Looking for the right breed for us

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Hi all,

I’m after some advice from you lot. We’ve gone round in circles for several years ref: getting a dog and the time is now right for one (New year onwards) We’re going for a pedigree this time, with the thought that subsequent dogs will be rescues....we have older cats so want a puppy and it’s the first dog our kids have had so want to choose the ideal one for us on the first occasion. We have a few favourite breeds but some seem to have breed traits which aren’t right for us I wondered if you could have a look at the list below and see if you come to the same conclusion as us (ridgeback)

We dont want (relatively)
Drooly
Smelly
Waxy coat
High shedder
Long haired
Tightly wound
Dog who hates being left for a short amount of time.
Small/medium sized

We can cope with
Stubborn to train (as long as trainable)
Needs lots of exercise

Dog needs to cope with
Holidays in kennels
A few hours alone on some days a week

We do want
Big dog
Loyal, loving and very friendly with family.
Big bark that will make burglars think twice.
Friendly enough with strangers but not overly affectionate.
Not aggressive.
Ok with 2 adult cats.

Can offer
Big house
Big enclosed garden
Loving adults and older kids/teens

Thoughts?

Obviously, all of this is dependent on getting a well bred dog and on training/putting in the work with them. We would on both counts.

Another vote here for a poodle - if you want a big dog, go for a standard poodle. We have a mini but many of the traits are the same - highly intelligent so very trainable, non--shedding, very loyal to their owners, friendly to people but not in the 'I love everyone the minute I meet them' way that some breeds have, long-lived and generally not prone to particular health issues. If you go to a breeder, they'll need to have done relevant health checks on both parents - if you opt for a rescue, I highly recommend Poodle Network UK, they place all their dogs in foster so assess them thoroughly, they can be child and cat-tested so you know pretty much what you are getting. We're off to Discover Dogs tomorrow and I know that I will be making a mental list of what dog I want next!

Many thanks all; really interesting reading and interesting that Ridgebacks are too aloof. We’re more interested in them because of friends with one (with a lab also) who is not aloof, but def reserved at first but then just very chilled and friendly.

Lots of suggestions for other breeds and I’m going to go and do some more research now! My favourite was always a Great Dane but dh has vetoed on the grounds that’s it’s horse, not a dog.

Ha people ALWAYS say that about my wolfhound!
Ridgebacks can be mental puppies. I'm guessing the one you know Is an adult? They also need careful handling and socialisation or they can end up being too much dog for the owner. As a first time dog owner I wouldn't recommend them.

Lakeland terrier. She is mad all day but wants to be cuddled like a baby at night! And really good with kids.

Short haired German Shepherd?

Fecking labradoodles get a bloody poodle. I dog walk and trust iv yet to meet a bloody labradoodle that’s not a nutter and doesn’t shed.

Lurchers are so bloody lovely as are greyhounds and I know several of both that happily live with and love their cat family. I also agree though that they can have high prey drives and known some to chase and kill small animals happily. My friends one was euthanised after jumping a fence and killing a lamb. This dog lived within a practical petting zoo and had never shown any aggression so you can never tell with any dog.

Love Great Danes but they have quite short life expectancy.

What about an Irish wolf hound you can keep them clipped so shedding isn’t an issue but again bred to hunt but maybe ok with a puppy and trained well.

Ignore Irish wolfhounds also have a short life expectancy my birth ours one lived to 14 though.

Neighbours*

I've got a ridgeback and have always loved the breed. However my ridgeback would fail your test as he's overly friendly with strangers though. People are always coming up and wanting to hug him which he loves.

I think ridgebacks are the best but do plenty of research as to whether they're right for you. They don't do "dog" stuff like retrieve or be obedient. They take up the whole sofa. They take up the whole boot in the car. They need somewhere to be walked off lead so they can race round and sniff stuff.

Be warned they are a complete nightmare as puppies - big dogs, high energy and lots of teeth. I had made the mistake of only meeting placid adult ridgebacks before I got my puppy! He's now 6 and sleeps all day.

Not sure where you are but there are ridgeback social groups all round the country on facebook (e.g. east midlands having a group walk this sun) so I'd go along and meet a range of different ages/temperaments.

Mine was fine with 2 existing cats. Let me know if you have any more questions.

Hi yes, an adult and she was a ‘fun’ puppy!!

Many thanks again for all suggestions; all are lovely but some just not for us.

