Breed Suggestions Please

[Didntcomeheretofuckspiders]

HTB and I are in the process of buying our first house together and will hopefully be able to get our first dog together next year. I’m starting to really research breeds and try to get a bit of a shortlist together. We are keen to get a puppy as we have rabbits already and small children in the family so feel it’s important that we are able to train and socialise a dog from an early age. We both have experience owning puppies/dogs and my parents have a cockerpoo (I’m prepared for the backlash 😉) whom we absolutely adore. We would consider owning a cockerpoo ourselves but I wonder if we would ever find one that lived up to the one we already love so much.

Our specifications currently are:

• A medium sized dog, up to about small collie size. Our house is a small two-bed cottage with a large garden backing onto farmland.
  
• An active dog which would be able to run long distances daily (the further the better in this respect but at least 10km on road and trails) and go on hiking expeditions.
  
• Low prey drive or very trainable (herding would be fine I think) due to the rabbits.
  
• Able to get on with other dogs as would have to spend time with other family members dogs and probably with a dog walker/sitter at times.
  
• Able to spend a few hours alone. We both work shifts which do at times overlap. Whilst we’d be happy to use a dog sitter or walker, there will still be times (once the dog is old enough) where the dog will need to be able to keep him/herself occupied for a few hours.
  
• Ideally lower shedding although it isn’t a huge deal breaker. I do love a curly or wavy coat tbh.
  

I have been considering:
Border Collie
Miniature Poodle (or potentially a poodle-cross... shoot me)
Working Cocker Spaniel
Brittany Spaniel

Any suggestions or ideas?

[Thewolfsjustapuppy]

Both my Irish terriers are very good with other dogs, not remotely bossy. The breed does have a reputation though which is unfortunate as, like with most dogs, it’s how they are socialised and raised that dictates how they behave with other dogs - they are not inately aggressive.

[Thewolfsjustapuppy]

The most loving and kind dog I have ever had the pleasure of owning

[Mrsknackered]

Springer Spaniel biased

[Didntcomeheretofuckspiders]

Not worried about dog ever being under-exercised as we’re both very active and spend any time we aten’t sleeping or working outdoors. DP is the kind of man who will get up at 4 to run 15 miles to an early shift at work so i’m more worried about the poor dog having to keep up with him! I know it’ll be over a year before dog is capable of going on proper runs but we will (unless this house purchase all falls through) have lovely walks around us and a good sized garden for playing in. We’re also planning to set up a cycling studio in the summer house so dog will be able to keep us company on long rides instead of having to go out and leave it.

[noitsnotteatimeyet]

We have a fabulous Toller and he ticks all your boxes other than low shedding (but it’s nowhere near as bad as a lab though).

Ours is the size of a small collie, very fizzy and energetic when we’re out and about but beautifully chilled at home, not very high prey drive (is terrified of our cats who boss him mercilessly), loves children, good with other dogs and is usually polite but reserved unless he knows them well (has excellent doggy manners, never bounces up to other dogs). He does need mental stimulation though as he picks things up quickly and gets bored quickly and a bored Toller is not a happy Toller... we do regular training with him, he does fun agility which he loves and we do things like ‘doggy parkour’ on evening walks which involves jumping on and off logs and fallen tree trunks and balancing on things.

He is quite foodie but only for certain things and if he catches a whiff of a croissant all training goes out of the window so we have to be careful near bakeries ...

Ours is a very smiley dog with an infectious enthusiasm and zest for life. If he kept a diary every entry would be ‘Best. Day. Ever!’

[noitsnotteatimeyet]

Here he is

[BiteyShark]

I have a working cocker spaniel and he is lovely. He gets on with other dogs and people and although he had a major hunting instinct for deer and other animals during his teenage phase he happily trots by all the roaming horses, cows and deers now he has grown up a bit but at the time I would never thought he would. He's happy to snooze as well as up for exercise but I have no idea how he would be for long runs as he wants to play ball all the time rather than go for a long hike (same amount of exercise but more fun for him).

[NewBrian]

A medium size high energy breed sounds suited to your lifestyle. I’ve a springer and my mum a lab, probably coincidence but both get on well with rabbits and cats despite not being socialised with them as puppies.

[ownedbySWD]

Spanish water dog! Ours is six months old and ticks all the boxes apart from prey drive, but she is very trainable and we are working on it. She is too young to exercise her hard, but she is a working breed so we'll be signing her up for flyball when she is old enough.

I have to keep her busy or she finds her own fun....!

[sillyrubberduck]

Springer Spaniels, exactly what you are after, maybe not so much the shedding. Amazing dogs, very active and intelligent hence trainable, low pray drive, mine caught a baby rabbit the other day and let it go on command, unharmed. Exceptionally friendly to other dogs, kids. I can leave mine alone for up to 4 hours with absolutely no problem if exercised enough. Medium size if of working type. Lovely, lovely dogs . Can't recommend enough.

[Haint]

If you like Vizlas would you consider rehoming something pointerish?

Our boy came via this wonderful organisation - Rehoming Cyprus pointers. yes plenty of uk rescues etc etc but not everyone is able to find a uk dog that suits them. these dogs have truly dreadful lives if not rescued and the ones I know of have adapted easily and make wonderful pets. They often have pups. Ours was 4 ish months old when we got him.

Their website isn’t the most user friendly but they have a very active Facebook page

[Fatjilly]

Get a Schnauzer. Doesn't moult, will do whatever you're doing whether that's running all day or snoozing all day. My boy is the sweetest, most gentle dog ever. He loves all people and animals and is the most 'human' dog I've ever known.

[Mrsknackered]

@sillyrubberduck yes, our springer (who sadly passed a couple of weeks ago) repeatedly caught squirrels and rabbits and let them go, always unharmed.
Sadly, I think one or two may have passed from shock.
They do malt, but if you brush regularly outdoors, I don't think it's too much of an issue.
Our springer was really wonderful. We will be definitely having another in a year or so.
He was from a 'working line' so shorter ears than show ones, slightly stockier build, he had a docked tail as it had been docked by the farmer beforehand.
We stumbled across the pups by accident!