What is your opinion of the best breed of family dog?
Our personal choice is labs( unless you ask DW and than she'll say golden retriever :p )
Labs all the way!!!
matt
My Mom was raised with an Australian Border Collie and my brother and I were raised with a miniature Australian Border Collie. Both had the best family temperaments and extreme family loyalty. They were very easy to train, were not needless barkers, and traveled well. My Dh and I had an Irish Setter (Which I had ALWAYS wanted) and he also was a good family dog. He was very good with our daughter when she came along. Everyone is going to be partial to the family dog they grew up with, for the most part. The smartest thing to do when choosing a family pet is to take your time and to have all family members meet and spend some time with the pet before making any commitment. Study the animal's personality and how each family member interacts with the prospective pet. I know that isn't always easy and is even harder the younger the pet or a family member is, but it's worth the effort.
Just my $.02 worth.
Happy pet hunting,
Cheryl
We have a 19-month old AKC Red Doberman and his personality is great for camping and family stuff. He is big (104 lbs so far) so he has his own bed in the popup. We started off with a round dog bed pillow in the middle of the floor and he is actually getting used to us stepping over him. But I am going to have the side seat cushion covered (removable to wash) and let him have that - now that he is larger than the middle of the floor. Since the 5 kids grew up and moved, we now have a 4-legged kid that loves marshmallows, chocolate bar and graham crackers - a true camper!
We LOVE Yellow Labs and Golden Retrievers. However, they both tend to have health issues (that'll get me some flack :p )......HMMMMMMMMM!!!
When we get our next dog, we plan to get a Lab/Retriever mix. I know a few people that have them. They tend to be less hyper than the Lab and more kid (and bird :p ) friendly than the Retriever. They also are said to be healthier.
So.....I would have to say a Lab/Retriever :sombraro: .
Just for the record........I voted for "Mutt". We love most all dogs <maybe that'll keep me out of trouble>
I feel that German Canardleys are best, but there are similar breeds that can work well - Irish Canardley, Welsh Canardley, etc.
What's a Canardley? Depends on what goes with it. For example, a Border Canardley would be part border collie, but you can hardley (Canardley) tell.
Austin
The best breed is which ever I happen to have at the time. We are currently on our 3rd family pet.
The first was a Briard/Lab mix, she was an awesome dog and a great camper. She was so strong that once she followed us to the bath house that was close to our site.... with picnic table attached!...(we had her tied to an old log table) I really thought there would never be a better dog. She lived to be 13, not bad for an 85 - 90 lb 'der
About half yr late we got Shadow, he was a mix of many and he was every bit and then some.. he lived up to and surpassed what we wanted in a dog. He lived a wonderful 16 yrs. We put him down this past March and I still miss him very much , and will for a long time. Shadow was one of those special dogs in life, a few of you had the pleasure of camping with him.
Sooooo... here we are today, with an Austrailian Shepherd, my first purebred dog.
(I had wanted an Aussie as far back as I can remember)
He came to us a month after Shadow, just after easter.
He was 5 months old and not trained, but housebroke at least.
Koda is now pushing 8 months and is a fast learner. He's gone on 3 campouts and other than the occasional bark at passer byers he is doing better than expected and is comfortable being left alone in the camper (handy if it's raining). He is by far the most entertaining dog we've had with his antics and energy.
I guess today the best family dog is the Aussie, a yr ago it was a Mutt by a long shot. Who know what it'll be in another ???? yrs from now.
Pembroke Welsh Corgi--no question about it!!
If you have kids, they are great--they will even round them up when
you want them in for dinner :)
Zoe our flyball corgi
We are on our 3rd Lab (1 Black an 2 chocolates). There is a difference between chocolate labs...or so Im told. Ours is a "blockhead" and is sorta a show dog although he will never be shown. The last chocolate we had was a "field Grade" lab. The difference between the 2 is that the block head has massive paws and legs and a short wide snout and..... has an IQ of a stump. We love him anyway. The Field grade was supposidly a hunting type Lab and had much thinner legs and paws and a longer narrower snout. I never hunt but he was a lot smarter than the blockhead. Although the Blockhead (Buddy) can smell food from a mile away and will drool like a open water faucet. He is a much better watchdog and will bark at people when a stranger starts up the front walk to our door. Can be a pain in the butt in a campground but maby when he is a lot older.......who knows? All 3 of the Labs we have had were and are People dogs, they love kids and we had never seen them growel in anger, not even if one were to remove thier food while they ate. The neighbors dog ( A smaller dog) always takes his stuff away from him and he has never shown anger. Whatta dog......
Ours is a "blockhead"
We also have a "blockhead" black lab. He's a great dog! He turned 13 this year in April. He looks great for as old as he is-only has a little grey on his chin. Also have a small poodle mix that's very well behaved so I can't vote. I love them all!
