Lab, whippet or daschund?

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I love them all!! I'm thinking either whippet or sausage dog as they need slightly less exercise and not as smelly/shedding hair!
However we are a v active family and run a lot so maybe lab would be better?! How far can labs run for?
We live in 4 bed (though not huge) with big garden. We have an estate car. I work at home now/with kids 2x days so around in the day.
Two young children but got over the very intense stage.
Anything else to consider?

Cost? Certainly medicines, worming treatments etc are dearer for larger dogs as they go on weight.

I would research the good and bad bits of the breeds and decide from there which suits your family the best.

My whippet is fine running 10k with me. He probably could run further, but I can’t. He also is happy with a lot less exercise as long as he has somewhere comfy to sleep. Very chilled and tolerant around the children. Doesn’t shed much. Not the brightest dog I’ve had, but maybe that’s just him. When he was younger he ran into logs/trees at speed a few times as was faster than his steering mechanism, which led to a few expensive vet visits.

Dachshund as a breed have back problems so shouldn’t go up and down the stairs. They also bark a lot! (They are hounds) apart from that they love cuddles and have such big personalities.

they are very different dogs. I have a lab, my sister a daschund cross, when we go for a walk, the lab is bounding around with sticks, the sausage is sniffing, and sometimes disappearing for a very interesting one. Lab excellent recall, never leaves my side, sausage not so much, though is improving.
Are you near water? Lab LOVES it, sausage more dainty.
would say they all need lots of exercise.
It’s a difficult decision

Dachshunds can suffer with spinal problems. Labs, we see a lot at work with cruicate problems. I'd go for a Whippet personally if those three are the only choices. But be aware, they can bounce very high! Nothing is safe unless it's on top of a ten foot cupboard or locked away 😁

Wow, so much variation in those dogs, in terms of needs and temperaments.

I think it depends on your expectations and how much the kids would like to do. Even as an adult I struggle to keep hold of labs if they're trying to chase or pull as they're such strong dogs, especially compared with the other two breeds. I doubt a whippet or dachshund would be great to run with so decide on whether that's something you actively need to choose a breed to do with you or whether that would be a bonus for a more energetic breed. We have a very high energy dog but tbh he's a pain to run with as he'd much prefer to keep stopping to investigate smells, etc., so I don't take him running all the time. He definitely prefers a long walk

Dogs with longer hair do need a lot more time and energy in terms of cleaning up compared with smooth-coated dogs, so consider how much mud you're happy to clean up daily.

Look at the temperaments of all three and see how they match yours as a family

Lab, but choose wisely there are slightly different sub strains of Labrador some are slightly smaller, differences in coat and character. Visit the breeder and see how the parents behave. The related pair of black dogs we've currently got are very easy going and do as they're told with minimal effort. The wayward yellow bitch we had for nearly 16 years we all loved hugely but no amount of training ever got her behaving well out and about.
Labs can run a lot and they're very good with small children. Not all labs smell our yellow one didn't, the boys are a bit whiffy but bathing them every 4-6 weeks and washing the dog beds frequently sorts that problem.

lilyfire just seen that you run with your whippet, I might give it a go with the one I dog sit for sometimes!

Have owned a Labrador and a whippet and both were lovely dogs. IMO both need an awful lot of exercise, especially the Labrador as they easily run to fat.

Our whippet was a nervous bundle or energy and needed a lot of time and reassurance. Not especially bright but beautiful.

The Labrador was clever, laid-back and affectionate. She developed arthritis, which I believe is a problem for the breed.

The only daschund I knew had bad teeth!

I’d weigh up very carefully the advantages of a dog that can run with you and the rest of their breeds traits. If the weather is bad you’ve no chance of getting a dachshund out running.

How about a whippet lurcher?
Depending on the cross it might have a bit more stamina and be less delicate than a purebred whippet? My Uncle has whippets and they are sweet and beautiful but are quite nervy/precious (hate the rain etc).
Some lurchers have smooth coats and look a lot like whippets but are a bit more robust. Lots of young uns in rescue too if that's an option for you.
How exciting. Good luck with choosing!

I’d go lurcher. Hybrid vigour an’ all.

Definitely rescue whippet lurcher! Dash is whippet lab cross and is absolutely the best of both worlds: friendly, resilient, intelligent, runs like the wind and can go for ages but equally can have a sprint for half an hour then sleep the rest of the day. He's only 8 half months so still has puppy silliness but shows every sign of developing the easy going low maintenance lurcher ways.

