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What breed dog to get?? HELP!

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Aurelia

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Hello all you dog lovers : )

My fiance and I have been talking about getting a dog for our wedding present to each other in the next months. We have been doing lots of research (books, online, at the local dog park, our friends with dogs, etc...). But, we want MORE info & opinions...

I know there are a LOT of dog-loving people here on PriceScope and everyone has something GREAT to say about their dog... here''s your chance! We''re hoping for something that is good with kids & smaller pets... other than that, we''re open to suggestions!

-What breed do you own (mutts great too if you know what kind of combo they might be!)?

-"Good" & "Not so good" aspects of their breed?

-Pictures always great (I''ve been looking through "No Cats Allowed" & just love seeing MORE!)

Thanks in Advance!

Aurelia
 

VegasAngel

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My breed of choice is Boston Terrier. I''ve had them since I was little. Great temperament, they love playing with their toys, good with other pets, don''t need a ton of exercise, hardly bark, an all around great dog. Cons? Terrible gas, good lord they can clear a room in a nano second. We feed Purina One Sensitive Systems & that helps with the farting.
 

Aurelia

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See??? THIS is what I''m looking for!

no way in HELL would a BOOK ever say... this type of dog FARTS like a college frat boy gone crazy!

They seem like a feisty yet adorably cute option... only wonder if DF will feel it''s not a BIG enough dog... silly him - thinks bigger is always better
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Aurelia
 

brgirl

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I have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - she is in my avatar. I am not a huge dog person (like don''t care for most other people''s dogs), but I LOVE her...

Pros - sweetest dog - I''ve never been afraid for a second being around her (and i have most other dogs). Very loving, wants to be with people. Very protective of me (if we hear a noise in the night, she will do her protective bark), very soft and will cuddle with you.

cons - separation anxiety. She is not happy when you leave and will whine and bark the second she thinks you are going to leave. Sheds a lot. Expensive and prone to genetic ailments; she has had surgery on both her back knees! Also doesn''t care for other dogs much (which is just kind of funny to watch)

But I do love her so!!
 

monarch64

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We are beagle lovers. We have a 3 yr. old male, and just recently got a female beagle puppy. We have a small-ish house, and sort of a small back yard, and when we were looking for the right breed for us, we decided it would not be a good idea to get a bigger sized dog. Beagles are typically about 30 lbs. as adults, and there are 13 or 15 inch types (height, not length). We really love the fact that they are good little watch dogs--very vocal (which is sometimes an issue because they will howl at anything without warning, lol), are very pack-oriented, loving, affectionate, but also very friendly to everyone else they meet. Cons= separation anxiety, tendency to eat until they explode (we can''t use one of those continuous type feeding bowls), and their ability to run away because they are a scent hound--if they get out they will often get distracted by too many different scents and are unable to find their way home. We have a fenced-in yard though, and have had both dogs micro-chipped just in case.

As far as being good with children...we don''t have kids yet, and the dogs are never around children, so even though books and such say they are supposed to be kid-friendly, we just don''t know. I think it really depends more upon how the dog has been socialized. Our 3 yr. old beagle, for example, gets a little skittish when meeting a child who wants to grab him and love on him, and is about the same height as he is. For that reason, I would never leave him unsupervised with kids under the age of 10 or so...you just never know.

Good luck in your search, and good for you and your FI for being conscientious about this. Not everyone considers all the variables that go into finding a breed who is a good fit for their family...
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AmberWaves

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We have a mini-dachshund (in my avatar). Pros: Good apartment dogs, very silly, good temperments. Love to just chow down on a bone and loves to cuddle. We have a shorthair, and they have even tempers, in relation to wire-haired who have a very bratty attitude sometimes (it''s the terrier in them). They don''t bet to be more than 20 pounds and get along with kids very well. VERY loving and sweet.

Cons? They are prone to back and spine problems (because of the long back, any long backed dog will have them), but those problems can be avoided. they can get overweight which leads to the back problems. That is easy to avoid as well. The bark can be annoying, but can be trained not to bark as much.
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They are totally diggers. It''s their nature to dig holes and tear apart their bedding and stuffed animals.

In summary, they''re very sweet and loving, but are hunters by nature and love to dig. We never had chewing issues or potty training problems. They are little clowns, doing silly guys.
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diamondfan

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Vegas, ask your vet about putting some liquid beano in the food...it really helped Miss Maya...
 

Aurelia

Shiny_Rock
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150
Hey guys : ) THANKS for all the suggestions!

