As a hunter I'm only interested in purebred puppies so I have a pretty good idea what I'm getting. For a family pet I'd just pick a pup up at the local shelter.

Really the only breeds Id stay away from are Pit Bulls (who wants to own a dog that doesn't play with other dogs), beagles (only hear thru their nose), huskies (unless your backyard is 40+ acres) and I'll throw in German Shephards due to hips. I guess I'd also steer clear of bull dogs due to their short lifespans.

I'll always have a purebred hunting dog but when I'm retired I'll most likely also always have one shelter dog. If I was looking for a shelter dog I'd be looking for a dachshund, any farm dog (collies, heelers), or Rottweiler as these are some of my favorite breeds. I'd love to have a dachshund to boss around a Rott.

Finally, and this probably wouldn't work for you being busy with a family, but there are a lot of Military Working Dogs being retired at the moment. Many with PTSD or other health issues. I think this is something all dog lovers with the means to do so should look at.

Good Luck on your search and post puppy picks when available.