Ok, we've been talking about bringing a dog into the family for a while now, finally decided that we have the time as the children have grown up. We are an active family of 5, childrens ages are 17, 18 and 22. We have a large house, a big garden and several persian cats. We enjoy the great outdoors and go on a few country walks every week, come rain or shine.

Ok, we've never owned a dog and are a bit confused over which breed to get. So far possible suggestions we've had are; Golden Retrievers, Labs, Cavaliers and Shih tzus (!). We want a friendly outgoing dog which is fairly easy to train, gets on with the cats. Although my daughter would love a shih tzu, i've heard they're relatively difficult to housetrain. I also personally feel they may not be able to cope with our life style! ;)

Any ideas/advice/suggestions?

Hello

Well i own numerous dogs (but bulldogs are my first love:D) but Cavaliers are good family dogs, most with nice placid natures, and i hear they are very good with children (know yours are older), but i like them and i have only been told and heard very good things about them :)
Dean

I'd watch with cavaliers as a first dog. We had one who was stubborn and snappy. A right grump. Trying to take her for a walk was a nightmare, she'd walk for a short distance sit down and refuse to move. They really need someone who has owned dogs before to cope with their obnoxiousness. If you are going for long walks a bigger more active dog would be better suited to your needs.

Hmmm don't know. The 2 I train are both from working lines. The 2 and a half year old had a litter last year and there were 5 pups, 2 of them went to first time dog owners. Their owners have all commented on how easy they were to train and that they were really willing to please. And their litter sister, the bitch I am training is exactly the same as them - only worse! Being brought up with 12 collies doesn't help as she is sure she's one of them. We took our 2 BC's and the cavs for a 3 mile walk last Saturday and all were fine, still running about even at the end. The cav's are always on the go, and yet at nightime perfectly happy to curl up next to you. Have never snapped and are great with other dog. Perhaps it depends on the dog itself, the way it was trained or the lines it comes from?
Char123

Cavaliers snappy as a breed ? Sorry I must disagree with you there when I was looking for a smaller breed as I can no longer manage my first love GSDs I did a lot of research as in 18 months of visiting dogs shows owners kennels/breeders in the UK before choosing cavaliers & never saw one that was not good with children

My cavaliers are all very active & although I cannot walk them two lovely local dutch boys take the older ones jogging every day & also help me train & show them. I have 3 males & 3 females & never have a cross word between them even when the females are in season

:D Hi and welcome to Champdogs... it's the perfect place to find out lots of info and advise!

What sort of dog are you drawn towards? Realistically your 'children' are grown-ups now and will be flying the nest and leaving you with the family pet so make sure that you have a good deal of input into choosing ;)

In my opinion Shih tzus do take a fair amount of grooming and may not be suited to romping through woodland for hours but I'm sure there are exceptions.

Retrievers and labs are generally easy going dogs that are faithful and reliable be sure you get a show or pet dog though, as working strains can need a lot of stimulation to keep them happy. Most of the spaniels are capable of long country walks and any I've ever come across are very playful and active.

Another consideration is what hours you are away from home as some breeds are less tolerant of this than others.

My personal favourites are the 'Bull' breeds - staffy, bulldog, mastiff etc. Once you know what general 'look' you like you can take it from there and find the right breed for you :D

As with wishfairy i love the bull breeds, i own four, one staffie, two bulldogs and a french bulldog. I think a cavalier would suit what your looking for, i had them when i was young and their fab. Why not think about a french bulldog, their small to medium and highly intelligent, like children and get on well with other pets, plus they have that bit of uniqueness unlinke your everyday golden retriever plus the easy dogs for first-timers. Also why not coniser the wonderful stafforshire bull terrier, a excellent dog that DOES get on well with other pets when brought up correctly, their athletic and have the most outstanding temperament, their also easy to housetrain due to their intelligence, my one (bella) was trained within a week, no joke although being first time owners if you were to go for a staffie they are hard work but worth it in the end. I would definatly go for one of the breeds ive mentioned but good luck with your search.

hmmm, i did consider the staff and bull breeds, as i like the look of them and i know that they're active, the only thing i'd be worried with that, are my cats. I've read that they're not good with other animals ??

I'm away from the home around 3 hours a day, add to that shopping a few times a week for a few hours, however this is variable and there are times when there is always someone in. Is this suitable for the bull breeds??

Please don't have a Bulldog if you are looking for a dog to take on long warm summer walks, as I am sure you probably know that they are not the most active of dogs ;) My sister has a cav.king charles, and he is a lovely little soul. If you wanted to do a lot of walking, a springer spaniel might be better. Perhaps you should consider whether you want a short or long haired dog, do you have time for daily grooming rituals? If not then a short or medum haired dog would be best. Personally I love Bulldogs, bull mastiffs, pug, basset hound, neo. mastiffs, french bulldogs, and prob a couple of others I have forgotten. Have a look on the breed index on this site and see what type best suit your lifestyle.

