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

Our Lurchers are very well behaved and great off lead. We also have dcats. Ds7 shares stories every night with ddogs.
They love warm outfits!

We had a dalmatian when I was a child and I wouldn't recommend them to anyone who doesn't have several hours every day to walk them or acres of land for them to run around on. Yes they're beautiful to look at but honestly OP whatever dog you get by the time you've had it a week it'll be the gold standard of dogs against which all other dogs are measured and found wanting. Our dalmatian was the best looking I've ever seen with many champions in his pedigree. He was also crazy, totally unsuited to ordinary family life, nearly died from the bladder condition they're known for and was almost impossible to train - we thought he was just thick but looking back I suspect he was deaf and we were thick! We loved him to bits though.
I would suggest going to a rescue, tell them your circumstances and your preferences, and see what they match you up with. You can always say no if there's nothing suitable.

@Anon2022

Looked at your criteria … Similar to ours at start of covid

We ruled out greyhound / lurchers as too variable in their walking needs , and too stubborn to influence

They sound great if you want a chilled home dog - but they take up a lot of space indoors. So long as they get a zoom run occasionally , they don’t actually want much of a walk … but may not want to walk or run when you do. Quite nervous and needy too
I actually think they are great for people who chose to be home lots … but we wanted a dog who would come outside with us

We met a few families before we rules them out

In the end - the low shedding made us choose a poodle mix
We looked at the current lot popular cockapoo but find them a bit too fizzy and emotional and bouncy

In the end we went for ALD. These are a mongrel with a fancy name, bred carefully for 6 generations so you know exactly what you’re getting ( they are not the same as labradoodles which are more random as they are not a breed that’s established , but a mix of 2 breeds and could take after one or the other but no guarantees
ALD don’t shed
Are people pleasers - great around kids
Are chilled in temperament - so long as they can get some time with you
They can walk and run
They can walk lots and won’t stop short and refuse like a greyhound might
But they can cope with less
They are clever and trainable and good at recall ( unlike many sighthoinds )

They can be miniature or medium size - so you can trust them to go on a pee pee walk with your soon to be teenagers … you cannot trust kids with a sighthound who might be away across the road as soon as it sees a squirrel

They are intelligent so you can leave them with a brain toy for a couple of hours and this will keep them occupied and happy

They are amazing dogs for families and don’t shed either

We have had zero issues for our lifestyle and our changing lifestyle over the last 2 pandemic years

We do however feel they are expensive amd waits are long . There are a few breeders and you need to get your name down quick . The breeders are also very “brand conscious” so you need to either sign that you won’t allow yours to have a litter Willy nilly. This means making a choice between getting neutered very early on or committing to enter their breeding program once mature which is very strictly controlled …

We went for the former option and realise that it may not be ideal for the dog as an individual to be neutered early on …

However - we can live with this selfish decision as we do everything for our dog and he is the best dog in the world and is happy and wonderful and makes our family perfect

The thing about Lurchers is it depends on the mix and background. I have had one with a lot of Saluki in the mix who was needy, but then he had a really bad start in life as well. My other boy is an old fashioned mix of Deerhound/Greyhound/Saluki/Bearded Collie, so not as leggy and supermodel like and he is an absolute sweetheart. Both were rescue pups, but with very different starts in life. It’s not uncommon for litters to be born in rescue, so they are then very well looked after and socialised and tend to be fostered before being homed as well (similar set up to my second boy).

Both happy to walk miles (generally did 5 miles a day with them - but sadly no longer have the first and the second is too old these days) but equally happy with a shorter walk and blast off-lead. Both were whistle trained, with impressive recall - at least until my current old boy went deaf!

We have a tiny semi and despite being big dogs, they fold up small and it never felt like they took up too much room, even with the two of them.

I wouldn’t describe either of mine as stubborn, in fact mine have always been desperate to please. I think a lot of that is down to bonding and making sure that all training is positive and fun. The one with the bad start was really clever, keen to train and quick to learn. I could teach him anything and he knew all manner of tricks.

