Need dog advice

Any retriever.

I have a Chesapeake Bay Retriever and my daughter has a yellow Lab, and they are the best around kids. They will pester the kids to throw things for them to bring back, but that is their nature. I've never seen any retriever get agressive with kids.
 
Some general advice, from a dog owner and dog lover:

A medium-sized dog would be best. Many small dogs (like those in the picture of your wife's preference) are terrible pets - intolerant of children, yappy, and they nip. Plus, you wouldn't want anyone to see you walking it. :) I'd also be concerned with a very large dog and a small child - potential injuries from 'normal' play and roughhousing. Many large dogs don't appreciate just how large and powerful they are.

Large breeds also have shorter lifespans - I'd look for a breed that'll live into your daughter's teen years.

Have you considered a mixed breed dog? My experience is that those are the healthiest dogs. Many (most?) modern dog breeds have genetic conditions (eyes, hips, heart, skin...). Many breeders will screen for those conditions, but they are common none-the-less.

Have you heard of a "labradoodle"? A standard poodle mixed with a labrador retriever. A friend had one of them on accident and I've since read of people breeding them on purpose. Supposed to be excellent pets and low-shedders.

A short-haired lab mix would be great, or a beagle mix.

I prefer male dogs myself. Less 'cranky', particularly when they become older, and less competitive with other dogs.

Good Luck,
Bob
 
It's a personal thing, I've had German Shepperd (female), Collie (female), Boxer (first a female and later on one of her male puppies), Basset Hound (couple), Fox Terrier (male) and several mixed.

German Shepperd was smart and easy to care for, Collie was very smart, needed brushing daily, Boxers were easy to care for, not as smart as others but good play partners for the kids, Basset Hounds were both couch potatoes, Fox Terrier was overactive and needed a haircut about once a month, he would sometimes jump from the first floor balcony out on the street and was hard to get a hold of him unless I came out with a ball and started playing, then he would come around and I could grab him.

I'm thinking of getting maybe a Beagle or a Golden Retriever but not before I retire in a couple of years because there's no one at home now to take care of him.

Luis
 
Emanuel said:
Quite a few well respected members here at BFC have chosen pitbuls as family pets.

How about not making statements regarding dogs you know absolutely nothing about?
How about that for an idea?

FWIW, "the Rascals" kids small dog, Petey, was an american pitbul.
http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/pete.html
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It is an individual dog thing...each dog has a different personality. HOWEVER,

The Insurance Service Office and many insurance companies have done lots of research on pets and the effect of liability of homeowners.

The list of dogs that most insurance companies have problems with include:

German Shepherds, Pitbulls, Dobermans, Dalmations, Wolf mixes and others that I cannot think of right now.

The data gathered from the insurance companies does not deal with individual personalities of "My dog wouldn't bite a biscuit". It deals with numbers and percentages.

Boogeyman or not, some breeds of dogs have a bad rep and some insurance companies will not sell you liability insurance if you own dogs of those breeds.

Those are the facts.

Sure, I have seen the "sweetest pitbull that wouldn't harm anything". I also know that some people get those "macho" dogs and deliberately train them to be more aggressive than what they naturally.

Incidentally, if you own a dog and it bites someone....you can be held liable for any damage done from the bite. It doesn't matter if you have "beware" signs or not. It doesn't matter if your dog is penned up or not. It doesn't matter if it is Petey or Cujo or Benji.

Seikan1
 
I was going to suggest a labradoodle or goldendoodle as well. I've never had one, but they are cute as can be and are supposed to be highly intelligent.

I do have an American Boxer and I can't imagine a better dog. IME very gentle with kids and all animals. Very protective of territory. If something is outside the house/yard they will bark and threaten, but once inside it's all good. They live to be loved. Excellent companions.

Jack
 
seikan1 said:
The list of dogs that most insurance companies have problems with include:

German Shepherds, Pitbulls, Dobermans, Dalmations, Wolf mixes and others that I cannot think of right now.
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I've seen those lists and other versions put out by various medical groups. The other dogs included are: Rottweilers, Akitas, Chow-Chow, and surprisingly, Golden Retrievers and Labradors make it on to a few.

Most of the large popular breeds make it on to those lists at one point or another, so I'd take them with a grain of salt.
 
jiminy said:
One would have to be insane to have any of the dog types commonly referred to as 'Pit Bulls' around small children/infants.
And if you can't figure out the reasoning for the above statement for your own damn self, then by all means ...get such a dog for your own children. Natural selection will take care of the rest ...and the world will be a better place for it.
.
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This is one of the most ignorant and blatantly idiotic things I have ever read on here. Please everyone, begin mass hysteria now..... :rolleyes:
One would have to be VERY narrow minded to say that about the dog commonly referred to as a "Pit Bull" And if YOU can't figure out why I think you are wrong, than perhaps you need to figure out what you are talking about BEFORE your lips begin flappin. Natural selection indeed...... :rolleyes:
 
Very interesting reading!

