Pet Lovers

[Beautiful life]

We are looking for a puppy but not sure what breed or mixed breed. My children want a small dog my husband wants a larger dog and I'm not sure. We have a decent back yard but has a pool.  

whats your favorite? 

[HappyDaze]

There are so many great breeds but what is most important when choosing a breed is to consider your lifestyle and think about what kind of things you are looking for in a dog. For example:

-how much time will you be able to spend with the dog? Some dogs are more sensitive and want to be with your family and can be stressed if you spend too much time away from them.

-How much time can you commit to exercising a dog? Some dogs need alot more exercise than other dogs so how much time can you commit to exercising your dog on a daily basis?

-does anyone have any allergies and or do you mind having to clean fur on everything all the time, lol? Some dogs shed much more than others and then there are some dogs that have hair instead of fur so are preferred choices for those with allergies. Also, longer haired/fur dogs often need more grooming which can be time consuming and/or costly.

-do you want a more active dog or more of a couch potato?

-consider cost and budget.larger dogs are more expensive to care for overall.  Vet bills are higher, Rx are higher since they need more pills, food costs are higher because they eat more,  etc...

-how much time do you have to work with the dog to train him/her?

- does your house have alot of knick knacks that could get knocked over easily and broken if you have a bigger dog running around in the house?

These are just some examples of things to seriously consider before making a decision.

Good luck!

[ECBG]

Happy Daze has fantastic points.  A teacher at our school had a shi*zu which are about eight pounds and just adorable but do have to be clipped occasionally.  They won't need a lot of exercise because they're so small.  Very loving.

We loved our lab.  Such loving, kind souls.  They're big as golden retreavers are, but need a lot of room, but would love that pool!

Beagles are sweet, but they have an odor if you don't keep them bathed.

You don't mention the ages of your children, but with the life span of a dog, this is the main pup they will have growing up.  If you have all boys, a large dog might be the thing.  Girls generally want small.  

Although DH wants a large dog, there will be a time when just the two of you will have pets.

 Personally, I'd lean toward the children on this one.

What ever you decide, read about the temperament and be absolutely sure you train them.  You won't realize until later how it helps them relate to so many things.

[feline groovy]

The naturally-sweet Golden Retriever.  

Which just happens to perfectly suit everything you mentioned.  ;-)

[doglover3]

We have always had dogs and up to 6 at one time. That wasn't planned. We had 4 and my best friend was diagnosed with lung cancer and given 30 days so asked us to take her 2 or they would be put down. We of course didn't want that so we got 6 dogs.

We are now down to 2.

We had 3 mixed labs in a row, big black 95 lb dogs which I absolutely love but than I love all dogs, all animals.

We also had 3 yorkies in a row, have a yorkie and a min pin now.

The yorkie we have to have groomed every 2 nd or 3 rd month, not every month like the bichons we ''inherited'' from my friend.

I agree, beagles make a great dog but do have to bathe them more often.

A large dog is great for smaller kids though.

I do have a weakness for mixed labs and yorkies I will say but than I have always wanted to rescue a grey hound too and maybe will. We have friends that got one and had to get another they loved them so much. Theirs turned out to be real couch potatoes and loved laying of the sofa watching TV with them but they did walk them every day.

Let us know what you decide and whatever it is I am sure you and the family will love it.

[Beautiful life]

We have a daughter that is 18 and a son that is 7. We would love a dog that is also a protector- My husband loves German Shepard's ( shed a lot?)  I'm myself would like a med size dog. 

Thanks ladies, you are so helpful.

[Pook]

Personally I like a dog 40-55 lbs. and I prefer a good old mixed breed and like Shephard or Collie mixes.  I want a dog I can walk with for longer distances without having to carry them.  Small dogs are often skiddish and yappy, more difficult to train to go potty outside and many need a lot of grooming. Larger breed dogs usually need more exercise, can be harder to control without proper training  and to ignore that results in an unfit unhappy dog.    Small dogs, while cute seem harder to really train as you have to bend way down to work with them and often lack focus - plus behavior issues are often overlooked  since they are small and cute.  Most that I know who have these complain that they have many accidents in the house.  They actually could be more work in the long run.  These observation are  based on the dogs in classes I took with my dogs over the years and friends who have them.  Dogs can be trained how to get in and out of a pool easily.

[gardenman]

I like the BGD's (big, goofy dogs.) These can be pure bred or mixed, but they all share certain characteristics. They typically have one ear up and one down. They love everyone. They aren't always the brightest dogs. (You'll find them with their head in the trash and ask them what they're doing and they'll look up from the trash, often with some trash on their head, and say, "It wasn't me!") They all think they're lap dogs despite being much, much too large to hold comfortably. They're just big lovable goofs. 

[drizzellla]

Our dog was a rescue. He is the best. He is a collie and what a nice guy to have around. Of course, we don't mind the shedding, trips to the groomers and  Vet visits. We love the guy and would do anything to help him. He loves long walks so he can sniff and we try and keep him in shape.

There are so many rescue groups out there. Why not check them out? 

But just like a baby - they take time and effort but give back so much in return.

[CrazyDaisy]

Medium size (40 - 50 lbs) All American is my favorite.  Contact several local rescue groups, they can work with you to find the best fit for your family.  I would not go in with the mind set that you want a specific breed, you could miss the perfect pet.