Ignorant. Help me make a good breed decision please MN

[SnotandBothered]

I confess to knowing little. I have always liked dogs but we always had cats when I was growing up and my only experience of dogs is via friends and family.

DH loves dogs. He grew up with dogs and they always had at least two Rescues in the home.

DC are now 9 and 7 (as keen as DH IN THEORY) and I feel that I have the time and stamina to devote to a puppy and have agreed that now is as good a time as any.

We can't seem to agree on a breed. I have looked at books / on line / and scrutinise all the dogs in the park but am not sure.

Factors are: Our House: 4 bed Victorian semi / 50 foot garden
Location: London suburb but very leafy with lots of open space (Richmond Park is a 5 minute walk)
My time: I work freelance and often from home so would be around a lot and am happy to walk for around 1/1.5 hours a day. Longer than that would be hard.
Training: Happy to put in whatever training / puppy socialisation would b best.

The only dog I really LOVE is a Beagle. I love the look, size, temperament - everything, but I have read so many horror stories and DH think it would be a nightmare.

DH has only ever had mutts (all rescue) and he insists that these are the best dogs but we want a puppy and I don't think such a thing as an ethically sourced mutt puppy exists???

IF I am brutally honest, I want a dog that drools too much and nothing too big. But equally don't want a handbag/toy dog. Beagle sized is ideal :)

Given our criteria, can anyone recommend some breeds that I should look into?

Oh, my lurchers will run up and down the sides of hills at high speed for hours on end and still be up for more. But equally, on a day like today (pouring here) they are snoring and will stay that way unless shoved out the door in a raincoat for the 30s it takes to toilet.
Most days they snore in my office, then we go for a run together at lunchtime, then they snore again during the afternoon, before a ball throw offlead in the evening. No bothering you to play or for attention.

Sounds a bit like DS, Dibbler!

I love beagles - but don't get one in an urban environment, unless you want military compound like security. I used to know two - both when I lived in two diff houses....they both used to turn up when I started cooking.....never meet the owner of one, but they resorted to a tag saying "please do not feed me" I guess because my house was not the only place he would pop into!!!
The second I adopted a very bold cat, who worked out something was stealing his food, and would stake said beagle out....no matter how ferocious my cat was, the beagle couldn't resist trying to get in and steal his food.....his food was on the second floor.......

lovely dogs, but nightmare to manage.

Wish I hadn't looked at Bella the Beagle. That's what I want. Her. Exactly her.

But I know I can't.

So.... I don't think a whippet/Lurcher is for me. Sorry. Nor the Pug. I'll avoid Collie's based on the advice on this thread and DH won't go for. Miniature poodle.

So again, based on this thread, I will look into

Spaniels (various)
Retrievers (including Toller which looks lovely)
Lab
Bulldog

And. Arians thereof.

Any more?

And thank you

*Arians / Variations!

My spinone is the sweetest puppy in the world.
Fact.
Maybe too big for you but they hardly shed, will be happy with whatever exercise you give them and are super calm. Fab with kids.
Lovely dogs.

"Pug is the worst suggestion and anyone who does suggest one really knows and cares nothing about dogs. Sorry but it's true. "
To say I care nothing about dogs, really? Just because I'm not a walking dog fact encyclopedia.
I suggested a pug because I know what its like to have an active dog in London, it sucks and my dog only had to put up with it on weekdays. It's cruel, never again, so a pug was suggested to me. I decided against any dog until I left London. Now I have a Labrador. According to you I shouldn't because I clearly don't care about dogs.
I agree a poodle is a good choice but given that London is full of staffies that desperately need good homes, I would go for that.

Bulldog or staffie. Please don't go for a lab, retriever or spaniel in London. They are outdoors dogs. Our lab is on the go from 7-10 pm, rarely alone and has an acre of land and a river, despite that I still need to take him for a run in the evening. They can suffer socially/physically from city life.

Not a Bulldog - they're the only breed that's worse than pugs in terms of health...

If you're after low energy, I'd avoid gundogs, so no retrievers or spaniels or anything else that's bred to work all day, (herders like collies, rotties or GSDs for example). If you're really set on a retriever type, 1.5 hrs of walking isn't enough, you can make up for that by keeping them busy in the house and garden...but that takes up more time, which I'm assuming you don't have or you could do another walk.

I know you've said no to sighthounds, but the reason people suggest them a lot is that while they will be as active as you are, they're bred for short intense bursts of exercise and quite happy to relax the rest of the time.

Staffies are not too bad in terms of how much exercise they need, they're fairly active (especially when they're young) but, more in a like playing way than needing hours of walking.

Other than that staffies and sighthounds, the best dogs for in a city are the small companion type dogs. Bichon frises, or other little fluffy ones like that.

