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There's been a number of threads recently about dogs, so I thought i'd ask for opinions.
I always had dogs growing up, so did grand parents and now we'd like a family dog too.
We live in a large terrace with garden and a nice park opposite. I will also be able to take it to work with me fairly regularly as I work for myself.
We already have 2 cats, so i'm guessing most terriers are out. We have a 3yr old and plan to have another soon, so needs to be good with kids.
Would also like one that can be trained pretty well, so it doesn't missbehave too much and comes back!
Given the size of house and that i'd like to take it to work, camping and possibly biking too, I think a small to medium size would be best.
Given the above, I really don't know what to look for, i'd love a lab or german shepard but it just wouldn't be practical.
Over to you for advice.....
Why wouldn't a lab be practical? They're medium sized, placid, great with children and lazy b*ggers so will happily fit in with when you want to take them for a walk. Our previous sadly missed dog was a lab and was all of the above.
labby
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Always thought of a lab as a bigger dog. My grandad always had a golden retriever, used to walk miles with it as a kid in the school holidays, all dayers. Was a gorgeous dog
Ton, Is that a black one or choc? I'd love one but don't think the mrs is keen
Cocker spaniel (or a sprocker)? If you get the working type, rather than the showing type it ought to be good to ride with, good with kids but not too big.
My Golden Retriever died in April, but I'm having a rescue one at the end of the summer hols 🙂 They can match you up well and I've 3 kids to get the right dog for. Can't wait! Apparently the rescue place specifically for GR's have 3-4 dogs each week so if you don't want to go through the puppy stage it may be an option.
+1 working/sporting cocker
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Another vote for a wocker cocker! A good, big build Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is also a sound choice. Proper sporting hounds in a small package. Excellent with kids as well.
Our Golden Retriever is great. Doesn't like strangers much but if he knows you he's a right soppy git 😆
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working cocker
we have a three year old who is great with the kids , 3 and 8 . just picked up our second cocker today.
get a daft Lab, you can do this to them (as performed by me to our friends dog called Sandy, this afternoon)
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Didn't think of a spaniel. Used to do a lot of shooting, mostly clay. A few guys had trained gun dogs, use to love playing with them.
firstly any dog can be trained ti do the basics, secondly labs are very active dogs and need a lot of exercise, thirdly any dog breed will work ok with cats if bought up with them.
This is Kea, she is however currently broken which is very sad 😥
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shes a great dog though, about as tall as a big lab, but its mostly legs so she packs up small.
Labs come in all shapes and sizes so don't rule one out. However, the smaller working strains can be more active and demanding. Having had a Welsh Springer in the family I tend to think of all spaniels, especially working ones, as insanely hyperactive. A lot of fun, if that's what you want and can channel it usefully.
I've trained dogs for disabled people (so tolerant, intelligent and family-friendly) and lab-poodle crosses (labradoodles) do well and would be up for camping, biking etc. A standard poodle or lab is also a very safe bet.
I wouldn't rule out terriers either - wheatens are good around the house and with children though not sure how they get on with cats.
Whatever you choose, please look at a rescue first.
What's up with Kea AA?
knackered ligaments in her front wrist 😥 10min walks on the lead for months 😥
Bah...I thought this was going to be a "what dog for bringing down a peleton?" thread
Oh balls. Nothing worse than a lurcher stuck on it's lead. I hope she's fit again sooner rather than later.
Definitely avoid terriers ... great fun but sh*t magnets, chase anything that runs, selective deafness, selective obedience, and you find yourself doing what they want to do rather than the other way around:
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... having discovered a newly "fertilised" field (normally a white-ish Westie).
anagallis_arvensis - hope Kea recovers soon!
Good point goon, will be getting to know the local rescue places over the next few weeks
First family pet was a westie called angus. Lived till he was almost 20!
Brown/green horror in the photo is an Angus too, although he answers to a number of other less favourable nicknames ... nearly 6, though you'd never guess.
