Dog Breed Recommendation

StaceyWebb

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#21
A good rescue will know if a dog is good with children or not - most of our foster homes have children, from infants on up to teens and everything in between, even a couple living with special needs - our Boxers are fostered with these children and we *always* know whether a Boxer we adopt out is good with kids or not. That's why when it comes to families, I recommend going through a rescue and not a shelter.

We only deal with temperamentally stable Boxers, any that show any signs of human aggression are euthanized immediately. For one, we believe there are too many nice, stable dogs to waste much time on one who is aggresive, and two, it's a huge liability.

Puppies change as they grow up, too, and if a puppy is hurt by a child, they may end up being less tolerant than an adult dog.
 

Lilavati

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#22
I would say, wanting to do both agility and have a playmate for the kids my first pick on that list would be the golden. After that, the lab and the aussie, probably in a tie. Goldens are bright and love children (and everyone else). Aussies are very bright and playful, but I impression is that they can be a handful . . . but they excell at agility. Labs are friendly and very trainable, but there are a lot of rotten ones out there, and, for some reason, I've never been wild about Labs.

Newfies are too big and heavy to do really well at agility, and have a high risk of injury. I would also suspect that they are not energetic enough.

I've never known a boxer well, and they seem really friendly, but they have a reputation for being rather hard to train.

Of course, any dog CAN be trained (at least theoretically) . . .and there are exceptions to the rules in every breed.
 

milos_mommy

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#23
I would say, wanting to do both agility and have a playmate for the kids my first pick on that list would be the golden. After that, the lab and the aussie, probably in a tie. Goldens are bright and love children (and everyone else). Aussies are very bright and playful, but I impression is that they can be a handful . . . but they excell at agility. Labs are friendly and very trainable, but there are a lot of rotten ones out there, and, for some reason, I've never been wild about Labs.

Newfies are too big and heavy to do really well at agility, and have a high risk of injury. I would also suspect that they are not energetic enough.

I've never known a boxer well, and they seem really friendly, but they have a reputation for being rather hard to train.

Of course, any dog CAN be trained (at least theoretically) . . .and there are exceptions to the rules in every breed.
a golden would be a great choice.

I don't know if you've decided to get a puppy from a breeder, but there are TONS of young adult or older golden puppies in shelters and rescues. An older puppy or young adult would be better with your children, can excell at agility, and you'll safe a life :)
 
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#24
I definatly second GSDs. Just do NOT get a puppy, they are psycho balls of energy.

I have 2 of them and one is a little aloof. He will go sniff strangers and tag around with me, or stick out his head if someone goes to pet him but if he has a gaggle of kids around him he doesn't normally kiss and wiggle. My other one, the pup, tries to kiss everyone and wiggles.

Both my dogs are okay off leash, Duke infact is steller. Duke, who is 8 months now, has placed 3rd and 4th in obedince, and 3rd in rally-o. Baron highest places are 3rd, 4th, 4th, and 1st. With his 1st place he also placed Reserve Champ.

I have not done agility with Duke but Baron does well with it. His highest place is 2nd.

The hair is definatly an issue though. Two times a year its enogh hair to make a small blanket. Look Here.
 

maybe532

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#25
Wow, that's a lot of hair! Do you use the furminator? I've heard those were pretty fantastic. You were smart to brush him outdoors.
 

maybe532

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#26
I just heard from my insurance company and at this time they don't have any breed restrictions. That's good to know.
 

