Hi all

I was out walking kiara yesterday when a woman approached and asked if labs were good first dogs. I said yes as long as your going to do the training and socialization they need and go to a good breeder than yes but i told her i dont believe in the whole labs and goldens are better first dogs as i told her my first dog was a GSD and he was a fantastic dog but that was because i researched breeder very carefully and then puts lots of time and effort into his training and socialization when young. I said i think any breed can be a good first dog as long as the owner is right for that breed and as long as the owner puts a lot of effort to training and socialization.

It got me thinking though afterwards is there really suck a thing as a good first time breed?

I know people say Rottweilers for example are not good for first time owners but i think that depends on the owner if its your average first timeer who doesn't know anything about dogs and has not researched then yes they would not be a great breed to learn with however i think Rottweilers could be a good first dog if the owner had researched the breed thoroughly and met loads and spent time with them to understand and learn about the breed and if they then read dog bheaviour and training books and research the breeder carefully and get help from a behaviourst to pick tue right puppy and then get the help of a good behaviourst from day one to prevent issues rather than fix and they put a lof of time and effort into the dog i cant see why Rottweilers cant be a first dog like a GSD ect. I think it all comes down to the owner..

> i think Rottweilers could be a good first dog if the owner had researched the breed thoroughly and met loads and spent time with them to understand and learn about the breed and if they then read dog bheaviour and training books and research the breeder carefully and get help from a behaviourst to pick tue right puppy and then get the help of a good behaviourst from day one to prevent issues rather than fix and they put a lof of time and effort into the dog i cant see why Rottweilers cant be a first dog like a GSD ect. I think it all comes down to the owner..

I think this here is the crux of it, how many dog owners let alone first time owners do any research at all let alone to the extent you have listed. I'd guess the average owner doesn't do much research, in which case defernatly some breeds could be a worse choice over others.

There are definitely breeds more suitable for first time owners, and of those I would include breeds like Labrador, Golden, Cavalier. But there are also people not suitable for any dog at all and some even fail with easy breeds. You only need to read/watch "Marley & me" to see how desperately wrong people can get it without it being the fault of the breed/dog!

Likewise there are certainly breeds that will not be suitable for first time owners, certainly in 99% of cases - there are of course the odd few people who have spent years researching and have a natural affinity with dogs and do just fine. My main breed is one of these - Malinois.Their popularity has exploded in recent years and we have gone from one or two in rescue per year to one or two per DAY. Most are surrendered because the owners cannot cope. And the majority are only puppies!

Then you also have to take show vs working lines into account. A show line Labrador or Golden is less demanding than a working/field trial line, and that most certainly goes for GSD as well. And Cocker Spaniels!

Your average pet buying family I would personally always recommend a show type Labrador to. Much less risk of going wrong than with some breeds, no major grooming involved etc.

I guess there is if you think breed matters in the personality of a dog. It's whether you think the personality is down to the breed or how they're brought up

There were Malinois puppies recently for £350 near me in South Yorkshire. They are not KC registered, but it's still well below the price of most other dogs, pedigree, mutt or crossbreed. I hate to think how they have been brought up or the types of homes they will go to.

> how many dog owners let alone first time owners do any research at all

Exactly!  As an experienced, long time dog owner,  I still researched Bearded Collies in depth before eventually owning two.  The average potential pet owner would never had gone to so much trouble, and that's a fact.

Sad to say that I totally agree with a comment made by Goldmali.  Some people are totally unsuitable for owning a dog.  EVER!