Dog recommendations

[sunrise16]

Hello all. We are looking to get a dog for our family and would love suggestions/recommendations as it feels like a pretty big subject!
Ideally we would love a rescue but as we have young children (3 aged 2,5 and 8) I don’t think we will be approved.
We live in London but have a garden and all walk four miles a day at least on school runs so will have plenty of exercise.
Any breed recommendations? We don’t have
allergies so wouldn’t need one specifically for that.

I have always had Labradors and hope I always will.
But I also have a springer spaniel, who is good fun but not as chilled as the Lab.
If I ever get too decrepit to have gundogs, I quite fancy a papillon.

Labs can vary a lot in temperament. Mine is a dual purpose dog; he has both working and show lines in his pedigree, so he looks more like a traditional Lab and not like a lurcher cross, which some of the pure workers can resemble. He's lean and fit. Trials Labs are not recommended for pet homes and can be low on stamina.

Good luck with choosing your dog.

Thank you so much 😊

You can never usually go too wrong with a lab as a family pet.

We have a springer spaniel who I completely adore and I love the breed but would not recommend with small children as she is completely loopy and required a lot of attention as a puppy.

How much exercise?
How much grooming?
Are you willing to work harder on separation training?
How noisy?
Shedding?
How big?
Are you willing to train all their life or just the puppy stuff?

Loads of questions as most breeds make good family dogs if their individual needs are met.

Exercise - minimum 4 miles walking a day
grooming - happy to do daily and pay for experts as needed
willing to work on separation training
noise - not too fussed, prefer not too noisy but we are a fairly boisterous house!
shedding - ideally not loads but not too bothered
size - small to medium
happy to train as much as needed!

Working cocker spaniel. When properly bred they are lovely loyal dogs. They fit into pretty much any kind of environment. Not too big and not too small. Fairly robust if properly bred. Not too heavy on grooming, don't shed a huge amount.
Labradors make brilliant family pets too but shed a whole lot more than you might expect.
Whatever breed you settle on do your research, check licensing, health testing and so forth, and don't buy a pup out of pity.

Black labs , ime , are not as hairy as lighter colours.

I have 2, male & female, female was a rescue. She is calmer , but the male is very cuddly, and loves everyone, especially children, the ones who are on his level.

He is working lines but bred to look more standard, so is lean but compact. He was very high energy when young. The bitch has been easier to train, but to be honest she copies him, so he gets some of the credit.

There are many other breeds that you might like - standard schnauzer for example are pretty flexible exercise wise and not as yappy as the miniatures. But there is a good reason why labs are so popular.

Thank you so much all for the suggestions. I grew up with a cocker spaniel and loved her though she was very neurotic! My friend has a schnauzer and says they are lovely dogs. I’ve also had cockapoos recommended, any thoughts on them?

You May stroke lucky and get a rescue puppy- they are are usually children of any age.
Otherwise it’s usually age 5 plus.

We have a lab, amazing temperament.
Friend had a rescue spaniel - then had a baby he was also a great dog.

I personally wouldn’t touch a cockerpoo with a barge pole.

That’s interesting, why is that?
i think most of the rescue charities don’t consider homes with young children unfortunately as I would much prefer to get a rescue.

I would wait till your youngest is at school as under 5 and digs aren't a great mix, this is the main age group who end up bitten.

Also a working cocker is not a suitable family pet. It's a working breed and needs a job to have a happy life. Something like agility, or scent work.
Stay away from anything working line it's just not fair on the dog.

We had a lab when I was a child…. Dog had a lovely temperament but used to shed lots of hair.

we have a girl boxer, 3 years old… she is lovely with my children but is very strong so the kids cannot hold her lead on a walk. Does n’t shed a lot of hair but definitely needs off lead exercise. She is a lovely family pet and is loved by the whole extended family.

