Recommendation for 1st Family Dog?

Everybody's got their favorites, so I'll put two cents in for mine, the good old mixed breed mutt at the rescue or shelter! Since you don't have much dog experience, I agree with brookcove that going with a dog in foster care is a good idea, that way you have a good history of the dog's behavior. There are so many wanting homes, and with every dog adopted from a foster, that saves another life that can move into that spot. Welcome to the forum!

If you are set on a purebred dog, then a boxer will likely suit your family's needs.  I have 2 dobes & a gsd & there is no way that I would recomend either breed to a first time dog family.  I also have a boxer who loves kids, and generally anyone else who is willing to pet her.  If you are just looking for a dog, you can't go wrong with a big, goofy mutt. (I have one of these too).

I also think you should check out some rescue groups or shelters near you that have a foster program,,,get to meet some of the dogs talk to their foster owners and see if you can find one that fits what your family needs. I just adopted out a pitt/boxer mix to a family that sounds almost exactly like yours, and he's perfect for them,,but I couldn't say every pitt/boxer would fit that lifestyle because it depends on the specific dog. No matter what breed you decide to go with, remember that each dogs personality is different even if they are the same breed.

I'm a fan of the shelter mutts myself!
 
My main recommendation isn't breed but age. Puppies are way more work than most people are prepared for, and then there is that awkward teenaged phase when they are no longer cute and forgivable like puppies and they start to test boundaries and forget all their old obedience. A dog over one year old, even better over two years old. You'll find a lot of dogs this age in shelter. They are no longer puppies, they go through a difficult few months around this time, and people get bored or frustrated with them and give them up.
 
[linkhttp://www.petfinder.com]www.petfinder.com[/link] is a fantastic resource.

please look into rescuing a dog rather than purchasing a puppy

 
If I weren't breeding poodles my next dog would be a retired grayhound. While I support people's right to a new purebred pup as well as my right to breed them I think that the first thing to look into is a rescue. I have an amazing 11 year old American Eskimo who came from the local shelter when she was 7 weeks old. I could not ask for a better dog (although she sheds a dog a week).

ORIGINAL: saveastray2day

Since you don't have much dog experience, I agree with brookcove that going with a dog in foster care is a good idea, that way you have a good history of the dog's behavior. There are so many wanting homes, and with every dog adopted from a foster, that saves another life that can move into that spot. Welcome to the forum!

I TOTALLY agree w/ this. Stanley was exactly how his foster mom described him, and I'm forever thankful for that. I didn't think I could've picked out a dog out of a shelter since I didn't know much about dog behavior, etc. (plus the desire to "save the cute poochie's life" is too strong -- when it should be about "can I realistically spend 10 years w/ this doggie?") I still don't think I could. I'm definitely going for rescue dogs in foster route again when we have Stanley's successor.

I've met some real nice Rotties in foster care from the rescue that I worked for -- and they all looked very purebred from my untrained eyes. Not to mention there are LOADS of GSD mixes where I am, probably at every shelter...

Like someone mentioned above, I don't think the size of house matters all that much as long as the dog gets plenty of exercise outside -- if so, nobody in Manhattan could have anything but toy breeds!

Since everyone else is putting in their two cents I will add my thoughts.  I totally agree with bunni about Poodles!  I love poodles and I actually have a poodle mix as well as friends with pure bred poodles.  They can make great family dogs.
 
My other favorite is the American Cocker Spaniel.  I can't tell you how great of a family dog they make.  And the fact that your house is on the smallish size would fit a Cocker Spaniel perfectly.  Here is a great website to research them:  [linkhttp://www.zimfamilycockers.com]www.zimfamilycockers.com[/link]. 
 
By the way, I have a 7 year old daughter and she has a great time with both of our dogs.  They are both rescue dogs.  The poodle is a mix, a cockapoo.  The cocker is a pure bred that we got from animal control.  Both of our dogs are on the bigger side of small.  Not so small that they get stepped on but small enough to fit in our house comfortably.  They are both big enough to be out in the yard by themselves without getting lost.   They are great family dogs.
 

I can add is my own experience.  As a child, my parent's friend gave us a mutt puppy, the size of a beagle colors of a rottweiler.  He was a good family pet and lived to age 22.  A few years after we got the pup, mom rescued an English Springer Spaniel for the local pound, she just fell in love with him, and he was definitely her dog.  He was OK with me, but only tolerated the men in the house.  That rescue turned me onto rescues.
 
In college, I rescued a great dane/lab mix, he was age 3.  I adored that dog, he was my world!  I took basic obedience so that I could learn how to train him, he learned quickly.  He wasn't hyper, but had the energy to walk 4 miles, and get  goofy when he wanted to release some energy.  I called it his crazy dog routine, but when we came inside, he'd lay down at my side and let me study.  Sometimes he was bit awkward inside, knocked a few things over and people would jerk in fear of his size, but I'd tell them the only thing you need to fear is being licked to death.   The thing that broke my heart was his short life span (9years).  But, I'd adopt another great dane, I love those gentle giants!
 