Interesting how you've all been mentioning smaller breeds -- hmm... expensive diamonds leave less money over for dog food?!? just kidding!

Brgirl: King Charles have always been one of my favorites ever since Charlotte got one (albeit temporarily) on Sex in the City!!! My guy thinks they're cute but can't quite get over the fact that his cat is bigger (at 17 pounds, that's not so strange!) we'll see if he can be convinced of the cuteness of SMALL!

Monarch: your puppy is absolutely adorable!! Beagles are one of those absolute classics... and for good reason : )

Amber: your puppy seriously could fit in the palm of your hand... SO tiny! I was reading about his knee problem earlier : ( Hope he is feeling better and that surgery goes well if that's the route you choose! I suppose their body shape is sort of um, unnatural... Adorable, but mechanically not perfect : ( Then again, whose is??

I'm making a list here... no joke. DF will get an update when he's home from his shift. He's getting teased at work for asking patients about their dogs. But seriously, it puts people who are about to go into surgery at ease! While talking about Fluffy, Sparky or Buddy, they are NOT thinking about what hurts : ) Then again, he's asking in a purely selfish way at this point
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Aurelia
 

diamondfan

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I had a papillon as kid and loved her to death, she was awesome.

I happen to like larger dogs. We have a Chesapeake Bay Retriever and she is incredible and we all just love her so much. Overall I do not know tons about the breed, but Maya has the sweetest temperament and is loving and mellow...good in the house, but does love to play hard outside and needs it. They can be stubborn and not great with other pets, but we socialized her like crazy and she is submissive and sweet with other animals and loves people since they all want to pet her and give her treats!~I will post photos when Irina is around...she is so pretty too!
 

Aurelia

Shiny_Rock
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Diamondfan --

I think we are headed for a bigger dog too. I love ALL dogs and will be happy to get my hands on anything canine. But, I think DF has a good point when he says that a littler dog may not be so happy going hiking all day with us in the cold... or may not want to go for 5 mile runs, etc...

So please, little dog owners, tell me if DF and I are wrong! Can/do you bring your little ones on camping trips, or with you on your runs? Do they get cold in winter weather (even with sweaters, etc.)? Or are these guys a whole heck of a lot tougher than we''re giving them credit for?

Aurelia
 

Fashionvictim

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I have two Golden Retrievers, and they are my children!

Pros:


Amazingly kind
Great with kids
Loving
Smart
Cuddly
Athletic, rugged

Cons:
High Energy
Large- need alot of food
Need alot of attention(this may be a good thing-it is for me!)


Remember, if you are getting a pure bred, find the foundation of the breed''s chapter near you, and have them refer you to a breeder. Bad breeding can result in behavior and/or health problems,
 

diamondfan

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Maya is used to cold, and the breed has a special coat so they can swim in the ocean in winter. I would stay away from a more delicate or fragile breed if you want a dog to run with or be out in the cold with for long periods of time. I would go on line to the AKC website and I would also google dog breed info, there is a site that tells a lot about different dogs. Do you care about a lot of barking? Shedding? Hereditary issues in certain breeds? the site can sort of help you by honing in on the qualities you want. I have a fenced large yard so I knew Maya could be out without getting away and her breed is not a digger/escape artist breed. She is mostly an inside dog though. But if you get the kind of dog that needs daily heavy exercise, and does not get it, they can become very naughty out of boredom and inactivity. I would stick with a larger, hardier type if you have a very outdoor lifestyle...jmho.
 

marvel

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My dog is a rescue. She's a border collie mix (we think the mix is papaliion). She's a medium size dog and weighs about 25lbs. She's a great dog, and I'm not sure if that's because she's a rescue, or because of her breed. I've always been a cat person, so she has been a great first dog. She's smart and learns quick. She's great with kids, great with the cats. I don't think she'd make a very good guard dog, because she'll welcome anyone into my home that will pet her. Although, I have a feeling that she'd put up quite a fight if it came to protecting me. I live in a condo, so I take her for runs on my bike. She does a great job keeping up. And if she's sees a squirrel, she's off! She goes on weekly hikes too and loves it. We live in California, so I can't comment on how this breed would do in the winter. Since she has a black coat, she definitely gets hot when the sun is on her, so I have to exercise her in the early morning or late afternoon

Here she is napping with one of the cats.

