Recommend a good first dog for my wife and me. :)

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Josh123, it greatly depends on your daily habits, work schedule, lifestyle etc. Some breeds are better for every day exercise, kids, large yards, small apartments etc, etc, etc. Without knowing what your daily schedule is like makes it very hard to recommend a breed. In general, rescue or animal shelter mixed breeds are the best all around.

 

[Meghan54]

Border collie owner, and as stated, you need a lot of room and more animals than one cat. They are working dogs, and you must give them a job. Sitting around the house all day while someone is at work will lead to a messed up, destructive dog.

You may think it's fun to go play frisbee in the afternoons. But try for a couple of hours a day every day. And there is no saying "no". Smartest dog I've ever had, but requires a lot of effort on the owners part to keep them happy. She herds the other dogs

Complete truth spoken here.

Most people don't realize how much work and attention a border collie requires. Smart dogs, though......usually smarter than the owner.


We've had a border collie, great dog she was. Now have, among our 4 dog pack, an Aussie cattle dog (relative of a border collie), a Chow, a yellow Lab and a Golden. Wouldn't trade any of them, but the Aussie requires the most attention of them all....not a relaxed dog by a long shot. Again, worker dog and needs a job. Hers is chasing a tennis ball. Several times a day we play. Luckily we live on several acres of land, otherwise she'd be impossible.


To the OP, if you like Labs and are thinking of one, consider a flat coated retriever. Smart, laid back, devoted, good all around dog, and quite a bit sharper than a lab.



Another breed to avoid is a Jack Russell. They can make a border collie look sedate.

 

[AstroManLuca]

My wife and I got a boxer from a rescue. This was the first time I have ever had a pet dog. I was pretty cautious going into it but I am so happy with my boxer.

We don't know how old she is exactly; they thought she was 6 when we got her but when we brought her to the vet they guessed she was 4 based on tooth wear or something. So we really don't know for sure.

She's basically perfect though. Such a well balanced dog. I think it helps that she's middle aged, so she's just slowed down a bit. She still gets excited when there are lots of people and activity, but she calms down quickly. She's just the right size, about 50 lbs, so not too big and not too small. Oh and she almost never barks - pretty much only when there's a stranger at the door.

The only thing is she's very skittish about a lot of things. There's been some road construction just outside our house lately and she curls up on the bed because of the noise. Thunderstorms bother her terribly. Oh and she freaks out if she even thinks you might be hitting someone. Even giving someone a friendly pat on the back is enough to agitate her if you do it long enough. I wonder if she was mistreated when she was younger; we think she used to be a breeder.

Oh yeah, we also have two cats she gets along with fine. No problems at all there; it just took a week or two for the cats to get used to her.

 

[moshquerade]

We have our own house here in Texas and a cat so what do you think would be a good dog?

We are kind of leaning towards a border collie but I'm not sure.

I say go for the border collie. :thumbsup:

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

A good Rottweiler will get rid of that cat problem for ya.

 

[mmntech]

Speak to your local humane society and do as much research as possible. Different breeds have different dispositions. For example huskies, beagles, dalmatians, and jack russles are high energy dogs, while hounds are usually lower energy. I don't recommend high energy dogs for first time owners, as they need a lot more attention.

 

[Capt Caveman]

probably need a lot more work and attention than most people are actually willing to give the dog.

Correct. Someone inexperienced in a border collie's needs and need for training will find a bored border collie that will be destructive and possibly end-up in the shelter.

Many dogs in shelters are due to people not realizing the responsibility that being a dog owner requires.

It's how I ended-up with my last dog.

 

[Lemon law]

I have had dogs all my life, the best dog I ever had was German Short Haired pointer, but breed is not always a predictor, but I like the hunting breeds. A lab is always good as a family dog, but they tend to be hell on wheels for the first three years.

Lately my wife and I select more predictable dogs from the pound.

The down side of owning a dog is that they get old, 14 years or so is about the limit, and then its like losing a member of the family. Its sort of like that old song, there are only three things in the world worth a single dime, young kids, old dogs, and watermelon wine.

 

[pcgeek11]

I love my Jack Russell. Once you go Jack you never go back.

 

[TheVrolok]

Once I have the chance to pick up a dog again, I'll try to find a GSD rescue.

 

[JPS35]

Nothing will ever beat a Lab for a first time dog or anything in between. They are remarkable.

 

[gotsmack]

I got a pug and I love him like he's my own son. I do feel a little bad because I got him from a breeder and didn't adopt from a shelter. If I get another dog it will definitely be from a shelter. Lots of good dogs in there and probably some ready for a home with no training needed.

You also didn't mention if it's an inside/outside dog, space you have, etc..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKL-WvQDkbY

for you

 

[sjwaste]

Go to a shelter and talk to the staff. Tell them how much space you have, how long the dog will be at home alone, and how active you/your wife are. Tell them if you have kids or other animals. They will find you a match.

You're best off working with people that know the animals. Nobody wants to see you posting a, "Have to give up our dog" thread because you made a bad choice.

 

[tfinch2]

I love my Jack Russell. Once you go Jack you never go back.

This, but I would not recommend for a first time dog owner.

We rescued Jake from an abusive home about 2 years ago.

 

[sandorski]

First, for what? :hmm:


woot, 50k posts

 

[shortylickens]

 

[911paramedic]

Check some of those dog 101 shows on discovery, read some books, and even ask a vet. You should be able to find out what kind of dog would suit you and your lifestyle in no time at all.

Remember, the larger the dog the shorter its lifespan.

 

[mcurphy]

We have our own house here in Texas and a cat so what do you think would be a good dog?

We are kind of leaning towards a border collie but I'm not sure.

Go to your local Humane Society shelter and pick the one you love. Puppy or adult, there are plenty of good loving family dogs to choose from.

 

[Miramonti]

Has anyone EVER gone wrong with a lab?

 

[Rudee]

If you don't mind the hair, a Lab is a great dog.

 

[ccbadd]

I just lost my chaweenie today (Lizzy) and I cant believe how hard it has been, they truly are members of your family. Got her from a local no kill shelter. When my son and I went out to look at the dogs, I was dead set on a big dog, a lab or shepard, but my son wanted this one. We took her home and she just fit perfectly. So I agree with many above and think you should just go look at them and see which one fits you. When I get over this loss I will do the same again.

 

[silverpig]

Labs are great dogs.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Chocolate Lab

Great dogs but they love to dig.

After having our last dog for 12+ years I'm kind of glad to be dog free now. I still think of her often but it's kind of nice not having the vet bills, the food bills, cleaning up the poop and the barf and the hair.

 

[totalnoob]

black labs, all the way.

 

[mcurphy]

Has anyone EVER gone wrong with a lab?

Yes. We bought a black lab puppy from our local animal shelter, and it was the fucking stupidest dog I have ever had the displeasure of being around.

We got lucky when my sister offered to take her off our hands.