Help - where to start when looking for/buying a family dog.

[azteccamera]

I'm looking for advice from those much more learned about dogs than I am!

We live in the countryside, have a three year old daughter and I work from home apart from one day a fortnight. Fields to walk dogs are just through the back of our garden, and we have a utility/enough space to keep a dog.

DP & I both grew up with dogs, and we'd like to have the same for our daughter, and we are also in a position now where we have the time to give to a dog for walks, training and so on.

We've started to look, but are pretty stumped with all of the choices out there! I guess my main questions are:

Which breed? With a three year old and nieces/nephews plus potentially more children of our own in the future we need a breed that's good with children.

Secondly, where to buy? Do we go for a rescue dog, what do we have to take into consideration? Or do we buy a puppy? If so, how do we tell who is responsibly breeding them etc?

I really appreciate any responses!

Thanks

Check out Dorset Animal Workers Group - they don't have anything ideal for you at the moment, but it is worth speaking to them :) The right dog will eventually come along :)

Personal Clown - I saw a rather overweight staffie have a go round a short distance of a greyhound track on Saturday - with the lure going nice and slowly especially.... She made it about 80m along before giving it up as a bad job.

Some of the terriers used their heads and cut the corner on theirs.