Looking for a family dog

[cantdrv55]

Do Goldens shed a lot? Looks like they probably do. Beautiful dogs though.

[rwest]

Originally Posted by cantdrv55

Do Goldens shed a lot? Looks like they probably do. Beautiful dogs though.

Yes, you’ll think you have found another dog in your house when you sweep up all the fur. Great dogs though.

[pavulon]

Have 2 english shepherd mixes (one from the shelter, one from a farm). Great dogs until someone is acting like a they are up to no good (like a UPS or mailman afraid of every dog ever). Never had an incident with kids or neighbors.

Parents had an Airedale. Also a terrific dog and did not shed.

[Chocaholic]

Our first golden died in her sleep on the couch at 16 years old. Never a sick day in her life. Our current golden is 13.5. Cataracts, hard of hearing but still walks a mile every day and gets around just fine. Our English mastiff broke our hearts at the age of 5.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

If considering a herding dog, remember one thing: they herd.

They will herd sheep, cats, kids, whatever.

You say that like it's a bad thing.....everything you listed there.....they ALL NEED herding!

[Baz]

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by pavulon

....

Parents had an Airedale. Also a terrific dog and did not shed.

Another awesome choice if shedding is an issue imo...

[zelrik911]

Originally Posted by pavulon

Parents had an Airedale. Also a terrific dog and did not shed.

Airedale is a great breed. Get a female puppy & go to puppy-training school. We have one son and he got just as much 'training' at puppy school as our new dog: with no brothers or sisters he just loved that dog so much.
Just a word of caution - I didnt want a water dog (those that love to jump in a pond or river) because they MIGHT distract a kid near water. It never happened but I was always aware that it could.

[KFC911]

My last lab spent 14 years on my bass boat, around ponds, swimming pools and the Atlantic.... she took her first swim at 3 months.
Never without me giving the OK....it's all about training imo....usually the owner . A ten year old is perfectly capable imo, maybe not all... but YMMV.

[Nine, Frau!]

You're not likely to find a great Golden up for adoption. They do shed a lot but brushing helps. My female has not barked in 6 years. She is 12 now and holding up well. I had a male before this one and I prefer the females. She is great off leash and can be trusted to lay on the front porch without wandering off. Even if my idiot neighbor tries to call her off the porch she doesn't move.

[mountaineer]

I have found that a rescue mixed breed is always the best. The health concerns that come with some breeds get diminished with mixing breeds. The best family dog I have ever had is my current - Chinook. Not a guard dog as he would probably invite in a dirtbag. Literally loves all people and all animals.

[arcsine]

Great Dane

Stupendous family dog, great with kids, patient, low energy.

[Jims5543]

For the love of god please consider a rescue.

Here is my story on my plight to get a rescue, some of it is bad but hear me out because the bottom line is, I got the dog I wanted.

Our Choc Lab passed away in 2014. It was a Puppy mill dog that costs us thousands in medical bills and had lots of issues its entire life. She was a sweetheart and we still miss her to this day, she was great with kids but hated other dogs.

We took a break from dog ownership for a couple of years. Then in 2016 we decided to adopt a rescue.

First came Fred, Fred was a terrier mix with a wild story, he was a tripod missing one front leg. He was from Jamaica, he was found with his leg cut off by a machete being left for dead. He was nursed back to health and was super nice and loving. We fostered him for a week to see if he fit in with our family. He had some really bad habits and while we were sure we could break them, we just did not have the time being we both work. Habits were no knowing his boundaries and thinking people beds were for him and then the deal breaker, he pissed and marked everything. Inside the house and out, we just did not have the patience for this. Fred went back to the rescue.

Then came Jack, or Jackass as we later named him. He was timid and sweet, we hoped once he got into our home with us he would feel safe and open up, after 2 days he decided my wife the asset and started to protect her from me and my 12 year old (at the time) son. Attacking us and in one occasion drawing blood.

We took Jack to the Vet to have him checked out so see if there was some sort of pain he was in, after encountering Jack at his worst the Vet told us to get that dog out of our house. He was mad at the rescue for not detecting this dogs horrible disposition. Jack went back to the rescue.

Enter Lucy a potcake mutt (Caribbean Mutt) my wife went to go check her out initially. At this point we are now being very cautious and picky.

