To ask you to help me choose a dog breed?

[Landseer]

I’m so conflicted!

We’re in the position now to get a dog but we don’t know what breed to get.

It most be a big dog but with not too much energy, friendly and trustworthy with other animals (such as other dogs and in the countryside) One that will happily stroll for a couple of hours but isn’t climbing the walls wanting to be exercised for hours on end

Any ideas?? Please don’t recommend a Jack Russell - it has to be a big dog

Usually the bigger the dog the less walking due to hip joints etc.
I don't mean they don't want or need exercise,all dogs do.
What about a rescue greyhound? One ten minute run and then they are happy to cuddle up and snooze.
Small breeds can go for a lot longer than big dogs especially the working breeds.
I'd suggest you avoid all large working breeds also although the bergamasco sheepdog will settle for one good walk a day.
an akita isn't overly into lots of exercise but not always a friendly dog.
a great dane?

Any bad points to a whippet - they sound perfect?

Airedale terrier, as you're up for the training

Afghan hound, if you're up for the grooming

Great Dane

Irish wolfhound

Irish wolfhounds have a good reputation, well worth checking out.

Newfoundland? Had one as a kid, I love big dogs too. I have a golden now who definitely requires more exercise and stimulation.

www.thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/working/newfoundland/

A Dogue de Bordeaux could fit the bill if you can cope with endless drool. One of the most loving & loyal breeds you could meet, crazy in short bursts but largely a calm breed. Love a good walk & run about, bur equally happy pottering about the garden & snoozing on the sofa. Every one I've met has also seemed to have an inbuilt instinct to protect any children it comes across - think walking calmly at their side if they're a little bit in front or behind te family, or laying in front of the steps when little one is toddling round the garden so they don't fall down them.
But oh boy... the drool!!

Lurchers are lovely.
They can be very tireless depending on the cross- We had one who needed masses of walks, very quiet in house, but far more energy than a purebred Sighthound.
Ours possibly had a dash of Collie in the mix (RSPCA abandoned puppy) which gave that tireless quality and ease of training.

Rescue is my favourite breed.

Talk to a rescue for advice. They will almost always take the animal back of the dog I'd the wrong fit and offer loads of support.

For all the worry people have about "damaged" animals, I've never seen a report to back up such concerns.

I love Irish Wolfhounds but I’d constantly worry about them dying young 😞

love Great Danes but I’ve seen some crazy ones 😂

They don’t live to 70!

Please refer to my username for my answer 😂

English Mastiff, leonberger, rottweiler, st Bernard.

Don’t get a Sprocker! (That’s a Springer Cocker Spaniel mix.). I could walk him all day and he’d still jump around the house with his enormous wet paws, fur flying and farting. Bit he’s ours and we love him.

Mongrel. They won't have inbreeding problems and won't cost you a fortune to buy.

I saw standard poodle upthread- we have a standard poodle and although I love him lots, I really wouldn't call him low energy at all. He needs lots of mental stimulation and also plenty of exercise.
Saying that, he's very very friendly with people and other dogs and very clean so quite easy to live with (if you can manage a few hours walking a day).

Rough collie. Far more chilled than borders or their smooth cousins. Weirdly self cleaning, low odour. Groom a bit each day. Fine with an hour a day plus half hour in evening or will do much longer. Ours occupies herself in the garden.
CollieLife website has puppies currently available from highly reputable breeders.

Bulldog, loyal, large, great character and easy to train

Greys are sweethearts.
Even the Macau Canidrome greys who had known such unhappy conditions flourished in their new homes around the World.
Met A Massive Grey locally, Irish, exported to USA to race, was put up for rehoming quite young, his American owner got a job in UK and couldn’t bear to leave him behind, so got a resettlement grant from her work to bring him here with her.
She didn’t realise he was Irish til I checked his ears ( Green Tattoos) . A well travelled boy.

Oooooh right up my alley (having spent the day writing dog breed related content!)...

Big but short - Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen - scent hound, walk all day, but you'll probably want a long line as recall is a challenge. THey're not wilfully 'fuck you not coming back' on the whole, more 'I am thoroughly unaware you're not right behind me, until I lose this scent...' recall once they REALISE you're not right there is usually pretty good!

