My husband and I have decided to get a puppy in autumn. We can't quite agree on which breed though, and after months and months of research we narrowed it down to 2: a Golden Retriever or a Working Cocker Spaniel. I am a stay-at home mum with 2 children aged 3 1/2 and 5 (who will be at school in autumn), and I'm wondering if you have any suggestions which dog would suit us better... I'm looking to do obidience training, agility etc with the dog, but this will be my first dog and I have no experience. We will be able to walk the dog at least 1 1/2 every day, and I go running as well. My husband is worried that a Golden will be too big, and I'm concerned that a working cocker spaniel will be too lively/intelligent for us. Comments/suggestions are very welcome!!!! Thank you! 

Goldens! :) OK, I'm biased but I will tell you what I like about mine. They do not require stimulation 24/7 and are quite happy to chill around the house. They are just a little bit less energetic than some of the gundogs. They love their walks and could work all day. But, if I have to postpone a walk they just go chew a bone or sleep; no bouncing off the walls.

As for agility, my dog is big, at the top end of the scale for the breed standard and while he's built to do his job (no bird is too big for him ot pull up a muddy riverbank) he couldn't fly through the tunnels or weave polls like a collie. My bitch on the other hand is a stone lighter than him and a pocket rocket. She's only 14 months now but I'll do agility when she's older and I reckon she'll give most dogs a run for their money. She was ready to take her gold good cit at 8 months, loves to work and is dead easy to train. So how about a bitch? A little smaller than the dogs but bigger and calmer than the cockers. I would also think a golden would be a better size for your little one. It's harder to get under the feet of a toddler when you can look them in the eye. ;-) Personally I couldn't own a working cocker. I have too much going on in my life to properly work them and give them the stimulation and job they need to be happy.

I was very careful about the breeder I chose as goldens are such a popular breed there are lots of poor examples about. I was asked to come meet the dogs before the breeding even took place so I knew what kind of temperament her lines had and met a few generations. Of course you want healthy pups from parents that have been hip, elbow and eye tested. Once you decide on a breed I would suggest going to a dog show in your area as it is fun day out and a little like going shopping. You can see lots of examples from different lines, talk to people in the breed and see who you like and what dogs you like. You don't need to show your dog to find a puppy this way. It's a good day way to see lots of dogs and there's loads of small shows that happen all the time.

I'd also say Goldens every time.  Many people think Spaniels make ideal pets but I see quite a few in my puppy classes and they are just hyper!  Find yourself a recognised breeder who is happy to give you time to discuss everything through with you.  If you take your time in finding a puppy - are happy with the breeder etc, I'm sure you'll have made the right choice.  I think you are wise to start making enquiries now, it can often take months to find a puppy/breeder who you are 100% happy with - especially as you have young children you need to be well prepared and ideally puppies to have had at least some contact with children before they are homed.

I would personaly opt for the Golden, as I prefer larger dogs and they tend to be less hyper (I've no personal experience with either breed, this is just based on my observations). Both the breeds are regarded as very suitable with children.

It's brilliant that you have researched into breeds of dogs that would be suitible to you & you're family before getting a dog. Too many people jump in without a clue as to what thier cute little puppy will turn out like & what type of life would suit it. Both of the breeds seem like perfect first time family dogs. I hope more people reply who have personal experience with the breeds to help you with your decision.

Totally agree with everyone about the Golden. Ive got 6 at the moment, a 4 year old lad and a 6 month old baby boy and they love the dogs to bits and vice versa. They are happy to chill out on their own when i am busy and happy to walk until i cant walk anymore. a bitch would probably be best as they are a bit smaller and seem to be a bit gentler than dogs,mine are anyway. Make sure you do lots of research to find the right breeder. If you find a pup priced at £350 please be cautious. A  well bred golden is almost double that and i have seen far too many people buy cheap puppies and end up with trouble down the line! I show mine so if you tell me what area you are in chances are i might be able to point you in the right direction if you decide a golden is the breed for you.
mel.