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scarleta

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Aurelia: have you considered getting a dog from your local shelter? You can go and meet them. What a memorable experience that would be and what an occasion for it.They would love you both forever. Hope this helps..
 

diamondfan

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Oh Marvel she is so cute...I love both of those breeds...
 

bee*

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I have three different large breed dogs.
My baby out of the three is my golden retriever.
pros:
you can trust her with anyone,children,the elderly..anyone can run up to us and you never have to worry about her getting nasty with people.
she keeps herself extremely clean,she could be up in the mountains for an hour in the mud, but two hours later she will have herself spotless
she hates getting into trouble so she is always so well behaved compared to the other two
she''s very intelligent, knows all her commands and is so loyal

pros
they are very prone to putting on weight especially after they are neutered
eat a lot! in fact they would eat you out of house and home if you let them! They are definitely dustbins
need a lot of exercise which is great for me who needs to lose some weight!
Tend to shed hair so they do need regular brushing to get rid of the loose stuff

All in all I really cannot think of a better breed and I will always stick with them. They are fabulous dogs with great personalities, they''re not yappy or whiny, they are independent but still love to get attention from you and they really do worship their owners.

Our second dog is an Afgan Hound (my mothers a dog groomer!)
Pros
Beautiful dog to watch
Has her moments of being friendly...not very many though

Cons
Not very loyal or friendly
A lot of upkeep is needed in regards to grooming as she only has to look outside and she is a big ball of knots!
very very fussy eaters
I wouldnt trust her as much as I would trust my retriever if children come up to her. I always have to keep an eye on her with strangers

Our last doggie is a Standard Poodle
Pros
She has a gorgeous friendly nature
Loves her walks and loves being cuddled
gets along with other dogs amazingly well
loves children and other people

Cons
A lot of walking required also
Needs a lot of grooming too
Sometimes the small little poodle comes out in her and she can be a bit yappy!

If you are planning to or have children already then I really think that a golden retriever is an amazing breed. After working in a vets for two years, they are one of the dogs with the least amount of trouble. In old age they can be prone to arthritis, but providing you keep the weight down, it should be ok. My retriever is going on ten in april and is flying around like a one year old. Maintaining their diets and walking with them is the main requirements they need. I would advise to get them neutered at around the six month age as they are a dog that are prone to lumps as they get older. Other than that they dont require much, only lots of cuddles and kisses.
A lot of upkeep with grooming
 

bee*

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
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Sorry I didnt see your other questions
I bring my retriever on runs with me. Its one of the things that my bf and I love to do together. They really dont need coats on them, especially the large breeds. Some of the smaller dogs sometimes require them in the very cold weather if they are going outdoors especially if they live indoors with the heating on, but in general they have plenty of hair and body fat to keep them warm.
 

musey

Super_Ideal_Rock
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I''m a big fan of mixes! (That''s taboo to say on a lot of pet forums... hopefully I won''t get attacked for it here.) My family had nothing but mutts from the humane society while I was growing up. Mom always said they were much less high-strung and had better health, since they didn''t display bred-in health "defects." Don''t know for sure though, as I''ve never owned a purebred dog!

ANYWAY, bf and I have an 8-month-old Paperanian (Pomeranian/Papillon mix). He is all around FANTASTIC! I''d recommend his breed mix in a heartbeat. However, he''s a small dog (5 lbs. so far--we''re hoping for at least one more before he''s full grown!) so may not end up fitting what you''re looking for.

PROS: Quick to housebreak, very trainable (learned to "sit" reliably in under 2 minutes), almost never barks, loves people/not at all shy, no shedding at all, laid back (read: travels well! never makes a peep on the airplane), loves your lap/feet/arm/whatever you''ll let him lay on, very affectionate (could lick you to death), atheltic (will hike/run with you for hours) yet doesn''t seem to need a lot of exercise, cute as hell.

CONS: Separation anxiety, separation anxiety, separation anxiety. We thought in the beginning that it was a "puppy" thing, but we''re starting to think now that we''ll need to get some professional help with him, as none of the "usual" stuff is working!

**I attached a picture... his fur is a lot "bigger" now, he was transitioning from puppy to adult coat in that pic, now his tail is pretty poofy and the rest of his body has lots of "volume," but not poofy.


As far as big dogs, I believe that golden retriever''s are America''s most popular pet for a reason. The ones that I''ve met are incredibly polite (which I assume means they''re very trainable).
Happy puppy hunting! It is one of the best things I''ve ever done!
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ourcolbybear.jpg
 

diamondfan

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Heinz 57''s are great! We had some great mutleys.

