Anonymous wrote:Not that you asked, but cocker spaniels aren't always good kid dogs. They are prone to ear infections and sometimes snap when people touch their ears.

I completey disagree with this statement. We have a cocker spaniel and a 5 month old. Our dog is great with our DD. Yes, they are prone to ear infections, but you just have to make sure you keep their ears clean. I feel breed has its down faults, but I would suggest visiting a shelter and maybe getting a mixed breed. Even if breeds have certain traits not all dogs follow suit.

A bit more about Labs and Lab mixes.

The OP says she thinks a Lab is too big, but there is large variation in size. We have an American field trial lab, and he's huge. He's an inch over breed standard at the shoulder and weighs 86 lbs. This is not a dog for people who do not want a big dog!

BUT, female labs, and (as someone else already said), English labs in particular are much smaller, sometimes not coming to much above your knee (if even), and can weigh about 45 pounds.

Labs are hard to beat for temperment (unless you can stand the even crazier size and drool factor with a Newfie; they are labs without the hyper puppy years). For a larger dog, they can live a long time, too, which is why getting a rescue who is 1 or 4 can still give you several good years. Ours (not a rescue) is about to turn 14. I have heard that males and yellows are more hyper/aggressive, but I wouldn't know because my big hulking guy IS a yellow male, and we have not had any trouble with him except chewing one pair of shoes when he was 1. He has been fabulous with the kids even in his grumpy old age. Our next dog, which we hopefully will not need for awhile, will be a lab rescue, in part to get around housebreaking. I've had enough potty training for awhile!

My dog growing up was a lab/german pointer mix, and she was a fabulous dog and not anywhere near the size of my big guy. I think she weighed 40 pounds as an adult and she lived to be 12. We got her as a puppy.

I would check the papers or adoption centers for a lab mix puppy or think about a rescue. Good luck, OP!

Anonymous wrote:Can someone post the links to the established rescue leagues in the DC area?

See two posts down for PAW and SOS

Mature dog; mixed breed.

Many rescues have their dogs in foster homes for a long time and get a sense of the dog's personality. A rescue in Richmond trains every dog in basic obedience and some in agility. The dogs are trained by prisoners who use their skills to get jobs upon release. The coordinator is good at pairing the dogs with appropriate homes. My colleague and her 11-year-old son just adopted a great dog through them. http://www.sos-penpals.org/

Partnership for Animal Welfare http://www.paw-rescue.org is also good, but they don't have an obedience certification for every dog.

Mixed breed dogs are often healthier and heartier than the purebreds. They come in many shapes and sizes that are right for your home, kids, and activity level.

Far too many dogs and cats wind up euthanized in shelters every year; there are many great ones to choose from in rescues.

I'll also add that mature dogs are a better choice for families than puppies are. It's hard to housebreak an animal while caring for kids, and kids aren't the best influence on an animal learning the rules. One that is already trained and whose personality traits have manifested themselves is a safer bet.

I wouldn't trade my Shepherd/Rottweiler/?? rescue dog for anything. He is angelic with my daughter, tidy, well-mannered, and a perfect fit for our family. Watching him sit in her bedroom doorway, guarding her as she sleeps, melts my heart. He weighs more than she does (55 pounds to her 41) but wouldn't harm a hair on her head, nor let anyone else do so.

Assuming that the dog is well trained, don't count out dogs with Rottweiler in them. They are loyal, calm, steady, tolerant, and good with children. Can't say enough good about them. They like to have a job, and protecting a child is one that they do particularly well.

Terriers too, though they can be a little destructive if bored.

Have fun with your dog!

Pugs hands down. They are sweet and great with children. And they do not need a lot maintenance (grooming etc).

Can someone post the links to the established rescue leagues in the DC area?

Anonymous wrote:Rescue + kids = risky. These dogs have been hurt. I would only recommend rescue with more mature kids. My 4 year old would get bitten.

My husband and I have volunteered with a rescue league for the last 10 years and this is simply not true. Rescue leagues will also tell you which dogs are appropriate for young kid and which are not. Comments like the one above are so sad to me. That type of ignorance keeps a lot of great dogs from getting good homes. And you know who those great dogs often are? Pure breds from breeders who were purchased as puppies by people who were anti-rescue league. Ironic.

