Looking for a family dog. Any suggestions????

sweetangel895

my DH and I are looking into getting another dog. We are in the process of TTC and wanting to find a dog that is great with children and other dogs. We currently have a chihuahua/terrier mix and he is 11 years old. My DH is wanting a bigger dog and we have been looking online about dog breeds, but the information is overwhelming. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions to help narrow down are massive list.

bpphoto785

I would go to a shelter/rescue and tell them what you're looking for in a dog. A good rescue will be able to tell you if the dog is good with other dogs and has any experience with children. Plus, if you're TTC an older dog who has some training and is housebroken, might be easier to manage than a puppy. 

Also keep in mind that breed isn't everything. We have a Husky/Australian Shepard, who's pretty lazy, which we weren't expecting at all. Other than loving snow and being stubborn, he doesn't follow a lot of what you'd expect from his breeds. 

NavyBlue143

Labs or german shepherds are great family dogs, but require a good deal of training and exercise or they can be destructive. My friend loves her Weimeriner (sp?) But he eats things. Our mid sized mutts are the most easy going dogs ever, we got lucky. I second going to a shelter and looking for an adult dog. They are generally house trained, fixed, and their temperaments are more readily apparent than a puppy.

RedheadBaker

Don't focus on need. All dogs area individuals; any dog of any need can be good with kids or not. With shelter dogs, if they were turned in as strays, the breed(s) will be a guess, at best. 

Think about your lifestyle: are you active? Do you hike or jog? How much time and/or money are you willing to put into grooming? Do you want a cuddlebug or a more aloof dog? Do you have guests frequently? Answer those and take your wants to a shelter or rescue group and let them match you with a few dogs. Interact with them. See who fits best.

Jliongrrrl

How does your chihuahua/terrier mix  do with larger dogs? I agree with pp, a rescue or shelter is always your best bet! Hopefully you can bring it home for a trial period and see how your little guy does. Any breed can be good or bad with with kiddos, it's also how you train them. Make sure your dog doesn't guard their toys/food.

consciousdear88

I agreed with a prior post based on experience. We had a black lab when I was younger. Although she was good around both my parents and me and my younger siblings, we didn't have the time commitment to train her. (I was little at that point and both of them were working full time hours all day) As a result, she would be constantly chewing on everything she could get her teeth on. We came home to demolished blinds, a gnawed on kitchen table, and the doorframe that became toothpicks. Had we been able to put the time in, would we have been able to keep her longer? Maybe. But it's safer to say that we're sure she was happier burning that energy on an open field than she would in a small house in the city.
In my opinion, it may be easier to go the shelter dog route if they've been trained (I know the shelter near me allows interactions before adopting; may be easier to see how they'd respond in that environment)--that way you still get the companionship of a pet without hopefully having to be a teacher to both a pet and a possible baby at the same time.

sweetangel895

Thanks for all your help.

formerlyGDaisy09

I'm going to disagree slightly with PPs and would be cautious of adopting a rescue or shelter dog.  While I'm an active supporter, foster parent, and volunteer with local shelters and rescues, it's really hard to know what a dog's past experience is.  They do lots of testing with kids, other dogs, cats, etc. but there's know way to know if the dog has some past traumatic experience where something might triggor it. We knew someone who fostered a dog who was a real sweety-pie, but my husband had a beard once when we went over there and the dog just went crazy.

DH and I have agreed that once Kids are part of the picture we're done with rescues and shelter fosters until kids are out of the house, we'd prefer to have dogs we've trained from the start around children, their behavior is more predictable and there are not traumatic experiences in their past that might get triggored by a child or one of their friends. it would only take one incident for someone to get really hurt.  

I would do some research, think about what size "bigger" dog you want does bigger mean 25-30 lbs like a boarder collie or a spaniel or does bigger mean 60-70 lbs like a lab or golden? what abut shedding? activity level? do you want a dog that'll be at your side all the time or who will go hang out on their bed? try some of the fun breed finder tools to help you find a dog that meets what you and DH want. 

Behavior, tollerance towards kids and other dogs is going to come down to socializing and behavior training (we like to call it human training, because if we do the right things our pup learns to do the right things). If you go the puppy route find a trainer who offers Puppy classes and S.T.A.R. Puppy Certification.  We've done 12 weeks of puppy classes, Pups now does agility training, and we're going back for "outdoor explorer" training and a class focused on working off lead in distracting environments once the snow melts. 

