# dog recommendations for young family



## ChachiSnips (May 4, 2005)

My wife and I are looking to get our first dog this spring and I need to narrow down to a breed so I can start looking for breeders. I'm looking for a dog I can use for hunting, tracking and family pet/companion. Also, we have a cat and we will be starting a family in a year or two so we need a dog that will do well around both other pets and young kids, though I know most of that based on training/socialization of the dog. Right now we're between a chocolate lab, a brittany, or a german shorthair. We have a fenced yard and close access to 125 acres private hunting land and lots of public land so there will be room for running and training when the time comes. Any thoughts or recommendations in this thread or via PM would be appreciated. Thanks and Happy New Year.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

I have a choc. lab and she has been a great dog for the past 11 years. She is starting to struggle now having a stroke and such. The first year year Labs are very "oral" and want to chew everthing. We have a scar in our kitchen cabinets where Brownie was teething. Also had to repair some drywall. Although a very gentle dog, she did exhibit some alpha dog traits towards small kids ie children that she was was taller than. She has never snapped at anyone even when stepped on. You may also have to watch out for energetic tail wagging which can send a toddler flying. I had a uncle who had both a brit and a german shorthair. The Lab sheds more than those breeds. they are also a little more high strung in my opinion but my uncle didn't have alot of room for them to roam so maybe that caused my perception. They don't call them man's best friend for nothing......Good Luck...

ps I'm typeing this while waiting for Brownie to come in from her potty break...LOL


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## jcc (Oct 29, 2009)

You won't be sorry if you go with the Chocolate lab. Our 9 mo old female is has been a great addition to the family. Although my kids are grown now, she loves the neighborhood kids. A great desire to hunt, a little independant, chews like crazy, begs for food, but the best dog I've ever been around. Had setters in the past but for an overall hunting dog that has a great attitude, go with the Chocolate. Of course, if you are using her to hunt, shop for a proven hunting line.


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## wave warrior (Oct 2, 2005)

cant beat a Golden Reitrever in my book!! very obiedient,good with kids and other pets, easy to train,never begs in the kitchen(will sit in another room till they hear dishes and come look to see if they got any),non chewers(as long as you give them rawhide) mine would walk my daughter to the bus stop every morning,wait with her till bus came, then at 2:30 go to the door and go wait for the bus to drop her off at 2:45!! as for a hunting dog, go with a proven hunting line no matter what breed, good luck and happy hunting!


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## johnrude (Mar 29, 2009)

i own a german wirehaired pointer the best dog i have ever owned ! he is a state certified therapy dog ! and a canine good citizen award winner through the A.K.C. !he is hell of a bird dog i belong to a pheasant club he is a great pointer ! i also goose and duck hunt with him ! and he is great with the littlest kids to old adults ! one of the best things is he does not shed ! he lays in the living room with just his 2 front paws on the kitchen floor while we eat he knows he will get his 2 spoonfuls of left overs! i could keep on going but i wont ! just remember exercise and obedience ! good luck !


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## freyedknot (Apr 10, 2004)

labs can do it all...


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## JonTheFisherman (Oct 11, 2009)

I had a Beagle from the time I was born up until I was 16, when we passed. Beagles live a fairly long life, theyre good family dogs, not too big for when you have children. Buddy (my beagle) wasnt trained to be a hunting dog, but a couple times a week we would find a dead rabbit on our back porch. its merely instinct with those dogs. i have a Rottweiler now, i love him to death, but personality wise (yes dogs have personalities) hes not anything like Buddy, I'll remember that dog for as long as I live, waiting to get a new Beagle for the time being


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## wildman (Sep 3, 2008)

My grandfather had always told me to get a *Springer Spaniel*. So I did. 
Our *Springer Spaniel * We got him when my oldest was 5 and my youngest was 1 half. Excellent Dog. I hunt him for Quail Grouse Pheasant and Duck. He goes everywhere with us. Our cat was 6 months old and they are buddy's.

