I can't believe anyone with any sense would actually allow for a dog to roam free near roads without any supervision! Wow!

I don't care how much land or time someone has, if they are planning to let their family pet roam free in a large area, unfenced and insecure near roads, then they shouldn't have a dog at all!

If you want a dog, at least secure (and I mean full secure, dog proof) part of it off for the dog!

As for wanting a dog that can live outside. Why? You have a good sized house, why would you want to keep a FAMILY PET outside and not living in your home with your family?

Dogs need stability, training, protection, love, company...I could go on!

I really have no idea why you want a dog in the first place other than to entertain your kids, which is just not right, IMO, as dogs need so much more than that.

Get a goldfish if you want another pet!

Sorry. My opinion!

Like others, there is no way I would recommend any dog other than a stuffed one, if you plan to let it loose within your acreage with no fencing.

I think what you need to do is fence a decent area as a back garden space, and let the dog be in that as much as possible, and then supervised you can let it off in the acreage you have.

You have the potential to be a great home for a dog, but this would need to be in place first.

Imagine how you would be able to train a pup if you are just letting it loose ? Also from the point of view of soiling, surely it would be better for the dog to be trained to poop in a certain area or else you will be stepping in dog poop everywhere when walking round your land.

rivers and dogs need to be supervised, and no matter how far away the road is its no risk that I would take with even the most well trained dogs to just release your dog and expect it not to go to the road.

also from the point of view if your land is open then someone else could come on to it and potentially steal your dog.

If its a FAMILY pet you are after that will love and play with the children then it needs to live indoors and be part of the family, I wouldnt recommend any dog that will live outside. I just dont see how that is a fair trade in the companion department.

Ultimately with your possible allergy you are not going to know what will or wont affect you unless its in your house, so I would be inclined to dogsit for your brothers lab for at least a week, and just see how the whole situation goes, from the point of view of allergies, the children being helpful or not, and the ease of walking etc.

I wouldnt actually recommend a pup, I think I would be inclined to go to a rescue route if you want a dog that could play along and be enjoyed by your kids etc straight away. A youngish rescue would be fine - but again you would need to provide some fenced area to contain the dog and also show that you dont plan to leave it outside.

Dogs ultimately like their people, and there people should want them around, so unless YOUR heart is in it, then no matter what your kids are saying thats the only reason you should be getting one - not for your kids who arent going to be around for the majority of the dogs day.

Please no - not a flatoat - they need to be with people, not outdoors, and would not do well at all in a kennel or if allowed to roam freely unsupervised. The flatcoat would be bored and become a hooligan. They need attention and closeness to their owners, as well as considerable training, expecialy in the beginning.

Also, you can't expect kids to fully care for the dog, that'll be your job and your wife's job, not theirs!

Could it be that you're too house proud for a dog, really?

Sorry to be a bit dramatic in my first post. After thinking a bit more, I believe that no dog should be left outside unsupervised to roam - whether there is acreage or not. A dog will get into trouble if left to its own devices and would probably not just stay on your land. If you want a dog for your children (a family dog) and your pup/dog is not to be in the house and living with you, then my opinion is that you should think again about having a dog at all.

Please, please dont get a border collie and expect it to live happily outside in a kennel ... BC's DO NOT like being penned in , pretty soon you'd have a manic , anxious dog on your hands
Border collies are highly active, energetic , intelligent dogs that need companionship , to shut them in a kennel away from the family is just cruelty

also a BC in an environment left unsupervised with no boundaries & horses , water and a road all accessible .... thats a disaster waiting to happen imo

By the way , you said the road is 1/2 a mile away , thats nothing to a BC , these are the type of dog who can easily run around hills all day after sheep and yet still want to play/run around at the end of the day

Well, the topic has certainly attracted plenty of comments, for which I thank you. It sounds as if kennelling (if that is a word) is not going to be compatible with the kind of dog we want around the family. I was going by my limited experience of what were basically racist ex-police attack/guard dogs on farms in South Africa. As someone pointed out a page or two back, the kids would probably insist on the dog living full time in the house anyway...

Someone raised a philosophical question about why have a dog as a pet and I don't think I really understand the mindset behind the question. Perhaps I am overly practical - but to my mind, the best reason to have a dog is as a working companion for a task, whether that is leading the blind or guarding a property or helping with hunting or being a comfort to the lonely or a friend to take on walks and runs. Beyond that, a pet is really entertainment, isn't it? But it is also a great responsibility because unlike a Gameboy you can't just put an animal on eBay when you get bored with it, or let it disappear, neglected behind the back of the sofa. It's yours to care for until it dies or until you eat it (if you come from that kind of culture or your pet is a sheep or a chicken etc). Which is why I have not let my children have a dog until I think that they are responsible enough to care for it over the long term, recognising of course that my wife and I will end up doing a lot of the walking, cleaning and playing anyway...

Back to the more practical question of fencing, which concerns me. Our neighbours, whose paddocks adjoin ours and who have only horse-proof wooden fencing rather than fully stock-proof wire fencing, have two large dogs that roam inside their property and occasionally venture into ours. I think they are short-haired Labradors, possibly American stock or even a cross with Weimaraners since they look more delicate and shiny than Labs I have. I will need to ask them. Anyway, they are mature dogs who seem to do well at staying in their own territory and not bothering the horses. They bark at strangers but are actually quite timid when approached. But they manage to stay safe and contained.

But I expect that won't work with any kind of puppy - it will require training and maturity. I'm going to look at fencing off part of our back garden so that there is a secure area for a puppy. The only issue is that the back garden is bounded by the river.

Andrew

Just because my dogs dont do what they were bred for doesnt mean I see them as toys or something to keep me amused ... my dogs are my family , my companions & my friends

I think you sound as if you WANT to do the right thing, but are coming from a different culture and experience dog-wise to the rest of us.
I am speaking as a breeder, not of the type of dog that you are looking for, but, still someone who has spent the last few weeks interview potential puppy owners for my current litter, and I imagines how I would react to a potential owner saying they wanted my puppy to live in a kennel, and roam free in an unfenced garden. Frankly, I wouldn't sell a puppy to a home with those circumstances.
The vast majority of breeds, excepting working bred dogs, thrive on human company, and interaction...that is what creates the "great family dog" from the 8 week old puppy you bring home.
I think you have got the picture now tho, so won't bang on lol
Good luck with your search, I hope you find a good breeder of whichever breed you choose. A good breeder is the basis of a good dog, so do your homework carefully. You want to find someone who will welcome your questions, and demand a relationship with you that lasts the life of your dog.

I think maybe some of you are being a little harsh on this guy, you all have valid points but I wouldn't be surprised it he didn't feel a little ganged up on right now

He's willing to listen and take ideas on board. He's thinking hard and doing his research and for that he should have credit. Too many people have rushed out and bought dogs without thinking.

He has gorgeous land that a dog would adore and children to dote on it. Yes, his free roaming idea was not sensible but I just don't think it was properly thought through. He's already said he is considering having the dog indoors and maybe fencing off an area. he's never proffessed to know it all or said your thoughts were irrelevant, he's embraced them. So maybe cut him a little slack?

I agree that a puppy of any breed is hard work and I thunk the idea of a youngish rescue (2 or 3) with a proven temperment would be a good idea.

Personally I think as long as you keep doing your research first you have the potential to be a great owner. Good luck in your search