HTB and I are in the process of buying our first house together and will hopefully be able to get our first dog together next year. I’m starting to really research breeds and try to get a bit of a shortlist together. We are keen to get a puppy as we have rabbits already and small children in the family so feel it’s important that we are able to train and socialise a dog from an early age. We both have experience owning puppies/dogs and my parents have a cockerpoo (I’m prepared for the backlash 😉) whom we absolutely adore. We would consider owning a cockerpoo ourselves but I wonder if we would ever find one that lived up to the one we already love so much.
Our specifications currently are:
- A medium sized dog, up to about small collie size. Our house is a small two-bed cottage with a large garden backing onto farmland.
- An active dog which would be able to run long distances daily (the further the better in this respect but at least 10km on road and trails) and go on hiking expeditions.
- Low prey drive or very trainable (herding would be fine I think) due to the rabbits.
- Able to get on with other dogs as would have to spend time with other family members dogs and probably with a dog walker/sitter at times.
- Able to spend a few hours alone. We both work shifts which do at times overlap. Whilst we’d be happy to use a dog sitter or walker, there will still be times (once the dog is old enough) where the dog will need to be able to keep him/herself occupied for a few hours.
- Ideally lower shedding although it isn’t a huge deal breaker. I do love a curly or wavy coat tbh.
I have been considering:
Border Collie
Miniature Poodle (or potentially a poodle-cross... shoot me)
Working Cocker Spaniel
Brittany Spaniel
Any suggestions or ideas?