Monkey - don't just look at the local 'pounds'. Check out rescues like Geyhound Gap (perhaps not your breed, but just using it as an example). Virtually all their rescues live in 'foster' homes. They can therefore give you good feedback as to how any particular dog is in a home environment. They are all assessed for cat friendliness, tolerance of children, whether they are OK to be left alone, etc.
Again, Gr'und perhaps not your breed, but there must be similar rescues for other breeds. Rescue dogs don't HAVE to be hard work! 😆
+1 for a cocker. Mine runs around swinley forest after me and the boys. Separation anxiety helps. For those that saw him today, he went out for another five miles on foot this evening around Windsor. Stunning fitness in a small package.
One last point - poo scales on a per kilo basis. Stick with smaller dogs you can add a second!
get one of these
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What is it, a lab?
dunno - probably some lab in the mix. rescue centre special, we call him a Labrasaurus (he's still a pup)
His paws are massive!
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My chocky lab Charlie he's the man.
^that picture is awesome 😆
huge paws and legs but a very slim body on top. narrow hips at the back but pretty broad up front. medium sized skull but with the face and head fur or a dog twice this size. oh and the tail doesnt match either. yup.....he's a freak, but seems to be training himself and hasn't eaten the baby yet!
Don't know where you live but these people are very good with their dogs, and they have foster homes at various places in the county so worth keeping an eye on.
http://www.freewebs.com/manytearsrescue/
Look at a trailhound - lovely affectionate dogs, and as ex-racers there are always some that need rehoming. Not that big - 2/3 the size of a lab - and happy to snooze for long periods when you're at work. They're well-known for being very good with both cats and kids, and can easily be trained, though they're not the sort of dog that will do tricks, and if you throw a stick, expect to fetch it yourself......
If interested, speak to Eileen Robinson at http://trailhoundwelfare.org.uk/ and she can let you know more
Lakeland Terrier?
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SPANIEL!!!!
If you want a dog that will run all day, retrieve tennis balls all night, love you for ever and still act like a puppy through their lives, get a spaniel.
My dog's a Springer (fully trained gundog), but the wife has a working Cocker that would b pretty much perfect for everyday use.
Labs are officially "large" dogs - ours is from working stock so at the smallest end (26kg) - TBH I think of her as a "medium" sized dog.
Brilliant companion - puppy classes mean she's ultra obedient and they are the best thing ever if you have a crisis.
Becky +1 for manytears - that's where monty came from, he was with a foster family and has never been in kennels so he was relatively well adjusted given his difficult first few months.
SPANIEL!!!!If you want a dog that will run all day, retrieve tennis balls all night, love you for ever and still act like a puppy through their lives, get a spaniel.
My dog's a Springer (fully trained gundog), but the wife has a working Cocker that would b pretty much perfect for everyday use.
+1 I have an 8yr old spirnger - hes still a nutter after braking his back getting ran over. Likes a bit of exercise but then loves the sofa afterwards too. Check out NESSR.net for springer rescue.
Lab. Ours isn't a small one tho 🙂
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They are brilliant dogs tho. Bright, easy to train, lots of fun.
Been camping with ours, he quite likes the water
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And how can you not want a dog that can do this 🙂
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He was a bit younger then and - as you can see - a bit of a chewer... alright now tho.
Never had anything but labs, but would never have anything else. Bitches can be pretty small 20k size.
This pic is designed to make your eyes go funny:
Ours is nearly four but has retained the puppy eared look somehow.
Never chewed a thing, never whines or barks annoyingly - just amazing. Apart from maybe her death breath...
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No need to rule terriers out they will adapt to the cats and will even protect them as part of the pack.
This guy might be adopted by us soon.
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Our working Cocker Harry:
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can run all day but is perfectly happy to spend the day on the sofa, almost never barks and very gentle when he plays.
Thanks for all the replies.
Airing towards a cocker or small lab.
How would I know if a lab was a working dog or not? Same with spaniel too.
breeder will be able to tell you, although its not necessarily a good thing if you want a pet.
