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>>Thanks a lot Kathy. She was in training class for 3 years but she was getting lots of stress from that. I also took her for private classes but same results, so I stopped. She seems calmer than before. But I think you are right about the time I should wait for that.
>>
>>But is there any breed you recommend? Please let me know.
>>Thanks,
>>Sunlight
>>

>>>>>>>>>>>

If mellow is really important to you, the sighthound breeds--such as a retired racing Greyhound or really any other adult sighthound--could do very well. They are sprinters, and with one sprint a day, like to spend the rest of their time on a soft, warm spot, snuggled up.

You might find a mellow individual dog in any breed, provided you get the dog as an adult from a source that's reliable to know what they're seeing in temperament and tell you the truth. You should consider, though, that if the breed is normally high-geared and this individual dog is unusually mellow, it could be that the dog is unwell and the exact problem just hasn't shown itself yet.

There are tons of Labradors in need of homes in this country, so many of them put to sleep for lack of adopters. Many are very rowdy and some are even aggressive. I would pay for a hip x-ray before committing to a particular Lab--it would be much cheaper to pay for that x-ray and walk away from a dysplastic dog before getting attached than to adopt that dog and try to manage the problem. If you don't adopt the dog, whoever has it will be that much more knowledgeable about the dog's condition due to that x-ray.

Labradors that go back to conformation lines are the ones generally used for assistance dog work (guide dogs, etc.), and are calmer, once past the age of two, than dogs from field trial and hunting lines. The Lab needs about as much exercise as a German Shepherd, and is about as quiet in the house. Sheds about as much, too. But Labs generally have lower protection drive than German Shepherds, and along with that tends to come less nervousness. A male Lab might make your female GSD feel more secure and less worried, if he's exceptionally stable and she likes him.

There are so many Labs out there, and so many silly people who won't even consider adopting an adult dog, that the right dog is surely looking for a home. It would just be a matter of finding him. One source is a good breeder who takes her dogs back if they ever need another home. In the U.S., dogs change homes at an alarming rate. A dog from this source would have known genetics, a known history, and a breeder who would take him back if he didn't make your girl happy.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

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