Medium sized dog for working people

[Sleepinginthebathroom]

Right, i know I'm going to get absolutely flamed for suggesting I may leave my dog alone for more than 30 seconds, but here goes ..

We plan to get a puppy. I'm looking for some breed suggestions, We would like a breed that is medium sized (or the larger side of small/smaller side of large) and fairly athletic. Doesn't need to be a working dog or anything, but we will be taking it out jogging with us regularly and for example, a little sausage dog probably isn't going to appreciate that/will be bad on its back etc. Additionally, realistically if I'm going to be walking it as much as it needs, id prefer if the dog is a breed that I'm going to feel a bit more secure running with in the dark in winter for example. Again - a little pug is probably going to make me feel a bit more vulnerable if I'm out in the dark walking it on my own iykwim

I'm planning to take several months off work with a puppy, to train it, potty train, get it used to being alone bit by bit etc.

Once I go back to work there should be (and certainly will be whilst pup is still young) someone else home every few hours most days of the week to let them out to the toilet, or someone that can work from home some days, or if needed I can look at doggy day care or a dog walker.

When we are home in evenings, dog will get lots of attention, be walked at least twice a day, and get big runs (age appropriately) at the weekend when we have more time.

Will do training classes, look at activities to keep them busy during the day like food puzzles etc etc.
I say all this to make it clear that I'm not just getting a puppy like it's no big deal and then locking it up in the house for 10 hours a day and not caring.
However, my dog will, as it gets older, be left on his own for several hours, several days a week.

We’ve recently rehomed a staffy x whippet and although it’s still early days, I have to say I think he’s the perfect dog!

Great for running, not too huge, has demonstrated he can be a good guard dog (when my teen and her friend came in drunk at 3am), incredibly loving, and is seemingly really easy to train. Oh and he’s very cute!

We have a King Charles Cavalier crosses with a poodle and she loves long jogs and walks but can cope with much less excercise on a busy day. She is the perfect size, she fits well into a crowded house but isn’t tiny. She loves her sleep at night which will be good for you if you have a baby soon, she will happily sleep 9-9! She is enormously affectionate and lovely with kids. She barely malts so doesn’t create lots of housework. Ours copes perfectly happily with being alone 8.30-4.30pm four days a week with a dog walker coming in at 12 to take her out for a walk.

I have golden retrievers. Don't run with them until they are at least 2 though. They're not as huge as people think, mine are around 27kg each.

if you are thinking Vizsla size, what about a Boxer? They don’t deserve their reputation for being difficult to train as my sister has 3 from 3 very different litters and ages and they are all model citizens. Athletic and will keep up on long walks. Do snuffle a bit, as have short snouts, but nothing like as bad breathing as Pugs. More of a visual deterrent than actual guard dogs, though, as far too friendly.

The standard poodle is very under rated. Clever. Love the outdoors. I know they don't look like a guard dog but they are very loyal and protective of their family x

Whippet. Or lurcher.

We have miniature schnauzers, great dogs but I’m not sure how they’d get on with the running. One would love it, the other is very lazy.

Yes, standard poodle. There is one near us, such a gorgeous dog and her coat is so beautifully woolly. Lovely nature too and brilliant with other dogs ( mine adore her). Would love the running too.

Miniature pinschers are great guard dogs, but the barking at a leaf blowing past the house does get a little too much.... They're maybe too small for what you want though, although extremely athletic and will run for hours given the chance. I wouldn't worry too much about specific breeds not being good with children. It's more to do with the early socialisation. If you an on getting a puppy now and having children in the future, spend the next few years introducing your dog to, and spending as much time with as many children as possible. Even the softest kid friendly dog, could react badly to a new baby in the house if it's not been around small people before. Min Pins aren't meant to be good with kids, but ours are fantastic. I'd opt for a smaller breed if I'm being honest as I know no dog can ever be fully trusted with children, but the difference is when your children are old enough to be trusted alone in a room with the dog, you want to be able to trust the dog too, without having to rove it everytime. A terrier may nip, if provoked, but it couldn't kill a 7 year old.... A large breed dog could (and obviously we all know has) killed much older children, so this needs to be considered if you're going to have children. My 4 year old is perfectly safe in the other room with my dogs, if I'm busy, and even if she did hurt them (accidently sat on one for example) the worst they would do is yelp and run off. If they were really scared they may nip and run, but they certainly wouldn't clamp their jaws into flesh and refuse to let go. Border terriers are a nice, smaller hardy breed, German pinschers (a bit bigger but MUCH smaller than a doberman), Weimaraners, too big for me personally but I grew up with one and she was lovely. A small Lurcher type dog (my favourites!) could tick all your boxes, Fox terriers are gorgeous, and a nice medium size. Someone near us has a Labrador cross whippet, and she is beautiful. Much smaller than a Labrador, shorter fur, and more athletic looking, she's very obedient and friendly, maybe look into some nice cross breeds, or rescue puppies near you closer to the time you get a dog. Good luck!

Also meant to say, Miniature pinschers can vary in size hugely. One of ours is pretty big really, same sort of height as an Italian greyhound, and the other is verging on chihuahua sized! Think it depends on parentage, and unfortunately the breeders will be trying to breed for the smaller versions to fit the toy standard. Check out some of the Romanian/Greek rescues too, they rescue puppies and dogs from overcrowded kill shelters and bing them to the U.K for a chance at life. Usually you cover the passport and travel fees for the dog (much cheaper than buying a pedigree puppy!), and the rescuers bring them over once they've had their jabs and healthchecks. Obviously won't be a specific breed, but they desperately need homes and small/medium sized, athletic looking dogs, seems like the common types they rescue.

