Argh! Going crazy - help me pick a breed

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My Fiance and I are finally in a position to commit to a dog in the next 6 months but I'm really struggling to nail down the breed.

We live in a 3 story house in a village with a small garden (8m x 4m)

Happy with high energy as have lots of time to commit to walking, obedience and agility
Medium sized or bigger
Can live with cats - so controlled prey drive

Breeds we like but have written off:

Pyrenean Mountain Dog - we were set on this breed until we bought this house last year. The odd layout and stairs wouldn't be practical for a breed that should tackle stairs until older.
Newfie/St Bernard - same issue with stairs
Bermese mountain dog - apparently not good with cats
Samoyed - prey drive
GSD - could be good by struggling to find a pup from working lines. Show lines look almost deformed with back so curved.

This is the current short list but I fear our garden is too small:
Rottweiler
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Labrador
Golden
Irish Setter

Any thoughts on our shortlist would be great along with suggestions I've not thought off.

“I didn't quite twig that the stairs thing was just larger dogs tbh and not smaller ones”

Down stairs especially is really bad for elbows and it’s larger breeds that tend to have elbow issues - though, not all large breeds have as high rates, I know smooth collies don’t seem to have them in significant numbers though not so sure about roughs for instance and because smaller dogs growth plates close much younger.

I didn’t think you were being a knob about stairs, lol, I was genuinely impressed I can carry my current dog although awkwardly, he’s about border collie size, my rottie I used to have to do things like lift his front end into the car then his back end.

@tabulahrasa I've read schools of thought that say if you train to walk slowly up and down stairs and do sparingly it's fine. But still risky for a huge vet bill.

I was blessed with being stocky. I won't ever wear high fashion but am surprisingly strong

Re the stairs, it's actually not a bad thing to have a 'no stairs' policy - we keep our big hound to the ground floor only and it's noticeable how much less doggy/hairy it is upstairs. Plus, overnight visitors don't get surprise awakenings unless she slips through the baby gate.

“I've read schools of thought that say if you train to walk slowly up and down stairs and do sparingly it's fine”

Well no stairs ever till they’re adults is unrealistic and they then might not be able to work them, lol, but I was kind of more assuming that 3 storeys means a lot more up and down stairs than a 2 storey where a dog could pretty much stay in the main living areas without doing stairs.

@BlueSkyeThinker growing up we had the same policy, along with no dogs on the furniture. We will have a no bedrooms policies (mainly because that will be the cats safespace) unfortunately our lounge is upstairs and if we are spending an extended period in the lounge it wouldn't be fair to leave a social dog downstairs for a long time.

The Irish setter is a fantastic dog. I can't think of anything bad about them. Working bred more sensible and has a less exaggerated physique. Love love love.
The garden size is not an issue, it's just somewhere to lounge. You will be out and about lots.
Plus they are only a medium-to-large breed so you won't have to stress about the steps.

@tabulahrasa ahh, maybe my post was just confusing. We have 3 stories but it would never be a case of free range charging up and down the stairs. But controlled downstairs during day, upstairs during evening (no dogs in the top floor bedroom, in theory).Gradually teaching slow and steady use rather than running. But will mainly be easier and less risky to carry - which couldn't even begin to do with a year old giant breed.

“But will mainly be easier and less risky to carry - which couldn't even begin to do with a year old giant breed.”

There’s a fair overlap in size with large and giant breeds...a male rottie is a similar weight range to a female Newfie... and you’ve still got a fair amount of time where they’re adult sized but haven’t finished growing.

You’ve also got to factor in the other end of their life too - you’re likely to get a couple of years at the end of a dogs life where stairs are an issue.

If it was me, I’d be looking at smaller still tbh - because it’s lounge to outside that you’d be doing a lot and it the lounge is upstairs...

@Squeekyturtle and @Dora26 it's looking like the English springer is a favourite. We'd never really considered a smaller dog but would actually suit what we need perfectly.

@tabulahrasa I agree I think we need to go smaller. I need to do more research but liking the look of a Springer. Not one I'd usually have considered as on the smaller side. But as others have said they are easy to train and it overcomes the stair issue

Dalmatians need a specific offal-free diet and can't have purines as they can lead to sudden emergency surgery needing to be performed.
Whilst loyal and loving and great with children in my experience, they aren't an easy first-time dog.

