Recommend me medium size, active dog breeds to consider?

[brawhen]

Could you helpful people recommend me dog breeds to consider?

We will be first time dog owners. We would be open to rescuing/adopting a young dog, but I don't think our inexperience puts us in a great position for this. Thus probably looking at a puppy.

There is me, DH and two teen boys. Dog idea is really being led by me, but they are all amenable; DH would definitely get stuck in.

We live rurally (in a small village, national park, direct access to miles of trails). We have recently moved to a large(ish) house, big garden (nearly an acre).

Between DH and I, we work from home 4 days/week. Both of us are full time. 1 day per week dog would ideally come to the office with us (it's our own business, so we are in charge of saying this is fine!). We can cover a fifth day at home for early puppy days, and there are local dog walkers if we wanted to change our mind and use them for the fifth day.

I trail run ~5 days/week and would VERY much like the dog to become a running companion. We can offer lots of weekend walking time, likely including bigger expeditions/hillwalks on many weekends. Definitely 2 good walks/runs per day during the week (and probably additional short ones). I know that the running & long walks will take at least a year to build up to.

Dog would need to do an hour's car commute & back once or twice a week.

I very much like the idea of investing in training the dog. Obviously I've never done it before, but I think (hopefully!) I'd quite like the process. Training good manners and good recall would be high priority. I quite like the idea of gundog-style training, and there are agility classes & similar locally too.

To counter my inexperience (a bit!), I have lots of friends with dogs and a highly recommended trainer very locally.

We're looking for a medium sized dog. To give you an idea, these are breeds I think I might like (though not all for good practical reasons!)

• Cocker/Springer/Sprocker Spaniel - they are good runners, you see lots locally round here, they are beautiful. But reading about them puts me off as everyone says crazy...
• Border Collie - my grandad had one (as a family pet, not working) and I have fond memories. Very trainable. Next door have a super-chilled, well behaved, 10 month old collie - I had assumed he was an adult dog, no puppy madness evident! My dog-owning friends also suggested a collie. But reading about them the advice says not as a first dog.
• Labrador - this seems to be a sensible choice? But probably on the big side of what we imagine, and you see lots of chunky labs that don't look like they'd like to go on a 10 mile run with me...
• So I thus started to google collie / lab crosses ??

Breeds we are not keen on

• Anything 'toy'
• Anything enormous
• Anything that cannot (with practice and as an adult) run 10 miles or hike up a munro

I don't think I'm bothered about boy vs girl (we would spay/neuter anyway). Don't mind a bit of hair, but I guess lower grooming maintenance would make it easier.

We have enough £ for vets, food, etc.

Am also reading up on Beagles. I don't know anyone with a beagle as a pet, I think I've only ever seen them out in packs.

Border terrier. Awesome dogs, loyal, good with kids, and will walk/run for hours

Beagles can be tricky to trust off lead if that's a thing for you. They are prone to following their noses and just keeping going

My lab runs 10 miles with DH every lunchtime 🤷‍♀️ she is female and only 30kg compared to males at 40-45kg.

Bare in mind though, it takes time to build up to the level of activity you are aiming for. Dogs walk outside from 3 months of age, but medium and large breeds are only only 5 minutes per month until they get to 12 months, twice a day. So long hill walks, runs will be 12/18 months away.

I bloody love labs though, faithful, loving and a dream to train. Working lab over show type for fitness.

Another terrier advantage is that you don't have to wait as long for them to become your running buddy. You can run them once their growth plates have fused which takes longer for lab-sized dogs

I have a springer/lab cross. He will run for hours but is currently asleep at my feet. Total couch potato in the house, long distance runner on walks. Also does not chase anything and his recall is 100% perfect so far, fingers crossed it stays that way. Really easy to train.
I also have a border collie who is reactive, will chase runners and cyclists and is a very nervous dog.

I have a show cocker who would love the lifestyle you have. Spaniels are so so loving too

@MalbecandToast that sounds good. Working lab of petite parentage stays on the list!

A couple of people have mentioned the wait until a dog would be ready for longer walks/runs. Yes, I'm prepared for that to be at least a year and maybe two.

Agree 100% the chunky labs are show lines and allowed to eat too much (genetically labs are always hungry) and not exercised enough.

I've got a very similar working lines bitch who is pretty small and lightly built - nothing like some of the big chunky ones. Knee height on me (I'm 5.6).

She's fit and comes on runs and bike rides. She can stand a lot of activity but equally less if needed.

Given your levels of activity any dog you get is going to be fit. The thing with cockers/springers and their crosses that you will not only have a very active dog naturally, but a very fit active dog.

