What kind of breed fits me? Read details.?

Question

I just want a low maitnence dog. He has to be good with children. I have a medium sized yard. I can groom him every weekend. He has to be non-to average shedder. Easy to train. Can be left alone for 6 hours max. Medium range excersise.

Answer 1

I'd recommend one of the Sporting breeds for a child (but NOT a Weimaraner or a Dalmatian!) My all-time favorite mid-sized dog for kids is the English (or Welsh) Springer Spaniel. They require some grooming, but don't shed too much, are generally great with kids and easy to train. Females are a little bit easier than males, but either should make a terrific pet. They will need a good thirty minute walk every day.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, ENGLISH Cocker Spaniels (NOT American!) and Pekingese are great too and need less exercise. They are small, sweet and quiet.

Vizslas, Setters, Labs and Goldens are usually great with kids but they're bigger and are very boisterous until they are about two. Labs shed a LOT.

Avoid the terriers and toy dogs! They tend to be nippy, yappy and usually NOT good with kids!

I'd also suggest reading some really good books on training. Try not to do it randomly - there are a lot of bad books out there also! These are some of my favorites and you can get them on Amazon.com
What All Good Dogs Should Know - Volhard
Good Owners, Great Dogs - Brian Kilcommins
Dog Tricks : Eighty-Eight Challenging Activities for Your Dog from World-Class Trainers by Haggerty and Benjamin
Don't Shoot the Dog - Pryor
Training Your Dog: The Step by Step Method - Volhard
Dog Problems - Benjamin
Cesar's Way - Cesar Millan

Also, watch the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel. Cesar Millan is the best trainer I've ever seen on TV.

Whatever breed of puppy you decide on DON'T go to a pet shop or buy one off the internet!!!! You'll pay top dollar for what is usually a poor quality puppy mill dog. And you'll be supporting one of the cruelest industries in the country. The breeding animals are kept in deplorable conditions. They probably haven't been vaccinated against contagious diseases or tested for any health or temperament problems or genetic diseases - that costs money and cuts into their profits. A female is often bred every time she comes into heat. When her poor little body can't take it any more, she is often clubbed in the head and tossed into a dumpster or an open ditch. Most puppy mills ship their pups to pet stores at wholesale prices and many pups die before they even get there. These "breeders" have figured out that they can use the internet to ship a dog directly to the customer and thus make more money by cutting out the middleman. If you buy a dog from out of state, good luck getting your money back if there's something wrong with the pup. These people count on you becoming instantly attached to the poor little guy and being willing to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars at the vet to treat whatever is wrong with him.

Find a good breeder by going to www.akc.org or talking to people at dog shows. You can also find info about the breed clubs on the akc site - they probably have a rescue group where you can get an older dog for less money.

Find a breed rescue organization by going to www.akc.org - you can get an older dog for less money. Be VERY careful about getting a shelter dog with children that young. You are often adopting someone else's problem dog. And people often lie about the dog's temperament, hoping he'll get a new home that can deal with him.

Answer 2

Well every breed takes time out of your day. But i would reccomend a basset hound. There lazy and cute and good with childeren and very low energy level and they do shed average but if brushed and kepted up the shedding can be kepted minimal. Also the right diet helps shedding issues alot.
If you want alittle more energy dog i would reccomend a beagle.
Otherwise shih tzus are great dogs but they require alot of grooming unless kepted short haired. A great dog for kids would be a boston terrier, Min to average shedder, average to high energy level. Semi easy to train. Outgoing and sweet. All breeds have there own personality and traits. Maybe just do a bit of research on each breed and determend what breed is for you. Find some local breeders and go and meet there dogs go to gatherings with those breeds and dog shows and etc.. spend time with differant breeds and choose the right one for you.