Tracey

I have bulldogs, and i am the first to admit to not walking my bullies in the heat of summer days, BUT i do walk them on summer days, after the heat of the day has cooled a little.
A bulldog is what an owner makes of it, if you allow it to become a couch potato it will behave that way, you get them used to their walks, they become as active as you.
Most of what people belive of bulldogs is a myth, and a horrible myths at that, my oldest bullie is 10 she basks in the sun on the lawn on hot summers days - although i do keep my eyes in her.
She has been a sun lounger all her life, from the day i brought her home as a puppy and i have never had a problem with her, the only time she ever sees the vet is for her injections.
Not all bulldogs are the same - there are exceptions :) I have 6 bulldogs, and out of the 6 of them theres only one of them (the youngest one) that always seems to be at the vets with one thing or another, but hes not got to the stage where he lives there just yet :D
Dean.

Hi. Sorry I meant "long warm summer walks", I know they can bask in the sun for a while, as long as you are watching them. But I just meant that bulldogs were not really the dog for a family who wants to go on really long country walks. That isn't to say they don't like walking, but I think a 5 mile stroll might send a bully running for his basket to hide :) I will find out soon no doubt! I shall certainly not let mine be a couch potato, but I won't take her for a long jog either...she might never forgive me! :) :)

Hello

Just slightly going off topic a little here.
I know a "british" bulldog that walks 10 miles a day so some bulldogs are certainly not unhealthy as some folks belive.
Dean

What irritates me about books and other reading materials is that they never explain things, i agree with you that alot of books always say never have a staffie with other pets which is rubbish, my staffie lives with two cats and theirs never been a problem. Providing a staffie pup is brought up around other cats, dogs etc theirs no chance you will have problems. However saying you could be away for up to 3 hours a day isnt good for a staffie, infact its not brilliant for any young puppy. A french bulldog would cope better because they dont crave the attention of humans that staffies do but any young dog would find it hard being left alone. When you get your pup it may be an idea to stay at home with it for a good three weeks or so without leaving for no more than 15 minutes if possible, this will help the puppy and give it confidence.

Why not consider the frenchie, their healthier than the bulldog and seem to fit what your looking for and their fab, id be lost without mine.

Hi Jasmine :)
I'm afraid I don't have any experience of any of the bully breeds, but I do have a golden retriever, Baillie, who's 6 now. He absolutely adores walking in the country, anywhere there's water, he'll find it , and although he loves the great outdoors, he's just as content lying by the fire :) We've had him since he was 10wks old and we've never had a bit of bother with him. We now have a Dane puppy, Diesel, who's 15wks and they get on like a house on fire, most of the time ;) Hope that helps a little.
Sharon
X

If your looking for more of an active dog that can handle long walks/hikes I would look into the retrieving breeds. Like the Labs, goldens ect. Border collies, Ausie's are very active so are Rotty's. Exactly what size are you looking for in a dog, long, short fur ect?

I have 4 boston's and one that takes after the bulldog more and she is active but petters out real fast my three other's take more after the terrier and they could go all day.

It really depends on what you are looking for. I would look into a book at all the different breeds and see which one would fit into your life style. Cause you definatley don't want to get a breed and try and make it fit.

I also love the bully's I really want a Bordeaux in the future just lovely dogs.

Hi Jasmine :)
If you're looking at getting a pup, you can easily train ANY breed around the cats, so dont let out of date books give you bad advice :D If you're looking at an older dog, go to a rescue that do cat testing (I believe the NCDL do, as do many other rescues, but beware of stray pounds who dont have the time or money to do so). However, dont be put off older rescue dogs, I have just adopted a rescue Boxer (another great breed for the active family) and she is the most wonderful dog ever. It really is so rewarding to rescue. Have you thought about a crossbreed? There are lots of fantastic and beautiful mixes needing homes in rescues :)
Take care and good luck whatever you decide :)
Kathy

Where do you live? There's Discover Dogs at Earl's Court this weekend, that has nearly every single breed on show in this country. You can ask the owners questions about the breeds.

Good luck in your search. Diane

As you daughter likes shih tzu, why not take a look at the tibetan terrier They are energetic out going like excercise and are usually good with other animals, they have few health problems, and would take all the walks, they have a great fun temprement, intelegent and eager to please

Hello

If reared with cats from a puppy Staffs are no different than any other dog, one of my closest friends has a Staff and she is excellent with cats, and other dogs :)
Dean

I live in London so i may just go to Earls Court this weekend :)

It IS very confusing, as i do love all the breeds and i look through the books but i don't feel they can tell me everything, some are very vague. To be honest, i'm not bothered if a breed is long or shorthaired, i'm very used to grooming as i have to do that everyday with my 4 persians ;)
Someone mentioned here that leaving a pup for three hours a day is too long ?? :( is it really?
Are the retriever breeds ok with being left for that length of time??

Hi Jasmine,

It's obvious to me, don't know why the others have missed it ;) - you need a Rough Collie. Happy to walk round the block or come on a hike with you, coat will be a breeze to you after the Persians ............ great family dogs.

Marina :D

Did think maybe a collie but for a first time dog owner can't they be quite demanding? I know we fostered a BC for a while and she was always on the go - although she was from a working line :rolleyes:

Would agree that a Border can be very demanding, but the Roughs are a very easy going dog.

