Decided Against Getting The Puppy...

Hi,

As some of you know, I was going to be getting an ACD/Lab puppy. My neighbor (lives right across the hall) let me take the puppy home for a trial. Wow! What a high energy, hyper girl! She was nipping at my daughters heels which made my daughter run WHICH made the puppy more excited. I have decided to adopt an adult dog that is great with little kids. I am looking for a lab, golden or a cross between the two. I love this boy, he is at a shelter about 40 minutes away from me.

J-Ball, a black lab/golden cross...

http://www.petfinder.org/fotos/BC94/...478950-1-x.jpg

http://www.petfinder.org/fotos/BC94/...478950-3-x.jpg

His Page On Petfinder

I should have listened to everyone when they told me these dogs were really hyper EVEN as puppies. She will find a great home though.

:D

Labs are also hyper. :eek:
even as adults,, they are a breed that takes a long time to mature.
at least the ones i met...

they are a happy go lucky breed,, but way too much engery for me. LOL

*huggies*
i hope you find the right dog for you

I am only choosing Lab or Golden because I want a breed that is recommended for families with small children. :rolleyes: I has a horrible experience with a Rotti, so I want a dog that is great with small children. I have looked into other breeds such as the Boxer, Spaniels etc. But I love Labs and Goldens, I lived with a Golden for 4 or 5 years and he was the sweetest - least hyper dog I knew. It is half and half with labs. Some are hyper, some are calm - it just depends on their living conditions. I could see a lab that didn't get enough excersize becoming hyper, or one that is bored - but not one that is walked and has a job to do.

What other breed am I to choose? I dont want a small dog, almost all of them aren't recommended for small kids. Hounds and terriers are out of the question as I have 3 kitties and working breeds are often 100+ pounds - WAY to big! Can you see where I am getting with this? My daughters safety comes first and lots of breeds of dogs have dominance issues that can be deadly if they're not properly trained.

A lab is by far my best choice for a dog. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't it better to adopt and older Labrador than a young ACD? :confused:

Yeah I think it would be better to adopt an adult dog in your situation. If the dog is already trained (like, potty trained for example) it saves a lot of time. However, even if you know the dog is good with kids, no dog is 100% trustworthy. In my opinion, even the best dog who LOVES kids should still be supervised with small children, especially when you first bring him home so you can see how they interact.

Good luck finding the right dog!

I have 2 labs, and I have to say that I think there is a little misconception on how hyper labs are. My two are very calm around the house -- yes they run and play, but they are happy with a 20 minute walk in the afternoon. Malone is almost 4, and Emerson is 3, and they are both starting to settle down. They are VERY good around children, and I trust them almost completely!

Yep! Them Aussies are nippers. I'm so happy Kia doesn't have that trait from the ACD in her.

Happy to hear you got to test the puppy on a trial basis. Sounds like an adult dog is definitely the way to go. The one you posted is gorgeous. Hope it all works out!

J-Ball is such a cutie! I think an adult dog is the way to go for you. Labs and goldens are usually very good with kids - I grew up with a lab/golden mix who was very laid back (she was already around 7 or 8 years old when we got her though, I don't know if she was wild when she was younger), but she was so good with my sister and I. Maybe try to find one that has already been in a home with kids. Good luck, and keep us updated :)

I think you are making a good decision. J-Ball is so handsome! Would you get to meet him beforehand? He looks like a sweetheart. Good luck :)

As a mom of Golden Retrievers, I have to tell you that my experience is that they are the MOST gentle of all breeds. I'm so happy that there will be a little GR mixed in with your new baby. You are sensible and making good decisions. You have 100% of my support.

Logan

Yup, have to agree, goldens are about the MOST mellow dogs I've seen. The ones we see at the dogpark are such sweetie pies! An adult dog is a good choice, at least you know how his personality is. And good luck with that sweet boy you posted - he's a nice looking fellow, and he looks smart, too.

he's gorgeous!! good luck!

I'm sorry that it didn't seem this puppy would work out for you. Congrats on deciding to adopt an older dog! I can't wait to see tons of pictures when you finally find him/her :)

Sorry this puppy didn't work out, but good for you for wanting to open your home to a deserving older dog. The sweetest, most child-friendly dog I've ever met was a golden. Hope you find one a lot like her.