Hardhat and high vis vest?
Funky - usually by knowing where it's from. Ours was from a shooting estate for example. There should be a Kennel Club certificate detailing puppy lineage but any good breeder will tell you. "Show" type labs are much bigger and boxier. Bitches always seem to be a bit smaller whatever type you get but they cost more.
I recommend them - very good with kids (of that helps) and easy to train but not too big - labs can be enormous and eat shedloads! They do need good exercise or they'll get lardy. Watch for hip scores too (again just ask the breeder) as they are prone to bad ones.
Cockers are good too - bit less highly strung than Springers (my parents have two) which can be funny around kids and a bit bonkers.
Met a few bonkers springers, also read about the dodgy lab hips too.
Really would love a small lab, just worried it will end up growing much larger than I would like.
Was thinking more of a working stock dog for toughness, most pedigree dogs I know have health problems at some point and don't seen to be anywhere near as much fun.
Funky - ours is KC registered and pedigree but working stock (certificate goes 5 generations back) - pedigree doesn't mean show type (i.e. large) only.
Best thing to do is look around and spot ads for working labs - or just ask the question if you see ads for labs. Much better to get one from a good shooting estate or similar IMO and make sure you see both parents - no better indicator of what "yours" will look like.
Might be blinkered but I really don't like breeding "farms" that are in it mainly for the money.
A quick question for the people suggesting working stock.
Do you really think its a good idea to suggest a dog that needs 3 hours+ walking a day to someone with a young family?
My dog which is a working cross, and I meet a lot of people with working dogs, who don't actually shoot who are stuck in the rut of 1hour walk in the morning, 1 hour walk at lunchtime and a 2->3 hour walking in the evening or have to live with their dog destroying their house
and a quick picture of mine, calm after being walked for 3 hours
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Ours gets about an hour a day (occasionally much more) and is completely chilled out yet super fit.
They aren't all bonkers.
richc - love that pic!
If you're looking for a trail dog, you want to get yourself a Border Collie - it can run all day, calculate vector mechanics on the move, do a bit of animal psychology and probably fix your bike if you need it to.
As a different suggestion how about a Schnauzer?
http://www.schnauzerclub.co.uk/
As said above a working dog like a spaniel/ collie, although great dogs, is going to be a tie to you unless you can really give them lots of excersize.
sorry for my dumbness, but what is the difference between a working dog and i guess a non working dog?
if its a pupp then how is its behaviour going to be different?
also another one for the people who have trained there doggies...
whats the best course of action to simple things such as fetch and sit and heel type things?
nick
Best method of training is to reward them when they get it right, not shout at them when they get it wrong (like my muppet neighbour is doing as I type 🙄 ). Probably worth going to obedience classes as well if you haven't much idea how to go about it.
My 2 - I have been getting them out with the bike but have now accepted that they are not built to run and run for long periods at bike speeds, even though they are from working stock. They do love a good 1/2 hour though and will chase about on walks for hours without seeming to tire. Brilliant dogs!
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If you want a working type dog due to lack of heridited disease just geta cross breed. IMO a working Springer or a collie is not really a suitable dog for a busy family and Labs of any type need loads of exercise, both mental and physical. If you dont know the difference between working stock and others then you should not really be considering one.
Get a cross breed like a lurcher, such a dog needs a couple of good runs a day and then will sleep all the time, so lazy they are almost cat like. Greyhounds and whippets (the basis for most lurchers and where they get their lazy genes from) are also amongst the least agrressive dogs you can get, as long as you arent a rabbit.
2 nice Labs there Woody.
This oooh working stock need more exercise or will destroy your house is rubbish. All our Labs we've had through out our family have come from working stock and not one of them has destroyed a house, in fact once out of the pup stage none of them chewed a thing.
what is a working stock dog?>
Drac - same here. Not one item chewed by our working stock lab.
Nick - I think it's a broadish term but working stock dogs are generally a bit smaller and in many cases, livelier, than "show" stock dogs.
