Mav

Hubby and I discussed the breeds recommended and we will be doing a little more research on a few breeds - contacting some breeders for their thoughts. The breeds we have short listed are the Bernese, Leonberger (this one we are really really interested in) and Rottweiler. We are in no hurry and want to take as much time as needed to find what will be the right one for us. Living in Qld and long haired dog was a concern raised by us also but we are looking at moving back to NSW - I don't much like the heat myself! Thanks to all who gave advice!! I will keep you informed on what we decide upon :)

With regards to walking I think a plodder would be more our style. A dog who isn't going to climb the walls if for some reason we miss a day would be great! I had thought Golden Retriever, but from what I have read (and I could be so very wrong) they do need a fair amount of exercise to keep them at their happiest. Oh my the Leonbergers are gorgeous!

Rubbish sighthounds doesn't equate to chase everything ,there no different than any breed of dog ,they either get on with cats or they don't & yes i have owned sighthounds. No dog should be classed cat friendly ,just like not all cats are dog friendly. Should also add our friend who has owned Wolfhounds for many years dogs always shared there home with cats & a small dog . Sorry, but a breed specifically bred for generations for sight and movement motivated prey drive is NOT the same as any other breed of dog. For a start, their ability to catch and kill cats is higher due to their speed. Once that drive is triggered, it can be hard to switch off. Some sighthounds will be fine with cats they know.. and kill others they see. But most educated sighthound owners with cats don't ever leave their dogs and cats unsupervised. Too many tragic results. If an IW decides a cat is toast, the cat has no chance. Too many sighthounds end up in rescue because their owners underestimate their prey drive. The rise of urban poultry keeping is seeing more Whippets in rescue now. Dogs aint dogs folks. You need to grasp what they were bred to do and what drives come along with that. Expect them to live a life ignoring those drives at your peril (and theirs). Sighthounds,, quiet country drives and livestock or wildlife can also end up badly if you want the dog to be offlead. Sighthounds are not the dog for us by the sounds of this. I don't think we would be experienced enough to take the risk and the end result would be devastating if something should occur.

A protective breed is something we discussed and no we don't want an overly protective breed. Shedding/Grooming - I don't think I could handle spending hours every day grooming but a brush once a day to keep a coat in condition is not out of the question. I have a cat that sheds a LOT so hair everywhere and good friends with the vacuum are already part of my day now :) No allergies.

Thank you. A friend has a Bernese and I just fell in love the moment I met her. Of course I get that you can't judge a breed by the meeting of one dog - and this one has been well trained. She gets along wonderfully with the family cat also. At this point in time we would not be looking at showing or agility or anything like that - just a family pet.

I have been reading the posts on this forum for quite a while but decided I would join and get some advice. So hello!! The advice I am after is regarding what breed other owners think would suit our family. I really struggle with this even after spending months on the internet looking at various dog breeds. Once I have an idea of what breeds may be suitable I would look at going to shows and seeing them in person and contacting a few breeders.. Our family is myself, hubby and our 5 year old son. I work from home in my own business and we like to hang out at home, pack a picnic lunch and head on random drives into the quiet country areas on a weekend. We both think a larger dog would suit us better than a small dog. I particularly love the Newfoundland and Bernese Mountain Dog. We do have two cats so a cat friendly breed would be a must. We have a house with a medium sized yard and live in a semi rural area. We enjoy walks as a family and would like a breed we can take walking with us. I have previously owned a dog who passed away in his sleep in 2000 - he was a rotti/cattle cross and was a delight to own. So if anyone has any advice on breeds that could/would suit us I would be forever thankful.