Help choosing a dog breed?

You may want to reconsider the greyhound. Yes, most like having other dogs around, but some are fine on their own. I have one that lives with two cats, and she seems perfectly content. And yes, she is an ex-racer, been in over 100 races, and is perfectly fine with cats, small dogs, children, and most other small animals. She will trigger on squirrels and rabbits that run across the path in front of her, but is easily called off them with a sharp "ah ah!"

As to the groomer's comment that they aren't "the most social" dogs, either he misinterpreted the groomer, or that groomer ran into one of the few bad eggs out there. I have yet to meet a groomer, vet, etc. who hasn't gushed about how much they like to work with greyhounds, because they are so used to being handled and generally have pretty calm personalities. Now, they aren't generally exuberant dogs about meeting strangers... mine's general reaction is to sniff the person and then just stand there to be petted and admired, not the jump up, lick you all over, wiggle around excitedly kind of behavior that most dogs give you. So they can, like many of the hounds, seem independent and aloof until you really get to know them, and you have to accept that their signs of affection are often small and subtle. The largest sign of affection that my girl gives me is laying so that her head touches my leg. Not on it... just next to it.

If I were you, I'd look up the local greyhound rescue group and see when they are having a meet-and-greet That would give you a chance to see actual dogs and talk to owners, so you could make a more educated choice rather than just relying on what people tell you.

You would have to fence the yard, or be willing to walk the dog for all potty breaks.

Wow, I had your exact situation. Of course, I already had two dogs when we married and you and I seem to have the same criteria. He had never had a dog of his own. After one passed I wanted another (I just feel weirdly wrong with only one dog!!) but he wasn't sure he wanted the same kind. A book that's been around for about ten years that would be helpful for you is called, "Why We Love The Dogs We Do" by Stanley Coren, an animal psychologist. Basically he breaks down groups of dogs not by AKC type but by common behavioral traits. So there can be a wide range of sizes and coat types in the same group, but their behavior within the group will be similar. You take the IAS test in the book and see what breed groups come up the most often: the more times the same group shows up the better the chances are that you will enjoy owning a dog from that group. Have your husband do the same. Then see if the groups that showed up for each of you have anything in common. For example, my best match was a dog form either the Friendly or Protective groups. My husband's score indicated he'd do best with a dog from the Independent or Protective groups. So Protective it was! (besides, none of the dogs listed in the Friendly group appeal to me) Then you can research the individual breeds listed within each group to find one that best fits your specific preferences and needs. I don't know that I agree with every assessment he offered as being characteristic of a group (the bully breeds are NOT lacking in friendliness or affection by any means!) but the groups we matched with were fairly accurate overall. We currently have three extremely affectionate dogs from the Protective group and a playful one from the Independent group and are a very happy family. You can also use the list to help decide which dogs probably wouldn't be a good idea; if you had a bad experience with a dog listed in a group you might want to avoid the other dogs of the same group. It's a good way to get insight into what breeds of dogs are likely to result in the most satisfying human-dog relationship. And, of course, starting with this method doesn't preclude adopting a dog from a shelter, it just helps increase the chances of a good match for all sides. All of our dogs have been adopted from breed-specific rescues or shelters and I know what kinds I'll continue to look for in the future.

although you have had a husky mix before, from the information you have given, I think a husky has too much energy and requires alot of time spent with it so you can do mental stimulation work and training, so i wouldn't recomend a husky.

Beagles are very high energy as well and they are extremely hard to recall train so you could never let him off the lead and expect him to come back easily.

A greyhound sounds like a good choice, they don't really shed alot and they are very lazy, but they also enjoy any walk they can get (which is why I recomend this breed to lot of people) If you were to get rescue/ex racing greyhound, it would mean you'd have to keep him muzzled at all times during a walk incase he came into contact with a child or a small dog (also, when you had children visiting you'd have to keep the dog in a seperate room) however, if you got a greyhound puppy, it would be easier to rain him your way and get him useed to clidre and small dogs.

I know your not very keen on small dogs, and to be honest, I prefer big dogs too, but I LOVE french bulldogs! They have a great character, they are very loving and, like greyhounds, they are very lazy, but they do enjoy any walk they can get. Unlike most breeds, french bulldogs were bred soley to be companins, so they do not require an excessive amont of stimlation or training, the basics like "sit, lie down, stay + heel" are all that are required, but you could also teach tricks for fun. as formental stimulation, a half hour walk every day plus at leat 15mins of a game offetch or 15 mins in the dog park should be enough. they are normally good with kids and other dogs provided they are socialized well.

