My wife and I are wanting to get a dog in the next few months (waiting to move into a house), but we don’t know what breed will be best for us. Background on us: we’ve both had dogs growing up but didn’t play a major part in training, we’re wanting to have kids in the next 2-3 years, we’re college students who work, but my job allows dogs (probably not every day but most of the time), and we’re very active. My wife is a runner who can easily run 4-5 miles per day, we both love the outdoors, hiking, camping, and I’m an avid fisherman. Here are the traits we want: medium to large, loyal, protective (enough to where I feel comfortable when my wife goes for a run), low to moderate shedding (I don’t want our home and clothes to look like we’ve been shearing sheep), likes affection because it’ll get a lot, would be good off leash when hiking or camping, would be fine leaving at home alone for 5ish hours per day. My job is flexible and would allow me to bring it to work fairly often, as well as having an hour lunch break and my wife’s job also give her an hour lunch break. We’re wanting to get some breeds in mind so we can find one at the shelter or a breeder (shelter first, breeder second). So overall, I want a medium to large dog that I know will protect my wife while on a run, be okay at home alone for a few hours per day, low shedding, and will eventually be good with kids. We have the means to socialize and have ample time to train as we’re taking a gap year from school to work.