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Breed Suggestions Please

38 replies

Didntcomeheretofuckspiders · 02/11/2017 19:30

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?
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user1508013898 · 02/11/2017 19:36

Tibetan terriers are great medium sized dogs though they are long haired. Border collies are very hard work and are very high energy. They are great dogs but need to be outdoors a lot and need constant stimulation

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Thewolfsjustapuppy · 02/11/2017 19:46

I have two Irish terriers who fit your requirements list (they cohabit with ducks in the garden quite happily so could probably manage not to kill rabbits. Mind you I used to have a Staffie and a rabbit and they got on really well).
Have you tried this find a breed thingy on the KC website?

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Alittlepotofrosie · 02/11/2017 19:50

I was going to say miniature poodle. Fits your bill perfectly.

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Didntcomeheretofuckspiders · 02/11/2017 20:06

I was wondering about Tibetan Terriers! It’s the long coat that has put me off a bit I think, just because who wonder about the practicality of running but I suppose all it would take is regular grooming to keep it sensible.

Irish terriers are gorgeous thewolfs! Do they get on okay with other dogs? I’ve heard they can be bossy?

The KC website gives me all sorts of bizarre breeds and I’m a bit lost! 😂

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ApplesTheHare · 02/11/2017 20:08

Hungarian Vizsla. They are AMAZING family dogs (we've always had them with kids and rabbits) and I don't usually recommend them to people because they need a lot of exercise but sounds like one would have a great time with youSmile

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ButFirstTea · 02/11/2017 20:14

Soft coated wheaten terrier ticks all the boxes! Medium sized, non shedding, very active, gorgeous personality, so friendly to everyone - mine goes to daycare and has made friends with 4 kittens!

Picture of my six month old cutie attached.

Breed Suggestions Please
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pinkhorse · 02/11/2017 20:16

I have a working sprocker that runs 10 miles with us easy!

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OldWitch00 · 02/11/2017 20:17

Portuguese water dog. I've met several and they are lovely.
bar that we have an Airedale who is not interested in prey and a small Tibetan spaniel who is excellent with children.

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CornflakeHomunculus · 02/11/2017 20:17

Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever - the smallest of the retrievers and great dogs if you can provide them with appropriate exercise and mental stimulation

Smooth Collie - a little bigger than your preferred size and short coated but they are active (without being absolutely bonkers) and make fabulous family pets

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Amber0685 · 02/11/2017 20:21

Puggle, good with children and other dogs, love walking, do shed though

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Yogagirl123 · 02/11/2017 20:26

I had a bearded collie for 13 years, he was a wonderful dog, fantastic house dog and very loyal. You rarely see one these days and of course everyone thinks they are a “Dulux dog” aka Old English sheep dog. Cockerpoos are lovely as are American Spaniels good luck OP with whatever you choose.

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SummatFishyEre · 02/11/2017 20:26

Tibetan terrier are fairly needy attention seeking dogs who love their people and very often suffer from separation anxiety. They are stubborn, intelligent, self serving dogs who love to have fun (sometimes at their owners expense!) They learn quickly, don't like to be told off, and don't respond well to harsh training methods. They like cuddles and affection from people they know but are aloof with strangers. We have some in the family and while they are great little dogs, they're not particularly easy, though they do make fab agility dogs, they're quick and clever and love learning.

If you do get one and don't intend to show it just have it's coat clipped and keep on top of grooming it. A TT in full glorious coat takes a frankly ridiculous amount of care!

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CornflakeHomunculus · 02/11/2017 20:29
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Didntcomeheretofuckspiders · 02/11/2017 20:47

Applesthehare I LOVE vizslas! I’ve heard they’re quite prone to separation anxiety though?

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Didntcomeheretofuckspiders · 02/11/2017 20:49

ButFirstTea he is gorgeous. DP would go crazy for a dog like him! Will have to do some more Wheaten research I think.