I had a lab which is a good dog and I have a beagle that my grandmother stole from me. LOL he is 15 Years old. My lab died in May and was 14 years old. A Springer Spaniel has the loyalty of a Lab with the character of the Beagle. That is the best way I can put it. 

We Studded him and have his son which is 15 weeks old. WE got him for my youngest for her 5 Birthday. This dog just LOVES her. I am scared that they have spoiled him to much. I hope he will hunt.

That's my two cents. Good Luck


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## idontknow316 (Mar 21, 2008)

I picked up a AKC chocolate lab pretty cheap. I bought her for 100 dollars. The guy was getting a little worried because they were 3 months old and still had 4 left. She is great with my son and was nice with the two cats we had. I personally prefer female dogs, I feel like they are more obedient earlier in life than males. My dog had no known " hunting background" but at just over a year old with one summer of working with her she is already better than some "bird dogs" I have hunted with. If you want your dog to hunt, basic obedience is imo the most important key. I have hunted with several dogs that as soon as the leash is off, they run way ahead flushing birds way ahead of us. Anyways my vote is for a lab. You have to remember if you want your dog to hunt that it will most likely go through briar's and such and those sort of things will not get tangled in a labs coat like some other dogs. German short haired pointers, and labs are imo the best hunting dogs. Here is a pic of mime.


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## Snag06 (Mar 24, 2006)

We had a German Shorthair for 13 yrs and she was the best dog with our kids and very protective over them. We know have a Brittany and she is good but not like the Shorthair. The brit is a closer working dog.The both have PLENTY of energy and need to run. I would reccomend either. Good luck.


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## vinnystatechamp (Jun 20, 2006)

i know its not in your desicion list but Im personally in love with english setters. they are great pointers and arent afraid to get into the brush. ive hunted with both setters and brittanies and i personally love to watch setters work. i hunted with the same one for 14 years until we had to bury him saturday but his daughter is one of the best. if you want a great quail and pheasant dog i would say go with the english setter


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## littleking (Jun 25, 2005)

it depends on how much time you will have to devote to training said dog. 

are you going to be upland hunting? waterfowl hunting? both? do you prefer pointing or flushing breeds?

based upon your post, im guessing pointing breeds... i have two britt's myself, they are great house dogs provided you exercise them. The genetics in the brittany lines are pretty clean so there are not a lot of health issues. They are also the smallest of the working breeds. (less food = less poop he he )

i love my britts and ill never own another breed.


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## ckfowler (Jul 14, 2008)

Everyone will get on here and suggest that you buy the breed they have as they love their dogs. Once you get past whether you want a pointing dog or flusher, I would suggest you go with what the wife likes the best. The dog will spend most of its time as a companion and part of the family so you need her to fall in love with that kind of dog. You can then look within specific breeds for the range, skills, and temperment you are looking for.


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## idontknow316 (Mar 21, 2008)

I second what Ck said, everyone loves the breed or breeds they have had.


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## ChachiSnips (May 4, 2005)

thanks for all the replies. lots of beautiful dogs. We're still trying to decide as to what we want. As much as I love GSP's I think I'm leaning away from them because they, on average, tend to be a bigger running breed, which isn't what I'd want. Also, I've heard from some that while GSP's are great family dogs, they might be a little much for real young kids, especially if the dog wasn't raised around little ones (and I realize that this is a generalization and that training/socialization has the biggest effect. but it's something, and a way for me to start trimming down our decision). Since the dog will be a house/family dog first and a hunting dog second, those considerations carry a little more weight.

I do not currently do any waterfowl hunting, though it's never out of the question. I grew up with a lab mix and love them, but I also love hunting behind pointers. I think I'm leaning towards a brittany because we like the idea of having a little bit smaller dog than the lab. At this point though we're still researching and reading. I'll probably keep looking for both and see what we find. Whatever we end up with I plan on working hard to train the dog well both with obediance and hunting/tracking ability, so that's not a limiting thing for us.

by the way CK, the wife enjoyed your post the best.


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## flounder (May 15, 2004)

My 2 cents says to check rescue groups for the breeds you are interested in. They will get pups in often and we have had great success finding dogs that way.


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