Saintgirl

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#27
If agility is really something that you would like to be active with, I have to agree with the others who recommended that you not get a Newf. Although they are lovely dogs, and personally out of your breed picks my favorite, not your classic agility dog. Special care needs to be taken into consideration with their large frames and joints. However, with that being said there are still lots of great clubs and activities that you could participate in with a Newf. Have you considered water rescue and training something that you might like to participate in? It sounds like alot of fun to me, and who knows, maybe someday you could help someone!
 

maybe532

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#28
I haven't even thought about water rescue, that sounds interesting. Newfies have been my dream dog for a long time but I'm not convinced this is the best time to get one..
When I still lived with my parents my mother got an Australian Cattle Dog mix and I helped train her. She's a stubborn thing but she really responded to obedience well. A few weeks ago I brought her home for the weekend and I really enjoyed working with her again. I fell in love with the intense look she gave me, like she was ready to work and was very happy to do so. It brought back all the memories of working with her and how much fun it was to practice with her. I am trying to find a dog with that type of personality but also good with kids.
I'm glad I started researching early! I'm finding it hard to find a dog that will meet all my needs and also be fantastic with children. I've been reading everything I can get my hands on about the different breeds and it's just ovewhelming. My husband just laughs when I tell him what new breed I'm considering. But I really don't want to regret what breed we choose.

These are the dogs I'm considering...

Boxers-I love boxers but honestly I haven't been around any that were very well trained and I don't know if it's because they weren't taught to or if they aren't the type of dog that likes to please people (maybe thrives on pleasing people would be a better way of saying that).

Labs-I like labs, but know they are very high energy dogs and I am worried because I know some are dominant/dog aggressive (I know this isn't a concern with well-bred, I'm just going off what I've seen at work-I was a receptionist for a dog trainer and I've seen a lot of wild labs).

Goldens-I like goldens but I know it'll be hard to find a good breeder. Something tells me I should consider these more.

German Shepherds-I love how trainable they are but I'm concerned about dominance issues and people being scared of my dog.

Border Terrier-it's a small dog and I want a big dog but it sounds like a good candidate otherwise.

Australian Shepherd-love, love, love this breed. It needs to be stimulated mentally and physically, how much though? My friend has one that is pretty cool but it is horrible with kids, knocks down my daughter, steals food, barks constantly. It lives exclusively outdoors though and I think that's one of the problems (lack of obedience training being the other).

Brittany-I haven't been around many of these but from what I've read they sound like a good match.

Collie-don't like all that hair but they do make a smooth coat. Do smooth coats have the same temperment?

Keeshond-how are these dogs with obedience? I know they learn quickly but do they like to obey?

Bernese Mountain Dog-these guys may be a bit too big for agility.

Boston Terrier-okay, these dogs are just adorable. smaller than what I'm looking for but how can you resist that face?


Looking at that list it sounds like I should consider Brittanys, Goldens, and Aussies.
 

bubbatd

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#29
You can always find a good Golden breeder through the Texas Golden Retriever Club .... they would never give you the name of a BYB.
 

fillyone

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#30
Finding first the right breed and then the right breeder is a lot of work. I was lucky because I really had two "favorite" breeds. German Shepherds and Irish Setters. I know, can you get any different? :lol-sign:
But when I was really honest with myself I wanted the trainability and devotion of a German Shepherd. That started the research into the different lines of German Shepherds and from there breeders and finally Dante who is curled up on my feet under the desk :cool:

No matter what breed you choose from your list it's going to be work to find the right breeder since most of them are pretty popular breeds. And remember, OFA is your friend!! http://www.offa.org/stats.html will allow you to search for stats by breed
 

Lilavati

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#31
My father kept and bred Border Terriers for a while, used them in earthdog trials and terrirer races. Nice enough little beasts (I had rats and gerbils at the time so it was a little nerve-wracking with them in the house). But they didn't strike me as all that easy to train. I suspect they'd be a pain in the neck for agility. You've pretty much excluded them from your last post, but I thought I'd put that in.
 

maybe532

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#32
I knew someone that had one and he was a cute little thing. I never saw him in his home environment though, just when he came in to board. My husband loves those scrappy-type dogs and I suppose that's the kind he'd get if it were up to him. Although, he claims Lucy is the perfect dog and she sleeps 23 1/2 hours of the day. She'll even pick sleeping over eating. Talk about a difficult dog to motivate!
Thanks for telling me about your first hand experience with them, that's the best kind.
 

