Good dog recommendations

[caliberbob]

A Coyote will make short work of that Rat Terrier. 'Yotes are much smarter than your garden variety dog and will pack hunt given the chance and will shred a Rat Terrier to pieces. Ive got a Fox Terrier which is 20 lbs of solid muscle with a heavy prey instinct and I wouldnt let him out around Coyotes on a bet.

Oh for sure, but I think he's was recommending the rat terrier in jest haha

 

[caliberbob]

I'm not an expert but I've heard great things about the Australia Cattle dog breed. Bred for managing cattle in the Outback, these dogs have to protect their humans and their cattle from predators such as dingos (Australia's version of our coyote, except meaner). When I was living in Australia, I would sometimes hear about the bravery of these dogs, choosing to give up their life fighting for their owners rather than back down from superior numbers of dingos.

The bonus about this type of dog is also that their fur coat is waterproof, which is nice for PNW region as we get quite a lot of rain.

Waterproof coat? That I did not know. I'm wondering if we got a pair of those cattle dogs. My sister in law has one and they really are good especially for little kids cuz they'll actually herd them in if trained to do so

 

[JohnnyMac]

A Coyote will make short work of that Rat Terrier. 'Yotes are much smarter than your garden variety dog and will pack hunt given the chance and will shred a Rat Terrier to pieces. Ive got a Fox Terrier which is 20 lbs of solid muscle with a heavy prey instinct and I wouldnt let him out around Coyotes on a bet.

Yup, that's pretty much what I said...

 

[slimmer13]

I just always get lab mixes. Dime a dozen, so they aren't expensive, and pretty good dogs IMO. The mix helps with hip dysplasia. They can be a challenge for the first couple years, but mellow out.

Right now I have an old Border Collie/lab mix and a Husky/lab.

 

[L84Cabo]

It will be an outside dog even though I'm going to build a pretty legit insulated dog house. Thoughts?

You asked for thoughts so here goes...

Dogs are incredibly social pack animals. When we domesticated them we humans replaced their dog pack. A solo outdoor dog can be a pretty lonely life for the dog. Especially as the novelty of the dog wears off, kids get busy with school and other interests, you live in the PNW where the weather is crappy a lot and nobody wants to be outside, etc. If you insist on making it an "outdoor dog" then at least get two.

 

[caliberbob]

You asked for thoughts so here goes...

Dogs are incredibly social pack animals. When we domesticated them we humans replaced their dog pack. A solo outdoor dog can be a pretty lonely life for the dog. Especially as the novelty of the dog wears off, kids get busy with school and other interests, you live in the PNW where the weather is crappy a lot and nobody wants to be outside, etc. If you insist on making it an "outdoor dog" then at least get two.

I really appreciate that point because it is a good one! So I mentioned that I found a half catahoula half Anatolian mix through a job connection. So I had a long phone call with lady and her biggest concern was that very thing. Him being outside. But she assured me he is completely house trained. And he's a protector so he basically has his bed he stays in and at night he walks the house and sort of makes sure everyone is where they're supposed to be. My wife absolutely not having it. She thinks it'll be gross and he'll smell bad. I'm trying to change her mind. The owner said he'll just make a whimper noise at the door when he needs let out to go potty. And the kids are old enough to care for him and my wife won't have to do much of anything!

 

[titsonritz]

I've had great luck with Labs.

 

[L84Cabo]

I really appreciate that point because it is a good one! So I mentioned that I found a half catahoula half Anatolian mix through a job connection. So I had a long phone call with lady and her biggest concern was that very thing. Him being outside. But she assured me he is completely house trained. And he's a protector so he basically has his bed he stays in and at night he walks the house and sort of makes sure everyone is where they're supposed to be. My wife absolutely not having it. She thinks it'll be gross and he'll smell bad. I'm trying to change her mind. The owner said he'll just make a whimper noise at the door when he needs let out to go potty. And the kids are old enough to care for him and my wife won't have to do much of anything!

I would respectfully ask that you REALLY REALLY think about this.

A dog is a lifetime commitment through all the ups and downs that life throws at you. This includes job changes, job losses, new babies, deaths in the family, marriage, divorce, moves, moves across country, illness (both people and the dog), old age (both people and the dog), etc.

That commitment is hard enough when both people are fully on board and want the dog. And it doesn't really sound like your wife is on board with this. And you need her FULLY on board. Because otherwise the dog will be banished to a life of solitude outside the first time he sheds his coat...or has an accident on the carpet...or chews up a pair of her shoes...or when she sees the first vet bill. Or worse...she'll change her mind completely and say, "time for the dog to go." And that is NOT fair to the dog.

Also, it is VERY common for kids to lose interest and/or to disengage from training and caring for the dog. You should be fully prepared for handling the burnt of care for the dog. And anything you get from your kids will be a bonus.

Dogs need and deserve to be an active part of the family. And if your wife isn't willing to make it part of the family, it's a recipe for disaster.

 

[RicInOR]

Watch some Wyatt, my grandfather in law liked a GSP+ weimaraner mix, and got a lot of hunters, upland game birds, to use those dogs.

The wife and I prefer Labs.

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[nosbocaj]

Another vote for German Shepherds. Mine is fiercely loyal, intelligent, fearless, and is very friendly with dogs/people/kids. They make excellent guard dogs and will do anything to keep their "pack" safe. Goldens and Labs are great as well, but less so in the guard dog/protective category.

Based on what you're looking for, it sounds like you'd do well with any herding dog (shepherds, collies, corgis, heelers, sheepdogs).