Bulldogs, boxers and similar looking dogs, sorry, my wife just doesn't approve. :rolleyes:

I thought about a border collie, I like them a lot, but the fur is a problem. I'm worrying that too much fur, or too much shedding might provoke my allergies to include dogs and that would be terrible. And what "A Dog's Best Friend" said about their permanent learning seems a bit problematic. :)
I've also been thinking about a Golden Retriever, as I had great fun with a friends Golden Retriever when I was a kid.

A poodle might be the thing though. Smart, cute, yes I'll look into that.
And don't worry, I'll not cut it like this:
dogbreedsadv156.jpg


Yes I was not really serious about the mutilation, but I do want the dog to be a guardian of my daughter. I read somewhere that all dogs will naturally become guardians of their masters, so I guess that's not a problem.

I do intend to train the dog well, I am aware that it can be hard work. I want it to behave around people and in the house. No sleeping in our beds, no begging for food at the table, no jumping up and slobbering all over guests, stuff like that. Understanding of all the usual commands.
Of course I'll be the master of the dog, taking care of it and training it, but It must regard also my daughter as its master, and companion. Can it be done?
 
Gigante-
Sorry your wife doesn't approve of the bull dog type breeds. Really wonderful dogs. Just as food for thought, Pit Bulls and the like (AmStaff, American Bull Dog etc.) were NEVER intended to be people aggressive. Matter of fact, the dogs that showed that trait were culled up until not too long ago here in the states and still are in some countries. It has been dumb owners who have ruined these breeds. Yes, I am a Pit Bull owner with kids. gasp! I have owned/bred these dogs for more than a few years and I feel they are the most loyal, friendly and willing to please dogs there are. Just my opinion. Sorry for the earlier rant, I am just tired of hearing nonsense from ignorant people. I am sure owners of Rotts, Mastiffs, Dobermans etc. agree.
Good luck with your new companion, whatever it may be.
 
Well, since the bully breeds are out, I'd go with a hunting breed like a Labrador, Beagle, or Coon Hound. They're good with commands, have a very decent disposition, are reasonably clean and don't shed much. Mixed breeds are good in this regard, also.

Personally, I'd visit dog clubs and breeders in your area. If one isn't that familiar with dogs, it's best to take a hands -on approach, and see what you and family can actually handle.
 
I was going to suggest a labradoodle also. If I were worried about shedding that's what I would get. The standard poodles are great dogs too.

I like muts in general. So many pedigree dogs end up having health problems in my experience. Be extremely picky of the breeder of any pedigreed canine. My wife and I think that our boy (as seen in my avatar) is definitely part lab, maybe combined with some rotty and a shepherd breed. There could be dozens of different breed lines in him for all we know. At the moment he is about 18 months old so he is basically 75+ pounds of muscle with the attitude of a puppy.

On the subject of pit bulls...
I hesitate to enter this debate, but this is my experience. Pit bulls are as sweet as any other dog when raised in a loving home. I have known many. The problem is that they were bred for Tenacity with a big fat capital T. They do not back down and if they do bite for some reason they will mess you up. Generations of breeding have gone into this trait of tenaciously holding on to anything they sink their teeth into. They also have been bred to have jaw muscles like steel cables which aids them in their ability to hang on.

I believed that most of the negative attention was hysteria. Something changed that for me. I knew a couple with two beautiful pit bitches. I scratched them behind the ears and patted their heads everytime I saw them. These dogs were members of the family and shown nothing but love. They had birthday parties with hats and cake, and photo albums full of these dogs playing with their little girl from the time she was an infant. ONE DAY the little girl had a neighbor friend over who had been to their apartment many, many times. Both girls were around 5 or 6. The girls were playing and started to make that high pitched squeal that little girls do when they are playing and having a lot of fun. As soon as the neighbor girl started making that noise the oldest pit bitch bit her. Well it actually grabbed her by the face, would not let go, and started that back and forth head motion that is hardwired into its brain. It would not let go for the man (i.e. alpha male to the dogs) who was standing right there and it would not let go for the woman. The man finally took a baseball bat to his dog and she stopped.

The little girl ended up having several hours of surgery to reconstruct her face and attach her ear again. She will still have the scars for life. The couple ended up having their dog put down, which broke their hearts, but they felt it was the only responsible thing to do. They knew it could have been their daughter. Any breed of dog can bite, but they aren't specialized in it.

Pitbulls aren't vicious, they are just too damned good at what they were born to do. That experience changed my view. I am still not afraid of them, and regularly come into contact with a couple of them in my neighborhood while out walking, but I will NEVER let one around my kids when we start our family. There ARE inherent (or perhaps inherited) risks to owning a pit bull terrier. You can't overlook what an animal has been bred to do.
 
I say a quality poodle from a breeder with excellent temperment and health lines. That covers every part of your criteria.
 
Gigante said:
A poodle might be the thing though. Smart, cute, yes I'll look into that.
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Good for you! I had a white miniature female that we got when I was about 12 who just passed when I was nearly 30. She was about 20 pounds, thought she was 200, and would run, play and rough-house all day. She loved to swim, as poodles are water retrievers by nature and would go out of her way even to walk through puddles in the rain. Until I got my current partner (I've got to be loyal to the one who covers my butt! ;) ) she was by far the best dog I ever had.

