Can you name the perfect breed for my family?

Question

I am looking for a family dog and was curious if any of you dog experts might have a suggestion. We have two kids ages 6,7. We have a fenced yard and are considering getting a dog. We need one that is good with children, trainable, and doesn't shed or drool too much - it would help if it could be taught to play fetch - the kids would love that. Not particular as to pure bred or not - am happy to search the pound and rescue one, but have nowhere to start as to what breed or breed-combination would best suit our needs. Any insight is appreciated - thanks!

Answer 1

You don't say whether you have had a dog before or not? Your experience with dogs may help you to decide. Gun dogs are fantastic dogs, but training should be started early & must be consistent. Are your children mature enough to help with this, either by joining in or simply following the rules you put down? They are fantastic at retrieving & are very good with children as they have a very good nature. Springer Spaniels in particular are very tough & so won't mind a rough & tumble game of fetch with your kids. They have massive levels of energy & will definately out play your kids!
Collies can be very hard to train so this may be an issue for you. Again, it depends on circumstances. I agree that Labs are another good dog to have. They will fetch & are also good to train. However, they are prone to greediness & joint problems if they become over weight & in later life, & I know kids love to share their food with pets!
All of the above dogs do shed quite badly & this takes a lot of getting used to. However, if the dog is right for you, its amazing how little it bothers you! Also, all these dogs require a lot of exercise & they do become muddy whilst walking (particulary in the wetter, colder seasons).
If shedding is a major problem, then I would recommend a poodle. I grew up with toy poodles and my boyfriend grew up with standard podles. They are highly intelligent, easily trained & very loving when it comes to kids. Plus they don't shed one iota!
Whilst I know the idea of a resue dog is a nice one, I personally wouldn't do it. You never fully know their history & you don't know for sure how they will be with kids. I know this is true of all dogs, however if you have bought your dog from a reputable breeder, you will be able to see the tempermant of the mum & go to them for any advice. One of my neighbour's granddaughter was bitten in the face by a rescue dog. The owners had had her for 5 years & she had never done anything like it before. The granddaughter regularly stroked the dog, but always asked permission first. One day, it went for her face & now she is scarred & has had to have micro surgery. Please don't get me wrong though, I am not saying all rescue dogs are like this. Indeed, any dog can bite, it is just someting to bear in mind, especially when you have young children
Hope this helps! Good luck with finding the right dog!

Answer 2

most spaniels, and retrieviers are good...

some breeds to look into
goldens (great with kids)
labs (tend to be high shedders though)
flat coated retriver, (like a lab, dont seem to shed as much)
curly coated retriver (think personalty of a lab and a poodle in one package without the bad things associated with the "desighner breeds")
irish water spaniel (none shedding very lab and poodle like)
portugese water dog (none shedding)
standard or mini poodle (very inteligent and none shedding)
english or amaerican cocker spaniel (find a GOOD breeder to avoid behavioural problems common in badly bred specimins)


DO NOT get a "HYBRID", firstly they are NOT hybrids but mutts a hybrid is 2 differen species ie a lion x tiger, dogs are the same species so breeding 2 different breeds is called a mixed breed or mutt NOT a hybrid.
secondly the only people breeding these "desighner dogs" are back yard breeders and puppymills looking to make a quick buck off the fad.
thirdly only 25% of all poodle mixes have the poodle coat, meaning first generation doodles only 1 in 4 puppies dont shed...thats kinda a big chance...
theres a reason these mixes are not recognized breeds, they do not breed true, no 2 "cockerpoos" are the same in temrs of looks or temperment.

if you are adopting form a shelter however adopting a mixed breed is fine! id go and see which dog pick you!
just dont support the people purposely breeding these overpriced mutts...you can adopt one from a shelter for $50-$200 or buy one from a "breeder" for $1000, which would you chose? save a life or pay people to create more?!

Answer 3

You want either a lab or a golden retriever. Both are sweet tempered, and especially good with kids. Since you have a fenced yard, they'll have plenty of room to play. They're not particularly known as diggers, so unless they're unusually bored, they won't try to escape. And they were bred to retrieve game, so like their names suggest, they like to play fetch--our chocolate lab/Weimeraner mix is blind, and fetch is still her favorite game! They're also very loving, though admittedly they're especially loving while you're eating, so you have to be careful not to overfeed them--they can get such an adoring look in their eyes that you feel like you have to give them something. They're also very smart--ours learned tricks we didn't even know we were teaching her. If we keep her on the leash beyond where her treats are, she knows she's going on a car ride.

Answer 4

We just purchased a Pembroke Welsh Corgi. I did mucho research because I have small kiddos too and in the past had no luck training a dog etc. So, we wanted a dog that we could train easily too. He is now 11 weeks old and we actually have trained him to ring bells with his nose or paw(when he needs to potty). The breeder we purchased him from gave us the idea. So, we hung small bells from a shoe lace at our back door. Within, one week he was trained to not potty in the house.

We have a tri-color corgi, but they are also blonde and white. They are short in stature and are very kind and smart. I recommend checking them out via the Internet first. Then, find a local breeder so you can go out and meet some of the puppies. Good luck!

Answer 5

Labs are great family dogs and even at a young age they are drawn to kids. They love to play fetch, but they are high energy. If you don't have a lot of time then this isn't the dog for you.

Answer 6

Get a collie! They are great with children, and highly trainable. They are intelligent dogs and they dont drool. And sure, you can teach it to play fetch! They are also very calm dogs. perfect for any family. But they do need quite a lot of excercise. Good luck! =]

Answer 7

Labs and golden retrievers are excellent family dogs. Great Danes are as well, but I don't know if you'd want something that big. You should check petfinder. A lot of rescues will do interviews with your family and match you with a dog that would fit well with your lifestyle.

Answer 8

Get a labrador retriever. Excellent with kids, too big for them to hurt, as gentle as they come. No drooling. VERY trainable (they speak English) Only negative for you is the shedding.

Answer 9

English Cocker Spaniel. Great dog, very friendly and intelligent and fantastic with kids. As this is a working breed so will need at least an hours walking everyday.

In fact you can't go wrong with most gun dog breeds (Labrador, springer spaniel etc)

We have always had them and they are great.

Answer 10

Hi i have a 5,4,2.5 and we are getting our first family dog tomorrow its a cross between a cocker spaniel and basset hound. Both breeds are lovable, soft with children, and loyal animals