What dog to get for DCs 9 and 5 yrs?

[Twinkie1]

Right am going to lots of research into this - we have 18 months before DS starts school - that is when we have promised the kids they can have a dog - may keep me company alone at home all day and will allow me to train it (yeah ha ha) without the help of the kids!

I would like something not too big - can't be a toy dog though - DH thinks he will look gay walking it - so no yorkies or ratty type dogs - something I can over power if it goes on the rampage - something that doesn't slobber too much and something that will need a reasonable amount of exercise but won't want to do a marathon each day!

Ideally also something that doesn;t chew, bark, shit or leave hair everywhere would be great but understand this isn't possible. Just somethin clean would be nice though!

Ideas greatly received - will then draw short list, investigate further and go and view selected breds to make sure thay will never clash with decor or outdoor wear! (Ha ha not really!)

Ta ladies!

manly sort of dogs that are good with children? what is reasonable exercise - if you are getting a puppy the amount of walking builds up very gradually from say 5 or 10 minutes once or twice a day per month of life to level required as adult dog (from 2ish on I suppose)

you can train your dog to come back when called so just go out in a field somewhere and let it have a good run while you plod about at own pace

or get dog-walky thing to attach to bicycle once dog is fully grown

um

otterhound?

ridgeback?

labs/retrievers obviously

weimaraner

SPRINGER SPANIEL

labradoodles are nice and good non-allergenic dogs and trainable and intelligent

if 'not needing a marathon each day' means you are not wildly keen about spending ages outside doing vigorous walks what about rehoming a greyhound? there are soo many and they make such loving gentle pets and don't need loads of loads of exercise

Go for a lab/ collie cross or something else labrador based IMO. They will need a fair amount of exercise - ours gets about an hour to two hours a day but it's good to keep you fit - but are wonderful with children, protective and easy to train, not big chewers either (apart from the puppy stage. We are breeding our female lab this year if you are anywhere in the Mids .

I've heard labradoodles don't shed...

I think miniature schnauzer might work for you, or a pug or border terrier

Miniature Schnauzer - info here

Pug - here

and Border Terrier -here

Weimaraners are not first time owner dogs, nor are otterhounds or ridiges ime. Springers and labs are good choices for people wanting to be super active. Labradoodles - some shed, some don't. Mrs Spoon (I think) has a labradoodle.

I don't think the OP wanted a little dog nuts - but agree about no ridgebacks, weimaraners etc.

akitas

giant mountain dogs might be a bit big for you but are great with children: bernese, leonberger, belgian shepherds - groenendahl (sp?)

gordon or english setter look less 'gay' than the red ones

short haired pointer - need to put some time in, well you do with every dog, maybe join a 'hunt point retrieve' group or something

any sort of dog will not be good with children if they do not respect its space and moods so teach them about dog body language and if you have a bitch when they come into season they can be a bit moody

thought of weimi and ridgeback because know 2 first time dog owners who chose these successfully - but agree not for anyone who is not prepared to do a bit of research or go to training classes

but should do that regardless of breed really

and of course bear in mind rehoming places who are reputable and will help you find appropriate pet for your family

Akitas are not great first time dogs though as they can be very temperamental. I wouldn't recommend the giant breeds unless you get some great pet insurance....

They are wonderful with children etc but Bernese in particular shed a lot and have constant problems with their legs - there is an ortho hospital for dogs down in Luton and it is permanently full of giant breeds - my bf has one and he is gorgeaous but has had to have 2 operations so far and still has problems, meaning he can't walk far.