My old boy, bless him, is not the brightest bulb in the box, but so keen to please that he really tries his hardest, so training took longer. BUT - he is the most emotionally intelligent dog I have ever known. He is really tuned into people and just knows when they need him to be with them for comfort. I have three dcs, one with ASD, one with a severe chronic health condition and one that (fingers crossed) seems to have neither. He has always known that he needs to be calm and quiet around my ASD dc and has been such a means of support to him over the years. He used to come straight in from school every day and sit quietly with the dogs for at least an hour to decompress. My middle dc (the one who is chronically ill) was 18 months old when we got him and they have grown up together. He has been a constant companion to him since he became housebound through illness a few years ago now. However, he has always been equally happy to play with the youngest, he just seems to really ‘get’ people and what they need. He has always been brilliant with my dcs and particularly careful and gentle, especially when dc3 came along when he was 5.

If you are interested in a Lurcher, I can highly recommend both EGLR and Lurcher Link.

Greyhounds and lurchers are lovely pets.

I get on great with my Chinese crested, but he's a bad bastard, to be honest.

@AgentPeggyCarterRocks

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?

hin@AgentPeggyCarterRocks

I've always had retrievers (apart from two Rspca mutts) but took on a 6 month old mini schnauzer after a relative died. Very different - the retrievers approach life with a "what shall we do next? What do you want me to do? Can we do something?" Attitude. The mini schnauzer was more like "you want me to do WHAT?" "Who are you again?"

Having said that - if you're willing to put in the training I think they are fabulous little dogs. It took 18 months for me to nail recall with the MS, but he's pretty rock rock solid now. More self contained than the golden retriever, wanders off on walks and I have to be aware of where he is - whereas the golden is always aware of where I am.

My MS is a sociable little thing, I know some are not. It's not a breed I knew anything about until I acquired this boy, but I'm very pleased with him. He adores children and is very gently with them. OTOH My golden is nervous of children she doesn't know.

I know some MS can be barky and vocal, mine isn't - he screeches when excited at the start of a walk, but understands a command to be quiet. Teaching him a "quiet" command was really useful, particularly in the car.

I wouldn't say he was MORE work than a retriever, but it was different, and I needed to think differently about how to get him to understand what I wanted.

I went to a really good training class with a trainer who understood breed differences. That really helped.

Big advantage - they don't shed
Disadvantage - because of that they need proper grooming. I cheat and send him to groomers. During lockdown I clipped him myself - it's not a big deal, but easier to have it done professionally as their coats Matt really easily when compared to my retrievers.

Right shall cross dalamatians off the list but think about schnauzers too

Hi OP, we have a springer-poodle cross. It's the first time I have a poodle cross of any sort, but I can really see why they are so popular. We found our girl through friends in the village, so know the owners and the mum. She's very clever, happy with a long or short walk, eager to please, and very gentle with my two small boys. She needs regular grooming, we'll have to wait and see if her adult coat is going to be more poodle or more spaniel, but no shedding so far. She does bark when in the garden but is settling down quickly as she is getting older. Already love her to bits!

I’d have a mini schnauzer. I’ve only ever met good ones, proper little characters and as far as I know quite robust in terms of health (though I could be wrong as I’ve never looked into it).

OP , regardless of the breed you chose, I recommend a bitch rather than a male.
I have one of each , started with the male and oh my god the bitch is a dream dog in comparison. ( they are Labs as I thought that was a starter dog, but black male labs are full on when young 🙄

@WhiteXmas21

OP , regardless of the breed you chose, I recommend a bitch rather than a male. I have one of each , started with the male and oh my god the bitch is a dream dog in comparison. ( they are Labs as I thought that was a starter dog, but black male labs are full on when young 🙄

Ha ha I am definitely insisting on a girl dog. With dh and 2 ds definitely do not need more boys in the house

I’ve got a male lab and he’s an absolute dreamboat of a dog. All young labs are full on but settle down with maturity.

I would say that looking at parental temperament is much more important than sex, consider that when viewing/choosing your breeder too. Does the potential dam (mum) match your wants in a dog? Is she too excitable? Too placid? How has the sire been chosen? His temperament should be matched to hers, for example if the dam is a bit on the placid side, a more ‘full on’ site might be a better choice to try to balance the pups personalities. I’d want to hear this sort of talk from a breeder, an understanding of her girls and their personalities.

@WhiteXmas21

OP , regardless of the breed you chose, I recommend a bitch rather than a male. I have one of each , started with the male and oh my god the bitch is a dream dog in comparison. ( they are Labs as I thought that was a starter dog, but black male labs are full on when young 🙄

Personality is way more important than sex. I know bitches that are an absolute nightmare, and males that are perfect.

