Looking for a dog breed for my active 70 yr old father.. mid size, short coat..?

Specifically we want a mid sized dog, relatively energetic as my Dad is still active (but not overly so)..

Short hair (he won't like a dog that sheds much)

Warm climate (QLD Australia), huge yard, preferably not a hunter (lots of wildlife around his place)..

good companion...

any suggestions?

Looking for a dog breed for my active 70 yr old father.. mid size, short coat..?

OMG

You are in the heart of Australia, did I read that right? There are some FANTASTIC Staffordshire Bull Terriers there! I have followed you back to this question by the way. Get a Staffy, you and your active dad will love it. My little female pictured to the left is a blast. I also have a Boxer. They are fun, but the Staffy size is better!

Looking for a dog breed for my active 70 yr old father.. mid size, short coat..?

a lab,

dachshund,

collie.

beagle

Looking for a dog breed for my active 70 yr old father.. mid size, short coat..?

Mini Schnauzers are great dogs. Very obedient, playful, and great lap dogs. They do not shed at all and are one of the few breads of dogs that persons with allergies can own.

Looking for a dog breed for my active 70 yr old father.. mid size, short coat..?

How about a blue heeler. Great dogs, smart, active, loyal, short haired. We have a blue heeler mix and she is wonderful! As far as the shedding goes, many short coated dogs shed far more than the long coated ones. We raise chihuahuas and the smooth coats shed so much more than the long coats.

Looking for a dog breed for my active 70 yr old father.. mid size, short coat..?

You could get a mini schnauzer. Wonderful breed, doesn't shed but isn't short hair either. It will need trimming. Good companion, wonderful watch dog.

Miniature Pinscher with a firm hand is also a wonderful dog. Short hair, 12 inches tall so a nice size ...active but not overly so.

As with any animal given to an elderly person, which is a wonderful gift, one must consider if necessary, who will take it later on?

Cheers and good luck with your search.

Looking for a dog breed for my active 70 yr old father.. mid size, short coat..?

Boston Terrier.

Short hair.

Low maintenance.

Moderately active.

Loving.

Funny.

Looking for a dog breed for my active 70 yr old father.. mid size, short coat..?

Rodesian Ridgeback.

They are active dogs with short brown hair. Some of them have a ridgeback, but the cuter ones don't, either way they are great. They are amazing. Please visit the links below!!

You won't regret it if you get him one. They are the greatest!!

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/rhodesianrid...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesian_R...

http://rrcus.org/

Looking for a dog breed for my active 70 yr old father.. mid size, short coat..?

Have you been to your local shelter? THere are a lot of pure breds and a LOT of mixes that are looking for good homes and he can find the right match by visiting the shelter.

Black dogs are generally much harder to place but are just as great dogs as the rest of them.

I would avoid puppies at his age since it is like having a baby all over again and tend to be very hyper and require a lot of attention.

I have a boxer, and he is great now, but was insane as a puppy, they have a lot of energy to burn. I have owned rottweilers, they are great dogs, but they can be dominant and some can get quite large, but they are loyal and with proper training make terrific pets. I have a ridgeback cross right now(high prey drive). My friend used to breed them, great dogs, but use caution because some are bred as attack dogs and have caused great harm. German Shepherds are great dogs, but bigger and longer hair. Corgi's are smaller but terrific dogs, short legs, proper training and they are really cool dogs. But like I said any dog is a great dog as long as they are the right breed for you and the right training is done.

Any dog will work find you just have to find the right one. If there is a particular breed you have in mind, I would look for the local rescue groups, often times they have wonderful dogs up for adoption that fit your father's criteria. And no potty training involved!!! Make sure if you go for a specific breed you research it, find the pros and cons of each breed.

Your best bet is to walk around at the local shelter and find a perfect match!

Looking for a dog breed for my active 70 yr old father.. mid size, short coat..?

You have had some interesting answers....Personally, I have 4 dogs and can attest to the fact that dogs like beagles and labd shed a lot even though they are short haired. Many short coated breeds shed more than long coated ones.

Since we are talking about a medium sized dog (as opposed to a small one), my suggestions woud be:

(1) Standard Schnauzer - smaller and lighter than a lab but playful and energetic - grooming is required to keep the coat proper but they really don't shed

(2) Wheaton Terrier - same as above - they both can have long coats but are non-allergenic and non-shedding - also needs regular grooming

(3) Vizsla - very short haired, doesn't shed too much - little grooming required (ears/nails) BUT MAY BE TOO ENERGETIC for Dad

(4) Boxer - as above BUT very strong - needs strong minded owner

(5) My personal favorite (I have have 2 of them) are Border Collies - yes, they have lon coats but a daily brushing keeps them from shedding...Same with Australian Shepherds

There you have 5...I could go on but my brain is in "slow motion" - it's Christmas after all...

Looking for a dog breed for my active 70 yr old father.. mid size, short coat..?

Basset Hound

Looking for a dog breed for my active 70 yr old father.. mid size, short coat..?

I would say a maybe a Standard Poodle. They are energetic, don;t shed a lot, and are well tolerated by people who are sensitive to pet dander. The Standard Poodle is a good size, and despite a poodles looks, they can be quite good protectors. You aslo do not have to give them fru fru cuts, you can get them clipped in a variety of styles that don't make them look like a sissy. Just be sure to research the breeder, some poodles have health problems that are caused by poor breeding. Do some research on the breed and ask your local vet for his opinion. They my have a better suggestion to a breed for your Father and my be able to suggest a breed. Also you can go to petfinder.com and find many wonderful pets who are in need of a loving home. Most are not prue breeds,but pruely lovable. I got my dogs Lilly from resure group. Save a life, make a friend for life.