2nd dog advice

[blindhorse1]

Hi, we have a 6 year old lovely black lab plus 2 kids (8&9) and am very keen to get a 2nd dog this year. I am around at home a lot and we are totally ready and committed to look after a new puppy! I had always thought we would get a 2nd lab but now I’m not so sure as our first is so special to us, we thought another breed would be good to try! I am also very keen on a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Our 1st dog is very chilled and whilst gets a good amount of exercise doesn’t charge around like a complete mad thing (well sometimes he does!) so think the two breeds would get on well. Does anyone have any advice on the 2 breeds together? Also any advice on 2 male dogs together or whether it would be better to get a bitch. Our lab is so gentle that I’m keen he doesn’t get dominated but we love male dogs! Any advice welcome. We are super excited but want to get this right! Thanks

Don't know if this helps at all - and it is just our single experience - but we adopted an elderly lab and a young cavapoo within a month of each other from rescue. They settled together brilliantly (lab came first, so was relatively established when the young upstart arrived) - not a lot of interaction, but friendly tolerance. Exercise wise, both were happy with a couple of 2 mile walks a day, along with some ball chasing for the cavapoo. Both were boys (we sadly lost our lumpy lab at Easter), and the little one knew his place early on, but would still sneak in and snuggle up with the old fella when he went to sleep.

We have a Labradoodle and a French Bulldog x Boston Terrier pup who make a great pair.

I wanted a small dog that was not too lightweight and could cope with longer walks.