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Healthy large dog breeds?

14K views 99 replies 34 participants last post by  ShatteringGlass 
#1 ·
I am trying to research different breeds although I probably won't be getting a dog for a while... I am probably not going to be getting another GSD for my next dog, but I am looking to see if there are any similar breeds that have less health problems, and have good longevity? Does anyone know of any large breeds that would fit this criteria? I have been finding a lot of the large dog breeds, the info says their lifespan is 8-10 years which seems just too short...but I love the large breeds.
Possibly something a little more outgoing than a GSD since I like to take my dogs everywhere with me (although Bianca worked out quite well for this since she didn't have so much of the 'aloof with strangers' trait of GSDs.)
 
#44 ·
I am seeing breeds mentioned here that aren't known to be, or supposed to be, particularly friendly. That's okay, too, not all dogs should be.

From her original post:

  • less health problems
  • good longevity
  • large breeds
  • something a little more outgoing than a GSD to go everywhere
  • not so much of the 'aloof with strangers' trait of GSDs
 
#47 ·
Livestock Guardians were kind of bred for one thing - to be quite independent and protect their flock.
I would not recommend them for an average owner who is used to the "biddability" of a GSD.
They are not exactly the most outgoing and friendly of dogs, either...definitely a "reserved" attitude at the very least, if not outright hostile to visitors.

This is not a breed for beginners.
People are smitten with the fluffy cuteness, but I believe certain dogs are best left doing what they were bred to do, and this is one of them ;)
 
#50 ·
Ok... I'm gonna try again :p

Border collie
Collie
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Flat Coated Retriever
Hovawart (it says reserved, but I'm not sure if that means better/worse than shepherds)
Karelian Bear Dog
Large Munsterlander
 
#51 ·
Flat Coated Retriever
I've met a couple flat coated retrievers that I very much liked. Met them at an obedience trial hosted by my local GSD club. Nice dogs. Social. Very, very good obedience- snappy, flashy, spirited. Overall nice dogs. I still vote Dalmatian though! :D
 
#52 ·
Why not a Golden? If you buy from a reputable breeder, health issues will have been tested for, and I have met many, many Goldens happily in their teens. They are friendly, social, generally non-aggressive and can be very athletic (especially field-bred Goldens).

A well-bred Labrador kept lean will live a long time and be an awesome companion; friendly, biddable, athletic.

English Setters are wonderful companion dogs. Sweet, friendly, benign. The Llewellen type is probably going to be a bit more hardy than the show type.

Flat-Coated Retreiver is another good suggestion. They are a lot like Goldens, but if anything, they are a bit more Setter-like in disposition.

I have been looking at some of the recommendations here and I'm facepalming... Kuvasz? Giant Schnauzer? St. Bernard? Not what you are looking for. Avoid any type of livestock guardian (Kuvasz, Pyrenees, Maremma, Anatolian). They are not biddable at all, and some can be aggressive toward strangers/strange dogs. They are bred to be guardians and to think independently. I would also avoid Rotts and Giant Schnauzers as they have a tendency to be too guardy and a bit too much dog for what you need. St. Bernards are notoriously unhealthy and short-lived, as are most of the giant breeds.

I have not had good experiences with Swissies and Berners.

What you might consider is simply going down to the shelter and adopting a big black dog. Of course, you don't know how long the dog is going to live, but big black dogs are always the last to be adopted from shelters.
 
#53 ·
why are big black dogs the last to be adopted?
flat coated retrievers are one of the happiest friendliest breeds i have come across, i have been told by some of the north east breeders most will not reach 8 years of age as cancer seems prevalent in this breed. i have met a few great dane mixes that seem very healthy and are great dogs, but the inescapable fact is, the larger the breed, the shorter the life span. i still believe mixed breeds are generally healthier than pure bread dogs.
 
#54 ·
Black dogs tend to be last to be adopted (same with black cats) simply due to superstition, from what I can tell. So sad :/ I've always been drawn to black animals.

We have a client who owns 4 flat-coated retrievers and all are very happy. They range from 3 yrs to 17 yrs, and all are extremely healthy. I believe the 17 yr old is on a joint supplement now and has mild arthritis. Very likely that ol' guy is an exception to the norm lol. But they're all very healthy. And all participate in agility. If I ever got a floppy-eared dog, they'd be one of my first choices.
 
#82 ·
Black dogs tend to be last to be adopted (same with black cats) simply due to superstition, from what I can tell. So sad :/ I've always been drawn to black animals.
They've actually done studies on this phenomenon, and it seems that animals with black faces are harder to read; they appear less expressive to the average person. At worst, they appear a bit scary, as the average person doesn't know what a black dog is thinking. With cats, black ones seem more plain to people, I don't know if superstition plays into it or not.

I've always loved black animals as well, from cats to dogs to horses to ducks. At the moment, I only have one black cat, but I've had at least one black cat in my household for the past 20-odd years. And ironically, I had a flock of 7 white goats, five white geese and a big white dog... a friend of ours jokingly accused us of having some kind of "***********" thing going on over here, with this mob of white animals in the pasture. :crazy: I didn't choose them for color, it just sort of turned out that way.

Anyway, back to the OP... Doberman--not a good choice. They have a LOT of health issues and are not long-lived; they are usually aloof with strangers and appear scary to some people. I love 'em, but I don't think I could take the heartbreak of owning one... every Dobie I know has not lived past 8 years of age. Some kind of cancer or heart defect always gets them.

