Which breed puppy would suit us?

[RubyRoo2]

We are looking for a new puppy
We had a golden retriever for 13 years and adored him but I do not miss the hair!
We live in a small house, a cottage with no upstairs so really looking for a smaller breed but not tiny.
I like cavachon/ cavapoo but am aware that they may be more likely from puppy farms
My son is slightly nervous of the bitey stage so anything that bites less is a bonus.
Any suggestions?

Your Cairn Terrier is absolutely gorgeous, @Cairneyes - nobody could find him or her disappointing! 😍🩷😍

Chinese crested powderpuff which is the full coated version of the hairless type. The hairless are a genetic anomaly of the normal full coated dog (or something like that) so you can't breed out the full coated ones and you get a mix of hair type in each litter.

It has hair rather than fur so does not shed, and is very loving and quick to learn. It is basically the pedigree version of the cavapoo that no one knows exists and are overshadowed by their hairless siblings.

It does need a regular groom, but because they are not over bred they are quite a healthy dog too. The hairless dogs are a genetic mutation of the powderpuff and can have health and teeth issues, but the powder puff is more robust.

Thank you. I think he’s just adorable 🥰

Cockers do not fit your requirement of “not needy”. And I don’t think cocker puppies of either show or working type are good fit with very small children.

There is NO good reason for anyone to be producing Cavachon or Cavapoo puppies. Cavaliers have a raft of well-known health issues. A responsible breeder breeds for health and longevity and there are some great knowledgeable breeders of excellent pure Cavaliers. They don’t cross them with poodles or Bichons or anything else to sell their designer freaks for more than a pure bred costs.

LOL at people suggesting a Labrador, when the OP has said they don’t miss the hair shed by their old retriever! Perhaps these people have never had a Labrador visit, let alone lived with one.

OP I’d suggest a border terrier would be ideal, maybe a Westie if you’re up for the grooming costs. My DSis had to have hers done every 8 weeks at £50 a time and that was 10 years ago!

I have a Yorkie x JRT who is a gem, I’ve known a lot of pure Yorkies and all have been delightful. Also have an old working cocker, DD has a Labrador, when I was a child we had border collies. My late aunt bred Cavaliers many years ago, I do have some experience of these breeds.

The only dogs I’ve been bitten by are Poodles, they look cute and cuddly but are highly intelligent and can have behaviour problems. My boss has one who is a nightmare.
Spaniels are lovely but busy dogs.
Anything with terrier in its name can be snappy. They are bread for their ability to catch vermin so will snap at anything that moves. We had a Bedlington Terrier when I was young. Beautiful dog, no hair issue but would snap, although she would stop short of biting.

My DSis paid a fortune for an x breed. He was a poodle/pug/beagle cross. He has a lovely temperament but totally untrainable. They spent months going to training classes with him and the trainer gave up.

Im in my third Labrador and although there would be benefits to being dog free I suspect she will not be our last. We are now retired but I can’t imagine a house without a dog. She is my shadow, fills my house with hair 3x a year ( she doesn’t shed continuously) and although disabled, due to a spinal injury, still walks with me daily although not as far nowadays.

Labradors shed but quietly without the need for grooming. The working lines seem to be sporadic shedders rather than continuously. They have less feathering. People will tell you they need more exercise but I’ve not found that to be true. They are naturally less prone to weight gain and love learning tasks. Ours is a self taught sock collector. She doesn’t bark, when she does you pay attention.

We have a 6 month old minature poodle & he is a dream of a dog. I miss my spaniel owning days but I dont miss the hair and our poodle has been so easy to train and just slotted into our lives taking everything in his stride. He is not too disiimilar in size to my friends show cocker. He is not needy or barky and I really can't think of anything negative about him... other than that people often think he is a cockapoo or poodle cross and are judgy about it!

We also have a miniature poodle! Ours is 10 months old and he’s wonderful - calm, cuddly and clever. ☺️

We also get people mistaking him for a cockapoo/ cavapoo but other people surprise me by knowing he’s a poodle - usually because they have owned one in the past themselves.