BostonBanker

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#33
Of Brittenys, Aussies, or Goldens, I'd still stick with goldens. Althrough there are a lot of bad breeders out there, there are also a lot of good ones.

The Britts I've known have been heck on wheels - at least as high energy as most of the herding breeds, but with less owner focus. Right up there on the list of dogs needing the most exercise in my book.

I've known a couple really sweet show-bred aussies who might fit into a family pretty easily; we have a breeder nearby who breeds stunning ones with very low-key temperments. Most of the others I've known have been pretty bouncy and nippy for quite a long time, and any that have more working lines would be harder.
 

milos_mommy

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#34
Okay, i copied your list. I'm going to knock off any i think are definate no nos for you, and give you some info on the others.

Boxers- Can be dominant and dog-aggressive, but from a good breeder with proper Soc. i think it would work out.

Labs- a little bit more rambunctious and larger than a golden. Okay with kids, but a puppy wouldn't be the best choice here.

Goldens- It might be a little hard to find a good breeder, but definately not impossible. This dog will run agility, be good with children and other dogs, but until it's about two, it's going to be just as much work exercising and training as an australian shepherd. I would definately recommend getting a golden from a rescue.

German Shepherds- i think a well bred german shepherd would be a good choice, but they are big. A large puppy will knock over, step on, and probably injure a child. People may be afraid of them as a breed. I think a german shepherd is an amazing dog, but i definately think a GSD puppy is for a very experienced dog owner.

Border Terrier- i don't recommend terriers for children, although i know border terriers are one of the mellower terriers. This doesn't seem like the right dog for you, because of the size and your child.

Australian Shepherd - They are VERY energetic and need stimulation, but not as hyper as say, a border collie. As with any herding breed, can herd children, but can easily be trained not too. An Aussie who gets enough exercise makes an AMAZING pet. Awesome agility dogs. I just don't know how much time you have for training and exercise.

Brittany- Brittanys are a medium sized dog, not the large size you're looking for, but they are EXCELLENT dogs. Incredibly easy to train, good around kids, energetic but not wild, etc. I know one from my brief experience with an agility class, and this dog was really, really great.

Collie-smooth and rough collies have a VERY VERY similar temperment. They're eager to please, energetic but not overly hyper, trainable, and appropriate agility dogs. However, any herding breed can attempt to herd children, but i think if raised with kids and also given an outlet (agility) they would be a good choice.

Keeshond- i don't know too many keeshonds. I don't think they're known for their obedience. I won't immediately say bad choice but i'd do a lot more research if i were you.

Bernese Mountain Dog- probably a bad choice. They are VERY gentle with children when older, but a 100lb puppy can EASILY hurt a child. You'd have trouble running agility as well. They have a lot of coat, don't do well in heat, but are very loyal and very obedient and eager to please.

Boston Terrier-Small, yes. But as long as you're daughter is gentle (which she probably is from living with a dog already), they'd be a good choice. Very trainable, good at agility, granted you won't see too many BT agility champions, but there is no reason why you can't run one for fun.

I would chose between a Brittany Spaniel and a Golden Retriever if i were you, or maybe a Boston Terrier if you're willing to compromise on size.
 

fillyone

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#35
German Shepherds- i think a well bred german shepherd would be a good choice, but they are big. A large puppy will knock over, step on, and probably injure a child. People may be afraid of them as a breed. I think a german shepherd is an amazing dog, but i definately think a GSD puppy is for a very experienced dog owner.
Most of the dogs on her list are big, you don't think a Lab or Golden will "knock over, step on and probably injure a child"??

