Any advice on breeds?

Hi all,

This is my first post.. I hope you are all well.

For some time now my partner and I have been talking about getting a dog. We now have a chance to get a dog as I don’t work anymore.. YIPPE!

I need some advice on what breeds of dogs to look at. We really like the look of Labradors and Patterdales, reading some of the traits of a Patterdale I understand they may not be the best family pet.

Can you advice on any other breeds that we should be looking at?

Here is some more info that may help:

We will be able to walk the dog twice a day
We have 2 kids, 8 years and 16 months
We have a medium size garden (which is currently very nice, that is due to change I guess!)
We are not bothered if it’s pure breed or cross
We would ideally like a medium size dog
We have 2 cats... they use to get on well with next doors dog so I can’t see any problems from their side
Ideally we would like a dog that doesn’t shed or have long hair

Hope you can help

Thanks

Matthew

 

What about a standard poodle? they need moderate exercise, don't shed, good with kids. You do have to get them clipped regularly though, either by a groomer or learn how to do it yourself.

Wire haired hungarian visla? gundog so will try to hunt, moderate exercise, don't shed, good with kids, will need to be a pup or a rescue thats good with cats.

have you thought about getting from a breeder or rescue?

 

a poodle is a gun dog two arent they.....

 

If you're happy to go with a cross breed check out rescues. There are a lot of dogs in rescue at the moment, so much so that rescues are having to turn dogs away. You may have to search for one that will let you have a dog with young children, but there are people on here that will help you find a suitable rescue to go to.

 

Labradors are not easy as pups, they can be very mouthy and wear the patience of a saint! Worth bearing in mind with kids about, as they have very sharp puppy teeth. But, they are very trainable. They are also double coated, so can moult quite a lot. Also, medium to large dogs do not need much exercise, from six months up you start building up on walks, but until then, you really should just let them play.

Bedlingtons are a lovely dog, I don't know if you've had a look at them? Other than that, I'd suggest looking at rescue, to see what they've got in, it might just be they have the perfect dog, or even a pup, for you. If you go for a pup from a breeder, just make sure they have done the appropriate health tests, and try to find out just how responsible they are, ie they don't just breed out of their bitches to make a quick buck, churning out litter after litter using whichever dog is closest. I'm sure if you go for a pedigree pup, once you've made up your mind re which breed, that if you ask the question again, then you will get lots of help

 

Thank you all so much for your responses. I would prefer to go to rescue, I would just like to have some breeds in mind before going to make sure I dont make a mistake.

If you can think of any other breeds that would really help. Ill look up the ones you have already suggested.

Cheers
Matthew

 

I think cavalier spaniels are great family dogs, maybe a bit too small for you? My brother and his family have just bought their first dog and he is a CKC and is adorable and proving to be a very easy pup.

I think to be honest a previous poster mentioned labs can be mouthy as pups and have sharp puppy teeth, well i think all pups do have this tendancy to be honest, but it is only a short phase they go through and labs are very bright and quick to learn.

We had a lab x gsd and he was fab with our boys when they were toddlers and since then we have always had gsd's but i wouldn't suggest these for the novice owner.

Good luck with your choice and please keep us posted. X :thumbup:

 

With children to think of, it may be better to go through a breed rescue as they normally foster the dogs and have more history on them.
A Lab sounds ideal for you
Labrador Retriever Rescue Southern England
Labrador Retriever Rescue North West | Care and Rehoming for Labradors

 

i suggest you go to rescues and have a look around. i feel when it comes to rescues, its not the breed that sways you, its more their personality that you fall in love with

 

I know the initial reaction might be 'no way', and they're bigger than you might want- though you can get more petite hounds... but greyhounds are brilliant! They're actually quite lazy, have short coats, and are terminally laid back. they are quiet and gentle and loving, and perfect for family life. They might not be as playful as other breeds though, particularly rescue ex-racers who are clueless about toys and houses and there are many greyhounds who are fine with cats (My Nero is utterly uninterested in my cat Tig). In which case a lurcher might be more suited, as they're so varied.
I thought I'd just throw an oddball suggestion in for my favourite breed! In fact if you're near Kent- check out kentgreyhoundrescue.com, because Yorkie (black and white boy) sounds perfect for you!
I hope you enjoy whatever breed pup you get!

