Have I missed the reason she doesn't want to stick to Labs and just get one of her own?  My kids are around the same age and have no bother handling our year old GSD.  In fact, she listens to them far better than me!! 
My trouble with letting the kids get a dog is, I take over!  Inadvertantly, of course, but it's not long till the dog is walking with the crowd and I just feed with the others and at training, I tend to give the kids a hard time.  I don't mean too of course, but I don't want the dog messed about or mistakes happening. And it's easier to add the dog to the pack rather than leave it in alone while the kids are at school.
Instead of 'buying' the kids their own dogs, I gave them all responsibility of one of the dogs.  They picked which one and off they went.  My boys soon got fed up but my oldest daughter still likes to look after 'her' dog.  Lille 'un gets some special attention and my daughter gets taught about reponsibiltity.

I would love a clumber(but they are quite strong too), and a field.  Of course, Cockers are fab but I dunno if a show would suit bogdog!!lol  Don't overlook springers.  By far the best breed I've ever owned(but would only have 1 at a time) and very intellegent.  I prefer the working springers to the showlines.

> My trouble with letting the kids get a dog is, I take over

My daughter was 13 when we got our older dog and 16 when she got 'her own' dog. The advantage of this was that she was old enough to walk the dogs by herself (which she did without fail before and after school until she was 18) ,groom them and go to training and agility classes with them. Both dogs were, of course, got with the full knowledge that she would probably be going to university and so, eventually, ultimate responsibility would fall to us :) :)

The problem is she doesn't really know although it has to be smaller than a Lab.

Yes I have suggested a Toller but she has rejected that purely on looks at the moment so it will stay on the short list but I will get her to speak to some of the breeders to get a proper idea on what they are like as I know but I want her to do her own investigation and discovery as it is a learning and education curve for her doing research and talking to people and hopefully coming up with an answer I agree to !

She has dismissed another lab as she says we have a houseful already and wants a smaller dog so she can train in without being dragged round the village as they are too strong for her apart from Puds the 10 year old who is perfect on the lead !

Have you thought about an American cocker , I know someone who shows them and they are really well behaved little dogs , and gorgeous to look at , although their coats take a bit of work .

I have a working springer and a beagle which have both been mentioned.  The springer is a bit more straightforward and keen to please but pulls like a train.  The beagle is much easier on a lead (friends 3 year old can have her on a walk) and very easy to teach "tricks" to - would do anything for food!  But from what you have said about Bogdog I would say the beagle will just get him into bother! 

Have you considered a little old fashioned gundog style lab?  Or would that be out of the question with wanting to show etc

High Maintenance coats are a no for me and struggle to get Dingo to brush her every day never mind a dog !!

> memories of a beagle returning home with a still warm, leg of lamb

This is a positive story - the beagle returned home, you didn't have to spend hours looking for it, for a beagle that's very good :-D

> for a beagle that's very good

Oh, he always returned home :) :) My aunt had spent a fortune having her large garden fenced (and fortified under the fence :) ) - but he was a devil for getting out if a gate/door was left open :) :)

Did anyone hear the Capital Radio breakfast show the other morning there?  It was hilarious!! Apparently the DJ has got himself a rescue Beagle and was going on about how fabulous she was.  Some Beagle owner phoned in and said "You know the guy that walks around with a leash and no dog?  He's just taking his Beagle for a walk!!"

Gundog, low maintainence coat, smaller in size, easy to train, loyal = SPRINGER!!!!springer,springer,springer,springer.....go on, you know you want to!!

The problem is I am not a big fan of springers. I like them but not sure whether I could own one , don't ask me why , just because !

Does she want to do a specific thing with the dog ie show /work ? im just thinking could the ideal dog be waiting at the pound for her.........

What about a sheltie- very clever, very trainable, have the aaah factor. Do need a lot of grooming.

She may want to do obedience and maybe show but she definitely wants a pup as she has quite categorically she want to starry training from the beginning with a puppy so she is able to learn from the start herself ( with my help) rather than a dog who has been trained or part trained or got some issues as she said we have already fit a houseful of delinquent Labradors !

Grooming the issue with a Sheltie

spanish water dog ?

Yes in the list :-)

That's very strange is anything all the Welsh Springers I have known have been a little bossy, certainly nto backward in coming forward, and they belonged or were bred by several different breeders.

