Can you recommend breeds that are calm?
- Thread starter sue
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You not only have to think about how calm a breed is, but what kind of environment you live in; whether it's rural or urban, do you have a fenced yard or will you have to walk your dog on a leash, how active you can be with your dog, large or small dog, whether or not you have small children or other pets, how much time do you have to spend with your dog, there are lots of things to consider.
Maybe we can be of more help if we have a better idea of the situation.
Maybe we can be of more help if we have a better idea of the situation.
Renee you are totally right. We need an idea of your atmosphere because many dogs have their needs. For example, an English Bulldog is basically a dog that does not have a high energy level and probably has the lowest out of all the breeds, therefore meaning not much excercise is needed. The English Bulldog also has very low cold and heat tolerence and might not get along with other dogs.
Do you know anything about Greyhounds? I have 2 retired racers, and they are the calmest dogs I have ever had or been around. They are very low maintenance in general! They aren't small, but they actually curl up & take up less room than you might think. It's a big secret what perfect pets these make because the stereotype is that they need lots of room & lots of exercise, which is not true at all. They can run in a small area for 1 to 2 minutes & then are ready to come in & sleep for hours on end. If interested, you should look for a rescue group in your area. A lot of people don't realize that even with the hundreds of rescue groups, thousands of retired racers are euthanized every year. Anyone who goes to the racetrack might as well be holding a gun to their heads. But, besides all of that, there are "greyt" benefits to adopting a retired racer. The good rescue groups cover every detail; they come spayed/neutered and with all of their vaccinations & teeth cleaned. (The adoption fee rarely even covers the cost of all of those things. I've never seen a fee for over $175.). They find the dog that would be the perfect match for your life-style. They can be rescued at any age & they live to be 12 - 14. Many of the dogs are in foster homes before getting adopted, so they have been taught basic house-rules & you wouldn't even have to mess with potty training. They can tell you whether it would prefer to be an only dog or if it gets along with other dogs (small or big), cats, etc.........
Anyway, I could go on & on. Good luck in your search.
Jenny
Anyway, I could go on & on. Good luck in your search.
Jenny
Jenny - you've really given some great advice there! I've known several people who have adopted retired (or condemned) racing greyhounds and they are peace loving, affectionate, delightful companions. They're also extremely clean dogs. You do need a fenced yard, though, since they are sight hounds, and you can't leave them outside in a doghouse year round. Not only do they need protection from harsh weather, they will pine away without close contact with their people. But why have a dog if you don't want to it to be with you whenever you're at home?
greyhounds are calm, but they still need plenty of exercise...that goes for ANY breed.
Some other "calmer" if you'd like to call them, breeds include great danes...newfoundlands...salukis...irish wolfhounds...basset hounds...etc..however this is not guaranteed since each dog has their own character...
Some other "calmer" if you'd like to call them, breeds include great danes...newfoundlands...salukis...irish wolfhounds...basset hounds...etc..however this is not guaranteed since each dog has their own character...
You are so right, Pitbulliest!
The first Fila we had, Buffy, was a model of calmness and decorum from the day she came home as a nine week old baby. Bimmer had to tease and cajole to get her cranked up to play and rough house. He even had to wake her up in the morning since she didn't like to get up before 9:00 a.m. at least!
Shiva is an entirely different matter! As soon as we got her home she had two speeds: warp drive and crashed. Nothing in between. Up and rarin' to go at 7:00 a.m. every morning. The living room was her personal race track - round and round in circles and after about a week when she was able to jump on the couch she included that as part of her race route. Bimmer started sleeping on the back of the couch to try to get some peace! She's finally calmed down some in the house, primarily because she's so big there's just not room for her to run around.
Kharma's directly from Buffy's line, and it's very apparent. She's much calmer in the house, but she joins in some of Shiva's antics. And all bets are off when they're outside in the pasture! I think she plays more simply because she's grown up with Shiva.
There are all sorts of different variables that can impact whether a dog is calm or energetic. If you can, it's always a good idea to check out the parents and ask about how they acted when they were pups.
Of course, one of the best ways to be pretty sure you're getting a calm dog is to go to a rescue and adopt an older dog!
