A Future Dog?

  Posted on August 11, 2017 By

 38 Comments

Yup, my mind has already gone to finding a future dog for our family. I desperately miss our dog, and I know I will for years to come.  But I also know that we are dog people and I want a dog in our family.  In fact, both Mr. MPB and I have always wanted our child(ren) to grow up with dogs.  Some of our favourite childhood memories were with our childhood dogs and we both want the same for Little MPB. I’ll Also admit that if I cannot give Little MPB a human sibling, the least I can do is give him a puu-py best friend.  And, we know our son’s birth mom chose us in part because of our dog – she shares our love of big dogs and also wanted Little MPB to grow up with a dog.  Also, Little MPB continues to search for his Puu-py, so I assume he also wants a dog in his life too. 

So, here’s where we are at.  Mr. MPB is not ready for another dog just yet.  I am, our house is too empty and feels still.  Little MPB is too young to have a vote.

The only problem is that regardless if we get one in a few months or in a few weeks, we don’t know what to get! We didn’t expect to be looking at getting another dog for 5+ years, so we hadn’t even begun to consider different breeds.  This said, we have decided that we want a puppy, even though the idea of adding a puppy to our already busy lives does seem slightly daunting.  Also, we are not going to get a dog that resembles our dog, which means a big black dog is out of the question.  We are not trying to replace her, so this one must be different.  Also, we have decided that we are not going to get another rescue dog.  We loved, loved, loved our rescue dog but she had a lot of fear issues, and with a toddler running around we’d like the piece of mind of knowing the dog’s history and it’s tendencies.  This means, for now we are not looking at rescue agencies.

So, we have decided to start researching large breed and medium-large breed dogs.  If we can agree on a breed then we’ll start investigating breeders.  If we cannot agree on a breed, then we will keep researching and talking.

Here’s our list of dog breeds that we might consider:

  • Bernese Mountain Dog – We have always both loved this breed and love how good with kids they are.  But, they are known to be sick and not live long.  Also they are giant and will also make our old 90lbs dog look small.
  • Nova Scotia Duck Toller – This dog is beautiful – it looks similar to a small Golden Retriever.  But, these dogs are crazy expensive – as in $3500 – $4000.  They are also apparently slightly harder to train.  This is one of Mr. MPB’s favourites.  I like them but I cannot stomach the price tag.
  • Old English Sheep Dog – These dogs are big, furry and good with kids.  And, can you say adorable?!!  This is one of my favourites we have discussed so far.  Mr. MPB’s not a fan of just how large they are.
  • Golden Retriever – A good classic dog – good size, decent price, good with kids, etc.  But, we both grew up with Golden’s and would like to something a little bit different.
  • Sheepadoodle, Bernedoodle, Goldendoodle or a Labradoodle.  All the doodles seem to shed less, are good with kids, are smart and are supposedly easy to train.  Right now my favourite is the sheepadoodle probably because I love sheepdog so much. Mr. MPB is still stuck on the idea of having a dog that is any sort of doodle because their names are so funny to say.

Does anyone have experience to share with us about any of the breeds we’ve identified so far?

Or, does anyone have any other dog breed suggestions we may want to consider?

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 Category: Animals, Parenting, toddler      Tags: , , , , , , ,

38 Comments on “A Future Dog?”

  1. if i ever get a dog, it will be a Portuguese water dog. Something about their curls make them looks so adorable 🙂 and are decent sized, plus make excellent friends for kids..

    having said that, I am not even a dog person. Lol..

    I would get little MPB to select his puppy .. and don’t be upset if he selects black… which I am sure he will..

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    • Oh, the Portuguese Water Dog has always been one of my favourites too!! I cannot believe I left it off this list as it’s actually on the list in my phone. 🙂
      Yes, we plan to let him choose his puppy. And you’re right, he will probably choose a black one because that’s what he knows! 🙂

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  2. I know this may be larger than you’re looking for but great Danes are AH-MAZING dogs. Active yet super lazy at the same time. Great with kids, super loving and cuddly. They do have a shorter life span but have more personality than I’ve ever seen in another breed.

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  4. Your dog must have been so special for you guys to already be thinking about this. I had a golden retriever growing up and my sister has one now. They were both very sweet. I wish you guys the best of luck in your search!