One Welsh bitch I knew still did Exemtpion show obedeince competitons after loosing both eyes to Glaucoma, including retrieves, so not only trainabel and obedeint, but a bomb proof character.

Barbara though it is like anything you get a first impression by what you see and experience and base judgements on that.

I do however feel that I have a good grip on the different traits amongst alot of the breeds and also I find watching them working or in the ring it is a really good way of getting a feel about them.

As a few of you may know I am hopefully going to become a mummy to an Irish Water Spaniel in a few years time and have read so much about them and watched them and to me they are such magical dogs. They have something about them that makes me want to have one and I will get one :-)

This however is about Indigo ( that is her proper name btw :-D)

She knows sort of what she wants but is not there yet but what ever she decides ( subject to us agreeing to it ;-) ) it will be a dog that fits in our family and Dingo does realise that .

At the end if the day what ever interim pup arrives here it has to have my seal of approval ( if you read between the lines it is another way of getting another dog into the house :-P)

Well I think I'm on the side of the Lagotto.  I saw them at Discover Dogs & we have a couple in our park.   They are small-ish and very trainable.   As a gundog they will be versatile enough to do anything.  Come in a wide range of colours.   And will certainly be unusual.

Somehow missed this post!

Most good breeders, or breed clubs even would be in a position to organise a visit so that you can get a feel of the particular breed.  Two of my children had dogs at around this age, one being a toller and all have got a great deal out of this.  Both of them qualified for the YKC handling at Crufts, one again for this year!  Both are still actively involved, they are there own dogs and it's delightful to watch the bond developing.

We had a mother and daughter arrange a visit to try some handling with one of ours as they were considering the breed for the daughter in the future last year.  A gang of children and dogs all swoping around, they all had a great time and were very sensible.

I suggest a visit to any breeders of any of the breeds that you are interested in to see how she feels handling the breed.

Lagotto breed standard is interim as they are still on the import register :)

The only Welsh springer I know is quite a poorly, nervous dog.

Really? What a shame...that's so utterly unlike the breed as a whole, I've certainly never seen one that fits that description. I'm not in any way doubting what you say, but I'd be very interested to know its breeding and background.

Crufts and Discover Dogs is just around the corner...why not have a day with your daughter deciding together?

We have been to Discover Dogs quite a few times over the years and Dingo always spends a lot of time looking at the dogs and has taken huge amounts of photos as well and yes we will be going in March.

We also get to other shows when we can but I am not pushing Dingo into showing as I want he to make her own mind up if that a something she wants to do.

I have said when I take the plunge when I get my IWS that did she fancy coming long to some shows as there will be plenty of early starts and she did look at me with that 'you have got be joking' look !

Ah ok that explains the interim thanks

Yes they have the solid brown colour which will fit in with the chocolate crew !

>Margot the yorkshire pudding story is fabulous, Jules' Shay would be quite jealous

There's a very good reason that the Choweiller will never be the next designer dog fad! <exasperated sigh>  He's had another vet visit this week after yet another episode where he let his stomach rule his head.  He's fine.  As usual.

And I'll not be recommending my other breed for very obvious reasons.

SWD would get my vote I think if it's a medium sized dog Dingo wants. The ones I know are fabulous (although they are all owned and/or bred by the same person, whose foundation bitch was bred by Diane). Although, if I was going small dog, it would be a Tibetan Spaniel.

Tibetan Spaniel...an excellent suggestion.
Real little wash and wear dogs, minimal grooming but just enough to feel you can do something before a show.
Great for junior handling.
Very few health issues, long lived, robust and very lively.
The sort of dog she can do everything with including popping it under the duvet when Mums not looking!

I know a couple of TS and again not my type of dog.

They are quite lively jolly things but legs are too near the ground and from conversations with the owners they are constantly having to bath them considering the state of the fields where we all walk.

Don't worry Jules the Newfie is right at the bottom of the list :-P

> Tibetan Spaniel...an excellent suggestion.
>

And they seem to live forever.

I know someone locally who showed and bred Tibbies for many years but some years ago got into Finnish Laphunds.

I asked her when she would have another tibbie youngster out, and she said that she would not as they live forever, and are too easy to 'collect', and she's getting too old for counting on having a significant number dogs living 16 - 18 years.

