Pick a breed/dog for us :)

Cita

If they do decide to get a shelter dog, any ideas on how to pick one out? Lies, did you have any clues when you got him about how Coke would turn out?

Maybe they should just foster until they fail? Might be a good way to ensure a match that is perfect?

I think foster till they fail might be a good idea as long as they don't become attached to a dog that isn't a good match.  It's not easy for people to stay objective when fostering.  I think most of us know people who have kept a dog they fostered  that is clearly not right for them because they felt sorry for the dog.  Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. 

 Rex and Belle were both adopted with no real idea what they're personalities were other than a brief meeting.  Rex turned out to be pretty much what I expected.  Belle, not so much.

As for adopting a dog who has been in a foster home, that's a good idea but I've known foster families or the groups they are associated with to be less than honest in hopes of placing a dog.  Many foster families/rescues aren't that dog savy and they're temperment assessments can be pretty off base, IMO. 

What about an American Bulldog? Short/medium hair so very minimal shedding, very protective of their family, but cautious and will bark around strangers. LOVES children. I have had a AB for 10 years now and he doesnt have any big health problems besides his allergies but thats because we live in FL and he is white (definitely higher allergy prone).

Definitely lazy enough to sleep around all day, but put him in the yard and his prey drive fires up. Not too big or too small. Mine is 80 lbs.

 

JackieG

It's not easy for people to stay objective when fostering. 

For some people yes. I haven't had a problem with it...because my home is uber harmonious and any dog or cat that doesn't fit in...even just a weekend babysitting favor, is REALLY noticeable in how it alters things. But again...I have placed pups that I bred so that kind of breaks you of the habit or really even the desire...to "keep em all". But then again...it could just be I am a heartless wench! LMBO.

I used to foster for lab rescue and didn't have a problem either.  I always considered those dogs guests and didn't get so attached that I couldn't let them move on to their new homes.  Having also bought puppies for a specific purpose and then decided they weren't what I was looking for and thus sold them, I guess I'm a heartless person too. lol  It's all about your mindset going in whether it's fostering or keeping a puppy with a purpose in mind.  We wouldn't have kept Gabby if DH hadn't fallen so in love and me being sort of softer in my old age, I gave in.  :)  I don't regret it but it wouldn't have happened ten years ago.

Thanks again for all the ideas! I am passing all of them along!

I did some digging and found a few breeds they might like. There fairly obscure so finding them might be difficult. First is the Spanish Mastiff. They're very good watch dogs, while at the same time being great companions. They're supposed to be fairly inactive indoors, which would be good if she's trying to teach kids and doesn't want a dog running around in the house. They don't mind the heat or cold, which is always nice. However, they do need to be groomed regularly, they need daily exercise and mental stimulation, and it needs room to run. The breed is prone to hip dysplasia, heart problems and entropin, which is a medical condition when the eyelid (usually the lower lid) folds inward. Another breed is the Rafeiro of Alentejo. Their coat needs very little maintenance, and they're great watch dogs. Because of this, the can be very protective of their owners, which might not be ideal if they have a lot of people coming over. They are also prone to hip dysplasia, and they're also heavy seasonal shedders. The Uruguayan Cimarron is a very rare breed. They're great guard dogs, and can also be used for herding or hunting. However they're not the most affectionate breed and require LOTS of room the run. Probably the most common dog on this list is the Pyrenean Mastiff. They're great guard dogs, excellent companions, very hardy, and they don't need to be trimmed or stripped. They can be difficult to train, so if they're not ready to really work with this dog it might not be the best. They need a fair amount of exercise,and they also need to be brushed regularly. They can also be pretty defensive of their 'pack'. The last dog I found was the Italian Corso. They're wonderful companions, very intelligent working dogs, and good watch dogs. They don't need trimming or stripping either, and there is very little grooming needed as they are short haired dogs. They do need a firm hand when being trained, and they can live outdoors if they're in an outdoor kennel with shelter from the elements. They do need daily exercise, some kind of physical activity and mental stimulation. I hope some of that helped! Sorry for making it so long. :P Also, this is going to be one huge piece of text because even though when I wrote it I divided into paragraphs, when I click post, it just turns into a huge block of text. Is there something I'm doing wrong?

Wow, thanks for all the ideas! Also, welcome to the forums :) We'll definitely look into all of those breeds. At the moment, I'm guessing we'll end up paying a visit to the local pound... but we'll see what happens. They're hoping their boxer will hang on for a while longer yet...

As for the paragraphs - it's a really annoying feature of this particular forum web interface. If you use Internet Explorer, you can just hit return and it makes paragraphs. If you use Chrome, or Safari (?), or some other browsers, you have to type the sideways V symbols - like (p) before each paragraph and (/p) after each one. I hope that makes sense. Typing the actual symbol won't show up in text, because it's treating it like html code. Here's a website for reference, lol! http://www.goer.org/HTML/basic/paragraph_breaks/

Thanks again for the breed ideas!

I am inclined to agree with the BBD theory   I have had 2 Rottie's which have been the very best companions and watch dogs.  Even tho they were also the sweetest most lovable lap dogs ever, no one would dare to come down our lane and get out of their car without alerting the humans.   Not that our dogs would do anything but....they just made a stranger and some that even knew them think twice about approaching the "Big Black Dog".  Rocky a newfX or LabX which ever way you want to look at it is more like 60 lbs and a tad more friendly looking.  Hot Shot who is nothing but a scaredy dog is so large that most people are wary of his size and he is also black.  Hot Shot (Berner) sheds alot but loves the roam our acreage prefers to spend hot days in the AC with Hubby and nap during the day.   Rocky is a varmit hunter but stays with me when I am in the garden. He will find the closest shade and rest til I move on, both of my rotties were like this also.  Rocky's has short hair that drys quickly and makes less mess than Hots.  Rocky loves to herd us, the cows, anyone that comes to the house, he also cant resist a pond or puddle :).  Grooming is a cinch with Rocky he loves to be brushed but really doesnt need it very often I just do it cause he likes it lol.  Neither of our boys are "droolers".   We did lose our Rotties at young ages IMO, Bear was 8 and Shadow had lymphomia at 4.  Shadow was a BYB dog and Bear was from a local "reputable" breeder.   Rocky is probably the most attentive dog we have had, alerts us to people coming down our lane but he dosent bark alot.   I highly reccommend a mix, shelter or rescue dog of course with black hair :)

  Dogs in packs are very dangerous.