Which puppy to get

[Sluttybuttons]

We are currently looking at getting a puppy. It wont be until we move so have a few months to decide and find the right breeder. The dogs we like are cocker spaniel, beagle, yorkie (cos i love them), bichon friss, bulldog or a cavileir king charles. Just not sure which would be best for us. Any advice would be great thanks

[Madsometimes]

Beagles have a reputation for poor recall, because they get very distracted by scents. They also prefer to live with another dog, so may not be first choice for a new dog owner. They are very cute, but I would not have one. I would probably not go for a cav either, in case of health problems.

I would opt for a cocker, but I am very biased .

[Sluttybuttons]

Ok so beagle is off our list which leaves
cocker spaniel - 1 vote
yorkie
bichon frise
bulldog
cavileir king charles (if i can find a good breeder that does all health testing)

[Kayzr]

I'd have a Bichon Frise but I do love them. Our next dog in a few years time.

Cavalier king Charles spaniels are gorgeous but you have to look really hard for a good breeder.

[mrswoodentop]

Not sure what ages your children are but I love my cocker spaniel Would also not have a cav because of health problems ,friends have bichon who is lovely but a devil to keep clean and brushed ,avoid a beagle as you will never train it to come back

For more info on cockers try //www.cockersonline.co.uk

Have you thought about a mini schnauzer ?

[Scuttlebutter]

Just to add that all the breeds you've listed are favourites for puppy farmers, so please be very careful when you choose your breeder. Alternatively of course, you could get a rescue dog of any of these breeds.

[SlubberdeBalthazar]

Speaking from a position of complete ignorance (not uncommon) I would imagine that those breeds have different exercise requirements which imo is a big factor in narrowing down what type of dog you want.

I often walk my dog with my friend who has a working cocker. We regularly go for 4 hours and have done a 6 hour tramp and her cocker still had bags of energy (continuously flushing) by the end. Not sure if that would be the case with a show cocker or a yorkie.

The kennel club iirc has a puppy chooser select the options jobby where you can put in your exercise/grooming requirements and it will flag up breeds that are more likely to suit.

[gothicangel]

COCKER!

im baised i have one, lol

she is amazing :) with both my kids and pur new puppy, :)

[ditavonteesed]

my opinions, based on very little knowledge and probaby no facts.
Ok so beagle is off our list which leaves
cocker spaniel - I have one, gorgeous very high energy so would need to put a lot of daily walking in. (mine is a working cocker though)
yorkie - might be tiny but is still a terrier so I guess needs a lot of walking as well.
bichon frise - they always seem to have tear stains which matters not a jot but puts me off.
bulldog - they can be very smelly, too inbred and have trouble breathing.
cavileir king charles (if i can find a good breeder that does all health testing) - be so very careful, such health problems but gorgeous lovely little lap dogs.
from your list you a a very wide variety of daily needs so think about what you want from a dog and what you can give it.

[cq]

Agree with Scuttlebutter, PLEASE don't buy from a dodgy breeder. Def worth looking to see if the breeds you fancy have a rescue organisation - most do. Safer than adopting from the pound, as they are usually fostered in homes so characters can be vouched for. Often just a sad story like a divorce or finance has forced them to be given up. And you can get a lovely dog who's already housebroken and passed the chewing stage. My sister did this and got the most gorgeous choc lab.

Of course, there's nothing like a puppy to melt your heart, but they are hard work. Like having a toddler again.

[Rhinestone]

Have you ever had a puppy before and therefore do you know what you're letting yourselves in for?! I.e. - poo, wee, more wee, chewing, nipping, more poo etc!

You can certainly get any of these breeds from a rescue, or you may want to consider an older dog who is already house trained and grown out of the perfectly normal 'puppy major personality flaw' phase!

[Rhinestone]

x-post with cq.

[Doha]

Cocker..
Got a 12 week old pup who is adorable. but a show cocker not working cocker(not qute sure of the difference).
It's like having a baby again--perhaps a bit worse but so worth it. He has plenty of energy and seems quite intelligent picking up toilet training quite quickly

[Elibean]

Ditto re being careful with breeders.....and, why not have a look at some of the rescue websites? I've seen adorable cockers (which would be my choice!) and the other breeds you mention, both adult and pup, on Many Tears and other websites.

And we have a gorgeous now-9 months old labrador x pup from one of them

[minimuu]

Agree with the others here - the dogs you listed have a HUGE difference in requirements so to save yourself some heartache later forget the type of dog.

Make a list of why you want a dog
What do you want to do with it
What is your daily routine like
Who is going to be looking after the dog the most etc
What will happen to the dog when your DC leave home
What will you do with the dog when you go on holiday
How much are you able to pay for food and insurance (the ones you have listed will have expensive insurance premiums and for a reason!)
How much time and money do you want to spend on grooming
Look at the rescue organisations for the dogs you mention as most of them will have a "is this dog right for me page"

Eg a bulldog will have very different exercise needs for a spaniel - personally I would not touch on due to dodgy breeding and the poor bulldogs that are suffering due to bad breeding. Although things are meant to be changing for bull dogs I would leave well alone for a long time.

Cocker and yorkies are so far apart- cockers will need at least 2 hours off lead work a day, every day for about 14 years they will probably be happiest if trained to do some gundog work even if just for fun. They will need stimulating and a large amount of training.

Yorkies will need less exercise But are terriers and have the terrier trait - they are not lap dogs but will need to be walked carefully away from large dogs and over populated dog walking areas (as large dogs playing with them can easily break bones etc). They will need careful socialisation and not in my view an ideal first timers dog. They will also zoom around the house if not exercised correctly and will need to be taught how to behave around children. Can live for 18 years - what will you be doing in 18 years time!