Why not get two? At least then they have company.

I have an ageing Springer whom I adore but he is rarely left alone.

I wouldn't worry about the size of your house as dogs left alone tend to just snooze in a comfy spot.

This darling dickhead is a smooth collie. Very chilled, socialises well and loves to run. He is alone for 2- 3 hours a couple of times a week and kips in his crate for that time. Any longer and he goes to day care, which he loves.

I'm talking 6 hours max once it's alot older. However between dog walkers, working from home, split shifts etc this should be very unusual - I'm just thinking realistically, maybe if I get stuck in traffic or a meeting runs over or something else umexpected

Six hours is too long. I go on the basis of 4 hours, with 5hrs max if traffic over-runs - for an adult dog. We're able to balance work so our Staffy has at most one or two full days on her own with someone nipping in at lunchtime to let her out on those days (usually just one full-day per week, and not every week). With half-days 2-3 days per week (this is most weeks) based on 4hrs (5 max). Fortunately I can do a lot of work from home, and most of the rest is local.

I'd look into doggy daycare for the working pattern you describe, and work on that basis when picking a dog. Check your local doggy daycare providers first and see what (if any) restrictions they have. I love our Staff, but I know some daycares won't accept them. And, in any case, she's not a doggy-dog - she much prefers people, and her pre-rescue history (whatever that is, we have no idea) has left her not particularly dog-social and inappropriate for daycare. Choose your dog carefully.

My dog is amazing:
Trots next to me if I’m running / cycling
Amazing with children and very gentle
Brilliant guard dog - can look and sound very scary but actually a complete softy
Doesn’t shed hair or smell
Super soft long coat
Super intelligent and easy to breed

The only problem is she was a rescue puppy from Ireland so no idea of her actual breed!

She looks / behaves like a collie x flat coated retriever

Breed?! Meant train!

If you're seriously planning giving dog plenty of exercise, consider getting a Dalmatian. in my opinion (!) They are a sensible size (25ish kg) so a not particularly strong woman can deal with them. Personally don't particularly like small dogs and wouldn't want one too big to restrain if I was on my own.

Mine have been great with kids and reasonably chilled IF WELL EXERCISED.
Having said that I rarely leave mine alone and I do have a small second dog.
Would recommend, whatever you go for, do meet the parents, preferably both. Both my dal's temperaments have been remarkably similar to their parents, but different from each other.

If you go for a staffy and want to take it running - be warned, they won't let you know when they need a rest, they will just run until they collapse. They are very unlikely to show that they feel any pain/distress as that is simply not their way. My current dog (unlike last dog) won't tell me when she has something stuck in her paw. Yesterday, she was limping madly and didn't really want me to look kept hobbling on- there was a (nearly) 3 inch thorn stuck in between her pads into her paw. I saw a horserider with a NOT very young JRT a week ago. She was cantering up a long grassy ride before her dog even appeared at the bottom of it. She then stopped to wait for him (in warm sun) as he puffed his way up the hill on his little stumpy legs. He had about 1 minute's rest before she was off again and he bravely gathered himself up and puffed after horse and rider once more to the best of his ability. I was horrified. I wondered if he made it or died before end of the ride.

We have a Spanish Water Dog. He is the best dog I've ever had. We had lots of dogs growing up/as an adult including setters, Dalmatians and Labs. He is still a pup but very biddable and smart. Once older will walk for miles. They are very active dogs, their coat needs minimal maintenance and they are incredibly loyal. However I don't think any young dog would do well being left for hours every day. Ours goes to doggy day care and has a whale of a time.

The thing is, nobody needs an active dog to run a few times a week... a dog bred to be active is designed to be active for full days every day of the week.

Active for a person isn’t particularly active for a dog...

With the exception of dogs that just aren’t physically up to it, the exercise requirements people talk about are a minimum - they’re absolutely capable of doing more.

If you need a dog that’s not going to be bored alone, you want to concentrate on that trait because they’ll be more than happy to get extra walking and runs.

And 6 hours is too long... you’d want to go for doggy daycare or some form of care that’s more than just a walk to break up the day.

I’ve got a lurcher, lazy as anything, only runs when he wants to, often stops walking altogether, he’d be hopeless 😂
Your main problem is you just don’t know how a dog will be when left on their own, mine is fine, often I can’t even find him because he’s gone upstairs to sleep or is in the garden asleep or in one of his many beds. Half the time he doesn’t even seem to notice when I’ve gone out.
I have a friend who got a puppy and whenever he’s left he barks, non stop, it’s very distressing for them and him. They had a very complicated and expensive series of doggy day care/walkers/dogsitter.
Currently her DP is not working and they have now found a dogsitter who will have him at her home all day when he returns to work, they love the dog but he’s made their life rather difficult at times.

Lurcher. They love a good bit of exercise and sleep the rest of the day

Another vote for poodles here! We have a miniature but he's on the large side - will take as much exercise as you can give him but then quite happy to chill at home. Loyal, clever, funny - not necessarily very vocal but ours is if he perceives a threat. If you want something bigger (and scarier-looking!), our friends have a standard poodle girl - lovely dog, very good-natured but would also protect her family from any perceived threat. Will walk/run for miles and as they don't have huge prey drive as a breed, can be safely let off lead!