Recommend us a breed - long term planning

[pastypirate]

Hi folks.
After we have moved house so in around 12 to 18 months time we would like to consider a second dog. I already have a show cocker (thick as mince and pulls like a tank - bear with me this is relevant). He is a cherished and settled boy - we have no issues providing the correct amount of exercise and I work from home - he is left alone but rarely more than a couple of hours and honestly he doesn't care - listens to radio 4.
We as a family enjoy lots of girls and beach walks plus the power walks I do each day for mh reasons. We have a caravan so he comes with us on holidays. Hoping I've answered the dog friendly lifestyle questions.

Dd2 would like the second dog to be her dog. She is now 9.

My spaniel doesn't like shi zhus or cocker poos for some reason though he's fine with a friends chihuahua and with dogs he gets to know.

Dd2 wants a small dog that is less likely to pull on the lead and is very cuddly. I think a staff - she likes the look of terriers.

We love dashies but I'm worried my boy is quite boisterous and they are delicate!

We have rabbits so strong prey drive isn't ideal - my spaniel annoys the rabbits daily they don't need anything worse than the loudmouth idiot he is.

I would like a more intelligent breed than my show cocker - he is honestly the Father Dougal of dogs! He is 7 though we would enjoy a puppy it's not essential.

Yes - we would consider a rescue.

@crosstalk

Ah, you've fallen for the "it'll be my dog" palaver. Your dd is 9. If the dog lives to a decent age, dd will be away at uni/working when the ddog is 9 itself. Is she really going to feed/walk/train the new dog? If so, great. If it's just going to be an animated toy for her, not so much.

And not a staffie if she doesn't want a dog that pulls and you think another scent/prey dog would be a bad mix.

Best of luck.

Ha! Sage advice of course but I wouldn't get a second dog if I didn't want/accept it's my responsibility ultimately. I already have a dog (and a bun and 2 kids) alone so my whole life is massively inconvenient already 😂

I'd get a second dog just for me - it being somewhat the choice of dd2 is just a bonus.

We already have an excellent and very reasonably priced groomer for the idiot spaniel. I'd prefer a short flat coated dog but I'm a bit whatever about it - the positive combination with existing dog and the less likely to pull on the lead but playful are the priorities.

Whatsmore I just love dogs. I've told the dds that as adults if they get their own dogs they can dump them me whenever as long as they have dogs that get along with mine. And not a bloody husky 😂

I wouldn't go for a staffie if I was letting a child walk it. They pull.

What about a Boston terrier. Short flat coat which is no effort, allert, playful, but less prey drive, easy to train, fairly robust, love hugs and not strong enough to pull a child over. They are known to be intelligent and good with children.

I have a half staffie, half Boston. He's soppy, much easier to walk and train than a staffie, not as strong, loves attention and people, and unlike a staffie he is gentle. Still comical, and playful though.

Working Cocker all day long.
As long as you have the time for the exercise he wont need to actually work.

We are well into the twilight years of ours and now at a stage of much sleeping but as a pet he has been more than we could ever have imagined!