Best Dog Breed (Family)

Eelpoutguy wrote:

You have to reserve a spot on the couch at our place.

Hopefully that little one isn’t behind the Mastiff when he has to go #2! Get buried real quick haha

I grew up with Springers and Newfoundlands. As far as family dogs, Newfoundlands are hard to beat.

Since then, my wife and I have a Brittany spaniel and Yellow Lab/Golden Retriever mix. The lab/retriever is one of the smartest dogs I’ve been around, will hunt anything and figure it out quick. Probably the only reason I started duck hunting.
The Brittany is a great upland hunter. Tolerates the kids but is quick to get on the couch if they start jumping on her. Really just too small to take being jumped on by 2 and 3 yr olds. Doesn’t snap or anything just gets up and moves.
Couple “action” shots as pups haha

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Rhodesian Ridgeback FTW. They hunt lions so not much more to say.

Great dog but a little overprotective but I’m ok with that.

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I think dogs vary almost as much by individual as breed. Every breed has examples of greatness. Both in the field and in the home. That’s why its a crap shoot buying a puppy. At that age you really dont know what they are going to act like.

I don’t think I can recomend my GSP as a family dog. All she wants to do is hunt fish and ride shotgun in my pickup truck. She is not much for loyalty and will hunt fish or ride shotgun in anyones truck. Other dogs don’t interest her one way or another. She has great toiletry manners and only goes in the long grass. Thank her trainer for that redeeming feature. Best companion for me though.

Mike

@mdmoen

Cool! I always enjoy running into ridgebacks. They’re cool dogs.

I don’t hunt but we are on our 3rd Vizsla. They are a little skittish and high energy but seem to adapt to our lifestyle. Pretty low key when it is just us. All were very smart and easy to train. Our current one was a rescue that we got at 4.5 months. Took a little longer to get her trained because she had none before we got her.
To me a Vizsla is the perfect size–not big, not small. Shorthaired, clean, and our 3 loved people. If were not home you are not getting in our house either. Also considered great bird dogs and close workers in the field.

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Weimaraners at our home… back when he was little.

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Adonis is still quite a handful. I found out he loves chasing water coming out of the garden hose. You would be amazed at how fast he is for a pug.

He is odd though. This is his favorite way to sleep.

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I have been graced by multiple breeds. I believe we learn from them from each passing through the years. The best is what time you put into them. I am partial right now but I see my mistakes in the past with my friends/family.

Another beagle guy here. This is our 3rd one (we had 2 at the same time last time). They just plain love people, which makes them great family dogs. She thinks everyone is her best friend. Had her at her first brewery the day we picked her up at 8 weeks, haven’t stopped since. Because of that she meets MANY dogs and loves them all almost as much as people.

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I brought home a darling little package just about year ago.I had a blue heeler/terrier mix that passed away in 2018.I got the itch for another dog last march.
I started looking at all the humane society sites and low and behold another heeler/terrier pops up in april.We went looked at her and the next week she was no longer homeless.I hope she turns out as well as the last one.
I agree with Cody tv watching can be a chore wants to play and run all day every day.This one gets along with most dogs and people but,she is the most stubborn,bullheaded,back talkingest dog i’ve ever dealt with. I love her anyway,all 22 pounds of attitude.

Anyone have experience with weiner dogs? My daughter wants one but no clue. Always had labs growing up

Craig Sery wrote:

Anyone have experience with weiner dogs? My daughter wants one but no clue. Always had labs growing up

My ex girlfriends family has weiner dogs. They were very nice dogs and always wanted to cuddle and be on your lap. I know they can have back problems though which they experienced