We have an american breed chocolate lab and he is a great family pet, fantastic with kids and babies but does need a lot of exercise to keep him happy.
Why are what are clearly springer spaniels above now being called working cockers, does the second name apply more to the owners?
I have a working spinger and also previously owned a working cocker. Both breeds can be mental and both can be chilled, personality all depends on the specific dog much like people. Mine were both chilled and great with kids but very motivated whilst out and they definately "work" areas of the woodland we ride in. My friend has 2 working cockers and they are insane and not capable of living in the house at all (they are happier in kennel as they need some time out), she has a 3rd working cocker who is very chilled and easy to live with in the house.
I walk my springer for 1h every morning regardless of the weather and he will run most evenings on either a walk or bike ride. He's equally happy curling up on the sofa for a hug though (he's very soppy!). You do not necessarily need to walk a working dog for hours and hours each day, they will happily do it if you ask them to though.
Sometimes plain old exercise isn't enough and you definately need to consider how to keep them mentally stimulated as well. Things like clicker training, agility, gun dog training (even if you're not going to work them), search and find type training are all good for this and you can do them yourself.
Lots of working dogs end up in rescue as they are not what people expected and they can require a massive amount of work. Some working stock lines are more wired than others so a knowledge of the parents or a history from a very good rescue where the dogs are fostered is essential. My friend with the cockers volunteers for NESSR, they are brilliant at matching their fostered rescue dogs with the correct families and as such have a great deal of success with rehoming their dogs so that both dogs and the family are happy. They have a website and a forum you can have a look on, they are based in North England but will rehome anywhere if you're willing to travel. If you want me to put you in touch with my friend drop me an email.
@ the hustler: working cockers are not working springers, they are 2 distinct breeds and although wockers come in many different colours they do also come in black/white and liver/white. This does not make them the same breed though it can be hard to tell the difference. Sometimes they are miss sold but often it's just hard to tell 😀
We have an 18 month old working springer and a 6 month old baby and they are already bessie mates. daisy(dog) just sits there while billy(baby) grabs big handfuls of her fur/ears/mouth. She will run all day or chill round the house and has never chewed a single thing. mad as a box of frogs but brilliant. wouldnt be without her. My aunty has a sprocker which is alot calmer than daisy, but wants to go home after 30mins walking.
+1 for a springer. We got an eight week old one at the weekend and she is full of it, even jumping on my eight year old staffy.
I Can't wait til she's old enough to go out running or biking.
Drac wrote
This oooh working stock need more exercise or will destroy your house is rubbish.
Agreed. Dogs that destroy houses, regardless of their breeding, tend to do so out of boredom and lack of stimulation. That was one of the reasons I got two - they are company for each other (brother and sister) and when out they tend to range about and run together, getting loads more exercise than others I see plodding about on leads, which is another reason why training is so important.
Next door has a lovely german shepherd cross who is about 7 months old and he wrecks anything in his path as he if left for 7-8 hours in the garden 3 days a week. Doesn't seem to get out much either. I think I'll 'liberate' him this afternoon and take him for a romp with my two and take some pics 😆
Our mate's little (hateful) dog also wrecks everything and is a complete PITA - a crossbreed between satan and a rat.
We work from home - ideal for dog exercising.
If any of you with labs get the chance - let them swim a lot. Ours loves it (even in waves) and can go for almost an hour non stop. I've swum with her loads. Low impact but very good for them.
daisy will swim forever if given the chance. rivers, lakes, canals, ponds, you name it shes in it. she even lies down in puddles.
Came across a local litter by accident last night via a neighbour.
They're black lab staffie cross, one quarter staff. Have only seen pics, but they look gorgeous!
I'm thinking the staff gene might make them slightly smaller and they both have similar tempraments
Some excellent posts so far, thanks.
What's the difference between a cocker and a springer?
@ the hustler, i assume you mean my Dog Harry? You're right, he does look like a springer, specially when you dont see him next to other dogs, but he is smaller than a springer (even small working springers). I guess its not impossible he has a bit of springer in him, but we met the parents and the rest of the litter as well as getting his papers and it all says cocker.
