Would you recommend spaniels as first dogs?

[spockerlife]

Family with children (will probably be ages about 8/9 and 5/6.) Sprocker specifically?

If not, are there any other recommended breeds? I do love Labradors but they are quite big.

@spockerlife of course! You need to think about your lifestyle and what you can offer a dog. Then select a dog breed to suit. Choosing a dog breed because Joe Blocks has one or because it's a cretin size or colour or worse because of the looks is wrong.

(But that's my personal opinion and I know hardly anyone thinks like that.)

@Dunnocantthinkofone got it in one! Resource guarding (very often, at least in my experience) which leads to a bite which results in the dog being PTS or ending up in a rescue is very often because the child failed to understand the dogs 'cues.'

Edit: My (personal, that not everyone agrees with) view is that breeders should want their dogs to go to the best homes. A home where that dog will never run the risk of being neglected or having its boundaries pushed for any reason. Where the chances of it ending up in a rescue are minimal. To me, young children are too much of a risk. But I want my dogs to go to their 'forever homes' (HATE that phrase) and 'good' is never 'enough' for me when I look at buyers. I want the best.

I can quite see the colour is nonsense but I do think size has to be a consideration, for things like cars as much as anything else!

My children are currently five and three and I am thinking ahead to maybe three years time. But it depends when litters are born. I’m just surprised by people saying by they are a not a good family pet as so many families I know have one, but maybe that’s because of where we live (lots of spaniels on the school run!) I always thought if we did get a dog it would be a basset because that’s what I know but I do know they aren’t the easiest to train (understatement!) so wondered about spaniels.

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks the thing is on that logic no dogs would go to homes with children at all. I don’t think any of the dogs I know are mistreated; the opposite really.

If you do think you might get a WCS in a few years time then spending time looking at some of the people online who do breed specific training would be really worthwhile. We did generic puppy classes with ours and in hindsight they weren't really that well suited to what she needed and it took us quite a long time to work out exactly how to meet her needs.

@spockerlife Which part of my post wasn't helpful?

You asked if spaniels were suitable for first time owners - I said I'd had them as a first time owner.
You asked about sprockers - I said I wouldn't have one base on past experience.

I then listed some of the things you should look for in a good, ethical breeder.

My last statement wasn't meant to be rude. It's a sad statement about life. Lots of people get dogs because their friend/neighbour/relative has cute puppies available. Without considering the needs of the dog.

FYI I volunteer for a spaniel rescue and am deeply concerned about their welfare.

How can people suggest a suitable breed when you have given no details about what sort of lifestyle you can offer a dog? It's all well and good living rurally, but not if you only have half an hour a day spare to walk the dog, due to commitments of having a young family.

Not sure of the relevance of the comment about showing, since you aren't considering a pedigree dog. Even if you just want a family pet, you should want to be finding the best bred dog you can.

Snark is never helpful @SpanielsGalore ! Ever.

Thanks @Habbibu

Spaniels can be absolutely lovely family dogs. But they have very high needs (especially working lines) compared to many others. And as a trainer, I’d personally be wary of the resource guarding issue in a home with children, especially younger ones. That’s not to say it can’t work. But there are risks that are less high with other breeds. If they dog is a working type and not given enough mental stimulation for example, shadow chasing or other behaviour issues are also not uncommon
Some people will breeze through with none of these problems but many do not

Thanks @Dunnocantthinkofone , it’s helpful to know about things like this. I suppose from my perspective I’m not thinking of nine and six as really young compared to where I am now! But it is of course. The dog would certainly have a lot of exercise, whatever breed it is (if indeed we get one!)

Physical exercise is obviously very important but cannot negate the need for mental stimulation too. It can be as simple as doing some tricks, some exercises on their walk etc rather than a huge undertaking though.
Many people think more exercise is the answer to a dogs woes but a dog jacked up on adrenaline from copious ball throwing and hunting in the woods etc is not going the ge a calm dog to live with .
If will be what we call in the trade a ‘pain in the arse’

If I were you and looking at a 2-3 year time frame I’d take a trip to Crufts and meet dogs from the myriad of breeds out there. Talk with those breeders and interact with the dogs. Get leads to breeders who are involved with the breed clubs - they will be the best ones to steer you through the profit driven muppets to the best bred and brought up

Son has a cavalier and he is a lovely, gentle, pretty docile dog. The negatives would be he is needy, he's not content with being in the same room he wants to be half on your lap at all times. That said, he does seem to understand when son is working and happily flops down at the side of the desk. Son's business partner has one too his sleeps on the desk. He also has a sensitive stomach but so long as he only has the food he can tolerate and very few of the treats he can eat then it's only a problem if he finds and eats something when out.