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  5. Our girl is a Boxer and she is amazing. And wonderful with McLovin and our cat. I originally did not want a Boxer, his breed was The Husband’s idea, but I’ve never regretted it. A bit energetic and high strung as a puppy, but when she hit 2 she completely mellowed out.

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    • Aren’t all dogs a bit energetic and high strung as puppies? 🙂
      Boxers have never been on my list, but I know other people who have said similar things to you – they are great family dogs. So maybe we need to do some more research and see if it could be a good fit for us. Thanks for sharing!

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  6. I know you said you aren’t looking for a rescue, but I would like to kindly suggest you don’t totally rule them out. I definitely understand there are times you don’t know the background, and that the unknown could make you uneasy – totally reasonable, especially with a little guy around. I’m not sure what kind of animal welfare groups you have in your area, but where I live we have both a county shelter, and independent rescue groups (often by breed). The shelter, while it gets plenty of mixed breeds, they also get more purebred dogs than you would imagine. Rescues can also have both. Of course strays, etc. history is completely unknown, but I have seen time and time again where families that have had dogs since birth/puppyhood (regardless of current age) due to whatever reason surrender the animal. Often it is cost, they’re moving, etc. It’s sad, but there can be loved animals without “issues” that have ended up homeless with no fault of their own. Of course you need to decide what works best for your family, but just something to think about 🙂

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    • You make such a good point. And honestly, I should add, that we said and did EXACTLY what we are saying now when we got our dog 7.5 years ago. We started looking at breeds and in the end couldn’t agree on anything. So, we ended up at a rescue agency and fell in love with our little girl. So, there’s a very real possibility the same thing will happen this time!
      As for agencies around here (based on what I learned 7.5 years ago), they are almost all agencies that work with reserves or agencies that bring up dogs from kill pounds in the USA. And of course there is the local pound that accepts dogs from anyone in the city. Honestly, I wont be surprised if we end up at a rescue agency again….

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      • I agree… don’t rule out rescues completely. Especially if you are wanting a puppy. Unless severely abused, puppies don’t come with the fear/issues older dogs do. Many puppies are actually born in a rescue (the rescue will take in a pregnant mom) so they know nothing but love. Good luck in your search!

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  7. We have a German Shepherd Dog who is amazing with our 2 year old (in fact, we call her Riley Mama because she’s such a mama to our boy), but I know these dogs have a reputation as being aggressive.

    I once lost a cat, and in less than a week I had gotten another cat that looked just like the old one and gave the new cat a diminuative version of the old cat’s name. I had a cat shaped hole in my heart that just had to be filled.

    When we lost our dog 2 years ago, I was 7 months pregnant (my heart breaks that my son didn’t get to meet our older dog) and we already had a puppy in the house (gotten after a miscarriage) so didn’t get another dog, but the house was much quieter and surely, if didn’t have the puppy, we would have had a replacement dog very quickly.

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    • You said that so well – I have a dog shaped hole in my heart that just needs to be filled. That’s exactly how I feel right now. I don’t expect a new dog to be an exact replacement, but I do expect a new dog to help fill the void, even if just slightly.
      German Shepherds are beautiful dogs! Mr. MPB loves them. I’ve always stayed away from them because I think kids will be afraid of them (which is funny now because our 90lbs black dog scared both kids and adults).

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  8. I do know from personal experience that the Burmese Mountain Dogs have medical issues and do not have a long life expectancy. Likewise with Great Danes, they tend to have back problems. In fact many of the larger breeds have more health problems and do not live as long as say a medium sized dog, I don’t know if that is due only to size or over-breeding. You can’t go wrong with a Golden Retriever or Lab, or the doodle version of either, especially with children, but they can both also have hip problems. They are just great family dogs….. German Shepards are beautiful, but do tend to be very protective…. that is both good and bad, depending on the circumstances. All in all a lot of those protective or defensive behaviors depend on how they are raised as well…. which goes back to your reasons for not wanting a shelter dog. Australian Shepherds are amazing family dogs as well… they are more medium size, but very smart and frequently easier to train!

    I am the same as you, when deciding on a new dog or cat, after the loss of a beloved pet, I can NOT choose one that is of the same breed, nor the same look as the pet I lost, as it feels way too much like trying to replace them

    Good luck in your search! I’m sure you will make the best choice for you and your family…. you have to trust your gut above everything else.

