I currently have a Jack Russel Terrier, and found the breed to be very difficult to train, and they always tend to "do their own thing". I'm thinking of getting a second dog and I'd like a dog that isa little easier to train. What's everybody's opinion on breeds that are loyal/obedient/easy to train? I'm mainly looking for a good family dog and don't plan on hunting with the dog.

I think a Lab is the most trainable. I've had several Labs. Many Beagles. A Jack Russell, two Rat Terriers, anda Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. Terriers(especially the males) are about on-par with hounds when it comes to stubborness and independence. Though they are much more intelligent.
A Lab is much more good-natured and fun loving. Very good family dogs.

In all breeds you have easy ones to train and tough ones to train and when trained right most are loyal to the owner and family...

You can train a lab to do almost anything due to their biddable intelligent nature. Which is why you see so many of them usedin drug enforcement, and service roles. And they are make an excellent family pet. Not to mention dominating field trials.

This is not a very good topic as we all can claim the same thing, I have seen bad labs and good labs. I had one once and I will not cut them down.. But, talk about loyalty, the best loyalty I have ever seen came from the Irish. They have been noted to get between small kids and trouble. They have also been train in drug enforcement as well as a lot of other service areas...The Irish also is easy to train and some may question it as training them is different then most dogs. However they need alot more room than a lab does because of the energy they have..But again there is good and bad dogs in all breeds!!

This is a great question. There is no one perfect breed for everyone.I have always told people who contact us looking for a dog to consider their own personality. How much time are you really willing and able to devote to training. What are you looking for in a hunting dog? You can't expect the dog to do more than his genetics provide and what behaviors you can shape and mold.

There's a great book called The Dog I.Q. Test by Melissa Miller, I am not sure if it is still in print. You answer a section. Based on your answers there are lists of breeds from the various groups in this case sporting, hound or terrier. From your answers and the list you can choose a breed that you may be more suited to working with. If you are getting a working dog then you don't want to buy from show lines you want field lines. This means you want FC/AFC/CFC in front of the names or at least in the pedigree. Some breeds don't have field trials to earn these titles so they are typically going to be more inconsistent hunting dogs. If you say I don't want a trial dog, remember that out of the 9 in a litter only 1-3 may be trial dogs the rest should be good hunting companions. If your heart is set on a rare breed like the Field or Sussex Spaniel then you want one from parents and grandparents who have earned MH (master hunter) or at least SH (senior hunter) titles. Terriers have Earth Dog titles and sight hounds coursing titles that are similar in scale of achievement.

You get what you pay for in a dog, and I am not just talking money. There's a lot of blood, sweat and tears involved but that leads to the smiles when they hit the water for the first time or bring back their first quarry.

Dogs that a bred to work away from man tend to be more indepented and not as affectionate. The closer they work to us the more they want to be with us. You will have that one or two dogs in your life that you will bond so closely with that you don't have the heart to go back into the field without them. The next one just isn't the same. We have 3 generations in our home and all of them are so different from one another but each special in their own way.

Istarted withbeagles keeping rabbits out of grandparents garden, cut my teeth in bird dogs by helping a neighborwith pointer and setter puppies. Watching a setter pupwith a wing on a fishing pole made my heartgo pitter pat and I was hooked on bird dogs.My husband and I have had flushing spaniels for the past 11 years. We started off just getting a springer pup from a lady who said her son took the dam hunting all the time. He was poorly bred and died young as a result.We have gotten involved in field trials and hunting tests. As a result, we tapped into decades of information and made great hunting buddies and even better friends.

Finding a training group for obedience and the kind of hunting that you want to do is the best advice I can offer. If you can't find a club, locate a professional trainerand ask if they can help or offer a referral.

Good Luck and Happy Training!

I would go with a Bouvier des Flandres. It's a bit bigger than you're used to, but if you're not going to hunt, you can't go wrong. They will get attached to your whole family and will do whatever they can to please you. They have a wool-like coat and shed twice a year. When they shed, they shed in clumps. If you're a fly-fisherman, you can use their coat for wooly buggers with great success.

In addition, they are very protective and will be a natural guard dog. They were historically a working dog and are often used as police dogs in Belgium and France.

I can't say enough good things about this breed. That said I would shy away from American breeders. They tend to go for size and like many other breeds, sacrifice quality for quantity.

good luck

Is your JRT a male or female? Age? How is he/she around other dogs? Terriers are typically "tougher" by nature of their breeding. You really don't want 2 alpha personalities. Do you care about size? Do you really want one from puppyhood? There are a lot of great dogs in rescue.
You might narrow your choices down to a few breeds and then see if you can meet some examples, maybe a breeder or club gathering.

Flat Coat Retreivers are bidable and easy going. I would shy away from another terrier breed if you are already having trouble with their training style.

I have known a couple of Wired Pointing Griffons that were eager to please. I believe there's a few more of them in PA than in our region.

Most sportingspaniels are going to be very willing to please. There are a few indepents buggars out there. Very loyal and bidable as a group.

Herding breeds, Border Collies, Aussies, Shelties need a job, no have to have a job. They're very smart and can really take a lot of work because they are too smart for their own good. Have known and loved a few Aussies in my time.

Not a huge fan of toy breeds because they don't fitour lifestyle and my dogs would probably try to carry them around like ragdolls. Italian Greyhounds are sweet but frailand Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are very devoted family pets.

Well..... ahem.... just look at the picture.

Biased...yes I am... but for good reason.

I have seen Labs do some amazing things. However, Labs tend to pick ONE PERSON to be their master. Sometimes its you, sometimes is one of the kids.... but, for the most part, they are one person dogs. Sure, they will be friendly to anyone, and they will listen for the most part.... but you can surely tell who runs the show.

Now, my Golden is for the most part the same way. He'll follow me anywhere, and gets so excited when I come home I'm worried he'll bust. But he will listen just as good for anyone else as he will me, and is hyper and happy, but well behaved. Just need to have enough room for them.

Well I had to throw out a few other breeds but for me pound for pound I'll take my field bred springers any day. Although, my hubby wants a field bred English Cocker next. Says he wants to put his next teal dog in his vest.

what's in a name huh? I have to find a smaller file to up load my picture