What breed works best for us?

[eajones103]

my husband LOVES dogs and we would love to own one once we move out! We've got quite a bit of time before we get to that point but he wants to do research early. Golden Retriever would have been PERFECT for him but he can't deal with knowing how many health issues that breed has and its huge risk of cancer :-(

Personally, there's not a breed I don't like but some traits he is looking for:

athletic or active( could go n hikes/camping but not so active that it needs to be a working dog), friendly, he does not like very long snouts, be able to be in colder climates(we live in MN), easier to train possibly?, also if there are breeds better for emotional support if that makes sense??

I understand there likely isn't a breed that matches this all perfectly,v and the only deal-breaker trait is the health issues. We keep finding breeds that would be perfect and then find out they have huge chances of awful breed hereidty health issues :,-(

 

[bfg33]

@eajones103 Labrador

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@eajones103 Health issues aren’t a huge issue if you get a dog from a reputable breeder that health tests.

 

[faithisbest]

@imagebeastmarkbeast [sup]this.[/sup] Virtually every active, large breed dog is at risk for serious health issues. Getting the dog from a quality breeder is what makes the difference. And if you want a dog with the lowest risk of long-term health issues, you’re better off avoiding purebred dogs and adopting a mixed breed from a shelter.

 

[xjasonsteelex]

@eajones103 Get mixed breed dog, they are known to be much healthier and less likely to have genetic medical issues. And honestly.... Pick a dog based on the energy level of the dog and your lifestyle. Snout lenght won't be a good way to pick a dog that suits your life.

You sound like you want a medium energy dog, that is social and owner focused. Share what you want with local rescues and search with those things in mind. Rescues that have dogs in foster homes are great bc their truer characters are known.