What I can offer a dog and what I would like from a dog. What breed would suit us best?

[LovelyMuffins]

thanks to some wonderfully helpful posters on my last thread I have ended up here seeking advice on potential breeds that would suit our set up. I will be totally honest about what I can offer and my expectations including what I do not expect to deal with. I was ( still am) on the verge of committing myself to a golden doodle puppy from someone I deem to be a responsible and trustworthy breeder. However...........MN has made me think twice so here goes with my spec!
I do not work (no need ) so I have lots of time to devote to the puppy stage. I want a puppy, not an older rescue dog as I want my children to experience the entire 'journey' even though i know at times I will probablly want to tear my hair out and give the dog back! I have a medium sized home and garden. I live very near the sea so would like a dog that likes water. There are loads of parks and countrywalking routes nearby. A dog wil not be left for more than a couple of hours at a stretch. I don't want an oer large dog. It has to get on with chidlren (my children and visiting children). It has to be non threatening to cats. I don't want a barkie or yappie dog. I don't want a lap dog. I want an intelligent easily trainable dog as I would love teh whole training thing. Walking requirments: Would enjoy an hour walk then one or two smaller walks during the day. Want a dog that is happy to join us on family days out traveling by train, bus, car etc. Would LOVE a dog that can be used as a PATS dog when old enough. Not fussed about moulting too much as we have cats anyway. Not too keen on fussy, pretty dogs who need 'hairstyles'!
so..........what's the verdict?!
thank you

oh yes! great :-)

English setter?

--Biased as I have 4 of them.--

That breed finder toll recommended I get a Mexican Hairless

WTF???

I have realised I am a dog snob

I much much prefer people who say they have a Labrador / Poodle Cross, or Golden Retriever / Poodle cross, or a mutt then people who say Labradoodle.

And don't get me started on Cockerpoos

Actually, this current trend in cross breeding. Is Britain currently full of knackered shagged out poodles? Are there stud Poodles thinking FFS, not another bloody Labrador!

Wallace

I got a Greyhound, Labrador and a Bull Mastiff.

cocker
Your requirements were pretty much the same as mine and this is who we have gone for

Cocker Spaniel, Springer Spaniel, Collie, Retriever, Mutt.

Tollers need a lot of stimulation and training, bloody lovely dogs but not many in UK so very pricy.

Otterhound. I was reminded of this breed on here, had forgotten how bloody lovely they were and now really want one of my own. They are an endangered breed as well, so you'd be doing a 'good thing'

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=www.dogbreedinfo.com/images21/OtterhoundChBelleRiverDixielandJazzBRjazzySentBetty.jpg&imgrefurl=www.dogbreedinfo.com/otterhound.htm&usg=__FAd-2Kl0UHerZBxl8PbitxVG13Y=&h=360&w=425&sz=42&hl=en&start=1&zoom=1&tbnid=J1SV0-AwriL9lM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=126&ei=BnbpT93uLMa90QXr7sSpAQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dotterhound%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26gbv%3D1%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">OTTERHOUND

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=www.dogbreedinfo.com/images16/NovaScotiaDuckTollingRetrieverHolly10Months3.JPG&imgrefurl=www.dogbreedinfo.com/novascotiaducktolling.htm&usg=__P6PR7tHjVDz3zG3uS-c1889krIM=&h=355&w=375&sz=65&hl=en&start=1&zoom=1&tbnid=ddpF3lQW0tO3wM:&tbnh=115&tbnw=122&ei=lHbpT7OmFJC20QX6l6mqAQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtoller%2Bdog%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D1%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TOLLER

Realistically I'll probably end up with another Mutt like the one I've got (Collie / Sringer / Something else (Possibly a whippity thing but Pointer and Lurcher have also been suggested!). But don't dismiss a rescue OP just because you want a puppy - we got MuttDog from Many Tears when she was approx 8 weeks old. There are plenty of rescue puppies out there.

[[
manytearsrescue.webs.com/dogslookingforhomes.htm MANY TEARS]] check out Kermit, Kiss, Ketch, Lobelia, Lupin, Lacey.... lots of puppies, those are only in the first 30 or so

I agree with herbert, really. They way the dog will turn out depends on you as much as it does the dog.

I've met mental lab puppies and chilled out ones. Insane springers and mellow ones.

I've met retrievers that are scared of water and some that will swim for hours.

But I think, Lab/Goldie/Springer/Cocker although I would think with most of these breeds you should be doing 2 hour walks as a minimum.

As I mentioned on your other thread:

Spanish Water Dog, Portuguese Water Dog or Irish Water Spaniel.

am going to look those up 4lbs......thank you :-)

I'm biased but I'd say golden retriever. My 5 month old is so lovely, she is fab with the kids, very easy to train, loves water/puddles/mud etc, but more than anything she just loves human company. GRs are fab dogs

DSis and I both have lab/springer crosses (unrelated). They look rather like a lab ... but a lot like a springer too. Small lab body, spaniel face and a longer coat. Very amenable, cheerful, gentle, intelligent and easy to train. Though hers LOVES water and mine hates it! DSis's dog is 3.5 years and people still think she's a lab puppy and ask how old she is.

toomany choices. Your name fits the bill for me!

