather conditions. The lines must be researched, though, because the AmBull, as any molosser, is prone to hip dysplasia.

Giant Schnauzer - They can go from 70-120 pounds, depending on the breed lines and sex of the dog. They are highly alert and intelligent, trainable, protective, low on shedding and adaptable to weather. They can be stubborn, from what I know, so training methods may need alteration to fit the dog. Again, as with any large/extra large/giant breed, hip dysplasia can be a concern.

Animalplanet.com has a very good breed tutorial and breed selector quiz. Go to the "Dog Breeds" section and you'll be able to find it.

If you go the route of a rescue, there are probably many rescue organizations in your area. These dogs need a home as much as pound puppies; the upside to a rescue dog is that they're almost always given basic shots, spay/neuter, and live in a foster home where their temperament has been observed. The go-to shelter around here is called Watermelon Ranch. You can go to your local Petsmart/Petco (large, chain pet supply stores) and get info on local rescue organizations.

When picking a puppy, the puppies which run up to you are the more adventurous and independent animals. They'll probably be more stubborn to train and more prone to roaming. The puppies who run away from you when approached should be avoided. The puppy you want to take home is the one that hangs back when the kennel/door is opened but will allow you to approach it and gently handle it.

My own dog is a Newfoundland; it's a wonderful breed but falls woefully short on your scale of needs (shedding and heat tolerance). He's a 150 pound clown of a dog! He's the most trainable canine I've ever owned, doesn't roam or disappear when we hike, LOVES kids, drools like you'd not believe, and has a massive WOOF! He's protective, gentle, wonderful... ok, enough derailing this thread :D Here's a link to his pic, though (I've yet to learn how to post pics): http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...ge&friendID=70660218&albumID=0&imageID=479515
 
We had a lab/shepherd mix who was awesome. She had the perfect temper. Easy with kids and others but would be protective if she sensed we were nervous. She hated people who yelled or fought.

She was right at 70 pounds, would go anywhere with us. Was awesome on a leash or off. Great dog.

Unfortunately she developed some sort of jaw cancer and we had to put her down last year. The problem is that she set the bar so high it's going to be hard to find another one to take her place.

Charlie
 
I picked up this little guy last night!!!

His name is Boudreaux.
 

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go to the nearest shelter. pick out the first dog that loves your kids. all the other requirements come after that. then, have a blast with the dog you have rescued.
 
Hands down the Rhodesian Ridgeback. I have owned them and I can tell you now they fit your description of what you are looking for. Great with kids and other pets, great dispositions, wonderful guard dogs and deverse hunting companions.
 
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