When picking a breed I'd say size and grooming needs are the most important things to focus on as well as typical energy levels...DH and I have a dalmatian she has limited grooming needs, however she sheds A LOT(causing me to vacuum 2-3 times a week), she doesn't have a doggy-smell, she'll get to about 60 lbs, and she can train to have the endurance to be my running partner (which also means that she needs 2 really good walks a day or she's a handful, the breed is known for chewing and digging mainly because after the disney movie came out a bunch of people got Dals but didn't give them the energy outlets or dicipline that they need.  

Read up on steriotypes of breeds...because some of them are completely true. DH and I found a fantastic "poem" about a Dalmatian's philosophy, that's completely true, and great to understand when it came to training and setting rules:

If I like it, it's mine

If it's in my mouth, it's mine

If I can take it from you, it's mine

If I had it a while ago, it's mine

If it's mine, it had better not ever appear to be yours

If I'm chewing something up, all the pieces are mine

If I saw it first, it's mine

If it looks like mine, it's mine

if it's broken, it's yours.

duckie1905

Gdaisy09 said:

I'm going to disagree slightly with PPs and would be cautious of adopting a rescue or shelter dog.  While I'm an active supporter, foster parent, and volunteer with local shelters and rescues, it's really hard to know what a dog's past experience is.  They do lots of testing with kids, other dogs, cats, etc. but there's know way to know if the dog has some past traumatic experience where something might triggor it. We knew someone who fostered a dog who was a real sweety-pie, but my husband had a beard once when we went over there and the dog just went crazy.

I'm going to point out that if the OP adopts a puppy at 8 weeks (which my shelter and the shelters in my area have a lot of) they'll still get to do all the training, socializing, etc. AND they'll be supporting rescues with a much lower risk of the puppy having some sort of traumatic experience that would trigger an incident.  It'll be more expensive than an adult dog and more work to train but it won't be supporting unnecessary breeding, puppy mills, or pet stores.

formerlyGDaisy09

duckie1905 said:

Gdaisy09 said:

I'm going to disagree slightly with PPs and would be cautious of adopting a rescue or shelter dog.  While I'm an active supporter, foster parent, and volunteer with local shelters and rescues, it's really hard to know what a dog's past experience is.  They do lots of testing with kids, other dogs, cats, etc. but there's know way to know if the dog has some past traumatic experience where something might triggor it. We knew someone who fostered a dog who was a real sweety-pie, but my husband had a beard once when we went over there and the dog just went crazy.

I'm going to point out that if the OP adopts a puppy at 8 weeks (which my shelter and the shelters in my area have a lot of) they'll still get to do all the training, socializing, etc. AND they'll be supporting rescues with a much lower risk of the puppy having some sort of traumatic experience that would trigger an incident.  It'll be more expensive than an adult dog and more work to train but it won't be supporting unnecessary breeding, puppy mills, or pet stores.

I agree 100% with this, at least in our area it is extremely difficult to find a puppy with a rescue. If you're getting apuppy from a breeder, check-up on them, meet with other familys who have gotten dogs with them, and make sure they are registered as a breeder of merit with the AKC (meaning that all breedings they do are for the betterment of the breed, the should have families lined up before they do the breeding, and you shold be able to meet the parent dogs). Unless you are planning to show your dog, all puppies from a breeder should come with a spay-neuter contract (meaning as the adopter you are required to spay/neuter your new family member by a prespecified time point)

I absolutely would never support getting a puppy from a pet-store, back-yard breeder, etc...these places exastrubate the issue of population in shelters and rescues, not to mention dogs often live in deplorable conditions. 

RedheadBaker

Gdaisy09 said:

I'm going to disagree slightly with PPs and would be cautious of adopting a rescue or shelter dog.  While I'm an active supporter, foster parent, and volunteer with local shelters and rescues, it's really hard to know what a dog's past experience is.  They do lots of testing with kids, other dogs, cats, etc. but there's know way to know if the dog has some past traumatic experience where something might triggor it. We knew someone who fostered a dog who was a real sweety-pie, but my husband had a beard once when we went over there and the dog just went crazy.

