Hello everyone,
Great forum you have here - there are a lot of very knowledgeable posters. I hope you guys won't mind helping me out, as I'm struggling to decide what breed of dog I should own.
Whether you have had dogs previously
Two golden retrievers. Been around dogs all my life.
Your circumstances - do you work etc?
I work from home. The dog will very rarely be left by itself.
How much time you have for exercise
I'd imagine two walks per day, plus time in the back garden.
Whether you have children, other pets etc
One cat.
What characteristics you are looking for
I want a medium to large sized dog with a natural guarding instinct. Always wanted a "velcro dog" - a dog that always want to be with its people. The dog must have an off-switch and be content to curl up and be lazy. I don't like stubborn, independent dogs like Akitas or Huskies.
What breeds you have already looked at and your thoughts on them
Doberman - Never seen one out and about, but from what I've read (and I've read quite a bit), they seem like great dogs. The laundry list of health concerns bothers me, though.
Boxer - Have mixed feelings about this breed. My partner likes them a lot, and for that reason, I've looked into them.
There seems to be a lot of contradictory information out there. Some people say they slobber like broken faucets, others say they slobber only as much as any other breed. Some people say they're non-stop, bouncing-off-the-walls maniacs, others say they can be chilled out.
Don't know what to believe, but I do like that they're natural guardians, like Dobermans.
German Shepherd - Partner's family owns two that I don't particularly like, but from what I've read, they don't seem typical of the breed (they're nervous and prone to biting strangers).
I don't like the sloping-backed look that the showlines have, and worry that if I purchased a working line GSD, I wouldn't be able to meet its exercise requirements.
Anything else you think might be relevant or important
- I live in a house in a semi-rural location. I have decently sized back garden. Space is not an issue.
- Regarding coat length: I don't mind. Long hair/short hair, it doesn't bother me, as long as I don't have to take the dog to the groomers (happy to brush daily, etc).
- I like to go on long walks and hikes. I'd like a dog that could accompany me on these.
Apologies for the long-winded post! I hope I've provided enough information for you all.