The other downside is that boys can be a bit dribbly, it depends on how loose and flappy their faces are.

Upsides - grooming is easy, just keep it knot free, its a wirey/broken coat.

Nature - affable, friendly but not thuggish with strangers, easy going as long as you don't try any force based stuff. The only times I have heard of aggression issues is where people have tried to dominate or chuck their weight around with the dog... and they just won't stand for such handling and it will end badly for all :(

I love mine, he's absolutely the best and gives the BEST cuddles ever... no bother in the showring either, will sell his soul for food, so easy to train in that respect.

Also, every bit as happy to go for a walk as to slope off back to bed for a nap, actually... possibly happier to go for the nap, every single one I know thinks bedtime is the best time of day (next to cuddle time and walkies time and food time).

Another from the hound group - Deerhound..

Obviously a LOT taller, again gentle and easy going unless people behave stupidly and try to use intimidation and aggression with them, though possibly a bit more leeway than the Grand..

Remarkably cheap to feed for such a big dog (not so the insurance which is why i no longer have one), though can be a bit picky...

Grooming needs doing but no skill required just brush it properly.

Training... food works, don't ask for anything particularly clever but I have not had an issue teaching recall, lie down and be quiet, don't jump on people... so the bare basics (if you try teaching clever tricks they tend not to see the poitn and just go to sleep though theres always the odd one that likes it!)

My deerhound was my 'take anywhere, do anything, is always welcome, even by people who think they don't like big dogs' kinda dog... she was ace. And the lifespan on them is not nearly so bad as many giant breeds, mine was 13, many within the breed will see 12 or 13!

Downsides... bloat is a risk, expensive insurance, won't entertain competitive dog sports (but show just fine, mine loved showing, everyone was admiring HER of course!)

Other thoughts..

Most of the really big breeds (barring the lighterweight sighthounds) are too heavy to stay sound long, do long walks etc, or they have a horribly short lifespan and high cancer risk.

I would go for 'tall' rather than 'big' if that makes sense.

Borzois are nice and males are pretty big, theres also lots more tall/hairy/hefty/low/ french scent hounds to look at, Grand Blue de Gascoigne, Grand Griffon Vendeen...

Still in France... Picardy Sheepdogs (Berger Picard) are really nice, if you like the idea of a GSD but not the fear/reactivity issues, and the health problems, the Picardy is described by owners as a mix of Deerhound and GSD... much more relaxed, very very trainable, very affectionate, lovely and funny, easy to live with.. but healthier in body and mind than the GSD.

A nice Rottie is a fantastic dog, the trick is finding one... I have known some absolute belters but there are so many vile breeders, it is not easy.

Of the truly giants, the Leonberger is probably the one I would have, bred for looks and presence rather than desire to DO anything other than woof, impressively... they are typically pretty gentle, happy to walk or not walk...

Downsides, health issues common to giant breeds particularly back and hind leg problems... 3 years to mature, elderly by 9, gone by 11 or younger..

Go to discover dogs, also of the commercial sites with breed guides, the Purina breed library has some decent info (though some of the breed images are from a rather outdated stock image library and seem to have been uploaded by a person who has never met a dog!).

Definitely... get a shortlist then go and meet examples of the breeds IN peoples houses... at shows is nice and better than nothing but to REALLY get a feel for how big a dog is in a house, you need to see it in a house!

St Bernard or newfie

Rottie or English mastiff

We have a Newfoundland. She is SUPER into walks, but also loves to sleep a lot. She'll walk as far as you take her, but is also happy for 30 minute walks per day,

I have LOVED having a Newfie, but we won't get another. They are much more limiting than smaller dogs, even though I've always very much been a big dog person.

Greyhound, St Bernard, Deerhound or Great Dane

St Bernard, Great Dane, Newfoundland. Usually low energy breeds but nice and big and usually very friendly.

Rough collie, bernese mountain dog, or you could adopt an ex-racing greyhound, all are very serene.