Dog question 9with a sad start)

[GaryE]

6 years ago I told a friend on a fish forum I might want some advice if I were to get my first dog since I was a kid. She happened to work with shelters, and a few months later, told me she had found the perfect dog for me. I found myself living with a traumatized, fearful and very damaged 9 year old English Cream golden retriever. My dog passed away last week, just short of 15, after developing into the finest canine companion a person could ever wish for.

I've learned I'm a dog person, and I know I will be seeking a new dog by late summer. I am not into breeds except I know their breeding gives valuable info. So as I search again in a few months, are there types of dogs you can present arguments in favour of?

I am looking for a dog over 40 pounds, up to 80 or so, mid sized to large. I will be 65 when this next adventure starts. I live on a 1.8 acre lot, so I have room, but I am not as athletic as I once was, dog chasing wise. I am going to look for a rescue, not a puppy, and the breed idea is a general guideline for a probable mutt. I don't think I could handle another older dog, so an active dog would be in the cards.

I don't hunt, except for my glasses.

I am looking for leads on easy going dog breeds. Since I was dogless from 17 til I was in my later fifties, I haven't got a lot of dog breed knowledge. If you do, and have some ideas, I am listening. I have time to do follow up research.

 

[JuiceBox52]

Great Pyrenees are larger but VERY easy going and relaxed and gentle. A mutt with some Pyrenees is a good bet. I love mine, he’s very loyal and protective, we let him in and out as he pleases. Doesn’t need to go on really any walks beside playing in the backyard, and mostly has just chilled and layed down in the house his whole life.

 

[jaylach]

Golden's are awesome but you may also want to look at a Black Lab. Black Labs are awesome as, I suppose are yellow and chocolate labs. One of the things I love about them is that they are VERY intelligent yet never quite lose the fun aspect of being 'puppy dumb'... they are often clowns As to size a female or neutered male will possibly hit around 80 pounds. A male, not neutered, can hit 100 pounds.

Another awesome dog breed is a border collie. As to size a male reaches 30-45 pounds while a female reaches 28-40 pounds. These wonderful critters are as intelligent, if not slightly more so, than a lab. I just don't think they are as personable as a lab but that does not mean that they are not friendly.

Having room to run is good for both breeds but you don't need to run with them. Throwing stuff for them to retrieve is fine. For some reason labs tend to love tennis balls. Both breeds are also easily trained to both voice and hand signals.

 

[Uberhoust]

I have had 2 Golden Retrievers in the last 35 years, both have been good companions. The first was trained for grouse hunting and caving, both were trained for packing. Both were trainable even after the first couple of years and would returned if called, so I did not leash them in the bush. The recall was particularly important because we hiked in bear territory frequently, that said the only animal that has ever treed me is a cow elk. Along with the labs the goldens were more low key when they got above 5 years, but neither lived above 11 years, and they shed a ton of hair. The long hair is not so good in certain snow conditions either.

I wouldn't pass up the small breeds depending on what you do. I use to hate poodles till my wife insisted on getting one. We ended up with Rue, a 7.5 lb poodle, who went hiking with us. Tough terrain I would toss her into my pack and continue but for the most part she would go everywhere we and my other Golden would go. If she got too cold she would ride in my coat, but she still would go out with us whatever the weather. She was the smartest dog we had, and was essentially hypoallergenic, no shedding. If you do any camping it is much easier to dry off a small poodle before allowing them in the tent. I have been out in some winter storms with one of our goldens sharing our backpack tent which is not very fun.

 

[jaylach]

I have had 2 Golden Retrievers in the last 35 years, both have been good companions. The first was trained for grouse hunting and caving, both were trained for packing. Both were trainable even after the first couple of years and would returned if called, so I did not leash them in the bush. The recall was particularly important because we hiked in bear territory frequently, that said the only animal that has ever treed me is a cow elk. Along with the labs the goldens were more low key when they got above 5 years, but neither lived above 11 years, and they shed a ton of hair. The long hair is not so good in certain snow conditions either.

