What breed fits this?

I seem to be drawing a blank and thought I'd get other people's opinions. Besides a good ol' shelter mutt, what breed, if any, fits these criteria?

• between 25-45 pounds
• wash and wear type coat OR coat that can be groomed (shaved) to be wash and wear without offending breed fanciers...actually prefer a thicker coat (like a Lab or Shepherd) versus a smooth coat
• good with other pets (pocket pet/cat)
• good with other household dogs/polite disinterest with strange dogs
• good with kids/able to tolerate children
• good with people it knows/polite disinterest with strangers
• active, but with an off switch (aka, a "weekend warrior")
• sturdy, able to play rough
• handler oriented
• trustworthy off leash (with training, of course)

Shedding doesn't matter. Prefer to be on the quiet(er) end of the spectrum. Prefer no heat/cold intolerant breeds, although would rather have a cold intolerant dog than a heat intolerant dog. Barking to alert is okay...barking to hear the sound of its own voice is not.

Most spaniels fit the bill, yes? Such as Field or Welshie? Other breeds that jump out at you that I'm forgetting about?

The tollers I've met/lived with fit the bill.

I would say Aussie, but barking and "active" and "weekend warrior" aren't the same thing to me lol

Standard Poodle

First thing to come to mind, tho was Corgi.

By active and weekend warrior, I guess I mean a dog that is capable of keeping up when the day requires a Go Go Go mentality...but doesn't need to Go Go Go to be sane. If that makes sense? I really think most average dogs fit the bill pretty well, but there are always outliers that either don't like to Go Go Go (like my mom's Dachshund) or NEED to Go Go Go to be sane.

Also note, I base my "activity level guidelines" based off of Lab/Collie type energy as "normal". Higher than that = no. Lower than that = just fine, as long as they are still playful and able to keep up when days get crazy. Lol

Gotcha!

The two I mentioned stand, then.

20140126-DSC_0737 by terristahl, on Flickr

but you have to be picky to find a dog in that small size, but Hudson is 35 lbs

The (5) Aussies I know fit all of that. So I think the right Aussie could be a good match. Although some are barkier than others, so I guess noisy depends on what you feel is tolerable and also on the dog (Journ only barks around other dogs when she's excited or frustrated and she barks at Flyball).

Some of the Tollers I've known fit that list, others not so much. I have a hard time recommending Tollers whole heartedly just because I find them very hit and miss, but a good Toller would fit that list quite well.

Field line English Cocker. Hits every mark.

I do think your general spaniel is a good fit. Fields and Welshies yes. Field bred ESS and cockers can sometimes be more hyperactive than weekend warriors, but generally they fit the requirements. Welshies tend to be more reserved with strangers than the others if that's important. Most get along with strange dogs but are reserved (except for my teenage idiot who is Mr Cassenova)

I find the coat to be somewhere between flat and thick. Way thinner than a lab, but definitely not short and close to the body. They have varying amounts of feathers. My boy's coat super is easy to care for and it doesn't mat or hold dirt. You could always shave it too. A true field bred dog has even less coat to worry about.

I think some Aussies and ES fit the bill as well. Brittanies could work but then some fall into the hyperactive category.

Your list is pretty close to mine

Thanks for all of the suggestions everyone! Just kind of reaffirmed my own thoughts.

In regards to English Shepherds: what is their normal size range? Is it hard to find dogs that run smaller as opposed to larger?

I'm on my phone so can't type a lot, but regarding size you'd be much more likely to find a female in that range. Females tend to be around 40-55 pounds on average (with some being smaller or larger). Males tend to run a bit bigger - most often 50-65 pounds. Larger isn't uncommon - even a 50 pound male doesn't seem overly common.

An ES is really going to run the gamete on size, from the smaller 35 lb ones (like Hudson) to the larger 70 lbs + dogs. I've been told that a lot of Wilson line dogs run on the smaller size. There is a little black & white female ES in the area that I adore and found out recently that she is also a Wilson dog. I guess I have a type.

I'm so jealous you ended up with a teeny boy ES! My hopefully future breeder tends to breed moderate dogs (yay!) but I still have anxiety that I will end up with a huge 75 pounder for my male lol. 35 pounds is the PERFECT size, seriously! Ned's about that big and his size is one of my favorite things about him.

I know a few of his brothers and sisters will be bred, so I'm interested to see if they throw pocket sheppies too.

They were so active

It might be a cattle dog or Austrian Black and Tan Hound:lol-sign:

Best family dog breeds


Are you planning to get a dog for your family and are worried what kind of dog will suit in best with your family? The experts usually advice that while choosing your pet you should choose it by its disposition, temperament, size and energy level all of which should suit your family’s lifestyle. I have mentioned below list of some top breeds of dogs that tend to mix well into any household especially with young children.

Bulldog: - Greatest advantage of bulldog is that they are steady. And they are also not picky about where they live, so both small as well as large houses are fine for them.

Beagle: - If you are not much concerned for a little high maintenance when it comes to brushing and bathing this is an ideal dog for families with children.

Bull Terrier: - They are intelligent, energetic and friendly dogs that can take a lot of roughhousing while remaining calm and are particularly suited to large families.

Vizsla: - Originally hails from middle of Europe a hunting dog, they are gentle, loyal, quiet and affectionate.

Golden Retriever: - It’s like Goldens are almost everything that a Labrador is, except their life span is much shorter than the Labrador.

Collie: - Collies love nothing more than to make their humans happy, and can be easily trained.

Irish Setter: - It’s a better choice for families with yards as these dogs are full of energy and are playful, wonderful with children.

Poodle: - Indeed a very good family dog they tend to be very high stung and are not suitable for families with children.

Labrador Retriever: - Perhaps one of the most popular breed all around. One of the more popular breeds for service dogs.

Newfoundland: - They have been dubbed as “Nature’s Nannies†because of their natural love and affection for children.

Do let us know once you make your final decision as on how you choose the right breed for your family.

Best family dog breeds

Bulldog: - Greatest advantage of bulldog is that they are steady. And they are also not picky about where they live, so both small as well as large houses are fine for them.

Beagle: - If you are not much concerned for a little high maintenance when it comes to brushing and bathing this is an ideal dog for families with children.

Bull Terrier: - They are intelligent, energetic and friendly dogs that can take a lot of roughhousing while remaining calm and are particularly suited to large families.

Vizsla: - Originally hails from middle of Europe a hunting dog, they are gentle, loyal, quiet and affectionate.

Golden Retriever: - It’s like Goldens are almost everything that a Labrador is, except their life span is much shorter than the Labrador.

Collie: - Collies love nothing more than to make their humans happy, and can be easily trained.

Irish Setter: - It’s a better choice for families with yards as these dogs are full of energy and are playful, wonderful with children.

Poodle: - Indeed a very good family dog they tend to be very high stung and are not suitable for families with children.

Labrador Retriever: - Perhaps one of the most popular breed all around. One of the more popular breeds for service dogs.

Newfoundland: - They have been dubbed as “Nature’s Nannies†because of their natural love and affection for children.

Do let us know once you make your final decision as on how you choose the right breed for your family.