mamoon2

I could do with some help picking a dog. Here is my criteria:

Medium to Large Dog
Must be good with children (2 1/2 year old)
Needs to be protective but not aggressive
No loopy dogs that can't be trained
Must not shed hair all over the place - pref a dog with fur that doesn't malt.

Was thinking of Bernease Mountain Dog - Bernease Mountain Dog

Weimaraner Weimaraner

Any other suggestions welcome

Matteeboy

Wiesler? Lovely dogs and trainable too.
Mountain dog is pretty big!

I would also recommend a black lab (the brightest of the lab colours for some reason) - good with kids, has already been protective of our 4 month old, barks at strangers but no one else, little hair moulting, very bright. Just need to be strict with feeding - NO t1t bits or "human" food at any time.

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

Another vote for a Lab. Although they do malt a bit.

stilover

Staffie. Renowned to be excellent family pets. They love children, and if anyone touches them, it'll tear them a new @rsehole.

I have one. Great dogs.

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

Go to the local rescue place and tell them what you just told us ..

Snazy

Lab with good lines, not one of the badly bred ones that lose the plot.

Matteeboy

Yep - a lab must have a good breeding line and a decent hip score.
It costs very little more to get a good one.
Ours has a cert tracking back five generations and is from working stock (her mum and dad are both used for pheasant "beaters" - ours has also had a go) which are a little smaller and seem more trainable for some reason.

Chocolate labs seem the least responsive to training - no idea why.

mamoon2

Matteeboy, I can't find any info on them, is the spelling right? Weiser?

I'd not considered a Lab as i thought they malt quite a bit? do you have one Michael?

Matteeboy

Oops - spelt it totally wrongly! Sorry!

Hungarian Vizsla

Ours does moult a bit but nothing a good vacuum can't sort.

Might be worth budgeting for a better hoover actually!

Vizslas are lovely dogs but a bit trendy so pricey.

Markus

Wiesler? Do you perhaps mean Vizsla (usually pronounced Veez-la). Somewhat similar to a Weimaraner as they are both HPR's, though the Vizzy tends to be a little smaller than the Weim. I have to say I do rather like them.

I know a little bit, about Weims, having co-owned one, and a very good friend of mine is a breeder of Weims.
They are very devoted and protective dogs, and if left alone and not provided with adequate exercise and stimulation they can be very destructive indeed. They do need lots of exercise to tire them out, so a long walk, at least a few miles, every day should do it. They can be very needy indeed. If they aren't sleeping then they tend to follow you around as they love company.

If you already have kids then the Weim should be ok with them, as it will be coming into your pack, and not the other way round. They will protect the kids as they will see them as part of their pack.

I'm somewhat blinkered and biased when it comes to Weims as I really am smitten with them.

I'll add another vote for a Lab, especially Black Labs, but again, I'm someone biased as I've got a lovely black lab curled up near me at the moment. Yes she does shed a fair bit, but she's not too bad. Fantastic

davegtt

Bulldog, very protective but very soft too. Even being protective of the property I still think if anyone broke in after his barking at the door he'd greet them and walk off with a stranger.

Fantastic with children although mine would need to be brought up as a puppy with one, he doesnt realise how heavy and forceful he can be so scares the kids when he wants to play

Not the easiest to train though but to be honest, house training and telling him to sit is about all I need with him

mamoon2

Markus,

We had two Weims when i was a small child. I can't remember too much about them but my mum loved them. I've always had a fondness for them. Do they shed much hair?

Matteboy,

That Vizsla is a lovely looking dog, gonna do some reading on them. Thanks

j4ckos mate

You cant beat a good mongrel

mamoon2

Bulldog is a very nice dog too Dave, I would consider one of these. Are they protective of the family home then? Barking wise?

Matteeboy

Mamoon - forgot to ask, how much exercise can you realistically give the dog?
Some breeds need plenty.
I would say a lab needs a good 2 miles a day minimum but Weims and Vizslas need more - very lively dogs.
A bulldog wouldn't need a lot but be very careful of Crufts style breeding lines which have rendered the poor things almost incapable of breathing.

Markus

Both Weims and Vizzy's tend not to shed too much hair. They are very similar hounds, both very short fine coats. One other advantage to the coat is there isn't much of a dog smell from them either, even when soaking wet. They might smell a bit damp, but that's about it.

Think long and hard before getting any dog, but especially so with a Weim and Vizzy. They do require a lot of work and attention. I would strongly recommend crating them as well. All my friends Weims have been crated and they aren't the worse for it. Maggie used to take herself off to bed (in her crate) at night and also if she wanted to get away she'd wander off to her crate. As they get older, say three years, you could stop using the crate or at any rate, stop shutting the door on it when they are in it. They do see it as their own little space, so if you do remove the crate completely, make sure you have at least a dog bed for them to curl up in.

