Goldens, Bearded Collies and a few more...

Goldens www.grca.org
Bearded Collies www.beardie.net/bcca
Great Danes www.gdca.org
Dalmatianshttp://www.thedca.org/
German Shepardshttp://www.gsdca.org/

These links to the national breed clubs should get you started in answering your questions. Also visithttp://www.dogbreedinfo.com/purebred.htm for more information.

Australian Shepherd www.australianshepherds.org
Bernese Mountain Dogs www.bmdca.org

My mother has a bearded collie that she got as a stray.  He is purebred (why the crap someone would want to get rid of such a dog is beyond me) and he's great with my children.  Beardies are very independent (as are most herding dogs).  They require a ton of patience and a clever owner.  I say a clever owner because they won't often do what you want them to because they don't want to, it's not what they think is best for them at the moment.  So, you have to be clever enough to think of ways to convince your dog that what YOU want is really what he wants.
My mom's dog has anxiety issues, though.  I've been meaning to ask any fellow collie owners about this.  I know that since collies are herding dogs, they need a job and if not given a job they probably will act up and have behavior issues.  My mom obviously does NOT have a "job" for her beardie to do and isn't medically able to give him the exercise he needs.  Well, until they started crating him recently, he would tear up the house when they would leave and he'd get REALLY anxious before they left. 
 
What I'm kind of curious about is, are the two problems most likely related or could he have anxiety issues due to possibly something in his past (we don't know his past because he was a stray)?

oh!  And although beardies are beautiful dogs, their coats require SOOOO much care.  I'm talking like a thorough brushing 3 times a day.  My mom couldn't handle that so she takes him to a groomer and gets his coat cut short.  He looks cute but it takes away from his breed look.

I've got two in your list there - a Golden and an Aussie.  I answered your questions about how Goldens are with kids in your other thread.  Aussies are great with kids too but they are, at heart, herding dogs.  The first one I owned as an adult was Sheila, a gorgeous blue merle, but a serious herding dog.  She would not let my son, my only child at the time, go near the furniture.  She was constantly herding him away from things and into the middle of the living room.  Drove us all nuts.  She loved to trail alongside us when we rode horse and she was excellent around them.  Much happier on the ranch with my mom than in our house so that's where she stayed until her death.  My current Aussie, Ruby, shows some herding instincts but not as intensely.  This behavior can be trained out of them but it's not so fun for the dog.  Another thing about them is that they are EXTREMELY intelligent and if you don't give them a job to do, they'll find one and you might not like what it is.  They are very good at playing games as they are very athletic.  They stick to their people like glue and can be wary of strangers.  They are amazing, wonderful dogs but you have to be prepared to run them or they'll drive you crazy. I am by no means an expert, but I have had some experience with the breed. Between the two puppies, Ruby is a lot more active and runs circles around Samwise.  Literally.

The spelling of the GSD is Shepherd, not Shepard   The proper name for the GSD is the German Shepherd Dog, not just the German Shepherd as everybody thinls.  We that own them just call them GSDs.
 
I myself have a 2 year old and 9 year old, both male, one intact, one recently neutered.
 
The German Shepherd dog is a steadfast, loyal companion, and I truly doubt you can find the same loyalty in any other breed.  While they must have a stable temperament, the German Shepherd Dog does better with young children if it is raised with them, as it learns to understand the quirky characteristics of their young masters.
 
My 9 year old male was raised with teenagers, and thus, is not accustomed to the "odd" behaviors of my 9 year old brother.  Ranger does not appreciate having his ears pulled, being jumped on, or being the center of the child's attention.  He'll take it, but he DOES grumble at said child when he gets too rough.  Notice I said grimble not growl.  There is a big differemce between the two.
 
My older dog is very serious, always has been.  My younger male, Strauss, has a wonderful sense of humor and is a "happy go lucky" kind of dog.  He stands the torments of my young brother, he is vry patient and takes everything in stride, and when he has had enough of grade school "harassment" he comes to me or goes to his kennel for a break.  Strauss ADORES children...even more than playing tuggy (and he LOVES tuggy)!
 
I would like to point out that the German Shepherd Dog is supposed to be an aloof breed.  Aloof does not mean they are unfriendly, simply that they take everything in stride.  They must be willing  to "engage in friendly overtures without making them themselves".  That is an excerpt from the GSD standard, but is not repeated verbatim.  My Strauss, as I stated earlier, is an "I love life!" kind of dog.  I love him to death, but I must point out that this is NOT correct behavior for a Shepherd.  He's really more like a Golden temperament wise, but I would much rather have that than an aggressive dog.
 
Ranger has a very very very correct temperament for a GSD.  When people meet him, they ask me why he isn't friendly, because he is not an ooey gooey I love you dog like Strauss is.  He gives a cursory sniff, and then just stands there while strangers pet him.  He is not being unfriendly, nor is he being anti social.  He is just behaving as a German Shepherd Dog should behave.  "You can pet me, but you're not my mom, so I really don't give a hoot".  Ranger will not go over to a stranger and immediately lean on them.  Ranger's temperament is correct.  Strauss will do anything for anybody if they have food.  That really is not correct.  The German Shepherd Dog should be able to take direction from anybody, but often will complete the task asked of them in a lackluster manner if the command is given by anybody other than the primary caretaker.
 
The GSD does have a lot of health issues.  One hundred of them to be exact, more than any other breed.  There is bloat/torsion, degenerative myleopathy (DM), toxic gut, juvenile cataracts, megaesophagus, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, all sorts of heart troubles.  If you can't deal with these health issues, the GSD is not for you.  This is not to say that if you choose a Shepherd they will get any of these ailments, but one must be realistic.  Bloat/torsion runs in every line of GSD.  Also, you must be aware that there are 4 "strains" of Shepherd.  American Showline, West German Showline, East German Working Line, and West German Workingline.  Choosing what strain you want can be very difficult, as each strain has a very different personality.  My two boys are West German/Am Showline crosses.
 
