How about a lab or golden retriever?? And for a breeder have you tried puppy finder or puppy spot??Hi all!
My first post I am sure will be like many other first posts. I will try to be brief.
- My wife and I had a dog years ago that we lost
- Our daughter is in 2nd grade and we are ready for a new fur baby
- We want a mid-sized family dog (20'ish to 50'ish pounds)
- Minimal shedding ("hypoallergenic")
- Moderate energy type dog (preferably a dog that is somewhat chill)
- Friendly with people and other animals
- "Easy" to train
Our previous dog was a rescue and we loved him with all out hearts but he ended up being people and animal aggressive. We got him at 4 months old and they didn't know his background.
We want to minimize the chances of that happening again so we have been trying to find a GOOD breeder that does all the right things.
We have looked at a few "designer" breeders (doodle, cockapoos) but have quickly ruled them out as it is obvious they are not doing all the right things. We mainly looked at these breeds for the reduced shedding aspect.
My questions:
1. Outside of the designer breeds we looked at (doodles, cockapoos) what breeds are a good fit for what we are looking for?
2. Given the suggested breed, can you recommend a breeder?
This is such a confusing and frustrating journey. We have come across several breeders that are obviously puppy mills or just really poorly run backyard breeders looking to make a quick buck. It's so sad to pull back that curtain and see what these people are all about.
We are new to this and any help and guidance that can be provided would be so appreciated.
Thank you for reading this!
Stags
I believe that labs or goldens will shed too much for what we are looking for.How about a lab or golden retriever?? And for a breeder have you tried puppy finder or puppy spot??
Look for OFA test and eye examines. Also if they don't grill you for questions chances are they aren't good. If you can't meet at least the dad of the puppies there has to be something up. It's good if you find one from a championship blood line means the parents are worked with higher chance of getting a better puppy
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Thanks for the feedback. While we are not in a rush, we don't want to spend 3 years to find a dog. Our second grader would be a fifth grader by then!Always knew I wanted a GSD, never had one, didn't grow up around them or anyone having one. I grew up with Collies.. knew nothing about AKC, breeders, puppy mills, bybs we didn't have designer dogs they were called oops litters ....... I got myself out there for any listing of GSD's I could find. looked , listened , asked questions. I wish I had known then to find local dog clubs, or dog shows, (there is all breed shows , and there are breed specific dog shows) There are training centers now, that would also be helpful to see what they about ... active breeders in their breed will be going to training centers getting them ready to prove their pups .. Information and experience having hands on , will ease so much of the unknown frustrations and worries... Don't be in a hurry, enjoy the journey of knowing you found the right pup, and the right support system for you and the pup ... I spent 3 years collecting first hand experiences and still had to make up my own opinion on how I felt about it. I ended up realizing all the things I didn't want in a breeder, and a GSD. When I did find the right breeder, I knew it, very confident and seeing her dogs and her accomplishments again I knew I was in the right place for me. .. Don't be in a rush <3
Adding.... it's nice when a breeder has a puppy start program. that they active interacting with the pups. getting them ready for their new homes. getting my pups at 12 wks old the breeder has had a lot of time to introduce exposure, of one on one time, schedules, crate time, potty training. I like breeder who has a puppy start program
don't settle.. you have red flags listen to your gutt... lot easier to not have the wrong dog, then to have to get rid of them having the wrong dog...
Thanks for the info cookie!Welcome! A standard or mini poodle would fit your requirements as would a Welsh springer spaniel and maybe a Eurasier, sheltie, or collie. A Eurasier or sheltie might shed a bit more than you want - I'm really not sure how much the shed - and a collie might be a bit bigger than you want.
As for finding a breeder, I'd suggest finding the breeder referral contact from the national breed club for the breed(s) you're interested in and getting information from that person. You can also go to local dog shows to meet breeds and talk to breeders (just wait until after they've shown).
Thanks for the recommendations!While I am pretty much against designer type dogs.. decent breeders of a few of them DO exist.
I would take a look into "Australian Labradoodles". I can't exactly tell you where it is because I'm not into that kind of thing.. but I swear I remember a list of Labradoodle breeders that are required to health test. Maybe someone else knows what I am talking about.
Look for OFA, Hip and Elbow scores minimum. Even better Doodle breeders do Eyes/Heart/Thyroid check and sometimes other poodle related diseases. Also make sure they do some kind of puppy socialization PROGRAM. Not just.. "well socialized". Puppy Culture is a good example.. and I KNOW there are Doodle breeders that do it. If you are worried about aggression and fear.. you want a breeder that does more than just "regular" socialization. You also want a breeder that cares what they are producing and not just pumping out puppies. Getting a dog a from a puppy mill type situation is gonna be more risky than adopting a rescue.
I prefer breeders that prove their dogs are worth breeding. This means showing in conformation (more than just a beauty contest and yes they sell puppies as pets only), or doing something else. Agility, dock diving, lure coursing, obedience, therapy dogs, canine good citizen test etc. These are all things that are proving the dogs can go out into the world and function outside of the home. You would probably be looking for dogs that have therapy/service dogs in the pedigree and have passed their CGC tests/done obedience.
It is often easier to find a purebred from a decent breeder.
-Miniature Poodle
-Standard Poodle
-Bichon
-Coton De Tulear
Are a few that come to mind. You'll want to look up the AKC parent breed club where the often have breeder directories or breeder referrals. What state are you in?
Finding a breeder without really knowing what you are looking for can definitely be a difficult task.
My standard poodle pretty much fits that list to a tee. LOVES people, he loves his brothers (pom and mini poodle) and can be walked around the neighbourhood and be in my grooming shop loose with no issue with dogs being led through, but doesn't love interacting with too many 'outside' dogs at least until he gets to know them (he met the neighbours dog over the fence enough that when that dog jumped into our yard all my dog wanted to do was play). Medium energy (4-6 off leash runs a day 15-45 mins of fetch (I go to a private dog park where you have the park to yourself), on days he can't be run some brain exercises (training, food frozen in kong, food hidden around house for him to find) and he sleeps the day away, low shed (no dog is NO shed), but obviously that entails grooming costs which can be expensive especially if wanting a longer trim or no at home upkeep. Pretty easy to train (and will likely get more trainable as he matures)
- My wife and I had a dog years ago that we lost
- Our daughter is in 2nd grade and we are ready for a new fur baby
- We want a mid-sized family dog (20'ish to 50'ish pounds)
- Minimal shedding ("hypoallergenic")
- Moderate energy type dog (preferably a dog that is somewhat chill)
- Friendly with people and other animals
- "Easy" to train
We had a shelter dog before and we loved him. But he had major medical issues and was extremely people and dog aggressive. We know we can't truly eliminate the possibility of that happening but we want to minimize the chances by finding a reputable breeder.take a trip to the local shelter and see what you can find you would be surprised at what you could find in a mixed breed
Eurasiers do shed, though I don't find it to be all that bad compared to our Newfie's shedding. Beckett tends to blow coat twice a year, and it comes out in neat little clumps as opposed to just hair everywhere.Welcome! A standard or mini poodle would fit your requirements as would a Welsh springer spaniel and maybe a Eurasier, sheltie, or collie. A Eurasier or sheltie might shed a bit more than you want - I'm really not sure how much the shed - and a collie might be a bit bigger than you want.