Dude, could you BE any more ignorant? Did you not hear about the dogs rescued from Michael Vick's dog-fighting ring? They were raised in the most horrific of conditions. Many of them went on to live in normal households, with other dogs and with children. They earned their CGC certificates, and some became therapy dogs. 

A dog's "past" doesn't matter nearly as much as you think it does. Thank goodness reputable trainers and behaviorists disagree with you, or else the entire shelter/rescue population would be screwed. 

LuckyAngel07

RedheadBaker said:

Gdaisy09 said:

I'm going to disagree slightly with PPs and would be cautious of adopting a rescue or shelter dog.  While I'm an active supporter, foster parent, and volunteer with local shelters and rescues, it's really hard to know what a dog's past experience is.  They do lots of testing with kids, other dogs, cats, etc. but there's know way to know if the dog has some past traumatic experience where something might triggor it. We knew someone who fostered a dog who was a real sweety-pie, but my husband had a beard once when we went over there and the dog just went crazy.

Dude, could you BE any more ignorant? Did you not hear about the dogs rescued from Michael Vick's dog-fighting ring? They were raised in the most horrific of conditions. Many of them went on to live in normal households, with other dogs and with children. They earned their CGC certificates, and some became therapy dogs. 

A dog's "past" doesn't matter nearly as much as you think it does. Thank goodness reputable trainers and behaviorists disagree with you, or else the entire shelter/rescue population would be screwed. 

All of this. So many dogs who were raised in horrible conditions end up being amazing companions when they're finally given some love and the appropriate training.

Not to mention, how many dogs end up dumped at shelters because of familes like consciousdear88's above who didn't give the dog the proper training or exercise and just got rid of them instead of trying harder? Those dogs are rescue/shelter dogs as much as any other without being "traumatized" by something that might be TRIGGERED. There are vast numbers of well behaved, innocent dogs waiting in rescues and shelters for good homes.

formerlyGDaisy09

I'm not disagreeing with you. In our area it is extremely difficult to get a puppy or a young dog from a shelter or rescue. Rehabilitating a dog takes a lot of time, patience, and work, and when DH and I are done having young kids around the house I dream of having a farm where we could work with rescues (there's actually a donkey rescue I'd love to get involved with). OP mentioned kids, while not all rescues take a lot of work, and if you can find a rescue with a puppy, fantastic! But that is not possible in all areas of the country. Puppies are also a lot of work. OP should look at what her family has time for and what is available in her region. It sounds like OP has some experience with dogs, so I would hope that she realizes that adopting a dog from anywhere is a lifetime commitment to love and care for that dog.

mainerocks

Where is this mythical place where you live that there are no puppies in shelters or rescues? Please post your approximate location so that I can prove you wrong.

I'm super glad you don't volunteer at the same shelter I do... at least you aren't spreading your ignorance there. I have volunteered there for years and have seen many adult dogs come through that have a known history with children and adore them. I have seen them be matched up with new families and have seen those families return for visits, post on our FB page, or just email us with the tales of happy endings. We have a whole ton of families that would tell you that you are completely misinformed on this.

RedheadBaker

Gdaisy09 said:

Rehabilitating a dog takes a lot of time, patience, and work

You're assuming every shelter dog with an unknown past needs rehabilitating. You're advising to pass on EVERY SINGLE rescue dog that has an unknown pass. 

Guess what? My pit bull wandered into some lady's backyard. Nobody knows where he came from, how he'd been raised, or if he'd been trained. 

And he's taken to my son just fine. 

IdigDirt

My dog was found as a stray, here is her eating my son.

The rescue I used to volunteer with has mostly puppies and I really don't know of any rescue or shelter that doesn't pretty much always have young dogs. I however, will never get a puppy again now that I have kids. All my dogs have been rescued young and they don't show their true personalities until around 2 so I got lucky that they ended up being tolerant of DS's crap but that isn't always the case. It is safest to get an older dog who has been fostered in a home with kids.