 

Second this, but I must promote my gorgeous little Labrador as I think they are a fantastic breed!

 

That's fantastic there are so many lovely dogs in rescue needing good homes.
BTW I wouldn't stick too definitely on a breed as you may find a perfect dog in rescue that isn't the breed you had anticipated adopting but by all means it's a good idea to have a few breeds in mind.

Labs sound like a good option (I have family who are very involved in lab rescue)
Had you considered a staffie? They are great family dogs (fab with children and many are cat friendly too), medium sized etc. There are so many in rescue so you would be spoilt for choice!

Whereabouts in the country are you based? Someone may be able to recommend rescues etc?
Are you willing to travel to meet any potential dogs and how far?

Check out Dog Rescue Pages - UK dog rescue homes, centres and shelters guide
and their forum

Best of luck

 

Hello again.... Im in Nottingham, and yes willing to travel to meet dogs, meybe up to a hour.

Do rescues have younger dogs? I'm thinking this may be the best way to knit the dog into the family, with the ctas etc.

Thanks again for all your help

 

Had a couple of nice dogs from here come to do good citizens.Second Chance Rescue Kennels

 

my emphasis

If you pick a good rescue then they will match the dog to your abilities/enviroment. It's fine to have some breeds in mind as that will inform the rescue as to your criteria and preferences but, ultimately keep an open mind because breed traits are a general guideline that permit many, many exceptions.

That said you may struggle to find a rescue patterdale to suit your situation. The majority of patterdales surrendered to rescue are surrendered because they...er...express their essential terrierness. Which is great for an experienced terrier home that knows what it's getting into but not great for a novice owner with young children (reactiveness to children is a major reason for surrender with working terriers - the high pitched voices and rapid movements seem to key into the terrier instincts and not helped by the fact that young children are at eye level with the dog and often have food about their person).

Best of luck in finding the perfect companion for your family.

 

Here's some other general dog rescues around Nottinghamshire, also worth checking Dogsblog and dogpages.

babbington dog rescue
Babworth Animal Rescue
Jerry Green- Blidworth
Doris Banham Rescue
RSPCA-radcliffe

I'm another greyhound owner, if they do spark your interest there are Meet & Greets and some walks on locally with RGT Midlands & RGT Nottingham

 

Personally if your looking at rescue i would just go along see some of the dogs that might suit your family the look up the breeds if it something you feel ok with then Carry on.

with our rescue we went for a small-medium dog, went home with a german shepard x mastiff lol because we fell in love with her

 

Hi there we always had big dogs years ago,:thumbup: but now have 4 month old lil westie great lil dogs mine just loves kids i also have 17 yr old Autistic son who he is very good with

 

i have to agree with what`s being said about labradors, great dogs and very trainable but my god are they mouthy little things as pups. if you were gonna go for a lab it may be best getting an older one although they moult like crazy which is something you said you didn`t want particularly.

my mom has a westie, he`s great and she`s never once had a problem with him he was fine with my daughter from the day she was born and doesn`t moult at all.

 

Just adding to the excellent advice you've already been given:

I'd seriously consider an adult dog instead of a puppy. A puppy and a toddler are a real handful to manage together, especially if it's your first dog!

Sometimes people are reluctant to adopt an adult, but there are many good reasons to do so, especially if you have children or other pets:

-His temperament is known by now. You won't get any big surprises when he hits maturity because he's already at maturity! If you look carefully, you may well be able to find a dog who has a known history of good behavior with children.

-He's through the maddening puppy stages of chewing, nipping, housebreaking, etc.

-He probably knows at least a few basic commands.

-There are far more adult dogs seeking homes than puppies, so you can really check out a lot of them. Too many people just only want a puppy, so the older dogs sit in shelters and rescues for quite a long time.

Sometimes people fear that a dog will not bond to them if they don't raise him from puppyhood, but that is just a myth. Any dog will bond to you tightly if you treat him well!

Good luck with your soon-to-be-new-dog!