We are looking into getting a dog next year. We have been planning it for years and feel that it's the right time for us as a family.
Slight sticking point is that me and DH can't agree on breed. I am not keen on small dogs, we have Golden retrievers when I was a child and also a Great Dane. DH had a Jack Russell and he doesn't like big dogs. He says our house is too small for a big dog. Our house is actually quite a large detached house with a decent size dining kitchen, large utility, playroom, big lounge and hallway the size of a small room. We also have a reasonable sizes garden, a park outside our front door and woods at the back.
I really want a Golden Retriever, I look at other breeds and think I've found one I would like by then I see a GR and that goes out of the window.
I think DH is just looking for an excuse but do you need a huge house for a big dog?
If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.
The doghouse
How big is your house/dog
Hoppinggreen · 12/12/2014 10:51
Your dh is talking nonsense. We have a lovely big German Shepherd and live in a bog standard 3 bed semi. No utility to shut her in so we have gate for the kitchen and one for the stairs.
The children have got very used to gently moving her out of the way.
Thankfully, being ex council property, we have a nice big garden and she likes to potter around outside with us.
Your DP is being daft.
We have a 3 bed semi with medium size garden. And a quite big and very daft labradoodle 
. All you need is room for a bed and outside room for toileting.
We live in what's generally called a '2 up 2 down', front door leads straight into the front room which leads into the dining room which leads into the kitchen which leads to the back door and utility/bathroom. Sounds big but it's not. Upstairs we have 2 bedrooms and a bathroom.
Our dog is a big Greyhound, apart from him occasionally just standing still completely in the way, right in front of you, the house isn't too small at all! That might just be my stoopid dog though 
Get a smaller dog, like a spaniel, then you can have more than one!!
Gazes lovingly at my Springer and Cocker dozing at my feet
Just as an aside. We got a dog when we moved to a house with a large garden, perfect for a dog, we thought. Neither spaniel will go in said garden without one of us with them. If they do go out on their own, they then spend the rest of the time sat looking pathetic at us through the patio windows.
They run around like loons for 2 hours off lead every day though, but not in the garden.
So the garden is great for the dogs if we are outside with them in the summer, but not the brilliant place we thought a dog would love.
However, I can't go to the loo without them coming with me
Our first house was a proper little two up two down with a tiny garden and we happily had one medium and one medium/large dog living there. Our current house is pretty large with a medium sized garden and we've got four medium sized dogs now They only really use the garden in summer or when it's properly snowy, it gets very wet and the four of them charging round out there would destroy it in no time in winter.
Admittedly we are a little short of sofa space but we have whippets, keeping them off the furniture isn't an option!!
If size is a real sticking point for your DH, have a look at Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers. They're the smallest of a the retrievers and make fabulous family pets.
We have an average sized 4 bed house with a small garden. Eric is a small shih tzu cross, he is always in the midst of everything. If he was bigger we'd be less likely to trip over him I suppose. He rarely uses the garden tbh and only accompanies me outside to stand guard whilst I peg out washing I think he worries the neighbour will steal the pants and socks he like to chew 
I'd second a Toller (Nova Scotia duck rolling retriever) - he's a perfect size and has the most wonderful temperament
I do love golden retrievers too but can sort of see where your DH is coming from - some of the males from show lines are absolutely enormous (and not very bright)
If your heart is set on a goldie research breeders carefully. If you have an active household and can commit to proper training then you could look at females from working lines - they are literally half the size of the show males (and a lot brighter too )
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Biggish house (Victorian semi) with medium size garden and tiny dog (JRT x)
Unless you are planning to have a giant breed in a bedsit I'm not sure the house size is that relevant. The garden needs to be big enough to pee in but you are going to have to be out walking for exercise, and the temperament/breed of the dog has more to do with how much exercise is needed than the size. The size of your car might be an issue though? The fact that a spacious car crate for our dog still only takes up half the boot is a big advantage when we also have pushchair, small bikes etc to lug about. A smaller dog is also much cheaper to feed.
The few Tollers I've met have been great - the dog magazines ( your dog?) always used to recommend them to everyone enquiring about what breed to get, regardless of circumstances 
but they seem to be quite unusual still. My best mate has working Cockers which are bigger than show Cockers ( about 15kg slim weight) and similar in looks to the Tollers (red coat) but are active dogs needing lots of exercise. Might suit?
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