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Which dog breed would make the best family pet for a first time dog owner? A medium to small breed that is calm inside the house, easy to train, good temperament, friendly around strangers and well behaved around small children, a dog that doesn't shed too much etc.
I recommend adopting a mature dog from a purebred rescue. My favorite dogs have been 20-25 lb poodle and terrier mixes, and they were also spayed females.
Puppies are hyper and destructive. Housebreaking them is a PITA. With a rescue, they will have been evaluated by their foster families. Calmness comes with being adults. With dogs like golden retrievers and labs, they are very energetic when they are young. After the age of 5 years, they mellow into awesome companions! Older dogs will also be content sleeping on your couch while you are at work.
I don't know about the best breeds. I'm not a dog connoisseur. My family has adopted many dogs over the years, though, and the most trouble-free, well-behaved, loving dogs have been the mutts we've adopted from the local pound.
We chose one wire-haired mongrel just because she looked so pathetic in her cage. We already had one puppy and were seeking a more mature companion. We thought she would fit. We led her on a leash from the kennel to the front desk for payment, to the front door of the building and to the gate to the parking lot with her tail tucked between her hind legs.
When we reached the parking lot, her composure changed completely! It was as if she realized she was FREE! For the rest of her life, she made us feel every day that she was grateful for her rescue.
The OP wants recommendations for dog breeds that are medium to small, don't shed much, and are calm inside the house, and people want him to get a lab or a beagle.
The OP wants recommendations for dog breeds that are medium to small, don't shed much, and are calm inside the house, and people want him to get a lab or a beagle.
Our lab was medium size and very calm inside even as a puppy. I have seen many labs & retrievers that
played outside but were calm inside. Shedding is not really an issue if you brush your dog. The new furminator brushes make it easy to keep them from shedding inside much.
Don't they have to go to the groomers very often ?? That seems like a chore and also expensive.
Let's just admit that the people that want a lab so they can take it hiking, enjoy letting it swim and
want a dog that will retrieve a ball or frisbee would not be caught dead with a poodle.
And the type people that want a dog to put bows in its hair and dress them up in sweaters probably
don't want a lab.
If you don’t care about the traditional poodle cut, you can buy your own clippers and do it yourself. It’s not that hard, and if you choose a longer clip length, you won’t cut the skin. Trim the nails and there you go.
Poodles are water retrievers and they are an excellent choice for hunting waterfowl. They are much calmer in the house than most other breeds of retriever or pointer and they are one of the most intelligent and easily trained breeds. They are extremely people oriented and devoted to their family and the family's children.
The frou-frou hairdo hasn't done much for their reputation.
A poodle kept in a short puppy cut is a lot easier to take care of than a show cut, but the coat is still work, The family must either be prepared to groom or else be prepared to pay for frequent grooming so the coat doesn't turn into a knotted mess. Coat is the only reason that the standard poodle is not my first recommendation for a family dog; even for a first time dog for a family.
Fortunately for the standard poodle, they have escaped the trendy pet curse and they tend to be healthy and mentally reasonable. The same can't be said for the miniature and toy poodles who are the favorite victim-of-choice for puppy mills, so you must be very careful where you buy because there is a lot of careless breeding of the smaller poodles.
And isn’t there a 4th poodle, like a medium size between standard and mini?
If you don’t care about the traditional poodle cut, you can buy your own clippers and do it yourself. It’s not that hard, and if you choose a longer clip length, you won’t cut the skin. Trim the nails and there you go.
Agreed! I have a bichon (another fabulous choice!) And I clip him once a month myself and take him to the groomers once or twice a year. He obvir looks better after the groomers but doesn't look bad when I do it.
First, go to a shelter. Youll often find the perfect dog who needs a family. We have a rescue beagle, and one we adopted from a puppy mill that was shut down. Both are good dogs, but yes they can roam, but a leash prevents that. We had a dachshund, he passed away, but he was the man! He was ever so gentle with both our kids, played with both really well, went on camping trips with us, and was a really great dog, and we really miss him. If we didn't have these beagles we would get another dach. in a heartbeat.
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Solly says — Be nice!
