need help picking a dog breed / mix :)

[bumpybecky]

We've been dogless for ages but I've finally got DH to admit that it's time we started thinking about getting another dog :)

Our history is that we lost our collie x lab in Jan 2011, we fostered a jr x lurcher for 4 months and are currently looking after a friend's german shepherd for a few days.

We'll be looking for a rescue dog, most likely 1-2 years old but are unsure as to which breeds / mixes would be most suitable for our requirements...

• dog will need to be left for up to 4 hours a day weekdays, term time only (although I can pop back in the middle of that time if needed, only work locally)
• dog must be ok with kids, ours are 4-14 and we have younger relatives who visit
• dog must be ok with cats (who are used to dogs and stand their ground rather than running)
• can do an hour walk a day plus shorter morning walk, but longer at weekends
• is trainable! don't want anything that won't come back when asked
• isn't too huge, collie sized would be absolute max

don't want much do we?!

any recommendations? DH not keen on lurcher/whippet types (not sure why) I don't want anything small and yappy, prefer proper dog not a toy thing

very excited, even though it's probably going to be months! :)

Miniature poodle? Not big, most have their heads screwed on, very trainable, would enjoy a good walk at the weekends, no high prey drive, slightly less good at being left but you're not planning to leave it for long.

I would be spending time researching good rescues. Then go to meet them and give them your wish list. A good rescue will have had years of experience in matching dogs to owners and will help you to find your new dog.

I have a lab collie X and think you already know what type fits. He was from a rescue 5 months ago and is the best thing ever to happen to our family (according to DC4)

I did see a very cute JR staffy cross the other day, very trainable (learnt a few commands whilst watching him).

I would go to a good rescue and see what you come home with, we didn't want a lab (in DH job it is the dog everyone has) and didn't want a collie, wanted a little dog to assure DS1 that not all dogs wanted to eat you. So came home with a lab collie X

He's come home from work raving about spaniels, I think he means working type cocker spaniels but might be springers. Don't these need huge amounts of exercise?

I have a Springer. He fits your criteria pretty much exactly.

Ours would be fine with that amount of exercise if most of it was off lead.

Actually he is so obsessed with chasing his ball that sometimes he is laying down refusing to move within less time than that if I oblige him by continuing to throw it

My kids are similar ages to yours and he absolutely adores them and loves it when the house is full of kids

please get a rescue!

if you want a min poodle, google many tears or poodle club rescue -
if breed no object, please look at generic rescue.

if you are this specific in your wants, you need an adult dog who is already a known quantity.

We will be getting a dog from rescue, we're not going to buy a puppy (or an older dog) from a BYB, or even a reputable breeder. We're not in a hurry, as we doubt most rescues will rehome to us until after Christmas as ds will then be 5. We are hoping for an older dog, hopefully past the puppy stage but with many years left to go :)

I've spent hours a while today looking at the rescues I've already been home checked for as a fosterer, Dog Pages and Many Tears (who at the moment seem to mostly have ex-breeding dogs who they won't rehome as an only dog, so rules us out). I've also been looking at breed rescues, but as we've not decided on a breed there are loads to check!

At the moment we're trying to work out what breed(s) will be suitable. We're not expecting a pure bred dog, as from what I've seen many (most?) in rescue are cross breeds, but think if we've got an idea of what might work in our circumstances it'll help in the search :)

Thanks for all the suggestions :) my worry with poodles is that the kids will attempt something like this

x posted - stop the begging already

we will be going to rescues! there is absolutely no way we're buying a dog from a breeder / puppy farm / gumtree / or anything similar!

charlearose lovely as Douge's are we couldn't cope with dogs that big - there are 6 of us in the house (plus cats!) and car space when we go anywhere is already a bit of an issue!

bumpy there are 6 of us in our house and since we got out dog we tend to go everywhere in 2 cars as we don't all fit with the dog (we need space to hide a picnic away from dog and DCs now). That was an added expense I hadn't calculated in when factoring how much a dog was going to cost

small scruffy dog then! :)

I've been looking at terriers (cairn / maltese / glenn of immal) thinking they look very cute in a scruffy sort of way.

I'm quite prepared to end up with a totally different dog to the plan, right now I'm only allowed to research so am enjoying that :)

The best thing to do really is just go to a rescue with a totally open mind! An MNer on here said they went to look at some type of collie they had fallen in love with (I think it was a collie anyway) they ended up with a whippet!

My MIL basically stole BILs working type cocker (they went on holiday and she looked after the dog and refused to give him back) as they just kept him in a crate almost constantly! All he does, all day long, is run around the garden. Even after a big long walk, he'll get home and go straight outside and run around for hours. Don't get one unless it is actually going to be worked.

Yes, agree that spaniels never sit still.

How do you feel about a bull terrier?
I love their waggy tails.

Border terriers are also fun little big dogs.

I don't think we're a suitable home for a spaniel, we're just not going to manage enough walking time. DH started his breed selection process from a very different place than me...

We're a geocaching family, we go hunting tupperware boxes in the woods that's what makes up the much longer walks in holidays and weekends. So he was looking at breeds that were good sniffer dogs thinking that the dog could help us hunt caches! he's thinking collie x or spaniel (I'm thinking that'll need much more exercise than I can manage)

We'll find a compromise eventually, but agree we'll need to be led a bit by rescues as to who is suitable. I quite like the look of some of the larger terriers, he's got funny views on dogs with whiskery bits round their mouths

we geocache and pimms dog has certainly found more this holiday than the DCs not sure if that is the lab in him or the collie or just the fact that as an intelligent breed he has worked out what all the DCs are looking for

Must say when we can't get out we can wear out ours by doing tricks and sending notes between the DCs inside the house.

What about a staffy spaniel X, friends have one and he looks like a spaniel but doesn't need quite so much running around and is slightly more sensible

Becky, given your previous experiences with a collie x, and that you are a geocacher, I am very much of the opinion that you should give Wiccaweys a call, who specialise in all things collie. I think you could potentially be a beautiful fit.

What is geocaching?

Cunny, see here

It follows on from orienteering, and letterboxing which used to be v popular on Dartmoor but that predated the widespread use of GPS.

Haven't done it myself but can see it looks very addictive...

Ohh I see. Basically orienteering using technology instead of a map. I bloody hated orienteering at school.

very addictive! it's a bit like treasure hunting using gps, only the treasure isn't normally very good.... there are free apps for iphone and android if you want to give it a go :)

I've just looked at the link and yes, looks totally addictive. I'm imagining a red setter lolloping next to you.