Thanks! Lots of food. Also like the idea of rescue greyhound. My friend had a gorgeous one a long while back and I was besotted.
Will look into whippets/lurches/greyhounds more.
Any daschund fans? I do completely adore them! I know I have v eclectic tastes 😂 will look into the health issues.
Might park the lab for a while as think they would need the most exercise and highest maintenance.

I love dachshunds. But I can’t see one fitting in to a very active, running family.

Just to add something else to the mix-have you looked at Borders? Can run for miles, but also happy to spend the day by the fire.

I would choose dependent on the breed, not as a running companion. Excercise for a dog means a lot of stop/start. They need to go back and forth, sniff, forage, pick up their pee-mails etc.A straight run isn't much fun. A whippet will also outrun you. If you want a short hair, non-shedding, non smelly dog who can take as much or as little exercise as you are able I would say whippet.

We have a Dachshund. Agree with RickOShay's comments, and that Daxis can walk and run for miles - they were bred as working dogs. They are quite vocal too. Ours is very affectionate and loves a lap to cuddle up on. He's very good with children and other dogs - cats and small furries not so much! He doesn't shed much hair at all (and he's long-haired). He has a cheeky personality, is quick to learn, although training very much depends on how stubborn he is feeling that day.

Re the issue with their backs, our vet advises keeping an eye on their weight, as being portly is the main cause of their back problems.

Mine's a smallish lurcher about the size of a tall collie so could be whippet, we rescued her and I think there are quite a few in rescues . Our last was a lab and they have similar nice temperaments, she's quite bright from the collie side of her. A friend with collies who does agility said she would probably do well at agility too. She loves to run but she does likes to run free and zoom round super fast, but I think she'd enjoy joining in a human run too. If a jogger comes in the park she seems to enjoy following them round if they don't mind.
I love daxies too they are so cute. But I always say I will get a little dog like that when I'm an old lady.

We have a whippet and DH is out with him just now for a run.
Am not a dog expert but met various lab owners and it seems labs are much more high maintenance, at least in the puppy stage.
I totally understand why you are considering dachshunds - again, don't know anything about them, but they are so charming! One advantage of a dachshund is most definitely that they are more portable than a whippet (ie taking them on a bus or on the tube if applicable).

We have a working whippet, and compared to my friend's show whippet, he is more sturdy - not nervy, doesn't have a sensitive stomach etc.

Check pet insurance costs for all three breeds - the monthly cost varies immensely. Cross breeders are much, much cheaper to insure. I have a cross breed (labradoodle)and a friend had a viizla pup which were the same age. Hers cost 2.5 x as much as mine to insure per month, which over the lifetime of the dog could run into thousands.

Also, a sausage dog's long back can bring lots of health issues. They have a high prey drive and their recall isn't good. They do look very cute though

If you don't like shedding their are many dogs that shed very little - some of the poodle crosses (although not guaranteed) schnauzers, Tibetan terriers, soft coated wheaten terriers, etc.

Good luck finding your family member.

A Springer spaniel or even a 'Springerdor' would suit your active family. Great recall if trained properly and will run for hours, but also love a cuddle and are smaller than a lab.

Daschund if you want something small to cuddle and play with, not so much for running!

I don't really know much about Whippets except that I WANT ONE and they love sleeping when they're not exercising

Completely agree Merrylegs. It always concerns me when running is the only outdoor activity a dog gets.
Dogs experience the world through their noses and can't do that if they aren't allowed time outdoors to potter and sniff.
Not that the OP is suggesting this at all, just a general point.

I don't know much about whippets.

Labs are highly food oriented and have tons of energy, they're rather immature until around 6-7 years old when they calm down. Very intelligent dogs, easy to train and beautiful temperaments. They love snuggles, but can walk/run for miles, they also swim! Labs do shed a lot, so be prepared for lots of housework/vacuuming/dusting and they also tend to suffer from back and hip issues, and treatment can be expensive.

Dachshunds are good companion dogs, love snuggles. Can be jumpy/snappy with sudden movements in my experience. They bark a lot and obviously wouldn't be able to keep up if you were running. They're quite yappy dogs but don't shed.

All those breeds need long walks, especially the dachshund. They have loads of energy that needs to be burnt off or they can become destructive.

I would go for the whippet, loves to run but also lazy when in the home.

The trainer who helped when our dog was a pup said that ideally she should have two walks a day - one for exercise and one he called a “television walk” where she could stop and sniff and fossick about - the canine version of watching the news, a nature documentary and a soap opera!