Which dog breeds is best?

[Princessghost]

Ok...I know the answer to that question is subjective. So.... What dog do you have?

We're looking for our next dog and doing research on the different breeds. We currently have a Weimaraner.

Attributes we need/want:
*Good with children (secondary school age), we also have a cat.
*Good at travelling, we take dog with us in caravan on holiday
*Can run distances when old enough (DH likes to run with the dog...can be quite a few miles)
*Good health/low breed health conditions

Preferably:
*Can be left for a hour or so on their own. (Seriously with a weim I cannot go to the toilet alone)

Does your dog fit these? Or do you know a dog breed that does?

P.s....i know a lot of these behaviours need to be trained into them, but I also understand some dogs are more prone to certain behaviour traits than others.

Do not get a greyhound, or any sight hound with a cat!! Can't believe someone suggested that. They are also the laziest dogs on the planet and do not like running!
I've worked with dogs for 30 years, I think something like a border terrier (very popular with vet professionals) would suit. They can go for miles, my friend takes hers up munroes every weekend.
I personally wouldn't ever have a Weimaraner or vizla, I've rarely met a well behaved one. In fact there are dozens of breeds I wouldn't touch, mainly due the associated health issues. Do make sure you research any potential genetic issues, and choose a good breeder who tests the parents for these conditions prior to mating. A good breeder will let you visit a puppy several times before taking it home.

Where we live there are plenty of places to walk off lead and fields you can hire if needed.
Our dogs (5 over 30 years) have all been trained and didn’t jump up, plus they recall so don’t go up to strangers.
None of my dogs have ever bitten anyone or shown any aggression.
Luck with first 3 dogs, no insurance claims, dog 4 had a life and death situation that cost £5k on insurance, policy two years ago, the premium is still under £50 per month. Dog 5, no claims so far, her premiums are £30.
I feel blessed that all the dogs we have had and still have in our lives have had long happy lives with us. They choose to sit by me, DH or DC. They are loved and return that love to us.

Our Jack Russell would fit the bill perfectly. He's an absolute joy but i know others would disagree about the breed. Norman cares not one jot about that.

Our Miniature poodle is amazing.

A lot of the ‘right’ dog is about the right dog for your circumstances, experience and situation.

There are people who get lucky. I know someone with a working line spaniel who literally does nothing with it and it’s a chilled and calm dog. That is absolutely not the norm though. My terrier has taken a long time to be ok on her own. Not a breed that usually needs a lot of work on alone training. she’s getting there now but it’s not come without a lot of slow gentle exposure.

The right dog is the right dog for you which purely depends on what you can offer and partly depends on breeding or how good a rescue is at assessing their dogs.

Greyhounds are the go to dog on mumsnet no matter the brief! Poster: I'd like a small breed dog and I have rabbits. MN: A greyhound will be perfect for you. They fold up and fit into teeny tiny spaces and as long as you train them properly your dog and rabbits will become snuggle buddies for your bunny's very short life.

Ive a Labrador who would do all of your list.. He would run all day, loves people and other dogs, he travels all over with us settles in different holiday homes, happy to stay alone for a few hours (in our own house obv). Honestly his only downside is greed, he makes you feel like hes starved.

My dd works with dogs and says overall the best dogs are golden retrievers, they are so friendly, loyal and biddable as well as being funny individual characters.

They are too big and hairy for me but if I had the space that's what I'd get.

We have a small terrier mix who is a fab dog but an absolute dickhead around (some) other dogs so not sure id recommend 🤦‍♀️😂

@MarieG10 download the OS maps app. You will be surprised. I live a 1hr train ride outside London and I have loads of off lead options on my doorstep, without the need to even get in a car.

As for dogs running & jumping at random people all the time....I didn't have a dog until a few months ago and was not a 'dog person' then. I would have hated this, and would probably remember it happening! I can honestly say I don't recall being run at and jumped up on by any dogs and I have always been a regular walker out and about where off lead dogs are. In my experience I would say it's actually quite rare.

And as for dog attacks....some dogs bite and kill yes. Just like some humans are homicidal maniacs. 🙄

My mum had a Weimaraner and German pointer together.
I would say that the German pointer had less issue with separation and on a par with training.
But by god the German pointers recall was terrible!
Having said that we have a Weimaraner but it was very close between which one we would get.
In my dream world I would have one of each.
Always said they would make beautiful babies, but not sure what you'd call that cross. Maybe a Pointeramer?
Now that would be my dream dog 😝

What a ridiculous thing to say.
Our Weimaraner is coming up to two and he's very well trained, always getting compliments on his obedience and manners.
You get what you put in.
The problems come when owners don't research the breed and their needs.
Like any other dog they need consistent and continuous training.
They're actually easier to train in some ways because they always want to please their owners and are highly intelligent.
I'm sorry you've never met a well trained one

A mini fox terrier or a Jack Russell, they are adorable

We have a Springer who would tick all of your points. Springers are generally far calmer and less prone to separation anxiety than cockers ime.

Greyhounds are wonderful, but they aren't like Lurchers {depending on cross of course} who can trot for miles.

There are lots of Sighthounds who live with cats and rabbits.

It depends on the individual cats/dogs.

My childhood next door neighbour's beautiful cat was killed in his own front garden by an off lead German Shepherd.

Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever (Toller) - we have two and they are fabulous dogs. They’re the smallest of the retriever breeds (springer spaniel size), very energetic but with an off switch so they’re very chilled at home. They pick up things very easily and love learning stuff so they’re easy to train, very happy dogs, love people and other animals and they’re absolutely gorgeous to look at as a bonus.

That is nonsense, they are a pretty robust breed (I don't have them!)

Wow, you're a ray of sunshine! I've 4 places to walk dogs off-lead in walking distance. You train your dogs not to jump up. No decent breeder or rescue would let anyone who was going to "lock the poor thing up all day" have a dog. Lots of things cost money, we make choices

@ejsmith99
We'll have a look at the dog shelters if all the abandoned dogs? And if so easy to train dogs not to jump, am I and other regularly jumped up at when out walking around where I live. Sorry but there are a lot of people owning dogs that shouldn't

We have a Labrador and she's just wonderful. We have put a lot of training in but she's chilled in the house, will take herself off to my daughter's bed or the sofa when she realises that nothing much is going on. She's happy to run around if we want her to. Happy to do nothing. We can drop food and she ignores it. Great with our cats. Watches me clear out the rabbits. We're lucky that she's small as Labs go. She's fully grown and just under 20kg. We deliberately chose a ¾ show ¼ working Labrador and honestly, she's still got masses of drive.

Not sure what this has to do with OP though? You have no idea what kind of dog owner they are.

I just adore West Highland Terriers.. gave had 2.. spunky, funny, just adore a cuddle, we live rurally and ours just love chasing rabbits.. never actually catches them!

Staffy every time, smart, quick to learn and can outrun a collie, also cuddle monsters and very sociable ppl lovers.

It was a report published on their fb group by their uk breed committee 🤷‍♀️

Could you consider approaching this from a different angle? Any reputable rescue would be over the moon to get an application from someone who's thinking about the best fit between them and the dog, rather than whether it matches their curtains. And you'd get a dog that actually matches your criteria, rather than one that's just probably going to.