Breed suggestions for hiking and running

[brownbear201]

Hi all,

I'm starting to think about a possible breed for my next dog. I'm curious as to what suggestions everyone has. I currently have a small terrier. Please bear in mind that all the exercise I'm about to describe I will only undertake with an adult dog, not a puppy.

We're an adult only household and work from home, so someone is around most of the day. I do, however, want a dog that can cope on its own for a few hours whilst we go for a meal or to the cinema or something. I am very active- I enjoy long hikes of up to 15/20 miles across the Yorkshire Dales or Lake District fells. I am also very interested in Canicross. I run with my current dog. I'm a fairly average runner- 26 minutes or so on the flat and 29 ish on hillier trails for a 5K. But with a young dog (once it is fully grown of course) I would be interested in doing some speed sessions and longer runs to get (hopefully) faster. I'm only running once a week at the minute but I would like to increase this with a new dog to around four times a week. On a daily, non-running and non-hiking day I can commit to 2.5-3 hours of exercise, mostly off lead.

I want a dog that is not going to be too tricky to train to be off lead and one that has a prey drive that can be controlled. I live in Cumbria so avoiding livestock is impossible- they're everywhere! Obviously, I'm not expecting to walk the dog off lead in a field of sheep or something but it needs to be able to stay calm in their presence when on lead.

Ideally, the perfect dog would also enjoy playing fetch and swimming. It's not 100% necessary but I would love it if the dog did enjoy fetch and swimming.

I trained my current dog in agility, but I've lost interest in agility tbh. I might take it up with a new dog for fun but I certainly won't be competing. I'd be interested in training scent detection/tracking for fun. My main interest is Canicross and long distance walking and I would like to be able to race with the dog. I'm not serious and have no interest in coming first but would like the dog to enjoy that sort of sport and enjoy pulling.

The main 'issue' I have is that I would prefer a smaller dog. I don't drive and thus, I rely on public transport to get about. I'm very good at navigating it and I've done hikes and runs across the country using trains and buses. I need my dog to be able to cope with that sort of environment- often busy and noisy and stopping in urban areas sometimes. There's not much room most of the time and a larger dog wouldn't be able to comfortably fit in trains and buses. I also prefer smaller dogs. My neighbour has a working Labrador that is lovely, but I don't think I could cope with the drool. I could probably go up to about Border Collie size. Grooming doesn't bother me.

My main contenders so far have been a Working Cocker Spaniel or Border Terrier. On paper, the cocker sounds ideal. Perfect size, usually likes running and hiking (and pulling!) and likes swimming/fetch games. But I'm a bit concerned about the potential for separation anxiety in the breed. Resource guarding is another concern, albeit more minor as we are an adult only household with no kids in the future planned. The Border Terrier also sounds ideal but I'm a bit concerned about the potential for high levels of prey drive. My current terrier has little prey drive, he doesn't even chase squirrels! But I know that's fairly abnormal for a terrier. I'm also a bit concerned about the potential for reactivity and general feisty-ness towards other dogs.

The only breeds that are a hard no are bull breeds like Staffordshire Bull Terriers. Bad experiences with them, I'm afraid.

Any other suggestions that I've forgotten about?

Thanks!

I have a Springer and what you describe would be his version of heaven! Bigger than a cocker but I think would still suit your wants. Mine is totally uninterested in livestock/horses so will walk quite happily past them without a problem. He does have a high prey drive but I do a lot of gundog training and so we hunt/retrive together which satisfies him and in general he’s a joy to walk off lead (on lead he’s still prone to pulling…….)

It took a while but ours is quite happy to be left for 4 hours if we go for dinner or cinema. He is a total Velcro dog in the house though so wherever I am he is about 0.1 inches away from me!!

I was also going to say a springer! Mine is way better off lead than on, although we're working on that, and we do gun dog training too just to help with the discipline of listening to the whistle, not going after everything that moves, being able to stop her from across a field and so on.

Also a total velcro dog in the house, follows me everywhere, but equally can be happily left on her own too.

They are high energy, but it's all in the training, mine does have an off switch too!

Border collie!!

I do like collies but I was a bit concerned by their noise/movement sensitivity that they can often have. Whilst I do walk in isolated places I also like taking trips into cities and obviously trains especially the underground, are often very loud and chaotic. I wondered if it might be too much for a sensitive collie?

I have a Springer and agree that breed may suit, but I also have a Spanish Water Dog who adores the lifestyle you describe and has the benefit of no shedding , great on and off lead and less of a prey drive.

My neighbour has a working Labrador that is lovely, but I don't think I could cope with the drool.

Some are more drooly than others, mine only really drool if I'm eating certain foods. Female working labs tend to be quite slight.

I have a soft spot for springers too but spaniels are up a level training wise imo. As they say, labs are born half trained and spaniels die half trained.

