what type of dog breed is best for me ?

I'd cross the greyhound off your list. I have one, love the breed, but don't think it would fit your lifestyle. These are dogs that are perfectly happy with 20 minute walks and 5-minute bursts of speed. Keep in mind that when they race, they are doing 30 to 40 seconds of running every 3 days or so. So definitely sprinters, not endurance runners. I have a feeling that the very thing that I and so many people love about the breed, their calm, peaceful, laid-back nature, would be very frustrating for you.

Plus they make lousy guard dogs.

Two breeds you might consider are Rotts and Flat Coated Retrievers. Both are extremely affectionate. I had a Flat that did field work and conformation. It's a pretty healthy breed because the breeders are very careful about thier lines. You won't ever see them advertised for sale, so you will have to find a breeder, or contact the rescue.

Rotts don't complete thier physical or mental growth util they are three, so running with a bike too soon can damage growth plates. If bought from a reputable breeder they are pretty healthy. Men seem to do better with females, and male Rotts tend to be closer to women. I have 7 of them. My youngest girl Star is doing agility and obedience. They are great in colder temps because they are double coated. Again, there are a lot in rescues if you don't want a pup.

Both rescues screen thier dogs and make sure there are no issues before they're adopted out.

I have to laugh because I think the perfect dog for you is a pitt bull. They are loyal, love able, cuddlers that love to play, can be trained without much trouble and are very active and would love all the outdoor attention you can offer it. I know so many people have there misconceptions about the breed but you sound like a very open minded individual that doesn't mind some research. I think you should google the breed and see what you think after reading up on the breed. I know everyone (myself included) says the best thing to do is rescue but i'm going to be a hypocrite this time and recommend finding a breeder or adopting a pit as a puppy. They are also a very healthy breed. Good luck to you, and just a warning.... Shepard's are finicky and take tons of activity and training every day. My friend jogs hers on a daily basis, when she was sick and missed about 4 days of it he was miserable. She actually asked me to take him because she couldn't stand it anymore. When I got back with him he was his old self again lol.

Irish Water Spaniel Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Greyhound Giant Schnauzer Tibetan Terrier Poodle Portuguese Water Dog Wire haired Pointing Griffon Basenji

I see that you had done your homework... You have a pretty good idea of what you want. I would suggest:

Siberian Husky or Malamute, due to the cold weather.

Dalmatians are not known for being smart. Cute? yes, but not that easy to train.

Border Collies are one of the smartest dogs. They are not that big, but definitely not small either. Agile, intelligent, always trying to please their humans, and cute too. They are not an aggressive breed.

German Shepherds are beautiful but some of them are huge and if not very well trained, they can be aggressive toward other dogs or people, if they think you are being attacked. Also, if not from a reputable breeder, they are prone to hip dysplasia.

good luck in your search for the perfect canine companion!

Although normally, I would never suggest this breed of dog for first time dog owners, I would bring up the Australian Cattle Dog. They are very active and energetic dogs and need a strong owner with a strong enough personality to match their own. They need lots of exercise and can usually keep going long after you are worn out. They have two layers of fur to guard them from the weather. They can be extremely affectionate and loving but they are known as Velcro or shadow dogs. They literally stick to you and you only. They are wary around strangers but as long as they are socialized as pups they will become accepting to all people, just don't expect them to be everyone's best friend. They are a herding breed so they do have a tendency to nip, just work on training them. They are medium sized breed with enough stamina to work from dawm until dusk in the Australian outback. And relatively speaking are a fairly new breed and have a lot of influence including the Dingo and dalmatian, so generally speaking are not prone to many diseases. They shed their coat twice a year and its a fairly fast process since it tends to come off in clumps. And finally, because they are a one person dog, they will follow you to the ends of the earth and are easy to train as long as you have the more dominant personality. Ceaser Milan's training techniques work really well on this breed and overall. They aren't the best for city environments but that's because they usually don't get near enough exercise. But if you are constantly on the go, then it would work.

Otherwise, many of the breeds you picked out are of a slightly more difficult level to train and are all primarily of highly driven breeds which can easily become very aggressive unless trained properly. German shepards, Dobermans and Dalmations are all on the top 10 most aggressive dog list. Huskies are also known for their aggressive tendencies if not trained correctly. But as long as they are well socialized, VERY WELL... they will all be fine, it's all in how you train them.

I would go with either a Greyhound, Border Collie, Siberian Husky, or Labrador Retriever.

Greyhounds- Athletic, smart, brave, great stamina (for long bike rides), very gentle, very sweet, pretty protective

Border Collie- Agile, athletic, good with kids, intelligent, gentle

Siberian Husky- Strong (if you wanted to do the ski thing or dog sledding), smart, independent, very good watch/guard dog, great family dog, very kind

Labrador- Athletic, strong, sturdily-built, very, very, very sweet and gentle.

All are pretty easy-going and easy to housebreak as puppies. But honestly, go with a shelter/pound dog. Every time you buy a dog from a purebred dog breeder, guess who pays the price? So many are put down! My first three dogs were all mutts and they were my favorites!

How about a Boston Terrier? They are medium sized and have a smooth coat. They love to give kisses and are very playful. They have french bulldog in them so they will make an okay guard dog.

You could always go to any shelter like the Boston Animal Rescue League. Play with all of the dogs and puppys and see what one is fit for you.

Adopt a dog from any local shelter, they really need a home because most are put down(die) due to over crowding and not enough funds to care for.

You go there, look among the dogs they are and choose the best one using your judgment.

You know once they start giving you those puppy eyes you won't be walking out with out one :D

You might want to consider adopting a dog from a shelter house. Check this out.

http://lnk.nu/dogtime.com/ryh