Staffies are awesome, they really are. And you'll have no trouble getting a rescue staff! 'Team Ilbrey K9 partners' have a few young staffs atm, they are mostly in fosters rather than kennels, so have been assessed with kids.

Can I put a word in for Westies? Dpup is walked twice a day for 30 mins to one hour, is feisty, loyal and a good guard dog

I have a Rhodesian Ridgeback girl who is 18 months, she is happy with1.5-2hours walks a day unless it is raining and snowing like today and she refuses to go out and has spent the day curled up on me. She's slightly higher maintenance than a greyhound/whippet in that she's built more for endurance than short bursts of speed but she's so lazy and affectionate in the house. Hardly sheds/drools and is easy to keep clean too.

My girl is an American Staffordshire Terrier she needs a lot of walks and likes to play l bite and jump a lot at the moment she can be left on her own in her cage for hours on end and just sleep at the same time too though

I know bella is georgeous, I like some of the older dogs too, fits with ours but..... I said no more pets. My kids are older and I want freedom, i work long hours. Its not fair but...... Bella is adorable.

What is your size restriction? I have a giant - small giant (greater swiss mountain dog), though a big dog, an hours walking a day absolutely is enough for him, but will walk as much as you allow him. Amazing with our kids (5 and 10), only thing as a breed - really likes being with his people - so loves that we are out and about all day (in the car - to the stables etc), or at home watching me do the housework.
Today he had a 45min walk and then has just been to my sons rugby match (he loves that all the boys make a real fuss of him), I am now listening to him snore contentedly on his bed.
Your garden would absolutely be big enough for him.
But due to his size, you do need room for an XXL dog bed......just thought i would throw that into the mix.....

I seriously wouldn't have a springer as a first dog. Lovely but bonkers. You're probably best contacting rescues and asking if they have anything in to suit. Puppies are overrated - I have a retired greyhound and I would never have a puppy again - maybe a young cross from a rescue. There are millions.

Greyhounds are fabulous and there is a massive community online and regular meet ups for the family to join in. I know you don't really want one I just had to elbow that in.

Size wise - Beagle sized is perfect so springer/medium sized. Lab/retriever is biggest we could go.

Don't want silly small either.

Staffies are about beagle sized....

I will put Clumber spaniel into the mix , fabulous dogs ( and I don't have one I have a patterdale x which I would also recommend if you like working terriers ) .

I wouldn't rule out Lurchers as a whole, as they aren't a breed as such and every single one is different. The definition of a Lurcher is any sighthound crossed with a working breed (or another sighthound - although then they're strictly Longdogs). As a result there are massive variations in size, type, appearance, coat and behaviour.

If you look on my profile pics you'll see I have two Lurchers that are nothing like each other. The youngster is a lanky, skinny lad 28" to the shoulder and very 'pointy'. He runs like the wind, loves to play with the dcs and sleeps most of the day. He also needs a warm, waterproof coat and house fleeces because, despite appearing to be long haired, he has zero body fat and very fine, useless, fur. He's also extremely needy, but that's due to his rescue background more than anything. We are unsure of his breeding (dumped by the side of a road at birth) but most probably he's a bitsa, a real Lurcher mutt resulting from Lurcher to Lurcher breeding.

By contrast, my older lad is 4" shorter (roughly Lab sized) quite solidly built, stands very square and is the calmest, steadiest, most gentle dog I've ever had (younger Lurcher is the 7th dog we've had over the years). We do know his breeding, he is Saluki/Deerhound x Greyhound/Border Collie. He is most un-lurcher-like really, other than loving to run fast and sleep lots and we reckon he got his obsession with tennis balls from the Border Collie part of his mix.

If your dh is keen on getting a rescue, I would speak to some rescue centres about what you're looking for and let them match you up with dogs they think will suit you. You don't have to take any of them if it doesn't feel right, but it might give you a better idea of what you do and don't like in a dog, iyswim. Most rescue centres are very good at matching dogs to potential new families and often know better than we do which ones will be right for us.

Brittany?

Just been looking at Spaniels and these seemed to have a temperament closer to pointers than your average Spaniel (some descriptions don't class them as Spaniels at all).

Does anyone think it worth adding these into the mix?

I second miniature poodle
Can walk as long as you can but doesn't go nuts with only a short walk
Looks good if you don't give it a daft clip
Fun
Great with kids
Mess free
Perfect size

UK Brittany Club temperament info

Poodles look like doodles if they are not poodle clipped
Everyone thinks mine is a labradoodle
She is black so they think she is a dog too
All manly

How about a border terrier? I have a border cross and he's a dream with my DD, who's 1. Small, energetic when you want them to be and will happily snooze all day in front of the fire. I'm a terrier lover though, I know not everyone is. Their feisty little temperament makes me smile!