DawnLilly

English Springer Spaniel

LabLove86

This whole thread really makes me anxious. A lot of people posting seem to have some very strong opinions and all of those opinions seem to be from personal experience which is great. However I don't agree with all of them. I have worked in the animal field as a LVT (similar to a nurse for animals) for 5 years and have actually been working in clinics for closer to 10 yrs. Having worked in this field for so long has lead me to have some of my own strong viewpoints - but I also know that mine are different from many of my co-workers - with the same experiences. 

So anyway - to the OP I would say a few things: 

1. I fall in the category of Rescue is not ALWAYS best. I know plenty of wonderful adoption stories - but I also know a lot of horror stories. And some of those ARE from puppies adopted from shelters. 

One of the things that will play into a dogs temperament is breed - and you can't always tell what breed(s) a box of puppies that was dropped off at the shelter is. [Yes, sometimes they are surrendered and you DO know . . . . I'm aware of this]

Temperament - is also determined on the emotional state of the dog (which just like people - nothing could have gone wrong in this dogs life and it might still need a little more help than its brother or sister)- and training certainly helps. 

2. If you are TTC and are concerned about having a 'predictable' dog (which I have to state that although I love my dog, and trust him immensely - he is still an animal and that needs to be respected) there are a few breeds I would agree with PP and recommend 

Labs - (I have one so I am partial to this . . . ) are a great family dog - loyal, love to be trained, can be big love-bugs, goofy/playful, act. They do love to chew/retrieve. And they will usually eat anything. Literally anything. Personal favorite are the black labs - and I like english if you were wondering. . . . . 

German Sheps - also very loyal family dogs. Can be a little protective of the family - so outsiders could be intimidated by this. Make sure you find a really good breeder if you choose GSD - they are starting to become inbred within the states (especially in my area I feel - western NY) and all of that inbreeding will lead to a lot of health and mental issues.

Golden Retriever - Americas dog - generally very gentle, family oriented dog. Longer coat so they need to be groomed/brushed more often. 

Breeders in general - please do your research and pay the extra $$ for a good one who is breeding to better the breed - not a back-yard breeder situation. Generally these breeders will have guarantees and guidelines for selling the pups - and will probably have you fill out an application and/or do some form of interview. They want their dogs to go to good homes. 

If you're looking for more of a mid-sized dog as opposed to large breed dog - I personally like Corgis and Beagles. 

Essentially - just do your research not only for what breed you would want - but then also for the breeders of the pup you would wish to purchase. 

I hope this will help you a little bit - and good luck on finding an addition to your family )

RedheadBaker

ambolt75 said:

This whole thread really makes me anxious. A lot of people posting seem to have some very strong opinions and all of those opinions seem to be from personal experience which is great. However I don't agree with all of them. I have worked in the animal field as a LVT (similar to a nurse for animals) for 5 years and have actually been working in clinics for closer to 10 yrs. Having worked in this field for so long has lead me to have some of my own strong viewpoints - but I also know that mine are different from many of my co-workers - with the same experiences. 

So anyway - to the OP I would say a few things: 

1. I fall in the category of Rescue is not ALWAYS best. I know plenty of wonderful adoption stories - but I also know a lot of horror stories. And some of those ARE from puppies adopted from shelters. 

One of the things that will play into a dogs temperament is breed - and you can't always tell what breed(s) a box of puppies that was dropped off at the shelter is. [Yes, sometimes they are surrendered and you DO know . . . . I'm aware of this]

Temperament - is also determined on the emotional state of the dog (which just like people - nothing could have gone wrong in this dogs life and it might still need a little more help than its brother or sister)- and training certainly helps. 

2. If you are TTC and are concerned about having a 'predictable' dog (which I have to state that although I love my dog, and trust him immensely - he is still an animal and that needs to be respected) there are a few breeds I would agree with PP and recommend 

Labs - (I have one so I am partial to this . . . ) are a great family dog - loyal, love to be trained, can be big love-bugs, goofy/playful, act. They do love to chew/retrieve. And they will usually eat anything. Literally anything. Personal favorite are the black labs - and I like english if you were wondering. . . . . 

German Sheps - also very loyal family dogs. Can be a little protective of the family - so outsiders could be intimidated by this. Make sure you find a really good breeder if you choose GSD - they are starting to become inbred within the states (especially in my area I feel - western NY) and all of that inbreeding will lead to a lot of health and mental issues.