My wife met Lucy, she pulled on all of Lucy's paws, her ears, her tail, looking for a negative reaction from her, nothing but excitement from her. We have had Lucy for just over a year now and she is the happiest dog I have ever met. She LOVES everyone, and every dog she meets. (Except a loose pit bull we met on our walk one morning that was the first time I ever saw her put her head down and submit)

Kids adults no matter what she is in love with them the moment she meets them.

Lucy, as best we could tell was 1 year old when we adopted, she is 2 now. We have toyed with getting a second dog, and it will be a rescue for sure.

The best part about a rescue is you can foster one for a week or so and see if it is the right dog. I highly recommend doing the things my wife did, pulling on feet tails ears etc to make sure the dog has a good calm temperament.

This her surveying the Hurricane Irma damage with a friends dog who evacuated from Tampa. She is the little one.

[unclebilly]

I agree whole heartedly on the advice to get a rescue. I also see some negative remarks about pitbulls and pitbull crosses. These are obviously from people who have never owned one.

Any dog, regardless of breed will behave based on how it has been raised, like people they are a product of their environments.

A dog who has been trained to attack or protect a grow show is more likely to hurt somebody than a family pet regardless of breed.

Heinz 57 dogs are way less prone to illness and cancer than purebred dogs are. This is a fact.

I wouldn't be afraid to have a pitbull cross or even a purebred pitbull if it was raised right (we had a cross and she was the best dog ever). The mailman used to come into our yard and pat her if she was outside - she was just that kind of dog.

Ignore the main stream media. When a pitbull bites somebody, it makes the news. When a golden lab bites someone, you never hear about it. It does happen. I used to be a paper boy when I was a kid and I was bitten by labs and poodles (family pets), never by a pitbull at a pot house (this was on Vancouver Island and there was more than one on my paper route).

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by mountaineer

I have found that a rescue mixed breed is always the best.

This. And many rescue shelters will let you try out the one you pick to see if it's a good fit and exchange it for another if it's not.

You can also ask for one that's house trained, and good with kids, etc.

Rescue all the way.

Noobs, our current dude-in-residence... total sweetheart (and not a guard dog at all):

[scottmandue]

Just because it hasn't been mentioned I will throw out doberman.
I don't know much about them but other than a friend gave me a dobie puppy that I raised and she was very sweet.

[cantdrv55]

99% of the shelter dogs around here are pit bulls of some kind. I can't take a chance with those. Why were they given up for adoption? Where can I find non-pit rescue dogs.

[unclebilly]

Originally Posted by cantdrv55

99% of the shelter dogs around here are pit bulls of some kind. I can't take a chance with those. Why were they given up for adoption? Where can I find non-pit rescue dogs.

You find non pitbull rescues at the same shelters you find pitbull rescues. Dogs wind up in shelters for all sorts of reasons... they get lost and cant be reunited with their owners, their owners move into places where the dog cant go (apartments), owners pass away, often the dog is the unfortunate recipient of a change in its owner's life situation.

I think that pitbulls often attract a certain irresponsible type of owner. These owners are generally more transient and cant keep their dogs (or take care of them) because their life style changes. Many rent and when they move from place to place, they may not be able to keep their dogs. Lots of young people have them and don't get that a dog is a 15 year (+/-) commitment to a daily walk and $50-100/month for food and unexpected vet bills. I think this is why you may find more pitbulls in shelters than poodles or other 'old people dogs'.

You are more likely to get hurt badly in a car accident than be hurt by your pitbull dog. I cant understand your irrational fears but then again M21sniper was afraid of sharks...

To each their own - who am I to judge?

[oldE]

A couple of notes.
Around here the shelters are becoming more particular about who can take their dogs. We have had 9 rescues over the years but the organizations have got so restrictive my wife wouldn't have been able to meet and greet a selection of dogs.
She ended up going to a breeder .
As to the reasons dogs end up in shelters, one of ours had been taken to a vet to be put down after being turned away from the SPCA. The dog was a 4 month old puppy. She chewed.
After the owner left the vet called the shelter. She was a wonderful addition to our family.
Best
Les

[pwd72s]

Only cats here...but another vote for supporting your local no kill shelter. So many nice pets on death row for the crime of having been born. Breaks your heart. By adopting from a no kill, you often open up space for one in a kill shelter. At least the one we support does this...man, I couldn't be the one to decide who gets sprung from death row...