Getting a puppy and can't decide on what breed would be best.

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Grumpymoo

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Hi I am looking for some advice regarding what puppy would be best for our family. Our jack Russell cross yorkie passed away two years ago and we are now in a position to start looking for another dog. I don't really want another terrier and we are considering either a golden retriever, cocker spaniel or English bulldog. We have two children who will be 2 & 4 when we get our new family friend (won't be getting the puppy until next year as we have building work going on during the winter). It would be great to have any information and experience people have of the above three breeds. I am a stay at home mum and both children will be in pre-school weekday mornings so have plenty of time for walks and training although I would like something that is fairly easy to train. I feel like a first time owner to be honest as these breeds are completely different to what I am used too 😬. Thanks
 
Got to say, out of those three I'd go for a GR every time - unless you manage to choose really badly or are very unlucky they are such sweet dogs, cuddly and friendly and eager to please. However the ones I've known have also been canine dustbins and will inhale anything that was once vaguely food like. That does mean they're very easy to motivate, though....I'm sure other people will say different things, but on the whole I think they are wonderful dogs. We'd have one if OH hadn't vetoed on grounds of size and hairiness!

My experience of cockers is working cockers, who are lovely but can be very full on. It seems to differ hugely by breeder though, I have looked after two, and one doesn't have an off switch and will streak about the moors for as many miles as you'll let him, whereas the other is a chubby couch potato. Don't know anything about bulldogs but perhaps it's best to steer clear of anything with a squashy face?

Get a golden retriever puppy and post lots of pictures. That's what you should do. No self interest whatsoever here....!
 
Thank you for your response. Our first thought was golden retriever when we started talking about getting another dog and the two things that are putting me off is size and hariness! Also worried about how much exercise they need as there is a lady who seems to walk past my house a million times a day walking hers (I think I need to catch her next time she goes past and find out how much walking she actually does with them). I love a dog who wants to run around and play outside but would definitely prefer something that will be chilled once we get home. Thank you for your reply and I will definitely post lots of pictures (and probably lots of questions!) once we get the puppy.
 
Out of that list I'd go for a Golden Retriever. If you are worried about walking it a lot dont get a cocker, they seem to need loads of walking!

I'm biased, but I'd get a whippet. Fab with kids, run round like lunatics outside, but total couch potatoes inside, no shedding and happy with sensible walks :)
 
I do love whippets, I'm glad you mentioned them actually. I was considering one but a friend mentioned that they were quite sensitive to noise and although my children have always been taught to be gentle with animals etc they are generally quiet noisy at home and I was worried that it would be bothered by them.
 
Out of your list I'd also go for a GR, I don't have any experience of bulldogs so can't comment on them, but my nan has had cockers in the past and has just got a new puppy. Cockers are sweet and loyal and very trainable but if you're worried about walking then cockers also need lots of walks. My nans cocker suffered with separation anxiety and was a massive food thief. He had lots of energy and was quite noisy. Her new pup is very clever and sweet but he's just gone through a very bitey stage and has tons of energy.

I'm another whippet lover and think they're fab dogs. My parents have two (which I basically helped raise/train but I've now moved out of parents so can't call them mine :() and they're great. They love a good run and a blast but when you get home they're more than happy to curl up on the sofa and sleep all day! They are trainable, but do have some independence too. They can be sensitive but I think if you're getting a pup you'll be able to find one that fits the bill. Our female is a bit sensitive but she will just take herself off upstairs for some alone time if she feels like it (we think she had a not so great start in life though). Our male is the opposite and LOVES attention and he doesn't care if kids climb on him or fuss him or anything (we've had him since 10 weeks old).

ETA: The male was very easy to train as a pup, he was basically house trained in the week and barely went through a bitey stage (teething - in reference to my comments above).
 
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Going against the grain and saying bully all the way! Yes I am biased but in my experience bull breeds are excellent with small children :)
 
I think I might have to add whippets to the list 😬. If I didn't have children then I wouldn't even be considering anything else.

Benz, do you have a bulldog? How are they coping in this heat?

Thanks everyone for your replies!
 
Grumpymoo said:
I think I might have to add whippets to the list ��. If I didn't have children then I wouldn't even be considering anything else.

Benz, do you have a bulldog? How are they coping in this heat?

Thanks everyone for your replies!
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Not an English but a boxer, Frenchie and staffy. The boxer is from Italy so she has coped well in much hotter temps than this for years but now she is more acclimatised to U.K. She is definitely slowing down. I just have to make sure they don't overdo it and keep them as cool as possible. I have lots of friends in Italy with bull breeds including English and they cope fine as I say just make sure they are not overdoing it as they won't regulate themselves! They are fantastic with small children and I sometimes feel guilty that I don't have kids because the dogs are missing out :D
 
Oh wow three dogs, lucky you 😊. Well
I have two children looking for a new home if they keep being as stroppy as they have been this week 😂
 
I woudln't get a bulldog- too many breathing problems and deformities mean they can't always keep up with the family- a retirever would be my choice of that list easily!
 