Golden Retriever - Americas dog - generally very gentle, family oriented dog. Longer coat so they need to be groomed/brushed more often. 

Breeders in general - please do your research and pay the extra $$ for a good one who is breeding to better the breed - not a back-yard breeder situation. Generally these breeders will have guarantees and guidelines for selling the pups - and will probably have you fill out an application and/or do some form of interview. They want their dogs to go to good homes. 

If you're looking for more of a mid-sized dog as opposed to large breed dog - I personally like Corgis and Beagles. 

Essentially - just do your research not only for what breed you would want - but then also for the breeders of the pup you would wish to purchase. 

I hope this will help you a little bit - and good luck on finding an addition to your family )

Holy shit.

No, just no. 

There's a reason that the CDC stopped tracking breed information with bite reports -- because breed does not dictate behavior. 

moonprincessd

I'm not going to say all shelter dogs are bad, but my husband had a horrible experience with a shelter dog and refuses to get from a shelter. I know not all shelters are bad, but I also want a specific breed, would like to do some showing, so we plan to get our puppy from a reputable breeder. 

I would just be cautious when adopting. His family adopted a dog, and it was not very trainable, always making a mess, wrecking the house, and other various problems. It was a mut, so not sure what breeds played into it's bad behavior. It was just not his ideal dog... 

It depends on the quality of the shelters in your area, but just make sure you get as much info as you can on the dog's behavior.

LabLove86

RedheadBaker said:

Holy shit.

No, just no. 

There's a reason that the CDC stopped tracking breed information with bite reports -- because breed does not dictate behavior. 

There are reasons that certain breeds are considered better "family" dogs, or "working" dogs, or "whatever category you choose" dogs - and this is due to inherent behaviors of the breed which translate into behaviors. Why do beagles roll so much? Because they are trying to cover their own scent so they can be better trackers/hunters. That kind of thing.

What you are talking about is aggression and I am not saying that breed predisposes to aggression. But some breed traits (such as being protective) can eventually be morphed into aggressive behaviors depending on training and experiences. This is all I was trying to say.

I understand that you're opinions are obviously different from mine and that is fine. But my points are not invalid. 

And just as a side note - I don't care what the CDC says - from my personal experiences and dealing with hundreds upon hundreds of dogs - I will personally always be more cautious around certain breeds than others. And this has quite literally saved my face on more than one occasion.

RedheadBaker

ambolt75 said:

RedheadBaker said:

Holy shit.

No, just no. 

There's a reason that the CDC stopped tracking breed information with bite reports -- because breed does not dictate behavior. 

There are reasons that certain breeds are considered better "family" dogs, or "working" dogs, or "whatever category you choose" dogs - and this is due to inherent behaviors of the breed which translate into behaviors. Why do beagles roll so much? Because they are trying to cover their own scent so they can be better trackers/hunters. That kind of thing.

What you are talking about is aggression and I am not saying that breed predisposes to aggression. But some breed traits (such as being protective) can eventually be morphed into aggressive behaviors depending on training and experiences. This is all I was trying to say.

I understand that you're opinions are obviously different from mine and that is fine. But my points are not invalid. 

And just as a side note - I don't care what the CDC says - from my personal experiences and dealing with hundreds upon hundreds of dogs - I will personally always be more cautious around certain breeds than others. And this has quite literally saved my face on more than one occasion.

You totally contradicted yourself there. 

I will repeat again: any dog of any breed can be a good "family dog," or not. All dogs are individuals. 

formerlyGDaisy09

RedheadBaker said:

ambolt75 said:

RedheadBaker said:

Holy shit.

No, just no. 

There's a reason that the CDC stopped tracking breed information with bite reports -- because breed does not dictate behavior. 

There are reasons that certain breeds are considered better "family" dogs, or "working" dogs, or "whatever category you choose" dogs - and this is due to inherent behaviors of the breed which translate into behaviors. Why do beagles roll so much? Because they are trying to cover their own scent so they can be better trackers/hunters. That kind of thing.

What you are talking about is aggression and I am not saying that breed predisposes to aggression. But some breed traits (such as being protective) can eventually be morphed into aggressive behaviors depending on training and experiences. This is all I was trying to say.

