Does anyone regret the breed they chose?

[LostFrog]

Asking for a friend

We have a 13 week old springer. Considered beagle (scared off by tales of appalling recall and difficult to train), Labrador (2 horrid barky ones next door and decided too large for us), whippet (my first choice, but had heard horrors of accident proneness and high prey drive and we also have a cat), various others I can’t remember. Chose a springer in the end largely because dh grew up with one, but also because we wanted a dog that would enjoy a good couple of long walks a day, easy to train, not too big.

I keep wondering whether we made a mistake. Don’t get me wrong, we love him, no going back, I just worry that he is quite highly strung - our dog trainer looked at his pedigree and said because there were lots of field trial champions in there on one side we may find that he has a high drive and will be challenging and will need to be kept mentally occupied - so walks without a purpose incorporating lots of sniffy games will make him anxious because he needs to know what he’s doing it for. For some reason this has really worried me that even when we are past the puppy stage we will have a difficult dog. The breeder breeds for pets, not as working dogs, kennel club assured.

Is this just normal puppy blues? Did anyone else not regret getting a dog, just felt that they had picked the wrong type of dog?

@toastfiend I've run out of suggestions then, short of actually working her. Good luck! If she is a young dog she might calm down - fingers crossed for you....

@Grumpyosaurus thank you for trying but no need for suggestions, although I appreciate the effort. We love her very much, quirks and all, we'd just think very carefully before we have another! She's too loud to work, when she gets excited she howls and squeals at a deafening level and she makes a constant low level whine when asked to sit still for any period of time, she wouldn't be welcome at any shoot as a) it's annoying and b) no one wants their dog to pick up the habit.

She's almost 7 so think she's done all the calming down she's likely to until she's truly geriatric. She had a spinal stroke a few years ago and that didn't make much difference once she'd got her mobility back. Make no mistake, though, she's very loved and we're knowledgeable on the breed and manage her well, but she is extremely challenging and we most likely won't have a GSP again in future for fear of another like her. The GSPs I grew up with were much more laid back, but we had a lot of land and they were given free rein of it. She'd be better off with a life like that, really, but sadly I don't have the means!

@Woofington

Ah *@toastfiend* I feel your pain, got one the same. The cuddles make it worth it …and when you’ve tired her out, it is a sense of achievement I’ve never had with another (normal) breed. Last was a lab, and secretly smile when lab pup owners say they’re hard work. Lab X1000

Haha, they're certainly unique, aren't they?! More like people than dogs sometimes. They do give great cuddles. Mine is currently passed out snoring after a few days playing with my parents' dog, and we are enjoying the sweet, sweet peace! 🤣

I think it's common to have these thoughts about all dogs when you get them from a puppy.
I grew up with cocker spaniels and loved them but thought I'd try a Pomeranian. He seems really excited and animated 90% of the time. I never had him neutered so wants to spray his scent everywhere.
He doesn't bark excessively though which I've known other people with Pomeranians do.

He's 12 years old now and I definitely made the right choice. Even if it was hard in the first year. He's a lovely dog and I don't regret it one bit.