I have 2 daughters 7 & 15, both very sensible. We had a crossbreed who died 3 years ago aged 16. We were so distressed when she died we thought we would never be able to take on another dog. While we still miss her we now feel ready to get another one. The question is what type ? Crossbreeds are great but we have been told that temperaments are unpredictable, as is size. The girls would prefer to have a puppy rather than an adult dog. We are looking for a small to medium breed, not a heavy shedder, even tempered, easily trainable and of medium activity level. (This accurately describes our last dog - if only we could guarantee finding these attributes again in a rescue pup) We are prepared to pay around the £400 mark for a puppy. We have a large garden and open fields nearby. I do voluntary work so the dog would never be left for more than 3 - 4 hours. Suggestions welcome please.

How about a Cocker Spaniel? We've just bought a puppy and we have 3 children - 6, 4 and 17mths old. Holly is wonderful with the children and very playful. She is very even tempered and easy to train. She's also full of character and very affectionate.

She does need grooming regularly, so that may be a problem to you, but we only have to brush Holly for a few minutes every day at the moment. As she gets bigger she'll need trimming properly but this can be done by myself or at a grooming parlour.

Cockers love to go out and will walk for miles, when they fully grown. They never stop sniffing and are constantly on the go. When fully grown they are approx 15in tall and approx 30lbs in weight.

To help you make a decision have a look at this and then click on select a breed. It's got a good questionnaire to fill in and will offer a few breeds that might be suitable for you.

Good luck,

Fiona

Hey, we posted at the exact same time :-) I guess great minds think alike ;-) I like your website selection :-)
toodles.

Hi Guest,
I understand completely why you're considering a purebred puppy. Just remember, most puppies are active when awake, despite the breed profile. It's their nature :-) I do have a question before I give you some ideas of breeds to look into. You didn't say what your last dog was a mix of, so I'm not sure of what you're looking for.

Breeds are broken down into 7 categories, which might help us and you to be able to narrow down what type you want. The Terrier and Toy groups tend to have the smallest dog breeds, but temperment & coat varies. Herding, Hound, Working, Sporting, and Nonsporting are the other groups (I'm just going off of memory, so I could be leaving something out) My personal favs are the Terriers and the Sighthound breeds, such as Borzoi, Scottish Deerhound. But terriers might be more work than you want because they tend to want to be busy.

Believe it or not, there are online questionaires that make it easier to find a dog to suit what you want. If you go to google.com and put in aol dog match, one of those sites will appear. "picking a puppy" is another one that comes up with results.

I hope this helps you out.
toodles :-)

Have now registered in order to answer your question. Parentage of crossbreed unknown but would hazard a guess there was some Labrador and Border Collie in there but could have been a lot more as well ! Thanks to everyone for taking time to give me advice. Love Cockers but friend has one which is a bit loopy to say the least - is this common? Sorry if that offends anyone. Would a Border Terrier be a good option ?

Had a look at one of the suggested questionnaires. Guess what ? It recommended a Cocker as the ideal dog for us.

hiya,

Cockers are a bit 'mad'. It's a spaniel thing, but it is a very endearing quality. My parents first Cocker was a rescue and she was very placid, their second was a pedigree who they bought as a puppy and she was lovely. She was quite lively as a puppy and calmed down a lot as she got older. She remained lively enough to want to play with my children and walked for miles everyday of her life. Their new puppy is crazy!! She isn't a normal example of the breed and is very lively. It's a bit of a shock for my parents as they're both retired but when she stays with us she's not so bad. I think my children tire her out and I'm a bit more accepting of mad puppy moments than my parents.

Our puppy is a typical spaniel - lively and loving.

If you aren't in a hurry, Discover Dogs is on at Earls Court, London on 2nd and 3rd November and they will have examples of every KC Registered breed. Alternatively why don't you go to some dog shows. Great fun and it'll give you an idea of the different breeds you're interested in.

Good luck,

Fiona

Just out of curosity I tried the select a dog, it gave me
Schnauzer, Standard
Bullmastiff
Leonberger
English Setter
Rough Collie

Whatever I change one of these seems to come out top - no Dobes mentioned :-(
not exactly what I would call short-coated most of them!

Christine

I too have tried this (Puli came out about 4th I think) what suprised me was that altering the exercise you were able to give didn't seem to affect the choices you were given

I had a go as we want another dog in the future as well as Barney and I changed different things and the Puli came 3rd or 4th every time. Will go and search Puli now LOL. Gina

Gina - If you find one let me know:D They seek him here they seek him there..........although the SWD is peeking my interest now ooooooooH

is swd for spainsh water dog or something elies.

