Suggestions for me? Which breed for me?

Ok, my turn Just out of curiosity, I'd like to know what people would suggest for me.

I would love to get a second dog sometime. However given Cain's current issues, it won't be happening any time soon. However should he get to a phase where he accepts other dogs and I can handle him on walks, we will will consider it. So, realistically I'm looking into getting a dog in probably two years time, depending on Cain (it may not happen at all!). But I thought it would be fun to ask anyway.

Ok, I've grown up around dogs most of my life and I've worked with animals for several years. I've personally owned two dogs, both mutts, (Moon, easy peasy), and Cain (total nightmare ), so I've experienced a challenging breed.

I would really like a puppy this time. Both my dogs have been adult rescues and I will definitely get adult rescues again in the future. I just really want to experience raising and socialising a puppy and getting it right from the beginning.

I do work full time (yes, boo hiss to the puppy/work thing, but I think it can work and I have to pay for the Bonios somehow!), however both me and my OH are on flexi time at work (so one go in early, finish early and the other go in late, finish late, so time alone is minimal) and have the potential to work from home on occasion. I also plan to take a few months off between us to settle puppy in and then will either consider doggy daycare/friendly neighbour/our current dog walker to keep puppy company. To be honest, my mum will probably be retired by then so she can probably dog sit.

Anyhoo, what would I like?

Size - medium to large. No toy breeds please and nothing bigger than a GSD.
Breeds - I'm not keen on terriers or hounds. I do like gun dogs.
Coat/Grooming - Seeing how Cain already sheds everywhere I don't really care if the new dog is another Hairy Mary. I'm happy to regularly brush and trim a bit, I don't want a dog who I have to take to the groomers every 6 weeks.
I can walk 1-2 hours a day, usually longer on weekends. I often do big long walks rather than several short walks so ideally the dog would need enough stamina to walk for a few hours.
Temperament -
can cope with being home alone (well with Cain) for some of the day.
Not excessively vocal, reasonable noise ok but we have a lot of neighbours.
Very trainable, intelligent and willing to learn, but also has an off switch after it's been fed/walked/trained.
Focused on it's owner, not a scent hound
Toy motivated, I'd like to train with toys
MUST be able to be let off a lead. I know this is partially recall training but it can be a general breed thing e.g. akitas/huskies etc. I can't let Cain off lead and I hate it.
Generally friendly temperment, prefer not guarding instinct, however aloof towards strangers is ok (I'd prefer the dog to focus on me than the super friendly lab who loves everyone ). Also generally good with other dogs as we live in a very dog dense area.
Keen to do dog sports e.g. agility, flyball, working trials

I have a breed in mind for my next dog, but what do you think would suit?

Would a Bracco Italiano be a good fit? The one at crufts this year looked lovely

Border collie of course

NSDTR?

or similar

One of the retrievers (Lab/Golden/Flat Coat/Chessie/Duck Toller) I would say. They generally seem to fit your requirements pretty well.

I think a flatcoat, very intelligent, super friendly, super naughty, but in a nice kind of way, more of a cheeky naughty than a nasty naughty, and they will walk for miles and miles. Something to lower your stress levels Amanda! Fantastic dogs, I know a couple very well coz my friends have them, but they do all the gundog training with them, but you wouldn't have to they make lovely pets I'm sure.

With this as a consideration in her list.........

I would probably rule out the Bracco, its a breed I love and have done a lot of research into and this trait is why its taken of my list.

Although a gun-dog it has an incredible desire to put its nose down and follow the scent.


Given your criteria, any of the medium to larger breeds in that groups would suit..

Shorten your list , on the most important first to the not so important. take looks into account to, it will help with your choice.

The only negative I can see is your working full time, but as most people do and if you can adjust life around it, then go for it...........

A couple of suggestions.........Labs, GR, Vizsla, either type, IWS, SS, there are so many its hard to come up with one.

I would have suggested a Lab, but then read that you don't want the ultra friendliness of that breed

So how about... a Weimaraner? Certainly clever and should be more 'aloof'?

Or an Irish Setter?

Alternatively, a Rough Collie? I had one growing up and they can be lovely calm dogs, very 'biddable'!

I think you might find neither IS nor Weims are "focused on their owner" necessarily.................

SMOKEY BEAR that's interesting, if one was to raise a Weim from a puppy and do training etc, are they not more a 'one person dog' then? I'm very interested in this breed as I meet a few regularly at a local park, lovely dogs

I have had 4, 3 of which have been trained to an extremely high standard, but they are not handler dependent.

Being handler dependent and being a one man dog are not the same.

Ah OK, thanks for that. I need to read up some more as I guess I tend to confuse the two

Dalmatian?

Mine is super friendly but I know not everyones are

They are soo stubborn though and will not blindly obey commands but they love their people.
Some people manage to train theirs to do obedience and agility ect, but my boy has a very short attention span

Thanks all for your replies

Hadn't ever considered one of these, they are very rare! Had a little read, lovely dogs but I find the scenting off putting.

Do collies have an off switch?!

Good choice

This is the group I've been personally considering. I quite fancy a slightly more unsual retriever than a lab/GR. Chesapeak/Flatties/Tollers do appeal

Tollers are stunning

If I thought I could cope with one, they would be on my shortlist for a second dog also, but I think they are perhaps too high energy for me. Stunning dogs though

I really have considered Flatties, I think they are just lovely. The high rate of cancer put my off a bit, but otherwise I think they are lovely dogs.

Agreed withour point about the Bracco. I had thught about a Vizsla but I wonder if they might be a little too sensitive? Not so keen on spaniels, definitely prefer the look of retrievers.

Agree with SB, while Weims are gorgeous (I nearly died the first time I saw a long haired, sooo pretty!), but I'm hoping for an easier dog than Cain and I think they are too much of an independant spirit for me.

Again, Dallys are gorgeous but I'm looking for a breed that is eager to train and stubborn doesn't sounds like it fits

Personally I've had my eye on Tollers for a long time, but second in line for me would be a Flattie. Glad a lot of you agree a retriever would fit my requirements well

Understandable. I think I'd go for something more unusual now too, but I suppose you (if you go to a good breeder) know what you are getting with a Lab or Golden, which is why they are so popular.

I'm sure any of the retrievers would seem like a piece of cake compared to Cain.

I personally would avoid HPR breeds like some have suggested, because they are not easy and probably do best away from busy cities environments. You also work full time which wouldn't be ideal for these types of dog (as puppies). Retrievers are generally a bit more easy going and 'go with the flow'.

Yup they do if you get a well bred working line dog
Some of the sports bred ones have no off switch and are nightmares - more so in America at the moment but I see some of that happening here

But i know collies are not for everyone

Yes, I agree. I do think Viszlas are lovely but perhaps a bit highly strung for what I want. No, I think a sturdy retriever might be the way to go.

I actually very nearly got a collie! I passed the homecheck for Wiccaweys but then Cain turned up with his sob story so I took him on instead. Should have got the collie My friend has 5 rescue Wiccaweys collies and it sounds like a recipes for disaster but they are wonderful, I love going over there and getting a lap full of collie There are so many collies in rescue though that I think I would want to wait and get an adult collie rescue further down the line when I ready to rescue again.

It will depend on the lines you go for!


Given Moons problems I would be looking for one of the more amenable breeds, some of the gundog bred can be a bit more in your face and tetchy with other dogs, from my understanding the Flattie is nto one of them, they always seem to be happy chappies and get on with all other dogs.