re: Best dog to get?

if young kids are in the equation and you want a mid to mid-large dog (GR size) my suggestions: General common trait for these breeds is higher intelligence and trainable.

1. Golden Retriever: Classic dog, friendly to everyone and big goof balls. good around kids. big negative for some folks is the amount of hair and shedding

2. Standard poodle: very smart and inquisitive animals. make good family pets and are active so kids can get a lot of play with them. Their attitudes can be a little stand offish at times but not frequently. Big bonus is that shedding is almost zero with their coat.

3. Doberman: great family dog. Will protect their family and treat the kids like their own. Loveable goofs despite their reputation. That being said of the dogs mentioned they will be the most territorial and guard their home the most so work with them to accept strangers. Biggest drawback, they are extremely active and need outlets for energy so be prepared for walks and play time.