I wouldn't pass up the small breeds depending on what you do. I use to hate poodles till my wife insisted on getting one. We ended up with Rue, a 7.5 lb poodle, who went hiking with us. Tough terrain I would toss her into my pack and continue but for the most part she would go everywhere we and my other Golden would go. If she got too cold she would ride in my coat, but she still would go out with us whatever the weather. She was the smartest dog we had, and was essentially hypoallergenic, no shedding. If you do any camping it is much easier to dry off a small poodle before allowing them in the tent. I have been out in some winter storms with one of our goldens sharing our backpack tent which is not very fun.

I will absolutely agree with the shedding involved with a lab. Many people think that, since they are short hair, shedding will not be an issue but it is. The thing with a lab is that they are bred as a water retriever and have a secondary shorter fur coat for insulation while in water. Twice a year they will shed this insulation coat and when they do they don't mess around. I never considered the shedding an issue but they absolutely DO shed.

The lab I had when living in Florida lived to 15 years but that is in no way common.

 

[seangee]

I can vouch for labs. Border collies in my experience are a bit hyper and demand a lot of excercise. Labs are lazier, they love a lot of excercise but won't go crazy if you miss a day - of course as puppies they will destroy stuff if you miss a day, the best puppy is a tired puppy
I was actually on crutches when I got my pup (she's quite an old girl now), and the first thing I did was teach her to retrieve (and drop). That meant we could go to the park and she could get a good workout while I sat on a bench and threw the ball for her. She and I have both slowed down as we got older and some days we still swap a walk for a game of fetch.
Edit: Just seen the previous comment on shedding, yes its true!

 

[jaylach]

I can vouch for labs. Border collies in my experience are a bit hyper and demand a lot of excercise. Labs are lazier, they love a lot of excercise but won't go crazy if you miss a day - of course as puppies they will destroy stuff if you miss a day, the best puppy is a tired puppy
I was actually on crutches when I got my pup (she's quite an old girl now), and the first thing I did was teach her to retrieve (and drop). That meant we could go to the park and she could get a good workout while I sat on a bench and threw the ball for her. She and I have both slowed down as we got older and some days we still swap a walk for a game of fetch.
Edit: Just seen the previous comment on shedding, yes its true!

LOL! When you said a lab puppy can destroy things it made me laugh as, even as an adult, their tails are a weapon. With these you have to do like you would do with a child making sure that no breakables are within reach of the tail. They can clear off a coffee table with one swipe of their tail. Some consider this a negative but I guess I'm weird as I consider it part of their charm.

Regardless of breed many people want to train a dog to do Frisbee. When I lived in Florida I had a professional Frisbee competitor as a computer client. It is very hard to train most breeds to do Frisbee stuff when started when the dog is mature. When my lab in Florida was 2-3 years I decided to try doing a Frisbee but it never worked. Oh, he would chase it and, sometimes, even catch but then it was over and he would just lay down and chew it to shreds. If this is a possible desire you have to start with a fairly young dog and actually use a Frisbee as its food dish. The dog associates the Frisbee to mean food and will do anything it can to get the Frisbee bringing it back, basically saying feed me. For this reason he never fed his main dog before a competition... A good Frisbee dog is a hungry dog. BTW, his main Frisbee dog was a Border Collie.

 

[connorlindeman]

A rotty might be too much but they are awesome.

 

[davros]

Canada has been so good at spaying and neutering that even our mixed puppies sell for big bucks. A family member got suckered into a Caribbean rescue operation in Ottawa and what was described to them as a "coconut lab" (I kid you not) turned out to be a whippet-ish ( read fast) paranoid thing that now get regular CDB pills to cope . We fostered chocolate labs for guide dogs they are great and personalities are all different , didn't have the longetivity I expected ~7yrs and purbreds have their problems , hip dysplasia etc. Current mutt came from a what I now perceive to be a less reputable puppy "farm" but does whats needed, protects the family and warns of strangers.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Great Pyrenees are larger but VERY easy going and relaxed and gentle. A mutt with some Pyrenees is a good bet. I love mine, he’s very loyal and protective, we let him in and out as he pleases. Doesn’t need to go on really any walks beside playing in the backyard, and mostly has just chilled and layed down in the house his whole life.

