Dog Community

breed suggestions

Posted : 8/21/2007 4:23:05 PM

Hello, I am posting this for my parents because they are looking for a new dog, but don't quite know what kind of breeds to look at. They lost their old dog around Christmastime and have had a hard time even thinking about another dog, but they think they're ready now.

What they're looking for:
a medium sized dog (20-50 lbs)
a hunting dog
a watch dog
a dog that doesn't shed very much (wishful thinking, imo) [

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and MOST importantly, it must be GOOD WITH KIDS. My parents are crazy about their grandkids, who are all very young, and need a dog with a friendly demeanor
also, my mom's got a very small king Charles Spaniel (~11 lbs I think), so it's got to be okay with other, smaller dogs (I'd assume that probably goes hand-in-hand with "good with kids," though).

Thanks a lot for any info. I'm going to send them a link to this thread, so please include as much information and as many pictures as possible!!

jennie_c_d

Posted : 8/21/2007 4:48:22 PM

Good with kids and good with dogs are absolutely not the same. Most Pit Bulls are *awesome* with kids, but they're often dog aggressive[

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What kind of hunting? That would probably dictate the breed.

Megan

Posted : 8/21/2007 5:13:22 PM

Well, see? That just shows you how little I know!
Dad's a casual hunter. He goes out a couple of times a year and shoots pheasants at a game farm. He trains his dogs himself, and he does an amazing job at it.

ColleenC

Posted : 8/21/2007 5:19:27 PM

It would be really cool if you could find a standard poodle that actually still does what it was meant to, retrieve. They don't shed, are a good size, usually good with kids and dogs. But, they require frequent grooming and it would be almost impossible to find one that can still work...I've never met one, but it would be so cool!
Some type of small spaniel might be good, a cocker maybe. Although, I don't know of many working cockers either. Maybe a springer spaniel or a brittney. A golden retriever would be a great dog but they shed quite a bit. With any breed, the shedding can be minimalized by brushing.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 8/21/2007 5:23:10 PM

It would be really cool if you could find a standard poodle that actually still does what it was meant to, retrieve.

That would ROCK. Good with kids and dogs, non shedding, *amazing* temperaments. Keep it in a #5 without the topknot and fluffy ears and it'd look like.... a skinny retreiver.

Brittanies are pretty cool, for their size and temperament. Most of the ones I've met have been pet dogs. I met a couple of working Boykins, and they were pretty cool, but *wild* dogs. They were young, though, and still in training.

dgriego

Posted : 8/21/2007 5:23:59 PM

Not to many if any bird dogs that do not shed. I own a Vizsla and he is a very versatile dog. His shedding is minimal. He hunts, has done obedience, agility, and coursing and is working on tracking now. He is also a good watchdog in that he will let you know someone is there but I do not think the breed is good as guardians. My Vizsla can hang around the house all day and be happy or he can run fields all day, he is not destructive without exercise. They are family dogs (often called Velcro dogs) love kids, love other animals.

If you choose a Vizsla make sure you get one from hunting lines. I see a lot from show lines that are very hyper and nervous.

Here is a picture of mine, he is the red one sleeping on the couch.

iiartisanii

Posted : 8/21/2007 5:24:26 PM

German Wirehair Pointer sounds about right. They are medium, good natured and shed very very little. They also make good watchdogs. Their grooming is not as intense as many wire coated dogs like terriers. . just a regular brushing and if you're meticulous you can hand strip them. The major concern would be that the dog was intensely exercised daily because they can be rather boisterous, especially as young dogs, but like all breeds they will settle down later in life.
http://www.gwpca.com/
http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/germanwirehairedpointers.html

ColleenC

Posted : 8/21/2007 5:25:16 PM

Maybe I should start hunting just so I can have a Standard Poodle as my retriever and everyone will say "look at that GIRL and that POODLE hunting!" Of course, I'd have to be the best so I wouldn't look like an idiot with a Poodle.
Just one problem...
I couldn't kill the animals myself. I just don't have the heart to do it.

KCSO

Posted : 8/21/2007 5:36:35 PM

Brittanies (like many of the hunting dogs) generally love all people, especially kids (who often taste like peanut butter). My brit wishes he got to hunt! He doesn't shed much, but that can vary from brit to brit (some shed more than others, and some carry a longer coat than others).

There is info at [linkhttp://clubs.akc.org/brit/]http://clubs.akc.org/brit/[/link] and [linkhttp://www.americanbrittanyrescue.org]http://www.americanbrittanyrescue.org[/link] . There's a message board at the second site, with people who can answer questions for you.

2shelties

Posted : 8/21/2007 6:45:17 PM

I vote for a Brittany also. I dogsit my ex's and he is great with kids, seems to have some hunting instinct too, though he is strictly a pet. He sheds moderately, but most dogs do. He is a good all around dog, energetic but not hyper, friendly, and loves to curl up on the couch with anyone who's there.

Pwca

Posted : 8/21/2007 6:58:41 PM

I think a small standard or large mini poodle (or, if they're willing to pay for it? Import a moyen (medium) poodle from Europe- you can get dogs from field-trial lines there, I believe). Also check outhttp://www.vipoodle.org for some good links about hunting poodles!

jennie_c_d

Posted : 8/21/2007 6:59:09 PM

Just one problem...
I couldn't kill the animals myself. I just don't have the heart to do it.

Get into SAR. It's almost hunting, and you're saving people instead of killing animals.
I saw a blond woman on Animal Planet with a Poodle doing SAR in the mountains, somewhere. It was very cool.

Back on topic.... I still vote for Poodles. I'm a big, big fan of Standard Poodles, but I don't know how serious of a working dog they could be. For occasional hunting (not hunting for their livelihood), I'd think they'd be fine. They're usually very mouthy, when they're young. I'd think that retrieving would be a very easy behavior to shape in a Poodle.

Liesje

Posted : 8/21/2007 7:01:17 PM

Portugese Water Dog
Poodle
Brittany (though the people I know with these always say they are too hyper)
Cocker spaniel (don't know much about them other than I know several families that love them as family pets)

Harleygirl

Posted : 8/21/2007 7:17:37 PM

What kind of energy level are they looking for? I would look into a Clumber Spaniel. They are relatively low energy and like to pheasant and partridge hunt.

Here's a link to some info on Clumbers
[linkhttp://www.dogbreedinfo.com/clumberspaniel.htm]http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/clumberspaniel.htm[/link]

And here's a page of hunting breeds
[linkhttp://www.dogbreedinfo.com/huntingdogs.htm]http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/huntingdogs.htm[/link]

GoldenAC

Posted : 8/21/2007 8:03:28 PM

I agree with a Brittany. We have one at our park who hunts (birds with his Dad) very well. And if the get enough exercise they are not hyper in the house.