Dog breed suggestions

[ariastar]

Okay, I have been thinking about getting a dog for a couple years. At first I was thinking of an adult from the pound or a rescue, a big dog. Now I'm still going to go for the pound a rescue, but probably a puppy because I will need to train it and my mom is scared to death of big dogs she hasn't known from puppy-hood (having been attacked by two dogs in the same week as a child). Nickolay has a golden retriever. I still want a big dog.

I have been primarily considering a German shepherd, a great dane, Irish Wolfhound (the largest breed), lab, rottie, dobie.

What breeds would you recommend that are obedient, calm tempered, meium or large, that would get along with a golden?

[tokenuser]

Okay, I have been thinking about getting a dog for a couple years. At first I was thinking of an adult from the pound or a rescue, a big dog. Now I'm still going to go for the pound a rescue, but probably a puppy because I will need to train it and my mom is scared to death of big dogs she hasn't known from puppy-hood (having been attacked by two dogs in the same week as a child). Nickolay has a golden retriever. I still want a big dog.If Nickolay moves in with you, wont two big dogs in an apartment be a problem?

[klitzy]

Labs are the sweetest dogs ever...I used to have a yellow lab (Episode 39) and he was seriously awesome. Never tore anything up, stayed always by your side, never ran off. Might have been the dog but I labs seem to be a pretty safe choice when looking for bigger dogs.

We now have a female doberman and she is anything but a guard dog. If you sit on the floor, she will literally come and sit on your lap. Literally....On your lap. She loves the couch and is just the sweetest thing. Scared of other dogs though. We got her from the SPCA because someone had given her up because their other dog was attacking her and she would just lay down and let it attack her. She is a real sweetie.

Though I am bias, I would go with a lab rather than a doberman. While I think my lab was special, I think that this doberman is even more special and dog specific. I have never seen a doberman act like this before while most labs seem to be really sweet and loving and "sit by your side" dogs.

[ariastar]

If Nickolay moves in with you, wont two big dogs in an apartment be a problem?

He's moving to a house instead. He and the other two guys managed to get one at the eleventh hour. Moving in with me was more or less a last resort option.

[masherscf]

Don't breed with dogs... they never call you back...

[acidburn]

How about a border collie mix. I got my puppy at a shelter. She's a border collie/lab mix as far as I can tell. She's got a great temperament and is very smart.


If you go with a shelter dog here is a good temperament test for dogs. I used it when picking out my puppy and I can tell you this test was spot on for predicting her personality

http://www.nrta.com/breedforfoundation/temptest.html

As for how the dog will get along with others. You can't tell 100% just based on breed alone. Why not bring the other dog along to the shelter so it can meet your new puppy and see if they get along. Most shelters will welcome this try out to avoid bad situations at home.

[ariastar]

How about a border collie mix. I got my puppy at a shelter. She's a border collie/lab mix as far as I can tell. She's got a great temperament and is very smart.


If you go with a shelter dog here is a good temperament test for dogs. I used it when picking out my puppy and I can tell you this test was spot on for predicting her personality

http://www.nrta.com/breedforfoundation/temptest.html

As for how the dog will get along with others. You can't tell 100% just based on breed alone. Why not bring the other dog along to the shelter so it can meet your new puppy and see if they get along. Most shelters will welcome this try out to avoid bad situations at home.


A couple of those tests that indicate adult aggressiveness shouldn'e be taken as aggressiveness alone.

Test the dog's reaction to toys: Use toys to get the dog excited and playing for 30 seconds. Stop and suddenly drop the toy.
~Does the dog jump up, mount, or mouth you? Does the dog take the toy and try to run off with it?

Toss a crumpled piece of paper on the ground. While the dog is sniffing it, yell "Hey! Give me that!" Use a long stick or broom handle to take the piece of paper away.
~Does it grab the paper and try to run off with it?

For these two, taking the toy or paper and running with it may be an attempt at playing.


Test the dog's responsiveness to food: Give the dog food in a bowl and fill it with canned dog food. Before the dog finishes, use a long stick or broom handle to pull the bowl away.
~Does it lift its lips, bite at the stick, bark, growl, or jump up on you to get the food back?

If a dog jumps up in a relaxed manner, tail waging, then this isn't aggressive.


Also, dogs bark and grown as a way to communicate. Nickolay's dog, Max, will growl when he hears noise outside followed by a low bark and a tail wag with his tongue hanging out. We use our voices to communicate, be it a hostile scream or a friendly hello. Same for dogs. The key is in learning to differentiate hostile from friendly. If a dog is growling, teeth bared, hair on back standing up, then watch out. If a dog's growling and wagging his tail, teeth not bared, hair down, he's probably still friendly. When Max did this, I pinched his nose and he started to lick my hand.


I'm not sure how Max would be at a pound. If it scared him, he wouldn't be himself around a single dog.

More or less I think what I need is a breed or dog that will work with the energy and demands of a golden.