Oh yes did I get it wrong it is certainly the Spanish Water Dog and there was me thinking I cracked this secret code......:)

i only cracked it beacuse i got a swd,she 5 months old,

OK you can stop now! I know where you are - I've been to your website very nice by the way:)

Edited to add: Are you Terri that Dinep (I think that'e her name but she sounds lovely grovel grovel) was referring to?

yes i am terri,dinep breeded gollie my swd.she and her mum are great.

I have never found those questionaires remotely useful, they usually recommned breeds I don;t much care for! As I already own the perfect bred for me, I put in all the answers that would apply to them, and still got nothing similar, they tend to point you to the popular, alsready exploited breeds.

Make a list of likes and dislikes re looks, like coat, ear type, amount of lip and jowl which will influence whether they drool!

Do you require a bright intelligent dog, with a mind of it's own, or a real yes man!

How strong are you, what size of dog would fit comfortably in your home, car, and be capable of being restrained and trained by the girls.

Can you deal with a very fiery breed in relation to others of it's own kind, this will require a lot more training to make them acceptably behaved to other dogs when you are out.

This will narrow things down a bit.

My breed for instance would not suit a very houseproud person who loves to wear black, and who expects instant compliance to commands! Even though I consider them the ideal family companion, handy size, easy to groom, sociable (people and dogs), easy keepers re food, and fun. On the other hand some people would find them too lively, bloody minded and hairy!

Hi Hugen,
I know kind of what you mean about loopy Cockers. I have a Cocker/Chihuahua mix 17lb female. But she's not loopy, just way too smart for her own good at times. Neurotic fits her a bit better. But I love her. She's a great dog and very nicely naturally shorthaired.
I've looked at Border Terriers before and fell in love with them. Tend to be very self-reliant and independaent. Not a good breed if you want immediate and unquestioning obedience without work. Great companion dogs, though. Someday, I might have one--they appeal to me :-)

It's really hard to suggest a breed for a stranger, not knowing your lifestyle or personality. But here are some that you could always check out...especially with the internet, these days.
Australian Kelpie
Australian Terrier
Basset Fauve De Bretagne (not common, but really sweet dogs)
Beagle
Boston Terrier (another really sweet breed, but because of pushed in nose, must be aware of temperatures--panting to cool down is less efficient)
Brittany (forever puppy)
Cairn Terrier (think Toto from Wizard of Oz)
Canaan Dog (short haired shepard type)
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel or close: English Toy Spaniel (very underated and wonderful breeds)
Dachshunds (come in all sizes & coats --long, short, & my personal fave: Wire)
Dandie Dinmont Terrier (all shades of silver & grey groomed with a pom pom on top :-)
Fox Terrier (smooth & wire coats)
French Bulldog (wonderful Bat ears)
German Shorthaired Pointer (If I ever get a hunting breed, it will be this one. Usually very gentle)
Irish Terrier
Italian Spinone (It's a dog, not an ice cream)
Lancashire Heeler ( might have too much energy, though)
Manchester Terrier
Norfolk & Norwich Terriers
Parson Jack Russell (but again, might have too much energy)
Poodles (different sizes & do not shed.. They always look good for the "water cut" if you don't like the "lion trim)
Pug --not great for rambling through the woods, but who knows?
Schnauzer (same as poodle for size variances & hair, but energy level varies.)
Scottish Terrier
English Setter (lovely breed)
Skye Terrier
Australian Silky Terrier
Spaniels -- Cocker (American & English varieties), Springer, Field, etc..
Weimaraner --smooth & longhaired
Corgies -- Cardigan & Pembroke.
West Highland Terrier
& my all time personal fave: Yorkshire Terrier--- but I prefer the 7-8 pounders because they can be as rough and tumble as they like :-)

Hope this gives you some ideas.
toodles. :-)

Gosh thankyou , so many breeds to chose from, some of which I hadn't considered at all. Are some of the less common ones eg Spinone, difficult to obtain ? Like the sound of some of the other spaniels eg the Cavalier King Charles and the Brittany. Do they have the same sort of personnality as other spaniels ? Interesting you suggested some I had not considered having with children around eg some of the terrier breeds. Border Terriers sound wonderful but perhaps not right for us.

