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[quote=Anonymous]There are a lot of breeds being recommended here that I strongly disagree would make a good family dog... especially with YOUNG kids.  Older kids (9, 10, 11) is a different story.

Vizslas are very strong willed working dogs (have been used for police work, hunting) that CAN be aggressive.  They are similar to German Sheperds in terms of temperment.  They are great dogs for people who really know what they're doing, and really know how to train a dog well (as they're very bright), but I think they make poor family dogs for your "average" American family.

Spanials - I LOVE Spanials... and Brittanies are great, but ALL breeds of spanials are fairly high energy (maybe the smaller breeds like Cockers a bit less so), and can also end up being neurotic if they don't get enough room/exercise/work.

Terriers (Jack Russell, Fox, whatever), are well... TERRIERS.  They are known for their tenacity, and somewhat aggressive "big dog in a little dog body" attitude.  They can be great, but they can also be very nippy and aggressive... especially around babies/small kids who are too young to pick up on signs that they are moving into the dog's space.

What would I recommend?  Greyhounds can be very nice.  And, if you can deal with the health issues, Bulldogs and Pugs are also nice.  Pugs probably have the most energy of the three, with most Bulldogs and Greyhounds being big lazy bums (often a good thing).  There are several good dog books that will give you an idea of different breeds and their relative energy levels.

But really, as much as I like purebreds, a good old fashioned mutt might be PERFECT for you.  If you like the Labs, you could look for a lab mix (there are lots of them in shelters) that couples the Lab with something more sedentary and/or smaller in size.  I'd also like to recommend the Arlington Animal Welfare League... they are a pretty knowledgable bunch, and if you tell them what kind of space you have, what kind of termperment you want, they will probably steer you in the right direction.  And, too... sometimes OLDER dogs  (ranging from 2-10 years) are good bets.  They need homes, and you KNOW what you're getting (in terms of size and temperament), whereas, it can be much harder to tell with a puppy.

Another option are the many many Lab Rescues.  Again, I always think labs have longer than usual puppy years.  They can be very playful and high energy for several years  (many of them are playful and energetic their whole lives!).  But SOME of them slow down around age 4.  If you're not averse to owning an older dog... an older Lab might be perfect for you.[/quote]

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