Yep, I can tell you from firsthand experience that ACD's are high energy and might not be the best with small children. I have an ACD and he's almost 2 and still acts like he's a pup. He still is a pup in a way, but he is a handful. He likes to nip at me as well. A GR would be a good choice and the dog you posted seems like a great one.

Glad to hear everything's working out for the best for everyone!

I think you're making the right decision. Not all labs are hyper. My Finn is so good with children, he never puts a foot wrong when my five year old niece is around or when my best friend's two year old son is here. Yes, Finn is extremely hyper sometimes and I just let him run his laps for a couple minutes in the living room and he's fine. Just watch out for the tail. ;) With training, almost any dog can be a joy to have indoors and around children. You will just have to give this dog a shot, and, see what happens. Good luck! :)

Thanks everyone! :D :D

I'm gald that you had the opportunity to try out the puppy before making any commitments. That was awful nice of the owners.

An adult dog does sound like its the way to go.
Please consider all breeds though, I know you had a terrible experience with a rott, but if bred & raised properly they & pitts are AWESOME family dogs. Many good reputable trainers & vets will say that they may ever surpass the lab & golden as far as being a family dog if they are bred & raised properly. I'm not saying you have to or should get one but please don't over look them completely. But if you truly feel you are better off with another breed than by all means go for it.
I wish you the best of luck!

Thats great that you got a "trial run" with the puppy. And I definately agree that an adult dog is a great choice. J-Ball is so handsome (don't particularly care for the name :p )

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lv4dogs

Please consider all breeds though, I know you had a terrible experience with a rott, but if bred & raised properly they & pitts are AWESOME family dogs.

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I agree. I have a Rott, Shadow and she is the best family dog. She was a pup when my mom did daycare and there were always tons of kids climbing and laying on her and she just adores kids now and is extremely gentle. My lab mix on the other hand has no respect for children and tramples them, not really on purpose but hes just a clumsy puppy.

Good luck finding a dog thats right for you and your family!!! :D

I think if you want something calmer and more well behavied, an older dog is definetly a better choice. I own a lab, and although she loves to run and play and gets excited, she is a very calm dog at home. She will lay down with me if I'm laying down or being lazy, or she will jump right up to go and play. Whatever I'm doing is what she is doing!

Goodluck finding the perfect dog! I'm glad to hear you didn't get the first thing you saw only ending up to regret it!

Glad you got to do a trial, if more people did that it would work out so much better, hope it works out good for you with that sweet girl in the picture :)

Thanks. I am awaiting an email from a lady who rescues dogs. She has a 5 year old Golden Lab male. Excellent with kids and other dogs, but she hasn't tested him with cats yet (Ihave 3). I will let you know when she emails me back. :)

I think you are making the best decision for you. I am so glad your neighbor allowed a trial run that is good!
yes, labs and Goldens can be hyper but so can any dog. With lots of love, attention and some structure, I am confident you will find the perfect dog for your family, regardless of breed.
My sister has a Springer / lab mix that is excellant with her boys. They can climb all over him and he just lays there. I have a 4 year old Golden that loves them also - I do watch her around them tho b/c they are very boisterous and kind of rough and she isn't used to that and and she has hip dysplasia so I have to watch that they stay away from her back end. I don't want her to defend herself. I usually tell them my bite is worse then her's! ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Vette

Labs are also hyper.

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but most dogs in the shelters and rescues are Lab mixes. You would have a harder time finding one that wasn't considered "lab"..

Good luck!

Lucky me, my first pup was a GR/Yellow Lab mix-the best of 2 wonderful breeds. I got him as a wee pup and it did take 5 years for him to settle, but we never ever had a problem with him. Just gave him lots of excercise and training. He was easy to train and as smart as a whip. He had his "moments" (loved trash cans, anything paper) but as long as he had 2 tennis balls in his mouth at all times, he was content. I had had no dog experience, so I didn't, unfortunately know to socialize him well, or know about "alpha", but that was totally my fault. I'm glad to hear you did some research and decided the best breed for you. All dogs are different. My friend's yellow lab was also docile and laid back. Cody's mom was the GR, and as calm as could be, so chances are, his dad was the active one. The dog you're chosing is totally gorgeous!