Dogs for beginners

[Frazzled2207]

DH and I are both 'dog people' but he's never had one and I had them growing up so not completely clueless but that was a long time ago.

Now in our early 40s with two children (8 and 6)with a bigger house, working mostly from home (likely permanently) with a dog proof (fenced in) garden we are finally having the Serious Dog Conversation. We're not in a rush and may well not be ready for a year or two, understand that waiting lists are sometimes long anyway! So just at the very beginning of thinking really and would like some pointers on which breeds we should be considering and investigating.

We are not dead set on a puppy and not that bothered about 'pedigree' but I know rescues are unlikely to rehome a rescue where there are children; also I would be slightly wary of any adult dog where I didn't know the background.

General dog considerations
-we're prepared to walk a dog for a minimum of an hour a day, probably more at weekends
-we both wfh most of the time but assuming the dog is generally well exercised it would be great if he/she could be relatively chilled for most of the working day at least and not need constant attention
-ideally would be happy to run with me on a lead (not very fast)
-medium to large breed, not a small yappy terrier. Definitely not very large dogs though like great danes.
-not a dog that needs serious grooming and/or sheds a lot
-obviously needs to be good with kids albeit not particularly small any more.

Any ideas of breeds to start researching would be great.

Also a possibly stupid question. I get the impression that these days it's basically pay 000s (and wait months) for a 'breed', either from a reputable breeder or puppy farm (obviously won't go near the latter), or hopefully get lucky at a rescue. I wouldn't mind a mongrel as long as I knew about the parentage, is there a way to get a 'legit' mongrel puppy, from a family rather than a rescue? That's where our family dogs came from!

Thanks all

Avoid gumtree!
Proper mongrels were around much much more years ago. Dogs roamed. Fewer neutered.
A BIG issue is health. So people breed for money (puppy farmers) with no concern for health of parents or puppies. Or families breed as they want a litter (for no good reason) but fail to health test parents. Eyes? hips?
Some rescues will rehome with kids. But I agree you need one in foster with animals if you have rabbits etc.
If you want a pedigree you still need to be really careful to avoid puppy farmers. Contact the breed club.
Crufts has a discover dogs section. A good place to start.

@CMOTDibbler Brilliant, thank you for that - I will get in touch with EGLR. I'd be happier getting a rescue puppy anyway. And we're happy to wait.

OP, I've been doing a lot of reading up on breeds recently and the one I've kept coming back to (after discounting lurchers because of our rabbits) was a poodle. Reading through that list just now of breed characteristics of ALDs, it reads to me like all the descriptions I've read of poodles! You just have to get past the frou-frou. The dog underneath the pom-poms looks very gun-dog like but because they're so intelligent they're adaptable for lots of things.

I'd be really reluctant to get an ALD from a breeder that neuters early. From what I've read there are lots of health benefits to the dog from allowing it to mature hormonally, i.e. disbenefits if you don't allow that.

Golden Retrievers are wonderful dogs.

One of my DDs would love a golden retriever - it's the shedding that is putting me off! I'm not great at hoovering at the best of times :)

If you're prepared to put the time into training, how about a soft coated wheaten terrier or an Airedale? They don't really match your grooming requirements (you can take them to a groomers instead) but don't shed much.

Or perhaps one of the water spaniels, or a standard poodle ?

I am at the beginning of doing similar research, and I've seen Minature and Standard Schnauzers come up as being well oriented to family life. Does anyone have any Schnauzer experience and could comment, please?

Whippet?

@HonestlyFFS

A pointer sounds like the perfect fit - German or English. Amazing with children. Will take as much exercise as you can give them and would be thrilled to run alongside you but then would be an absolute couch potato at home. Incredibly affectionate.

Blimey a pointer as a beginner dog .

They need loads of exercise and training or maybe I only see the hard wired ones. Yet to see a young pointer chill out all day as a couch potato.

I only see ones with mega recall issues, hunting and strong prey drive that need a lot of outlets to be calm and a lot of training.

We have a mini labradoodle, she is utterly georgeuos. Happy for a long walk but equally happy for a smaller walk and occasionally she has no walk! Very chilled in the house, just loves to please and is a wonderful first dog for us and she is really easy to train. Also, no shedding 👌

Not a pointer!

Whippet or lurcher. Lurcher more likely if you want a rescue. I love EGLR. Whippets are nice and compact though, but can be quite lively as puppies. Perfect by 18 months to 2 though.

Yes, we were advised against a pointer as first time owners. Although if you met our lab out you might think she was a handful but she's actually super chilled inside so maybe the same is true for some pointers?

spanielaid.co.uk/available-dogs/

We have a springador and he has been the best boy ever! Used to come on my runs and think he laughed all the way at my slow running m. Sadly he is in the winter of his life. The above site has plenty of crosses or spaniels which make fab pets!

Good luck , decisions, decisions but it seems a fab home for a dog!

