Finding the right dog

[Clettercletterthatsbetter]

Finding the right dog seems impossible. Can anyone recommend me a low-shedding breed that is medium-sized (not bigger than about spaniel sized), good with children and not known for being particularly smelly (I had a Labrador growing up and he was a wonderful dog but good grief did he hum!).

I thought I’d settled on a Cockapoo (I know Mumsnet hates them so I expect to be flamed), but finding a decent breeder is impossible. Every larger outfit seems like a puppy farm and every home breeder could be seen as a backyard breeder!

So I’ve started to think that we might need to look for a proper breed, so we might have a better chance of finding a breeder who’s not just in it for the cash. Any breed recommendations welcome!

And yes, I know I should adopt from a rescue, but none will rehome to us as youngest child is 4.

I have a show x working cocker spaniel, and he is an absolute delight. However, my DH and I have said we'd go for a show cocker spaniel next (when we have kids etc) as they are not as high maintenance as working cockers.

Show cocker spaniels are calm, affectionate (lap dog!!!), great with kids/older people, intelligent (trainable!), very adorable and fluffy. I find their fur is easily washed and managed compared with a poodle/cockerpoo. They are also happy at home and don't require hours of walking (hour a day plus playtime at home would suffice).

Just to add there is a really lovely book for kids on dog behaviours and reading dogs body language written by our puppy school lady

"Don't hug Dug" donthugdug.bigcartel.com/product/don-t-hug-dug-soft-back-book

That's slightly incorrect about show cocker spaniels (as it is about most show breeds including Goldens/GSDs). I've had two show cockers in the last ten years (and still have one).

One only needed an hour exercise + a bit of playtime. The other (which I still have) needs three hours minimum of brisk walks (we're talking 14 miles) or she would be bouncing off the walls. She's 10, about to turn 11.

I've also never met a show cocker that didn't have some sort of personality issue/behavioural problem (resource guarding/reactivity etc) and I showed my girl for years...

Wheaten terriers are fabulous. Gorgeous family dogs with loads of personality.
They don't shed or smell but they do need a lot of grooming.

Samoyed ticks most of your boxes ... except grooming!
Saying that you need a good brush once a week and groom every 6-8 weeks so they're not too bad, and only blow their coats 1-2 times a year. They're also called Teflon dogs because they get covered in mud and it just falls off - bizarre!
Such lovely family dogs, medium size, intelligent, 1-2 hours walking a day is fine, especially as you've got a big garden

Miniature schnauzer

This thread makes me want to get another dog so much.

Thanks so much to everyone who has responded. I’m encouraged to see that the breeds being recommended are mostly the same ones I’d already considered.

Miniature poodle - seems to be the winner in terms of number of people recommending! I’ve always been a bit anti-poodle as there was one living across the road from my grandparents when I was little and it was horrible! It jumped and yapped constantly but I’m hoping that was poor training of one individual dog rather than indicative of the temperament of the entire breed. I’ll do some more research into mini poos!

Border terrier - do they not have quite a high prey drive? Same question for Mini Schnauzers.

Lagotto - these are such beautiful dogs but I worry about prey drive and tendency to dig? I’m not sure DH would forgive me if the dog ruined his veg beds!

Wheatens - prey drive seems like it might be an issue?

Show cocker - I love these dogs but I worry about resource guarding and (albeit incredibly rare) risk of rage syndrome around kids.

For those who said don’t get a dog, don’t worry! I just want to find out a bit more about these breeds, but may well decide we need to wait a few more years.

She does look pretty perfect! 😍

Show cocker - I love these dogs but I worry about resource guarding and (albeit incredibly rare) risk of rage syndrome around kids.

Just to say on this - rage isn’t rare. It’s about 10%. Different colours are more or less predisposed to it, but it averages out a little under 10%. That’s not rare.

The cocker I lost was put down after displaying rage characteristics. I had three different vets inspect him - all said the same thing. It’s also increasingly an issue due to inbreeding after cockers surged in popularity…

That being said, they are lovely dogs - and I would get another SCS again in a heartbeat. But I wanted to flag it’s not a rare condition - people play it down, and they shouldn’t.

I'd say a Golden retriever - if you dont mind the fur. Friendly and perfect family dogs.