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Oleanderrules · 02/11/2017 20:51

Working cocker spaniels are the most amazing breed . A great dog for families and would be able to keep up with you on your runs . Very nice natured and good with other dogs and children . A huge plus we have found is they don’t bark / yap / whine !

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Afternooncatnap · 02/11/2017 20:52

I have a miniature poodle and he fits all those criteria. Though he likes to chase things so may chase the rabbits if they were running.

Miniature poodles are the best.

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Didntcomeheretofuckspiders · 02/11/2017 20:52

Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever definitely looks like it might be worth exploring. Thanks Cornflake!

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parrotonmyshoulder · 02/11/2017 20:53

Springer spaniel.
Mine would be a perfect fit for all your needs. Hairy though.

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SwimmingInTheBlueLagoon · 02/11/2017 20:59

If you like a cockerpoo then in all honesty your most obvious choice is a poodle (miniature or standard) or cocker (working type for the amount of exercise you want to do) - and the reason their crosses are hated on here is because they are pretty much only bred by puppy farms, clueless byb and greedy bastards people wanting to over breed the bitch, despite KC rules, by alternating between pedigree and cross breed litters. So would you be happy to support a breeder like that? Also be aware that puppy farms often use dealers now, who have the puppy in their home and have a 'stunt' bitch there who is never bred from but their to look pretty and be kind natured - so it is incredibly difficult to tell if it's genuinely just a family doing some byb or a full on puppy farmed pup being sold by a dealer.

Then their are also Springer spaniels (both English working type & Welsh), which would love that kind of exercise.

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Alittlepotofrosie · 02/11/2017 21:37

The other problem with crossbreeds is you don't know what you're going to get. Labradors shed like buggery, and poodles do not. The resulting puppy from a crossbreed might shed like buggery, or it might not. At least with a pedigree poodle you can be reasonably sure its unlikely to shed.

I think youll need to be reasonably certain that you'll be able to give a high energy breed like a springer or a toller the exercise they need every day or they might cause you issues. But be aware a puppy/adolescent dog can't have too much exercise or you'll cause damage to the joints. If you want a dog that you can start working immediately then a young adult rescue dog of your chosen breed might be worth considering.

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user1508013898 · 02/11/2017 21:50

I have a bearded collie at the moment he is amazing! Had Beardies in the past and a Tibetan terrier. Only didn't recommend the beardie as they do shed and the coat takes a lot of work. I'dhave beardies anyday though! Great breed and brilliant with children

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InternetHoopJumper · 02/11/2017 21:59

I am a volunteer at a animal shelter and I would like to ask you to please consider adopting a dog. If you want a specific breed you can even do re-homing through a kennel club, but there are so many unwanted dogs out there.

You mentioned a large yard, that would also give you the opportunity to get a sight-hound. I had a lurcher as a foster dog earlier this year. She was such a sweetheart, little to no shedding, calm in the house and loved to run in a fenced off area or alongside my bike. Was very friendly with other dogs. Only had a problem with cats and could not be let off-leash. If you want a cat also, a Galgo, Greyhound or Whippet might be more your speed. Some Galgos and Whippets can actually be off-leash too. Plus you know what you are getting since most dogs will already have lived in a foster home and a foster family can give you all the details on the dog and what you are to expect. You will also have a safety net in case the dog does not turn out to be a good match with your family.

Anyways, just throwing that out there.

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Alittlepotofrosie · 02/11/2017 22:01

Sighthounds and cats on the whole don't mix. they've got an extremely strong prey drive that can't really be trained over. They also tend to shed a lot.

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CMOTDibbler · 02/11/2017 22:09

I have a gorgeous foster puppy lurcher snoring next to me at the moment. As with my own lurchers, (and all the puppies that have been through my house this year) she's living happily with my cats. They shed very little (though obv with lurchers it depends on the mix) and as for them humans running is merely a slow trot they adore going running with me. My dogs go mountain biking with us too.

I had a bearded collie x greyhound earlier in the year. He was a sweetheart, but he really did need a lot of stimulation to keep him out of trouble!

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