Pet insurance is another must. I'd advise getting it for any dog, but more so for Weims, simply due to their coat and also the new laws that forbid docking of the tails. Many a time the weims have come back from an excursion in the woods with cuts and scratches from thorn bushes and sharp branches and such like. Thankfully the tails were docked so no injuries there, but as said, docking isn't allowed these days and they have a very fine, long tail and if they go thundering through the brush, and being a Weim, they will, I'd not be surprised to see the odd scratch and cut on the tail, but hopefully no worse.

Raised feeding stands are also a must to stop them from stooping their necks to feed which can cause problems, the most serious one being Gastric Bloat/Torsion which is a killer (stomach twists, not at all nice) and Weims are very at risk from this because of their build; large dog with deep, narrow chest

davegtt

Mine stands on the window cill and watches the world go by, looks mean stood staring and never barks unless someone comes down the driveway or a cat walks onto the front lawn. I left my door keys in the door 2 weeks ago whilst I went out all day. Didnt realise until I got home. UPS, Royal Mail and the Paper Boy had all been down the drive and anyone else who walked past could have seen the keys in the door but nobody touched them as he was stood staring He wouldnt harm a fly though.

He has parents that were shown in crufts and we've never had any problems with him at all. Hardly ever needs a vet visit. Obviously some dogs have more visits than others, could have been lucky I guess but theyre not all bad in that way. But he does snoor He breaths just fine when stood up etc.

Exercise is less than a mile a day too, he even pulls his face at that in the winter

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

We had two labs (at the same time) one black and one gold (black one was gold one's mum) and they do shed a bit of hair but they don't moult all over the place. They both liked a good brush so if you do that regularly you'll stay on top of it. Plus both of ours were confined to the massive tiled kitchen which made sweeping up a doddle.

Black one much more agressive than the gold one though. That said from a litter of 6 she was the only gold so as the 'runt' she was timid on a lot of things. Superb dog though.

5t.

Snazy

no mate, I have Alaskan Malamute's
Just saying about Lab's and good lines, as I have seen some shocking examples, poor temprement, no obedience, and quite agressive. Same with any breed really, but if you are after a good natured dog, a well bred Lab is a good choice.
Would say Mal's as they are a great all rounder, but prob the complete opposite of what you are after lol

p1mark

A Staffordshire Bull terrier does meet every single one of your criteria.

The only minus points are the bad rep they have, and the fact they can be a bit more aggressive to other dogs than say a lab. Not to people though.

People saying things like 'it'll tear them a new @rsehole' is symptomatic of the comment that gets them the bad (and for a correctly trained and looked after dog purely undeserved) rep.

Shame really, as you could not wish for a nicer, hardy, more maintenance free companion.

mamoon2

Matteboy - I work from home and have plenty of spare time, realistically I think a few miles each day. More at weekend.

Bulldog is ticking all the boxes but I love big dogs like the Weims

Think I can rule out a Lab due to the shedding

mamoon2

The reputation thing is a bit of a problem, shame really as they are great dogs.

SVVG

iTrader: (1)

Think I'd go with the lab too if I were you - although I've always found them a bit boring, and they do break their tails as they wag them a lot and they're quite hard/boney, so can be damaged on chairs etc. But very kid friendly, good temperaments and don't moult as much as Golden Retrievers (which I think are absolutely lovely dogs). As well as moulting, Retrievers are a bit mental until they're about 5 or 6 (kind of why I like them) but are very loving and gentle. Lab would be a good choice for a family dog of decent size, and would get my vote if no moulting, medium size and kids are an issue.

Proby521

iTrader: (1)

I have been doing lots of research lately into Bulldogs as I'm seriously interested in a pup. I really can't make my mind up. I've been looking for the past three months. I'm tempted to go see some pups, but I think I could'nt leave without buying one!

Proby

stara

a staffy would make a perfect pet for the kids, but a completely useless guard dog. also it is a very powerful dog for it's size and seems to have no choke reflex when pulled back on it's collar and lead. can be boistrous too. and would easily pull a child over and drag them along. they don't melt, malt, milt, mault, lose hair much either, well they do, but not like a spaniel or similar. a good site here, take a look, every type of breed and suitabilty with kids. Dogs and their Reliability With Children

al4x1

I wouldn't go for any of the status / fighting dogs mentioned. The weimeraner and Vizla are ok choices but as said will need lots of exercise and often aren't great if left on their own. I've got a German Wirehaired pointer so very similar in size and an HPR and she is great, cleanest dog I've owned soppy as anything with children and genuinely not an ounce of malice in her. But does like to be with people all the time and used to whine if left alone, now seems to be ok with company from the cats but a long way off being left at home for long

davegtt

Bulldog Breed Standard - The Kennel Club

Says it all about my current Bulldog and my previous (from the same Dame & Sire). Very very affectionate, likes to lay on me for cuddles every single night. When me and the misses are lay on the sofa watching a film hes always trying his best to get in the middle of us

We had exactly the same problem, could you walk away from these

mamoon2

There is no way I could look at those without buying one!