There are a few Newfie people who have Tibbies as well.  They seem to co-exist well.  They will definitely be my downsizing breed of choice...or should my daughter show an interest in having her own dog in years to come, like Lucy's daughter is now, I may just steer her in that direction ;-)

The problem with small dogs, they are all closer to the ground.

Yes that is true but some dogs have smaller legs compared to the body size and length in proportion to other breeds and then the longer the coat the messier the get !

Interesting thread any clues yet on the road you are taking?

Not yet still compiling the short list at the moment !

I love this thread as it has made me have a good old giggle, what with all the doggy stories and such but nothing made me spit my tea on the laptop like the post about your daughters true name!!
Not that her name is anything but beautiful, just the nickname! Brilliant!

Well Lucy,
I'm thinking Lagotto and Perro Di Agua have got to be top of the list now!
And if I had that choice, as much as I adooooore the Lagotto... I'd be pouring wine down my PC screen to Diane!!!
She's such an amazing SWD breed ambassador and I just love,love her dogs ;-)

I will even contribute to the 'let's ply Diane with chocolates & wine' fund!! (And you know I don't give those away freely! :-p)

Ir a comprar un perro encantador españoles!!!!!

Don't worry I will be tracking her down at Crufts and will be plying her with lots of incentives ounces the short list gets to a short , short list !! :-P

I know poor girl but the nickname wasn't our doing ( her real name is so suppose we are indirectly responsible ! )

It was given to her my the nursery inmates as the pre school group she was in found it hard to say Indigo so Dingo seemed be a good compromise so it stuck ! I have said we can change it back to something else as we did used to call her Betty ( middle name is Elizabeth ) but she quite rightly pointed out that she can't revert back to that as I had renamed a rescue girl Ruby to Betty so she didn't have many options :-P

She loves it really ;-)

I think it's in the name really  Lagotto = Yav got to !! Says it all really!!lol

Dingo is a fabulous name! I think all kids shortened names should stick,  We have a zanne, nana, Joshyboy and zozo!lol  All given by a loving family member!

Nursery inmates!  Eeek what sort of place were you sending her to? 

I think Indigo is a beautiful name and Dingo is a fabulous nickname.

Just had a further thought, is it worth looking at the endangered breeds list for something suitable.  Doing a good turn all round and as seems likely she will want to compete in some way she would also be raising the profile of the breed.

I know , a very dodgy nursery in rural Oxfordshire lol !

Yes might be worth looking at so will have a look at the list on the KC website

I know for sure one of the spaniels is (Sussex or Clumber I think) they are both a bit steadier than a springer but still gundogs and good all-rounders, also likely to be good retrievers.  I know that sounds really silly but she has grown up with labs and for a lot of people having a dog that will go retrieve a ball is a major part of the fun to be had with a dog and there are some breeds (hounds are notorious for it) that just really are not interested.  I imagine you could train a dog to do it on command but not to enjoy it the way naturals do. 

Both of them are and also the Field and IWS.

Looks like a lot of terrier breeds

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/808

Some of my favourite terriers are on that list.  I suppose I should be less surprised, I walk a lot with mine and rarely see anything other that jrt's and pugs as small breeds go.  I see one or two nice border terriers but there really is not a lot out there.  Lots of choice there if she did go that way, and it could really buck the trend of a struggling breed - introducing them to the younger generation and all.

Yes agree that would be nice but I am not a terrier person unfortunately , I have known and do know now alot of terriers and they don't really gel with me in terms of breed traits and characteristics.

We have a lot of terriers around here especially alot of working terriers as well and can't say I have warmed to many apart from a lovely little patterdale who loves to play with my crew but know the parents and some of the siblings and they at nasty dogs and would trust them with children or my crew.

We have a battle walking past the fence where two live and it sounds like if they were let out they would far the dogs throats out the noise they make.

My cats stay well away from the area as I am sure they wouldn't last very long.

I am not much of a terrier person I must admit, when I say favourites I mean ones I like to look at most lol!  I think though the ones on that list would probably be quite nice as you would hope the folk still breeding them would be ones who really care about the breed

Ah see what you are saying now !

Just reading an article in the shooting times on the Lagotto about how the KC are thinking about reclassifying the breed to the working group. Interesting article and hope they don't go ahead with it.