Now When DH and I were looking for a dog, I was set on a German Shepherd this time.  I wanted another rescue, but we were unable to find one in the local shelters.  So, we found Peanut, listed as a shepherd mix, 3 1/2 months.  We adopted her and at the first vet visit, she was listed as a rottweiler mix, she's the mix of the 2.  Well, we adore her, she's 2 years old now, 76lbs.,  and VERY mellow.  She was a delight to train, but the training must be maintained, we cannot slack off even a bit.  Sometimes she can be a bit stubborn, can't say whether that's the female or the rottweiler in her??  She has enough energy to go for a 4-5 mile walk, depending on the heat, play a good game of fetch or tag.  When it's time to come inside, she settles down until one of the cats starts a game of tag with her.  She needs a brush down before coming inside as she loses some hair daily.  However, she had not yet had a major shed, that may be because we're in a warm climate year round.
 
Now for our GSD.  He too is a rescue and we love him, but I'm glad I had some dog experience before he came to us.  The first 2 weeks were extremely tiring with him.  I lost my voice repeating commands and thought I'd run out of treats before he'd learn the command.  And it was all up to me, alone, as DH was travelling a lot for business this past year.  He was a bit anxious at first and I think it was just that, anxiety.  He'd been thru surgery a week before I got him, so maybe there was some residue?  He was in a strange place with an open wound, that needed constant attention, and he had to take antibiotics, lus I doubt he had any structure before.  We thot he'd been left outdoors at all times to "guard the house."  That really irritated me because he was a puppy about 8 months old when I got him!  He really didn't know how to behave and required a lot of patience, and his energy was/is unrelenting.  He's not hyper, but just doesn't know when to quit, so we have to watch him in this heat.  He needs a daily brushing, too, but no major shedding yet.
 
We adore all our pets and couldn't imagine not having them share our lives.  But, I'm greatful that I did not find a GSD to adopt immediately.  Having not had dogs for a few years, our mellow mixed girl broke us back into the resposibilities of dog ownership.  She prepared us for the work and patience needed for our GSD.

Welcome to the board and good choice of resources to consider in your research!
 
A couple of things to consider - 8 and 10 yr old kids are some of the most social around - which means visiting kids with varying degrees of doggie aptitude.  A dog who can tolerate this in visiting strangers is important - and even the mushiest Dobes are suspicious of squeals and recoiled hands of fearful children.  Plus, Dobe appearance still scares adults I know... prepare for even some of them to be wary. 

Also, since your wife will be home most with the dog, it will be very hard for her to manage him/her, if she isn't the one managing obedience training.  (picture you being the only one the dog listens to and your wife's frustration at having to battle w/stubborn Rottie attitude during the day - makes for an easily divided house that you don't want.)  If she seems unwilling or resistant to heading up the responsibility for consistent training, then you def need to consider different breeds.  Adult, mellow Boxers with a proven history around children are a nice option, for someone looking in the range of dogs you mentioned.  Boxer rescues in your area would be invaluable resources for learning more about the breed, why they fail in potential homes, potential health considerations, and what your family can offer a dog.  It sounds like you have a great situation so far, and if everyone is on board for a great dog-family relationship, I bet we'll be seeing many new posts soon...!  GOOD LUCK!!

i love mixes, particularly hound/hunting mixes. my own is brittany/beagle/setter and he was a crazy pup but now that he has entered maturity he is very calm and has always been very tolerant of children. with these breeds it goes one way or the other, bursting with energy or docile. i would definitly recommend a rescue or shelter dog.

  i also believe greyhound rescues are wonderful and we have been planning to adopt one as our girls first companion when they are about the same age as your children are now.

good luck, i can tell you will give a wonderful dog a very wonderful home.

Everybody's got their favorites, so I'll put two cents in for mine, the good old mixed breed mutt at the rescue or shelter!

 
I second this! []

Heres my thoughts: Corgi!  Their not big dogs, are incredibly social, very happy to run 5 miles or to take a nap. Corgis shed a lot! But with weekly brushings, that can be managed. Tootsie, loves all people and all dogs. Did I mention shes very social?

Hello!

I want to chime in here so you can have another opinion if you are not confused enough already.

First I want to say I also think the retreiver family is a good bet. I will put emphasis on the goldens though. I have both goldens and labs. The labs are higher maintenance and shed quite a bit more than the golden. They are wonderful dogs, but especially the younger labs need a job or they look for mischief (mine ate our couch before we got her in obedience school and I have had dogs my whole life) she is a wonderful special loyal dog, but she needed direction. Goldens are usually smart and want to please you so they are easy to train. I currently have 2 goldens my pup is golden number 6, my lab is my 2nd lab. I will ALWAYS have at least one of each for the rest of my life I love them both.

