Hi all

So as some of you may know i own a fantastic Male German Shepherd and a Female Labrador. Me and my partner have spoken in lengths about owning a Third dog and we have decided in a year or two we are ready to add a Third dog to our family. I would really appreciate any reccomendations breed wise so we can do further research and then any breeds that are still on our list we will meet at crufts which is around a week away. We need breed reccomendations though i me and my partner are both dog crazy and will just end up in love with every dog we meet so i thought it would be better to be prepared with a list of breeds who suit us so our heart wont end up making us choose breeds that dpnt suite us.

Were looking for a medium or small size breed but not too small has to be able to play with our other two.  Partner would just prefer a smaller size ( smaller than our lab) more spaniel size.

Has to be a fairly quite dog like our lab. Our GSD barks at every noise he hears which annoys my partner so with labs being fairly quite dogs it was one if the reasons we chose a lab and she is not very vocal at all as sge only barks when theres someone at the door ect but she doesn't care about the neighbours cats in the garden were a GSD barks at the cats , birds , people getting in cars ect. So no more vocal than a lab.

Exercise wise both dogs get around 2hrs everyday more at the weekend and both dogs get a lot of brain games too. So no more than 2hrs of exercise a day.

Energy level we both have agreed we want a dog whos energy levels are medium like a labs ( or at least our labs energy is medium) by medium i mean not bouncing of the walls or never tires out or relaxes would need to be albe to be laid back\chilled like a lab indoors.

Training we would like the third dog to be easy to train and easy to handlle and live with like a lab we much prefered training our lab as she was easier than my GSD boy but also we like how easy going she is and is not as intense as our GSD boy. So we would prefer to have a dog whos easy like a lab in terms of training and takes everything in there stride if that makes sense.

Other than that just no drool and friendly with all. I think really were looking for something very similar to a Labrador but smaller. My partner suggested a English springer spaniel from show lines but im not sure i thought all springers had high energy levels and im sure they need more than 2hrs a day ( grooming is no issue as partner is a dog groomer). I then looked at clumbers but they seem very unhealthy from what i have read.

Hoping you all might be able to reccomend breeds that might fit the above.

A show line ess would fit the bill and generally a lot calmer than their working cousins. However spaniels can be noisy especially the ess and cocker but training wise you could work on that. What about a welsh springer?
Clumbers are lovely but tend to need less exercise from show lines 
What about the Brittany spaniel?

Take a look at welsh springer spaniels, not as ott as the English variety

Welsh Springer, a Spaniel I could live with, (and I don't do Spaniels generally) not as frenetic as an English. Rare but lovely are Field Spaniels.  both these breeds have no show and working divide.

SueJaw - so are welsh springer spaniels less vocal then English springer spaniels? I thought Brittany spaniels are hyper? Were fine if the dogs needs less then 2hrs exercise but we cant do more than 2hrs. Are clumbers less vocal than ESS?

Brainless are field spaniel less OTT than english springers? I love field spaniels as they look like cockers i love cockers but as suejaw says there noisy which i already knew cockers were noisy which why i could not look at cockers.

I wish someone would breed a mini Lab! ;)

I was also going to suggest a Welsh Springer, they were on my shortlist before I decided a Papillon was better for us overall. My aunt had a WS when I was a teenager and she was a great dog - mellow in the house but happy to run for miles on walks, friendly to strange dogs and humans but not overexuberant. I don’t remember much in the way of barking. Beautiful dog too.

In your situation because you are not sold to any particular breed, why not go to a rescue or two and see what they have available? Often character traits you are looking for - being calm and quiet - is down to an individual dog, a breed may be known for these traits but a particular puppy you get may turn out nothing alike. In reputable rescues such as Dogs Trust or similar the residents tend to be well assessed, and being usually grown up the dog you see would be the dog you get, as opposed to a puppy who needs time to develop and often one can only guess what the puppy's temperament is going to be once grown. I think there is every good chance that by looking at rescues you may find an ideal companion, possibly even of a breed you would probably not even consider otherwise!

Just to add having thought of a rescue, one of the most represented breeds there are staffies - which could fit your bill perfectly. Medium sized, loveable and friendly, not known to be a barker or hyperactive. And sorely in need of a loving home, so so many of these dogs get abandoned these days...

How about a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever?   Not a mini-Lab but could be said to be similar to the Golden Retriever.   Please don't encourage ANYBODY to breed a mini-anything because the BYBs out there will jump on that idea, if they haven't already

Personally, as you now know a thing or two about the two breeds you have, I'd go for another of either.  That way you'd have similar exercise needs, if nothing else.  

Cockers - well those I've had anything to do with have indeed been NOISY especially when just going out on exercise.   But I'd not tar any member of any breed with the same brush. 

Be aware, 3-somes don't always work, the two sometimes ganging up on the one.

Thanks all , no more reccomendations now please as we have a good list now thanks to everyone on here.

List

1) Welsh springer spaniel
2) field spaniel
3) Brittany Spaniel
4) Nova Duck Tolling Retriever

Mamabas , we recently looked after a friends soft coated wheaten terrier while they went on holiday. Both my dogs got on very well with him , kiara my lab enjoyed having him here more as diesel ( my GSD) doesnt play as much as kiara would like so she loved having a playmate who would play as much as she wanted. I know she will love having another playmate. Diesel got on very well with him too. But he was very vocal so thats why we have not picked a wheaten.