I am a dog owner and dog walker/sitter. My suggestion would be to visit some rescues (Battersea, Mayhew, Celia Hammond, Hersham Hounds etc all in the London area) to get a feel for different breeds, size of dog etc. Some rescues will rehome to families with children and you might find a lovely dog that’s suitable. I adore any type of sighthound (this probably outs me to anyone on here who might know me) and have always had rescue dogs and always will. However if a rescue wasn’t an option because of young children I have to say I have never ever come across a Golden Retriever that didn’t have a lovely temperament and made a brilliant family dog.

Rescue puppies are not unusual at my nearest rescue centre (I have one 🙂) but children need to be 5+. Which I think is wise really, my puppy will be medium/large full grown and her having zoomies and a bitey 5 minutes around a 2yr old would be so stressful (it's bad enough around my 7yr old). For that reason I'm surprised people are suggesting labs, they are a similar size and known for being very bitey as puppies. Unless you are looking for a dog, but if rescues are out then probably not. I know nothing about small dogs, but a sweet natured small dog would be less dangerous with a toddler I'd have thought.

whippet

To be honest I think most breeds are bitey as puppies. It is how they explore the world at that age so I would caution the OP about getting a puppy with such young children around.

I've had 3 rescues. A rottweiler, a doberman and a lab. Lab sheds incessantly and is way more demanding than the other two, albeit is also much younger and so more energetic. I don't think much training had been undertaken in his previous life either.

Labs also have lanolin in their coats and so have a distinctive smell (it's not unpleasant, but it is distinctive) in case this is a factor. Get a good vacuum cleaner if you decide on a Lab.

P.s.
Energetic usually equals easy to train, so don't let energy levels put you off. Mine is surely a challenge, but the improvement over a very short time is very rewarding.

Double check you can take the dog on the school run - my kids' school you have to walk through school grounds to drop off, dogs aren't allowed in and they get left leashed to railings, which isn't really allowed either.

I have never had a bad Staffie - loads in rescues so possibility to find one who is already well acquainted to being around children. My current Staffie is an absolute lamb with children, happy to Potter about quietly on the lead for them but also up for a run and a game of fetch with older children.

Try All Bullie Rescue, I know they will rehome to families if they have suitable dogs 🙂

Not a working cocker, they need off lead exercise and lots of training. Sorry but they are a working breed and are not suited to city living. Bred to work in the field all day.

Please do not go for a working breed ie spaniel/collie etc. These are dogs bred to be outside with a job to do, without a job you are tempting behavioural issues. They need lots of walks off the lead sniffing. I have put in 600 hours of training over 2 years with my working cocker as she is a working gundog. Everyone comments on how calm and well behaved she is, of course she is with 600 hours of training under her belt! You have to commit to breed appropriate training and have access to lots of off lead walks for working breeds.

Thank you so much everyone; this is all so useful (particularly the poster who pointed out re dogs on school premises, that hadn't occurred to me!)
Does anyone know if the concerns re boredom of cockers would apply to cockapoos as well? Or does the poodle part perhaps make them a bit calmer?!

In my experience they can be just as bonkers but with a neurotic streak. If you’re interested in a poodle cross then just get a mini poodle. They are fabulous tbh.

Lab. 100% the easiest first time dog. Working lines are smaller. Mine's a small working lab and she's perfect. I've had a lot of dogs and I foster for rescues and she's just the easiest dog ever.

Friendly, super trainable, gentle, trustworthy. I walk/foster a lot of less biddable dogs and it's a pure joy to have one you can literally take anywhere with you.

4 miles on lead is not as much as you think it is - not enough for most dogs. What are your plans for off lead? My working theory is that an on lead walk is roughly 20% of an off lead one in terms of dog welfare.

My lab gets 2 hours + a day off lead and she's fit, lean and heathy - and calm!

They are all food motivated - makes them really easy to train but you have to be strict about not feeding treats/scraps - too many labs I see are very overweight.

Miniature poodles are fantastic dogs. They don’t need to have a stupid cut, we give ours the same all over cut and she looks like a normal dog.

Doodles and working cockers are bonkers. Labradors are great dogs but are very boisterous for a long time.