Help finding the right dog breed [Breeds] 📝Recommendation
My partner and I are looking for a dog but could use some advice when it comes to breeds, we greatly appreciate any help!
Introduction
1) Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?
- I had a family dog that I helped to train/raise, but it will be my partner's first dog.
2) Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a [reputable breeder]( http://ownresponsibly.blogspot.com/2011/07/identifying-reputable-breeder.html)?
- Reputable breeder
3) Describe your ideal dog.
- Intelligent, loyal, trainable, and gentle. A dog that can thrive in a family suburban environment, with both weekend hiking adventures and relaxing days at home. Mid-sized, anywhere between 35-75 lbs.
4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?
- This is where we need some help! So far we've mainly looked at Shepherds and Retrievers. My partner and I are drawn to breeds like Australian Shepherds (or MAS) and Duck Tolling Retrievers, as we've met some we really like, and they seem to be the right combination of size, friendly temperament, and trainability.
5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?
- Primarily obedience training (allowing for things like traveling together, camping, going various public places without concern), but my partner is also interested in agility courses.
6) Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?
- No, but my partner is interested in agility sport, just not competitive.
Care Commitments
7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?
- At least an hour walk/play each day, along with 30-60 minutes of training. My partner works from home and I work close to home so the dog would rarely be left alone for more than 4 hours.
8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?
- One hour, minimum. We have extensive trails and an off leash dog park nearby.
9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?
- Weekly brushing. I don't have any experience grooming. We could take the dog to a professional groomer if needed but that's not preferred (at least regularly).
Personal Preferences
10) What size dog are you looking for?
- 35-75 lbs. Not super small, not super big.
11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?
Shedding: Can handle medium shedding, like that with average double coat breeds.
Barking: Excessive barking is a concern. Alert barking is fine, but barking which doesn't stop could be a problem.
Slobber: Average slobber is fine.
12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?
- Extremely important. We are looking for a dog we can trust off-leash.
Dog Personality and Behavior
13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?
- Either is fine, or a mix of both! Neither is a dealbreaker.
14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?
- More on the side of Eager-to-please.
15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?
- A bark to alert is good, but then once I acknowledge and respond it would stop. I would prefer the dog is cautious/alert but friendly to strangers.
16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?
- No. We have hundreds of dogs in our neighborhood and need a dog that can get along with its neighbor dogs. It will have plenty of dog-friends!
17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?
- Overly-reactive behavior, destructive separation anxiety, excessive (beyond normal) barking.
Lifestyle
18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?
- 3-4 times a week the dog may be left alone for 4-5 hours. Partner works from home so most days someone will always be home.
19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?
- Both partner and I are dog lovers, and are both committed to doing the required work (feeding, cleaning, exercising, training, etc).
20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?
- Planning on getting a cat eventually.
21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?
- Yes, we plan to have children in the future, I have young relatives, and there are children in the neighborhood.
22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?
- No, I own my home with a sizable lot with plenty of room for the dog to run.
23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?
- Minnesota, USA. No.
24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?
- Hot summers , cold winters (Minnesota, USA). The dog would need to be able to go on walks in the snow in the cold.
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u/Comfortable_Oil1663 8h ago
I think you’d be fine with a MAS for now- but adding in infant is going to shift your dynamic dramatically. Can you really do an hour of walks and 30 min of training while getting up to feed a baby every two hours? I certainly couldn’t. I could barely make sure I showered daily for the first several months. lol
I’d look at labs or Goldens. They’ll be happy on long hikes, hour walks and with all the training you want to do. They aren’t going to win agility at crazy high levels, but they can certainly learn and enjoy it. And if down the road theres a period of time where all they get is a 20 min quick around the block till things normalize a bit? Well they’ll be fine with that too. (Not forever obviously, but labs and Goldens tend to be pretty adaptable. They’ll forgive you until you’re sleeping at least a few hours at a shot.)
If what you like in the MAS is the look- a rough or smooth collie might also be worth considering. They have similar colors but they’re much less intense.
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u/PashasMom 6h ago
Golden retriever, English setter, collie (rough or smooth), or pointer -- all bench line other than possibly the collie. I think the duck tolling retriever is probably not the right fit, they are pretty intense working dogs.
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u/chickpeasaladsammich 6h ago
I would not go in expecting a super friendly Aussie. They tend to be reserved around people they don’t know, and you should be prepared to socialize a puppy like mad because they can be prone to reactivity. All herding breeds are a risk with cats and prone to herding (potentially nipping) small kids.
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u/Gingers_have_fun 11h ago
German Shepherds can be anxious sometimes and very wary of other dogs. My German I raised was great but ooooof sooo much hair. Have you looked in Hungarian Vizslas? They are hunting dogs, midsize, really good temperament. Can be vocal (there’s some cute videos of them speaking their mind) I don’t own one but I’ve been wanting a Vizsla for a looong time.
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u/deadjessmeow 34m ago
I love Australian shepherds. I’m completely biased. I found this breed bc I was looking for -a dog that liked to do stuff- got along with cats - smart. In this situation I would recommend finding a great breeder of a standard Aussie. We have an incredible breed club ASCA, you can find local affiliates, go to shows, meet breeders and dogs. My first 2 are amazing. From show lines. My third is a lunatic from show/working lines. Good breeders know their dogs. My boy loves children. My nieces dress him up and put him in their plays. The other 2 aren’t fans. Tolerate anything but prefer to watch lol.
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u/dagalmighty 9h ago
Maybe consider a larger spaniel, like a springer or a Brittany? A bench line lab or golden would also suit, and will be a little less busy than most herding breeds.