but have children and a kitten and we are unsure of which breed would most suit us as a family.
We are not taking the decision lightly and thats why we are getting as many opinions as possible.
We are an active family who do lots of walking and we have alot of time for a dog, my husband works from home and i work part time.
We have a big garden also.
Any opinion would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

The age of your children will have more of an impact with a breeder than the fact that you have a kitten and/or a large garden. A lot of breeders won't entertain you if you have babies or toddlers. It's just too much hard work for you.

Then you will need to decide whether you want a large breed, medium breed or small breed. Then coat type is very important. Long haired breeds need far more grooming than short haired.

I would find out if there is a dog show near to you in the near future and go along and see what breed(s) appeal to you. You can then foloow up with the owners/breeders. Every one on here will give you their own breed as a very good example of a family pet, so be warned ;-) Personally I would go for a gundog breed, but only because it's almost all I've ever owned :-)

Yes. I too would go for a gundog breed, active, friendly, but also happy to slob around the house :-)

My children are school age and as we have a kitten they know to treat pets with respect.
My husband would like a Doberman but i am unsure!

There are really such a lot of dogs you could choose in your circumstances.  Can you narrow it down a bit as to what you a looking for?  You mention you do a lot of walking but how much time would you enjoy devoting to grooming and what type of character appeals.  For instance do you want a very intelligent dog or a friendly, gallumping fool or something inbetween?  Do you want something that will shadow you everywhere of something more independent that will go off and lie in the garden,once their exercise is taken care of?  One that will be very interested in playing with the children or one that will not get them overexcited?

Have you had dogs before? As someone who owns 4 gundogs (3 Golden Retrievers and a Sussex Spaniel) and 2 Dobes I would say for a novice the gundogs are much easier to live with and handle. What age are your children, school age covers a wide range of ages?

My children are 5 and 11, we want an intelligent and lovable dog. We have plenty of time for grooming but would prefer a shorter haired dog.
We have a family member who trains dogs and realize the importance of training. Are Dobermans OK with children? I had dogs as a child but i have not owned one as an adult, thats why i am researching the best breed for us and i am also looking to ensure we choose a breed we are able to give 100 percent to, as i realize some breeds need more intense care than others. We understand that dogs are a big commitment and thats why we are not rushing into things blindly!

Personally I would have thought that a Doermann would be a bit much as a first time dog -especially with a 5 year old around. They are very big dogs that need a lot of exercise and a lot of training. Here are some articles from the Kennel Club with advice on getting a puppy: http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/427
and here is the website of the Dobermann Club -they can help you with advice: http://www.thedobermannclub.co.uk/

I have 2 dobermanns and mine are fine with the kids as long as you teach the kids to respect the dog and vice versa they can get on fantastically. My son is 5 and my daughter 11 so the same age as yours. Have you ever owned a dog before? I wouldn't recommend them for a first time owner... Dobermanns are very strong headed and will need an awful lot of training after maybe settling into adult hood at about 6 years old ;-) My boy dobe is 3 at the moment and still has some teenage moments !! bitches are alot easier than the dogs BUT this will also depend on which lines you buy from. You will need to do alot of research into them and to find a good breeder that health tests etc and Kennel club registers the pups. Good luck with your decisions, Dobes really are a magical breed to own and i wouldn't be without mine now, even if things haven't been easy, all the hardwork pays off eventually :-D

A lot of good points have been made. I too would go for gundogs in particular retrievers. One of the reasons I changed to a flattie after my GSD was because by then I had a young family. Ifound other peolples attitudes to dogs affected my choice. Both flatties and goldies ( I know there are other retrievers too) are great with people and most people are happy around them which makes everything much easier . They like lots of excerisie but in my experience(other family maembers have goldies ) will also lie around quite happily. Usually very good with children loyal and friendly and intelligent.
I think dobes are great also Rotties but for me other people really can make life hard with their attitudes to these breeds and with a family you already have a busy life.

i think when finding a new dog its somthing you and your family have to sit down and talk about , all puppies are cute :) but at the end of the day its your choice and a hard 1 too , good luck finding a puppy you will all love :) :) :) x

Hi Debora!
~Welcome to Champdogs!~

Crikey Moses, you'll be here for ever and a day as us lot will all have our differing views and biases ;)
My advice: get yourself and family to Discover Dogs~ Presented by the Kennel Club Its held at Earls Court and you will be able to get hands on and meet almost all the breeds in the UK and best of all get to chat to breeders who know them inside and out. Its a great day out and a not to be missed opportunity to meet the best examples of breeds, narrow it down then maybe get to some shows and see them in action and start deciding what lines and breeders you like!

