opinion you can't go wrong with a Labrador Retriever. They tend to be great with kids, calm, trainable and they're athletic, have great noses and are definitely hunting dogs as well. But, an owner really gets out of his/her dog what he/she puts into them. If you take them running, walking, etc. on a daily basis and work with them to obey boundaries, most dogs can be great pets. High energy breeds need to be exercised or you can have a very anxious or neurotic dog on your hands.