When we got her we already had a German Shepherd and by watching him, more than by our training, she learned all the basic obedience she needed. She taught herself to sit, stay, down, come, just by watching the shepherd follow commands. Some breeds require many, many repetitions to understand a new command. A poodle will master and move on before you know it.

I never found grooming to be that big a deal. If you just want a shaggy look, or even what's called a "puppy cut" there's not much to it at all. Get yourself a set of clippers, use the guard provided, and in a few haircuts you'll be a pro.

Establishing household hierarchy is on you. If you make it clear that the child outranks the dog, the dog will accept it. Poodles are smart and not unusually prone to dominance problems.

Lycka till :D
 
I'm going to get onboard with Knife Outlet on this one. The mini Dachshund is a great pet. I have two and couldn't ask for better dogs. A dog is no different than any other pet you would have to train, you get out of it what you put into it. Mine ring a bell to go outside, love kids, all kids love them, never torn up anything other than thier toys, (they're brutal on squeakies) and one will eat everything put in front of it and the other doesn't. Hit and miss. Short-hairs are easy to live with (shedding) and no other dog I know of, smells like popcorn! (umm!) :)
 
One would have to be insane to have any of the dog types commonly referred to as 'Pit Bulls' around small children/infants.
And if you can't figure out the reasoning for the above statement for your own damn self, then by all means ...get such a dog for your own children. Natural selection will take care of the rest ...and the world will be a better place for it.
Click to expand...
OK, I admit ...maybe that was a tad harsh. But facts are facts. If you value your children at all, then a 'pit bull' type breed has no business in the home, or around children at all for that matter. It only takes a second or two for your child's life to be altered forever.

As for children's screams setting them off ...if you're a 'hunter', then you know what a predator call sounds like. Little children screaming/crying.
 
Except for the slobbering problem i would recommend a basset hound for family pet. they are very loving, intelligent, excellent with kids. Whether they are lazy or active depends on what you do with them as pups. If you let them lay around continually they will be lazy(sleep or lounge most of the time), if you walk them on a leash, train them, and spend time playing them they will NOT be lazy. They are very good at knowing when to be protective and are very good at protecting when it is needed. Whatever your choice give your dog a raw egg with its food once a week or every other week and it will keep them from shedding very much also very shiny coats.
 
jiminy said:
OK, I admit ...maybe that was a tad harsh. But facts are facts. If you value your children at all, then a 'pit bull' type breed has no business in the home, or around children at all for that matter. It only takes a second or two for your child's life to be altered forever.
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Same can be said any large breed. While I don't have it a hand*, one of the medical societies presented a study on this, APBT accounted for 5-6% of the bites deemed serious enough for medical care. This percentage placed it in the lower middle percentile among large popular breeds.

*No I'm not just pulling this out of my ass, it was posted to another newsgroup a few years back. I'll find it, if anyone really wants to see it.
 
jiminy said:
But facts are facts. If you value your children at all, then a 'pit bull' type breed has no business in the home, or around children at all for that matter. It only takes a second or two for your child's life to be altered forever.
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So...you're saying that myself and the other responsible owners of these dogs are NOT responsible for having them around kids? Because I own these dogs, I don't value my kids? Please take a look at how many Dalmations have bitten kids in the last few years. Not a flame on the Dalmations, but I think it might be an eye-opener for you. In rare form for me, I am going to bow out of any further talks on this issue as I feel strongly on this, as do you it seems, and I will not turn a well meaning thread into something it wasn't started to be (attack/defense of the APBT).
Gigante, again good luck on your choice! :)
 
I like Siberian Huskies. They are medium sized dogs. The male is 45 to 60 pounds, the female is 35 to 50 pounds. They do shed fur, but they have no dog smell and don’t cause allergies. They are good with children and are cute enough to suit your wife. Search on the Internet for more information. Right now, I have a Siberian Husky and a German Shepherd Dog. The Husky is easier to train and causes less trouble. Good Luck! :)
 
I would suggest a boston terrier. I have one, as well as two other dogs. My boston terrier is great with all people, including very young children. So is every other boston terrier I have been around. They are usually high energy, but they don't need a lot of outdoor exercise. They are very obediant and loyal to humans. They shed very little. Mine almost never barks, and neither do any of the others around are area. They are very protective, they were bread as fighting dogs. Mine has some problems around other dogs, she will fight anything that messes with her or anyone in my family. I am not saying that is a good thing. We had to stop bringing her to the dog park, because a doberman pounced on one of my other dogs, and my boston terrier jumped at its throat and kept at it until the doberman laid on its back and gave up. The doberman weighed roughly 80 lbs, my boston terrier weighed 14 at the time now she is about 20 pounds. Do some research on the breed, I think it might be what you are looking for. If I remeber right Spark has one too.
Kyle Fuglesten
 
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