So, I think either a french bulldog or a greyhound :) But only get a greyhound f you are getting one from a puppy. It's not that I don't recomend rescuing, but seeing as you will have kids at your house and you want to be able to let your dog of lead in a dog park, a greayhound trained for racing would be too risky.

Good luck, and enjoy your new dog! :)

I would suggest a lab (chocolate, black or yellow). They have some shedding in the spring, not nearly as much as a cat would shed though.

I have a chocolate lab and he gets along great with cats. In fact, we brought him into my house with just one cat who was 4 years old when he was a puppy and they got along great. That cat had a heart problem and died so we got a new cat. We adopted a 2 year old male and they also get along great.

I know you said you are not planning on having kids but they have amazing personalities. In fact, my dog is more protective of squirrels in my house then a random stranger. However, since they have the big dog look, people are usually intimidated.

I live on a lot of land so we don't generally walk the dog, we just let him out, he does his thing and comes back inside. I'm sure once you get a fence, you can just let the dog out and do a walk once or twice a day.

My number one advice, DO NOT get a beagle! They look cute but they are the WORST! They howl, are hyper, and will follow a scent for forever. Thus, if you get a beagle with no fence it may go running on you quite often. (My best friend has one and my mom had one as a child.. Their recollections are far from desirable)

Oh, my, a retired greyhound really does sound perfect for you! Not ALL greyhounds need other hounds. We just fostered one that was really hesitant about eating at our house, and kinda insecure. In his "forever home," he's the only hound (here he had THREE foster brothers!), and he's doing much better! (This is much to my chagrin, 'cause I kinda wanted to keep him, but he's much happier, now!)

Also, as I mentioned, we have THREE greyhounds...in a condo! We do take them for 30 - 45 minute walks twice a day, but they seem to be pretty much content with that...very mellow dogs. Many are "small-child" safe...all three of ours are, although some are not. Some are high-prey, but many are not. One of ours lived with a cat for a while, and loves to sniff the cats in our neighborhood. One cat wraps himself around Noble's legs, just like they do humans. Our other hounds think that's rather strange, but, now that they've seen it a few times, they just ignore it.

You should check out Greyhound Pets of America in your area. Most greyhounds are fostered, so the people in the group will know just which ones would be good for you..e.g., small child safe, could handle being an "only" dog, etc. Just "google" Greyhound Pets of America to find a group near you. If there aren't any, just google greyhound adoption! You could also find out where a "Meet & Greet" is being held where you could meet greyhounds and learn that, yes, indeedy, they are VERY social animals, for the most part!

Go to a shelter and tell them what you are looking for, if you are wanting a low shedding dog get something mixed with a poodle at the shelter, some shelters have 300+ dogs at one time depending on which one you go to and a lot of times they are young, you are bound to find one you will love.

Try looking on the internet for a breed quiz that you can answer a few questions on what you are looking for and it will help you find a breed right for you. Look through the list then pick out your favorites and research them here is one

what do you think about poodles? they dont shed, they are larger (standard of course) and if you bring them up right, they are great dogs. I would suggest however, if you are going to be gone that long, get a dog walker, look into doggy daycare, or go home over lunch like you said. I also suggest adopting an adult, and not get a puppy, because your schedule doesnt allow for you to properly raise one. just look for the temperament you want in a dog.

do plenty of research on any breed you decide to get!!

It's really hard to suggest a breed for someone else, because so many factors, including the owners' personality, come into play.

I highly suggest attending some dog shows in your area so that you can meet a wide variety of different breeds and talk to the people that know them best.

Here are some great articles that discus choosing a new dog that will fit into your family and home. The articles raise important issues you should consider before bringing home a new dog.

Choosing Your Puppy - http://www.dog-pound.net/choosing-your-puppy.htm

Five Tips to Track Down Your Canine Soul Mate - http://www.dog-pound.net/canine-soulmates.htm

Why Consider a Shelter Dog? - http://www.dog-pound.net/shelter-dogs.htm

Good Dogs for Children - http://www.dog-pound.net/good-dogs-for-children.ht...

Best of Luck

I tell you what, I have a Yorkshire Terrier and couldn't be happier with her. She hardly sheds, has been trained not to bark, and does just fine in small spaces. She's incredibly social and friendly with both people and other dogs. However, Yorkies are hard to house train so maybe you could adopt an older one? Yorkies are great for people that like lap dogs too. My lil girl will occasionally cuddle up on my lap or at my feet. She's a total sweetheart.

The main thing that might irritate people is that they can be high maintenance dogs as far as their grooming goes. I give mine a bath about every two weeks, get her nails clipped about every 6 weeks, clean her eyes/snout every day, brush her every other day, and need their teeth brushed on a regular basis (they are a specific breed that needs to have their teeth well maintained). I wish you the best in your doggie search!