Best Family Dog

[Mossimo142]

I have a 15 month old Basset Hound. WE got her from the humane society and she is the greatest dog! She is the most calm and family loving dog ever. My 3 year old son and 15 month old daughter are pretty rough with her, and she just takes it. My daughter will walk right up and take the bone out of her mouth that she is chewing on! While they are very low to the ground they are not small. She is about full grown, and weighs 50 pounds. The males can get between 60-75. The thing is they think they are lap dogs and love to try to snuggle. Get a Basset Hound!

 

[WildHorse]

Originally posted by: SketchMaster

Originally posted by: scott
This is the best family dog.

I've met some that were dumb as a brick, and you need to groom them EVERY DAY or shave them because the long hair gets crap stuck in it all the damn time. This is not a dog you walk in the woods with.

Actually they're about THE smartest dog breed. Text

The thing is, mixed breeds that have some poodle in them are vastly different in temperment and behavior than a purebred. They cannot be fairly compared.

As for hair: I keep my standard poodle's hair in a lamb cut, fairly short, uniform length all over. Poodle's don't shed.

You're right, after you run any dog in the woods, you've got to go over them careful for ticks, foxtails, & burs up between their pads. I take mine in the forest sometimes, but sher likes the beach best of all so that's where we usually run. Here, dogs & horses can run free on the beach.

 

[Slackware]

A collie.

It's the one and only dog i would ever consider, but it takes work an i don't have the time, besides kids brought home a kitten and she was too cute to turn down so.

 

[Rayden]

My parents have the most awesome Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever mix. These, in my opinion, are the perfect family dogs.

My dog will do anything she can to please you, she has been trained never to bite people (or even mouth. do everything you can when they are little, like sticking your hands in their mouth). She never jumps. She dotes on my mom, friendly to the cats. She is rather small for a lab/golden, which is nice for us.

Just show your wife some lab/golden puppies. They are as cute as anything she wants.

 

[Falloutboy]

another vote for a PUG. my parents bread them I want one so bad but my current living situation doesn't allow it

also heard good things about Pug Bealge mixes (guess there called a Pugel or something)

 

[nutxo]

Originally posted by: slatr
No, that is experience with the destructiveness of that breed.

Your statement there just shows your complete ignorance in terms of dog breeds.......

I'd bet you a thousand dollars I have more verifiable experience with all breeds and you're an idiot that doesn't know what the hell he's talking about.

edit, not the guy replying to the idiot, the other one

 

[Jadow]

big dog: Lab
small dog: Shi-tzu

you can't go wrong with either one. I've had both and think they're both great. whatever you do, don't "adopt" or get any kind of mutt from a kennel.

 

[Conky]

Rat Terrier. Little dog that thinks it's a big dog.

 

[nutxo]

Originally posted by: Jadow
big dog: Lab
small dog: Shi-tzu

you can't go wrong with either one. I've had both and think they're both great. whatever you do, don't "adopt" or get any kind of mutt from a kennel.

Labs have a great human temperment but a vrey high prey drive. Shih tzus are great but prone to skin conditions.

 

[Jadow]

yeah Labs are a double bonus if you duck or pheasant hunt.

 

[Lurknomore]

Shih Tzu- small dog with "BIG" dog attitude.
They think of themselves as human, and they have hair, not fur like other dogs.

And they can get up to 15-20lbs if you feed them xtra. A 25lb porker is a rare sight indeed.

 

[Jadow]

LOL, I've had 2 shi-tzus and they think they're king ****** when dealing with big dogs as long as they have some distance between themselves and the big dog they're messing with. As soon as I pick them up and carry them close to the big dog they both started shivering like Michael Spinx about to fight Mike Tyson.

Some of you aren't old enough to remember the Spinx - Tyson fight, it was a massacre.

 

[SketchMaster]

Originally posted by: scott

Originally posted by: SketchMaster

Originally posted by: scott
This is the best family dog.

I've met some that were dumb as a brick, and you need to groom them EVERY DAY or shave them because the long hair gets crap stuck in it all the damn time. This is not a dog you walk in the woods with.

Actually they're about THE smartest dog breed. Text

The thing is, mixed breeds that have some poodle in them are vastly different in temperment and behavior than a purebred. They cannot be fairly compared.

As for hair: I keep my standard poodle's hair in a lamb cut, fairly short, uniform length all over. Poodle's don't shed.

You're right, after you run any dog in the woods, you've got to go over them careful for ticks, foxtails, & burs up between their pads. I take mine in the forest sometimes, but sher likes the beach best of all so that's where we usually run. Here, dogs & horses can run free on the beach.