Although I’m a first time dog owner, dh comes from a family of dog owners and has had countless, so not a newbie.

It’s interesting that recommendation for Dobermans but not Ridgebacks? I would have put them in the same ‘not easy to train’ and slightly aloof group?

Wheaten terriers are possibly the cutest dogs ever, but dh would not go for it (along with poodles, retrievers or any of the ‘fuzzy’ suggestions) We’ve also discounted labs and golden retrievers as every friend has one, no exaggeration. I know there’s a reason for that, but just don’t want the same. My kids are 13, 15 and 17 now so we’re not dealing with a dog who has to deal with very young children all the time.

I’m definitely wondering about the difficulties of handling a ridgeback though as many have mentioned it.....bugger....thought we were on the right track.

Any other suggestions? Dh def doesn’t want a long haired or medium sized dog....think rottie or mastiff sized and you’re about there!

What a about a bull mastiff, lovely temperaments but they do shed. Or a dog de Bordeaux.

I find our mastiff didn’t drool to bad really neither did our Rottweiler.

User 1475, many thanks for the info. I could cope with overly friendly; just wanted to have some aspect of blokes who knock on the door having to think twice!

I will look up the ridgeback groups (I’m in east anglia, the western side though) and hopeful there’s one nearby. Walking off lead should be ok. Were you at home all the time with your puppy or were you out of the house for a few hours on some days?

Mustang, it sounds as if you’ve owned pretty much every dog I’ve ever pined after! It’s the drooling with mastiffs and Dogues that I don’t think I could cope with. I know they have utterly lovely temperaments though.

With that list i thought standard poodle

Another vote for poodle - they're not born 'fuzzy' that's just the cut! Ours are all just shaved down so they are super soft and not poncy at all. Easily the most intelligent and loving breed we have ever come across or owned. Please consider them!

Italian spinone? Not sure on shedding tho. I've got a one year old lab. He's been a dream. Easy to train and fantastic with dc. Shedding is a problem but a good brush every day outside will minimise that.

He has a good walk and off leash run around for an hour or two in morning after school run then snoozes until dc are home. He's got a very deep bark and no one can come near house without him sounding off.

We have a miniature schnauzer, how about a giant schnauzer or normal sized one?

He doesn't shed (never found a stray hair), doesn't slaver, very sweet-natured and trainable (though can be stubborn - although for us this adds to his personality). I'm not sure how the traits vary in the larger breeds though!

The only reason we have a miniature one is because our old house was small.

We had a lot of dogs growing up. Lived on a farm so it was ample space to roam. Nobody bothers a 14yr old girl whilst walking 11 massive dogs .

Sneaking in a picture of my dream dog. Just because!

Ridgeback actually sounds rather perfect for you to be honest. My DH grew up with one in a very similar setup - cat ruled the roost, big garden, family of active teenage boys. The aloofness is a hound trait, which personally I like. They're still soppy in their own way and with their own people. And yes terrible sofa hogs apparently :)

I would look very carefully at where you get your puppy, and make sure they breed for stable temperament not just looks. They're way more popular than they used to be, which doesn't usually mean more responsible breeding.

I suspect the puppy phase will be 2 yrs of very hard work, and you may want to think crates and/or stair gates so your cats don't feel they have to leave home to get some peace. But after that I reckon you'll have a lovely dog.

Mustang; I’ll bet, especially with that rogues gallery! Suspect you wouldn’t have the same effect with border terriers😁

I know that poodles are fab, but just don’t like the look (and I know it sounds really shallow ) Love Italian spininones and know of a few around here. Dh not vastly keen as they have the ‘bloodhound eye’ going on. Schnauzers are good, but too small and DHs family already have them so it’s a definite no there.

Thanks so much everyone for the advice; it’s really really helpful. Xx

Sian Canning in Wales is the contact you'd want.

People who recommend puppy farmers need their heads seen to

Wolfie - very, very lovely woofer.😘 Frankly I know that in reality I’d love any breed to bits, but if you have a choice (once as it will be rescue after this) it needs to be a carefully thought out one.
Tiny; many thanks. I had hoped so too. X

We’ll be going nowhere near a puppy farm; KC registered only and if the breeder approves of us!

Mustang my next dog will probably be a Rottweiler (or dobermann).
My current GSD is always losing fur !
She leaves piles everywhere good job I love her !