Musey, your guy is precious!
 

partgypsy

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I am a big fan of mixed breed dogs, there are so many out there that just need a chance for a good home. Although this may not be a popular opinion here, I don''t think people should buy pure breed dogs unless they are planning to show or use the dog for a specific purpose (sheep herding, hunting). You wouldn''t genetically breed your future spouse, why should you do that with your animal companion?


Our current dog is a mixed breed chow/golden retreiver? mix. We raised her as a puppy. Pros is she is amazing with kids yet protective (barks at strangers), cons a larger dog that has alot of fur, and unfortunately in her older age has developed a seizure disorder, which I have now read is more common in golden retrievers.


This is what she looked like as a puppy!


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Ellen

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When we decided to get our last dog, we looked for one that was very good with kids, easily trained, etc. My husband did the research, and finally decided on a Rhodesian Ridgeback. He was by far the best dog we ever had, including the ones we each grew up with. I would recommend one in a heartbeat.

I''m including a thread I recently posted in about him, with pics.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/attn-pet-lovers.53752/

Do let us know what you decide!
 

Jean

Shiny_Rock
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281
Hi there!!! I have a golden retriever and 2 beagle mutts that I adopted from the shelter. All three of them are fantastic with kids and other animals. They love everyone, especially the golden. If you are looking for a really loveable family dog get a golden...... you will not be sorry!!
 

WTNLVR

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What an exciting thing, picking a breed. We ended up with 2 soft-coated wheaten terriers. They are nice size- around 35 pounds, sturdy, great with kids and adorable. Extremely friendly, don''t shed AT ALL, and are reportedly hypo-allergenic. I had collies, sheps, beagles, spaniels in the past and they all shed like crazy. The only con is that they have a thick coat and require grooming about every 3 months, depending on what kind of cut you give them. The cut given to them on the breed sites is the show cut and they look kinda funky. In real life most of them are given a puppy cut or a modified wheatie cut. Here is a pic of my boys, Sinjon on the left and Aidan on the right. They are also the most adorable pups, born chestnut colored and by age 4 they turn the soft wheaten color. The coat is soft like down, not harsh like some terriers. Have fun looking!

dogs6455.jpg
 

Aurelia

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jul 30, 2006
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Thank you ALL so much for your input!

I wanted to assure you that we are not ONLY looking at purebreds or just puppies -- it''s just easier going into a shelter knowing what some of the breeds are like than looking at a mixed breed (even when it''s known what its parents are) and trying to figure out how big it might get, what its temperment might be like, etc... We''ve been to a few shelters recently, and were pretty amazed how little info the staff could give us. We met a great mastiff/boxer mix and asked about him. they could only say that he would get pretty big, and that was it. We took him for a walk, played with him, and thought he was great. But, my DF (the eternal planner/worrier) said "we know nothing about either of those breeds... we''re going in blind."

SO! We''re making another trip to a shelter/rescue this afternoon.... YAY! It will be a bit of a car trip, but this is a bigger shelter, so, more possibilities! If nothing else, we''ll get to play tennis ball today!!

Interesting how many Golden recommendations there are : ) Will keep Wheatens & Rhidgebacks in mind as welll...

okay, off for a long car ride... but it''ll be fun anyway!

Aurelia
 

fire&ice

Ideal_Rock
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Do either of you have allergies? If not, then I would recommend a shelter/rescue dog. If the shelter/rescue group is good, they will know the temperment of the dog.

I do have allergies; so, my choice is limited to "hypoallergenic" dogs. We have been owned by Standard Schnauzers all our married life. Pro s - great medium size dog that has a human brain, athletic, adaptive, interactive, if socialized correctly - great around children, great guard dog that really has to be provoked to bite. Con s - too smart, must be interactive (not the kind of dog that you leave in the back yard), likes to be with you (yes, would love to go camping), needs lots of attention (including exercise) & a dog needing an experienced handler - they will walk all over you if not.

I think the best way to approach this is to draw up two lists - what your lifestyle is & what you want from a dog.
 

VegasAngel

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Well, If you are looking for a dog to be active with then I would say a lab, golden retriever, Siberian husky, malamute, collie. Lots of great choices. I bet there are lots of choices at the shelter I am happy you are considering going that route.
 

Girlrocks

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Joined
Jul 19, 2006
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575
I have an 8 year old yellow lab. Here goes:

Pros
Affectionate, loyal, friendly to a fault to anyone and everyone
Sweet natured
GREAT with children
Great with other dogs, cats, etc.
Loves attention...petting, grooming, belly scratches. My 3 kids sit on her and she loves it, can't get enough of them.