Were happy with our list and cant wait till next thursday and i think day 1 is gundog day.

Tollers don't fit your description of 'quiet' - being well known for the 'Toller scream' when they're excited, and a nickname they're often given is 'ginger whinger'!!

Year iv just done a search and have watched videos of the NDTR and i could not handle the toller scream. So there off my list but the rest are still on.

> Please don't encourage ANYBODY to breed a mini-anything because the BYBs out there will jump on that idea, if they haven't already <img class="fsm fsm_cry" src="/images/epx.png" title="cry" alt="" />

It wasn’t a serious suggestion!

As much as I’d love a smaller Lab (medium-sized), I can definitely see unethical breeders who only care about profit producing incredibly unhealthy dogs as a result.

I suppose the days of new “real” breeds being created (as opposed to modern “designer” crossbreeds) are pretty much over.

Since I’m fascinated by genetics and breeding programs I can’t help but think about what breeds I’d cross to create a medium-sized Lab-type dog. I’m absolutely not going to do this, but it’s a fun mental exercise!

Size is odd .I have a 25 kg flat coat bitch who I consider medium and have seen labs who are similar in size particularly the working .they arnt all.large at all and I am taking about purebred labs

My Lab was 33kg and I’ve definitely seen bigger ones!

I suppose it depends on the lines. Working ones do often seem a lot smaller with much lighter builds. There’s one (definitely not working line) a few houses down from me that looks like a bouncy tank, he’s pretty tall and very muscular and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if I was told he had some rottie or something in him, but he’s all Lab.

My definition of medium is “can I lift it into the car without hurting my back”! ;)

Good definition.i can lift Brooke into the car but fortunately at 8 she is very sprightly

Apologies re the NSDTR suggestion  - I knew some breeders of this breed out in Canada, but was NOT aware about the 'screaming'.   I couldn't live with that either. 


Has to be a fairly quite dog like our lab. .....So no more vocal than a lab.
....
Energy level we both have agreed we want a dog whos energy levels are medium like a labs ( or at least our labs energy is medium) by medium i mean not bouncing of the walls or never tires out or relaxes would need to be albe to be laid back\chilled like a lab indoors.

Training we would like the third dog to be easy to train and easy to handlle and live with like a lab we much prefered training our lab as she was easier than my GSD boy but also we like how easy going she is and is not as intense as our GSD boy. So we would prefer to have a dog whos easy like a lab in terms of training and takes everything in there stride if that makes sense.

Other than that just no drool and friendly with all. I think really were looking for something very similar to a Labrador.....

Sounds to me like you want a lab

Please don't call them Brittany Spaniels to a Brit ownerThe spaniel part was dropped years ago and are known as just a Brittany.

Flatcoat ? :) The bitches are usually a lot smaller than the dogs more slender than a lab and yes do relax especially as they mature  .biddable and generally very friendly. I've had gsd and fcr together and it worked well .

> Sounds to me like you want a lab <img class="fsm fsm_lol" src="/images/epx.png" title="lol" alt="" />

Which is precisely why I said this ....................

"Personally, as you now know a thing or two about the two breeds you have, I'd go for another of either.  That way you'd have similar exercise needs, if nothing else."

I would say another Lab but didn't because of the size. I think another Lab fits the bill 100% tbh. A female from show lines would be so called smaller

Thank you all but the thing is diesel will be our only GSD we would never have another as i already had diesel before i met my partner and hes not the biggest GSD fan and is only happy to have diesel because he was already here , my partner would never pick a GSD himself. Its a shame diesel could not change his mind but he didnt. Before we got kiara i was not a huge lab fan a breed i would not pick myself just like my partner woukd never pick a gsd however unlike my partner who still doesnt love gsd's i fell for the lab and love kiara and love labs and even though i would own another lab i dont really want two girls. And i wanted the third dog to be a dog both of us would pick and both of us are happy with.

We both are leaning towards the welsh springer but i want to wait till crufts on thursday.

We have a Toller in the family and I've never heard him scream!  He doesn't even bark much and is a super friendly family dog.

Personally I would only go for another male if your bitch is spayed, the shepherd is fully mature (well over 4 years) and is tolerant of other males.

Brainless- yes diesel ( shepherd) is fully matured and is 4yrs old and has been neutered. Kiara is just over 1yrs old and she will be spayed before we bring a third dog in. Diesel is fine with other dogs of either gender. Kiara is not keen on other females so another male would be best.

> We have a Toller in the family and I've never heard him scream!  He doesn't even bark much and is a super friendly family dog.

There are always exceptions. Attend a Toller gathering and you'll hear it in abundance

I agree with them being good family dogs.

I shAll listen out at the next show I go to. So far not heard it inspire of seeing rollers at the show ring . However hAving owned and loved a pomxchi their high pitched bark is enough to leave your ears ringing and often did . Never quite got that one sorted

Won't hear it as much round the show rings as they do it when they're excited - throw a tennis ball across the ring, that should do it

That makes sense maybe I shall go equipped lol :)

It's the same with my fcr normally she is very quiet but the excitement of  a whiff of fox and it sounds like a pack of hounds not a single dog. Fortunately her bark is deep wuff