Help adopting a dog

Question
Hi I stumbled across this site in a google search.

I am trying to figure out what type of shelter dog I should be looking for.

I am not sure what breed type would make a better pet for us.
There seem to be lots of hound, pit bull, labs, terriers  beagle,shepherds etc etc out there.

There are just sooooo many dogs/pups of different types, looks and sizes its so hard to know where to start and how to go about the whole thing.

I am not sure size wise what I want.

I am hoping to get a dog/puppy with a calmer personality that likes to sit around if thats what I am doing or go for regular walks or just go outside and water plants , go for a ride etc.

I don't really want anything to active .
Although I do understand that a lot of puppies are balls of energy this is fine I am thinking of what I want my pup to be as a grown up.
I don't mind a playful puppy but I would like my adult to have a calm sweet temperament.

I raised two kids so I know that they do grow up in the end and it takes a lot of work to get them there in the mean time so I am ready and willing to raise a puppy.

We are home bodies that like our peace and quiet for the most part.
I do have cats so they have to get along with them.

I am home all day so I have plenty of time and love to give a dog/puppy.

I am just wondering what type of breed mix I should look for in general. I know each and every dog has their own personalities and that there are exceptions to everyone even pure breeds as far as that goes but I would just like to get an idea of what type of mix would be better to look for in general.

Also how do I go about picking the right dog/puppy for us.

And how about the male verses female issue????
I have been reading all over that males make better pets in general. Females are moody , bossy and a lot of times more dominate than males.
So I find myself leaning toward a male due to these things.

HELP!!!

I would appreciate any and all the info you can share with me on this.

Also should I go for an older dog of unknown everything pretty much ( background etc) at a shelter or a puppy of the like?

Need lots of help and advice.

Thanks hope to hear back from you soon
mel


Answer
Hello...I'm sorry for the late response. A loving calm dog that loves to go for walks/rides and be around the family all the time likes other pets and isnt hyper is a Labrador retriever inside and out you'll have great fun with this breed they are very smart almost human like in intelligence. So a LabX or pure lab is what you'd be looking for...often shelters have purebreds so you might be able to get a pure or almost pure one. I have a Female labrdor retriever 3 1/2 years of age a female boston terrier 1 1/2 years of age and a male jack russell terrier2 3/4 years of age all spayed/neutered since they are different breeds I can not say which makes a better companion since jacks are a little less outright affectionate then other breeds. I have never had my rank challanged by any of my dogs they simply know I'm the  "big dog" . I would persoanly say Females are more cuddley more loving and better companion dogs...my mother has two shituzX females my best friend has a golden retreiever lab retereiver X also a female and my sister who lives away from us has two yorkie X's females and a male chihuahua.....and I  find that the female dogs I know are much much more loving then the males I have had experiance with Hands down... males show a macho outlook on life that I don't care for personaly But some might perfer this in a dog You wont know what I'm talking about until you've lived with male or female spayed or neutered dog for some length of time. Since your buying from a shelter you should be able to adopt one thats already or going to be spayed or neutered...I reccomend all companion dogs are altered they are less moody/bitchy/dominate and marky this way(unneutered males will mark in and out doors...ie cocking leg and peeing). In th end the dogs sex is up to you both females and amles make wonderful companions I just perfer females dogs.