Vizsla, Weimeraner--WAY too hyper.

I would suggest one of the Northern breeds, Husky, Malamute, Samoyed, etc. but they are NOT biddable and tend to be runners. Same with any type of sighthound--Greyhound, Whippet, Saluki. Neat dogs, but not an off-leash type dog.

I have heard good things about this new breed that is a mix of GSD and Nordic breeds--at the moment I cannot remember the name--but they are bred to look like a wolf, with the friendly nature of the Northern breeds, and the biddability of the GSD. From what I understand, no actual wolf blood was used, although I've heard some people say that wolf blood exists in one of the foundation breeds used in the mix. Who knows? It's a breed I would have been very interested in when I was younger.
 
#55 ·
Do you like huskies? They're stubborn and have very independent personalities but I've heard they've got very few health problems. Being as hardy as they are with the type of weather they're supposed to endure and the life style their bread to live, I'd imagine this is true. I've no scientific evidence to back it up for you. They also eat a lot less than a large breed dog which is nice...to me at least :) Less poo to pick up!
 
#56 ·
I used to have a Golden but the breed has so many health issues it puts me off...also they are a bit small for me. I don't know much about Flat Coated Retrievers but I will look into them...

I was thinking about the Hovawart before, but it seems like they may be less fitted to being out and about all the time with a lot of people? They do seem to be a pretty healthy breed. The Beauceron was another I really liked but also seemed like they maybe are not the type of dog that would be good in public?
 
#58 ·
I only know one Beauceron. She came over and crawled into my lap without even knowing me, just because I pet her head and was sitting on the ground. She was so sweet. I wouldn't write that breed off. Talk to Bocron, she used to have them. I was told that it was hard to find a good breeder in the states and the girl went to Canada to get hers.
 
#59 ·
I know a couple people on another forum who have Beaucerons but they have some temperament issues... I've heard that some lines can have some aggression/nerve issues although I don't think it's the breed as a whole. I also was told they can be a "hard" dog and very suspicious with strangers but the dogs people mentioned in responses here sound a lot friendlier?
The few I've met personally were not like waggy-lovey but they were perfectly fine with people crowding around and stuff.
 
#62 ·
a friend of mine has a 2 year old bull mastiff. good size, very nice. met one other at the dog park, only once. this bull and my jrt really bonded that day. they chased each other, then the bull be on his back as if my jrt had control and pinned him and in another minute my jrt would pinned and almost completely covered by dogs giant mouth. i was startled for a moment when the woman standing next to me put her arm on mine and assured me her dog would not hurt my jrt. after the bull mastiff tired and came and laid down by owners feet i was shocked to see my energizer rabbit jrt lay on the bulls front legs and just lay there until rest time was over, then the play started again. of course my jrt looked like a slimed tennis ball, but what a great dog that bull mastiff was.
 
#65 ·
#64 ·
My Aunt and Uncle had an English Setter, now my Uncle was an avid hunter and that is what the dog was purchased for, but he was a heck of a good hunting dog and when they would come back from hunt trips, Thunder was quite content to be your average house dog. He had an excellent mix of working ability and contentment in the house. I remember him seeming finer boned in comparison to say a GSD, lighter looking I guess, yet he was tall - but I was a young girl, so dogs seemed taller back then. There was some care to his coat, but he lived a very long and healthy life. He wasn't the kind of dog you saw everywhere, his coat and pattern were quite distinct. According to the list from Zyppi, they are a long-lived breed.

I agree with Jax, a collie, is an amazing dog. My Scotch was wonderful, she never really played, but I had her St John's Ambulance Therapy Certificate and she went into nursing homes, she ran around quite a bit in her younger days, she kept up with Ozzy who was very crazy as a young dog, she slowed down around 11. Coat, yes it was work and those collie ears! I never figured out how to groom them to look nice all the time. She seldom barked, she was a wonderful dog, content to sit in your lap, happy to be out and about and around people, loved children.
 
#66 ·
Not a similar breed but German Shorthaired Pointers are supposed to be very healthy dogs.
They are very athletic and versatile dogs as well.

Only thing is, the one's I've known have been ridiculously hyper, and I'm not convinced they were all that bright (although I think they're supposed to be lol)
 
#68 ·
After seeing my friends and the one in my training class neither would I.

They were both young dogs though, so I'm not sure that helped, and I also think it helps to give them a job to do.

Actually the one in my OB class was hilarious. I felt bad for the guy though, she was bouncing around, off him, in circles, even the trainer couldn't catch her and she was wearing a leash. And it's not like she was running away, she was just BOUNCING all over the place and people are running everywhere trying to grab a hold of her. Oh my stars! :crazy: :laugh:

But they are healthy, and very athletic, so I figured I'd mention it!
 
#70 ·
I say go with what you know.....GSD (or a GSD mix)! I know when my last one passed I didn't want another GSD and started looking at other breeds but in the end I came back to German Shepherds.
I guess it's in my blood, once a GSD owner, always a GSD owner! :)
 
#73 ·
I did the same thing as you. I researched large dogs other than GSDs and smaller dogs too. I was devastated after I lost Chief and said I wouldn't get another GSD. Guess what, I ended up with Wolfie. LOL. I just couldn't find another breed that appealed to me as the GSD does. Good Luck in your search, and I am so sorry you lost your Bianca. Chief was 12 when he passed away.
 
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