Best dog breed for a family

[Greeksummerholiday]

We lost our Labrador 18 months ago and are looking for a new puppy next spring. We live on a small holding with our 3 children aged 8, 5 and 3. What dog breeds would you recommend? Our lab was lovely but quite a boisterous puppy and just interested in others’ opinions on great family dogs.

Don't just focus on the puppy stage, you need to think about the adult dogs needs as well. So, what can you offer a dog?
Think about exercise, training, is someone at home all the time? How much time can you realistically give the dog?
You say you have a small holding, are there other animals, will the dog spend time outside roaming the property?

Labs are the best imo OP 🐾🐾🐾

If you’re on a small holding with other animals you don’t want any breed with a prey drive. Labs are usually great with other animals. I’d go for another lab even though I hate the puppy stage.

I’d go for a show lab or maybe you’d consider a greater Swiss mountain dog? Ours was very good with our then 3 year old. She did get knocked over a few times but very little mouthing at all.

We are a miniature schnauzer family. She loves children.

I do agree that all puppies are hard work and need a lot of time. Not al puppies are idiots!

My last puppy was the calmest awesome puppy ever. I took ages to get the correct breeder - he is a working lab (not fox red!) bred to work and calm temperament but intelligent and fab work ethic. Do your research carefully choose the correct breeder ask them loads of questions. Then just get a lab

My guy was pretty much toilet trained at 8 weeks. Had slept on his own with puppies in the room so did not get distressed at night. Had recall to whistle and stop whistle sorted.

Get a good breeder!