So, Gary, I don't know if this will help you make a decision, but I need to share my favorite Pyrenees story. The first time the now Mrs. Badger and I went backpacking together, we were about five miles into the backcountry and ran into a big herd of sheep. They had several pyrenees dogs with them, and they looked hungry. We made friends with one, feeding it bits of beef jerky, and he was all Juice said: easy-going, relaxed, and gentle, although the scars on his muzzle showed that he had a different side. (I later found out that these dogs will not hesitate to tangle with a bear or a wolf, should the need arise, and they generally win) A little further on, the sheep were blocking the trail, so without thinking I picked up a handful of pebbles and started chasing the sheep out of the way so we could get through.

Mistake. Another dog, not the one we had made friends with, thought I was hurting his sheep and charged. I had never heard a dog roar before that moment. It was not a beautiful sound. He was about the size of a bus, all teeth and bristling fur. This was before I discovered bear spray, so not knowing what else to do, I pulled out the machete I had brought along, brandished it at the dog, and non-verbally expressed my opinion that he might want to stop. Thankfully, he did stop a few feet away, and we yelled at each other for a few moments. Then I started talking, trying to calm him down. It didn't work. But the funniest thing: As soon as all the sheep were behind him and safe, the hair and the lips came down; he looked around at his sheep, back at me, wagged his tail, and walked away. "Nothing personal, buddy, just doin' my job." I've kind of wanted a pyrenees ever since then.

That said, if money were no object and I could have any dog I wanted, I'd get a newfie.

 

[JuiceBox52]

So, Gary, I don't know if this will help you make a decision, but I need to share my favorite Pyrenees story. The first time the now Mrs. Badger and I went backpacking together, we were about five miles into the backcountry and ran into a big herd of sheep. They had several pyrenees dogs with them, and they looked hungry. We made friends with one, feeding it bits of beef jerky, and he was all Juice said: easy-going, relaxed, and gentle, although the scars on his muzzle showed that he had a different side. (I later found out that these dogs will not hesitate to tangle with a bear or a wolf, should the need arise, and they generally win) A little further on, the sheep were blocking the trail, so without thinking I picked up a handful of pebbles and started chasing the sheep out of the way so we could get through.

Mistake. Another dog, not the one we had made friends with, thought I was hurting his sheep and charged. I had never heard a dog roar before that moment. It was not a beautiful sound. He was about the size of a bus, all teeth and bristling fur. This was before I discovered bear spray, so not knowing what else to do, I pulled out the machete I had brought along, brandished it at the dog, and non-verbally expressed my opinion that he might want to stop. Thankfully, he did stop a few feet away, and we yelled at each other for a few moments. Then I started talking, trying to calm him down. It didn't work. But the funniest thing: As soon as all the sheep were behind him and safe, the hair and the lips came down; he looked around at his sheep, back at me, wagged his tail, and walked away. "Nothing personal, buddy, just doin' my job." I've kind of wanted a pyrenees ever since then.

That said, if money were no object and I could have any dog I wanted, I'd get a newfie.

Newfoundlands are amazing, I prefer Pyrenees though it’s cool cause they’re fight off large predators, but they also protect from eagles and hawks too

 

[Rocky998]

So, Gary, I don't know if this will help you make a decision, but I need to share my favorite Pyrenees story. The first time the now Mrs. Badger and I went backpacking together, we were about five miles into the backcountry and ran into a big herd of sheep. They had several pyrenees dogs with them, and they looked hungry. We made friends with one, feeding it bits of beef jerky, and he was all Juice said: easy-going, relaxed, and gentle, although the scars on his muzzle showed that he had a different side. (I later found out that these dogs will not hesitate to tangle with a bear or a wolf, should the need arise, and they generally win) A little further on, the sheep were blocking the trail, so without thinking I picked up a handful of pebbles and started chasing the sheep out of the way so we could get through.

