DH and I are considering getting a dog next spring but we cannot decided what kind to get. I would like a larger dog (lab) and DH wants a smaller dog (wiener dog). There are a ton of breed specific rescue centers here in town that we would like to get one from. Our home owners insurance wont allow us to have a Pit Bull, Shepard, Doberman(sp?), Chow or anything else that is considered "aggressive".
Our requirements
child friendly
doesn't shed overly much (more DH's requirement then mine)
no more than 100 or so lbs
Please recommend your dog.
Thanks in advance- 1ht
Re: Recommend your dog.
Well they are constant shedders but are worth their weight in gold:
German Shepherds!! I cannot praise this breed enough. I will not have any other dog, especially now that we have a child. So great with Alexandra that the only risk is her being kissed and loved and licked too much. Patton was the FIRST thing Alex ever laughed at!
They are exceptionally smart and very easy to train as long as you maintain your status as alpha. I don't mean that stupid alpha rolling technique or anything, I mean by keeping firm in your commands. Patton is amazing with his vocal commands and his "sign" commands (it's not actual ASL but I do hand motions and he performs excellently). But they can get very close to, or even exceed, 100lbs.
But I am a die hard member of Big Dogs Are The Only Dogs
Oh, no shepherd. Boo.
Yay for choosing a rescue!!
I have a rescued chihuahua! He is a huge - 13 lbs! My DH was kind of iffy about it at first, but he's now in love. Gambit (the dog's name) is just the most relaxed, snuggly, easy dog ever.
It really is all about the temperament of the specific dog, not the breed. Even golden retrievers can be a PITA!
Here's a link to a site that you might like: https://www.dogbreedinfo.com/
They have a list of light shedders, however most of them are small breeds and hard to find b/c they're very popular. Also, you'll spend a lot of money on grooming them. You could try for something like a Labradoodle, but it's a toss up as to how much they'll actually shed...
We have a Husky and love her. She is 50lbs, sheds once a year and is GREAT with kids. She trained really easily and is so loving. I don't know they are on the aggressive breed list or not.
We also have a shepherd/husky mix who is the same way (temperment/training/etc.)
Sorry, but I have to AW a pic of my sweetie poo!
Your furbaby is so cute!
Well if you don't want a dog over 100 lbs. then don't gat a lab. Ours is over 100 lbs. She's a big lover though.
We love our border collie. DH picked him up from the pound when he was still a puppy. He is a great dog and is really really smart. But he needs a lot of exercise and attention because he has a lot of energy.
I would recommend these breeds:
A boxer - sheds some but not as much as others (short hair) and VERY family friendly. Hyper as all hell though. I have one and she is soooo hyper. A pure bred is approx 60lbs
A poodle - there are three different sizes of poodles - the bonus is they don't shed. They are very loyal and family friendly as well
Maybe you can get a mix breed like a labradoodle - poodle and lab mix.
A schnauzer - there are quite a few types. small and large and they don't shed a lot either.
The thing about the non shedding breeds - they can get kinda expensive for grooming!!!!!!!!!!
I also have a pug which is very family friendly I think but he sheds so freaking much. I am not going to lie. Perhaps a Boston Terrier?
We have a Golden Retriever, and she's the best. Easy to train, LOVES to please people, weighs 70ish pounds, is super gentle and great with the babies so far. She also goes running with us, and that's super fun.
She does shed, but it's not terrible.
Here's a pic of my four-legged babies:
We have a Rhodesian Ridgeback. He is 83 lbs at 5 years old. He's great with kids (although I would never leave any kid alone with a dog regardless). He sheds minimally. He does require frequent exercise to be happy/content. He is well trained after puppy kindergarten & intermediate classes with both DH & I.
He was a lot of work & a huge ball of energy until age 2.5 though. I feel like any puppy would be. I am not sure if you are thinking of getting a puppy or an older dog.
DD1 born 5/24/10.
Missed M/C at 14 wks Feb 2012.
DD2 born 5/14/13.
Missed M/C at 9 wks July 2015.
I read somewhere that in Cali they were having to send Chihuahuas out of State to other shelters because of what they called the "Paris Hilton effect". All these people were adopting Chihuahuas and then leaving them at shelters because they didn't want them anymore and Cali couldn't adopt them all out.
I love Labradoodles!
We are not designer dog people so rescue is the only way we would go. All my pets growing up came from random places like Pumpkin Patches or off the reservations.
We have 2 schnauzers. One is full blood mini, and the other is mix of standard, and mini. They are extremely easy to take care of, don't shed, and are kid friendly as well. They are very friendly, but can be stubborn at times. They are also a little high maintenance because of grooming.
Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter
"><a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"><img border="0" src="http://tickers.myfitnesspal.com/ticker/show/825/1820/8251820.png" /></a><p style="text-align:center;width:420px;"><small>Created by MyFitnessPal - Free <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com">Calorie Counter</a></small></p>What's your family's activity level? Many of the breeds mentioned require lots of real exercise. Are you daily walks people? Runs? Quick spin around the block?
I have two Great Pyrenees and a Newfoundland. I don't recommend a Great Pyrenees for the average person. I can expand on why if you're interested. But a Newfoundland I would recommend. To meet your requirements, you would probably have to stick to a small Newf. But even if you go a few lbs over 100, they will make up for it with their personality.
Did you know the dog in Peter Pan that was in the nursery with the kids was a Newf?
Have you considered submitting apps to rescues and asking them for help choosing a dog? Many times rescues are great at placing dogs with the right family.
I would probably change home insurance companies if they discriminated against specific breeds.
Yay for rescue. Good luck choosing a dog. But know sometimes the best ones choose you.
ETA: I'd steer clear of puppies.
I agree, generally speaking....larger dogs calm down faster than smaller dogs. A Great Dane is a very chill dog but they have a life expectancy of 7 yrs :-( some live longer maybe 9?
That is the downside of giant breeds. My Newf is 9 and I can see we won't have many more years with her. I expect my Pyrs to live to be 10-12. Maybe longer if we're lucky.
I love all of the breeds most people have mentioned, but of course I love my Boston Terriers. The are a bit of higher activity level dog for the first few years, but then they chill. Most are easily trained and are good with children. They have short hair, so shedding isn't a big deal, I sweep everyday and only get a tiny bit each day. Here's my furbabies:
Pomapoo!! Pomeranian/poodle mix.
Picture in siggy!
He has hair not fur, so shedding in minimal.
Absolutely Amaziningggg with DD who is 3 months.
Smart, learned each trick in under 15 minutes and knows more than 20 tricks total (Ex. wipes his feet on a mat when he comes in after it rains) Also he was house trained in a week.
The biggest mush in the world..Loves to snuggle.
28lbs Does well as an apartment dog but loves his walks too
Can I recommend against my dog?
He's a Bloodhound. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE him - to pieces. He's fantastic. But there's no way in heck I'd ever try to get another one of his breed with an infant. And it's not an issue of "well you need to train him" - I've taken him to, and he's passed, 4 different obedience classes. He's smart - too smart for his own good.
He's huge. You can't take him off a leash, because no matter how much training you do - the nose takes over. Now that he's 5 - he's mellowed - a BIT, but he's still a handful. I'd love to have another one someday, but definitely not until we've finished having children and they're all older.
We have a pug too!! We love him and he is fantastic with our LO. He is a snoozer during the day mostly. I can't walk him like I used to, but DH does and he is much calmer at night (b/c if he doesn't get walked, he barks like crazy!)
I love the pic of your dog stuck in the sofa. Every time I see that I LMAO.
**peekin over from 0-3**
Basset Hound! Super friendly, yet with a big bark to scare off people, they just don't know that the tail is wagging behind that bark. Big dog with short legs. Mine adores DD and all kids and will tolerate anything that the kids do to her. I also take her to work, I manage a retail store, and everyone knows Marlowe, they all love her and she remembers my regulars. Best breed ever and often over looked!
ETA:: I adopted mine from a Basset Rescue and she came housebroke. I have heard that the pups can be a bear to housebreak. Sometimes Bassets do have selective hearing but I generally don't have a problem with mine because we've bonded very well. She still has her moments though. She is a lazy beast inside though.We have 1 black lab and 1 black lab/collie cross. They are amazing with DS and I would strongly recommend them.
With your criteria though: they do shed, they can get big (ours are 60lbs though) and they require a lot of exercise. I agree with pp's that you have to be honest about your lifestyle and get a dog accordingly.
Of the ones suggested, I would also agree with the miniature and giant schnauzers. I grew up with a mini and he was just the sweetest little guy. My friends have a giant and he is so patient with their 2 kids. And their 3 yr old can be a little rough and he just plays along. He's very sweet. But I'd say the dog is maybe 110lbs. And yes, those breeds are higher maintenance with the grooming...but you don't necessarily need to get their "breed cuts" and that makes it easier.
THIS! We have a Boston and he is GREAT! He is so fun, but not overly hyper like many terriers tend to be. He's a great family dog, weighs just under 20 pounds and hardly barks unless he hears a noise outside and is being protective. I've always had larger dogs (labs, german shepherds etc.) so I was skeptical about getting a smaller dog. However, our choice could not have been better. He's just enough to be fun and active, but just relaxed and loving enough that he will snuggle up under a blanket and just chill on those days where you don't do much. I would recommend a Boston Terrier to any family looking for a great, well-balanced family dog.
GL!