Ideas for Family Dog Please

Hi everyone I'm looking for some ideas about what breed of dog would best suit our family.

We're a family of 4, my kids are 4.5 and 2.5 and we have been thinking about getting a dog for quite a while now. I started saving for the expense a couple of months back and we're now researching which breeds would complement our family.

We have about an hour a day to spare for walking, we live across the road from a very large field and popular dog walking area which will prove very helpful!

We originally looked at the rescue route but all rescues seem to only rehome to households with children over 5.

My kids have rabbits so are very good with respecting an animal's personal space and being gentle so I have no worries there.

Size isn't an issue as long the dog would fit comfortably into our ford focus. Light or no shedding would be an advantage if possible.

So in short we're after a dog that would make a great family pet, doesn't need more than about an hours walking a day and is light shedding if possible.

Looking forward to your replies!

Golden Retrievers are usually good family dogs quite calm and happy dogs. Like a calmer version of labs I suppose and everyone knows how friendly labs are

Hmm I think you need to make a short list.

When are you wanting this dog? Have you considered going to the DIscover Dogs part of Crufts where ALL the breeds are on every day so you can discuss the pros and cons of each breed and your particular circumstances?

Remember, the key thing when choosing a dog is to consider what it was originally bred for, as this will give you an idea of its predisposition to say bark, chase, hunt etc etc!

Do not go by looks alone.

You then need to consider the types of coat which exist and the time and money you have for maintaining it.

EG poodles need to go for a trim every 6 weeks or so, terriers need hand stripping or clipping, dogs with LOTS of hair often shed all year round and require a great deal to keep them clean, healthy and tidy.

What sort of size are you looking for and what is your household regimen?

If you have lots of comings and goings with small children I would in the main avoid some of the guarding breeds and even some terriers and pastoral breeds.

Terriers like a fight and high pitched squeals can often trigger their prey drive, border collies may want to herd your kids and even nip them, and some breeds may appear very frightening to visiting children.

Also some breeds come with inbuilt predisposition to health problems which can be not only a nuisance but expensive.

I often recommend a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to first time owners especially those with children as they do not need any specialist grooming, are quite "cat like" in they do not NEED as much exercise as some dog but can TAKE as much as you give them. They are generally very tolerant, quiet and easy to keep.

However as in any breed ALWAYS contact the relevant breed club as their members will have to abide by their codes of ethics/conduct and conduct the relevant health screening etc.

Good luck!

Miniture poodle?
Cocker spaniel?
Cavalier?

(all dogs shed some hair),
I agree with smokey - find breeds you like and then look at thier suitability, research the chosen one as much as possible and go to see them etc before deciding.

Cavalier - although they do shed, but you can clip them. Very gentle dogs and are happy with as little - or as much exercise as you can give them. Just be careful not to overfeed them though!

Your best bet is a retired greyhound or a lab - middle aged though.

IMO you shouldn't get a puppy - because of the ages of your children and the amount of time a puppy takes up to house train, obedience train, etc

Retired Greyhounds are couch potatoes - they only require two 20 minute walks a day and a good run in an enclosed space once or twice a week. I haven't owned one myself but I am sure they dont shed a lot. Insomnia and Zoe are the best to talk to (only two I could think of)

Labs - are generally great with children - however they do tend to shed a bit.

If you are really bothered about hair, a Chinese Crested hairless - but you will have to ask the owners of them how they do with children. Or you could rescue a labrador x poodle (dont buy into Back Yard Breeders or Puppy farmers)

Most rescues will ask you what you have in mind if not tell them you're requirements and then they should be able to tell you if they have a dog that fits your requirements or not

Hope you find your perfect family dog soon.
I'm also sure another member will be able to confirm some other choices for you

Hi there, thanks for your replies. As I said size isn't really an issue as long as it fits in our midsize car. Coat types, we're fine with the idea of grooming and trips to the groomers. CKCS seem nice although the health issues do worry me I have to admit. I'll have a look into goldens and cocker's, I thought they might've needed more exercise than we could provide but I'll do a bit research into it.

Our day to day activities are fairly simple, I spend most of my time at home catching up with housework and playing with the kids...I walk the school run twice a day and there will be one day a week when the dog is left for 6 hours while I go out to work.

For this day I have my next door neighbour on hand to pop in with her dog to look in on ours, I also have my grandmother 2 doors away,my mam and dad 7 doors away and my brother and sister-in-law round the corner so I'm not short of helpers to check in on the dog on this one day!

Unfortunately we've missed discover dogs for this year, think it was just a few weeks back so that isn't an option.
Off to do some research now

There are two Discover Dogs, one at Earls Court in November, the other is at Crufts in March at the NEC.

Be aware that a good GR is great, but they DO shed quite a lot (they have double coats) and they will eat anything.

Cockers require trimming, and being gundogs will also eat anything, but extra care is often needed if you have small children as they can be prone to resource guarding.

Temperament in both is paramount, GR require eye testing and hip scoring before being bred from and CS also have health testing recommendations.

Be aware that both breeds come in two versions, working and pet/show, you want to avoid the former as their need to be employed is extremely high!

ATB

Aah thanks for that, I didn't know they had a March Discover dogs aswell...it's easier for us to get to aswell.

Dont think so, with pet Rabbits!