Hi I want a larger dog which meets the following.
1. Protection (needs to have protective instincts for the house and for when I go walking)
2. Exercise to go walking and biking
3. Easy to train
4. Little to moderate grooming needs
5. Can do well with children (future needs)
6. Can do well with my two miniature schnauzers
7. Independent personality. Doesn't want to be under foot all the time.
8. Playful, can entertain itself with toys etc.
9. Enjoys being played with
Basically there has been a spike in houses being broken into in the city I live in, I would also like to have to have a larger dog to go walking with and to train to run along my bicycle.
I large dog who will make someone think twice about breaking in would be good but at the same time I still want it to be a good family dog.
I do not want a needy dog who must have my attention all the time but I would like to one which is playful and does enjoy attention. I guess I'm saying I want the attention to be on my terms not it begging for attention.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com Last I would like it to have an easy coat to deal with. I'm willing to take it in to be clipped and/or brush it but I don't want any heavy shedding or heavy maintenance.
Any suggestions??
German Shepherds do shed, but that's hardly uncommon. They do fit your listed criteria rather well. Yes, they're loving dogs who should not be isolated, but they aren't usually what you'd call needy. Like all other dogs, they just need to be part of the family. They're protective, have a suitable energy level for you, are easy to train (assuming you are firm, consistent and benevolent), have little grooming needs, do well with kids and other dogs (assuming they're properly socialized and trained, of course) and are playful. They may not be quite as independent as you'd like, but you can't really have it all, considering how many criteria you have.
EDIT: The Great Dane would fit many of criteria, but not all of them. It's quite common for Danes to be "Velcro dogs," meaning that they wanna be around you all the time. They may also have a lower energy level than you'd like. See, while a giant breed is growing (until about age two), their exercise must be carefully regulated. That means no hard exercise (no formal jogging or anything like that), and limited repetitive trauma (like stair -climbing and jumping). So, you'd not be able to do any of that until the dog is at least two, and even then, biking might be a little much. As for shedding, they shed a lot, too. I mean, you know, an average amount.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com Dobermans require just as much human interaction as German Shepherds do, while they can be more domineering than German Shepherds. Regular shedding.
Also, I was thinking, maybe an Akita? They're protective, have a suitable energy level, are independent, have little grooming needs, can do well with kids and other dogs if well-bred, well-socialized and well-trained, and are playful. Now, because you want an independent breed, well, something that comes with that territory is potential difficulty to train. That's kinda just how it works, so the Akita might be more difficult because they're not dying to please you like a Lab or something.
EDIT: Ah, that is a long time you'll be gone during the day - for any breed. But you know what that means? It means that your situation is definitely unsuitable for a puppy .. which means that you can get exactly what you want in a young adult or adult dog instead. Start checking around on Petfinder:
http://www.petfinder.com/ pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com Instead of focusing on breed, you can just look around for the specific dog that fits the bill.
Yeah you should get Labrador Retriever or golden Retriever or Labrador Retriever x golden Retriever
I wouldn't reccomend a lab if you want the dog to be protective. A well bred pitbull should do the trick.
German Shepherd sounds perfect for you.
Labrador Retriever
1. Any big dog will fill this.
2. Most big dogs can do this if you aren't a crosscountry racer:)
3. Most big dogs EXCEPT the livestock guards (Komondor, Kuvasz, Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherd, Tatra Sheepdog, Italian Maremma, Tibetan Mastiff, Akbash etc) will fill this requirement.
4. Short coats instead of long; check.
5. Any well-bred dog with a stable psyche can be trained to tolerate children.
6. See # 5; you might have to consistently supervise them while alone.
7. Okay ... workers rather than herders
8 & 9 are complementary.
My suggestions: Mastiff, Bullmastiff, Rottweiler, Doberman Pinscher, Great Dane, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.
No. If there are break-ins in your neighborhood, GET A SECURITY SYSTEM AND A BASE BALL BAT!! NOT a dog! !
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
Unless you are willing to spend THOUSANDS on a Personal Protection Dog, you should not get a dog for these purposes.