Mistake. Another dog, not the one we had made friends with, thought I was hurting his sheep and charged. I had never heard a dog roar before that moment. It was not a beautiful sound. He was about the size of a bus, all teeth and bristling fur. This was before I discovered bear spray, so not knowing what else to do, I pulled out the machete I had brought along, brandished it at the dog, and non-verbally expressed my opinion that he might want to stop. Thankfully, he did stop a few feet away, and we yelled at each other for a few moments. Then I started talking, trying to calm him down. It didn't work. But the funniest thing: As soon as all the sheep were behind him and safe, the hair and the lips came down; he looked around at his sheep, back at me, wagged his tail, and walked away. "Nothing personal, buddy, just doin' my job." I've kind of wanted a pyrenees ever since then.

That said, if money were no object and I could have any dog I wanted, I'd get a newfie.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading every bit of that story

 

[Rocky998]

I can also vouch for the great Pyrenees! Such wonderful dogs! We have one. She isn't full bred but she does have 50% or more in her (I forget the exact percentage but I know it was 50% or over).
Truly a wonderful addition to a family. Their just naturally chill lol

 

[Deleted member 149562]

If you want to stay active and be in hysterical giggles for most of the day.....Springer Spaniel

They are nuts...highly loveable, not too big, completely crazy, will happily hunt for your glasses (socks and everything else) all day long, they have a tail that never stays still for more than a second (even when sleeping it wags ferociously) and will forever have you out and about in the wilderness or having the zoomies Springer Spaniel style. They will frequently find things that you didn't know you had lost.

They are incredibly easy to train....like when you're out doing aquarium maintenance they will sit beside you, watching and will fetch any tools etc that you need......they are very into watching fish, they are fascinated by the colours and movement

They live to please their owners, enjoy a cuddle infront of the TV....highly intelligent and just awesome to have around with their clowning about...never a dull day or a grumpy day cos they will always bring a smile...and tears down your cheeks from laughing so much

You'll have a long term bundle of fun and frolics with a Springer Spaniel

 

[GaryE]

Hmm, so far I have only known one Great Pyrenees, and I liked her a lot. She lived in Maine, but didn't have the accent.

I like Labs as characters, but I seem to have trouble with the fur. I've tested negative for allergies, but the oily fur seems to be a minor issue. My sister has three of them, with a total of 11 legs between them, so I've spent time with the breed to discover that is a problem for me.

A big chunk of my family comes from Newfoundland and Labrador, and these dogs are part of family lore. My grandmother always swore a loyal Newfoundland dog used to pull her to school in a sled when she was little.

Before Christmas, at a rural fair, I met the ideal personality of a dog, but an impossible one to keep. It was an Armenian wolfhound - not a good looking dog, but. He was chilling on a veranda while fair goers milled around petting him. I sat down out of the cold wind not far from him, not being a crafts type, and he got up, wandered over and stared me in the face, right in the eyes. He then stuck a paw on my shoulder like some guy from the old country, settled down, put his enormous head on my leg and relaxed. I felt like the chosen one, and like the dog had decided I would do as a way to keep everyone from petting him since he appeared to be cuddling (I would say all 150 pounds of lap dog) one person. His person was laughing. He apparently guarded a herd of sheep and had already taken on a bear and done in some coyotes. Alas, I would need 200 acres and a herd of sheep to keep one happy.

I have a prejudice against small dogs. It's very unoriginal of me, but it's there.

I have read every word here, and will happily keep reading more. For example, I had forgotten pyrenees as an option. This brings them very much forward. Border collies are good dogs - I was bitten by one once but he was a bad apple showdog belonging to a strange family whose kids I coached. He ripped the sleeve of my shirt, probably because I'd put his kid in right field for an inning. There is a local breed, the Nova Scotia Duck Toller I have been looking at, but I need to understand the energy levels.

Here is the next question. Rose, my late dog, had been trained to never jump. She would look around guiltily if she had to cross a log on a walking path, and could never get into the car unaided. I think we spent 2 years teaching her how to act like a dog. We were able to untrain some of the weirder stuff the show dog world imposes, but that one, never. I have a space in the yard I am going to fence in the Spring. The vegetable garden will have a high fence for deer, but I want a second, large open area dog fence around it. I don't care if the deer leap that one, but would a standard 3 or 4 footer be good for a dog? There are many temptations around here, and a busy road.