Considering getting a puppy to add to our family, need help choosing.

[MumA70]

Hi, We are thinking about getting another dog to add to our family. Until recently we had 2 Labradors, we now only have one as the other had to be put to sleep.
We quite like the idea of having a smaller breed of dog now but I've grown up with Labradors and apart from a boxer cross we had I don't know much about other breeds.
We also own a Cat and Guinea Pigs. We have 2 teenage boys and I work from home as a Childminder.
For obvious reasons the new dog needs to be happy around children and other pets.
We both Like Bassett Hounds (not small I know!) but Hubby says I can pick as he'll be buying it for my birthday pressie :-)
Would be grateful to hear any suggestions, thanks :-)

[topbannana]

Working cocker spaniel :)
We have two and cannot really see, barring a drastic change in circumstances, that we would have anything else. Medium size, biddable, friendly and our 18 week old is the most happy go lucky chap you will ever meet. Will suit your lab in terms of exercise too as past experience tells me there is little worse than having two dogs, one who loves 3 hour walks in the mud and one that prefers a dainty tiptoe around the local park (while stressing about being left off the big walk)

[LadyTurmoil]

Somewhere like Many Tears could be a place to start. They have a lot of ex-breeding dogs who need a resident dog already in the house, so they can copy the dog and get used to house-training, living in that environment.

I would have thought that any smallish breed would go with your Lab, even the smallest bichon frise types can easily go for a 1 1/2 hour walk

[Vibbe]

I wouldn't get a working dog unless you have loads of spare time and are willing to train it every single day for the next 15 years.

My parents have a working spaniel, and although lovely, at 7 years, she still needs hours of exercise on top of the daily walks. If she doesn't get daily exercise (we're talking training for hunting, running next to a bike, swimming), she'll make trouble and be annoying - split newspapers into 1000 bits, bring her food bowl with food into other rooms, spread the food everywhere, not be able to relax and so on. It's terrible.

I have a show cocker spaniel, and she needs around 30 minutes of exercise on top of her daily walks. And she can go a couple of days without training/exercise without being terrible at home. She's happy with long walks - I've taken her on hour long walks and it's no problem, but se doesn't need more.

The difference is absolutely massive. My parents were dog sitting my dog for a couple of weeks last year, and they were shocked at the difference.

[jemstipp]

Cairn Terriers. Great little dogs. I have three, all bitches and my 2 dds (16month old and 3yo going on 30) love them. Don't shed, very few health issues and most importantly, lots of fun.

[Vibbe]

Cairns are lovely - had a male one when I was a kid. He was absolute amazing, wanted to play footie all the time.

[jemstipp]

That's the way mine are, some laugh, heading the ball and everything!

[MumA70]

Thank you for the replies, I'll have a look at those breeds and many tears.

[Wildfig]

Bassets are lovely family dogs - great with children, happy to walk but equally happy to relax by your feet, very affectionate and loyal, and extraordinarily beautiful (I think!). However, they do smell a bit, shed, weigh about 30kg, need a decent daily walk, will gently ignore any of your attempts to train them beyond basic dog manners unless major food incentives are involved, and need careful breeder research, to make sure you're getting a dog with proper health checks, as the puppies are so cute they're a puppy farmer's dream.

But other than that, they're the ideal work from home dogs, as there's nothing they like more than being around their people and warming their knees in winter.

[Scuttlebutter]

Evesham Greyhound and Lurcher Rescue have several sets of adorable lurcher pups in at the moment - well worth a look.

[MumA70]

Thank you. I'll have a good look and research the breeds before I decide.
Thanks very much everyone for your help!

[Lovesswimming]

I have to disagree about not having a working cocker, I have 2, they are lively, intelligent and do need training but they really want to be trained! My 18 month girl is more trained than my friends retriever (as in her recall and stay and other basic training. If I say give she will spit out anything that's in her mouth even food). 10 minutes a day training really helps and means she doesn't need excessive long walks and she get lots of exercise retreiving a ball. My other working cocker is from a breeder and is 3, I have to say she's a complete live wire and needed house training etc, it was and is just as hard as getting a pup (only had her a month). She's from a good breeder and is fit and healthy, I think the change was like a complete attention overdose for her!
The show cockers are lovely too, I just prefer the working type.

[topbannana]

The term working cocker means a dog who is bred to work rather than show (a working cocker would never get anywhere near Crufts, let alone win it!) They look distinctly different and have a busier temperament, often needing more stimulation than "regular" breeds.
However, I have found that given correct training from the outset, if you are able to provide enough exercise then they are far superior in terms of training and biddable behaviour. They are bred to listen to their handler and work with precision, if you can harness that then you have a fantastic pet. Obviously they are more work than some other breeds and if you can only commit to 30 minutes walk a day you will have problems.
For an experienced dog owner who has the time then they really tick most boxes and the term working should not put you off.
As I said up thread, unless we have a drastic change of circumstance them I cannot see us owning any other breed :)