Breed suggestions for my dad?

[Cali Mae]

My dad currently rents an apartment but he's planning on buying a house about an hour away sometime this year or early next year. He told me that he'd like to get a dog once he finds a house because he works from home (he's a sales manager for an engineering company in Ontario) and would have the time for one. Plus, his girlfriend loves dogs even more than he does and she's relatively "dog-savvy".

Here is what he told me:

- Bigger (ie: fifty to sixty pounds, or in the medium-large spectrum)
- Low grooming maintenance (ie: a quick daily/weekly brushing, not too much shedding)
- Moderate energy (ie: is up for a hike, trip to the park but is also willing to hang around the house while he works)
- Friendly with dogs/people
- Generally healthy with a longer lifespan

I'm thinking he should adopt a younger adult from the shelter which he seemed on board with, but he also expressed an interest in a puppy when he found Chow/Shar-Pei/Rottie mixes (which I highly doubt was the actual mix due to our area).

So, I'm just wondering what sort of breed/mixes might mesh well with him? I'd love to see him get a bully mix but I'm not too sure of breed legislation where he's going to be living. He loves Moses, our Cocker Spaniel but had various Irish Setters throughout his childhood as well as a Boxer.

[*blackrose]

A good Retriever would work. Labrador, or field Golden. Although I didn't read the "low shedding" portion of the requirements.

I think a Setter (English, or maybe Irish - don't know much about them) would work as well, as long as he's going with field lines to avoid the heavy coat in show lines.

A Boxer would also fit, I think, aside from the "healthy and long lived". It seems like most of the BYB Boxers that come into work are chock full of cancer by 9 years.

Really, any good mutt mixture would probably work for what he wants. I'd avoid bully breeds if he is truly concerned about a dog-friendly, small animal friendly dog. (Just to be safe rather than sorry, although I've met quite a few bully dogs that are dog-friendly.)

[frostfell]

Standard or Giant American Bully

[meepitsmeagan]

Originally Posted by *blackrose

A Boxer would also fit, I think, aside from the "healthy and long lived". It seems like most of the BYB Boxers that come into work are chock full of cancer by 9 years.

If you are going with a Boxer, I'd say you should either go through a reputable breeder, or get a young adult from a shelter. Boxer's have a lot more energy when they are young than most people expect, and a lot of BYB's end up with a non-existent off switch. Also, DR isn't unheard of in the breed.

I vote with a shelter dog, or even a rescue dog, as well. Maybe he should foster a few different breeds and go from there?

[Flyinsbt]

If he's in Ontario, he needs to stay away from anything bully, or anything that might be mistaken for something bully.

How about a nice hound?

[SevenSins]

Originally Posted by frostfell

Standard or Giant American Bully

That pretty much completely obliterates the "generally healthy with longer lifespan" requirement. Also doubt the person wants to spend several thousand dollars on a designer "breed" from a BYB.

I'd stay away from most bully breeds/mixes myself, with that list. I'd rule out most hounds too, if he's actually wanting breeds that are overtly people friendly (walk up and actively greet/play with people they don't know), most hound breeds are aloof with strangers.

That's such a short want list, but it's like playing a game of, "Good, fast, or cheap...you can only pick two."

If "friendly" just means "not prone to human aggression" that opens it up a bit more, what about something like a Weim?

[Julee]

I'd say a hound or a hound mix. They are SO under appreciated. Awesome awesome dogs. Overall very friendly, dog aggression is few and far between, totally fine being couch potatoes until you want to do something, essentially no grooming, fit the size requirements mentioned, get to be ancient. And, they're freaking adorable. I LOVE my Foxhound, so much. Never though I'd ever own a scenthound... life had other plans. I'm SO glad she's in my life.

[SevenSins]

Originally Posted by Julee

I'd say a hound or a hound mix. They are SO under appreciated. Awesome awesome dogs. Overall very friendly, dog aggression is few and far between

Generally true but there are notable exceptions. Blueticks can be very dog aggressive.

[AdrianneIsabel]

I'm not sure how long Bassets live but holy hell they are friendly dogs. Noisy, messy, and funny to watch trip on their own ears but FRIENDLY. I always feel like the coolest person on earth with the Bassets at my work.

[Laurelin]

Shelter labrabmutt?