LOL It's the opposite in my house mel. My bitch is far more likely to take the legs out from under man and beast! :) (OK, she has better manners than that, she runs up at 100 mph but stops a few inches away) My dog is the gentlest soul you'd ever meet; he's so calm and careful around everyone; especially around little ones whether they have two feet or four paws.

I agree about Goldens too! They are the most fabulous breed ever to me. :-)

They are being massively exploited by back yard breeders and puppy farmers though, so make sure you go to a good breeder, which will be easy to find if you ring the breed club. They will have a list of who has puppies and of who is planning a mating. You might have to go on a waiting list, as although they are a prolific breed, 'proper' ones are suprisingly hard to get hold of.

My golden is excellent with my children, and she absolutely adores them. Her tail starts wagging as soon as she hears them in the morning, but then again, she is a typical Golden in that she just loves absolutely everyone!

If you're worried about size, a bitch might be better, as they are smaller in general and a bit more petit than dogs, they're also not as hairy.

I have to agree about Goldens, we have 3, aged from 91/2 yrs to 9 months, and a 7 old son, we have never had so much as a grumble from any of them towards any child, or adult.
I agree that you should go along to some shows, see what you like, talk to some people, you will soon find out what is available.
Good Luck, whatever you choose you will have great fun.:-)

I'm biased I must say but I'd go with a goldie :)  Lovely breed but as others have said do your research with regards to the breeders and the various health checks etc.  A lady I know has 2 and they are poles apart.  One is small, built like a collie, acts like a collie and is very nervous and at times dog aggressive, the other, big boy who again is very tempermental and has gone for my girl a few times.  Neither of her's are what I would want a goldie to be like.  When my girl Lucy was younger I used to do both agility and obedience with her and she loved it, was good fun for all :)  Before we got her we had visited I think it was about 4 different breeders before finding one we were happy with and the time spent into the research really does pay off :) Again as others have said if you want a good idea of the different lines etc then have a look around at the various shows there are, get in touch with the breed clubs and possibly even go to a breed show.

Well I have three working cockers and I have to say... I'd recommend you get a goldie too!! Much as I think that wockers are the best dog ever in the whole wide world they are not for everyone and they really do need large amounts of exercise and stimulation to keep them really happy and content - mine get a minimum of 2-3 hours per day of free running, water work, retrieving and general training and they can easily manage 3-4 days beating and picking up every week during the shooting season (with their normal walks on the days in between), they have incredible stamina and are always raring to go. They are NOT hyper dogs though, in the house they are very well behaved and settled and are happy to snooze or chew on their toys although if they feel like they haven't had quite enough exercise they can play fight for Britain (the noise is unbelieveable!) or they will pester me to play with them and if I don't they can get destructive, toys do not last long in this house! Ideally they need to be worked as this is what they are bred to do and they have a lot of drive and instinct which needs to be channelled constructively. I work all of mine, I'm training the youngest to field trial and in the off season we do gundog scurries which they also love. They can be very stubborn and are not the easiest gundog to train and with two young kids etc. and no previous gundog experience you would have your work cut out, a goldie would be much more forgiving whereas wockers can be very much 'give an inch and take a mile' dogs. You do find some who are less driven and happy with less exercise etc. but they are generally the exception rather than the rule. I've also had a goldie in the past, Ben was our first family dog actually and he was perfect for the job, well bred goldies make better and easier all round family pets than wockers. 

Thank you everyone for your advice and comments. It's nice to hear that you are all so happy with your Goldens. Thank you also for your advice on the working cockers, you said exactly what I had thought myself after reading about the breed. It's nice to hear this from someone who owns them though. We will be contacting our local Golden retriever Society soon, so they can point us in the right direction and give us contact details of vetted breeders. We also made some useful contacts last week when we visited Crufts, so this will also help I guess. We will definately wait for the right puppy and not rush into it. Thanks again for your help!!!! Will let you know in a few months how we get on.