First family dog?

[gotelltheoldmandowntheroad]

Husband wants a German Shepherd, he also likes XL Bully and Rottweiler.

I am open to a dog but...

small house
do not want fur everywhere

We have two cats already so would look into getting a puppy.
We have a big garden and both often work from home so wouldn't leave him alone.

I know about having dogs, had them before, but not too keen, I'm a cat person. Husband and child are keen. Husband spoke about "family protection" but ultimately we are animal lovers but that seems to be a factor for him.

My questions are:

Dogs that won't add the least to my cleaning burden (that's my bag)

Safest around the child (from puppy and trained)

Perhaps that a non-dog person might like best?

Given he's mentioned those three breeds, which would you go for? Child is 6.

This seems okay. The penis extension protector thing is new, he hasn't ever shown signs of being a raving chav before, and he's not the one who grew up on a council estate. I am open to a family dog, and not shedding is probably the most important, as well as size. If we get a larger house, as he hopes to, then the bigger dogs may be manageable.

If you’re worried about shedding your best option could be a standard poodle. Fantastically intelligent dogs.

For a first family dog without the condition of needing to be a penis extension I'd stick with what you know and find a midsized lurcher. Lurchers are nothing like your average working breed dog, which for some reason is what you're being reccomended.

If you're now open to smaller breeds the companion breeds are mostly good for first family dogs. I have a particular soft spot for Italian Greyhounds and Chihuahuas. Iggys are useless when it comes to trick learning. They can do it they just prefer not to. for the most part but they don't shed a lot and are easy enough to toilet train.

Chis are smart, fiesty little things. They can learn, they're really intelligent, and if you can motivate them you can start finding your footing with training and keeping a dog's mind busy in readiness for a bigger, working breed once you're a bit more experienced. They are a bit difficult to toilet train. The stereotypical snappy chi is a bit of myth. As long as you treat it like a dog and not a toy or small child you will having a loving big dog in a tiny, inoffessive body.

If DH is still wanting to get a bigger, working breed I'd find your nearest breed association for that breed asap and get in touch to ask if there are any activites you can join. I'd also ask their reccomendations for local trainers and traning classes/activities. The more experience you can build up before you get your pup and while it is still the more likely you are to get a good family pet and a neutortic bag of nerves who is unsure if he is supposed to love you, guard you, herd you or dig a pit in your back garden.

Greyhounds are small dogs in a big dogs body. Lazy, laid back and they fold up really small. You might have to look around a bit to find a cat friendly but they do exist. They don't shed much and they don't need a great deal of exercise or stimulation. They just need a sofa or a comfy bed.

It's a bit of a red flag him only wanting those breeds of dog... also if you don't really want a dog and he just wants a dog like that are you sure getting a dog is a good idea? I feel like this is an absolute disaster waiting to happen!

I am bemused by the fact you are mainly worried about dog hairs, and everyone is happily chiming in with their most loved breeds...

Whilst your husband who has no experience with dogs wants the kind of breeds you read about hurting people and kids, and he will train this dog to defend/attack as he wants this dog for protection? So he will want to teach it to go for baddies? How will be teach the dog to attack only "baddies"?!

Recipe for disaster

Just bonkers

I see another person killed by a dog yesterday. Wonder if it was a protection, willy extender. What is the betting it's an XL Bully?

I've just read about a dog walker being killed, believed by an XL bully if it's the same case you're referring to.

www.itv.com/news/meridian/2022-08-12/man-dies-after-being-attacked-by-dog-in-park

Just found this. But it doesn't mention the breed. If someone had a gun to my head I'd venture it was a Bully. People should be able to walk in parks without fear of being killed by a dog ffs.

It seems that it was

It seems that it was an XL Bully.

@Revolvingwhore 😔😔😔 not surprised at all.

Ooh I’d agree with a lurcher, especially a short-haired one…

Rottie’s are amazing dogs that don’t deserve their bad rap. Which they only get due to the fact idiot owners are attracted to them.

We lost ours a few months ago aged 15. He grew up with my children and was their best friend. The most loyal dog I’ve ever had and even my partner (who didn’t like big dogs before we met) has said they will never own any other breed now.

Miss him more than I could ever imagine!

For those saying a Rottie is too strong to walk. Have you ever heard of training? No dog should be pulling on the lead, big or small. Train them to walk alongside you with a loose lead.

For those saying Rotties are no good living with cats. Here is mine not only with cats but with tiny 6 week old kittens.

They are amazing, totally misunderstood breeds. Having said that they are NOT protection dogs and if your husband wants a dog to make him look tough as a status then please stay away from Rotties! They don’t need more daft men giving them a bad rep.

No one here is misunderstanding Rotties. My friend has 2 plus cats and they are amazing and soft, however she is a very experienced large dog owner and trained them appropriately. I had a colleague who's partner also fancied a penis extension and bought one 'for her'. This dog was not properly trained, exercised or socialised and I remember it dispatching one by one every one of a littler of kitten from the next door property. Horrendous. They are fantastic in responsible, sensible and experienced homes.
Otherwise - nope. I'm a dog owner and I have a feisty terrier but I don't feel qualified in any way to own a larger dog with different training needs

The type of owner you describe who doesn’t appropriately exercise or train a dog shouldn’t own ANY DOG!

@liveforsummer Funnily enough I don’t feel experienced enough to own a terrier! They have a high prey drive and are far more likely to chase and kill other animals without a really strong recall.

@Madwife123 tbf they had a tiny little poodle cross lap dog who was perfectly happy and well behaved. Had to be kept apart from the Rottie though ...

But regardless they got a dog without knowing a single thing about it’s exercise requirements and then failed to socialise or train it. They also allowed it unsupervised in a neighbours garden to kill kittens. That’s NOT a good dog owner. The fact they found a dog that was happy to accept bad owners does not make them good dog owners. There is also no such thing as a lap dog.

Kind of like the OP's husband is suggesting- hence why I shared the story

To be fair the OP hasn’t said a thing about their plans to exercise or socialise any dog they get.

And if you believe that her husband will not appropriately exercise or socialise a dog based on the limited info she has posted it’s probably a good idea to advise don’t get a dog.

Rather than get a border terrier like you did in fact advise. A breed that is much harder to train than a Rottie and is far more likely to have a high prey drive and not be safe with the cats in the home.

Ok, we have different opinions so will just leave it there.

There has been another dog attack, on a woman and child today in Ilkeston.

Think carefully OP, a dog will be a lot of work, and create more housework. The breeds you are considering don’t seem suitable for a first time owner with a young family. Good luck, I hope it works out as you are hoping.