I understand that you're opinions are obviously different from mine and that is fine. But my points are not invalid. 

And just as a side note - I don't care what the CDC says - from my personal experiences and dealing with hundreds upon hundreds of dogs - I will personally always be more cautious around certain breeds than others. And this has quite literally saved my face on more than one occasion.

You totally contradicted yourself there. 

I will repeat again: any dog of any breed can be a good "family dog," or not. All dogs are individuals. 

I think you're twisting her words here, she is saying that any dog could be a good family dog with training, but there are certain breeds, based on what that breed was originally breed for that are more likely to be agressive (ie that she encounters in her work situation), that she is more careful around. 

There are definitely certain traits that stay with breeds. Beagles and hounds are likely to run off, because they were breed to track scents and if they pick up a critter that went through your yard, they'll follow it off your property. Retreivers (working dogs) are going to want to retreive things, you throw a tennis ball or you play catch in your yard with your kid, you can bet your butt that dog is going to retreive the ball, it might even bring you a dead squirrel if it finds one. boarder collies were breed to herd sheep, they will herd your friends, your children, your cat, whatever. my dalmatian was breed to run along side the horses in the fire company when the water tanks were pulled by horses and let everyone know they were coming, then keep the horses calm while the men fought the fire, therefore she will be able to go on 10+ mile runs with me, and she is very comforting when times are stressful, but she barks (a lot).

this is not to say that a retreiver can't run, or won't bark, or that a beagle might not follow scents out of the yard.  But we are talking about hundreds of generations of breeding for specific traits...its the nature vs. nurture argument, there are some traits that when genetically engrained in dogs for so many generations are going to be harder to address with training. if you know the breed better you can come-up with strategies to address what might become behavior problems.  It might take you a lot more work to train a huskey not to pull on a leash, but you can do it. 

LabLove86

@Gdaisy09 - thank you so much for clarifying (and understanding) what I was trying to say.

I do believe that dogs are individuals - I never said they were not. But I also think that to understand that individual breed traits do play a role.

Thank you again.

RedheadBaker

Gdaisy09 said:

RedheadBaker said:

ambolt75 said:

RedheadBaker said:

I think you're twisting her words here, she is saying that any dog could be a good family dog with training, but there are certain breeds, based on what that breed was originally breed for that are more likely to be agressive (ie that she encounters in her work situation), that she is more careful around. 

No breed of dog was ever bred to be aggressive to humans. Some dogs were bred for gameness, others have a prey drive. Not the same thing as aggression. 

Maybe @ambolt75 should consider that she works in a veterinary office, which is a scary place for pets, and maybe that is why she perceives them as aggressive. 

LabLove86

@RedheadBaker - No one has mentioned that dogs were bred specifically with aggression towards humans in this thread so I'm not sure where that comment came from. @gdaisy09 said " are more likely to be aggressive" but thats not the same thing as bred with intent of aggression. But dogs do/can get aggressive towards humans. That's a real thing. I'm sorry if you're not willing to see that.

As far as my attitude goes - please don't assume that I don't understand going to the vet is scary for these animals. I am fully aware. And I take as many steps as possible to make it a safe and happy environment for them. There is a difference between fear and aggression. I have seen my fair share of both. So when the animal shows the signs - yes I "perceive" that specific animal as fearful or aggressive or whatever other category they may fall into. But I do not perceive all dogs to inherently be aggressive. I go by a "trust-worthy until proven not" approach. My work environment is not - by any means - the only time I have contact with animals. Which is what you seem to be assuming.

All I was trying to do was help the OP with my knowledge/experience. At this point - you seem to be trying to just pick a fight as opposed to reading what is actually being said.

Edit - I'm sure you've realized - but yes this is ambolt75 - I requested to have my user name changed about a week ago and it was conveniently changed now. Sorry for any confusion!

formerlyGDaisy09

Thanks for translating for me @LabLove86! 

the other point, which we've learned recently with our girl, is that if you get a puppy from a reputable breeder, you gain access to a wealth of health history and can get better insight into health issues as they arise.  