 
I do not recommend a German Shepherd Dog to anybody who cannot handle a highly intelligent animal, and I will not recommend them to anybody who wishes for an outdoor dog.  The GSD is an extremely social dog within his own pack.  He needs to be with his family, as he lives, breathes, and will die for them. They are easily trained, biddable, and quick to learn.  They can also be stubborn, hardheaded, and frustrating.
 
They require a good deal of exercise, both physical and mental, and where most people fall short, is the mental activity.  These dogs need a job and need to think, otherwise they can become a real hassle to own and can end up with behavioral issues.  Also, in my experience with GSDs, they are highly susceptible to separation anxiety.  The need to be with their people can bso strong, they go into a manic state when you leave them.  That's bad.
 
At 7 months old, I tried to get Strauss his CGC.  He failed because of supervised separation.  When I left him with a stranger, he screamed, panted, and paced for me.  He had passed every other test beautifully.  After he failed that test, I immediately started handing him off to people, and walking away just a few feet.  He lunged, screamed, cried, and stressed when I left.  And I was still visible to him!  No more than 20 feet away.  I had the person holding him put him in a sit, and I did NOT return to collect my dog unless he remained in a sitting position.  If he got up, I walked away again.  I can now leave him with absolutely anybody, and while he will still stare in the direction whence I left, there is no more screaming, spinning, or lunging.  I can return to him, and then when I come back he's all over me.  I'm fine with that, as long as he can behave himsaelf while I'm gone.
 
My dogs are active workers.  My old man is a retired narcotics dog, but we enjoy a good game of "search" every now and then (He has mad crazy ball drive, and can locate his tennis ball anywhere, always using his nose).  My younger boy and I are actively training in Agility, Obedience, and Rally.  We hope to start training in tracking again, and we're looking for a place to herd.  These dogs are extremely intelligent, want to do anything for me, and are the most loyal dogs I've ever had.  Strauss has saved my butt on two separate occassions.  Ranger has saved my car from being tampered with more than once.
 
The dogs look mean and scary, but they are wonderful family companions, completely trustworthy with people and other animals (Save rabbits...we're working on that one), and they are bo th wonderful ambassadors for a breed that is often misunderstood

I grew up with 2 Dalmatians but I do not recommend them for the unexperienced. They can be difficult to train and are unpredictable. Often they are hyper and require a lot of exercise. I loved my 2 very much, and they can be great pets, but you've got to know what you are doing.
 
Dalmatians are the only breed that gets this certain disease (I think it has to do with the kidneys?) and they are also prone to hip problems and skin problems. About 10% are deaf.
 
It sounds like you are trying to pick a dog for yourself and your family. Personality outweighs breed when it comes to most of these things. A good idea would be to check out a local shelter (or shelters) and tell the adoption counselor what you are looking for. They know the dogs' temperaments and can help pick the best dog for your family. And don't rule out mixed breeds! They make just as good of pets as purebreeds. In fact if health problems are a concern for you, a mixed breed is ideal. Purebreeds are prone to certain diseases due to past inbreeding and small gene pools. When dogs are mixed they are much less likely to inherit these diseases/ conditions.
 
Good luck!

oh! And although beardies are beautiful dogs, their coats require SOOOO much care. I'm talking like a thorough brushing 3 times a day. My mom couldn't handle that so she takes him to a groomer and gets his coat cut short. He looks cute but it takes away from his breed look.

 
Good lord!   3 times a day??  I have had the darlings for over 30 years, and even the worst coat - a soft one - I never needed to comb even once a day. Maybe once a week. But if they live in a reasonably clean enviroment they are no worse to care for than any other coated breed. The harsher the coat the easier to care for. With proper harsh coat I have gotten away with maybe even one good brush out a month. I may comb or brush faces, etc, when needed.
Now - if you live on a farm or in the country......

I have 2 Dalmatians, and 1 GSD.
 
As for the Dalmatians, I tend to agree they are not for first time dog owners. I chose a Dalmatian as my first dog (on my own), so by no means is it impossible. They are very smart (sometimes too smart), active, and sometimes stubborn. in my experience, I have had both an easy dog to train(who is deaf) and a difficult dal to train. Marley (my deaf dal) is an absolute joy, she is calm and laid back, eager to please and very smart. Weston (my other dal) is stubborn, hard headed, and constantly is trying to out-smart me.
 
I have heard dals are good with children, and I am sure if you adopted an older dal (not a puppy) from a rescue you could find a calm one who is also good with children. (It is impossible to tell what a puppy is going to be like when he/she is older). Well I have one dal who is deaf and the other Dal is epileptic (both are common in dals). I wouldnt call Marley's deafness a "health problem" but some would. Most of them also have high uric acid levels which could & a lot of the time does lead to the formation of urinary stones. Dals are sometimes known for hip dysplacia. One of my dals also has skin allergies.
 
I dont know a ton about GSDs so I will let the people who know comment about them. I do know they are prone to hip dysplacia. And I can tell you my GSD pup is the best dog ever. However, I got him from the shelter
 
My best advice would be to surf the net and find someone close to you who breeds these breeds and go meet them and ask as many questions as possible. And play with their dogs and see if it would be a good match. Or talk to a breed specific rescue. I can put you in touch with a Dal rescue if you would like. Keep in mind though all of the dogs of the same breed dont act the same. My two dals are different as night & day.
 
I second checking your shelters for a run of the mill sweet mutt dog who loves children and is calm. Good luck..