Best Family Dog

[vi edit]

Yeh, they shed quite a bit. It's a really short, wirey hair though. It's sort of a tan'ish color that doesn't show up like a jet black or a white colored hair. I have to vaccuum & sweep once a week and pull up a pretty good pile of hair each time. It doesn't clump like a more shaggy haired dog(or cat) so you don't get piles of it on your clothes or furniture though.

The really nice thing about them is that they are odor free animals. Cats and some breeds of dogs just smell like...well...cats and dogs. When people walk into our house they are suprised that there isn't any "pet odor".

 

[NatePo717]

Schnauzers FTW. They come in 3 sizes, don't shed at all, and are great with kids and such. I've had experience with the Giants and Minis (have two minis now) and they are awesome. I've come to notice that the males tend to be slightly less intelligent then the females. Our female is incredibly intelligent and very athletic. Our male is like a mop and is very lazy. You could pick him up and wing him around and he wouldn't get angry or try to bite you or anything. He just kinda goes limp and loves to be held. Neither could be considered yippy either. Mini's go up to about 15lbs. Regular size goes up to 60lbs I think and the giants are upwards of 100lbs.

 

[Tom]

Airedales are my choice.

 

[slsmnaz]

Brittany Spaniels are great dogs but may be too hyper for living inside. I grew up w/ one so I know they love kids and my dad raises/sells/competes them. Easy to train and great for your trips to the outdoors. He's having another litter so I should have mine in a few months!

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: adairusmc
Labrador Retriever. Best family dog there is.

Loyal, loving, playful, and gentle. You can even take it hunting, and most labs love swimming.

Get a mixed breed to help reduce the chance of hip problems.

- M4H

 

[AbsolutDealage]

Originally posted by: AbAbber2k
Compromise... get a medium size dog. Small enough you could pick it up... big enough it could bite someone and actually hurt them. I've got a Vizla (almost 14yo :shocked: ) and love him to death. Beautiful dog, smart, protective and amusing (loves to chase lights and shadows ).

I've got a Weimaraner... he's a great dog. They are definately a handful for the first 2-3 years though.

 

[SuperFreaky]

Originally posted by: animalia
Westie....Hates cats...excellent with children. sturdy, non-fussy terrier all round great dog is the west highland terrier. excellent comprimise IMO for you and your wife. Small enough to be carried yet big enough to kill rats and other rodents which is what they were bred to do. they are very noble. I am getting one soon because my Apt doesnt allow large dogs. yuor daughter will love it.

Edit...westies are only destructive if they don't get much deserved attention and exercise. otherwise they are completely obedient with proper training. they have great personalities. The site says to buy from a breeder and not a pet sotre as well fyi.


edit 2...also check out Cairn Terriers...as seen in the wizard of oz although most would object to being carried around in a basket (how embarrassing)

Great suggestion, my gal and I just got 2. You forgot to mention they are Hypo-Allergenic (they don't shed and have the lowest raking in pet dander)

 

[huberm]

I have had a golden retriever for about 1 1/2 yrs and have nothing but good things to say about them. They are the most loyal, obedient, and smart dogs I have ever seen and they love having company over.

 

[apex32]

Golden Retriever or a Sheltie/Collie

 

[slatr]

Personal xp and friends/family

Cocker - good if from reputable breeder (temperment/health issues) hard to house train

Lab - good, but as a puppy up to even young adulthood... they will chew everything
great for outdoors

German Shepard- good, had personal xp with 2, both were great dogs. had one that was was somewhat food aggressive/protective.. maybe your wife has concerns about your young child?

Beagle - do you really want your house trashed.. outside only

Basset - hound smell.. but very good temperment (current pet)

Schipperke - good with kids, sheds all year (current pet)

Collie - good with kids, hard to maintain

Pit Bull- One of those breeds that needs to be bred out of existence.

 

[djheater]

My girls love our corgi.

They are disgustingly cute as puppies.
Highly trainable and inteliigent, they're working dogs, he loves to herd my kids around, he'll chase them and stay by their side 170% of the day, there's nothing he loves more than simply being with the girls.

He's great with all kids.

More puppy pics:
one
two

 

[Codewiz]

Pit Bull- One of those breeds that needs to be bred out of existence.

Your statement there just shows your complete ignorance in terms of dog breeds.......

 

[DeadByDawn]

Get a mutt from the pound

 

[slatr]

No, that is experience with the destructiveness of that breed.

Your statement there just shows your complete ignorance in terms of dog breeds.......

 

[thraashman]

A couple years ago my parents got a lab mix. We don't really know what the mix is, but she's a great dog. She's playful, loves people, is good with kids in that she won't play rough with them, and is absolutely adorable. Also we rescued her which I recommend over buying one. She's about 55 lbs because she was mixed with a smaller breed we assume. We don't actually know her complete mix.

Pics

As a puppy
About a year old or so

 

[HamSupLo]

get one from the animal rescue so no poor dog has to get put down

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: thraashman
A couple years ago my parents got a lab mix. We don't really know what the mix is, but she's a great dog. She's playful, loves people, is good with kids in that she won't play rough with them, and is absolutely adorable. Also we rescued her which I recommend over buying one. She's about 55 lbs because she was mixed with a smaller breed we assume. We don't actually know her complete mix.

Pics

As a puppy
About a year old or so

Looks like she's got some Corgi in there... Ears and face shape...

 

[thraashman]

Originally posted by: djheater

Originally posted by: thraashman
A couple years ago my parents got a lab mix. We don't really know what the mix is, but she's a great dog. She's playful, loves people, is good with kids in that she won't play rough with them, and is absolutely adorable. Also we rescued her which I recommend over buying one. She's about 55 lbs because she was mixed with a smaller breed we assume. We don't actually know her complete mix.

Pics

As a puppy
About a year old or so

Looks like she's got some Corgi in there... Ears and face shape...

She has a purple tongue too, so there's some breed in there with a purple tongue, we think maybe chow

 

[GrantMeThePower]

Golden Retriever. No doubt. end thread

 

[ITJunkie]

Originally posted by: adairusmc
Labrador Retriever. Best family dog there is.

:thumbsup:

 

[crystal]

get a cat instead.

 

[JoPh]

english bulldog

 

[AMDZen]

I agree with the first poster with retrievers. Not a golden, but get a black lab or a yellow lab. They are bigger dogs and most of them think they're lapdogs too. They're the most friendly dog you can imagine and I think your wife will fall in love with it no matter what. Like I said, most of them simply don't know they're size so they have a lot of little dog personality wanting to sit on you and stuff.

 

[drinkmorejava]

We have a westie, love the thing. He's a bit on the larger size 22-23lbs. My mom wanted something smaller, but he's a good lap dog and is plenty robust enough to run around with.

he's not exactly the size you can wrestle with, but he can wear you out and go pretty much anywhere.

pic1
pic2

 

[SketchMaster]

Originally posted by: scott
This is the best family dog.

I've met some that were dumb as a brick, and you need to groom them EVERY DAY or shave them because the long hair gets crap stuck in it all the damn time. This is not a dog you walk in the woods with.