Lab
Poodle
Greyhound

Labs don’t shed that much if you use a furminator

All are great with kids

Really liking these ideas, esp greyhound/whippet/lurcher

Labradoodle not really thought of so will def investigate

Anyone got any thoughts about Dalmatians? You see quite a few round here though I don’t actually know anyone that has one. Such handsome creatures

@MiniatureHotdog

Whippet?

I was going to suggest a whippet as well. They’re a great size and love kids.

They can be playful and lively but have a proper ‘off switch’ and will happily chill with you while you binge watch TV and then go for a jog with you after if you want to.

The only time my lurcher refuses to move on a walk is when he suspects we're heading home. My last one regularly hiked up hills in the Peak District and also went up Snowdon. She was some sort of whippet terrier cross from the local rescue and she was the perfect family dog.
Sorry but I wouldn't trust my current one anywhere near a rabbit especially in a cage as they'd then be forbidden fruit.
I wouldn't get any dog that needed neutering early, it can cause all sorts of problems.

Greyhound or lurcher best family dogs gentlest natures and can do longer walks but don't need them every day

There’s no guarantee a Labradoodle won’t shed, most do. Many, in my experience, are also very lively and take a long time to settle down.

Blimey a pointer as a beginner dog
They need loads of exercise and training or maybe I only see the hard wired ones. Yet to see a young pointer chill out all day as a couch potato
I only see ones with mega recall issues, hunting and strong prey drive that need a lot of outlets to be calm and a lot of training

Absolutely! I’ve got a friend who, when she first got her Pointer, would regularly ring and ask me if I could collect her little boy from school because she’d taken the dog out mid morning and still hadn’t managed to get him back by 3pm 🤦‍♀️. Lovely dog but utterly nuts.

I grew up with Whippets and I think they can be a bit boring for the DC...
Spaniel types are better or maybe a Tibetan Terrier (NOT a Terrier but needs grooming!)

@Frazzled2207

Really liking these ideas, esp greyhound/whippet/lurcher

Labradoodle not really thought of so will def investigate

Anyone got any thoughts about Dalmatians? You see quite a few round here though I don’t actually know anyone that has one. Such handsome creatures

I really, really wouldn't recommend a Dalmatian.

They are big and energetic and were bred to run for miles as carriage dogs. They're stubborn, smart and also prone to health issues - deafness and often require a specialist diet, though I believe you can now get Dalmatians that are tested to avoid this.

They need considerably more exercise than one hour a day. I would also recommend against pointers for the same reason. They're very much working dogs and haven't yet had a separate "pet" line bred into them like labs and spaniels have.

Looking at your requirements, maybe take a look at whippets, schnauzers, staffies, show cockers or poodles (though the last two do need regular grooming).

My working lab fits this, aside from the shedding. He does shed twice a year, more if the weather turns and we get a warm snap in winter.

Pointer for a novice owner?! What?!?
Staffies are lovely family dogs and pretty adaptable exercise wise
I used to have Cavs and love them but I’m not sure how willing they would be to run. All of ours loved “playing” he that with other dogs/fetch/small agility stuff but didn’t really like walks? They’d get bored and one of them would go on strike!! The amount of times I had to carry him home!!
My aunt has standard poodles and always has and they are lovely dogs. When she’s slammed she can take her current boy out for half an hour + a “game” for him in the house and he’s fine but also comes out hiking with us in the lakes and goes all day. Lovely dog.
I think labs are a bit dull but perhaps why they are popular - they are generally sensible. Check hip scores
A friend has a show line cocker and he’s fantastic with kids and pretty easy to own.

No to a Dalmatian as a first dog or if you can only walk an hour a day. Also major major health issues to consider.

My previous next door neighbour has a lurcher,

They have three children - had dog some time before children were born - and he is amazing with them.

He will sit quietly and watch over them when they're playing but is always up for a walk.

They also have hens and rabbits, which have never been a problem. Having said that, they are experience dog people so that might have been to do with training rather than luck.

He's one of the most chilled dogs I've ever come across. Never hear him bark and an added bonus, he's very handsome .

Really lovely family dog.

Wouldn't recommend any sort of spaniel for a first time owner tbh, far too full on.

@MandyMotherOfBrian

Blimey a pointer as a beginner dog They need loads of exercise and training or maybe I only see the hard wired ones. Yet to see a young pointer chill out all day as a couch potato I only see ones with mega recall issues, hunting and strong prey drive that need a lot of outlets to be calm and a lot of training

Absolutely! I’ve got a friend who, when she first got her Pointer, would regularly ring and ask me if I could collect her little boy from school because she’d taken the dog out mid morning and still hadn’t managed to get him back by 3pm 🤦‍♀️. Lovely dog but utterly nuts.

Maybe we’ve just been lucky but all of ours have been amazing and yes, we had a pointer as first time owners. Ours all from show lines not hunting lines so perhaps that’s why?