Morning all- can only agree that Labradors are the best option. There's a reason they are the worlds most popular breed to own. I love my golden retriever but not everyone loves the amount of fur she sheds. A note about smaller breeds though- Staffordshire bull terriers are very good family dogs and while small, are good, strong breeds who are protective of the pack which would be you if you are in danger. They will lock on and not let go of anyone who tries to hurt you. Train them right, which isn't hard and you'd have a great, loving, friendly pet

All dogs have the risk of being vicious and some don't get on well with other dogs. This is because they haven't been socialised enough which is an important factor to having a well rounded dog