Can anyone recommend a breed?

[Greyhorses]

Not for me but for my mum. I have eyes for GSD only so can't think past something wolf looking and huge

Requirements are:
Small to medium ideally but not set in stone.
Easy to train, intelligent.
Good with small children as I have a baby who my mum babysits twice a week along with my dogs.
Must be able to be let off lead and be easily housetrained (so i think this rules out lots of toy breeds?)
Must be able to be left alone for short periods without loosing the plot.
We are not a gun dog type family and she does not really like spaniels, retrievers or Labradors. Also no bull breeds.

The ideal breed would come out with me and my GSD daily as we live in the same street, so not easily squishable but sensible enough to be happy at home once we have been out and about.

She loves corgis but they are very hard to get hold of. If only I could shrink a GSD in the wash it would be ideal but we think 3 very large dogs may be a bit much. This one would primerally live with my mum as I said but it will have dog company lots of the time.

We have thought about whippets but I have friends with them and they are mental and not easily trained
Poodles are also a maybe but my MILs are snappy nightmares?

So...can anyone think of a GSD like dog but smaller

Legopoodle
She was an ex breeding queen from rescue and hadn't socialised so I expected naughty and snappy but 14 years later never a growl.

Our departed poodle Bigscoobs was a standard with too long legs so no one wanted him, he adored children (I think he read famous five) regularly tried to abscond to school to play.

It was desperately trying to remember a breed and Footle got it.

I know a Patterdale and he is the laziest dog known to man. More than happy to roast himself in front of the fire and has to actually be dragged from the house on cold or frosty mornings. Loves cuddles and great with kids.

Another vote for a poodle - the middle size, miniature. I've had 4 over the years, all lovely temperaments (currently have a standard). The downside is the grooming required - and the regular clipping. As with any pedigree breed, I'd recommend checking out the common diseases and talking to the breed club to find a respected breeder with health tested dogs. I found my breeder through Champdogs and am still in touch with her and follow her dogs' show progress.

Another poodle vote! My miniature is not at all snappy - never bitten anyone or anything or even come close. She's also not at all barky. She gives one of two barks if someone is at the door and that is it. She's Athletic and likes and xan handle long walks and runs. She does like a lot of attention though, so wouldn't enjoy being left alone for really long periods. She loves cats, never chases. Loves people, especially kids. Also, with regard to the maintenance, she needs washing and her hair clipping often, but I do this myself and it's fine. Because I do it myself she doesn't look like a poodle - more like a terrier of some kind, which I personally prefer.

As you can see me and Legopoodle are not close followers of poodle fashion so she gets trimmed by me why she looks like captain caveman with a couple of groomer visits just to keep it familiar.

What you gain with no dog hair you lose with tangle taming.

Thanks to you all.

So far the list consists of

Poodle, Scottie, corgi, german spitz, keeshund, cairn, border terrier or grow a third arm and squish in another shepherd now to research some more!

I still love love whippets but am too worried that they are too breakable compared to the sheps!

I still love love whippets but am too worried that they are too breakable compared to the sheps!

They're a lot more robust than they look

I wouldn't worry at all about letting my thugs boys play with GSD sized dogs.

If you want easy to train I'd take the terriers back off your list, well they're not slow to grasp things, but whether they'll do what you want or what they want is up for debate with them quite often.

Corgis are similar in that respect...and they're a proper herding breed so can be a bit nippy with children.

Don't know much about the little spitz type dogs, but bigger ones are aloof and independent...which again means ideas of their own and not so keen on new people or dogs.

Which leaves you with poodle.

Until I got to the bottom of your list of requirements I'd have said cocker or staffy.

The problem is she wants traits that are most common in gundog or bull breeds, but not those breeds...which is a bit challenging TBH.

^ I have to agree with wanting gundog traits but not wanting gundog types.

I don't know much about their personality but Lancashire heelers look like GSDs shrunk down in the wash!
Hope you find the perfect pup, OP.

I too was looking through the list of desired traits and thinking 'gundog' - my dog is a Toller and ticks all her boxes, apart from being a gundog ...

Would second a poodle and just to add something else to the mix we've met a couple of fabulous little shelties recently (although they do tend to be a bit vocal)

Whaaaat no spaniels?!

This is mine as a baby now 7 months (first family dog and she is amazing ) share with 70 something mil when not at home and she thinks she's wonderful! Super cuddly and obedient

We had a spaniel. ..........He was pure evil

I say Cairn too! My family dog is a Cairn (had her as a teenager and now she's with my mum). easy to train, not yappy, entertains herself, big personality, sociable, plucky, smiley! She always walks up front and can go for miles!

Lala, yours is gorgeous. My girl is the opposite, dark as a pup and cream as an adult!

Oh, and shes very good with kids and other dogs. Will take herself away if she fed up, never shown a slight bit of aggression

What about a Wheaten Terrier or a Shitzu cross. My mum had a Shitzu cross and she is gorgeous.

Coton de tulear - gorgeous breed. Very easy to train, great with young children, very affectionate, good with other dogs (ours is the only dog my friend's dog has ever liked and he adores her) , can walk all day with you if required or equally happy to just snooze next to you and also ... seriously cute

Lhasa apso, ours was house trained in a week or two, loves walks and lazing about equally and is the most loving gentle laid back dog we could have wished for. He is wonderful with our young children.
He is fine home alone and only barks when someone comes to the door just one or two barks which is helpful sometimes if we have missed the knock.

Cockapoo (Crocker spaniel poodle) .
Good size (tallish legs but very light)
Extremely good temperament, fantastic with kids and super friendly.
Ours is anyway but anyone else we have met who has one so far has said exactly the same thing about theirs.
Even PILs who have never had any dogs and say they dislike them love her.
She's is extremely good with our DS (1.5) and very submissive to other dogs (might help with integrating), she's super happy as long as she's just made friends.
Oh and no moulting!

If I had a bigger house I would have definitely gone for a goldendoodle (golden retriever poodle) pretty much exactly the same but bigger version.

Kind of like this but ours is all black (sorry don't have a pic of her on iPad).
They're kind of like teddies.

Kind of like this but ours is all black (sorry don't have a pic of her on iPad).
They're kind of like teddies.

What about something that is technically in the gundog sphere but most people tend not to think of as Gundogs? I'm thinking Vizla.
As a PP said, OP wants a lot of gundog traits, without a gundog breed.

Thank you all! Lots to think about

We are very much a herding breed family. We have always had GSD or border collie and don't venture far from this generally but my mums getting older and has a bad back so a GSD plus mine might be difficult hence looking for something a bit smaller and easier?
We did want to stay along similar lines although I see this will be more difficult than I thought!

We don't dislike gundogs but wouldn't really consider a labrador or spaniel etc. Also not really a fan of pointer, visla or weimerana