Cons
Needs a lot of exercise...walks, throwing a ball in the backyard, etc.
Gets very excited
Larger dogs are more expensive, obviously the food aspect, but also vets charge for vacinations and medications by size, larger being more expensive obviously. Also boarding kennels go by size.
If you want a dog that you can easily take places with you, a large dog is not for you. Some people like to take their dogs everywhere, I personally don't.
Mine still has the puppy mentality at age 8. Still chews, steals the kids toys, etc.
Very strong and powerful...my dog can knock you over if she gets too excited, and she can wipe the kids out just by wagging her tail. I have a very hard time walking her by myself because she gets excited by other dogs, people etc. and I have a hard time holding her leash (she is very large, 104lbs. and not fat by any means, just BIG)
Sheds a lot

If I had to do it again, I would go with a big dog hands down.
 

widget

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 12, 2004
Messages
4,255
Well, I''m a mutt fan, myself.

There is something to be said about adopting a dog who''s past puppyhood, so you can "see" his/her adult temperment ahead of time.

Here''s a scanned picture of the best dog I ever had (hope widget doesn''t see this): Spencer. I adopted him from a shelter when he was two. Definitely part Rottweiller, maybe part Golden (?). He was kind, gentle, wise, mellow, and SCARY LOOKING! hee hee

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SpencerB.jpg
 

njc

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
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Messages
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I grew up with a Black Lab and DH grew up with a Collie and loved both. When we were looking for a dog, we knew we needed something smaller, so Like Fire&Ice, we are now owned by a Schnauzer, although ours is a Mini. She weighs 18 lbs and fits perfectly into our 1800sqft townhouse! Males are a little larger, 20-25lbs.


What F&I said for the Standards, pretty much go for the Minis too...
Pros – always playful, loves walks and hikes, travels well, has been great around the neighbors kids under 2 yo and my older niece and nephew, loves to snuggle, has a large vocabulary including knowing her toys by name, LOVES playing with other dogs, ours isn''t a fan of cats, but feel if she had been raised with one, she would be okay, no shedding!

Cons – Likes to bark (but can be managed), will dig holes and get into whatever she can if left alone in the backyard (like F&I said), needs lots of attention and will let you know when she isn''t getting it (ripped up the linoleum in our kitchen, loves shredding magazines that are left out), needs to be clipped about every 2 months, always playful.

 

Blenheim

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Feb 27, 2006
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3,136
We also have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, picture in avatar.

Pros:
Very friendly; loves both people and other animals.
Loves to cuddle.
Active -- loves walks, fetch, swimming, etc.
Small enough that he''s easy to travel with, live in an apartment.

Cons:
Breed prone to heart problems and joint problems.
Too friendly -- has problems taking social cues, such as growling means back off (this could be age).
Loves to cuddle, to the point where he will jump up on my laptop so that he can sit on my lap or lay on top of my neck when I''m trying to get out of bed.

I haven''t had problems with separation anxiety with him. Also, he''s a very big boy for a CKCS -- 25 lbs. He''s a healthy weight, and we''re really not sure how he got so big. His mom is just under breed standard for size, at 10 lbs, and I think his dad was 14 lbs.

My parents'' CKCS doesn''t really care for other dogs, but tolerates them fine.

Can we bring him on camping trips? We haven''t tried, but I''m sure that we could.
Can we take him on runs? We haven''t tried, because at 10 months he''s not old enough to yet. He can easily go on longer walks though (3+ miles, but not all-day hikes).
Does he get cold? He''s seemed fine so far, and we''re in Michigan. I hear that it''s not really "winter" yet though, so it might get a lot colder. We''ll see how he does.


We had a golden retriever growing up, and he was wonderful with kids. I distinctly remember my little brother trying to shove crayons up his nose, and him just standing up and walking away without even growling at my brother or anything. He also made a very good pillow.

We also had a brittany. They need soo much exercise, especially when they''re younger than about 3 years old. But if you''re running 5 miles a day and going on day-long walks, they could be a great breed. They''re bred for spending all day in the field/woods hunting.

My parents also have a pug, who does have separation anxiety, barks way too much, and is always trying to compete with their other dog (stealing food, running up and biting her bottom, etc). We''re not sure if this is normal pug behavior, or if it''s a result of her previous household. Oh, and she sheds so much.

My aunt has boxers (a lot of them), and they''ve always been very energetic and jumpy. It was a little scary as a small kid to have them try to jump up on me and suffocate me with kisses. Once again, I''m not sure if that''s characteristic of the breed or a result of training (or lack of training re: jumping on kids).
 
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