As others have said, not all working dogs need huge walks, but they generally are capable of them.
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Harry at the top of Goat Fell, nose to nose with a springer for size comparison (he is a little bigger than that now, but only a couple of kg's)
Springers - longer legs, shorter ears. Usually.
It is a little misleading to just say "My dog's good, get one of these." They're not like bikes. A lot of it comes down to the individual dog - they all have their own character. Our dog's brilliant, but I wouldn't recommend him to anyone.
Pointers I'd give for all would-be dog owners:
- Rescue dogs can be brilliant, and personally I think this is the place to start. There are so many dogs in the world already, why not get a pre-loved version? Plus you can avoid the annoying puppy phase.
- Research the breed. Via internet http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/services/ [url= http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/services/ ]null[/url]. Also talk to a registered breeder - they're by far the best place to get honest, in-depth information. Again, easy to find contact details through Kennel Club.
- Avoid puppy farms. You're not saving a poor puppy from a horrendous existence, you're guaranteeing another litter. Meeting the puppy's mother is the best thing to do (as you can see the conditions/health).
- Once you've got the dog, the more you put in the more you'll get out. Spend time training, walking, socialising it. Ideally, give the dog a job (agility, tracking, retrieving) so it is mentally AND physically stimulated.
As for my opinion on breeds - nothing wrong with Labs, Springers and Cockers, there's a reason why they're popular. But for me, that's a bit like buying a Specialized or a Trek.
I like the more interesting versions: Whippet, Schnauzer (great shout, Scotabroad), Standard Poodle, Leonberger, Bracco Italiano.
Oh, and Sprockers and Labradoodles are just posh mongrels.
FM - the lab/staffies sounds interesting. What makes you say it's quarter staffie?
I grew up with a springer and cousins had a cocker, not true for all but I would say biggest difference is energy lvls, springers seem to have a tank that just goes on for ever...........for both the biggest mis conception about them is that they are stupid dogs, this could not be further from the truth they are actually incredibly intelligent but need to be kept stimulated, if they're not thats when they play up.
to give you an idea of ther intelligence two ecamples of ours
whenever he heard the icecream van used to go out the back door, round the side of house, jump the 4' gates go and get his cone and come back, leaving us with a regular bill.....
in the 15 years we had him once when we were away our aunt ( who had the cocker) came into the house and borrowed a can of his dogfood, after that everytime she visited he went and sat by his food cupboard to protect it.....
Lol at hustler.
Ntried, just going off what the guy next door said. I presume one of the parents is a lab staff cross. They're not from a breeder, it's just someone he knows. He has 2 very well behaved and quiet staffs himself. We only ever hear them when they have a giddy 5 mins playing with them in the house. They're often out in the back and never bark, unlike the bloody noisy dalmation behind us who never shuts up!
Edit, he also said the owners are only looking for £100 each, which makes me think that they either want rid quick, aren't that bothered about the money, or they are seen as an undesirable dog?
TBH if your looking along the lines of getting a staffy then i would recommend getting a rescue one.
We got ours from a rescue centre when he was 18 months and you couldn't want for a better dog.
Not really looking for a staff in particular.
Lab would be nice but possibly a bit large. Was thinking the cross would be smaller.
Would like to be able to take it for big days out on the hills and small rides on the bike.
Given what i've read so far. I'm thinkink a springer crossed with something a little calmer would be the best bet.
Springer lab cross?
Staffies are lovely dogs, but I don't think i'd have one just because of the association with all the local chavs and scrotes who all seem to think it's a vital accessory.
No doubt they're the season the rescue centers are full of them
Little vid of next doors dog Max. They don't let him off the lead much because he doesn't come back and they were told he can be aggressive with other dogs! We met a couple of other dogs and he was good as gold.
He also followed my two, who were doing their best to ignore the young upstart, and came straight back every time he was called. I bet he'd make a great trail dog when he's fully grown.
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