Answer 3

No, no, no, absolutely not a lab or retriever! Your area is far too small. These are the people who will have dogs with hip displacement in the future. Don't do it. Get something that is perfectly satisfied in a medium-sized yard. Cockers and spaniels and beagles can be barking machines. Many small dogs will yip and bark until you want to bang your head against the wall. I have 2 shitzus. They hardly shed, if you keep their coats short. They have wonderful personalities, and are easily trained. And, can be asked not to bark, as well. I left mine alone for 8 hours every single day and she was on the back of the couch waiting for me every day when I came home. If they can look out a window, they're in Heaven. Oh, and they love children!

Answer 4

How about a mix from the shelter that has a history of doing well with children?

Here are some other ideas:
Papillon, Poodle, Pug, Shih Tsu, Boston Terrier, Bichon Frise, Rat Terrier, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. A Westie or Jack Russel Terrier if you don't mind feisty energy.

Make sure the parents are good with kids, healthy and the pups are socialized around kids from birth on.

Avoid: "Nippy dogs", herding breeds, guarding breeds, and: Lhasa Apso, Pomeranian, American Eskimo, Chihuahua, Some terriers, Chow-Chow, Dalmation, Retrievers (shed a lot), beagles (can be hard to train) and any shy dog that does not go right up to your kids.

Answer 5

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Pros: *Good with kids (nicknamed "The Nanny Dog" in England, it's country of origin.
* Small size/Big personality - Height: Dogs 14-16 inches (36-41cm) Bitches 13-15 inches (33-38cm)
Weight: Dogs 25-38 pounds (11-17kg) Bitches 23-35 pounds (10-16kg)
* Short-Haired breed that doesn't require much; i.e. just needs a brushing once a week.
* Easy to train

Cons: None.

Answer 6

All dogs r high metanience and not very easy 2 train but if u are looking for a family friendly pooch there are labradors, they are short haired and don't need a lot of grooming and they learn very quick. There also mixed breds and shelter dogs out there who would love 2 go home with u and be loved. Good luck 2 u! :)

Answer 7

You sound perfect fora retired Greyhound..These guys require very little grooming..They are easily housebroken if not already..Your back yard would give him some excersise..They are sprinters..Run hard for 30 seconds andcrash...The rescue groups would have one that was great with kids..They are loving ,unbelievable dogs.They are already crate trained but prefer a soft doggie bed..or your couch..They shed very little if any and dont have thedoggie smell..They do have tobe onleash outside of the yard because they are sighthounds and will run at a leaf blowing a mile away..In front of a car or whatever...They are super low maintence!

Answer 8

WAIT!....you looking for a dog or a husband?......lol...j/k

Like someone already stated.....visit your local animal shelter...Mutts can be low maintenance and less health problems. You can also check out sites that list all kinds of Dogs around the country. But don't worry about how far they are...I have told many people on this site, that they would be surprised on how many people that would volunteer to transport your dog anywhere in the 48 states. I am one of those people. All you have to do is ask. And of course it totally free of charge. We just like to place unfortunate animals in a home and we will also inform you on the health & temperment of the Dog or Cat...Good luck.

Answer 9

A good old fashioned, short haired mutt. Don't get hung up on a particular breed when looking for a dog, search for a dog with the temperment and personality that will go with your family. Take a trip to your local humane society or animal control and visit with dogs that catch your eye. I guarantee you one of them will steal your heart

Answer 10

A Cocker Spaniel sounds like the dog for you. they are good outside dogs and good inside dogs. i have one that is named sassy and she does great in or out. make sure you get a light colored one like the color buff and not black. if it is left out all day and it is black i will suffer from a heat stroke. they are pretty much low maitenence except at the groomer because there is a special gland at their rear that has to be busted. They only shed at the begining of summer and all that extra fur can be easily brushed out or gently pulled out and tossed away. they are a bit lazy so excersise is not a majorly huge concern for them. And also a bassett hound is a great dog. i also have one of those and Toby is great with all smaller kids as well as older people. he just loves them all and he hardly sheds at all. they are very loyal dogs because i have put him outside everyday for almost 10 years and he has always returned and has never attempted to run away. so that proves that they are always loyal to their owners.