Best breed for me?

How old are you, and if you live at home...what's the input you've received from others in your household?
Personally you'd probably be best looking at your shelter for an adult dog you find attractive and feel a bond with. If you are in school that long, a pup would pretty much be out of the question unless you could swing home once or even twice during that timeframe to walk/potty/interact with it.
 
Just FYI, Beagles are NOT a good choice for off lead adventuring...even with plenty of training...the nose overrules all.

I also agree with taking a look into a shelter dog, alot of them are house trained already. I think you would do better not getting into the herding group either unless you can give it enough exercise.

Ive went on tons of dog quiz sites and im still trying to figure out what breed is best for me.

*I go to school for about 7 hours a day (none on weekends)
*I dont want a dog that sheds a lot (short haired)
*A dog that will be lively during the day, and calm down at night
*Not a big dog.. around a beagles size
*Plan on grooming it like once a month
*A dog that wont bark while im gone
*A dog that wont take off without a leash (trained of course)


I was planning on getting a beagle but it seems like the lack of time ill be with it will cause the dog to be lonely and do its loud bark all day.

 
Some basic info even dogs with short hair will shed alot.I have a lab/pointer mix who sheds way more than my Aussie who has longer fur.Also A dog doesn't just calm down at night you'll have to give your new freind exercise and mental stimulation i.e. playing with toys or eating out of a kong or buster cube. I also reccommend going to a shelter, or perhaps you could look through petfinder or try this website
[linkhttp://www.1-800-save-a-pet.com/cgi-bin/public/petsearch.cgi/search_dogs_form]http://www.1-800-save-a-pet.com/cgi-bin/public/petsearch.cgi/search_dogs_form[/link]
Good luck with finding your new best friend![]If you have any more questions just ask this is a friendly place with many dog lovers. And welcome!!!

I agree with every one else. Go check out your local shelter. There are alot of dogs there that need good homes. =)
As for shedding- Cassie is right. Even short haired dogs shed like craze. My moms boxer mix, shed like crazy! Little boxer hairs all over the couch and chairs and floor!
Theres no breed of dog that just knows not to bark when you're gone. some just dont bark alot, and some bark alot.
And how will you ever know if it barks or not while youre gone, as you wont be there to wittness if its quiet. Keeping a barky dog quiet while youre away takes training, and some times it just simple takes a big kong filled with treats to keep him ditracted from barking. All dogs are different. It'll be a long shot to get a dark thats exited all day but calm at night. to ensure the calm nights, take the dog for a walk to kind of wear it out so then it'll be calmer during the night, if it is a really rambunctious pup during the day/
Dog that wont take off without a leash? dogs dont naturally walk with you off leash. Its trained. You train them to heel beside you. Plus i wouldnt trust a dog off the leash  until i knew it would come to me calling it. And there IS a leash law. So you can get into big trouble not having your dogs on leashes. If your off leash dog were to attack some one or some one elses dog, youre dog can and will be taken away.
I'd do more research before getting a dog.
But good luck for when you do get your dog if you do. Good luck with youre new friend! =)

Brandon,
First, I think it's great that you are considering certain criteria before you get a dog so that you can find the best fit for you and your lifestyle. Many people just go and buy a dog based on looks and often times they don't consider the big picture so I think it's fantastic that you are trying to research the best match.
 
I agree with the other posters that a puppy might not be the best match if you are out of the house for a long period of time and can't come home to interact or play or take him out. A shelter might be your best starting point. petfinder.com might be a good starting point... you can search for dogs by location, breed, size, age, etc. It is a great tool AND you are helping a unwanted pet find a new home. Also, the shelters or rescue leagues listed will probably already have some basic info on the dog, his behaviours, habits, personality, etc. which will help your decision.
 
One thing I want to mention is that some of your criteria are things you will need to help train your dog to do... things that dogs don't necessarly have as traits by nature... such as being a non-barker or walking nicely off-leash. These are things that you will have to help train your dog to do... dogs may bark because they see something out the window, because they are lonely, or for any number of reasons. If a dog doesn't bark at the shelter doesn't mean that in another environment he will also not bark. [] 
 
Any dog will benefit from the occassional grooming... but any dog will shed (some more than others, of course!). Also, dogs will likely be calm at night depending on the amount of exercise they get during the day. If  the dog is left alone all day, it is likely he will be a bit excited and awake when you arrive home and you'll have to provide plenty of excercise so he will be tired at night. So make sure to factor in time during your day to exercise and play with your dog.  Even small dogs need exercise and play time. (My dog needs a minimum of 2 hours of exercise before bed!)
 
I hope this helps. If you find a dog of interest, hop on the internet and research the breed carefully. I hope you find a great match!

If a dog doesn't bark at the shelter doesn't mean that in another environment he will also not bark.

 
And, on the flip side of this: don't be put off by a dog who makes a lot of noise in the kennel!  Kennels are stressy places to be and dogs do not show their true personality there.  Go to a *good* shelter where the staff take a real interest in the dog, grill you thoroughly and really want to find a good match for you.  They will be able to tell you about the dog's history, what training he has had and what he needs.  GOOD LUCK.  Come back and keep us posted.

I agree, it's great that you're trying to find a dog that matches your lifestyle, however:
 
The fact that you're away from home for 7 hours at a time retty much rules out any puppy. Puppies need to be taken outside for potty breaks during the day and especially the smaller ones need supervision in order to prevent hypo in the smaller ones. In fact, I've quit my day job in order to be at home all day with my tiny chihuahua puppy that will be arriving soon. Puppies are like babies, you can't leave them at home unsupervised for hours at a time.
 
You can't expect to only groom your pup once a month. How often do you comb your own hair? Or how often do most people comb theirs? Use that as a general rule...dogs need to be brushed and have their nails cut, and their ears cleaned. Once a month is really not enough.
 
Take the time to wait until you're at a good spot in your life. I wanted a chi puppy all through highschool, but due to the hours I'd be away, I didnt get one. Now that I'm older and we've got jobs and careers, my fiance is able to work while I stay at home. It works perfectly, just wait for the timing to be right.

Theres no breed of dog that just knows not to bark when you're gone.

 
Are you sure about that?  I've never had to train any of my basenjis not to bark.  [8D]
 
Actually the OP's list was looking like a good fit for an adult/senior basenji until that off leash thing.  Of course given everything else, the basenji, certainly not a breed for everyone, may still not be a good fit for Brandon. 

I was just saying some dogs dont bark, and some do. but unless you have witnesses you wont really know if it does bark or not while youre away. my dogs doint bark until i come home. just because they live inside and there are lots of interesting things to do while im gone. some dogs are born not barking. is it the basenji that doesnt bark ever? cant remember.