[comhcinc]

Okay, Now I'm still going to go for the pound a rescue, but probably a puppy because I will need to train it and my mom is scared to death of big dogs she hasn't known from puppy-hood (having been attacked by two dogs in the same week as a child).


i have had dogs all my life and i think i can give some pointers here. first get this breed business out of your head. if you go to a pound , which i think you should, you are going to get a mutt. people don't take full breed pups to the pound. they sell them. that being said find a dog you like and get it. if you are raising a puppy it will turn out however you treat it. if you love it and train it, it will be a good dog even if it is a german blood satan hound.

i have had chows(chow chow) for years and never had problem one.

[ariastar]

i have had dogs all my life and i think i can give some pointers here. first get this breed business out of your head. if you go to a pound , which i think you should, you are going to get a mutt. people don't take full breed pups to the pound. they sell them. that being said find a dog you like and get it. if you are raising a puppy it will turn out however you treat it. if you love it and train it, it will be a good dog even if it is a german blood satan hound.

i have had chows(chow chow) for years and never had problem one.

People do ditch purebred. No papers, no interest, whatever.

My reason for going with a breed is a better idea of temperament, size, and activity level as it gets older.

[comhcinc]

People do ditch purebred. No papers, no interest, whatever.

My reason for going with a breed is a better idea of temperament, size, and activity level as it gets older.

i have never seen it except for close friends

best dog i ever had was a basset hound/beagle/weenie dog/raccoon/bird dog/wombat mix that i pick up at the pound as a pup. she was smart well train(thanks to yours truly) and the best damn friend i ever had. i pick her up at the local pound one day when i had stopped next door to pay a bill. had her for years.

lol that no where and now i am all choked up good luck with you search

[xibalba]

Best dog I've had is my current one and he is a cocker spaniel.
http://s139.photobucket.com/albums/q291/xibalbathirteen/Photos/?action=view&current=Photos_13.jpg
He gets along with most dogs except usually tries to hump them. They're not to small or too big. If ya are looking for a big dog how bout a St. Bernard :D

[magunwarrior]

My one and only dog was a Cocker Spaniel that I had for 14 years, he was an AMAZING dog.

[xibalba]

My one and only dog was a Cocker Spaniel that I had for 14 years, he was an AMAZING dog.

Toby thats his name is 13

[ariastar]

If ya are looking for a big dog how bout a St. Bernard :D

LOL, too slobbery, so it wouldn't be practical to keep one inside. :) I prefer to keep my dogs as primarily indoor dogs. They can go out, but aren't kept outside 24/7.

[-mk-]

Golden Doodle.

Can't....resist - too.......cute, auuuugh.

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/9956/cindyfz9.jpg

[xibalba]

LOL, too slobbery, so it wouldn't be practical to keep one inside. :) I prefer to keep my dogs as primarily indoor dogs. They can go out, but aren't kept outside 24/7.

Some great danes can get pretty big. When I was little I wanted a brown one with black spots and was going to name it Scooby Doo :D. Labs are cool so are Dobies my ex bred dogs and really loves them always had like 3 or more.

[ariastar]

Golden Doodle.

Can't....resist - too.......cute, auuuugh.

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/9956/cindyfz9.jpg

AAAAAWWWWWWWW!!!!!

[ariastar]

Some great danes can get pretty big. When I was little I wanted a brown one with black spots and was going to name it Scooby Doo :D. Labs are cool so are Dobies my ex bred dogs and really loves them always had like 3 or more.

Irish wolfhounds are the largest dogs. :) I like giant dogs a lot.

My mom suggests a golden.

[xibalba]

Irish wolfhounds are the largest dogs. :) I like giant dogs a lot.

My mom suggests a golden.

I thought they were the tallest breed not biggest English mastiff has that title weight wise. I've also wanted a Newfoundland or a St. B.

[-mk-]

Irish wolfhounds are the largest dogs. :) I like giant dogs a lot.

My mom suggests a golden.

My family's had goldens (I assume you're talking retrievers) for 20 years now - I highly recommend them...they're beautiful dogs and magnificent companions. If you're not a fan of all the hair shedding/brushing, a golden doodle (or some other cross) is the ticket.

[ariastar]

My family's had goldens (I assume you're talking retrievers) for 20 years now - I highly recommend them...they're beautiful dogs and magnificent companions. If you're not a fan of all the hair shedding/brushing, a golden doodle (or some other cross) is the ticket.

Yup, retrievers. :) I don't mind shedding and brushing. Brushing is relaxing.

[mongoose]

Huskies rock, but they shed a lot and might not be what you're looking for.

[ariastar]

Huskies rock, but they shed a lot and might not be what you're looking for.

Oh, I had a husky, a fox-red girl named Scarlett. I know how they shed and are such pains in the ass, yet absolutely wonderful. But I'm not looking for a dog so tricky to train. They're brilliant and won't do what you tell them unless there's something to be gained for them. :)

[de3po]

Used to have an Irish Wolfhound/poodle mix when I was young; very loving dog. I suggest only getting an Irish Wolfhound if you have enough space for one.

[rummikub]

:) I love all dogs but I like the larger breed. German shepard or Rottie or a Lab. They are big enough to scare people away that you don't want around but good company. Oh yeah Dalmations but they are high strung.