'there are easier breeds:' which ones?

[motmot]

On the Labrador retriever thread, quite a few posters have expressed their scepticism about labs being ideal family dogs, due to their high exercise needs, strength etc. Someone said there are easier breeds out there to choose from.

Which ones? What breeds do you think are 'easier,' especially for novice owners? Certainly not my dog (German Wirehaired Pointer), they have a strong desire to hunt and need pretty firm consistent handling and an abundance of exercise (I will not be getting another!)

Obviously all dogs need training and work and there are going to be exceptions within high-maintenance breeds, but can you generalise do you think?

Ha ha ha beagles are 72nd on that list of 80!

Mini schnauzer all the way! Our gorgeous boy is the soppiest, wriggliest , most loving dog ever. Bright, if a bit wilful. Just the cutest thing ever.

basildon I have a flatcoat and he is a fiendish problem solver, I expect to find him polishing off The Guardian cryptic crossword any day soon. And then eating it again once he's thrown it up.
He is fab and an excellent family pet - unbelievably good natured, a lovely lovely boy.
He was Bloody Hard Work in his first year but I think most puppies are!

Scotties are in at 65...... Testament to their pure stubbornness I suspect

SOP, yes definitely. I swear my Scottie thought " And why exactly should I?" very often. She was a very good working dog. Hunted and killed a few rats and pigeons on her own
She had the ego of a big dog (and the teeth and bark to match).

I have a 4 month old German shorthaired pointer. He is bright, but pretty strong-willed! Tbh I think the main issue will be his size and strength - he's still a beginner on the lead, and sometimes pulls like a train. The breeder warned me that the dc might never be able to hold him on a lead!

My golden retriever/German shepherd mix just died last month and he was so easy and lovely.

He wasn't clever and it took awhile to train him as a puppy, but once he got it that was it. He was so gentle and sweet, and really didn't have any issues other than the urge to wander a few times a year. He always came back. Oh, I miss him!

We were thinking of getting a beagle but now I'm a bit nervous! We can't do long walks here in the dead of winter as it's much too cold.

Halber she sounds a lot like Murph . He's pretty laid back most of the time though he has absolutely zero recall when on the field so I have to keep him on lead now. I'm lucky to live by a large field and wood which has many rabbits, badgers and foxes etc, he tends to bolt if he sees a bird so I've never entirely trusted him and always worried I'd find him nose first in a badger set.
Fortunately very few people use the field so I have a 30ft lead and he can run without me worrying about him.

Stubborn or not I'd still have a houseful of them if DH would cave

hmc not seen that intelligence list before! but not sure beagles (and others) are stupid per se - its not that there is nothing behind the eyes just that they hear but on balance 'prefer not to obey thankyou'.

they're just 'not that into you' whereas some dogs try hard to understand because they are desperate to fit in and please (or at least remorseful when they have disobeyed ) never seen a shred of remorse from a beagle!

I think that is fair comment Mythol

My first labrador wasn't an easy puppy or adolescent... but chilled adult dog. He was the most loyal and loving boy you could imagine and i miss him terribly. He was a show bred lab and didn't really have the desire to retrieve etc.

Second labrador, also show bred and a few similar names in her pedigree to ddog1 was comparatively a piece of cake. She has that desperate desire to please and really wants to get things right for you (whereas i got the distinct impression that ddog1 knew he was so adored he didn't really need to make an effort!). Yes, all lab puppies are bitey little buggers to start with, but she was really easy to train. She was my son's 8th birthday present (good excuse to DH because i wanted another dog ) and he did about 95% of her training.

She, at 3, is still pretty bouncy if something exciting happens- about to leave for a walk, first five min of walk, first five min visitors arrive, but apart from that she is super easy. Goes for a walk in the morning and then spends the rest of the day following me room to room or sleeping next to me. She follows the DSs about and regularly get involved in their games and is generally a joy.

I've had two 'easy' collies and one easy springer. Not sure if it's because we're boring.

I think with most breeds of dogs you get back what you put in. I've got 5 rescue dogs greyhound and lurchers all fantastic loving dogs but can still drive me mad. Staffies if brought up right are fantastic with children.
And I used to live with 5 ridgebacks who were all fab dogs. I still don't think you can beat a good old-fashioned mongrel though.