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Re: the puppy thread
the day i never thought would happen has arrived...i'm seriously contemplating getting a dog,
heres the lowdown
i havea young family
2yo daughter, 5yo daughter, myself and my wife....we're done having kids, and we have a house so i'm good there
but i want the dog to be relatively laid back and quiet...and to be good with kids (obviously) was thinking of a lab or a golden retriever ...but then again i'd rather not vacuum up hair every 2 days so i'm thinking a shorter haired dog is better for us, i also have a cat, i'd like it to be a mid sized dog, not a mini and not like a great dane or some crazy beast like that
any dog lovers here? help a brother out 
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: the puppy thread
Try this:
http://www.iams.com/iams/breed-information.jsp
You input in your circumsatances and it pics what dogs are best for the situation / requirements.
Re: the puppy thread
I'm biased, we used to have two labs - they are awesome dogs! Need to be trained a little (obviously they are very intelligent and easy to do) because they can be naughty. But obvoiusly great family dogs and good with kids. Yeah they shed a lot of hair particualrly in summer, just make sure your wife owns a good strong vacuum 
- A Private Eye
- Rep: 77
Re: the puppy thread
We got a dog a couple of years back, she's a cross between an Alsatian and a Collie. She's inherited the Collies size and the Alsatians looks/markings. Probably the softest dog you've ever met she's ridiculously friendly but very intelligent so pretty easy to train.
If I were you Neemo look into getting a cross, pedigrees are much more expensive throughout their lives and are more prone to diseases and unstable personalities. Cross breed dogs are almost always cheaper and will generally live longer.
As Aussie said Labs are traditionally very friendly and good family dogs, Spaniels are meant to be good family dogs too although might be a bit small for what you want. It all depends what you're looking for but as I said my advice would be to get a cross breed unless you have a specific idea of what the breed of dog is that you want.
Re: the puppy thread
All that I'm going to say is...
If you're getting a dog, money should NOT be an issue.
Choose wisely and carefully.
Re: the puppy thread
no .... well it makes a difference to me, but its not the biggest factor...besides labs are one of the more common breeds around here so in and of itself i'm already good there
physically went and sat with some today...purebred black labs 14 weeks old $400 and then we went and saw some lab/shepard pups 6 weeks old for $150 i'm kinda up in the air about what kind a dog i'd like, i'd prefer some intellegence in it so a lab/shepard seems to be a good choice as both dogs are higher up on the intellegence ratings on average but the downfall there is that the person with the dogs does not own the parents so i cant see what traits the older animals have...however the purebreds had both parents on site, the father was a barker but he is the guard dog of the farm but the mother was a sweety...another thing with the x-breeds they dont have shots or anythign yet so we'd have to shell out some $$$ to get them shots and dewormed whereas the older ones are already de-wormed and 1st shots
also i dunno if its better to get a male or a female? but i think i want at least a partial lab if not a full breed
Re: the puppy thread
We got a Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross pup a few weeks ago, first time I've ever owned a dog. Be prepared for a lot poop and piss on your carpet 
I only ever had cats growing up and they are pretty laid back, so it was a big shock getting the dog and seeing how dependant they are on you and how much of your attention and care they demand. We have a cat who has not taken to the new pup whatsoever, I dont know if he ever will, he's always been very nervous by nature and he is scared of the pup. If they dont bond I'm worried the dog will give him a bit of a savaging when older.
Hows that fish tank coming along anyway, managed to keep them alive and kicking?
Re: the puppy thread
Well, Neemo - whatever you choose I wish you luck!
I'm sure that you and your family will be good dog owners.
Be prepared, though. You're either committed a 100% or you are not.
On a side note... I'm getting a male Pyrenean Mastiff in a few weeks.