HTH?
Best of luck :)

Discover Dogs is coming up at the beginning of November and is always worth a look; if only as a reminder of what's out there.  Do have think about how and where the dog will fit into your lifestyle before deciding on a breed.   If you want to crate train; what size crate can you fit in your dog room?  What type of walks will you be doing - for instance will the dog need to be able to ignore sheep and cows, or will you need to keep the dogs attention in a park busy with other dogs and children?  Do you want a dog that can travel everywhere with you?  Anyone who's tried to book a cottage recently will tell you that lots of places restrict you to one small well behaved dog!!  Do you want a velcro dog or one with a more independant spirit?

It can be helpful to think about the past few weeks and the plans you have for the next few weeks; what would you do with the dog?  Ideally you want a dog that can fit around your present lifestyle without making drastic changes.  You might find that this helps you to consider a 'best fit' for your family.

Finally do a quick check along the lines of 'ears up' or 'ears down'?  Straight tail or curly?  Hairy legs or smooth?  It may sound frivolous but this sort of checklist taught us that we have a definite preference for type in this house.  In fact my kids did it recently with their aunts and uncles too and upon consideration we realise that our picture of a perfect dog was set a long time ago by the succession of whiskery rescue dogs that my parents chose!!  We all still have variations on the same theme...

I too think it is the gundogs that you will want to investigate first.  Probably a larger one.  Springers are a bit too full on I think for first time owners and Cockers are too willing to be hugged, squeezed and pushed around in a buggy for their own good and personally I would not let one to go a family with a 5 year old.  I think a Golden Retriever would prove a little more tricky to get into a pram :-)

Hiya & welcome

I, too, would recommend that you go to Discover Dogs either in London or in Birmingham @ Crufts. You will be able to see adults & younger dogs of all the breeds. You will be able to "get physical"with the dogs(that is have a stroke & possibly a cuddle)& have that all important chat with the breed people there & also get indepth information about their breeds. There are over 200 breeds of dogs recognized by the Kennel Club in the UK from tiny to giant so you have a huge number of things to decide on.after seeing them & as Husky Gal says then you can go to shows where your"short(or long)list" of possibles will be.

When you decide on a breed, please make sure that the parents & puppies have all the necessary health tests done. These can be DNA or clinical tests & the breeder will have copies of the test results & should give you a copy when you eventually get your puppy.

This decision is not one that should be rushed into & if the breed you decide on doesn't have any puppies available, please wait rather than grabbing the first ones that become available.

I could suggest several breeds that I have either owned or trained/handled for people, but only you will know the right breed for you.

I would not ignore other groups.  Scent Hounds are generally easy going with other dogs and for those who prefer a more independent dog can make a great choice, sight hounds are nearly all very gentle dogs, and as long as they are exercised in safe areas away from roads can make great companions,a nd don't need miles of walking being inclined to be sprinters.

I agree I would avoid some of the high energy/drive herding breeds and those with strong guarding tendencies as first dogs as these traits need channelling (as do those of all breeds).

Terriers can make great companions, but they are generally feisty and self willed, but that may appeal.

One mans meat is another mans poison.

For example I can't do Velcro dogs, I find them too needy/emotionally draining preferring affectionate but self sufficient characters, but that independence comes at the price of more work and attention with off lead training as they are happy to go off further than you might like.

For example my five year old who I consider good off lead ended up walking into someones house on our walk last night as she was ahead of me and these people live on a private lane by the commons we were using.  She just wandered on in, and I couldn't see for the trees what she was up to.

For me though I like Gundogs their love of water and getting wet would be a big disadvantage, a nd also most are lippy so more drool than I can deal with, they also are more dog smelling than many.