M.

Im with Kathy boxer, excellent family dog good with young and old.
My mums got two cats he's vey good with them. (he's also good with ducks but that another story worthy of its own post).
At weekends we all go off cross country and Bradley is excellent at tracking....pubs.
I have lived with a BC and I can say my Boxer Bradley is the best companian, protector and part of my family. Once you have owned a boxer its unlikely you will ever own another breed.

Definitelygo to Discover Dogs if you can, there is nothing like actually seeing the dog in the flesh so to speak.

A good book to get is "The Ultimate Puppy" by Teresa Shipp as it goes a little more than most books into the temperament and personality of each breed and their training requirements etc.

Dont forget to check out stuff such as - are you prepared for puppy chewing? Where are the nearest good socialisation classes and so on!

I love Cavaliers, they are a good family dog if well brought up and can take long walks. We have one doing working trials so they are very capable, more so than people realise :) It really depends on what "calls" to you - whether you want a large or medium or small, long or short coat, and so on.

Good luck in your search.

Lindsay

Its not easy, looking for the right pedigree dog......

Ive got 2 crossbreeds, and im off to Discover dogs on Sunday, cos im looking for the right ped for me, probably this time next year.

Books can give u an idea of what you do and dont want, but nothing can beat meeting the dogs in the flesh and talking to people who have owned lots of a particular breed.

Good luck in your search, and definately go to DD.

Em

I have two shih-tzus and love them to bits. If its long walk you are after I would not recomend this breed. One thing they have short legs and tire quickly. The other they can be very stubborn and you may not get passed the front door never mind walking anywhere. I think this breed is more like a cat in a dogs overcoat. Good luck with whichever breed you choose.

Maggie

Hi there.

Depending on what sort of breed your looking for sizewise, Bullmastiffs are gentle giants and I am the owner of one who is 4 years old now.
They can be stubborn at times and don't require that much exercise, they will take as much has you can give them.
The breed does have to be bought up carefully when pups to prevent health problems like Hip Dysplasia and they can also get Bloat if exercised straight after there meal (this includes Boxers) which I am also a lover of.
They are a strong breed and need to be trained and socialized around people and other dogs, they can also be sensitive to certain noises which is why it is very important to get them used to as many noises and sounds has possible when puppies!

They don't like the heat or cold weather so its up to the owner to make it as comfortable has possible for the Bullmastiff indoors....they are a protective breed with there family and adore children but do have to be watched carefully as the love and effection they give for the child, it would be so easy for the breed to knock over.

Discover Dogs is an ideal solution, they do have many breeds to choose from and the breeders are very helpful......but don't be suprised if you get asked so many questions. They only want the best for the dogs.

Good Luck.

Hi Jasmine,

We have Boxers and a Border Collie, plus a cat too (along with other small furries/scalies).
Both these breeds can be demanding, but then they also fit your post to a T. :-)

One thing, you'll never be bored with a Boxer around (hey, i'm bias, i know!)

A Boxer when properly trained from a young age, as any breed, is a joy to own.
I personally chose the breed, for many reasons, i loved their looks, short manageable coat, and personalities.

We introduced our cat into the household when all the dogs were adult, having never encountered a kitten before, they were so gentle around her. It took them some getting used to this new 'fluffball' but with proper introduction everyone gets on fine, actually, the cat rules the roost!

Boxers (and Collies) are easy to train - as long as you make it worth their while ;-) LOVE excercise and they adore children.

Don't rule out going to a rescue for your dog, there are thousands of already housetrained, lonely dogs looking for new homes.

But if you ask me?? Boxers all the way (and B. Collies of course!)

J

gun breeds everytime im afraid, they meet your critea for being active and easy to train, they come in a variety of coats - long, short, wire(ish), and curly, they love to go hiking or just laying in front of the fire, my favs are lab, chesapeake, GWP, spinones and springers, (in no particular order) not that im baised ;) but go for one of the gun breeds

No one has yet mentioned the GSD, we have two (whites) now. They love the great outdoors and will walk for miles, but obviously as a pup you need to gradually increase the exercise each month until there bones and joints are strong enough (as with all large breeds).
They get on with cats as long as they are bought into the house as a pup. They are easy to toilet train (mine were dry at around 5 months day and night). They are willing to learn and will pick up most things with ease. With our 7 month GSD we are training her to carry a bag on her back so that when she gets older she can carry the water and bowl for her and her friend to drink (saves us carring it (-:), and as you like walking this would be a great bonus to have a large bread to carry things in.

Didn't I post on here? Twice. They're gone... What did I miss?
RudyandMum
P.S. Please tell me if I'm imagining things. Hehe. :D

mmm strange I did aswell. We no longer have trolls we have gremlins
.

COCKER...COCKER....COCKER....COCKER......COCKER.....:D
Merry little blighters, with a good sound mind and fantastic temprement, very rewarding to train...if they could be trained to boil the kettle and make you a Sunday roast they bloody well would!!!..most of all they are ADAPTABLE....always a smiler ;)
...i might be a little biased....................