I'd avoid a flat-faced breed like the bulldog, read the Blue Cross's advice about the health problems these breeds are prone to:

https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/things-think-about-buying-flat-faced-dog

Cockers are lovely dogs, but are usually very full on and may need more exercise than you really want to provide.

So like others I'd say a golden retriever may be the best choice out of the three listed. But I would also echo the suggestion of a whippet - we have one and she is just fabulous! Happy to play and go for walks, but equally happy flopping around doing nothing! She is not particularly sensitive to noise and activity either.

However, I would suggest that you think very carefully about the ages of your children before you take on a puppy of any breed. Most puppies tend to go through a horrible play-bitey stage in the first few weeks, and toddlers are not usually mature enough to understand how to deal with this, and it can be a nightmare to keep an eye on the puppy and the toddlers at the same time to make sure that neither hurts the other.
 
That is a rather odd and diverse list!
A friend has just been over who got her first cocker 6 months ago. She loves him but says never again, is he deranged or normal for breed? (I said normal, they are just like 2 year olds drinking blue smarties dissolved in red bull).
Bulldog - never, you see them being pushed around in prams as they cannot walk. They cannot give birth naturally. They are now an obscene travesty of a once lovely breed.
GR - I have never met a nasty one, and they don't seem as manic as even a labrador. Great with kids, easy to train. Nice dogs. THey are very big and hairy!
 
Clodagh said:
GR - I have never met a nasty one, and they don't seem as manic as even a labrador. Great with kids, easy to train. Nice dogs. THey are very big and hairy!
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GRs are lovely dogs. There is quite a size difference in the OP's list? GRs are large dogs, they eat alot and take up alot of space in cars etc, they are not cheap to insure.

I have a working bred retriever and he's a delight. He doesnt however, have much of an off switch and needs his brain to be kept busy or he busies himself. He is the most handsome dog in the whole world and the cuddliest darn dog I've ever met :D People are always surprised he's a full GR as he's so athletic. They do go through a bouncy stage but mine has always been perfect with my stepdaughter-who isnt a child now but is disabled and not steady on her own feet.

I would never have a squash faced breed tbh.

Staffies are great family dogs, smart, trainable, love people-need careful socialisation with other dogs and thing that once they get older, they still have certain traits wrt other dogs you need to keep an eye on.

I know I am boring, my other dog is a smooth collie. Perfect size (18-24kg), enough coat that he doesnt have to wear a coat but not so much he takes three days to dry, gentle, trainable and happy to do as much or little excercise as you want. Hard to find but I can find them ;)
 
I'd get a rescue greyhound - they are brilliant with children, more robust than whippets and are very deserving of good homes! They are even tempered, relaxed and very easy to have around
 
Haha yes it is a bit of a random list. I tried to consider temperament over anything else and then looked at the types of dogs I like rather than size.


I agree with everyone about the bulldog although I would love one I just think health wise they are just not great, I am not massive fan of spaniels anyway it's just that lots of people recommended them as family dogs. So it looks like it will be between a golden retriever or a whippet. I would definitely consider a rescue greyhound but in my experience they don't often have dogs suitable to be around young children.

Thank you everyone for your comments and input.
 
Lévrier;13576067 said:
I'd get a rescue greyhound - they are brilliant with children, more robust than whippets and are very deserving of good homes! They are even tempered, relaxed and very easy to have around
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Actually, much as I mock (nicely) the long dog support club on here, I agree with you, Levrier. They don't need tonnes of walking and an adult dog would be much easier with smalls.
 
Lévrier;13576067 said:
I'd get a rescue greyhound - they are brilliant with children, more robust than whippets and are very deserving of good homes! They are even tempered, relaxed and very easy to have around
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I would agree totally (in fact I was going to say it myself). As a family pet you would struggle to beat a greyhound. They aren't hairy, they're good with kids, don't need loads of walking and are very loving and adorable. Also look very handsome on the end of a leash, especially with one of those lovely wide leather collars.
 
Mine always amazed me when my niece and nephew were little - they didn't ever come into contact with children generally but they were so sweet and gentle with those two! Funniest thing was my little nephew coming round a corner and literally coming face to face with Hoover greyhound on the same eye level :D
 
Mine think kids are brilliant. They play fun games, run up and down and quite often drop food. A whippets dream :lol: Neither are remotely noise sensitive. I have picked working bred dogs though, so they do tend to be bold. Not sure if the show lines are any different. I dont think so though.
 