The one I was referring to is a purebred Poodle. The owner works as a receptionist at a vet clinic I apprentice at, even the D.V.M thinks the dog is slightly retarded.

Though I'm sure a part of it is the owner refuses to trim the hair around the eyes because she thinks he looks like Bob Marley (and named the dog after him). Poor dog can't see CRAP, I tried to give him a treat once by tossing it into the air for him to catch. It bounced off his noise and landed right in front of him, even though the treat was brown on a white floor right in front of him he couldn't see it. After 10 sec of searching he finally sniffed it out, it was really sad.

 

[Al Neri]

Welsh Terrier FTW

 

[thecoolnessrune]

I love genuine black and white Siberian Huskies with blue eyes Though I suppose it may not be everyones idea of a family dog...

EDIT with piccy doesn't she look just awesome? I love em.

 

[soydios]

My family has a Rhodesian Ridgeback. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesian_Ridgeback

We love that dog. She's very cute yet is strongly built. She is very tolerant of our antics and has never once growled at a family member or friend. She is also very very smart (smart enough to be taught to not so much as look at the cat). She's a perfect guard dog: she'll bark at any intruder until a family member goes and greets the person or she recognizes them, at which point she transforms into a friendly dog looking for attention. She also knows her territory: she'll guard the house, but when we talk her out for walks or to the beach, she is completely non-aggressive, though she won't be pushed around either. Understand that she would never ever hurt a family member, but a small child might get accidentally pushed over (as I said above, she's got some substance under that coat).

Typical behaviors for our Rhodesian Ridgeback include sleeping in the sun, following us around the house, or lying down where we are (watching TV, dinner table, etc.). The person she is most attached to is my mom, but she comes running to greet anyone that comes in the door.

Here are two pictures of her (the coat is of a lighter color than most ridgebacks, which have a dark red coat).
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/7420/dscn0258za7.jpg
http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/7373/dscn0921hz0.jpg
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/6584/dscn2448pv4.jpg

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EDIT: My friend has two Pembroke Welsh Corgis that seem to be pretty nice dogs as well.

 

[Rachael]

Originally posted by: Chris
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Best family dogs. Great with kids, very affectionate and intelligent.

Agreed. This is a beautiful, small to medium sized dog. My Cavalier was the sweetest dog you'd ever meet. As a breed they're known to be very good tempered and great with kids.

 

[holden j caufield]

labs or german shepards are good choices. I'm sure kids love to play with big dogs and they serve a good purpose as in guarding your family and house. I've rarely heard of small dogs pulling kids out of a pool or anything. Little ones just have too much energy for their size

 

[thedarkwolf]

For the people saying a collie is a PITA to keep up you can get them in a short haired version called a smooth coat collie.

 

[Ruptga]

Anything with any kind of shepherd seems good. I'd recommend against any breed that's been used for herding though, they tend to nip.

 

[ShadoWing]

Labrador retriever, best dog evar!

 

[BUTCH1]

We currently own a pit, given to us by a neighbor as a pup. They love people and kids
but hate yapper dogs and squirrels. I'm a responsible owner who keeps her on a leach
and choke collar at all times outside. My proplem is the "yapper" dogs in the area whose
owners let them run the streets!

 

[slatr]

quote:

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Originally posted by: slatr
No, that is experience with the destructiveness of that breed.



quote:

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Your statement there just shows your complete ignorance in terms of dog breeds.......
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I'd bet you a thousand dollars I have more verifiable experience with all breeds and you're an idiot that doesn't know what the hell he's talking about.

edit, not the guy replying to the idiot, the other one
________________________________________________________________

Well, if you are referring to the pit bull, yes I am biased.

I have seen first hand what they can do to other dogs.

 

[CKent]

Do you have a lot of space? If you're living in a tiny apartment or on a small suburban lot, I'd suggest staying away from a big dog - for the dog's sake, not yours. Dogs need space. If you have it, retrievers make awesome family dogs, they're intelligent and have a great temperment.

 

[Mloot]

If all you were looking for was a large, calm dog I would suggest a Great Pyrenees, like I have. However, you mentioned that you wanted the dog to play fetch and is definitely something my Pyr won't do. They were ranked 64th in the intelligence survey that someone linked to earlier, but it might just be that they are smarter than most other dogs. While my black lab/terrier/chow mix will endlessly fetch a ball (like a big, goofy oaf), the Pyr will look at me as if to say, "You want me to do what? Let that big, goofy oaf over there do all the work and run around all day after that round thing. I'm going to take a nap."