 

[caliberbob]

L84cabo, I totally get what you're saying. I think honestly we look at dogs a bit differently. Why'll i will take complete care of an animal and make sure it's loved and cared for, I'm not going to lose sleep over it worrying about it's emotional state and feelings. At the end of the day a dog is a dog to me. But I just think you're idea of loving and caring for a dog is vastly different than my idea. I dont know.

My wife is on board to try out Duke for two weeks with him having a spot in the back laundry area. The owner said if it doesn't work out she'd be happy to take him back. I feel like that's a pretty ideal way to test the waters! And I'm seriously not worried about the kids losing interest. They are absolutely die hard cat and dog lovers to the point they smother lol. I think the new dog will probably love it haha.

 

[caliberbob]

I just always get lab mixes. Dime a dozen, so they aren't expensive, and pretty good dogs IMO. The mix helps with hip dysplasia. They can be a challenge for the first couple years, but mellow out.

Right now I have an old Border Collie/lab mix and a Husky/lab.

View attachment 846784

Those are gorgeous pups!

 

[elsie]

Can't beat a Golden retriever. I didn't realize how amazing they were until we dog sat several times for my SIL and her 2 year old Golden was such a sweet heart.

GSD are great but I worry about the long term expectancy and health.

The only dog I've had as an adult is a mutt from the pound.
Black lab, great dane, boxer, and pitbull.
She is smart as heck, and great family dog.

Sadly she's 13 and has oral cancer now. So she gets all the treats she wants.

I had a Goldador for over 14 years. The sweetest dog I ever knew.


elsie

 

[Ura-Ki]

Any of the Retrievers will do nicely, make sure NOT to pick an Alfa from a litter, other wise they can be complete sh!ts. Aside from that, Golden Retrievers are one of the best breeds around for young kids on up, they are as tough as any, very loving, and very protective of their families! Don't let the seller reputation fool you, a Golden can hold its own just fine against most serious threats! They are fantastic dogs, but need to be WITH their family, not left alone, they are so damn smart, they will get destructive! They need lots of love and attention, and can be real clowns and/or thieves to get your attention, so be warned!

Another breed, one that is even better, especially with very small children is the Newfoundland, as big as they are, they have even bigger hearts, they are great big teddy bears, and will tolerate the abuses little kids are prone to with out biting or even complaining! You want big, a Newfy is about as big as they come, my Skidds is 230 pounds, Ludo is 180, and Falco the 7 month old is 110 already! They are monsters, but the best kind, and are very protective, and they have the size and strength to take on any animal threat with out much issue!
Here is how big a 7 month old Newfy is!

 

[titsonritz]

Kaytee isn't a small dog but Buddy was a massive yellow lab/ golden retreiver. His head and paws were bigger than a lot of rottweilers I've seen. Best earlier warning system I've ever known and no one went near HIS rig while he was on duty.

 

[Dr Prepper]

Reading about them, I figure they must be some pretty strong dogs to do herding on those little short legs!

Corgis can have terrible hips later in life. Most dogs with disproportionate legs do. Also the same with short punched in noses like pugs etc can have terrible breathing problems. Id stick to the fairly trued and true frames. Corgis are cute as can be but my sisters was a total invalid for the last 3-? Whatever years of its life. Daily shots pooping in the house. Last i heard they were having to put it down.

Great dog for picking up ladies but id feel guilty knowing im propogating a mutant species. Just my $.02

 

[Dr Prepper]

A buddy of mine has a Rhodesian Ridgeback and says he does a great job of keeping the coyotes away.

Thats kinda what i was thinking. Rhodies are friggin sweet lookin'! Breed to hunt lions. My brothers buddy years ago breed them. They arent cheap but ive ALWAYS wanted one since then what's cooler than a big short haired dog with a mohawk!

 

[Deacon]

Great Pyrenees are a great choice if you want a protective breed. They do tend to be on the large side and have thick coats (both a plus and minus because they're white and can get dirrrrrty...). They are very protective of family members and generally will not back down. They tend to be very headstrong and need an owner that will absolutely be the alpha.
Blue Heelers are great dogs, but they usually favor one person out of the family. They can also be nippy with small children.
A Belgian Malinois would be a great choice too, maybe even better than a German Shepherd.

 

[caliberbob]

Great Pyrenees are a great choice if you want a protective breed. They do tend to be on the large side and have thick coats (both a plus and minus because they're white and can get dirrrrrty...). They are very protective of family members and generally will not back down. They tend to be very headstrong and need an owner that will absolutely be the alpha.
Blue Heelers are great dogs, but they usually favor one person out of the family. They can also be nippy with small children.
A Belgian Malinois would be a great choice too, maybe even better than a German Shepherd.

My ideal choice would be a Belgian Malanois. Mainly cuz I watched John Wick 3 but they are soooooooooooo awesome when trained right. Like you could send a 5 year old to walk to the store with it and the kid would be fine. They can be trained to guard one person and literally walk rubbing on the person they protect. That's how close they are. And they are lean and fast and can be vicious when need be. But they are expensive. Honestly if I had it my way I'd have two Shepards or a pair of any big protector dog.

 

[Dr Prepper]

A Belgian Malinois would be a great choice too, maybe even better than a German Shepherd.

This was my other thought. These Belgian's are what animal control officers use to train for bear encounters. They would literally rather die than give up, or so ive been told. Excellent protectors. Have no idea about temperment though but im sure others in addition to deacon can chime in.