My border terrier can and does walk all day. She trains in agility and Rally and her recall is great as we reinforced wanting to stay with us. I have done a bit of running with her and she has loved it. They were bred to run all day with the horses. You have to make them think anything you want to do is their idea IME! I have trained many and they make great pets and sporting dogs and as long as they come from health tested lines (most KC reg are - mine is a Dandyhow) then they are fit and healthy. I live rurally and have no issues with recall with mine although wouldn't let her offlead around sheep. She ignores cows and horses. Now she's out of the puppy bit (she is nearly 2) she isn't bothered about birds and lives happily with our elderly cat. She will hunt rodents though. With other dogs she is 100% with those in her training classes both on and off the lead but can be under confident with those she meets offlead out and about. I wouldn't describe her as feisty but she has been well socialised.

Bearded collie.

Bred for the Highlands, they love outdoor hilly terrain, are super bright, keen to please and thus easy to train. Had 3 and adore them. People get put off by the coat but it’s surprisingly easy to maintain as it’s a double coat designed to repel water.

I have a working lab dog and he’d be fine with what you suggest. He doesn’t drool unless in full on scent hunting and even then it’s not bad. In the home nope.

i would say that he’s from a gun dog line so isn’t as bigger built as most labs so may be have a look to that line.

hes fine around livestock (will even recall if surprised by sheep).

Spaniels are a way of life and if you've had terriers it's a big step up in mental stimulation needs. Terriers do well with a job but spaniels need it and need a lot of it! I have trained many in agility and when we gave up after 2 and a half years of trying to rescue that's the reason we went active terrier!

Smooth Collie (maybe a bitch for size). Very versatile, great family dogs, and not so sensitive as some of the other Collies. Would expect you to be able to take a sensibly bought and trained Smooth anywhere.

I have a minature Australian labradoodle who parkruns with me and would love what you describe as a life.

I have a cocker and there are lots of spaniels in our canicross club. The ones that love it, LOVE it! We have someone with a tiny show cocker who recently did an ultra. She’s a little machine and definitely gives some of the bigger dogs a run for their money. Also a Jack Russell mix who is a pocket rocket - small dogs can be ace!

I was going to suggest an Aussie

My wire fox terrier runs with me and has done canicross. She also loves water. However, her prey drive is significant..
If you are thinking of a border, just be aware that they sometimes struggle a bit in the heat. My current BT has a very short snout - he's very pretty but gets hot and bothered very easily

I'm going against the grain here and say no to working cooker & co. They are to small for the amount of exercise you are proposing. Albeit high energy, I don't think they are suited to running at speed over long distances.
I think the potential lifestyle that you describe is more suited to a larger dog from working stock like a border collie or working sheepdog. You could also look into breeds that are born to run like huskies, samoyed or dalmatian.
Collies are very clever and if you teach them the job from pup you shouldn't have issues.

I know someone who did similar (long distance trail runner, hiking and agility) with terriers and spaniels his dogs reached the average of 10 years and had arthritis from about 6/7 onwards.

In the end it's up to you what dog you get and how much exercise you give. But please think about the lifestyle and potential health implications.

Springer would be a good shout. I have had a BC previously but would go working Springer in preference for what you suggest. Mine is imminently trainable and loves his agility and hacking with the horses. The BC would get anxious if we weren't all together in a herd and spent more time nipping heels than doing what we wanted her to! BT's cute but have known some really yappy ones but probably because they didn't have enough stimulation.

Bit of a wild card here but samoyeds are just fantastic! They are quite vocal though but no drool!! Would cope with am that type of exercise and ours does canicross really well. Needs training properly from a puppy

A working cocker is what I'd suggest.

I wouldn't recommend huskies because they are absolutely terrible with livestock. Any kind of sight hound would cope with a good amount of running but not great with wildlife such as deer or foxes, often around in the countryside. Even though they'd really benefit from all that running.

I can only think a Dalmatian might be suitable. If you manage to train it - bit of a wildcard in that respect.

This is an awful lot of intense planned exercise which is very different than walking off the lead for miles and miles. I don't think having a dog as a regular running companion is very good for most dog breeds. Definitely not for a Labrador or any breed prone to joint problems, or any very large size breed.

I have a bedlington whippet who has done approx 17 wainwrights this year so far. He is super hill fit and small enough to lift over styles.

We also have a greyhound/bendy whippet but he’s too young to walk too far yet.

I also live in Cumbria and spend every weekend and most evenings in the hills. Currently training dogs to run and bike with us.

They supposedly have a high prey drive but we’ve had 3 lurches/sighthounds and with a bit of training have never had any off lead issues

My friend has a dalmatian and a weimaraner and runs/hikes a lot with them. I know no more about them than that though so I don't know if as a breed they are generally suited.

Thanks to all for the suggestions, some great suggestions that I wouldn’t have thought of.

Bit bemused by some of the comments re running though. Canicross is a dog sport that many breeds partake in, it’s not the same as running around the pavements with the dog at heel. I only really run a maximum of 15K anyway and long runs would be with the dog off lead if possible. I’m also certainly not fast! My little terrier (13 inches at the shoulder) happily keeps up, although he is getting older now hence me looking towards the future.

Collie. Mine was as steady and well
behaved as they come.

I think the majority of collie issues stem from unsuitable people getting them, but with a high level of exercise and stimulation they are fantastic.

I'm in Cumbria and have friends who do Cani-cross - generally with a mixture of cockers, collies, Eurohounds, trail hounds, foxhounds and pointer type dogs.