I don't really have any advice other than that allready given, but I'd like so say WELL DONE for researching BEFORE getting a dog :) :) :)

You are right not to rush in and get the first cute little puppy that pops into mind - afterall evrey puppy is irresistable :) If you spend time reasearching and finding out a breed that you like that will fit in with your lifestyle and personality you will thank yourslef later. When you do decide on the breed really reasearch, it's far better to know the 'down side' of a breed before you get it.

Once again, it's fantastic that you are researching breeds before taking the plunge - that's just how it should be & I wish everybody did :) :)

I would add another recommendation for Discover Dogs. Cavaliers and cockers are both great with children and easy going, you may find 5 years is the youngest many breeders will consider for a child to let a puppy go to that family. If you want a bit bigger than springers or retrievers would also be good. A more laid back terrier might be a Border terrier.

I have a staffy and the pro's are: affectionate, compact but not a wee dog, smooth coated, keen to please and learn, don't bark much, etc etc  I will go on it a staff appeals to you.

however the cons are - can be dog aggressive, have an anti-social reputation, are too powerful for small children to walk, will look after the children (some may see this as a pro but my staff has certain children she appears to feel the need to protect from other dogs and if dogs come near 'her' children in an unfriendly manner, all hell breaks loose which is not great but for some people this trait is appealing), when they get wind they get it bad...

Amazing dogs though and I would not be without my wriggly bundle of fun.  All the local kids love her and she adores the constant kisses and cuddles from the children in the neighbourhood.

Boxer, but they can be boisterous and it can sometimes be like having an extra child ;)
They are normally very friendly and very good with children but can be bouncy and tend to jump up so if you are prepared to put the time in with training...
they may be an alternative choice..
But I agree with all the others Discover Dogs is really the place to go to see all the breeds and get a warts and all of what living with each breed will be like :)

Thank you all very much for your excellent advice, i will look into going to Discover Dogs!
I will continue to research before making a decision. We are going to spend alot of time training the dog we decide on and really look forward to giving to it as much as it gives us, we are not buying just for a cute little puppy, we definitely realize a dog is for life!

> don't really have any advice other than that allready given, but I'd like so say WELL DONE for researching BEFORE getting a dog :-) :-) :-)
>
> You are right not to rush in and get the first cute little puppy that pops into mind - afterall evrey puppy is irresistable :-) If you spend time reasearching and finding out a breed that you like that will fit in with your lifestyle and personality you will thank yourslef later. When you do decide on the breed really reasearch, it's far better to know the 'down side' of a breed before you get it.
>
> Once again, it's fantastic that you are researching breeds before taking the plunge - that's just how it should be & I wish everybody did :-) :-)

couldn;t agree more. i also support the others with the suggestion of discover dogs or at least a show- you might be surprised how many different breeds are available to you.

once youo pick one come and tell us, you'll probably find an expert here :)

What about finding ringcraft classes in your area, and going and having a look? There are many nice people there, who when they are not busy with training may well be happy to chat about their puppies/dogs, and you may be able to find local breeders of the type of dog that takes your eye and go and visit them at home, see the dogs and talk about what it takes to own one. I would think many contacts could be made, and that could possibly give the potential breeder of you dog the chance to meet you and your family with no presure of puppies and they can advise you of if they think your children are ready for a dog, take away the reluctance of the '5 yr old child'. Just a thought, I know of people who have taken this chance and found both a breed and a breeder they like, and then when the time was right a lovely puppy. They can also pass breed club info on, which could also find you a breed and the knowledge of it by talking to members and being invited to vist their homes and dogs. Anyone genuine in their breed will want to give help and advice, or they should if they truely care for their dogs and homes for their puppies. :) Good luck, certainly an exciting time!

Labradors always seems like a good "all rounder" type of dog for the family.

But to echo others thoughts, get yourself out and about - go to classes/shows to see what you like and if/when you find a breed you like the look of, do lots of research into temperment and behaviour etc. Its no good falling in love with the look of a dog then getting it to find it doesnt like your children or doesnt have the character of a pet you desired. Speak to people who are in the breed who will tell you the good and bad points of that breed

Well done for doing research - keep going!! :-)