I'm not sure if this is the right place for this or not, but I was wondering if anyone could offer help regarding breeds. I may be moving soon and when I do I would like a puppy. My current dogs are 13 (border collie) and 10 (nearly 11 - cross breed which looks like a retriever) and are pretty good role models,lol. I want a dog that will be happy to spend most of the day outside with me, but won't destroy the house if left inside when I go out. It needs to be good with other animals (I have horses and will be having goats, chickens and maybe alpacas). I like large dogs, and dogs with a decent amount of hair/coat, and a dog that will let me know if anyone is around. The house I have my eye on has quite a bit of land (11 acres) and a forest near by, I'd love to be able to take the dog into the forest with me when I go out on the horses). I have looked at the Bernese Mountain Dogs, which are beautiful looking dog with right sort of coat, but the health problems and short life span puts me off a little. Does anyone have any recommendations of a breed that may suit?
German Shorthaired Pointer? But you`d have to be prepared to train it. They don`t have a long coat but withstand the cold and are very cuddly. Good guard dogs and mine are great with other animals. Never tire and always cheerful.
Check out Estrela mountain dogs!!!! Beautiful, big, great with other animals and lots of coat. They can be independent though and not always super quick with the recall although they do not tend to wander far. They love people and are excellent guards. Best of all they are pretty healthy and hardy and have little in the way of health problems. They tend to live 10-12 years.
There are a massive number of breeds that would fit the bill...but it all depends on you and how you train and socialise them.
If you line big hairy guarding breeds why not check out the Giant Schnauzer Black Russian Terrier Bovier de Flandres
Thanks everyone. I have checked out a lot of breeds but it's always nice to get opinions from people who know each breed. I was looking at the german longhaired pointer last night, which look lovely, similar in look to the flatcoat and setters, which I also like. Are there specific breeders for cross bred dogs? (apart from the 'doodle' dogs which seem to be the latest trend) I also love the canadian duck tollers, but they are a little on the small side, and golden retrievers, but the colour it would come back in would force me to tears (there is a rather muddy stream where we are looking to move to) I am going to go and research the breeds you have suggested
Bernese are wonderful companions and there are some lines which are living a lot longer now. You do need to do your research if you are interested in this breed. Have you thought of a Newf or a Leo, both larger in size and medium length coat, great with children. Or the Tibetan Mastiff - similar size to a Bern, but with less health problems, but they are a lot more aloof towards strangers.