There is a lot of information on the internet about the various different breeds but some of it which goes into temperament rather than breed standard and appearance seems to have been written by people who are real enthusiasts for that particular breed. I really wanted a balanced view from people who like dogs in general rather than enthusiasts of one particular breed. Bet this'll offend someone - sorry.

Why not consider a Labrador? Once they have grown up out of the puppyhood urge to eat your home and everything in it, well trained ones are the most wonderful companions, sweet natured, loyal, intelligent, easily trained and many will guard your home too. Perhaps too large for you though?

The spinone is relatively easy to obtain in the UK. But he is a large dog and he slobbers (well he does!) :D He is also stubburn as a mule!

You wont go far wrong with a cavalier,they are a delightful breed and not at all like some of the other spaniels .we have had cockers and have springers ourselves bothare a bit on the highly strung side but my little cavalier is an absolute darling.So intelligent,loving and easy to train the only drawback is they are like gold-dust.Whatever u choose please make sure that it is a happy healthy pup and do your homework on the pros and cons of the breed first.You sound like a sensible sort so I'm sure I don't ned to tell u that

What exactly do you mean by gold dust? I'm researching the breed, and keep reading wonderful things, except some health drawbacks. Can you tell me more about yours please?

Just wanted to say that I've had my Cavalier a week now and she is just the best. I used to be scared of dogs, but my dog is just lovely. So loving and friendly and kind and fun. I think the phrase "like gold dust" means that everybody wants them so they can be hard to get, but try www.loot.com and do a search. Somebody is selling an 18 month old bitch at the moment for £200 and also somebody is selling a 5 year old for £100. If you want a puppy and are willing to pay a little more, there are loads of ads. Take a look.

Thanks!

I remember you said you had older children (over 7) and all girls. That opens more possibilities for breeds...of course depending on what type you set your heart on. Not being sexist, but having older children and girls, tends to change things a bit for consideration of dog types.

You don't have to worry about a toddler squeezing & pulling puppy's hair, and trying to pick up the darling in some really hurtful positions. My Yorkie had been through at least 5 families before I got her. The last two that I knew of, had boys. The first had two that would throw her around as if she was a football. The second family, (I was told by the mother) could "just not understand why she yelped all of the time when her five year old son was alone with her." When I got home and bathed the poor dear, I found a puffy two inch bruise on her backside. She adored men (males over 9--her definition, not mine) and little girls who would always brush her hair so carefully. But she would stay far far away from little boys. :-)

Regardless, from my experience, I have found that the dog will eventually attend to the one who takes care of it the most. They're not stupid. So it has to be one that You decide on :-)

I tried giving you a large choice ranging in various sizes. I took them out of several books that I own and tried to keep away from the really rare breeds. I didn't put down Labs (although I love them too), because they tend to take at least two years to mature, are fairly energetic, and can be on the large size, plus they do shed a bit.

Your questions about the Spaniels...well, that's what breed profiles are useful for. Terriers, Setters, hounds, and others are all just a broad category of trait tendencies. If you decide othat the spaniel type is for you, you can narrow down your choices to the looks, aptitudes, and size that you want. Enjoy the fact that dogdom has been ultimately arranged for the convenience of womankind, so to speak.

I'm just so happy that you are the type of person who is actively trying to figure out what will work best for you and your family. The more time and effort you put into this, the more rewarding it is to have an animal that will be able to live out its entire life with you. I think in the USA, the statistics of a puppy maturing into adult and senior citizen in the same household is now around 1 out of 22 puppies. I have no idea if Britain has the same difficulties.

Oh, by the way, I think you asked about getting a male or female at one time. I'm putting in a vote for female puppy that, if you are just planning on having as pet quality...spay her before her first heat. She has less chance of having cancer, less mess, and retains that youthful aire all of her life :-) Females tend to be also smaller and are just as protective as males. Smarter too, but that's my personal opinion. :-)
Toodles :-)

Hope you decide on the best breed that meets your family needs:O
No offence meant!, as you mentioned earlier you have children of different ages that will all grow up with the pup & learn to care & look after it.

