Experienced dog owner, currently dogless, which breed?

[Springingforward]

Hi, I'm hoping the doghouse hive mind can help me narrow down my options with your real life experiences.
My quandary is that I've owned dogs all my adult life, but have been completely dog free for the last three years. I lost all three of my elderly best friends over the course of 9 months 😭 I miss them all so very much (I needed counselling) and I've got to the point where I'm dog sitting, talking to other people's dogs out and about and just really miss the companionship and company. I'm going to Crufts in March 👍🏻

Difficulty is, I can't settle on a breed that is right for me and where I am in my life currently. Any suggestions welcome.

My situation:
I live on my own, semi rural, lots of nice walks.
Love dog training and things like clicker work. (I've puppy walked four guide dog pups in the past).
Work from home permanently and self employed so can set my own hours.
If I need to go out then doggo can come with me or only be on their own a couple of hours.
Visiting baby grandchildren.
Smallish house, secure fenced garden.

My absolute needs:
From a pup, a rescue may have issues that I can't predict with around young children.
Smallish, cocker spaniel sized or smaller
Not known for being difficult to housetrain (ie. Italian greyhounds) because of info below.
Loves attention
Don't mind grooming
Not super high energy, I'm mid 50s and love walking, but might have a pram/pushchair sometimes and got to think about managing exuberance.

Breeds I've owned and wouldn't again
Cavaliers (had 3) too many health issues now, not one of mine got to 10yrs despite being from 'good breeders'.
Labrador, there will never be another one that will match my 'heart dog's 😭
Whippets or whippet X too unpredictable around other dogs, only dog I've ever been bitten by.
Dachshund - three times ivdd surgery and broke my heart. She never became fully house-trained even before IVDD got her and I was always worried about hygiene.
Not a terrier, I'm just not a terrier person, they can be a bit 'sharp' and have low flashpoints imo, even Borders.
I struggle with flat faced breeds, they just aren't for me.

Can you see why I'm struggling 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️😂 my ideal dog would be something small, short haired with the personality, temperament and willingness of a Labrador. Not sure that exists.

Havenese meet all of your requirements except the short hair. They are full of personality, very friendly, gorgeous dogs. Not many health issues either

Entelbucher. Rare to see them in the UK but they are absolutely gorgeous with the best personalities. Would tick all your boxes.

Edit: Entelbucher sennehund is the proper name

Why not a Cocker? Lovely little dogs when bred right (if I didn't have Golden Retrievers, I would have a whole flock of Cocker Spaniels), and they can have quite long life-spans as well. And from what I've seen it's less about sheer exercise volume with them than the right sort of exercise. You can get them clipped back and they look fine (groomer once every 6 weeks).

I've said so many times that Cocker Spaniels are as close to mini Golden Retrievers as you can possibly get - and Golden's are basically just slightly more tempestuous, hairy, labs.

I think a Papillon would be perfect

Poodle? Intelligent, active but gentle.

Poodle, I think they are lovely dogs. They don’t shed and generally seem calm and even tempered. I mainly have experience with standard poodles but I know someone with mini ones and they are all nice too.

I’m biased about this breed but Bedlington Terriers are just perfect

My whippet isn’t unpredictable around other dogs. He loves other dogs, I think it’s helped that ive sent him to a dog Walker once a week to get really socialised.
whippets are like cats they sleep all the time and they don’t need loads of exercise. whippets 🩵🩵🩵

Actually though, if I got another dog I’d love a border terrier - their little grumpy faces!

Have you considered shelties? My gran had shelties all her life and never strayed from the breed.

All the shelties I've known in my life (probably 10,or so, over the years)
enjoy a walk but don't require extensive exercise
fine around other dogs
fine around kids
long life span - my grans' lived to between 12-15.5
beautiful array of colours

If you don't want a terrier ( currently being patted by BT no.2 ) you absolutely want a miniature poodle. I've had both and couldn't fault my poodle.

A miniature Schnauzer.
No moulting, lovely temperament.

Another vote for Cocker Spaniels. Absolutely Cocker Spaniel size so meet at least one of your criteria. Love attention, friendly intelligent, good with children.
Guessing if you are rural there will be lots of Working Cockers around but they are more “ full on” and high energy. Show type are best.
Good luck and enjoy.

I wanted something similar to a lab but smaller and went for a cocker spaniel - working type as I had met lots of the show types when I worked at a vets and they were very stinky. They are nothing like labradors, our old lab close to perfect and I thought I must just be an excellent owner…. and then came the cocker 🤦‍♀️. She is highly trainable in the way that she picks things up instantly and toilet training was a breeze, however mostly uses her intelligence for her own agenda 🤣. Good recall but won’t let you catch her, very strong prey drive - can’t let her near our geese despite growing up with them, she annoys the horses, I would never let her off lead on a walk. She’s always ‘busy’ if she’s bored she will destroy items in the house. We are rural and have acres of land she can roam and run around on, I don’t have a clue how anyone is managing this breed in an urban environment. If I were you I would get another lab!

Another vote for miniature schnauzer.

I know you said no terriers but a Cairn would fit the bill, small enough and very trainable. Not hugely popular so unlikely to have the same breeding issues others have (health and temperament).

I’d look at a field spaniel. Slightly bigger than a Cocker but fit the bill otherwise and have lovely temperaments - much calmer than cockers or springers. They have a stall at Discover Dogs at Crufts.

Poodle. Excellent all rounders and come in various sizes.

Working cocker but check the lines to ensure they’re not super driven and make good pets. I have a working cocker as a pet and she’s as lazy as she is active. Super sociable. Loves kids and other dogs. She’s literally a joy to be around.

Ha this sounds fun. I’ve got a WCS in an urban environment and she settles well, doesn’t destroy and has less of a prey drive than my sisters springer, who can’t be let off lead. Her recall is great, mainly because she’s clingy as hell and won’t let me out of sight. Think you got unlucky with high energy/drive! Sorry this wasn’t meant to sound ‘gloaty’, I am just trying to highlight the difference in drive, even within the same breed!

My mini sits pretty at 8kg and is a chilled introvert.

upsides:
She wont approach other dogs on a walk, or strangers. This is natural. Not training.
can be left alone for 4 hours (5 if it is late at night),
understands the concept of personal space,
has not destroyed my house,
does not shed
prefers to stay near me on her walk
loves being on her lead (wtf)

downsides:
loves being on her lead. Yes this is also a downside.
costs £55 a month in grooming (worth it IMO for a non shedding dog)!
will sometimes randomly refuse food for a couple of days for no reason whatsoever (pretty sure poodles made fasting fashionable first)
took a long time (months!) to "warm up" and give/ask for affection. Dont take it personally.

I’ve had three Great Danes, the last two were rescues. Great with small children, curl up neatly when asleep, only thing is you need quite big poo bags! Truly gentle giants.

Mini schnauzer?

When you are at crufts it'll be a great chance to look at breeds and chat to owners
Most people will only be able to recommend breeds they know or own

Have a look at Cardigan Corgis while you are there If you get the chance
I have 1 1/2, ones a cross
My full breed ticks all your wants but obviously there will be differences in personality between dogs

Show cocker or Miniature Schnauzer. (Although Schnauzers are a bit yappy). Show cockers are much calmer than a working cocker and good with children