whats the right breed for me

im looking for a decently sized dog. 60-115 lbs. since i have 2 cats it needs to be good with them. i want it to be freidnly to strangers. and NATURALY not dog agressive. the dog agressive thing really isnt a big issue because i work at a dog kennel and will socialize it at puppy hood. i want a high strung dog that i can wrestle with and will play with me. i was thinking of a black lab and golden retriever but everyone i know has gotten so fat. im maybe thinking about a white german shepard but i hear they have alot of health problems.. what do you guys suggest?

Boxer rings a bell in my head.

**edited to add** http://dogbreedinfo.com/boxer.htm

Australian Shepherd? I have two, one is 16 so he isnt so much for playing. The other one however is going on 11 and is still just as spunked as he was in late puppyhood. He also likes fetch and wrestleing.

I have to go with Ash47 here.... what you want certainly sounds like a boxer to me. My boxer mix (Tusker) is supposed to mature around 85-95 lbs, and he has a LOT of boxer in him. Always willing to play, wrestle, box, whatever you want. And as for people, he can't get enough. If someone walks by and doesn't pay attention, he does a little bark just so they know he's there. Kind of like "hey! Hey! Look at me! Pet me!". Then his whole butt wiggles and he is perfectly content to lick them to death or just get petted.

So... yeah, I have to say a boxer. Hope this helps a bit!

Golden Retriever

Not that Grammy's bias or anything.

boxers are nice dogs.. im just really not a fan of there looks. they are a little ugly in my opinion.

Normal black and tan German shepherd is perfect.

Male boxers can be a little touchy about meeting strange male dogs but otherwise I would say they fit your requirements quite well. I've never met a dog that loved to wrestle so much as a boxer.

Re: dog aggression.. I've seen Pit Bulls that are great with other dogs thanks to training, and I've seen dogs whose breeds are supposed to be very pack-oriented and dog-friendly causing trouble in the household due to lack of training. If you don't mind extra socializing and training for a dog that has the potential to be a little snarky with other dogs, a female Bullmastiff might be a good match for you.

How about a hound? A coonhound would be neat. Or a blackmouth cur, like my dog. But how high strung would you like your dog to be? Hounds are active and love to play, but are not hyper, like labs and boxers can be.

I personally think that a lab or golden retreiver would be great, if that's what you want. They won't get fat if you watch their food.

If you don't care for the Boxer's looks, then I say Lab. Like Gempress said, if you watch their food intake and constantly are on the move with them, you will have no problem with weight.

A Golden Retriever or a Labrador Retriever would probably be great.

i was looking at a king shepard. they have every attribute i want. whats there health like? do they have alot of health problems? and how much money do they usually run?

Hi
Have you thought of a giant schnauzer they are truly loving and fun dogs they love people and children and the bonus is they don't shed a hair but this means they have to be groomed and clipped.
Sue

King Shepherds have a really small gene pool , as do the Shilohs, and you'll probably run into more problems health wise with them, than a GSD, (because of that small gene pool)..You also will be paying big bucks for basically, an oversized GSD.

Just because you saw labs & goldens that were "fat" doesn't mean they all are..They ARE what they EAT..Lack of exercise can also contribute.

No one can guarantee a certain "breed" will like your cats, be friendly towards people, will be non dog aggressive..It's a case of genetics and nuturing as well.

Does it have to be a purebred? How about a mixed breed? It sounds like you work at a shelter,,I'm sure you get in some nice dogs there in need of a home.

Good luck in your search
Diane

Jynx ,,,,you're right .... food in , laid back dog equals fat ! The reason they're fat is they act like they don't need the excercise , If you have a hyper dog, you are more apt to take them for walks and run them. I'm very guilty of Chip's weight... he and I are home buddys . He needs to lose about 5 # and I need the excercise.... yet I put it off !!!