| Author | Message | ||
| glocke
Intermediate Member Username: glocke Post Number: 197 Registered: 9-2002 |
I am giving serious thought to getting a Dog, and am looking for any input from people here as to recomendations... Not real small, not real large, and not a major shedder...Just a medium sized dog that is intelligent, likes to play,can withstand a ten mile day hike, but isnt overly energetic where they are spastic(knows how to be mellow), and is gentle and tolerant of elderly people and children.... Currently, I am looking at yellow labs...They sound like what I am looking for, but so far I have met two...One is a playful dog, but knows how to chill, the other is somewhat of a spaz (likes to jump on people), although I suspect the latter one may be neglected and didnt have good training... Any thoughts/suggestions? | ||
| rraymond
Advanced Member Username: rraymond Post Number: 232 Registered: 6-2002 |
Glocke, look no further. In poll after poll, and for years, labs have been the top dog for families, and for the reasons you mention. Just to make sure, I did a google search on "what are the best dogs for a family." The sites I went to all had labs at the top. I don't currently own a dog, but I remembered that the lab was the numero uno choice forever. Good luck with the hunt! Reid | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 1338 Registered: 2-2006 |
Well I think I can give some input here. We have 4 dogs that reside at the Oliver household. 2 Chihuahuas, a Rat terrier and a Golden retriever. The Chihuahua’s are small but down right mean, a Pit-Bulls mean disposition has nothing on a Chihuahua’s. The Rat Terrier is a med-small dog, very tame and docile. But they are a little moody sometimes but not in a hostile way, more of a melancholy way. But the best is the Golden Retriever. She’s very smart, fairly large and very friendly. I think if you go with a Lab, Retriever or even an Irish setter. These are all very good family pets. One thing to keep in mind is the short haired dogs to tend to shed more than the longer hair dogs. Olie | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 1339 Registered: 2-2006 |
Here ya' go. Eates very little , hardly ever barks and never, I mean NEVER ever shapoopoo's in the house.  | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 1506 Registered: 4-2004 |
get a mutt mix puppy and save a life. less medical breed issues too | ||
| chuck
Intermediate Member Username: chuck Post Number: 127 Registered: 3-2005 |
Agree with above.Rescue a lab or lab mix female puppy and have the best of both worlds.Great home defenders to. Chuck | ||
| dannobasso
Senior Member Username: dannobasso Post Number: 545 Registered: 3-2004 |
Ollie is on the right track. Sony makes a lovely robotic dog. Just as costly as an organic but without the ongoing investment and hygiene issues. OTOH I always thought Chow Chows were cool looking. | ||
| the_mule
Senior Member Username: the_mule Post Number: 662 Registered: 1-2004 |
My top dog: English Cocker Spaniel Great dogs, very friendly and faithful. Friends for life... Wilfred | ||
| glocke
Intermediate Member Username: glocke Post Number: 198 Registered: 9-2002 |
actually I am giving serious thought to a pound dog or a rescue dog, but part of the issue is I will soon be having my elderly mother living with me, and since the dog would be a daytime companion for her, thats why I would kind of like to stick with a breed known for its intelligence, tolerance and gentleness.... | ||
| georgie_boy
Advanced Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 228 Registered: 8-2005 |
The Golden Retriever!!! They are the ultimate companion & friend. Clever, caring & so affectionate. You will never regret it G | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 1507 Registered: 4-2004 |
glocke that leaves out cannus georgus bushis! | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 1214 Registered: 11-2003 |
All the above are good recommendations. Another one that meets your criteria, especially non shedding is the Airedale. Very smart, loyal, low maintenance, and just a bit smaller than the Lab. Any dog without training can be a spaz. The most gentle dog I've ever had was an Irish Wolfhound but probably a little bigger than you're looking for. Another rule of thumb to keep in mind is the larger the dog, the shorter the life span generally speaking. Sam | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 1340 Registered: 2-2006 |
My Golden retriever is actually a retreiver/ chow mix. And she is smart as a whip. You may even think of a Blue Heeler. Probably the smartest breed I've ever seen. Check this dog out | ||
| tom_z
Senior Member Username: tom_z Post Number: 526 Registered: 7-2004 |
Greg - I can't say enough about Labs. They are very sweet and gentle. Also, I'll second the idea that any dog that is not exercised and cared for properly can be pretty wild. Here are a couple of pix of our current Lab, Harry - he's over 10 years old now and very mellow. Incidentally, he's been at the Alembic shop where Susan, Mica, and Mary were so good to him.  ... and in his favorite position.   Peace Tom | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 759 Registered: 2-2005 |
What about a Springer Spaniel? Mid-sized and pretty good personalty. I will also suggest mixed breeds. My dog through high school was a German Shepard and Collie mix. He was one of the most well natured and easily trained dogs I've owned. He had the build of a Shepard but the coloring of a Collie. Then there are the various Retrievers as has been suggested. I've owned a Golden Retriever. A great people dog but Rusty never quite learned we are boring if you get my drift. Remember that most any dog is still an adolescent for a the first few years. The real mellowing takes place after this and training is very important. Keith | ||
