Dog Breeds

Question
I would really like to attain a puppy with whom to show and eventually breed- and of course love! I have experience with dogs and have had this experience for all of my life, but I'm not sure which would be the right dog breed for our family.
We would like a dog as calm and docile as possible for our respectful children, and preferably a size under 2 feet tall. We would prefer a dog that barks moderately to minimally, and also ideally a dog that comes in several different colors.
The lower the shedding and grooming requirements the better, though for the right breed we can tolerate something with a higher need.
We would be showing the dog in conformation classes, so they need no special aptitude.
I also have one other dog, though he gets along with just about any other animals.
Thank you!

Answer
Well, of course, I truly think that miniature schnauzers are the very best breed in the entire world<G>, but everyone likes a breed for different reasons. This is something you need to figure out for yourself and your family. Here are some sites to help you narrow down your selection (be aware that the "doodle" dogs, i.e. labradoodle, are not purebred):
http://animal.discovery.com/breed-selector/dog-breeds.html
http://selectsmart.com/DOG/
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/search.htm

What you need to do is head to a dog show so that you can meet the various breeds and talk with the owners. This is also a good way to find the prospective breeder of your new dog.

I don't know where you are in Wisconsin, but if you are toward the east, your best bet is to head to Chicago and the great shows they are having Feb. 23-26, culminating in the Chicago International that weekend. Those shows are huge, particularly over the weekend.

You can search for other shows in your area here: http://www.akc.org/events/search/index.cfm?action=refresh_index&active_tab_row=2

Good luck in your search!