Palmetto Proving Grounds

Golden retreiver !!!!!!! Personality of a lab with out the trouble maker curiosity! The only issue is the shedding

I have a German Shepherd - great with kids and toddlers...actually fantastic with our cats, the dog and one of our cats are best buds and sleep next to each other. the house does not smell at all. they do shed.

GSDs are great they are very smart and have huge personalities which is very cool. the downside is that they are very smart and have huge personalities. as puppies you need to be strongwilled to handle sometimes. however, they are VERY EAGER to please and work. they actually really enjoy lessons on sitting, staying, etc, etc...GSDs are also big time thief/troublemaker deterrents. anyone casing your house, when seeing a GSD at the house, is going to move to the next house period.

My buddy has a Bourdeaux - amazing, amazing dog. not near as smart as my GSD but sometimes thats a good thing. That dog is perfectly content to just chill and observe and be petted. but it listens very well. GSD needs stimulation so I guess it depends on your energy level. I have had two GSDs and neither chews, so something to consider over a lab. Labs like to chew. Alot. Labs are awesome dogs too though of course.

all dogs are cool and perfectly content to let you be alpha as long as you take a strong hand and YOU ARE THE ALPHA. I think thats the mistake first time owners make. you are boss period. doesn't mean you need to beat the dog, but the dog is perfectly HAPPY to be subservient...they are actually comfortable knowing what their place is. read, research, and be confident.

It really depends on you're expectations! I had a Golden Retriever for 10 years that was my best friend ever. Wanted a German Shepherd since I grew up with some and now have a 1 year old. He's awesome too! It's hard to go wrong with a Dog...

I've always been a lab/retriever fan and had them growning up.

I bumped into this little hound/springer or pointer mix about 6 months and paid Pet Helpers their fee and brought him home. Never had a dog with this much personality. Sure, he's a bit of a wild man, but I'm convinced there's nothing better than a good ole fashioned mutt. Plus, you're doing the right thing.

JMO.

Get one of these guys. Best dog i've ever had. Kinda like the poster above with german shepards, they are extremely intelligent and need to be stimulated. We finally broke down and paid to have him professionally trained.

They Love people, so they make great family pets. The only downside so far is the shedding.

Look at a Boykin Spaniel....

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Thanks for the great feedback. My children are 9&11. I really like all my friends dogs just never had one. I don't mind shedding just concerned about smell. My neighbor swears by a lab breeder in Orangeburg who trains the dogs. You bring them home then take them back after a couple of weeks for more training. In my heart I feel like I should go to the Humane Society. As a family we would be able to give the dog much love and exercise.

From what I know, feeding dogs Purina and the other grocery storeish foods bring more problems than solutions in regards to shedding, breath, etc

Had a lab for twelve years great dog but training is a must. My daughter got a golden doodle as a Christmas present last year and it's great with kids doesn't shed almost human at times. You can't go wrong with either of these. Its as big as the lab now and you might need to research the bloodlines from what she says. Something about having a first generation. The kids would enjoy either of these breeds. We have had friends with retrievers and seem to need a little more maintenance bathing wise.

I have a 7 month old lab/boykin mix....free give away to a good home.....loves my kids!!

I have had retrievers most of my lives and they are certainly wonderful breeds, but they do NOT start out as calm well trained dogs.

They can be quite destructive as puppies. The good news is that they are all relatively easy to train.

Golden are probably the goofiest most lovable dog that there is. Extremely loyal and easy to train. They do shed, but with regular bath and grooming that can be controlled fairly easy.

Labs are also very loyal and easy to train. They shed as well, but not anywhere near what a golden does.

Both of these breeds are prone to issues with their hips due to poor breeding. I have found that getting your puppy/dog from a reputable breeder will minimize the chance of your your dog having medical issues.

I have purchased puppies with good pedigree, have taken "young dogs" with good pedigree meant for breeding, but had some smaller cosmetical issue, rescued dogs in the past as well as (when I didn't know any better) getting a dog from a high volume breeder aka puppy mill.

I have had great experiences doing all of the above, but be aware that there will be expenses with having a dog. Sometimes very large expenses. MY experience is that a cheaper/free dog usually have more medical expenses during its lifetime. So while it may be cheaper to get a free puppy, it is not usually cheaper than buying a "pedigree" puppy from a REPUTABLE breeder.

The best dog I ever had was cheap and from a puppy mill, but he eneded up being (by far) my most expensive dog in the long run. HUGE ($8-10,000 range) medical bills.

So a "cheap"/free puppy is not always a cheap alternative.

Most important thing in my opinion is that you get a breed that fits your personality and lifestyle. Dogs are just like any other living thing, they will have their own personality and you just never know what it will be until they grow up. You can however influence their behavior by proper training, love and care.

When trained and raised properly a dog can be a great friend and companion for your whole family.

Itt people try and convince someone to get the dog they have.

Seriously though. I have a bloodhound. Get one.