Our vote is for Jack Russells, they love people, ignore other dogs and are very self entertained. Did I mention they never run out of energy!
I would have to say it depends on the dog itself. Not necessarily just a particular breed.
I am a Golden Retriever lover at heart, had them since I was a kid and rescued my last one from the pound.
After my last one had to be put down I was looking to rescue another dog from the pound.
I ended up with a Rottweiler/German Shepperd mix, 100lbs worth. He has no aggressive tendencies and is great around new people, other dogs and my friends kids. In fact the neighbor kids come knock on my door to ask if they can play with him.
Darrell
Australian Cattle Dog, aka: Queensland Heeler or Blue Healer.
Dingo looking body, IQ higher than that of it's humans, loyal beyond all reproach. Trainable to whistling and finger snaps/hand gestures, etc.
We currently own our second one who's almost 3 and we've had her since 12wks.
She whoreships our 7 year old daughter and her friends.
austrailian shepard toy
We have a mut we rescued from the local pound. He looks to be mostely a LAB / Retriever mix with maybe a little something else mixed in, but he's really a great dog.
I find it hard to answer that poll. I had a dauchshound (bumpers) for 10 years. He was by my side everywhere I went. Probably not the "guy" dog most men would want but we were connected at the heart. I lost Bumpers last January. My DW had picked me up a chocolate lab for my birthday two years ago (Harley). Bump and Harley hit it right off. Pretty comical watching a 80+ lab and a 8 lb weinie dog play around. Harley is a smart dog, maybe too smart for his own good, he is a barker but we are working on that.
I have had many different breeds and I too think it all depends on what you have at the time. Bumpers, I would have to say, was closest and dearest to my heart but Harley is trying his hardest to fill the void. We spend alot of time together and he is learning fast.
Quote from: Darrell TI would have to say it depends on the dog itself. Not necessarily just a particular breed.
I am a Golden Retriever lover at heart, had them since I was a kid and rescued my last one from the pound.
After my last one had to be put down I was looking to rescue another dog from the pound.
I ended up with a Rottweiler/German Shepperd mix, 100lbs worth. He has no aggressive tendencies and is great around new people, other dogs and my friends kids. In fact the neighbor kids come knock on my door to ask if they can play with him.
Darrell[/QUOTE
Hey Darrell, do you have any pics of your Rott N' Shepard? (That's what we call ours). He's a great dog.
Alligators are not choosey about breeds. They all taste the same.
Quote from: Old GoatAlligators are not choosey about breeds. They all taste the same.
now thats funny ........and true we have a few right down the street
Quote from: LimeJeeeepnow thats funny ........and true we have a few right down the street
Yup, I know. I used to live in South Florida in a place where there was plenty of them.
Quote from: campdaddyWe have a mut we rescued from the local pound. He looks to be mostely a LAB / Retriever mix with maybe a little something else mixed in, but he's really a great dog.
DW has informed me the Henry the dog does not contain retriever. He's Lab and Sheperd with more lab than anythnig. Still a good dog though. We do not take him camping because we spend too much time away from the campsite sight seeing and other activities where Man's Best Friend may not be welcomed. Also he has a bit of a barking problem. We're working on it; got him in a 12step program -JK- . :p
We once camped where the people two sites away from us left their dog caged at their camp site for the entire 3 day weekend while they were away. It barked the entire time they were gone - I don't blame the dog -but it did take away from our enjoyment. Don't remember why managment let it continue.
Quote from: Old GoatYup, I know. I used to live in South Florida in a place where there was plenty of them.
You gotta be kiddin . . . right? I lived in Sarasota for 12 years and got tired of poisoning everything - including the mold on my tile roof. It was the bull alligator that literally walked through our screening on the caged pool and was lounging on the swim-out. I came out at 5:30AM - like I did ever AM to do laps, and noticed this bobbing object at the other end. I knew that I took all the kids toys out the night before (for fear of getting sucked into various intakes). I got out of the pool, went into the house, and turned on the pool lights. I discovered a 5-1/2 footer alligator looking rather pissed off that I turned on the pool lights. We called the forest ranger and they come with a crew to take them away and supposedly place them in some other area unpopulated by humans. I realize we are the ones that invadid their territory - and I am sorry for that - but I already was paying the mortgage - so instead sold the house in a record 4-1/2 days to a couple from New York City - alligators - sure they know about them - they just flush them . . . right??? I now live in VA and hopefully move to PA soon. Bet I won't see any there???
Dave
No alligators in PA?....not unless some crazy fool brings in a few for pets and then releases them into the wilds when they get to big to care for. THey found one in the sewers of NYC awhile back and suspect that it was brought in as a pet......
I suppose in a roundabout way, Golden retreivers count as sort-of labs, but no - they're not quite the same!
