I think we might get a dog. Is there ANY alternative to a labrador?

[Enid]

I'd prefer something smaller

but it has to be 100% kidproof, clever and active, preferably with no hair at all or low shedding...

Point taken, JustUSTwo, e.g. West Highland Terriers do make good pets, but they do shed a lot.

dog wars

hee hee ha! -lol at dog wars!

before this thread I honestly never knew how strongly I felt about our dog, I love her so much but it's the first time I have 'talked' about her like this and when someone doesn't like her breed it's like someone slagging off your baby.

very amusing!

she is the best dog in the world though, better than any of your smelly ones

preggers, you are causing concern.

to myself, also!

Cuddles to all dogs, we had a whippet cross something when I was a child and she was adorable.
The trouble is not when they shit or moult on the carpet or chew your childrens toys or your shoes, or even the kitchen floor. Its not the barking or attacking other animals or pulling on the lead. Its when they die, if you give your heart to a dog he will tear it to pieces.
Goodasgold is in floods of tears as she wanders around home with no dogs in it. Finally collapses cuddling picture of Tag and a little blue collar.

goodasgold

labradoodles were bred for the fact taht they do not moult and are hyperallergenic so people with allergies could have dogs.

I can inflame the dog wars by repeating wannabe's point about the fact that labradoodles might have been bred to be hypoallergenic, but they are largely a failed experiment in that sense (and MOST do shed, some of them as much as the worst-shedding yellow labs). You will find some of the breeders even mention this - at strangely unobtrusive places on their websites...

2labs is right the Guide Dog for the Blind Society is no longer continuing with the Lab/poodle breeding programme because it failed. Lab/poodle crosses (or Labradoodles as unethical breeders call them) can and do shed. Only 1 in 4 of the lab/poodle cross pups born were actually non-moulting.

The other problem with these designer crossbreeds (like labradoodle, puggle, schnoodles etc) is that there is the possibility that the resulting pups could inherit all the genetic conditions affecting both parent breeds. In the case of the labradoodle this could mean that the pups could have Hip Dysplasia and Elbow Dysplasia as found in labs as well as Hereditaty Cataracts, Progressive Retinal Atrophy and Von Willebrands Disease as found in Standard Poodles. The people who breeds these types of crossbreeds very rarely carry out genetic tests prior to breeding, that would help reduce the chances of the pups inheriting these genetic defects. Most of these crossbreed breeders have little or no understanding of the genetics behind the parent dogs and are more interested in making money by selling stupidly names crossbreeds for ridiculous amounts of money. Rarely do good, reputable breeders produce crossbreeds (the only exception would be for working purposes) I'll get off my soapbox now

dog queen