I am looking at getting new dog but the last experience I had with a shelter dog was not a good one and I don't want to make that same mistake again. I need a dog that is kid friendly and fairly easy to train. I know that can change with each dog but I'm wondering if anyone has owned a certain breed that they just loved! I was thinking a golden retriever so far...
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I had an Aussie Shepherd that I loved. He was pretty easy to train. I let him off his leash in the Uintas and let him run around and all I had to do was call his name and he'd come straight back. I miss that dog. I was thinking of getting another soon. I had a Rottweiler growing up and he was a big teddy bear.
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Goldens are a good choice. Labs are right up there also.
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]I've had Labs for over 35 years and have loved almost every one of them. But they have ALL been kennel dogs. They shed like crazy and we don't care to clean that up in the house. Our house dogs have all been non-shedding dogs with our current one being a Maltese/Shih Tzu mix. As a puppy he was house broken to a litter box just like you would a cat. It only took three days and it has solved a lot of problems when we leave him home alone.[/#800000][/font]
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![[Image: photo19_zpsaf014b2f.jpg]](http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee187/utdubob/Home%20Stuff/New%20Puppy/photo19_zpsaf014b2f.jpg)
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any Lab or german shorthair are great dogs for hunting and company, also coonhounds are great too.
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[quote TroutMan93]I had an Aussie Shepherd that I loved. He was pretty easy to train. I let him off his leash in the Uintas and let him run around and all I had to do was call his name and he'd come straight back. I miss that dog. I was thinking of getting another soon. I had a Rottweiler growing up and he was a big teddy bear.[/quote] that's another thing I am looking for is a good fishing companion. My last dog would do anything he could to run away
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[quote dubob][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]I've had Labs for over 35 years and have loved almost every one of them. But they have ALL been kennel dogs. They shed like crazy and we don't care to clean that up in the house. Our house dogs have all been non-shedding dogs with our current one being a Maltese/Shih Tzu mix. As a puppy he was house broken to a litter box just like you would a cat. It only took three days and it has solved a lot of problems when we leave him home alone.[/#800000][/font]
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[.img]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee187/utdubob/Home%20Stuff/New%20Puppy/photo19_zpsaf014b2f.jpg[/img][/quote] ha great dog! I guess I should have said we already have a shorkie (shitzu and Yorkie mix) and he is a good dog. A little retarded but a huge heart! I am looking in the medium size range that's why I was thinking a retriever. The shelter dog was a yellow lab. We got him because he was older and thought he would be a little more relaxed but once he realized he had a home he had the energy of a puppy! And being 8 years old he was to stubborn to be trained.
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It's looking like you don't have a lot of experience with dogs. There's is a lot involved with deciding what kind of animal to purchase. You should prepare yourself for a minimum 10 year investment in care and life. Don't let your last experience with a shelter dog taint you. Some of the best dogs I have ever owned and loved have been shelter dogs. You could just as likely spend $1500 for a breeder raised tyrant. There are no bad dogs, only bad owners.
How big is your yard?
Will the dog live inside or outside?
Who's training the dog, when and where?
Are you going to crate train?
I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this. Don't hesitate to troll around google taking some of the dog selector quizzes. Gives you some good information.
I would recommend against getting a Lab with your little dog knowledge. They are some of the most popular dogs in the US and up in the tops in shelter population also. Labs have an endless motor and an energy level combined with a gleeful ignorance most people are not prepared for. On average for the first two years your Lab is going to be a furry bulldozer, destoying everything in their path through no fault of their own. Their tails are weapons in themselves. But don't get me wrong. I own a Lab...going on 5 years now. He's my best bud.
I personally am a fan of the German Shepherd breed. When properly raised there is no better family dog and outdoor companion (in my opinion).
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You thought about rescued dogs?
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I'd stick with golden retrievers. My golden that passed away but she loved to go fishing. As well there are a few golden puppies for sale on ksl. My dad end up finding a great family that knew what they were doing and shall have a small one in 1 month. Had my first dog when I was 3 years old so ya I'd take a golden retriever any day.