I'll second a PP's suggestion to consider a regular standard poodle over a doodle mix if size is not an issue (and if it is, I was the early poster who recommended a miniature poodle instead). Standards may be more high energy than golden retrievers or labs, but they also calm down considerably once they are out of their puppyhood. We have a four-year-old standard poodle who is the funniest, sweetest dog we can imagine. We are consistently impressed with how smart she is and how much personality she has. It's the intelligence and personality that set poodles apart from other breeds in my opinion and experience (that, and the not shedding!). She is gentle with children and a loving family companion.

They do require more exercise than smaller poodles for sure, but ours is happy and well-behaved with only two short walks a day (around the block or so, because we don't have much of a yard) and a little bit of fetch in our house at night. I'm sure she would enjoy more exercise, but she's fine with the current arrangement. Poodles are so loving that the stimulation they crave the most is companionship. If you plan on keeping your dog outside or confined to one area of the house, however, a poodle would not be the best dog for you. They expect to be (and deserve to be) incorporated fully into the family.

Their grooming can also be an investment, but that's because they don't shed. I'd rather spend the money and time getting ours groomed every two months than constantly clean up dog hair, but that's a personal trade-off.

We have a Lab and don't have a big house (townhouse w/ tiny fenced backyard). If you don't mind the shedding, they are great dogs. Look for an older one who isn't as hyper as a puppy is. Ours is 7 yrs old and is VERY patient w/ my 3yr old son. He does shed a lot so maybe a Labradoodle would work better for you.

The standard poodle is more consistently high energy than a lab or golden for the majority of it's life. Labs might have spurts of activity when playing or exercising but overall seem to sleep-relax more than standard poodles which over the lifespan are more in motion. I'm not comfortable with medium to large mixed breeds now - too many unknowns like pit bulls in the DC area. It's not your old fashionned suburban or rural farm dog roamers.

Why not look into a standard poodle instead of a labradoodle? I've met several of each and the real poodles had more consistent dispositions. Most super reputable breeders require purchasers to neuter if not showing for conformation so I've heard some skepticism from pros on the dogs used in the labradoodle trend.

My family has bred and shown dogs for several generations, and I've had a lot of experience handling and training many different types of dogs. Just to weigh in on a few points made above.

I entirely agree with the list posted by the PP of dogs to GENERALLY stay away from: (Rottweilers, Vislas, Dalmations, Akitas, German Shepards). I LOVE Rotties, and have known some truly great and gentle ones, but AS A BREED, I would not start there with young kids.

Someone mentioned Cavalier King Charles Spaniels... I think these are great little dogs, if you get them from a reputable breeder. (But, they can also be high energy).

You might want to consider an English Labrador. They tend to be a bit smaller than American labs... and, in my experience, SLIGHTLY less energetic.

As for Rescue dogs, there are some really nice dogs out there... but statistically, these are dogs who have been given up for one reason or another. VERY FEW are given up by owners who truly love the dog and cannot keep it due to changed circumstances. Many are given up because they were bought by ignorant owners who got the wrong type of dog for their personality, and ended up with a disaster. While there may be nothing "wrong" with the dog, its important to consider that they may be acting very "breed-appropriate". For example, if you keep a border collie in your 1-bedroom apartment, and leave him alone all day,... don't be surprised when he chews the snot out of your furniture because he's crazy bored.

As for the -doodle crosses... Standard poodles are very high energy, and MOST of the dogs that make up the other half of the cross are ALSO high energy (labs, goldens). You can end up with wonderful dogs... but chances are it will be HIGH ENERGY.

If you can stand the drool, Basset Hounds can be great for city living, as they tend to be gentle, and more sedentary.

There are also some wonderful mutts out there... But even with mutts, its helpful to have an idea what their breeding is, so you can guess whether the dog will be appropriate for your lifestyle.

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Australian Shepherd is a herding dog. Herding dogs need a lot of excercise-a lot of people don't understand that. Most terriers do not shed.

Also, they need to be mentally challenged and stimulated - ie literally gathering a herd of sheep, chasing after things (balls, sticks, etc.), running an obstacle course, following commands, etc.

Yes. Australian Shepherd is a herding dog. Herding dogs need a lot of excercise-a lot of people don't understand that. Most terriers do not shed.

Anonymous wrote:what about australian shepherds?

Do they shed?

what about australian shepherds?