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    • Thanks for your awesome thoughts! 🙂
      We almost got a Bernese last time but in the end decided that we couldn’t get one knowing all their medical issues because we knew we wouldn’t be ready to say good by to a dog in 7 years so in the end we went with a rescue dog in large part because we thought it would be so much healthier and live longer (the irony of that isn’t lost of either of us). So, as much as we love the Bernese, I honestly don’t think we will get one this time. We are looking for a breed that is known to be healthy and live longer lives, hence the doodles being on our list this time when last time we didn’t even really consider them.
      And I completely agree with you about protective and defensive behaviours depend on how they were raised, which is such a huge concern for us with Little MPB because clearly he is going to be around the dog so we need to make sure (to the best of our ability) that the dog will be good and safe with him. We are not looking for an older dog – we want to know how they are raised and the best way to know is to raise the puppy ourselves. Also, even though puppies are a tonne of work, we both know it will be super adorable watching Little MPB and a puppy play together!
      Also, I like the Australian Shepherds too! But, Mr. MPB isn’t crazy about them, so they are off the list for now.

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  9. Well, you know that I’m going to say, like the commenter above, don’t rule out the rescues because they don’t all come from heinous backgrounds, and even the ones that do aren’t always crazy. Also, I know you are set on a puppy, but, like you said, puppies can be a bit daunting. I would suggest maybe a two-year-old dog. I’m an adoption counselor at our local SPCA, and I always suggest this to young families. They are, for the most part, housebroken, and their temperament is pretty evident at that age, but they are still very trainable. Puppies’ personalities don’t always come out right away. If you do go this route (adopting at a shelter), I would have all of the family members meet the dog before deciding. Especially Baby MPB. I don’t know how it works in Canada, but we have meet and greet rooms inside and play areas outside that help with introductions. Also, I would meet the dog at least twice at different times of the day to see temperament.
    As far as breeds are concerned, it looks like you have a good mix. I like the American Staffordshire Terrier, which was bred to nanny children (so was the Pitbull, but I know there is a stigma there). But my favorite is the mutt! Mixed dogs can have a better chance at overcoming some of the issues that purebred dogs have. Our Boxer/Staffordshire mix was almost 14 years old, a full year older than the life expectancy of purebred Boxers.
    I know this is a lot, but it’s a topic I’m passionate about. And also, we adopted Teddy a few weeks after our precious Loco passed away. I totally understand wanting to adopt a dog after one has gone. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me!

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  10. I have owned three golden retrievers as an adult, and I love, love, love the breed! BUT young ones are very energetic, requiring a lot of exercise, and they shed a lot. (Plus, my husband is allergic to dogs, and GRs are esp. bad for his allergies.)

    I would feel the same as you: I hate being dogless. One of the reasons we adopted our current golden several years ago was because the golden I had at the time was diagnosed with a heart condition. I was afraid he would die, and I would have no dog.

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    • P.S. All three of my goldens were adopted from breed rescue groups. Two were “puppies” just under a year old, and the other was estimated to be 4-5 years of age.

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  11. I loved our labradoodle growing up so much. That is my vote. Amazed at how you handle the tough stuff thrown your way. Xo

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  12. We have a French Mastiff (Dogue de Bordeaux). She is amazing with our son. We did a lot of research on breeds because we knew we wanted kids. They are known for being great with kids. Frank was 3 1/2 when E came along. She did great with the transition and she adores E. She is small for her breed at 85-90lbs. We liked Berners too but they have a lot of inbred issues because they are so popular and a life expectancy off around 7 or 8. If you would like more info on our breeder or dog please let me know. We adore Frances and would use her breeder again.

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  13. We have discussed dogs here, and when we get one, it will be a goldendoodle or labradoodle. They are fantastic with kids, so many of our friends have them and they’re wonderful. And the lack of shedding constantly is a big plus. I LOVE them!

    I thought you’d want one sooner than later… It’s so quiet without a pet in the house, even when you have loud kids.

