Suggest a Breed for Me!

DogNation

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#21
No, I'm not getting a puppy soon, more like late 2015 to 2016, but I'm one of those people that plan for no good reason and plan many months in advance... I need a plan! :p (And yes I made one of these a while ago hehe)

50+ pounds preferred
Shedding ok
I'm not willing to take the dog to the groomers
I love velcro 'I-want-to-be-with-you-and-touching-you-at-all-times' dogs
High energy but with an off switch
Whether the dog is wary of strangers is not of great importance... I would like it if the dog was polite but indifferent
Will be exercised both physically and mentally
Dogs prone to household SSA are ok (Crystal has SSA so the dog would be a male anyways)
Biddable
Reliable off leash (with training)

I keep thinking German Shepherds but I also keep second guessing myself :rolleyes: So, yes, please suggest!
Sounds like you're in the market for a golden retriever! I especially thought so after reading "I love velcro 'I-want-to-be-with-you-and-touching-you-at-all-times' dogs". Goldens are virtually the definition of friendly. I had one as a child who would lick a hand drapped over a couch for an hour until his tongue was dry and then go to his water bowl to reload on saliva and come back. My current golden will take any hand movement as an opportunity to slide his hand under people's hands and be petted before they can notice it. I've driven around with him and moved to adjust the radio or something and found the dial I was reaching for was suspiciously fuzzy, warm, and shaped like my dog's head.

Goldens are also very playful and energetic. Very mischievous and have a great sense of humor. Hyperactive, but don't need to be run or anything like a Siberian Husky or something (Goldens do need walks and *can* be run if you're into that, but they don't have to be, a backyard for them to zip around in is fine as a supplement to walking if walking is your top speed moving down the street with a leash). Most like other dogs, though the younger ones can be a little annoying for older dogs of less playful breeds, because young goldens tend to be very pushy about playing *all the time*. :)

Goldens are also *very* intelligent, especially socially intelligent. Their sort of goofy playful fun demeanors fool a lot of people on that score, but my golden is smarter than I am in some areas. The number of times he's out thought me and done something utterly surprising to try to pursue his goals of more time outside, more car rides, more treats, more socializing, more fun and adventure, and less medicine for his allergies is incredible, and I think he keeps the time more accurately than my cell phone. He *knows* when it's time to get ready for his walk or time to get ready for bed or whatever. He's also figured out where the people who occasionally pet him on our walking routes live and starts delaying around their houses to see if they will come out- baring in mind that I don't even know where these people live, or who they are, for the most part (Apart from that I kind of start to recognize where my dog stops), but the dog knows.

The only problem I see you running into from the list you provide is that goldens will often run out to strangers, jump on them, lick their faces and try to befriend them whether you like it or not. Sometimes they will pull towards strangers on walk if the strangers look like they'd be fun to play with. To an extent this can be trained out of them (Getting them to sit and so forth), but I've never met a golden that was "polite but indifferent" to strangers. :) They don't like everyone, but they do like the vast majority of people, especially people who show even a small passing interest in them. :) If a stranger calls a golden's name, it will often start pulling towards them with all it's strength.

When I drive to visit relatives who my golden likes, who home some of his dog friends, he'll start squealing with delight several turns and like 10 minutes prior to arriving. He recognizing the road routes. Sometimes if I'm going somewhere else with him and drive past a turn 20 minutes out, he stares back at it longingly. I sometimes have to adjust my driving routes not to go too close to their house if I'm doing something else in the area and he's in the car, just so he doesn't explode with excitement and get disappointed.
 
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