Who will go loopy if for whatever reason you can't exercise it. Borders are fab but not a first time dog. Very clever and very much bred to herd and be working dogs. Get one for your second dog!

If you'd go bigger (but lightly built) and want a dog you can't tire out at all then a pointer.

Only joking. They gorgeous but you'd need to be running all day.

I am going to give a shout for a proper poodle. Not a cross. Medium sized - keep their coat short and you've got a fabulous, extremely athletic and clever dog. Their coasts can suck up mud and water if they are not closely clipped - short haired breeds have the advantage of being a lot easier ti clean after long runs.

So... working lab bitch!

@Recycledblonde Springer/lab cross sounds a possibility too.

Sorry OP will teach me not to read it properly!

Female labs are always much smaller than males. My dogs dad is HUGE! but she is small like her mother and sisters. Do get hip scores of thr parents though as previous poster said, all good breeders will do this.
In the past I've had 2 cocker spaniels and a collie and my lab is by far my favourite in terms of getting out and about with 😊her

Andrew Cotter of lock down Olive and Mabel fame does Munros with his working labs.

@brawhen I know someone with a sponger lab cross the same age as my lab (2) and she tells me it still completely bonkers - and it's used as a working dog and is on the go all day.

She envies my lab! - same energy when you need/want it but less when you need/want that.

For labs you have to be so so careful about who you get them from. Hip and shoulder scores are vital. Really, really important.

If you are rural chances are you'll find someone word of mouth.

Working cocker spaniel - i think they get the 'bonkers' rep because they are always busy and moving, adore people and exercise and are deeply goofy and playful. If you put consistent, every day effort into training and building your bond with them early on you will never know love like a spaniel!

I'd always go for a cross-breed now for health reasons (and not a 'designer' cross at that) as mine and friends dogs that are crossed have been so much healthier than pedigrees. Have to recommend a cocker spaniel x lab or I think a collie x lab is doable as long as you can commit to a lot of training. My two most trainable dogs (and absolutely lovely mannered!) were my GSD x lab and current cocker x lab (although he is higher energy).

she is female and only 30kg compared to males at 40-45kg.

30kg would be very large if trim for a female working lab. Most I know (including my own) are between 23 and 26kg. Only mentioning as the OP is concerned with size.

I’ve had a border terrier and although he could run miles and miles he much preferred to run around sniffing for creatures rather than just running alongside me. We have a springer spaniel and they are very intelligent and love a good run but will settle in the house. They’re eager to please which makes them easy to train. They love company so will want to be snoozing nearby at all times. Your lifestyle would suit a spaniel! Beagles are lovely but often have terrible recall so would need to be kept on the lead.

A Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever (Toller). They are the smallest retriever, a retriever, collie, spaniel, red setter cross.

We have a wonderful springer spaniel who came from
Spaniel Aid at 6 months old. There were hundreds of applications for him but they selected me based on living in the Lakes with fells surrounding the house and that I could take him to work.

He is 5 now and although loves a walks and good runs, equally loves napping on the sofa.

I have a GSP X GWP 20kg, goes 27mph when towing a scooter. Totally mad with a ridiculously high prey drive (especially likes hunting joggers). She's lovely but bloody hard work. Not for a first time owner.

Have a look at your local canicross groups.

For a second dog I would consider a Brittany spaniel or Airedale, both can run.

Show typed springers are calmer than working ones generally but will still happily do two walks a day and then sleep for a lot of the rest of the day. I have grown up with them and they are lovely dogs.

I'm going to suggest a setter. There are a few types and while quite tall they're not huge. They're not so popular these days and I've no idea why - every one I've ever met has been soft as butter, trainable and easygoing. They're gundogs so they'd be happy with your gundog training and they need an hour or two exercise a day but will happily do more. They don't take that much grooming either, they have wonderful silky hair.

Relatives of mine had a Gordon setter, he was a fantastic dog in every way.

Another one for lab/Springer cross. Ours is 15months now and is now mellowing at home. She can usually be found sleeping in my feet under desk when I am working but is always ready to go out on adventures.

In the morning she will get a 20min walk around the block, she will then chill till lunch time where we head out for my 5k off lead walk. Recall is awesome but on lead walking is terrible, she just wants to sniff!! We are about to start gun dig training to help with that and also channel her strengths.She gets more tired when she has to use her brain with hooper's training.

Toilet training was a dream, took about three weeks to be clean day and night. She is about 20kg, always happy but can be a tad excited and bouncy.

We say she is a mini lab with spaniel tendancies.

Golden Retriever! They are big but so easy to train, love running, very friendly - would give everything you’ve asked for.