I've trained loads of cockers - never met one with 'rage' and know a lot of trainers and behaviourists who are the same. Resource guarding yes. Rage, no.

I have a Border terrier. All dogs have prey drive - it is what makes them what they are. I wouldn't say hers is especially high. She is off the lead most of the time but we do manage her with a long line when we feel there may be more chasing opportunity. She isn't really a hunter beyond pouncing around in the woods close to us. She ranges far less than a wcs for example. Her mum works and dad is a show dog. She was a deliberate 'line' breeding so more predictable than a throw them together and see what happens breeding. Loads of Borders competing in the higher levels of the sports and obedience and Rally. If their prey drive was that insane you'd not be able to do it as these are often in countryside. You can't train out prey drive - just manage it.

@Clettercletterthatsbetter don't let that one experience put you off!

I think we all have biases based on our experiences with certain breeds, I used to really not like dachshunds as I'd never met a nice one, but working with dogs I've met some abslutely lovely ones.

@Devilshands I didn't realise cocker rage was so prevalent, I haven't really looked into it in depth, just know it exists & back when it was first described seemed to only affect reds.

Does it have a genetic component? As in malinois there is a certain gene they have isolated that causes random aggressive episodes, thought to be neurological.

I do wonder if there's a similar issue inherent in American bullies, which would explain why some attacks are owner directed in otherwise nice natured dogs.

@justaboutdonenow I’m not sure! I had a brother and sister (not litter mates). Girl is fine but the boy had it. My boy was sable and girl is golden - and the colouring does apparently affect it!

I think people just write it off as not a problem, don’t research it etc, because cockers are small - as you say a Malinois issue was taken more seriously…

When I had mine PTS the vet I saw said it was an increasing issue and people were writing it off as other problematic behaviour at first ( as suggested in this link, https://www.thecockerspanielclub.co.uk/ragesyndrome.htm )

It’s very different to resource guarding though (which I have also experienced). People will say it doesn’t exist and maybe ‘rage’ doesn’t - but there is definitely something like it that affects cockers.

That being said, I would absolutely have spaniels again as I think it’s worth the risk as they are mostly a lovely dog. All the other issues they have can easily be solved with proper training and love

I've come on to recommend a mini poodle. I have one and she's lovely. Cuddling on my lap right now.

I was keen on no shedding for a dog and low smell. Poodles are super easy to train. I get her groomed every 6-8 weeks (costs just under £50) and walk her an hour a day plus she can run around in the garden. She's happy to be left for a few hours when needed and well behaved - no chewing furniture etc at home. To be fair I'm mostly home with her but she is chilled when left.

She's good with my teens and other kids.

I will say she's not so keen on other dogs though and wary of new people but I think that's mostly as she ended up coming to us in the second lockdown which was unexpected (but it was that or lose out on our breeder and litter) and so had less socialisation at the start. But she does warm up to people.

Plus generally poodles are quite a healthy breed. We spoke to the breed club to get recommended breeders and our breeder was via the kennel club.

Lhasa apso is a wonderful breed, we kept their hair quite short (at Crufts they have long flowing hair that would require a lot of grooming) just google “Lhasa apso pup” and prepare to fall in love (they do not shed) needed a visit to groomer every three months or so

I'd suggest poodle too. I don't have one, but a friend does and she is lovely dog and is perfect with their small children.

As a child I identified after hours of research that a wheaten terrier was our ideal family dog. My parents disagreed that our family needed a dog! But it’s probably still the top breed I’d pick.

We had fairly similar criteria and circumstances to you when we got our dog (youngest child was 7 though) - we also considered lots of the dogs mentioned, and settled on a mini schnauzer.

She was a fantastic family dog - friendly, affectionate, liked a cuddle on the sofa, happy to go on a long walk but you could get away with half an hour if you were busy. Not much of a prey drive, good recall, liked to bark at the postman but otherwise not too shouty, friendly to other dogs... I know a couple of others and, while of course I don't think they're as special as she was, I'd totally recommend them.

We lost her last summer, but she truly enhanced our lives for the years she was with us.

It isn't a breed!

Even show cockers have high prey drives, we have one on our shoot. They are also prone to Separation Anxiety as well as RG.
So many spaniels in rescues because of these 2 behavioural issues.

🥰🥰