Originally Posted by
3ChocMom
Actually, this sounds like more than adequate exercise to me. It's more than my dogs get during the week. I have a long commute to and from work and I am single so, especially this time of year when it gets dark early, my dogs don't get walked much during the week. They get one short walk in the morning and one in the evening. And they do perfectly fine. I have 3, a 9-year-old, 2-year-old and 7 month old puppy. That said, they have each other and they wear each other out better than I ever could by myself. Don't forget that doing training exercises are also a good way to tire out a young dog. Mental stimulation is just as important as physical. And I agree with the poster above who said you shouldn't run with a young puppy. If you want a jogging partner, please wait until your dog is at least 18 months old before you even start running with him/her. Forced running on hard surfaces while they are growing can lead to elbow and/or hip dysplasia.
As far as the English/American, I agree with the others. It comes down to the look and temperament you prefer. Of my 3, one is field bred and two are show bred. I have raised a lot of field bred puppies and I can tell you this. My 2 show bred dogs were MUCH easier as puppies (well, one is still a puppy, but he's the easiest puppy I've ever had). My field bred girl is pretty chill in the house though. She becomes a straight up nut if you even think about showing her a bumper, and she's constantly bringing me toys to throw in the house, but she is also one of the most obedient dogs I've ever had and she will stop when you tell her.
Temperament is important and I think it goes hand in hand with finding not just a reputable breeder, but a really good breeder. By that I mean, someone who spends a lot of time with their puppies, believes in keeping them stimulated and exposed to new things (normal household noises like the vacuum, TV, normal kitchen sounds, etc.) and knows each puppy's individual personality. It's not uncommon for a really good breeder to pick your puppy for you. Some people don't like that, but don't get hung up on it. It's a breeder's job to know those puppies well, they spend the first 8 weeks of their lives with them, and it would be silly of any puppy buyer to think they could do a better job picking the right one after spending an hour or so with several cute puppies running around. So when you get to the point of finding a breeder, ask how they raise their puppies and make sure you like what you hear.
ETA: As far as size goes, use the parents of your puppy to get an idea of that. My girls are small, even by the Labrador standard. Brandy, my field bred girl, is about 58 pounds. Lily, my 2-year-old bench bred girl, is 55 pounds soaking wet and short (about 17" tall at the withers). Jax isn't done growing yet, but he's also bench bred. He's 7 months old and around 66 pounds now. I expect him to be around 80-85 when he's full grown.