We have a female working lab and I can still carry all 26lg of her up and down the stairs

She didn't go up/down stairs in the house until over 6 months. Now she walks up and down once or twice a day which I'm comfortable with at just under a year (I work upstairs). It took us a while to train her to go downstairs, she insisted on being carried for months!

About the prey drive. We have 2 cats and a whippet puppy which is about the most prey driven breed out there. She chases a bit but only as she wants to play. She also is desperate to curl up with them and cuddle... they are less keen. We make sure they have plenty of places they can go to have peace and quiet but I think introducing a young puppy to mature cats makes a big difference so don't necessarily rule out breeds with high prey drive.

What about a working golden retriever (also know as field golden retriever) we have those as well as HPRs and the Goldens are much easier to handle than any of our HPRs in terms of general temperament (very chilled, equally will go all day) and training (our HPRs are very good but the Goldens are more willing to please regardless of there is a more favourable option to consider) they are a slimmer build and more athletic than standard show lines, also typically shorter darker coats. A good breeder will also have done all the relevant testing in relation to hip/elbow scoring, eye tests and also some of the genetics testing relating to the breed. They are also very adaptable due to their easy going nature so if circumstances change, such as suddenly having kids, new pets, house moves etc they are the go with the flow type of dog who just make the best of things.

@LostArcher

Rough collie. Chilled. Bit noise reactive so socialise early to fireworks and loud bangs. Will go all day or sleep. Coat just needs ten mins with a slicker brush regularly. Very huggy, snuggly. Doss easy as a puppy and to train. Pic of mine

Sorry but this dog is absolutely beautiful!!

We live in a house with lots of stairs and have a golden retriever. We did carry him up and down for a long time - I can't remember how long, but he was definitely big and heavy when we stopped . We could probably still just about manage if we had to - he's roughly 32kg. He manages the stairs really well and probably goes up and down max twice a day, as we only really use our upstairs sitting room in the evening (have reception room downstairs too and a sociable kitchen). We have just got a lab puppy, so about to start the stair carrying again!

Oh, and we have managed to keep the 2nd floor dog free - he knows he isn't allowed up there and doesn't try.

Not all large breeds have issues with stairs.
My great dane pup was perfectly fine going up and down stairs at about 12 weeks onwards. No impact on her joints as she walked quite gently up and down.
Current puppy is my third dane, and none have had any issues with stairs, and none have had any joint problems. Don't know about other breeds, but the biggest thing with danes is having a food that has the right balance of protein, fat and calcium to ensure steady rather than fast growth.
Still have to pick her up to put her into the back of a large SUV. Currently at almost 30Kg.
Luckily the big boy jumps in, as he's over 80Kg.

@blahblahx Thank you. People do stop and stare particularly when she looks like a lion in long grass. However, not very beautiful after rolling in mud yesterday....

@Random65

Not all large breeds have issues with stairs. My great dane pup was perfectly fine going up and down stairs at about 12 weeks onwards. No impact on her joints as she walked quite gently up and down. Current puppy is my third dane, and none have had any issues with stairs, and none have had any joint problems. Don't know about other breeds, but the biggest thing with danes is having a food that has the right balance of protein, fat and calcium to ensure steady rather than fast growth. Still have to pick her up to put her into the back of a large SUV. Currently at almost 30Kg. Luckily the big boy jumps in, as he's over 80Kg.

There’s a huge difference though, between making sure they’re careful in a normal house layout and one where the living space is upstairs so you’re having to get them up and down every time they go outside.

I've just noticed more posts have been added.

We are pretty my set on a Springer but also like the temperament of Vizlas. I'm going to visit a springer breeder who also has Vizlas (gun dog kennel) to have a chat as she is looking to have a springer litter later in the year. .

Be aware that Viszlas are know a Velcro dogs for a reason

They do not like being alone - my cousin has one and it's eaten her bed (frame and mattress) and her sofa lol.

You need to work really hard on getting them comfortable by themselves from day one.

One of these. Just why wouldn’t you? ❤️

I can hold him in one hand 😉

A staffie. Everyone should have a staffie.

They're wonderful dogs. They love people, love a walk, but would be happy to lie about for most of the day if you're busy. Very greedy, and a bit stubborn, but so beautiful and funny and playful.

I've had 3 and the two I had as puppies were great with other dogs. The current rescue not so great, but that's entirely the fault of the people who didn't socialise her at all when she was young.