What kind of dog is best for a first time dog owner? Looking for a dog companion who is reliable to go running, but also low maintenance.?

It all depends on what you’re looking for. Dogs come in a variety of shapes and sizes and there are some distinct dispositions some breeds have. I have a mini-schnauzer and she is perfect for me. She enjoys running and I tire out well before her, so she has endurance. Small dogs are nice companions, great with kids, good cuddlers, and are cheap to feed and clean up after. We had mini poodles before, and they are well behaved companion dogs as well. The most maintenance she requires is getting groomed every 7 weeks.

So you want to use a dog yet you don't want to pay any attention to it other than when you want to use it?

Are you going to feed it?

Why do you want to buy one just to torture it by leaving it somewhere in a closet maybe?

Rent a dog. Plenty of services and people will rent you a very well trained animal that will protect you when you run.

And then you wont get in trouble for mistreating animals.

Works out best in the long run.

Low maintenance? Get a stuffed toy then.

I would recommend a poodle. They come in all sorts of colors and sizes. Most of them are pretty manageable, but still energetic.

greyhound comes to mind.

To go running with you? The Dalmatian was created to run long distances with horse-drawn carriages, so they do very well (as adults) as running companions. Their coats do shed a lot but it's short hair.

" low maintenance." No dog regardless of breed is low maintenance., all need feeding, grooming daily walking, daily training and no running with an owner until they are an adult and they have strong and mature joints.......... so I suggest you look for a local dog training class, ask if you can watch a basic obedience class as you are looking to purchase a dog and you are a novice owner who needs some advice about what breed to get, there you can speak to owners, see some training and get an idea about what you should get.....then do some research into the breeds you like

You haven't given us quite enough information - and a key one is if you have a fenced yard or not. No dog is totally low maintenance, as they all need grooming, training, and cleaning up after. A well bred lab is a good running companion, although you won't be able to do that until he's a good year old or more. And it's also critical that you get your dog from a quality breeder who checks the hips and joints of the parents (and provides proof). Without that, you will have a dog with joints too painful to do what you wish. Expect to pay in excess of $1000 for such a pup. Labs mature late - meaning you will have the puppy issues longer than in many breeds - a friend has used them as certified therapy dogs (NOT service dogs but well trained dogs who go into nursing homes, etc.) for 30+ years, and they are not ready for the task until around 18 months. But they are eager to please dogs who would very likely enjoy a run with you when physically mature enough, and a long walk on other days. They are dogs that need a lot of exercise, but most of them have marvelous dispositions. Just choose wisely - a dog crippled at an early age due to genetically bad hips or knees is not what you are looking for.

A nice amiable natured dog for first time owner is a Labrador and once the dog is mature it will make a good running companion.

Not sure what you mean by "low" maintenance, but the Lab is short haired, so not too much grooming needed. They are not fussy what they eat, and are easy to train.

The Labrador is always in the top 3 list of dogs as most popular in the UK and make great family dogs.

don't take dogs for runs they will get arthritis