| 2400wattman
Advanced Member Username: 2400wattman Post Number: 361 Registered: 11-2005 |
My wife's dog is still a goof at around 10 ten yrs. old. she's a mix breed(my wife knows, I don't) that's fun, playful and sensitive to her surroundings. Our Basset Hound passed this past Sunday(my wife had him for about 15 yrs.) and it seemed Trinity knew what had happened as she was sullen for most of the day. Good loyal dog though. | ||
| tbrannon
Senior Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 422 Registered: 11-2004 |
Glocke- Speaking from experience: Be careful with the mixes. My wife and I got our first dog at the humane society. Cute little puppy that was labeled 'lab mix'- she was incredibly friendly and was a great dog for about 7 months. As she grew, we started to see what the other part of the 'mix' was. Pit bull. Her head shape changed as she grew and unfortunately, so did her temperment. She began barking aggressively at children and had a run at the Gas and Electric guy. After one more incident, we chose to have her put down rather than have her get loose and maul some other pet or a small child. It was a very tough decision and one I wish we had never been forced to make. We've picked up our last 2 dogs at the humane society as well, but have been very very selective. There are tons of great dogs there and I'm not trying to scare you off, just be careful with what you get. | ||
| alemberic
Junior Username: alemberic Post Number: 47 Registered: 6-2006 |
I would heartily endorse a golden retriever. They are very even-tempered, great around all ages of people, loyal, affectionate, and very intelligent, as well as easy to train. Although not especially noted for being watchdogs, they are very protective of family, as well as alert to what's going on around them. They're not too big, not too small. I had a female who had a very deep, attention-getting bark whenever anyone came to the door, but she was not actually aggressive towards people--a pretty good combination. Eric | ||
| trekster
Intermediate Member Username: trekster Post Number: 142 Registered: 7-2004 |
well, this is a bit on the small side for what you are looking for, but my particular favorite is the Bischon Frise. Think of it as a small poodle without the poodle attitude. Extremely intellegent, an absolute whore for attention (giving and receiving), and hype-allergenic -- they have hair, not fur and do not shed!! My kid is extremely allergic to dogs, yet this one he mauls.. and the dog just comes back for more. --T | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 1510 Registered: 4-2004 |
get a cat  | ||
| lowlife
Advanced Member Username: lowlife Post Number: 268 Registered: 12-2003 |
Flax, I couldn't agree more; cats rule. Even though I own two dogs (a Bichon Frise and a Polish Lowland Sheepdog) this is my pet of choice. When I think of senior management, this is what comes to mind.  | ||
| glocke
Intermediate Member Username: glocke Post Number: 199 Registered: 9-2002 |
cats are cool...but I am highly allergic to them..a few hours exposre is fine, but any more than that and Im in agony... besides, I need a buddy I can take on long hikes and camping trips | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 1511 Registered: 4-2004 |
take a look at irish setters i have one and she is smart, great with kids and will play ball til she has a stroke. | ||
| lowlife
Advanced Member Username: lowlife Post Number: 269 Registered: 12-2003 |
Greg, I hear you. F.Y.I., I am violently allergic to both cats and dogs. The ones that I've chosen do not seem (thankfully) to affect me. She likes to walk on a leash with the dogs but I've never taken her camping. Go with Labs or Retrievers. Ellery (Lowlife) | ||
| pas
Member Username: pas Post Number: 87 Registered: 3-2003 |
My rule of thumb: If it can't stand on it's hind legs & look me straight in the eye, it's not a dog. This of course coming from someone who's had 2 St. Bernards... | ||
| rraymond
Advanced Member Username: rraymond Post Number: 241 Registered: 6-2002 |
There's a rule I can understand! I used to have Russian Wolfhounds. Somewhere around here is a picture of one of them, at 1 & 1/2 years old, up on his hind legs, paws on my shoulders, looking DOWN at me. Good thing he was a loveable old goof! | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1170 Registered: 10-2002 |
If you have allergy issues, get a snake;-)  graeme | ||
| georgie_boy
Advanced Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 229 Registered: 8-2005 |
Graeme Have you got a Boa at home?? I used to have one when I lived in London. G | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1172 Registered: 10-2002 |
Certainly do. He's currently around 9feet long and stronger than me. Also have a royal python (Ball python for our US chums) and a corn snake. Even more reason for you to come round. graeme | ||
| rraymond
Advanced Member Username: rraymond Post Number: 245 Registered: 6-2002 |
When I was in high school, I worked in a pet shop. We sold snakes, boas mostly, and though I wasn't afraid of them, I could never really "cozy up" to them as it were. We had gotten a new shipment in and had an ad the the paper for our new 3 foot boas. This woman calls our manager and asks if she could trade her boa for one of ours. At 5 feet, her snake was getting a little bit difficult to handle. My manager said sure, bring your snake in, and if it's healthy, we'll trade. The woman shows up a couple of hours later with the boa wrapped around her. Now, as a sheltered suburbanite teenager, I hadn't seen women like this before; she was very interesting, in a gaudy, brightly dressed sort of way. And the snake matched her, having a streak of hot pink lipstick about 6 inches long along on its top side! Enjoy! Reid | ||
