Help! I'm looking for a dog breed that....

[black_cat]

My family is totally in the market for a dog. In the past, we've always had, and LOVEd, golden retrievers, but our current house and yard setup just,,,,,does not work for them. We can only sort of maybe fence our yard, and my parents are opposed to electric fences.
We've loved the temperament of goldens, if that gives you a good idea of what we're looking for. The ideal dog would:
-be smaller than a golden, but nothing excessively tiny (french bulldog, chihuahua)
-have fur that isn't much shorter than that of a labrador
-would not drool a lot
-NOT YIPPY. THIS IS A MUST.
-must be active enough to take on walks, hikes, etc (not excessively, but we don't want a couch potato)
-should not be any more active than a golden retriever, in fact, preferably would be less active
-nothing that would constantly chase a cat around
-nothing that would bond exclusively to one person and ignore everybody else
-nothing with excessive health problems (bulldog, pug, etc)
-preferably, but not necessarily, enjoys swimming
What I've come up with so far is:

-cardigan corgis
-pembroke welsh corgis
I'm not sure how much my parents like corgis, but they seem to be very good temperament-wise.
-eurasiers
The problems with these is that my dad doesn't like the spitz look, and they're very difficult to find breeders for.
Other, more common spitz breeds, are more energetic than we're looking for.
-cocker spaniels
I haven't pitched these to my parents yet.

 

[KelseyBoxer]

Go to a shelter and save a life. They have all ages and breeds. Adopt your next best friend!

 

[black_cat]

Go to a shelter and save a life. They have all ages and breeds. Adopt your next best friend!

As much as that appeals to me, we're just not in the spot to deal with the unknowns and what ifs and problems that come with a shelter dog.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

As much as that appeals to me, we're just not in the spot to deal with the unknowns and what ifs and problems that come with a shelter dog.

What unknowns are you referring to? All of my best and longest lived dogs have come from shelters, as I'm fond of mutts, and hybrid vigor tends to ensure less health issues. Honestly just because an animal is the breed you want doesn't mean they'll have the qualities of the breed that you're after. If you strike out that way, you can always go to a shelter and tell them the kind of dog you're after. The volunteers tend to interact with the dogs a lot and can let you know if they have anyone that fits.

 

[chickentrains]

What unknowns are you referring to? All of my best and longest lived dogs have come from shelters, as I'm fond of mutts, and hybrid vigor tends to ensure less health issues. Honestly just because an animal is the breed you want doesn't mean they'll have the qualities of the breed that you're after. If you strike out that way, you can always go to a shelter and tell them the kind of dog you're after. The volunteers tend to interact with the dogs a lot and can let you know if they have anyone that fits.

my rescue dog is agressive, has arthritis, skin issues, and etc

guess what? well bred pure breeds have none of those issues.

if OP wanted a rescue, they wouldn't be asking about pure breeds.

 

[Ringcraft]

Buck is a retired champion and my disability assistance dog. Tina is working on her show career and helps me round up the animals here on the farm. Both of my dogs have jobs that they love but most of the time is down time and they are very chill. =)

I work from home over the telephone and need complete silence while I'm working. My Border Collies relax on the couch until I'm finished.

 

[NatJ]

If the whole family loves Golden Retrievers, and has experience with them, then I think you should probably stick with that breed.

If fencing the whole yard is not an option, think about WHY you would need a fence, and how to accomplish that differently. Maybe you can fence a small portion for the dog to use as a toilet, if that's the important point. Or install one of those overhead dog runs (cable with a leash that slides along it.) You can let the dog out (attach it to the leash) for bathroom breaks, and it may also run back and forth and smell the world for a few minutes, and then you bring it back inside to be with the family again.

If you're really trying to find some other breed, I suggest looking into poodles. I keep hearing that they are very trainable. They come in sizes from small to medium-large. Plenty of people think poodles look stupid, but that's mostly caused by how their hair is often cut. Try images of poodles retrieving to see them looking more like normal dogs. (I don't know enough about poodles to recommend them or rule them out, so I'm just suggesting you research them a little.)

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Have you looked at Whippets? That will be my next dog. I had a mix before and that was the absolute sweetest and most intelligent dog I've ever had.

Edited to add: She was also incredibly hilarious! I used a wireless fence with her and it was perfect. She was extremely trainable.

 

[cheepteach]

My family is totally in the market for a dog. In the past, we've always had, and LOVEd, golden retrievers, but our current house and yard setup just,,,,,does not work for them. We can only sort of maybe fence our yard, and my parents are opposed to electric fences.
We've loved the temperament of goldens, if that gives you a good idea of what we're looking for. The ideal dog would:
-be smaller than a golden, but nothing excessively tiny (french bulldog, chihuahua)
-have fur that isn't much shorter than that of a labrador
-would not drool a lot
-NOT YIPPY. THIS IS A MUST.
-must be active enough to take on walks, hikes, etc (not excessively, but we don't want a couch potato)
-should not be any more active than a golden retriever, in fact, preferably would be less active
-nothing that would constantly chase a cat around
-nothing that would bond exclusively to one person and ignore everybody else
-nothing with excessive health problems (bulldog, pug, etc)
-preferably, but not necessarily, enjoys swimming
What I've come up with so far is:

-cardigan corgis
-pembroke welsh corgis
I'm not sure how much my parents like corgis, but they seem to be very good temperament-wise.
-eurasiers
The problems with these is that my dad doesn't like the spitz look, and they're very difficult to find breeders for.
Other, more common spitz breeds, are more energetic than we're looking for.
-cocker spaniels
I haven't pitched these to my parents yet.

my sister has 2 welsh corgis---big yappers!

 

[arwoon]

Totally Mixed breed!! You can hardly find one breed of dog that'll fit your life perfectly. We've adopted two from humane Societys and neither have been Barkers (this was a must for us) there are all types of dogs, long hair, short hair, hunters, high strung, low strung, big, little. So basically, visit a couple shelters and believe me, you'll find the furbaby for you!

FYI,
Mixed breed dogs are really healthy, b/c purebred dogs usually have a unique complication specific to the breed, I would look into the complication if you choses a pure breed.

Getting a dog is an important decision, and a good one!! Good luck!!