Q: My aunt wants a big dog. She l...

Answered by Tviokh on 1/5/2005, 12:14 pm

A: No such breed.

> My aunt wants a big dog. She loves dogs but isn't that
> strict kind. She wants a big, dog thats also good with
> childern. Which big dog would be good for just about
> anyone?

A stuffed one.
Seriously, no breed of dog or mixed breed of dog is going to be the dog you described unless your aunt puts in the time and effort to properly train, socialized, and reinforce rules.

Large dogs also tend to need large amounts of exercise and large amounts of space, so that is something to factor in as well. If she is not very active or lives in a small house/apartment, her home may not be suitable for a large breed of dog.

The links below are for some dog breed selectors; they are not meant to be taken as gospel, but can help give her an idea of which breed may best fit what she's looking for and her lifestyle.
The selectors are only accurate if she is VERY honest with her answers, and the breed that might be the best match for her might not necessarily be the breed she wants.
She'd do well to keep in mind that simply because she likes a breed does not mean the breed is a suitable match for her.
I love Irish Wolfhounds, but I will not own one at the current time because I know, due to my schedule, my level of exercise around the home, and my house size, that I would not be able to provide the type of home such a dog deserves.
It would be unfair of me to have such a breed of dog knowing that I would not be a good match for it.

Breed selectors:
http://www.purinaone.com/dogcare_breed_selector.asp
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/search.htm

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/ready.htm and http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/beforeyoubuy.htm would also be good things to either send to her or print out and give to her.

http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Fair/1901/chart.html is EXTREMELY useful as a print out for helping her tell the difference between a responsible dog breeder and an irresponsible dog breeder.
Large dogs are prone to many health problems, some of which are crippling, painful or fatal; the risk of buying a dog that has or will develop these problems is greately lessened if she buys a puppy from a reputable and responsible breeder.