If you want a dog which will be less temperamental and more easy going then your best bet is a cross breed IME

also OP did say was important for husband to not look gay when walking dog, so samoyeds etc obviously out but ridgebacks etc good choice from that point of view

We have a Tibetan terrier and she is great with our 3 children. easily trained and doesn't shed hair at all. although called a terrier they are not part of terrier family(!). Not too small and are happiest as part of family

forgot to ask (or did I?) where OP lives - is garden secure (some hound type dogs very susceptible to escaping when distracted by scents), where will you mostly be exercising dog - park full of other dogs? private field? remote-ish footpaths? so dogs good with other dogs may or may not be a priority

think 'doglopaedia' has lists of breeds with marks for some of the important characteristics for families - might be worth getting a copy, think is a bruce fogle book

Ah Colchester...bit far to have one of our babies then - they're going to be beautiful Labraniels!!

ah colchester is near ME

is a labraniel a springador?

what sort of spaniel has gone into the mix?

The spitz breeds (like Akita's) are very hard to train.

Collies tend to get nervous and sometimes destructive if not well exercised. They won't appreciate being left at home all day while you go to Legoland.

Rehoming centres great but most won't give dogs to a family with children under the age of 8.

I'd go with setters, springer or Sussex spaniels, Munsterlander, Basset hound, bloodhound or vizsla.

yes vacua - we have permanent arguments about which way round it should be - is it definitely springador? I thought it depended on what the mother was - ie if mother a labrador then it's labraniel/ if mum a spaniel then springador.....

It's a black and white springer and he's lovely too.

vizsla will have same sort of needs as pointers, weimaraners tho

thought of akitas as spitzs have nice faces

realise am basing all my suggestions on mainly aesthetic grounds but do think you should spend this decision making time teaching children about dogs, maybe visit a few training classes in your area or talk to vet, get a feel for sort of commitment (eg training) you are up for as a family - breeds used by police etc are obviously highly trainable so there is probably a reason why you don't see lhasa apsos working as sniffer or guide dogs

expect the consensus here to be flat coated retriever (if shedding is major concern) as so family friendly and reasonably safe bet but those fox red original ones are NICE

SPRINGERS ARE MY FAVOURITE ONES

have got liver and white one, after 7 yr mourning period for deceased liver and white one

apparently some study recently concluded that they are most therapeutic breed ever - if you can get one to sit still long enough to stroke it of course - because they are so infectiously merry

Yes would like to second what vacua is saying re the children training aspect.

One tip I have which is something my parents started with our family pets, is that the children must never approach the dog when he/ she is in the basket/ bed - that way the dog quickly learns that it has a haven.

Teach children never to approach a dog from above the head as well, alwayd hold flat of the hand out underneath the dog's chin.

Get children involved right from the beginning in training the dog as well so that the children remain above the dog in the pecking order and they can command it as effectively as you can.

Well we'll have some for sale in about 8 months Vacua .

I'll try to put some photos up one day of our lab because she is particularly attractive (the skinny lab variety) and has such a beautiful temperament that we didn't want to lose the strain.

I don't really know about deliberate cross breeding so you're probably right. if you have a lab mum and a collie dad are they La Brollies?

glad you reiterated the educating children about dogs point, as is no good thinking 'we will have a lab because they can tolerate having their tail pulled etc' (am sure OP is not thinking any such thing, just saying generally) as no dog will be any good with children who do not understand and respect its basic needs

We would have bred her with another Lab obviously but are not 100% sure of her background; she was a rescue (God knows why) and her back end is quite small (too small for a big lab dad's pups according to the vet).

I thought she had some collie in her but apparently there is a type of Labrador which is quite skinny at the back - she's definitely all lab from the front and looks quite different to the Lab collie crosses I've had in the past.

The thing I like about Springers the most is watching them 'spring' through long grass - my Dad's partner's dog was aged 14 and crippled with arthritis but when he was out in long grass his arthritis would magically disappear and he'd bound along like a puppy. They were devastated when he died last year

yes yes and when only their ears are visible - boing boing boing!

I've seen a few very petite, narrow labs recently but the traditional shape is so appealing to me and lovely and chunky. would like to be a lab if have to come back as a dog in next life and cannot be a springer for some reason would be fun to clear coffee tables with one swish of my tail

ROFL - I am often on my hands and knees scrubbing red wine stains from the lounge carpet - her tail is a nightmare and it never ever stops even when (at present) she's having a phantom pg and is a bit grumpy