Hallo to everyone.....
Now that my wife is at home all day and my children are now 6 and 10 we have decided the time is right to get a dog.Our first choice is a cocker spaniel, then Labrador or border collie.We have been to rescue centres but would ideally like a pup to grow up with the kids. Is it important to get a KC registered pup and how much should I expect to be paying?Any information or advice would be gratefully received.

Hi
I would agree that a pup or youngster would probably fit the bill best.

As a dog trainer, i would suggest staying away from border collies. They can be great with sheep, agility etc, but their intelligence within an average home enviroment is hard to cope with. Most will also have a strong rounding up instinct, and children can become substitute sheep.

For me both the cocker and the labrador make great family dogs usually. Size may be a consideration, as may the slightly harder work of the cocker coat.

As for the KC registration, i think far more important is:
get from a home enviroment (not a shed/stable)
a pup that looks well, is happy, friendly, pleased to see you, not nervous
mom is friendly
People helpful with any questions

Trust your gut, don't feel sorry for them!

Hope this helps

I'd agree with Kattkinkat but with one further note. Both spaniels and labs are 'High drive dogs, just be sure you have the time to devote to them. Re. cost. I've just spent £700.00 on a golden retreiver pup from working lines.
I'm shortly to pick up a springer pup for which I expect to pay between £450. and £500.00. I'm sure there are less expensive options out there but as I work my dogs my options are slightly limited to those dogs from proven working backgrounds. Good luck with whichever one you go for.

Hello and welcome to the forum, *waves*

Is KC registration important? Yes definitely, it's not a guarantee that a breeder is ethical, nor is it a guarantee that you'll get a *perfect* dog, but what it does ensure is that the dogs parentage is known, the breeder has at least taken the care to register pups (not expensive but often touted as a reason for not registering them) and you have access to a wealth of knowledge about the breed via the KC.

Out of the two, cocker or Lab, I'd suggest Lab, not only am I biased, but Labs are easier to train than cockers, and with two children, this may be a consideration for you as you won't have possibly enough time to devote to a cocker. The difference is that cockers were bred to flush game, so they tend to get their noses down and become very suddenly deaf. Labs were bred to retrieve game, so generally speaking, they're more *biddable* than a cocker

Please take a look at Swarthy's wonderful website Welcome to Labrador Health and if you choose a Lab, give me a shout, I'd be more than happy to help you find a good breeder and go through health tests etc to help you understand them

Joanne

Edited to add, I was going to include the old gundog saying, Labradors are born half trained, spaniels die half trained, just to give you more of an idea

Spaniels make great family dogs but as too reiterate what other’s have said they do require a lot of time as in walks, training and love they can be a little demanding at times but I would not have it any other way, some are not so good with young children worth keeping this in mind.

Having had both a Lab and a show-type cocker (not at the same time!) my advice FWIW would be that a lot depends on how much exercise you can offer.

My Lab needed 2 and a half hours minimum per day (whatever the weather) with off lead, ball-fetching and fun (often involving mud and/or water) or she would go stir-crazy. Also, she was adolescent until nearly 3.
She was a lovely dog, I had her from a pup until she was nearly 14, and I loved her to bits.

My cocker had a lovely black coat, which could bring in mud and bits of vegetation from his walks. He only need about an hour and a half of exercise per day (working cockers I believe need much more). You might consider getting involved with Agility to help with this. When he was in full coat, it *could* take 40 minutes a day to groom him out. However, he loved being groomed, and it was very good bonding. I believe the other cocker colours often have less coat, or you could consider having it clipped (some people may disapprove, but it can make life a lot easier for everyone including the dog).

I have no experience of these breeds with children, but yours are probably big enough not to be knocked over by a boisterous Lab.

The rest depends how houseproud you are as a family, and how active - there's nothing nicer than a good long walk on a winter's day with an active busy dog, and a warm fireside to come home to. You can even get to like walking in the rain!!!!

Whatever you choose, I wish you all the best.

i have a labrador and she is all round brilliant . in terms of KC reg take a look at swarthys website that sleeping lion posted . there are lots of tests that can be done to check the health of the parents . i think that may be a good enough reason to go for a KC registered puppy where the breeder has had the dog tested . i dont know but im sure swarthy will know , which health test results come on the pedigree certificate .

good luck in which ever breed you choose sorry not got any more advice as i have a west highland terrier

its a totally different breed but have you thought of a greyhound u can sometimes get some young but not pups and they are great with kids and dont need miles and miles of walks but are happy to go