Help me choose a breed

[T00much]

Have been thinking of getting a dog for a couple of years and now seriously considering it so want to do more research on what breed is right for us.

1. size - small to medium (our house isn't massive)
2. exercise - we have a small garden but live round the corner to a big park. We would enjoy taking dog for walks so don't want anything that wouldn't cope with a longish walk (3-5 miles at weekends)
3. We have kids so needs to be good with children (8&12)
4. shedding - as little shedding as possible
5. grooming - nothing that needs to be brushed every day
6. no droolers
7. temperament - friendly, playful but not too crazy and bouncy. One that can be trained to sit/fetch ball
8. Appearance - quite like a natural/scruffy looking dog. I like miniature shnauzers but have read that they can be barky and dislike strangers and a bit moody, unpredictable temperament and prone to blindness. Also like wirehaired datchunds but they are prone to back problems I believe.

Any ideas? I know a lovely cockapoo who ticks all the boxes but I'm worried about dodgy puppy farms

I have a working cocker. Fits all of the above, does shed slightly but i don’t groom her that much, two walks a day, amazing with kids... super quiet, I don’t know I’ve got her half the time. Amazingly responsive to train, the only downside is that she is a bit like superglue and prefers not to be alone for long. She doesn’t pine or chew, just sleeps if left alone but she’s very very much a people dog, very sensitive and loving nature.

sweet just looked them up. Exactly the sort of dog I dream of having but grooming puts me off

I've had kids and rescue dogs for years with no issues, neither of my kids ever got so much as a scratch from them. Our youngest rescue was 12 months and the oldest was 11.5years. My dogs have come from reputable rescues who use foster homes so the dogs come with a full assessment. My current collie is 8 now, but came from spending 3 weeks in a home with a large dog, a cat and a 3yr old child. He passed all tests with flying colours and is the nicest dog in the world - a true gentleman who can go anywhere.

I've never had to toilet or lead train a dog and I've never lost any items to chewing. My dogs are plug-in and go.

(current collie came from Friends of the Animals RCT in Wales, they rehomed him to us in Scotland nearly 7 years ago). There are lots of good rescues, try looking on the Dogpages forum for them. You might have to travel a bit, but it will be worth it.

KC reg means very little. It's a form filling exercise.
Mixing the breeds may mean fewer or double the issues. Nobody can tell you.
Can you clip cockers to reduce grooming?

dotdot ok thanks for tip, will have a look

If you don’t want to groom it that much get it clipped quite short or get the kids to do it, when I look after my friends he lies there whilst the kids brush him quite happily. They are fab little dogs. (Unlike my dog but that’s another thread)

Actually the kids would live to do that!

What dog do you have so I can avoid?!

I thought you meant get the kids to do the clipping!
OP a note if warning. Nearly 8/10 puppies sold in the UK come from puppy farmers. It's a huge job to avoid them. We waited years to ensure we were going to a decent breeder. She only breeds a litter when she wants the next generation of the breed lines.

Another vote for Tibetan or Norfolk terrier

You’re actually better off getting a rescue if you’re worried about behaviour because the rescue place can already see their behaviour. Puppies are more unpredictable.

For a first time owner, I’d always recommend a rescue too, puppies are so much hard work and many dogs are a pain in the arse til they are two or so too - so many end up in shelters for this reason.

Why not try fostering one for a bit to see how it fits into your life? I know a lot of people who’ve tried this and realised that either a dog isn’t really for them or they’ve ended up with a breed they would never have considered.

Do Tibetan terriers need much grooming?
Walked a Norfolk terrier the other day. Funny and cheeky little chap!

God no poor dog would end up with a mohican.

8/10 is shocking

Border terrier. They are fantastic.

Some are real terrier types, others are basically wire haired lap dogs with no interest in digging flowerbeds etc like their more terrier brained siblings.

To be fair, the dog that suits all your requirements best of all is a Staffie. There are some absolutely amazing Staffies around and they are wonderful with children.

Haha at Mohican. I am trying to learn to hand strip. Poor dog would probably look
Better if the kids did shear her!
Yep nearly 8/10. They rent houses and have stunt bitches to act as mum. They get families to pretend they are the breeders. Fake documents. And people fall for it. It's so hard to find really honest people. Not in it for the money who want to breed dogs for a purpose or to better the breed.
Rescue? Yes great. But not if you do want a certain breed or have cats and kids and no dog already to help it settle in.
It's a minefield.

The only part of your brief that a border terrier doesn't fit is the play fetch bit! Tug of war on the other hand.

Seriously though, they are lovely little dogs. Less terrier than some other terriers, very healthy breed, minimal grooming and shedding if you strip them about twice a year, great for long walks but happy with shorter walks if need be. We have two and they have both been brilliant with our kids, are not yappy or aggressive at all and really just love to be in our company.

Terriers get an unfair reputation but with the right socialisation and training they're no harder than any other breed. You just need to remember they're terriers. With some of he stories I hear about what other breeds get up to I'd take a terrier any day of the week!

Wolfie,I have my brothers Tibetan Terrier here with me all week, she is a wondering, cheeky wee darling, but her coat is a nightmare to keep matt free. You need to brush twice a day and even still you can find matts. She is a sweetheart though, but is very dominate to my gentle Irish Terrier - he’s a very laid back boy who is happy for her to be the boss.

English Setter. They have such a wonderful temperament and are one of the oldest working breeds so extremely domesticated and perfect with children. Ours is so gentle and sweet with our baby! They enjoy long walks and are very loving, minimal grooming except for feathers in the winter because they get muddy.

They are daft as they come but can be trained fully (off lead/recall) by 6 months.

They are very slobbery, but, I would take that any day for a breed that I knew was safe with children.

I'd recommend a miniature schnauzer... loveliest dog ever❤️🧡💛💚

A retired greyhound would tick all.of your boxes except size. They do however take up much less room than you'd think. I'm a childminder and my Teddy is wonderful with them, hardly moults and doesn't smell and is just as happy with a 29 minute walk as a hour one.

I'm sure Staffies are lovely but I just find them a bit scary looking..

I've registered with Borrow My Doggie to meet some diferent breeds as a first step.

Thanks all, must go to bed, lots to think about, lots of reserach to do

We have the perfect dog, a miniature labradoodle. We saw her with her mother and the other pups and I do recommend that you do that.

English setters are beautiful but excessive drooling is a no no for me I'm afraid.

OMG olive that dog is gorgeous!!

yourall how is he/she with strangers & are they yappy?

T00much, she is stunning and a wee character, but takes a lot of grooming.

Worth trying Cinnamon Trust to do some dog walking.
Perhaps find a couple of dog shows to see different breeds.
Keep an eye on rescues. Something might draw you in to do more research on the breed.