Mixed breeds and rescues can certainly be the way to go, but again try to find one with at least one of the breeds in it you are interested in. I mean a lab mix, or beagle mix. If you find one that has the characteristics of the breed of dog you like chances are you will be satisfied. I have heard goldendoodles don't shed, they seem expensive in my newspapers when I see ads. I have only seen a couple so don't judge but the ones that came to my obedience class were HYPER!!!!! That could just be caused by the handlers.

Good Luck
Let us know what you decide
Dogs are the best companionship, they love so honestly

Ann

I am not a dog expert by any means, but we did recently bring home our first family dog and then even more recently, our second family dog. I can certainly speak from our experience about that.

We looked at getting a dog for over a year. We knew what we were wanting and I absolutely adored the way labradoodles looked and they certainly seemed to meet the needs of our family. But the more I researched, the more I learned about backyard breeders and that the shelters were now being flooded by the designer breeds.

I was scared of shelter dogs because of the idea that "you never know what you might get." This was especially scarey to me because I have a slightly special needs child. He is very sensitive to loud noises and quick movements. We needed a calm quiet, and very gentle dog- to match the temperment of our oldest child, but an energetic, playful, and cuddly dog, to met the temperments of our youngest two children.

After a year of research, we decided that we would actually know LESS about a puppy we would be able to afford outside of a shelter. The search for reputable breeders of any breed had my mind boggled, and I gained more and more confidence in shelters as we visted adoption day at Petsmart and learned about them. Several times we saw dogs that we liked and were told that the dog was not a good match for our family. I was not discouraged by that- rather I was encouraged. These people took the time to know my needs, and they had already taken the time to know the dogs they took care of. We knew they had everyone's best interest at heart.

Heidi came home to us after a long search. We had actually gone to the shelter to inquire about another dog (who is sadly still at the shelter )and they informed us that they had another dog who would be perfect for us. And she was. It was not love at first sight. Heidi ignored us for an entire day. But she was so laid back, and oh so very sweet. She is a definate mix of corgi and basset hound. Possibly with some bull terrier as well. I had said I never wanted a corgi (because of hyperctive chewing), a hound of any kind (because of the same reason- plus stubborness), and I was terrified of any bullish breeds. But Heidi does not exibit any breed temperment traits except the chewing, and the sweetness of a basset. I would have normally passed right over her, but the shelter owners were familer with our needs, and they knew this dog.

Our second dog was much the same. We had very specific needs, and by searching through petfinder, fell in love with many many dogs. I was honest about our needs and was turned down several times because the dogs would not have been a good match for us. We finally made a good match, and it was worth the patience. Sally is probably a full Parsons Jack Russel Terrier. Again, a breed I would have never considered. We wanted a CALM dog. But Sally is perfect for us, and the shelter owner knew that, because she had spent so much time with Sally.

All that was to emphasize that the pros to adopting a shelter dog are tremedous.
On top of that- if you get an older dog (Sally was 9 mo and Heidi was over a year) then many of the puppy problems are already taken care of. Both our dogs came home almost completely housetrained. We don't know where they came from, or what their lives were like before (although, we have hints- Sally was liekly a runaway and heidi has some broken teeth that make us think she had a rough start to life), but we do know who they are right now. That is comforting to us and I would reccomend adotion from a shelter to anyone looking for a dog. ESPECIALLY- a first time owner.

My opinion is if you want a purebreed, you should go for a greyhound.  A lovely easy breed, fairly low maintenance, laid back, lazy and loving, a great first dog.  Only downsides are you have to be careful when you exercise them that a) you don't loose them unless its 100% secure and b) when you do loose them make sure it's safe and they can't hurt themselves by leaping over or squeezing through something.... they seem to be quite thin skinned.  Oh and they are not outdoor dogs.  If you are not fussed about purebreeds, get to a few shelters and find a mix that suits you.
 
Re Rotties, GSDs and Dobes - I'm with others on this, I'd would say they are out purely because you say "limited experience". 
 
Re Labs and goldens - both heavy shedders, they do slobber and they and do need a fair bit of grooming, would that be a nuisance?  They can also be very demanding in terms of exercise (particularly working strains as opposed to show strains) With labs especially, their "puppyhood" lasts a long time.... be prepared for a chewy dog who likes to EAT (you will have to make sure your rubbish is stowed away somewhere and don't leave any food about!)
 
Re - Boxers.... high energy, rambunctious and they DROOL!  Another Peter Pan who doesn't like to grow up.....  Usually good with kids and very affectionate.  A friend of mine breeds them and says that they can be hard to train, but not because they are stupid, they are really very very bright, it's just getting them to sit still for five seconds to actually learn something....  I love boxers I really do, they are so happy and full of the joys of life..... but I would never own one.  I have never met a single one that didn't seem ever so slightly loopy!  Sorry boxer fans!