    ❤️

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  15. German Shepherd. I honestly can’t see myself with any other breed. I have a show line North American line girl (long coat, black and red) and one working line from Germany which also has some Czech line as well (sable). Being in dog sport heavily before having kids as well as having a MIL who has a degree in the reproduction of large animals and a breeder herself taught me a lot on what and how to look for things in lines.
    The girls are amazing with the kids. I was nervous before bringing them home but they’re really great. If you want to chat GSD, drop me a line 😊 I totally geek out on this stuff!

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  16. So I have three doodles – two labradoodle, one goldendoodle. They are truly a wonderful breed. Smart, easy to train, love kids, fun, and low or non shedding. I grew up with mutts – and my three have far less of issues on any front than our mutts. In my experience – Goldendoodles are so sweet and gentle but they do tend to have health problems – labradoodles are more excitable but healthy as can be. My parents have a boodle ( beagle poodle) and she is similar to my doodles in her good nature and easy to train-ness. I think those two are doodle traits. Our nephews have poked, prodded, ridden, tackled, rolled on, etc all of our dogs their entire lives and they have been nothing but gentle and loving with the boys. Good luck with your decision – I am 100% team doodle!

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  17. We don’t get Labradoodles in South Africa but I believe they are a lovely breed. We have a Labrador who we got from a good, responsible breeder as a puppy and is an absolute joy. I work with children and took him with me to work for the first two years of his life and as a result he is brilliant with kids and just loves them. He’s also very intelligent and so easy to train. For example he swims about ten times a day and has learnt that he is not allowed inside when he is wet. He’s an absolute pleasure to have as part of the family. I do believe that part of why his temperament is so stable is that he was loved and well looked after from day one… Which sadly you can only guarantee through a breeder as with rescue you don’t always know the background.

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  19. Just in case you are – don’t feel bad about planning for a new canine addition. We have 2 smaller pups living with us a large sized Pomeranian and a mini Foxy/Chihuahua, but 2 big dogs that live up on Hubby’s parents farm that are Kelpie/Labrador and Border Collie. Though we have not lost our pups we have talked lately about what will happen when we do as all of our furbabies are over 8 years old now, 3 of them are over 10 years old which the Foxy/Chihuahua (F/C) over 13 now so it is a real possibility.
    The thought of losing them is just unbearable. We know in our hearts though that we are a two dog household/pack. Our first dog (F/C) had very bad separation anxiety and when we got a second dog (Pom) it was like her issues were fixed overnight. Because of our experiences we would definitely plan on getting another dog (to be fair things might change when the time comes though).
    We would look at getting a bigger dog now that we have the space for it. My preference for the last little while has been an Australian Shepard. I am not big on drool and a lot of big dogs have this issue, these don’t and shed a bit less, they are also extremely family friendly dogs. Hubby’s top of list are Border Collies because he just adores them, they are very similar to Australian Shepards (such a weird name because they were developed in America).
    That Nova Scotia is gorgeous – had never heard of it before so I Google imaged 🙂
    Old English Sheepdogs always remind me of the movie Labyrinth.
    So many Doodles hahaha the Goldendoodle is super adorable. I think if I was considering a Labradoodle, I personally would go all in and get a Labrador. There is not much that is cuter than a Chocolate Lab! 🙂
    Oh my gosh I love dogs so much hahaha. Don’t judge me LOL.

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  20. I think the doodles are a good idea. Less hair makes life so much easier!!

    That being said, I have not had one before. lol

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  21. We have a black lab and her and Cora are the best of friends. Yesterday she required Fenway to wear a cape most of the day and she also uses her as a pillow non-stop. I know labs aren’t on your list but just in case you come across one:) I think it is great that you want to have your child grow up with a dog/puppy! Cora certainly doesn’t need a sibling because at this rate she thinks she is human so it works:)

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  22. I love big dogs as well (not too big on dogs as a whole but if I had to choose one it would be big and cuddly). My husband’s step-father breeds labradors and they are beautiful dogs. I just love them. My MIL has 3 great danes (I think you saw the pics on my instagram). I love them too. A little scared of the male but they’re harmless lol. But like everyone said they have health issues and don’t live very long. She just spent thousands on a twisted stomach op for the big guy. My other favourite is Saint Bernards. I just want to cuddle them forever. They’re brilliant with little kiddos too. My aunt had one.
    Good luck!!!

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  23. I don’t have any experience with any of these dogs but I have heard excellent things about golden retrievers!

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