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Yeah he was great to take fishing. He'd just chill in the car no kennel and not poo or pee or throw up. Didn't take long to train him and he even slept on my bed with me. Excellent dogs in my opinion.
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[quote AFFamily]It's looking like you don't have a lot of experience with dogs. There's is a lot involved with deciding what kind of animal to purchase. You should prepare yourself for a minimum 10 year investment in care and life. Don't let your last experience with a shelter dog taint you. Some of the best dogs I have ever owned and loved have been shelter dogs. You could just as likely spend $1500 for a breeder raised tyrant. There are no bad dogs, only bad owners.
How big is your yard?
Will the dog live inside or outside?
Who's training the dog, when and where?
Are you going to crate train?
I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this. Don't hesitate to troll around google taking some of the dog selector quizzes. Gives you some good information.
I would recommend against getting a Lab with your little dog knowledge. They are some of the most popular dogs in the US and up in the tops in shelter population also. Labs have an endless motor and an energy level combined with a gleeful ignorance most people are not prepared for. On average for the first two years your Lab is going to be a furry bulldozer, destoying everything in their path through no fault of their own. Their tails are weapons in themselves. But don't get me wrong. I own a Lab...going on 5 years now. He's my best bud.
I personally am a fan of the German Shepherd breed. When properly raised there is no better family dog and outdoor companion (in my opinion).[/quote] ya I really don't! I'm steering clear of dogs that shed this time, my daughter is a llergic to fur and so am I.
How big is your yard? It's an average size yard.
Will the dog live inside or outside? He will be inside at night and when were home and outside while we are gone during the day
Who's training the dog, when and where? It will be my wife and I training the dog just at home (unless there is a better option?)
Are you going to crate train? I'd like to have him house broken
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[quote TroutMan93]Yeah he was great to take fishing. He'd just chill in the car no kennel and not poo or pee or throw up. Didn't take long to train him and he even slept on my bed with me. Excellent dogs in my opinion.[/quote] this is exactly what I'm looking for! Sounds like the perfect dog
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As mentioned, it is in the training and some dogs are easier to train then others.
Troutman, I have to give it to you with your cattle dog. I have tried twice with a Heeler breed as did my niece and lets just say, they need much more room then I had to offer not to mention things to chew on. This breed totaled many items including my motorcycle seat and indicators.
Like Jack Russell terriors, they need exercise.
It does take a lot of work to find and mold the perfect dog, but some come easy. I have always had dogs. Trained them to use a certain portion of the yard for business. All were house broken till they reached an age it was hard for them to hold. And I am proud to say all my dogs did indeed die of old age.
I presently have a Dachshund. A breed I had no desire to own after hearing horror stories of their backs. But Baxter is going on 6 now and is as healthy as any dog. He can run surprisingly fast, is very protective, shedding is not noticeable, SMART dog. He does not do business in the house, ever. Even if he smells another dogs he will not try to cover it up which is great when visiting other dog owners.
I do prefer the smaller breed but I have a smaller home and like it that way. All my dogs are trained for going on a boat or pontoon. Even the fact they hate water, they just want to be with their owner.
It is very rewarding.
Good luck and hope you find the perfect addition.
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I love my Boston Terrier! I wouldn't trade him for any other breed. Smart dogs that love to learn, sometimes learning more then they should. He loves to go fishing gets excited and runs to the door every time fishing is mentioned. I can let him off leash and will stay near never tried to run off.
With all that said any breed can be a great family dog, it all depends on how they are raised and educated.
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I have two golden retrievers now, couldn't recommend the breed more. I looked a while before I picked each one as I wanted and do hunt them. They are past their prime as hunting dogs but are the very best family dogs I've ever had. My daughter was born after we had these dogs, I watched her literally poke one of my dogs in the eye when she was crawling on top of him. He just moved his head away, I got her off so she didn't do that again.