The first Fila we had, Buffy, was a model of calmness and decorum from the day she came home as a nine week old baby. Bimmer had to tease and cajole to get her cranked up to play and rough house. He even had to wake her up in the morning since she didn't like to get up before 9:00 a.m. at least!
Shiva is an entirely different matter! As soon as we got her home she had two speeds: warp drive and crashed. Nothing in between. Up and rarin' to go at 7:00 a.m. every morning. The living room was her personal race track - round and round in circles and after about a week when she was able to jump on the couch she included that as part of her race route. Bimmer started sleeping on the back of the couch to try to get some peace! She's finally calmed down some in the house, primarily because she's so big there's just not room for her to run around.
Kharma's directly from Buffy's line, and it's very apparent. She's much calmer in the house, but she joins in some of Shiva's antics. And all bets are off when they're outside in the pasture! I think she plays more simply because she's grown up with Shiva.
There are all sorts of different variables that can impact whether a dog is calm or energetic. If you can, it's always a good idea to check out the parents and ask about how they acted when they were pups.
Of course, one of the best ways to be pretty sure you're getting a calm dog is to go to a rescue and adopt an older dog!
labs and goldens have that stereotype- of being calm and perfectly behaved... but that's after about five years (varies with the dog, of course) that they reach that sterotypical behavior. i have a golden and she's now three. she's finally starting to lie down in the house and just hang out and not be up running all over the place all the time. granted she does still run all over the place sometimes, but she's finally starting to calm down around us. now when we have company, she's bouncing off the walls (we're workin on that!) they're really great dogs and i love my golden to pieces, but they take a LOT of work to get them to be perfectly behaved dogs, but i'd consider it well worth it. they do require a LOT of exercise so i would definitely recommend a fence... good luck on your search! with some more specifics we might be able to make some better suggestions...
Hi everyone!
Hi!I know I haven't posted replies until now but all I want to say is that the great dane that I own is the most calm dog ever.She is so quiet and calm...What can I say...And I just don't know why she is like that.I mean..sometimes (in the past,I'm saying in the past because now she's over 8 years old and for a great dane that's a little bit old) I wish that she played with other dogs,or run and bring me a stick to play with and maybe even play in the mud (I'm not kidding)..But she was always like this.She never left my side...I mean....I've never seen a dog more good and obediant.And I love her very much and I don't know what I would do without her...Anyway...My point is that a great dane is a perfect dog to have around you.Of course I don't want to generalise with my little story about my great dane...You have to take in consideration many other aspects,features of the breed in question...
Hi!I know I haven't posted replies until now but all I want to say is that the great dane that I own is the most calm dog ever.She is so quiet and calm...What can I say...And I just don't know why she is like that.I mean..sometimes (in the past,I'm saying in the past because now she's over 8 years old and for a great dane that's a little bit old) I wish that she played with other dogs,or run and bring me a stick to play with and maybe even play in the mud (I'm not kidding)..But she was always like this.She never left my side...I mean....I've never seen a dog more good and obediant.And I love her very much and I don't know what I would do without her...Anyway...My point is that a great dane is a perfect dog to have around you.Of course I don't want to generalise with my little story about my great dane...You have to take in consideration many other aspects,features of the breed in question...
Hi everyone!
Hi!I know I haven't posted replies until now but all I want to say is that the great dane that I own is the most calm dog ever.She is so quiet and calm...What can I say...And I just don't know why she is like that.I mean..sometimes (in the past,I'm saying in the past because now she's over 8 years old and for a great dane that's a little bit old) I wish that she played with other dogs,or run and bring me a stick to play with and maybe even play in the mud (I'm not kidding)..But she was always like this.She never left my side...I mean....I've never seen a dog more good and obediant.And I love her very much and I don't know what I would do withoutt her...Anyway...My point is that a great dane is a perfect dog to have around you.Of course I don't want to generalise with my little story about my great dane...You have to take in consideration many other aspects,features of the breed in question...
