Are you looking for an active or more mellow dog? If you are looking for an active dog that you could take hiking and camping I might suggest a miniature (if you are looking for a smaller breed) Australian shepherd. They are great with kids and actually don't shed that much taking their long coat into consideration. If you are looking for a more mellow dog I think that a English Bulldog or French Bulldog. They are a bit more mellow than Boston Terriers. I think that the Flat-Coated Retriever would be a great breed. They are great dogs. Shelties do shed quite a bit (we have one), they may bark a lot, but are otherwise great dogs. Let us know what your decision is!