Goldens have held my heart for years - though I love all dogs - Goldens are my favorite. I've had backyard bred, rescue and purebred goldens - Fizzy is my fourth golden in 20+ yrs. They make uncomparable companions for anything - all they ask is to be with their people, and they are happy. The only thing that makes them unhappy is to be left alone.
I grew up with German shepherds, and have known many loving dogs of many breeds and mixes - but goldens are universally accepted as the kid-loving, gentle, live teddy bears of dogdom - who could possibly resist this face?
(http://inlinethumb41.webshots.com/15336/2722825080100639314S425x425Q85.jpg) (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2722825080100639314kctBjx)
This is my Fizzy on a canoe trip this summer. Her first trip in a canoe and she was perfect; sat still in the canoe, hopped in and out on command, and only begged food a little ( well, maybe more, we had GOOD food, and she was being such a good girl!) - Isn't she adorable?
Laura
Laura
While we have two mutts right now I really want to get a Great Dane when we have more land. Great dogs, can't wait.
The Hutton Gang
I hope you realize that Great Danes are great . . . but they also have a very short life-span.
Greg Louganis stopped breeding them because he lost enough of them in early ages and it was heartbreaking to him!
If you have young children in the home, think of what this will mean to them.
Quote from: daldrichtThe Hutton Gang
I hope you realize that Great Danes are great . . . but they also have a very short life-span.
Greg Louganis stopped breeding them because he lost enough of them in early ages and it was heartbreaking to him!
If you have young children in the home, think of what this will mean to them.
Yeah, I know, it is the only discouraging part about the breed. Then again my St. Bernard had hip displacia real bad also before she finally passed away. I figure our mutts will be with us for many more years to come and by then the kids will be older. Besides, at this point I don't really have the land/location to have them danes now.
With all that being said, thanks for the info. When the time comes for us to look for another dog we will have to consider it. Knowing us we will take in another stray before then anyways.
Here's what it's all about! Daughter Kate(8) and Katie(2-1/2) the Austrailian Cattle Dog aka Queensland Heeler.
AWWWW!
You're right - that's what it's all about - every dog needs a kid, and every kid needs a dog...... they're just made for each other!
These are mine -
(http://inlinethumb47.webshots.com/17006/2240409290100639314S425x425Q85.jpg) (http://family.webshots.com/photo/2240409290100639314CNJdJg)
Fizzy & Jon
Laura
Now that's what I'm talkin' about! I love it when dogs are kept clean and allowed to live in the house and be part of the family. Nothing's better. Our's has a ramp that gets her up into my daughter's bunk bed. Every night she goes up and lays there until Kate falls asleep. Then she comes back down to be with us. During the day, she waits for Kate to come home from school by hanging out in her bunk, looking out the window.
As a child I had a sable colored collie that used to walk me to the bus in the morning for school and she would be waiting for me when I got home in the afternoon. I had a ground hut that she used to sit outside and await for us to emerge so that she could play with us. And she always was in the house. My mother brushed her to the point her sable colored fur shined, her feet were wiped with an old towel when she came in from the rain or snow - and she always slept on my bed at night - she was like a giant electric blanket.
We have a red Doberman now and he follows me everywhere. If I grab for my car keys or try to get my sandles on, he knows I am going somewhere, so he must be going also . . . right? We have to be careful during the summer months because of having to leave him in the car and the internal temperature of the car - but he is just 2 years old now and seems to understand this. I have never known me to have such patience with an animal. He will stand next to me in the kitchen - sitting - and his jaw can rest on the counter - which makes him look like he is the assistant cook. Yea, right??? I talk to him constantly and have this grin on my face most of the time caused by a curious cocking of his head from one side to the other trying to figure out half of what I say. But if the word "go" is in the sentence, it is almost like "when" should be included.
In many ways, animals are far easier to take care of than kids (and I should know - we had 5 kids and 37-foster kids), to love and feel the enormous affection in return. And they expect very little in return - brush me, feed me and scratch my back and they are in seventh heaven. This would be a good house to return to in your second life as an animal!
The best dog is the one you have.....We just love our little Papillon and I have had them since 1964......Now with this being said maybe they are not the best family dog but our kids and these little dogs always did well together. We also had Goldens for them to romp around with......
The Grand Kids call her sweet pickles except when she's being bad then she's a Dill Pickle........
We have Poodles, one is a mini and the other a toy. They are excellent dogs. They are wonderful with our 9yr old. The mini was raised with our dtr and the toy is 2. The toy thinks she is a beagle she runs,hunts,retrieves,digs, she is alot of fun for our dtr and just the right size to sleep with. Not to bad for barking but definitely alert dogs. They are very smart to the point it is scary. Only draw back is they need regular grooming, but hey they dont shed...Yippy
Maine Coon Cat!
Cats Rule, dogs drool!