We now have border terrier's & have found them very good with the children, easy for them to
train, walk,play & have fun with as these are a very small but extremely hardy breed. (sometimes to hardy)

Our breeder also had children aged between 1,7 &11 + ducks geese &cats that the dogs got on well with,
they do need regular exersise but are also happy to be left to sleep for hours. (even when your with them)
good luck on YOUR choice only you can decide ;)

Karl & Jane

Dear Hugen
Thought I'd wave the flag for Dachshunds, in particular Minature Smooth Haired Dachshunds. I have recently bought a Min. Smooth Haired Dachshund -having previously not had a dog :( and I must say I am delighted with him. I wanted a dog that was small but still energetic, loving and obedient but still independant and one that needed the minimum amount of time spent on grooming etc. This is exactly what I got :D I did have some hiccups in house training Rupey at the beginning but I put that down to my inexperience. Dachshunds are great with children, my three year old nephew is able to walk Rupey with no problems and they have a great time running together over the hills (with me in hot pursuit- usually out of breath :o I have also discovered that stroking Rupey is all the grooming he needs and have yet to find any shed hair, he doesn't have that doggy smell either. My advice to you would be to use the internet and library to research breeds that have taken your fancy and then use this info to make the right choice for you. I loved the look of Dachshunds but knew nothing about them so I spent quite a few months doing research and decided a Min Smooth Haired was the one for me. Hope you find the right dog for you and your family :D

hello,I would reccomend a staffordshire bull terrier.They are excellent with children and adults alike,they even get on with other dogs if you bring them up right.They are compact,short coats,which shed very little,and they'll look after you,your children,your house,car .......I have 3 children,ages,1,4&10and he is absolutely fantastic with them.I personally wouldn't have any other breed now.In my eyes,staffords are all and more you need in a dog.......I'm sure not everyone will aggree with me as they unfortunately get some bad press(often by people whom are ignorant to the breed).Contact the kennel club,they will tell you that staffords are one of a few breed of dogs that they endorse to be good with children.Anyway,Ihope this helps
Good luck!

In defence of the mutt!!

I think it was unfair of anyone to say that the size and temperament of the mutt are unpredictable. Well I agree with size because that is the one thing I say to new owners of one of my puppies (rescues) .... it is a fine dog that knows his father, and there are few of them .. so size not guaranteed as parentage unknown. However they are no less likely to be ill tempered than a pedigree, and in many cases far less likely to be so as a result of no in breeding. Upbringing will be the biggest factor in temperament. What is important if you choose a pedigree breed is to choose your breeder with as much care as the breed you choose. Never buy where you can't find details of both parents, and preferably see both. NEVER buy from a wholesale outlet which are outlets for puppies bred on puppy farms where no care is given to temperament, socialisation or health in the breeding.

Whatever puppy you choose, choose it not because it looks right, but because you will love it for the rest of its life. That can be anything from mongrel to royal class corgi!

Caitlin, I would often be wary of advising seeing both parents in the same home.

Most breeders, even if they keep both sexes are likely to use the best Stud for their particular bitch, (possibly hundreds of miles away) and one that is at home may not be, he may be part of the same close family, or again he may have been bought in to use on their bitches, but this is likely only for one litter.

When talking to pet buyers at training classes those who saw both parents at the breeders actually got a pup that was bred for convienience! If the breeder mentioned that Dad lived a long way away, it would to me signify that they had gone to a lot of trouble to breed this litter! I would of course expect deatails of the Stud Dog owner, and advise the enquirer to make an appointment to view him, or some more of his adult offspring!

I know what you mean Brainless and in many cases I can agree. However it is not always true. It has taken me many years, a lot of planning and a trip to Belgium to be in a position to say about my latest litter that you can see both parents.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

Hi ya- I went on that search site and put in 'large' dogs but not giant (no offence- I'm 5ft 6 inch and quite a small build)- I also put a number of other things- it came out with an old English Sheep dog, Great dane and a St Bernard Are these not classed as 'Giant' breeds? No mention of the German Shepherd anywhere- which I find quite surprising as upon choosing my breed (GSD) I did a list of things such as size, good with kids, intelligent, relatively easy to train etc and using a dog encyclopedia- I made a short list of possible breeds to look at- then after more research I made a suitable list- a probable list etc- and basically kept narrowing it down until I had only a few which I think had GSD's and Rotties to name a few- then obviously from this list I came up with the GSD:D Put it this way on that questionnaire- none of my final short listed breeds came out

Anyway since everyone else has mentioned their breeds- What about the German Shepherd Dog? I'm not going to give any reasons because admittedly so I am extremely biased- but if you do want any tips or a bit more info- let me know:D

Stacey

P.S; I have a 4 year old Son and a 6 year old Daughter, also a rather moody tom cat, rabbits and some sort of funny mix/cross breed that calls himself my other (gotta be the worst) half;)