I had a show bred whippet years ago - she was definitely less bold than my coursing-bred one, but then my coursing-bred one was a right little thug :D
 
I'm a bit biased and probably rant to people too much...but why get a puppy- get a rescue.
yes- especially larger rescues I have found- rescues can be a bit hesitant to home to small children. But I have a 9 month old and have a 2 year old collie who I got in February, as she had lived with a family, they just never exercised her or taken her out of the house, so she was nuts and they wanted to re-home her. Now, with a bit of daily exercise, she is wonderful- calm in the house and great with my baby.
although breeds do have traits, and I will always had a soft spot for a GSD (I got a 2yo rescue who we sadly lost aged 5), I have decided to stay determined to always get a rescue. I neber liked collies... now I have one who is perfect for out family.

sorry, rant over, contact a few little rescues in the new year and go with an open mind on breed

also agree with comments on puppies mouthy stage being a pain with small children. they just want all the toys in their mouth and even children's fingers too as they don't notice what they are! I think 2 year old rescue are a fab age (again biased as both mine I got at 2!) they still have a lot of play, but have pretty much grown out of the mouthy phase.
 
dont forget lurchers. mine absolutely loved children and was very gentle with them....not so gentle with wildlife though!! staffies are usually brilliant with children and if you get the right one they can be fine with other dogs as well..
 
I would avoid the english bulldogs on health alone...awesome temperments,beautiful dogs and absolute clowns... but they are often a health trainwreck.I know all the ones on our system by name as they are frequent fliers at the vets for their various ailments....not just breathing,skin joints etc. Wonderful temperments but imo one of the most predisposed to poor health breeds you can buy.

Personally I prefer the goldens over the cockers when theres small children involved.

Both goldens and cockers are hunting breeds so high energy and tend to be daft as a brush as puppies and need consistent training....but the goldens tend to be the more steady of those two breeds. Ive met plenty cockers who resource gaurd and several who couldnt be trusted at all with small children or strangers.
In contrast Ive met 3 untrustworthy goldens....and they stood out because it was so unusual to meet an off golden!
They are however large breed dogs and do have a certain amount of possible issues so id be checking for hip scores and health testing and temperment of the parents with that breed. The show lines seem to be a bit more mellow then the working.oh and they shed....my god do they shed!

It is completely going to be completely down to training etc but with small kids I'd be trying to set myself up for the least amount of issues. The mouthy stage will happen with every puppy until you teach them whats appropriate.
 
I would't touch a short faced breed with someone else's barge pole - and certainly not a breed that cannot physically give birth to it's puppies through over breeding.

Goldies make great family pets but do check the parents are health tested especially hip and elbow scoring. Cockers - I wouldn't with young children, they can be possessive and that doesn't mix well with kids.

I will add a voice to the whippet/greyhound/lurcher group too - they're wonderful family pets
 
Without repeating everyone too much - I would avoid the short faced breeds, health wise mainly but they cost a fortune atm.

I think GR are fantastic and if you keep them in good nick look absolutely stunning! Another vote for whippets or whippet crosses and like splashgirl said keep an eye out for lurchers you can find some absolute gems.

ATB
 
I just wanted to reassure you OP on the small children front...

We got a new lakeland pup when my son was 4, and apart from a couple of small rips in outer clothes (when they got a bit carried away playing with each other outside ) she was alway amazing with him...

The bitey stage IMO only goes on for a couple of weeks and at that stage pup is still under constant supervision because of potty training so it was easy to distract or restrain...

Good luck

Fiona
 
If getting a pup, I would also go for GR on your list. Also, have you considered a staffie. They make great family dogs and there are so many in rescue which are brilliant with children.
 
I know the breed-police will come out screaming they're not a breed (but they are - we call half bred horses set things dont we) but how about a labradoodle? Love ours, she's the perfect family dog. Gets on great with our son who is now 5 (we got her about 4 years ago so she's grown up around him), gets on brilliantly with our cats (is actually under them in the hierarchy) and horses, very clever but doesnt abuse it, totally no hassle (doesnt bark unless someone knocks on the door where she'll bark once - ideal!), fits in with daily life no problem as she doesnt demand to be walked at a certain time or anything - she just accepts whatever. I thought she'd be high energy but actually she's not, we do take her agility training once a week which seems to chill her out for the rest of the week.
 
MagicMelon said:
I know the breed-police will come out screaming they're not a breed (but they are - we call half bred horses set things dont we) but how about a labradoodle? Love ours, she's the perfect family dog. Gets on great with our son who is now 5 (we got her about 4 years ago so she's grown up around him), gets on brilliantly with our cats (is actually under them in the hierarchy) and horses, very clever but doesnt abuse it, totally no hassle (doesnt bark unless someone knocks on the door where she'll bark once - ideal!), fits in with daily life no problem as she doesnt demand to be walked at a certain time or anything - she just accepts whatever. I thought she'd be high energy but actually she's not, we do take her agility training once a week which seems to chill her out for the rest of the week.
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there are good and bad in all breeds but when its a cross breed you cant tell which type you will get. i have known 5 labradoodles and 3 of them were very high energy and 2 were very easy to manage so its luck which you get. it seems to be the same with alot of the poodle crosses and there seem to be quite a few in rescues ..
 
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