What breed of dog should i buy my son?

Question

Its his 15 birthday soon and we have decided to get him a dog/puppy. We alreayd have two labradors and he says he doesnt want a labrador. Size doesnt matter, we have a 4 bed house a medium sized garden and the dog would be taken for 2 walks a day atleast. We want an resonablie energetic dog but not to hyper.
We dont want a breed such as rotwieler or dobermen (my husband had bad expreinces with those breeds).
Has anyone got any ideas?

Answer 1

get a pug

Answer 2

Picking the right dog really depends on your personality. Do you have the energy and time to excersie (physically and mentally) an energetic terrier or herding breed? Do you prefer the mellow personality of a greyhound? Do you like a more clingy, one personal kind of dog like a yorkie??
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/search.htm
This is a breed selector. You answer some questions about what you are looking for and it will help you find a good breed to look for.
Also don't forget your local shelter. Even if it is a mixed breed, you can approximate it's personality by knowing about the breeds it is mixed with. As an added bonus, mutts tend to have hybrid vigor...meaning they won't suffer from the same health issues as a purebred.....and you get to save a life.

Now saying that here are some breeds that I like for kids:
Boston Terrier
Spaniels and Setters (most kinds, but my fav is a Gordon Setter)
Border Collie (but they are VERY HIGH ENEGERY! And need a lot of your time)
Most of your retiervers (Labs included, but there also is the flat coated retierver, curly coated retreiver, Cheasapeak Bay, and golden retreiver).

Good luck!!

Make sure you enroll them in dog classes, so he can learn how to handle his new fido!!! And it is a great way to help them form that strong bond!

Answer 3

I can tell you what not to get if you don't want a really high energy dog- no dalmations, huskies. I would ask him what he likes and let him do the research on it to make sure it fits in with your family and lifestyle. Keep in mind that at 15, your son may be leaving for college in a few short years, which leaves the dog with you, make sure that is acceptable before making the commitment. Personally, I love English Bulldogs, Mastiffs, and American Bulldogs- but I'm not a 15 year old boy!

Answer 4

I agree that you should do research and keep in mind you may be the primary caretaker, he won't be able to bring it to college with him, and most dogs live much longer than 3 years...so make sure it's something you're willing to deal with.

As for type of dog - my preference is boxers, they are great family dogs, though some can be high energy, some are couch potatos, but they are great with kids, very protective and loving. (our 10 yr old boxer died a month and a half ago, and we just got a boxer puppy from a breeder - she's almost 10 weeks old) Check out boxer rescue, or go to www.petfinder.com and search boxer in your area (or whatever breed you decide on)

Best of luck

Beth

Answer 5

Yep, do the research! That's the only way to be sure you're getting the right breed. If you're not set on getting a puppy, Purebred Rescues are a good place to get a great dog. If you do decide on a puppy, please make sure you acquire it from a reputable breeder.

And yes, as others also said, in a few years it will probably become YOUR dog, so you have to be happy with the choice, too!

Answer 6

Hi we have a 9 month old beagle (female) and she is absolutley fantastic! I had a black labrador myself and sadly lost her 18months ago...my children were devastated! ive always loved gun dogs but was kinda struck on the beagles size, being a little smaller then the lab! We heard bad things about them, like they run off when they get a scent and they bark alot...but Brylee has been fantastic, very quick at learning recall and only ever barks if the rabbit is teasing her! A beagle would be more than capable of keeping up with the labs over the fields and with their appetite, ours is v greedy!! and also like labs she always happy to curl up on ya and go to sleep!

Answer 7

Being this is a gift for your son, I would take him to the humane society and let him choose a dog. This is not just a gift, it is a life. And if your son and the dog YOU pick out don't click, then what? You should really let him choose.

Is he ready to deal with house breaking and puppy chewing? Or does he want a dog he can just pal around with? It really depends on his interest and the amount of time he wants to put into training and working with a dog/puppy.

Answer 8

First of all, know that in the long run this will be your dog, so buy one that YOU like.

Let's face it, pretty soon he's gonna discover girls and parties (if he hasn't already), then he'll (hopefully) be off to college or university. He's gonna lose interest in the dog, I can pretty much guarantee it.

So start attending dog shows with him, meet lots of different breeds in person and talk to people that actually own them, and decide on one *as a family*.

Answer 9

I am 15 and i raise Austrailian shepherd and i absolutly love them i am a pretty active person and hey go with me where ever i go, i have had many breeds before for jack russells to boston terriers, to Boxers and labs to goldens and i love this breed,

they have energy , but when they are in the house mine find a cool spot and will sleep there for hours , i have never had a problem with agression, potty training or any obedience

they are deffinatly great dogs

Answer 10

Does he have any preferences on what type of dog he wants? I am partial to boxers, in addition to liking the way they look, I like that they are sturdy and generally have fabulous temperaments. (But this can be said for many different breeds.)

One thing to keep in mind though: If your son is 15, in about 3 years he's going to be off to college.

Answer 11

Take him to the animal shelter and have him pick a dog that he likes. Most shelters have an area where you can take your potential matches to see if there is a "bond." Make sure that he knows the responsibility of caring for a living creature. My son wanted a dog for his birthday--but me, knowing my son, decided to pick a dog that "I" liked, because I knew that I would be the one eventually caring for it.