Riggs, i agree with you entirely, i think they are THE best dogs in the world. BUT they do have some drawbacks - they are loyal, enthusiastic, energetic, etc, but they have to have a lot of exercise or they can become destructive, etc. They are not good when left on their own, and require a lot of attention. Training has to be firm and very thourough, as does socialisation, and this takes a lot of time and energy. They are fantastic with kids, but don't make good guard dogs as they love absolutely anybody! You should never let children take them out for walks alone, as a child would not be able to deal with a situation if it arose, and they may be small, but boy are they strong! They should never be bought from any newspaper such as loot or exchange and mart, and only from a reputable breeder. On the down side, even if they are the best with other dogs (my bitch still rolls over on her back when another dog comes along and she is 3!) you can never rule out the possibility of a fight happening, even though 100% of the time it is the other dog who starts it, a staffie will always finish it!
Having said that if you put all the energy in to a staff you do get the most amazing dog back.

We have considered a Staffie as they are lovely dogs but far too strong for our daughters to walk. Thought we were getting a Cavalier yesterday. One was being returned to a local breeder but owner now changed mind & keeping her. (Sob!) Was offered a 5 month old springer this morning, bought by elderly lady who can't handle him so he is totally wild as he has had no exercise or training. Poor dog. Whoever sold her such a dog must be mad. New family who have him work full time so he is "free to good home". Almost took him on but could be more than I can handle at the moment.
Back to the drawing board - cavalier, border terrier or crossbreed ? May visit local rehoming centre this w'end. Not sure if to take kids, they'll just want to bring them all home !

Sorry Brainless, you are of course right ... what I was probably clumsily trying to do was warn the poster about the dangers of ill breeding ... I guess I meant that you should be able to get a clear history of both parents ... and not just turn up at a puppy farm outlet. :)

Hi, if you are considering a terrier,a Westie is a wonderful pet, and they dont moult. With a daily grooming you will hardly ever see a hair in the house! Once adult they can "go" all day, are excellent house dogs and always ready to play. Contrary to popular opinion, after keeping them for many years, I promise: if they are properly brought up they are neither snappy or noisy!! They can be a little stubborn sometimes, but that is part of their charm, they will never say no to a game or a walk. I think of them as "big dogs in small clothing". I would have suggested one earlier but I thought you wanted a more medium sized dog. :-)

WL,

I second that! I'm a confirmed Weim lover now but I grew up with a gentleman Westie - and that's exactly what he was!!! - and then a little lady (or tramp more like!). They are full of terrier character, their coats don’t shed and although you have to have them regularly clipped its worth the effort when you see them freshly done - they are beautiful chaps!

Ours have both been easy going, they didn't chew, even as puppies, are reliable in the house and around children (I was five when Scamp arrived). They seem to live a long time too - Scamp was 16 and still reasonably fit and Suki is 13 1/2 and going strong! Training was always a challenge as they are willful creatures - rather than stubborn - but they are clever and loving. Neither have been yappy, in fact Scamp had a 'big dog bark' and people always laughed when we opened the door and they saw him!

Good Luck Hugen with whatever choice you go with. We are researching into getting a puppy at the moment. We have our breed all picked out though. Our old boy who we lost last summer was a Weimaraner and there is no other breed for me now. It still isn't simple however! I have been researching breeders and visiting shows for two months now - people have been extremely generous with their time - and am now hopefully on the brink of finding the pup for us. If we get onto his Mum's shortlist! Anyway, hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Linda

Hi Hugen,
Been a couple of weeks, any luck on the doggie search? Just curious.
toodles

Hi. Thanks for asking about dog hunt. We have two leads (pardon the pun) on young cavaliers. One, 5 months blenheim male, may already be booked but the other is available. This one is 16 wks male black & tan. Have done research and both pups are from excellent breeders who heart and eye test. Blenheim is £500.00. Haven't dared ask price of b/t yet - he is from very good kennel, but have seen pics and he is really gorgeous. Girls are now busy persuading daddy that a puppy is worth that much ! When I see them give him the "big sad-eyed treatment" I just know a cavalier is the right dog for us. (What's that they say about dogs looking like their owners ?) Apologies to any of you who do not want to be compared to your pets!
PS We went several times to look at rescue dogs but sadly they were large young boisterous adult males mostly. The sort that we would have felt capable of taking on were always booked.