Breed advice and recommendations....

[HTKB]

Will try and be brief. We are getting a puppy at some point from August onwards, depending on lead times with breeders.

Very experienced dog owners. Always had various small breed rescues. Now with 2 young children finding it impossible to find a rescue that will rehome to us, hence getting a puppy.

Very large secure garden

Will be able to walk up to 90 minutes off lead a day.

Dog will be alone for up to four hours at a time from next March, couple of days a week. Otherwise someone around.

Busy household with two kids

Don't want anything too labour intensive, that needs constant stimulation, agility training or anything. Just bog standard family dog, happy to be walked, play with kids, have a cuddle, etc

Not too keen on shedding and drool.

Any breed recommendations? Have generally had mutts so this is new for us. We were thinking a whippet? But perhaps something more lively as they always seem quite passive.

Many thanks

Spanish water dog, Duck toller or CKCS maybe?
Staffy if you want no grooming

our Tibetian Spaniel is very enjoyable.
we brush ours a few times a week in the spring and summer.

My mother in law has a 7 month old whippet and shes anything but passive, lovely wee dog but sooo much energy, and always on the go, I've really fallen for the breed since meeting her! Low shedding too, and very clean. What about a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel? Make sure parents are health tested as they do have a lot of problems unfortunately. Or a Bichon or similar? Lovely family dogs, low shedding (but do requrie grooming) Or a terrier, such as Border Terrier? Very active for a small dog, low maintenance coat, great wee characters?

Passive is definitely not a word I'd use to describe my whippets. They're clever, mischievous, playful, funny, daft as brushes and just generally really engaging little dogs.

They're sometimes quite reserved with, or disinterested in, strangers which I think can give the impression that they're a bit boring but nothing could be further from the truth!!

Not a Toller - they're working dogs and need the stimulation of learning new stuff. Most breeders strongly recommend that you give them a 'job' and most owners will be doing agility, gundog training, obedience etc

They are fabulous dogs though and fantastic with children, don't drool and need minimal grooming despite their gorgeous fur so tick most of your other boxes

Cannot recommend a Lhasa apso enough. Don't shed, love cuddles, great with kids, don't need much exercise and just generally loving wee dogs. Protective too if need be and have a big bark (makes intruders think there's a big dog when reality is they're far from it).

Only downside of a Lhasa is they need regular brushing and groomed every 4/6 weeks depending on their coats. Ours gets done 4 weekly but my mum get hers done every 6 weeks as his coat is finer - she could go a lot longer in between but she likes to keep him short.

Staffie - no grooming, no drooling, happy to be walked, don't shed, fast learners, want to be loved and cuddled all day

EGLR are a rescue that would rehome to you, and who in the spring/summer will undoubtedly have a good number of puppies born in foster.

Lurchers are lovely family dogs - not too demanding, happy with shorter walks if needed, playful, not loud or drooly.

Whippets make great family dogs,
My father's are great with kids.
They are playful and love to run around but they are also huge cuddle monsters, they love a good run off lead but don't need as much walking as people think and they love to sleep. They will walk as much as you want but can cope with less if they get some off lead time each day to blow of steam.
My father's are left for about four hours a day while he's at work and all they do is sleep.

Smooth Collie - a vulnerable native breed (assuming you're in the UK LOL) that needs all the support it can get. Proper sized dog, but not too big. Fits in to most situations well, lively and trainable, but not too OTT. Easy care coat.