Cavaliers would be my perfect choice to recommend as a family dog if it were not for the huge health issues within the breed

Son's has had all the testing available and is clear of what they could screen for but of course you can't do more than have good insurance for any other issues that might arise.

I’ve had 3 springers from pups. My first when I was 20 and bought my first house. She was 7 when my first son was born and 11 when my second son was born. She was a brilliant pet, easy to train and very loyal. She passed aged 14, 3 weeks after we bought another female springer, kids were 18 months and 6 at the time. Again, another loving, easily trained girl. She is now 12 and is my side kick. She’s loyal, loves the boys who are now 14 and 18, I couldn’t love her anymore if I tried. 5 week ago we got another female puppy. She’s 14 week old and is growing nicely. Training is going well. I absolutely love spaniels, they make a home and home. Ya they are energetic when outside but all mine are very chilled when in the house. Great with kids and all round lovely family pets. I have also fostered spaniels too. I’ve never experience any resource guarding with mine. My 2 (12 year and 14 week old) share toys and chewy bones with no issues. I work part time and the dogs are left for 3 hours at a time. The pup is crated and the old girl on her bed. I’ve a camera set up but they are both chilled out when we go out. They need to learn to be left so you don’t end up with separation anxiety. All 3 off mine are well rounded dogs with no issues

Get a working lab. They’re smaller. Spaniels are nuts! I wouldn’t.

Thanks all. There’s definitely a mix of opinions. I think the point about mental stimulation is an important one, it’s easy to assume long walks are all it takes.

Cavaliers are lovely but I couldn’t consider one due to health issues . I’d just feel cruel if I’m being really honest.

We have always had WCSs. I don’t much like the show types, IME they tend to be more highly strung and prone to resource guarding. Wockers are very busy little dogs; wherever you are, they will be. They like to have a job, they love to carry stuff around with them; socks, tea towels, pants, etc. Ours is brilliant, fantastic off the lead, loves people, lived with cats fine, has grown up with our kids from infants. She’s just a joyful little soul, so much personality. She’s not a dog for lazy people, she wont do her one walk a day and sleep on the sofa all day, if you are up and about, she is up and about. She must go up and down the stairs hundreds of times a day escorting various family members from place to place! She loved agility and flyball in her younger days. She’s a real active person’s dog, she can run for miles when we go out with bikes, loves swimming, is just an all round fantastic family dog for a family who are very active themselves. Equally she loves snuggling on the sofa, she’s very affectionate and cuddly and loves attention.

You need to have a sense of humour with a wocker but once you’ve had one, other dogs just seem a bit dull!

Pick your breeder well. We are on the list for another working cocker and the breeder we have chosen is not cheap and we have to wait for the right dog, but he breeds bomb-proof dogs.

@runnerducky that does sound like the spaniels I know. One helpfully carried DDs doll around for her, much to DDs dismay!

I totally agree with Smurf.

I’ve had both labradors and spaniels and would highly recommend labradors for a family with young children.
You may want to read this ancient thread about sprockers. Read the post by snakey. Pretty well sums up my experience with spaniels. They are are lovely dogs, but really hard work.
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_doghouse/2075889-Any-sprocker-owners-about

And honestly OP, I’ve yet see a dog breed recommended on here for a family. I recommended a Labrador once, pretty much the blandest, most biddable and generic family dog you can get, and got jumped on. The consensus on here seems to be there are no good family dogs with young kids, which is obviously nonsense. We live rurally and so many of our friends with young kids have dogs, spaniels and labs very common but also GSDs, Bernese mountain dog, retrievers, and so on.

We have a 7 yr old Working cocker spaniel, male and he was our first dog we had from a puppy. We have just taken on a second male cocker spaniel who is now 15 weeks old. With our first our children were 10 and 5. If you put the work in they are amazing dogs, loving and gentle. Ours get a 30 minute walk in the morning, ,1-2 hours with a dog walker at lunchtime and another 30 minute walk in the evening during the week. They also spend time in the garden. No major issues during the time we have had them.

Miniature poodles are fabulous dogs. They are extremely intelligent and very trainable.

Just wanted to add, that if either parent is from working lines, you will really need an experienced gun dog trainer. Puppy classes at the local community centre won’t cut it.

That was kind of crossing my mind, that ‘don’t get a dog with kids’ is the advice! Which is a shame. I wouldn’t with a toddler to be fair (although I know some people do but that’s more for my sanity than anything!) but I do feel in a few years a dog would be a lovely addition,

I have always loved Labs but we have a cottage with quite poky rooms so worried he or she would feel massive. I’d definitely consider one if I could find a good breeder though.

Everyone - the OP mentions a Sprocker Spaniel in the first post.

That would be what life looked like for our hypothetical dog three days a week! On the other two days I’d be home anyway.