Bichon frise - do you likee bathing and grooming dogs? Bichons are high maintenance - they need grooming or bathing every 4-6 weeks plus a daily brush. Sometimes are hard to house train so again fine if you are experienced but can be harder for a first time owner - most Bichons hate to be left and will become physically and mentally upset if regularly left. You may find it hard to kennel them if you are going away without them. They bark and with wrong training can be snappy so experienced owners are best. Loads and loads of puppy farmed Bichons around.

Cavalier - again so many health issues and may take ages to research a good breeder. A good breeder will have a waiting list so this breed may take you a year or more to find.

Make a list of what you want from a dog - look at other peoples dogs, do go to a rescue and look at the dogs there often a "mutt" dog is the best dog for many people.

It is best not to buy a dog just on appearance.

[Slambang]

I grew up with cockers and love them. BUT have been told that they are now much snappier and more manic than the gentle plodders I remember, especially the single colour ones due to inbreeding.

I am well prepared to be corrected by the wiser experts, but judging by my next door neighbour's hyperactive screechy barking pair of cockers they are not as calm as they used to be.

[ditavonteesed]

I will defend cockers, my solid colour dog is very far from snappy and manic (well ghe can be a bit manic but he is 6 months ols) the problem is cockers, especially working cockers are a very high energy breed, they will need as an adult 2hrs + excercise, training, some sort of sport or stimulation, otherwise like any bored dog they will becomeunsettled.

[minimuu]

Agree with Ditavonteesed exactly - Cockers are fab, fantastic, clever busy dogs but do need to be worked and stimulated.

Put a highly intelligent athletic in a small room and leave alone all day and they will go mad - same for cockers.

[mrswoodentop]

My cocker is a tri coloured show type.He does not need masses of exercise at all .In fact if he misses a day he is fine,loves his comforts ,currently sitting on rug by fire,but if you do want to be busy he can walk for miles and play for hours.
The secret to a popular breed is to research the breeder really carefully,it took me a year to get one I was happy with who had a litter at the right time.Her recommendation was that she bred "good family dogs " and that is exactly what he has proved to be .

[Lizcat]

There are snappy, manic cockers out there from what I have seen as a vet more common in American cockers and the 'show' type golden english cockers. Finding a good breeder is the key. I have a cockerpoo (I know), but it took me months to find a breeder who had the right type of cocker for me.
A game keeper recently gave me a very good piece of advice - with all cockers you have to start from the fact that they are all nutters and you have to work with it.

[Sluttybuttons]

OK ive been out all day but have now read the thread and here is a bit more about our family. I am a lone parent with no life lol. I have 3 children dd (6) and twins (1). We live in the north of scotland where there is only 2 rescues i can find. 1 is for boxers and the other is just a regular cat and dog rehoming centre. Looking at their website they mainly get collies, staffys and labs. I have had puppys before so know exactly what im letting myself in for lol.

What do you want to do with it - we are looking for a nice family dog but 1 that will be happy to curl up on the sofa with me after the children have gone to bed
What is your daily routine like - I take DD1 to school then we go for a walk down the beach most days
Who is going to be looking after the dog the most etc - me
What will happen to the dog when your DC leave home - It will be my pet
What will you do with the dog when you go on holiday - I have no life and dont go on holiday lol, but if i did then it would either come with us or be left with family
How much are you able to pay for food and insurance (the ones you have listed will have expensive insurance premiums and for a reason!) - Ive checked and the most expensive is £34 and the food i like best is £29 for 15kg
How much time and money do you want to spend on grooming - Grooming is £24 for the bichon the rest are less

If i went for a cocker there is a breeder not far that also sells part trained (not quite gun dog material but make good pets). The also offer general training and gundog training so could easily do this weekly.

[Choufleur]

Cocker - but a working one not a show cocker. I really want another dog - if we do get it will be a working cocker to go with our mad and adorable springer.

[Inthepotty]

I'd say from your recent post OP that prehaps one of the labs or Staffs in rescue near you might suit? I'd never have a collie as I don't think I'm a good enough trainer/owner to keep up with one! Years ago I was like you, not keen on the idea of a rescue, because of 'issues'- However, my sister has a rescue staffie and one she found as a stray wandering the fields near her house covered in boot marks! Both are the most loving, gentle pets you could hope to meet. Recommend as family pets, IIRC. Also, a lab sounds suited to your lifestyle! A good long walk, play, bit of training and they'd be quite happy to mooch around after you! They'd come part trained too!

I'm really not trying to jump all over the rescue idea, or put you off the puppy idea, I've got a 6 month old Labradoodle I 'rehomed' from my SIL who bought him then couldn't handle the puppy days... silly cow.

When I met DH he had a rescue mutt (labxrottiexsomething a bit stupid) who was the bestest dog ever! So good with our DC, despite his life being turned upside down with 4 of them arriving in quick succession! My whippy dog who I'd had since being a puppy was snappy, nervy, neurotic little thing! Lovely at the same time, just a few sarnies short of a picnic! She retired to my mums and lived a long full life of sofa hogging and counter surfing!

What the long ramble is trying to say is please don't discount a rescue- a puppy has equal chance of not being all that grand, IYSIM!

Good luck with whichever you decide! If it helps my ILS have working cockers and they're both great little dogs, but even now at 9 and 12 they walk/work with FIL for much of the day with no sign of slowing down.