| lowlife
Advanced Member Username: lowlife Post Number: 270 Registered: 12-2003 |
I'm just waiting to see how much longer it will take for this thread to get skewed enough for someone to post "beer" as their pet of choice. I've begged for beer, but can you imagine a beer begging for you? Okay, I'll take the pink pill now and get back to work. Ellery (Lowlife) | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1173 Registered: 10-2002 |
Ok Ellery. In the North east of england, newcastle brown ale is known as a bottle of dog, possibly because the drinker would tell his wife he was taking the dog for a walk when in reality he was off to the pub. Due to its strength, it's also known as 'journey into space' after the radio programme. hope this has left the thread suitably skewed. Can't think how to intoduce bikes though ;-) Graeme | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 1216 Registered: 11-2003 |
 | ||
| rraymond
Advanced Member Username: rraymond Post Number: 248 Registered: 6-2002 |
Dogs? Beers? How about...  Woof! | ||
| bassjigga
Advanced Member Username: bassjigga Post Number: 211 Registered: 8-2005 |
Get a border collie! Great dogs. Medium size. Very intelligent. Very athletic. Playful fun dog. Good lookin. I love em. | ||
| glocke
Advanced Member Username: glocke Post Number: 201 Registered: 9-2002 |
yeah, they are actually on my list...where I work there is an outfit called "geese police" that comes on to chase the geese away, and they use border collies....great looking dogs... | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1175 Registered: 10-2002 |
Alot of the farmers over here use flocks of geese or ducks to train their border collies instead of using sheep. It's pretty funny when you see them demonstrating at highland shows. My uncle had a couple of BCs that were worked really hard but always seemed to have more energy in reserve so be prepared to get alot of exercise yourself ;-) Graeme | ||
| 57basstra
Senior Member Username: 57basstra Post Number: 638 Registered: 4-2005 |
 | ||
| lowlife
Advanced Member Username: lowlife Post Number: 271 Registered: 12-2003 |
Closely related ( or so I'm told) to the B.C. is the P.O.N. (Polish Lowland Sheepdog). Males are about 40 pounds, females about 15% less, very agile, great memory (pattern recognition), good companion, very territorial. Check out http://www.cponc.com for more info.  | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1176 Registered: 10-2002 |
Ellery, that looks more like an old English sheepdog. This is a border collie..  graeme | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1177 Registered: 10-2002 |
Here's an old english sheepdog..  Graeme | ||
| lowlife
Advanced Member Username: lowlife Post Number: 272 Registered: 12-2003 |
Graeme you right, I'm thinking of another dog that may have a name similar to the border collie, looks like a sheep dog, and has a long fan tail but is less than half of the size of a standard sheep dog. Also used (at some point) in northern England as drover dogs, but apparently the name escapes me for the moment. Ellery (Lowlife) (Message edited by lowlife on May 25, 2007) | ||
| speicky
Advanced Member Username: speicky Post Number: 209 Registered: 3-2005 |
my wife is serious about adopting a Shiba-Inu...  | ||
| lowlife
Advanced Member Username: lowlife Post Number: 273 Registered: 12-2003 |
Christian, all I can say is Wow! What a pose, what sharp looking dog. I'll bet that he could probably chase that stick all day long and not get tired. Just hope that the stick doesn't turn out to be the neck of one of your bases (LOL). Ellery (Lowlife) | ||
| son_of_magni
Advanced Member Username: son_of_magni Post Number: 231 Registered: 1-2004 |
All my neighbors have dogs. Most of them tie them up outside and they stand there barking all day long. What is wrong with these people? And yes, I am also a cat person | ||
| keavin
Senior Member Username: keavin Post Number: 1196 Registered: 12-2002 |
My alembic's Keeper!.........."MR.Rotten Weiler"! (Message edited by keavin on May 27, 2007) | ||
| keavin
Senior Member Username: keavin Post Number: 1197 Registered: 12-2002 |
 | ||
| keavin
Senior Member Username: keavin Post Number: 1198 Registered: 12-2002 |
I not only have dogs,,,,,,,,I have Mice Too!    | ||
| lowlife
Advanced Member Username: lowlife Post Number: 274 Registered: 12-2003 |
Graeme, I figured out where I messed up. When I saw the initials B.C., I didn't pay attention to the words "Border Collie" that were associated with the initials. I was thinking of the "Bearded Collie, which happens to have the same initials, and yes, does look like a sheep dog. Sorry for the confusion. Ellery (Lowlife)  | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Intermediate Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 147 Registered: 10-2006 |
Border Collies are great - if you have sheep, or some other task to keep them busy at all times. I've had a Collie, a Huskie-Samoyid mix, a Black Lab-Irish Setter mix, a Samoyid-Shepard mix, a Black Lab-something-or-other mix, and the wife & kids had a nasty little Miniature Schnauzer (what a rat). My current companion is a registered Golden Retriever, and I would never again consider another breed. She is the Platonic Idea of Dog! Peter |