As far as the experienced dog owner this depends on the dog and the commitment of the owner.
Dante is my first dog.
 

maybe532

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#36
Thanks Milo's Mommy for your input.
We are an active family that enjoys outdoor activities. We used to take my mom's dog with us on our daily walks, bike rides, etc but our current dog can't do those things with us (she wears out very quickly, I've had to take my daughter out of her stroller and put the dog in there before-she was too tired to walk and it had only been 2 miles). I really, really don't want a small dog (Lucy is 26 pounds, longer than she is tall). When I was in her obedience and CGC classes it was such a pain to have to bend down so much for every exercise (it didn't help that I was pregnant during one class). I want a dog that's head is at least at my hand level (I'm 5 feet tall) so obedience will be more enjoyable for me.
I'm not entirely worried about my daughter being around a larger dog, she was around my boss's great dane and standard poodle from birth and they were good with her. My own dog has knocked down my daughter several times by running into her and it hasn't phased her. I have taught the dog to go around my daughter rather than running through her and if that stubborn dog can learn that I'm sure I can teach the next one to.
I would love to have a dog that would play frisbee, retrieve, etc. My daughter loves playing fetch with a neighbor's dachsund and gets so upset with our dog because she won't play like that with her.
I think I'm going to focus my research on Australian Shepherds and Brittanys. Those two seem to have the energy level I'm looking for and the desire to please like I want. Brittanys have the coat I prefer (out of the two). I know they are a bit smaller but not by much. My grandfather always kept Brittanys as his hunting dogs and remember them being pretty awesome dogs. At my old job I only remember one Brittany and she was a family dog and the mom really spoke highly of her. We had tons of Aussies and I never met one I didn't like. There was one working line Aussie that came in that stole my heart from day one. Her coat was less fluffy than most I've seen and she had that reserved personality until you won her over. She would obey commands the second you told her to.
Whatever dog I get I am going to do advanced training with him, I love taking classes. I would love to do some sort of amateur obedience competition, things like that. Anything dog related that keeps us busy.
 

Dekka

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#37
My father kept and bred Border Terriers for a while, used them in earthdog trials and terrirer races. Nice enough little beasts (I had rats and gerbils at the time so it was a little nerve-wracking with them in the house). But they didn't strike me as all that easy to train. I suspect they'd be a pain in the neck for agility. You've pretty much excluded them from your last post, but I thought I'd put that in.
Around here they rock in agility. Easier to deal with than JRTs. Not as fast, but a bit more reliable. And soo cute to boot.
 

Dekka

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#38
You know, if you love classes, like a smart active wanting to please dog, why not look at a BC. Yes some are crazy over the top, but so are some aussies. We are dog sitting a BC for some friends (we have dogs sat this dog on and off since she was a pup) She is great with kids (much better than our own) loves to fetch, loves to be part of the activity. But chills in the house. I would say she is easier in the house than most labs I know. She is from working lines, and when at my friends she brings the sheep in evernight. (takes all of 5 min, but thats her job) She is sooo smart and would excel in any dog sport.
 

maybe532

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#39
I've never considered BC because of their reputation for being high strung. I'll do some in depth research, it may work if I pick a more mellow pup (compared to the rest of the litter). Thanks for the idea!
 

Lilavati

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#40
Well, Border terriers ARE cute, and they are certainly agile (one of my father's climbed a dresser to get to the rats) so once they were trained, they would certainly be good at agility. I just don't know if they'd be the best thing to get if you were starting out . . . but then, I'd never think of JRTs either! :lol-sign:

As for around kids . . . I think it would depend on the kids. We had five Borders, and I was fairly little, and I think I was snapped at exactly once, when I got between Tack and the small animals. But I'd been taught almost from infancy how to act around dogs and dogs that were considered unreliable were not allowed in the house.

As for Border Collies, I've never had one, but my cousin has one she uses for agility who not only excels at sports but features a very laid back, pleasant personality (for a BC) . . . so there are definatley less frantic ones out there. He was a rescue . . . I don't know if that has anything to do with his personality, but it did have the advantage that they knew that he was sane when they got him :)
 

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