I spent 20 years running pointing dogs in horseback field trials. I had GSP & Pointers. Love those high powered bird finders. Had Pointers as house dogs, & also GSP but kids were old enough to understand that while the dog spent time in the house it was because Dad wanted to put his hands on the dog, not for kids to pull on ears or tails. Family dogs? Not so much.
I have worked Brits, Vizlas, Griffons & GWPs for clients, besides GSPs. I’d stay away from the VDD type of GWP but a good Wirehair that you only shoot pointed birds over ( no point = no shot at bird) catches on fast and makes a decent Midwest pheasant dog and in my experiance is just growly enough to give a bad guy a 2nd thought about finding easier pickings.
Oldest daughter has had Goldens. Great family dogs but the hair gets everywhere and the tail is like a club / dustmop. Friendly goofs though.
We had a Boxer that was loaned to us when my best ever GSP died whelping 3 live pups. That dog nursed & raised those pups as she had just had a litter. We ended up with her and what great dogs Boxers are. Strangers really get checked out, but no growl. Stamger acts stupid & a whoof that is very very deep.Loose dogs get herded away.
I’m a big believer in instinct in animals. Pointers are the way they are because of selective breeding. Why fight what they where bred to do?

Here is one of our dumb dogs – Catahoula ad Rottweiler mix:

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CrzyToad75 wrote:

Weimaraners at our home… back when he was little.

We had a Weim also. My son bought her and 8 months later his job sent him on the road. We kept her and she became my wife’s shadow. She was always around 67 lbs. but her bark sounded like about 150 pounder. No stranger was getting in our house if we were gone that was for sure.

Have had many different breeds over the years but as an all-arounder I loved my English Royal Lab (British Labrador). She was about 45 lbs, so smaller than an american lab. The bark has been pretty much been bred out of them.

Someone once said they have a jekyll and hyde personality and mine absolutely did. Perfectly docile with kids and the family but ready to rock in the field. She was naturally retrieving pheasants at 6 months and loved it. Really good with ducks and geese too.

hdog3385 wrote:

Have had many different breeds over the years but as an all-arounder I loved my English Royal Lab (British Labrador). She was about 45 lbs, so smaller than an american lab. The bark has been pretty much been bred out of them.

Someone once said they have a jekyll and hyde personality and mine absolutely did. Perfectly docile with kids and the family but ready to rock in the field. She was naturally retrieving pheasants at 6 months and loved it. Really good with ducks and geese too.

A buddy of mine had one years ago, she was an incredible dog I’ll never forget. She was a once in a lifetime dog that just “had it.” Her natural ability was nothing short of amazing.

Our daughter and son in law just got Lucy, a lab mastiff mix 2 weeks ago to sister up with Wendy, their 3 year old English lab.

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Dachshunds are my choice we’ve had 7 in our lives so far. Truly great pets.

I’ll refer back to the OP.

Mastiff’s

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maddogg wrote:

Dachshunds are my choice we’ve had 7 in our lives so far. Truly great pets.

Any of them named Trojan:)?…….

We’ve had different breeds, but have settled on Setters. Great mix of house/family dog and hard charging bird dog. Not a mean bone in their bodies, and great companions. Only down side is BURRS!

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I’d like to think most breeds have the potential to be family dogs – it really depends on their training and how they’re raised. Granted, I don’t have children, but I think my two GSPs are great family dogs. When I have kids who visit, the boys do well with small humans wandering around, playing with their toys, petting them, etc.

I don’t ever want to go through another puppy or kitten stage again.

In my younger days I always had Britney’s. My last one was a yellow lab that lasted 12 years (like most of them).

I’ve never found the right dog at the Humane Shelter. I have found several great cats at the shelter. But, never a dog with the right chemistry.

Or newest family member was found online at https://www.petfinder.com.
A lot of people list animals here before having to resort to a shelter.

Golden

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to_setter wrote:

Trojan

No, why are you asking?

I am partial to cane corso but any mastiff is a win in my book. Now we have a 50 lb mutt that will never tire out and a 105 lb mastiff American bulldog mix that was a rescue and we couldn’t have found a better dog. He is protective when he needs to be and a lapdog the rest of the time. So many breeds and so little time.

German shepherd. This is my baby girl Sophie. She is my sons personal protector. You can not separate the 2. If the 2 of us wrestle she will grab my pants and drag me off of him and then sit right in front of him and not let me get close.
She won’t look at any one in the road or be bothered by other people walking by or dogs out and about but the second some one comes in the yard she is next to us until we tell her it’s OK.

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Labs.

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