Dog recommendations

[ziggystardust]

Great recommendations so far. Labs scare me a little 'cause I think of them as naturally hyper...my kids don't like it when dogs jump all over them! I do think they are beautiful dogs though. I know every dog breed has good and bad traits but I'm trying to get as many opinions as I can !!! aw:

I'm obviously biased but the chocolate labs are the more hyper ones. We found that out the hard way. Yellows and Blacks aren't bad. Thats why they use this breed for canine companions (for disabled people), along with their intelligence. You should see if you have a Canine Companion chapter (CCI) near you. You could actually see the dogs in action and see how trainable they are.

Above all, make sure you choose a reputable breeder (which I'm sure you will ) b/c a lot of the larger breeds have hip/joint problems. The better the breeder, the less likely you will have many issues with your pup.

I btw love Bernese Mountain dogs too, they are soo cute, big teddy bears. Oh and there is this other breed that has the face of a lab but the body of a newfinland - but has white fur. They are sooo cute. I can't remember the name of the breed.

 

[goofyforlife]

I'm obviously biased but the chocolate labs are the more hyper ones.

We had a chocolate lab growing up. His name was Snickers. He lived to be almost 17. He wasn't hyper and was the greatest dog....He could learn any trick. He was great with kids, even let my DD pull his tail and climb over him when she was real little. (he was older then) His only fault was that he hid in the bathtub any time there was a thunderstorm or fireworks. Not much of a hunting dog.

He wasn't purebred chocolate or lab for that matter but looking at him you'd never know it.His mom was a golden lab and his father was chocolate. The breeder told us his grandfather was a st bernard but we never saw any "saint" traits.

I have seen hyper black labs though that Ate walls furniture etc....
But just remember that any breed could have some faults and as doggie owners we always hope that our's doesn't have them. Sometimes you do get a difficult dog but with patience and training any dog can be great...

 

[Hercules10]

WOW!
You guys are giving me great info. I have always had a "pound puppy" growing up, but we are looking for less of a crapshoot right now

I know where you're coming from as I've done both rescues and purebreds. Purebreds can be just as much of a crapshoot in my experiance. You have to know that both dam and sire are well-bred, plus research the breeders themselves. And even then it's no gurantee that the dog will have the "Breed characteristics".

My rescue dogs seem to know that I rescued them. They just seem more loving, loyal and laid-back.

Also know that there are many-many rescue societies set up specifically for certain breeds. North Texas has several labrador rescue groups for instance.

Once again. Good luck!

 

[maryssasmom]

another vote for labs here

Madison is 5, she is the best dog I have ever had. she is treated more like a member of our family then our dog as she has such personality, my dd loves her and madison is so gentle with dd. she is sweet, loves everyone and still is a great watch dog. great listener, loyal, well behaved. I would get 40 if I coudl fit them and probably would not ever get another type as I love how she is. she is a great friend. great with kids and that is what drew us to a lab as we got her when dd was 3. I definitely vote for a lab.

 

[WishingOnAStar]

Wishing......Have you found any breeders yet? If not, I belong to the Potomac Valley Bernese Mountain Dog Club. (members from MD, DC, VA)

I have a 6 mth old Bernese Mountain Dog, Abby. They are a great dog but there's alot of other stuff that goes along with their breed. (possible health issues, etc...)

Our club has their specialty match at the Frederick County Fairgrounds in February where you can see the dogs and get alot of info and meet some of the breeders in this area.

If you or original poster has questions...just ask... (this was abby at 8 wks old-close to 20lbs then)
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Thanks for the info!! We have a breeder in our town (http://www.greaterswissmountaindogs.org/) and they have an open house once a month. I keep trying to get there, but it never seems to happen! I'll have to look out for the specialty match in February.

Beautiful dog!!!!

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

Have you considered a greyhound? There are rescuers everywhere it seems. They rescue them from the tracks - but despite what the the dogs have been through, they are sweet and gentle.

No matter what breed you think you want - research them thoroughly first. I would second those who recommend adopting. Even if you have a specific breed in mind, you can often get one through a rescuer/foster home. Petfinders is a great place to start!!! Good luck!!!

 

[solferino]

I know you said you didn't want a little dog, but seriously, pugs rock. They're not like yippy, nervous dogs. Multum in parvo means a lot in little, or something like that and that's excactly what they are like. Presence and a little comedian is what our guy has. They're great family dogs and love being with their humans. Before a parent complained, I used to bring him to school with me Friday afternoons. My littles loved having him there as much as he loved being there!



There are also breed specific rescues all over the nation and lots of lovely purebreds needing a home. IME the interview process with the pug rescue was lengthy, but it helped them match our dog to our family.

 

[Kimberly]

I btw love Bernese Mountain dogs too, they are soo cute, big teddy bears. Oh and there is this other breed that has the face of a lab but the body of a newfinland - but has white fur. They are sooo cute. I can't remember the name of the breed.

Probably a Great Pyrenees, St. Bernard, or a Landseer. They're all in the same "family." I love Great Pyrenees, but they are really at home in the northern United States. We had one when I was younger, but she was absolutely miserable during the summer months.

If you live north of about New York City in the northeastern US, you could never make a bad decision with a Great Pyrenees. Wonderful, but huge dogs. (males are anywhere from 120 to 140 lbs, and females can be 90 to 110 lbs)