I want a dog, can't decide on breed

[Beaverfeaver]

Hav grown up around mongrels and Dalmatians from a very young age and since moving out miss the companionship and joy the dogs have bought me.

We already have a cat, but are outdoorsy people who often go for long walks and holidays are usually walking holidays and feel that there is a doggy out there missing out!

Anyway, DH has vetoed Dalmatians.
He specifically wants a large breed dog and like a Weimeranas and Hungarian Viszlas.

I have always had a soft spot for Great Danes and beagles, however have done lots of research into the breeds and don't think they would be right for us.

How did you decide on a breed?

[Hellooooo2013]

Sorry, can't help much with large breeds, but Springer spaniels or working cocker spaniels like lots of exercise and have a good nature.

When we were looking for a dog a couple of years ago I did lots of research on the internet. We have a rescue cavalier King Charles, she's lovely.

[Beaverfeaver]

I recently walked a friends cocker spaniel and she was lovly.

Really love cavalier King Charles

[Hellooooo2013]

Forgot to say, friends have a Hungarian Vizla and she is lovely, nice temperament and they walk lots and she loves to be out with them.

[drivinmecrazy]

weimeraner, definitely. My Mum has one that has grown up along side my DDs. She's soooo intelligent, gentle and fun. she's now 8 and living in Spain but we still regularly talk to her on the phone, and she goes into excitment overload when my Mum tells her we're visiting. She knows us all by our names
My DH wont have a dog because we cant have a weimeraner (not enough room primarily) so would rather have no dog.
MIL has a beagle thats a PIA, was a nightmare to train and eats everything in sight, but the kids seems to love her.

[mistlethrush]

We've just lost our heinz 57, but have a new lurcher who is delightful. I'm hoping that, in time, she'll be as wonderful as our last dog, although that's rather an ask. We thought very carefully about breeds, and worked out that a lurcher would probably suit our needs well by carefully working out what we wanted a dog to be like and using that to discount breeds!

[WileywithSageStuffing]

I used to have a JRT and she would regularly out walk and out rabbit all of my friends big dogs. Even in her twilight years.

My friend has a wire haired vizla and it is the most placid and beautiful dog I have ever laid eyes on!

[shoutymcshoutsmum]

Have you or your husband looked at German Short-haired Pointers? We have one and he is delightful.

[needastrongone]

Both the breeds you mention are intelligent, high energy and quite sensitive so would need a lot of daily exercise and not to be left for long periods of time, if that makes a difference to your thinking? Velcro Dogs!

Also, a Vizsla is more a medium sized breed than large, the wire haired is less high energy than the smooth coated. We did look into this breed.

Both stunning looking breeds though. Our friends have a smooth haired Vizsla and she is beautiful, lovely nature but follows my friend all over the house!

[needastrongone]

Friends have a GSP too, agree - a delightful dog.

[shoutymcshoutsmum]

with needastrongone, our GSP needs to be with his family, he will not complain if he is on his own for a few hours but more than that kind of time, he doesn't like it and makes it known! He also needs two off-the-lead runs a day - walking to the shops or school or round the block does not cut it. These dogs need to run or they get destructive. Gorgeous, gorgeous though - affectionate and beautiful and loyal....

[LST]

we have a collie. He loves the outdoors

[FayeKorgasm]

I have a lovely choccy lab so naturally my vote is for a lab.

There is nothing quite like a kiss from a Labrador

[letseatgrandma]

What are cavalier king charles like as pets? Being left/length and frequency of walks/shedding/good with children etc? I
They are gorgeous and about the size is like but I was wondering about the practicalities?

I like Bichon frises as well. And westies- oh, it's too hard to choose!!

[GrimmaTheNome]

Don't some of the larger breeds have health problems and tend to live less long and counterintuitively should not be overwalked (esp when young)? I've seen more small/medium dogs (JRTs, spaniels, our dachshunds...) at the top of mountains than Great Danes etc...size isn't everything if you want a walker!

[paddythepooch]

There are some choose your ideal breed websites. Just google it. They can give you ideas that you might not have thought of and some recommend heinz 57s. Vizslas are lovely but they need lots of exercise every day, not just weekends and holidays. We've recently adopted a lurcher who is just glorious. He's an unusual mix of rough collie and greyhound. We didn't know that at the time, just went for his character temperament knowing we wanted a lurcher or greyhound as they fit our lifestyle.

[Hellooooo2013]

letseatgrandma, my cavalier is absolutely lovely! She is devoted to me but loves the rest of the family too. She loves a good run in the woods but is equally happy with half an hour at the park. She has good recall, very obedient. She does bark if she hears other dogs barking. But loves playing with other dogs when she's off the lead. She doesn't like being separated from me but I leave her with a Kong if we go out and the radio on and she seems OK. But I wouldn't recommend a cavalier if you're going to leave it alone all day whilst you're at work.

Ours is a rescue dog and we're not sure why but she barks at small children, as if she's scared of them, I think one may have been a bit over the top with her at some point.

[Percephone]

We decided first of all on how much exercise the dog would need and how much we could realistically give him. Also need for grooming was important as I don't think I would be good at combing a long haired dog every day and hovering up the hairs. Also one who could be looked after by family occasionally if we were away. So we got a small, friendly, short haired, lazy dog - a Boston terrier!

[tabulahrasa]

I wanted a largish dog, short haired, intelligent enough to be easily trained but not cleverer than me and up for lots of walking, we ended up with a rottie - who should fit that description...

Except he's 6 months old and I still can't walk him, you need to bear in mind with large breed dogs that you need to be really strict with not overexercising when they're young and even then you might still end up with joint problems.

[Floralnomad]

I think a patterdale terrier would fit your requirements in all but size but you have to remember that terriers think they're big dogs !

[redpanda13]

I really wanted a Spinone or a German Wirehaired Pointer. Like your DH I had my heart set on a larger breed. I was prepared to go smaller for a Basset Griffon Vendeen. We have a Lab/Collie X who still needs a lot of excercise in her twilight years.
Anyway my DD wanted a small dog she would feel was her own.We looked into small breeds that would fit into our family. Needed to be able to hold their own with larger bouncy dog and cats. Percephone - yes we just brought home a Boston Terrier puppy

[Beaverfeaver]

Thanks for all the replies.

Oldbag - rehoming an older dog was our aim ether than puppy, but still want a good idea of breeds that will suit us rather than rescuing a dog tht won't suit our lifestyle.
However, I think DH secretly wants to raise his own puppy and having an existing cat, it would probably be wise to bring something on that is smaller than him to begin with.

Viszla although not a large breed, would probably be about the right size for us. The ones we have met have been lovley and friendly.

Labradors do tick many boxes, but neither me or DH are taken by the ones we have met. (Mums Dalmatians don't seem to like them either).

A friend who is a vet keeps trying to put me off Weimeranas as she says they will be even more hard work than Dalmatians, but thu are gorgeous dogs and will enjoy the walks.

Seems that Viszla keeps coming to top of the list and is near the top on the choose my perfect dog breed questionnaires.

Don't think the cat is going to like this...

[Percephone]

Good choice redpanda, Bostons are fab! I want another one . Hope you find your perfect dog OP, it's really difficult to choose! Have you considered a boxer? (I have a soft spot for them too!)

[YNK]

Lots of lovely Staffies/ Staffie x's need homes. They are really lovely loyal dogs. Great with kids and very easy to train!