Hi!I know I haven't posted replies until now but all I want to say is that the great dane that I own is the most calm dog ever.She is so quiet and calm...What can I say...And I just don't know why she is like that.I mean..sometimes (in the past,I'm saying in the past because now she's over 8 years old and for a great dane that's a little bit old) I wish that she played with other dogs,or run and bring me a stick to play with and maybe even play in the mud (I'm not kidding)..But she was always like this.She never left my side...I mean....I've never seen a dog more good and obediant.And I love her very much and I don't know what I would do withoutt her...Anyway...My point is that a great dane is a perfect dog to have around you.Of course I don't want to generalise with my little story about my great dane...You have to take in consideration many other aspects,features of the breed in question...
Labradors really aren't calm dogs. If you buy one from a good breeder, you won't get a bundle of hyperactive nerves, but you also won't get a calm dog.
The calmest breed I have seen so far has been the Basset hound. They're actually *too* calm to suit me, since I'm active, but if you want a couch potato, a Basset is a wonderful dog. Not that they don't like their share of play and exercise, but they wear out quicker.
The calmest breed I have seen so far has been the Basset hound. They're actually *too* calm to suit me, since I'm active, but if you want a couch potato, a Basset is a wonderful dog. Not that they don't like their share of play and exercise, but they wear out quicker.
LOL, It's true that a calm large breed dog takes up less space than a hyperactive small/medium dog. You get accustommed to stepping over a big dog, you never get accustommed to having a 'zooming' dog run into you and scream like he's just been lit on fire. (Hmm, do ya think I've had that happen to me before?)
ENGLISH mastiffs are the calmest of the mastiffs, I believe. Neo's run a close second. (Neutered males, or females. Unaltered males are an incredibly large, slobbery handful)
My prob. with the English Bulldogs is that, sweet as they are, they come with so many health problems and a lot of people don't have $1800+ to spend on buying one from a responsible breeder. (Don't ever get the cheapest one you can find, you're likely to wind up with one messed-up Bulldog)
Mastiffs that AREN'T calm include the Dogue de Bordeaux--Looks like a big marshmallow, but for the first few years is quite the hyper bundle of joy. (115lbs of it, to be precise) The Bullmastiff -- Again, very hyper puppyhood.
One breed I certainly don't recommend as a calm breed is a Papillon. Amusing, yes. Calm, no.
ENGLISH mastiffs are the calmest of the mastiffs, I believe. Neo's run a close second. (Neutered males, or females. Unaltered males are an incredibly large, slobbery handful)
My prob. with the English Bulldogs is that, sweet as they are, they come with so many health problems and a lot of people don't have $1800+ to spend on buying one from a responsible breeder. (Don't ever get the cheapest one you can find, you're likely to wind up with one messed-up Bulldog)
Mastiffs that AREN'T calm include the Dogue de Bordeaux--Looks like a big marshmallow, but for the first few years is quite the hyper bundle of joy. (115lbs of it, to be precise) The Bullmastiff -- Again, very hyper puppyhood.
One breed I certainly don't recommend as a calm breed is a Papillon. Amusing, yes. Calm, no.
basset!
I definitly have to agree with the guys who have suggested Basset hounds, it is the main reason I went for Bruno, he is a puppy right now but my mother in law has 2 bassets and they are the most chilled out dogs i have ever met.
They are renouned for being the laziest breed, but on the down side they are also renouned for being stupid, which i have NOT found. They are extremely friendly to the point they cry if a passer by doesn't stop to say how beautiful he is and give him a pat, and they are excellent with kids.
The basset hound is definitly the right choice for me, but I would suggest you go for an adult dog if you really can't be bothered with all the vibrancy (and down right hard work) that comes with a puppy.
Happy dog hunting, let us know what you go for.
I definitly have to agree with the guys who have suggested Basset hounds, it is the main reason I went for Bruno, he is a puppy right now but my mother in law has 2 bassets and they are the most chilled out dogs i have ever met.
They are renouned for being the laziest breed, but on the down side they are also renouned for being stupid, which i have NOT found. They are extremely friendly to the point they cry if a passer by doesn't stop to say how beautiful he is and give him a pat, and they are excellent with kids.
The basset hound is definitly the right choice for me, but I would suggest you go for an adult dog if you really can't be bothered with all the vibrancy (and down right hard work) that comes with a puppy.
Happy dog hunting, let us know what you go for.