Steinmetzify wrote:Former dog trainer and many dog owner.
Your list:
Belgian: this dog needs a job dude. It’s really never going to be happy being a house pet, and it’ll make it known. You’ll suffer if it gets bored. See the GSD review below; not as bad, but along those lines.
Mastiffs: not really health issues per se, but they’re bigger dogs that have their own set of issues. They’re slower to train and don’t live as long, naturally. Take a normal dog’s lifespan and cut it in half, pretty much. There are specimens that live longer but the average is pretty short for a dog.
Doberman: our of your list, this is the one I’d choose. The temperament is well suited for a family dog, they’re not (NA bred anyway) really all that aggressive, especially if they’re socialized well when they’re young.
GSD: great dogs, I’m not gonna lie I love em to death and have had 4. They’re insane without work. My 2nd ate my couch one day when I couldn’t get home in time. I never recommend these dogs to really anyone if I can help it, because people rarely have the time to devote to them that they need. If you can take this dog to work with you, or your wife can, and it’s a controlled environment where they can get to know everyone, right on. If you have to leave it home the majority of the day, you’ll regret it, I promise.
My main pet peeve when training dogs (training people really) is that people never do enough research on what the dog they want needs, and then I get a call saying it’s tearing up their shit.
No fuckin way, the dog you leave alone for upwards of 10 hours a day is acting out about it? I’m shocked.
Thanks for input
As far as research, I absolutely agree with you. I've been doing just that for more than a year. And I'm still learning things. There are people that get animals with the thought that they can get rid of it if they don't like it or it doesn't suit them (for whatever reason). I'm not like that. You go into it with the complete understanding that it is a lifelong commitment (theirs or yours). So, I want to make sure it's a breed I really want and me and my girlfriend (not wife, slow your roll, Scooter
) can deal with long term. Hell, I've had cats my entire life. One lived to 21, another to 17. Long haul...
The Belgian is still my first choice, but the need to "work" is certainly a consideration. The reality is that we both work. The way the schedules align, the pup would be at home, alone, for about 6 hours a day. It will take some effort to ensure that there is enough exercise, play time and "work". That would be true for all of them, but obviously more so for the breeds where it's a natural instinct.
The Mastiff is second on my list based on girlfriend input. I'd prefer a Doberman over a Mastiff but we're 180° on that choice. I love them both, so swapping the order doesn't bother me. I had a Doberman a looong time ago when I was in college. I "rescued" her from a group of stoner dickheads that thought it would be cool to have an "attack" dog. They chased her around the yard with a lawn mower. I couldn't take it, so I took her. Black/tan, 110 lb sweetie named "Gracie". She was massive. And awesome
I appreciate the input - it helps me make a better decision. There's a preference order, but the reality is that I would be happy with any one of them and we will lock-in on whichever one checks all the boxes when we see it. Who knows, we could even take a 90° turn if another breed seems right for us while we're looking.
Looking at puppies is fun