Cocker spaniel!

We've had ours from puppy stage and would tick all your boxes. She's fine with travelling - drove to France with her when she was a pup and was no problem

Easy to train with great recall, she loves it on the beach and playing fetch in the sea and loves country walks. Although that also includes rolling in anything smelly!!

I love my cocker!

at present, if I had to choose a pedigree dog from a breeder I am veering towards Cocker Spaniel and Golden Retriever. I did get sent a link for Many Tears Rescue though. Trouble is they are all so far away.

I'd go for a golden retriever. Obvious, I know, but there are good reasons why they are so popular. Ours has been just right on all counts.

We adopted a 2 year old Springer from Many Tears 2 weeks ago. He is fantastic - lots of Springer bounce when playing and out walking, but very chilled in the house. I can't imagine why he ended up in the pound, but we are very fortunate to have him.

Lots of very favourable opinions on springers and Golden retrieves. Will have a look at Springers. Had looked and researched a lot about golden retrievers previously so have a pretty good idea of their general characteristics already. I did speak to the breeder of the golden doodles today and need to phone her back with a decision as to whether or not I wish to proceed and view the puppies this week. They are only 3 weeks old. I bet they are scrumptious! One look and I would be smitten I'm certain

Lovely, just one other thing about Many Tears, they will try to move a dog nearer to you whenever possible. When we applied for MuttDog she was in Camarthen, which was too far from us (from Oxford) so they moved her to a closer foster home. Could be worth a shot?

I don't think much of that breed selector, it seems a bit over keen on grooming requirements to me. I filled it in with our dog and life in mind and it said 0 recommendations, which it turned out is because I said I didn't want to groom more than once a week. We never groom our dog (we've tried and he just eats the brush after one or two brushes) do short haired breeds really need grooming?

We have a American Water Spaniel cross of some sort (loves water but is scared of swimming ) from rescue and lovely. He looks like a lab puppy.

Gotta be a cocker spaniel! We have working cocker & boy he absorbs training but it's so rewarding.

An angel with children, happy to see everyone all the time. Def not a laptop but the most loving dog in the world.

He loves swimming (& will retrieve, handy if the sea claims a flip flop!)

He's not too big so no food stealing off work surfaces although watch out coffee tables

Your set up is similar to mine so he will end up being your BFF especially if you take him for walks.

I have monthly 1-1 session with a Gundog trainer & she has said that for tiring dogs out an hour training = an hour walk and until they're fully grown they don't need long walks as bad for joints. Sounds like u would be up for that!

Tbh, you sound like perfect owner, lucky puppy!

& don't worry about the puppy stage, Cockers are easy to house train (well easier than terriers & a few other breeds) and the hassle is more than made up for by the cuteness!

Meant lapdog, not laptop
damn phone!!

I forgot to back up ladyofthehouse (woman of excellent taste, clearly) by saying yep ours loves travelling too! Often find him sitting with pleading eyes at the back of the car, he loves being in the boot

OP have you looked into Chow Chows? They are a wonderful medium sized dog. Fabulous with kids, all of ours have been super gentle and also fab with cats. My cat taught a chow puppy to hunt and cat grooms the older dog, licking his ears and even in his mouth before they curl up to snooze together.

They are very intelligent dogs, love water, but not too much. Very loyal, big on family and great with visiting kids too. they tend to slope off when they have had too much attention. they are not the kids of dogs who constantly leap up at you.

They love walks, mine do 2you a day in general, and are happy with long or short walks. they look fab and like they need lots of grooming, but they kids of groom themselves like cats. all in all pretty low maintenance.

I grew up with them, and have had them both as rescue and from puppy. they are wonderful and a delight to grow up with. Only reason I don't have one here is mine passed on (age 15) and we were moving to the desert. soon as back in the UK we'll be seeking one out.

Final point, promise gundogs bred not to be barkie, yappy (it's bad form as scares birds and all other dogs would obv cold shoulder).

Ours never makes a peep except very occasionally when something on the surround sound gets to a place in his brain and he does very funny loud bow-wow, like a doberman except he's 7 month old puppy!

I think I am almost certainly decided on a golden retriever. Almost.... I have cancelled my appt to meet the doodle puppies today after a lengthy conversation with the breeder yesterday. I feel a bit sad about it but there you go. I also feel a bit guilty about building the breeder up and then bailing! Silly I know but I do now feel very excited about the prospect of learning more about Golden retrievers and looking for breeders with litters due or planned for this year. I looked at a lot of information about Cockers too but as retrievers were in teh mix of my doodle it seems sensible to go with more of a known quantity. I want to thank the doghouse for guiding me and being honest about the good and bad aspects of dogs. :-)