Our pup had a nasty ear infection in December, we were able to get intouch with the breeder and learn that her father had lots of problems with his ears and a diet change was able to address his problem.  It turns out that while he doesn't have food allergies some of his siblings do, so with one more itchy face incident at the vet we've been able to jump on the food allergy train and begin to try to figure out what is making her so itchy.  The vet said without the family history it could have taken us a few more steps before we got to the food allergy place. 

kwitt22

I agree with the PP on rescues and shelter. A good shelter or rescue will know the personality of their dogs and will be able to recommend one that works with your needs.  That being said the best behaved and easiest dogs I have come in contact with are Golden Retrievers. I seriously have never met or had an ill behaved one. Again just my personal experience.

Right now we have a pug mix (puggle) and she is absolutely wonderful with my daughter. She is very, very food driven and difficult to train. If you leave anything out she will get it in a second. I wouldn't trade her for the world, though. She is the perfect mix of energetic and cuddle bug. She keep up on a short run or hike with me, but spends all evening cuddled up on the couch with me! 

jt305

I have a goldendoodle that was purchased as a puppy from a family I know well.  I wanted this breed specifically because he is now a therapy dog at my school.  I was very careful about choosing a breed and a breeder because I needed a gentle, easy-going, smart, hypo-allergenic dog.  I did a lot of research and it paid off; he is perfect and well loved at home and school. 

We also have a pit mix from a shelter.  He sort of fell in our laps as a four month old puppy.  He is a "bull in a china cabinet" at times (still figuring out he is pretty strong), but we also are very happy with him.  My husband takes him to work every day where he is around lots of customers and he goes to the farm with him.   Our pit is around kids a lot and loves them!!  He is also well-loved and part of our family.

My point being--my husband and I have taken two different routes in finding our dogs--each specific to what we were looking for, we have been lucky, as they have both worked out wonderfully for us.  My advice, think about what you want for your family and future children and choose what fits YOU the best! 

closapio

Please don't purchase goldendoodles from breeders. There is a ton of fantastic information in our FAQs about why not that you can read, but in a nutshell, there is no guarantee that they will be hypoallergenic, and those breeders basically suck at life and don't even realize it.

jt305 said:

I have a goldendoodle that was purchased as a puppy from a family I know well.  I wanted this breed specifically because he is now a therapy dog at my school.  I was very careful about choosing a breed and a breeder because I needed a gentle, easy-going, smart, hypo-allergenic dog.  I did a lot of research and it paid off; he is perfect and well loved at home and school. 

We also have a pit mix from a shelter.  He sort of fell in our laps as a four month old puppy.  He is a "bull in a china cabinet" at times (still figuring out he is pretty strong), but we also are very happy with him.  My husband takes him to work every day where he is around lots of customers and he goes to the farm with him.   Our pit is around kids a lot and loves them!!  He is also well-loved and part of our family.

My point being--my husband and I have taken two different routes in finding our dogs--each specific to what we were looking for, we have been lucky, as they have both worked out wonderfully for us.  My advice, think about what you want for your family and future children and choose what fits YOU the best! 

jt305

closapio said:

Please don't purchase goldendoodles from breeders. There is a ton of fantastic information in our FAQs about why not that you can read, but in a nutshell, there is no guarantee that they will be hypoallergenic, and those breeders basically suck at life and don't even realize it.

jt305 said:

I have a goldendoodle that was purchased as a puppy from a family I know well.  I wanted this breed specifically because he is now a therapy dog at my school.  I was very careful about choosing a breed and a breeder because I needed a gentle, easy-going, smart, hypo-allergenic dog.  I did a lot of research and it paid off; he is perfect and well loved at home and school. 

We also have a pit mix from a shelter.  He sort of fell in our laps as a four month old puppy.  He is a "bull in a china cabinet" at times (still figuring out he is pretty strong), but we also are very happy with him.  My husband takes him to work every day where he is around lots of customers and he goes to the farm with him.   Our pit is around kids a lot and loves them!!  He is also well-loved and part of our family.

My point being--my husband and I have taken two different routes in finding our dogs--each specific to what we were looking for, we have been lucky, as they have both worked out wonderfully for us.  My advice, think about what you want for your family and future children and choose what fits YOU the best! 

Well, I personally know the people who I bought my goldendoodle from--who are amazing people.  I don't typically buy from breeders--which is my point if you read the rest of my post.  But I appreciate your opinion.