Did anyone mention a Beagle? They are good little watch dogs that don't shed too much. They are also more often than not friendly towards other pets in the house. Hector, my Beagle, was my very first dog of my own (though I had other dogs growing up, they just weren't primarily my responsibility like Hector is), and he worked out great for an amateur dog owner 'cause he is such easy maintenance. That was four years ago though and I consider myself a much more responsible and knowledgable dog owner know so I now can handle a breed like Shawnee (my German Shepherd/Border Collie mix) who needs more exercise, stimulation, and whatknot.