It's not really a good idea to generalise based on sex - there are so many more things to consider. Lineage (working or show), the personality of the parents, is the dog neutered or not, what is their background, were they properly socialised, are their genetic health issues at play etc.

Agreed, @fairylightsandwaxmelts

My pointer is quite a good boy!! I wouldn't really call him a couch potato though.

We have a cavalier and she is the most amazing dog. So gentle, loving, affectionate, loves a long walk or happy to snuggle and sleep if it's raining. Rarely barks, eats well, easy to groom, calm, chilled and so easy to train and can do every trick I think a dog can possibly be taught. Best thing we ever got.

I plan to have loads when I retire.

Our pug is amazing. He sleeps about 20 hours a day, but he loves long walks and is surprisingly fast! He loves to run alongside if we run. He adores kids and is just the friendliest little boy ever! He is also not tiny, but fairly medium size. His favourite pastime is to sleep on the electric blanket. 😴 He is also super friendly to other pets. Very easy to train and just the easiest, friendliest lapdog

As someone with a cocker spaniel I wouldn’t recommend them for someone who wanted a chill dog! Ours needs two good walks a day and although she is very cuddly she is not low maintenance.

Hello!

I’d be very wary of any dogs with indoor rabbits!
Particularly lurches and greyhounds. It just won’t work.

But all dogs have a prey drive and I think even my cavalier would be interested in a rabbit for a spot to eat.

Cavaliers are lovely for first time dog owners buy as @lastqueenofscotland mentioned they aren’t always keen to walk. Ours enjoys it and goes for an 1 hour walk every day. Recall is terrible though and everyone I know who has one says the same. However a cuddly family gentle dog - it hits the bill! Cavaliers should not go out running though! Personally I think Labrador or golden retriever would fit the bill!

Agree ! Cavaliers were bred to be docile lap dogs … the ones I know are slow amd steady and not very playful or interested in learning tricks

Whereas lab types are much more amenable and good as running pets . I would say a Labrador or variant , and the poodle mix makes it even easier

My suggestions is of labradoodle therefor - can be a bit smaller than a on more approachable for small kids … more cuddle too

My (working type) lab has very little prey drive but lives for his ball. He lives with a cat, who he adores and out on walks is not remotely interested in squirrels, birds or any other small furry/feathery. That said, I still wouldn’t trust him with an indoor bun though.

Mine is pretty easy really and not at all needy in the house, he’s only 2 so very much a young adult. He needs a couple of good, active walks a day (off lead with sniffing and play, ideally including digging and water) but is happy to snooze for the rest of the day and loves to snuggle up with us on the sofa of an evening.

My kids are adults now though, so we are a calm adults only house. He definitely benefits from that. I would say that whatever dog you get, please make sure that the kids and dog have plenty of safe, quiet space away from each other.

@BalladOfBarryAndFreda

My kids are adults now though, so we are a calm adults only house. He definitely benefits from that. I would say that whatever dog you get, please make sure that the kids and dog have plenty of safe, quiet space away from each other.

That’s really good advice thanks

Will def look into labs and lab crosses esp labradoodles

Also going to contact some rescues just in case they are willing to work with us.

Our needs were very similar to yours. We got a chocolate lab, he’s the best. He’s now 14 was energetic when he was younger (not now) but was always very chilled when we needed him to be. Brilliant with kids and grandkids, has probably only barked about ten times in his life.

The only thing he was a pain with was pulling on his lead, but an extendable lead stopped that (took us a while to work that out).

I have a show cocker spaniel, she is my first ever dog, but as you say you don't want a high maintenance dog that's sheds and needs a lot of grooming, and they do. Maybe a working cocker would be better but they tend to have a lot more energy.
I have been thinking about future dogs and one I am really drawn to is the Italian Greyhounds. They seem to love long walks but also sleep a lot in between times.

We have a working golden retriever, male, 8 months. He needs a LOT of walks, sniffing and really, really loves other dogs. So much so that I’m thinking of getting another dog to keep him company…but oh, the poos! And the trying to find a minder if we go away.
I don’t know if a bitch or a show line might have been a bit easier…less active…He is so large. And so muddy. And the car is ruined. And soooo many huge poos. And the walks take up so much time.
But too late. The DCs love him. He snuggles in to them on the sofa. And I have lost weight.