As far as a hunting dog goes, my female in her prime had the best nose I've ever hunted over. My buddies field trial shorthairs (which he could have bought a nice atv for what he paid for them) she would embarrass every time we hunted together. My buddy named her wonder dog.
Good luck!
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I recently had to put down my 14 year old golden. She was riddled with cancer and going down fast in the last little while. My black lab who is 10 was beside herself, but she took care of my kids and wife when she sensed they were feeling down too. my golden shed like crazy, vet said she was 5 or 10% Samoid though. My lab sheds very little, and what she does shed isnt fine sticky hair, its thick lab hair that cleans up easily.
that said, we just got a new pup 6 weeks old that is half lab, half coon hound. she is a great looking pup and already using that nose of hers in combo with the lab point and freeze when she gets visual on what she is smelling. she is a little lover and hardly makes noise unless she needs something or is playing. My lab instantly became the momma dog and began training up the pup by just doing what I was saying right next to the pup to "spread the word" of how its done when the two leggers say something.
I have gone through the shelter dog scenario, while I really appreciate those that help out by "saving" an animal from a place like that, alot of those dogs are there for issues it seems and the good ones are few and far between. I am at the point in my life that I dont think i would do anything but raise a pup now and teach them to be one of my family members. I dont have a pic of the pup loaded up yet, but I will show you my other girls. I always have females so i dont have to deal with male territory stuff and the marking of every blade of grass we go by.
I have loved, labs and goldens my whole life. I would suggest a mix breed as the pure breds can be prone to alot of ailments as they age. mixes seem to be a bit more healthy over time. my lab is half golden also. but she appears and acts all lab. they get along with my cat, my wife(the other cat sometimes) and my daughters, as well as 5 chickens and 2 rabbits and all my friends dogs just fine. except for the occasional pecking order bark or nip with other dogs, I have never had a dog fight outright with any of my critters. i have lost a couple plants out of the garden when they dig for cool ground.. or a mouse... they are hunting dogs afterall.
I was looking at german short hairs also and they are pretty much a lab with a different coat from what i could tell and they come in black, liver, and ticked in either color also. I took it to myself to talk to some german owners and they love them, great family dogs, hunting skills for upland game mostly i think, but you get em swimming and gettin the ducks i am sure if you wanted to.
good luck in the search. in my case the pup kind of found us and it was a green light all the way, she ended up being the best of what all of us wanted. talk with your wife, kids everyone to see what they want in a dog and make the choice so everyone will be happy.
I hear poodles are smart as hell too... as Si on duck dynasty. LOL.
tight lines.
Bad Fish
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[quote BADFISH]I have gone through the shelter dog scenario, while I really appreciate those that help out by "saving" an animal from a place like that, alot of those dogs are there for issues it seems and the good ones are few and far between. [/quote]
Great Post but I have to disagree with this one point, as a teenager and young adult I volunteered at the human society and while some dogs had issues allot of the animals that came through were just abandoned.
Divorces, Home Forclosures, Work Relocations, Kids not honoring there promise to take care of the animal ect ect.
Allot of these animals came from breeders or retails stores only thing thing about Shelter dogs is if you have a certain breed or age in mind its hard to find exactly what you looking for.
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Labs are the best great temperament really smart and great companions .
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I'd suggest a Lab or a lab mix. Goldens shed too much and while trainable seem to be missing it upstairs. Any half lab will still love water. Check the temperament and dominance level of any dog you consider so it fits in your family situation. While rare there are even mean as hell Golden Retrievers.
I have a 50 lb Border Collie as well as a lab mix. The border collie failed 3 homes before we got her because of not getting the exercise she needed. She's a tremendous fluffy teddy bear who actually understands most sentences spoken. She's 15 now but still gets in some 6-10 mile hikes occasional. However do not even consider a herding breed unless you're willing to make sure it get 20 hours of exercise per week for the first 10 years of life.
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