We lost our old pooch a couple of weeks back, and I am being worked on (which isn’t hard) to get a puppy. We have all the cats in the world (all old) so need a breed that will get on with them and the young children (4 -6).

Jake was a border collie and he was ace, but part of me fancies branching out… whilst the other part thinks we should stick with what we know!

So – thoughts?

Sprollie. Best of both worlds…

It is an option if I stumble across one 😉

Something rescued, rather than paid for, stop encouraging dog breeding as a business 🙁

… and yes our rescue dog, came to live with 2 elderly cats, without issue (well you know, they weren’t happy about it, but that because they’re cats [sadly gone now])

(I am in the Lakes so finding a collie pup is really not difficult… a few springers about and, for some reason, a LOAD of pugs and other little dogs)

z1ppy – yes, absolutely agree…. BUT…. most rehoming places seem to get all shirty if you have cats and it is easier to get a puppy used to cats in the first place.

I was lucky with Jake – he was a rescue.

Bearded collie? Clever and athletic like a border, brilliant fun, big personality, stubborn and diva-ish. You’ll never be bored!

Springers are absolutely bonkers! A couple of mates have got them. We walk one of them regularly on the moors and the thing is just a ball of energy. If we do 5 miles, it’ll do twenty. It literally sprints in circles around us. And when we get to the pub, the bloody thing still isn’t tired!

If you get one, you’ll need to factor in walking it a lot. They’re ace! But they’re mental!

Oh….. and it will destroy your furniture. In fact, it’ll chew everything

We lost our 16 year old rescue not long ago. And was in two minds when to get another. It didn’t take long, we’ve now got a 14 week old lab. Not a Springer or a `Collie but an absolute delight apart from eating everything, rolling in foxshit, going into furry crocodile mad hour with teeth like pins and howling at dawn to get everyone up. Highly recommended.

Hmm, I have two springers now and have tried, in the past, to offer a new home to a collie. Sadly the rehome didn’t work and my now wife has a similar story with a collie before we met.

Our springers are, indeed, balls of energy when out and about. They are, on the other hand, pretty chilled in the house and content to doze much of the day…and then they go out. We live in the Cairngorms and they’ll get 1.5-2 hours running/walking a day…although they were out with my wife in Glen Affric earlier this week and they did two 25-mile runs on consective days and then an even longer one…and plonked down and went on strike after that.

They have never chewed anything that was not theirs…amazing in that the most indestructible dog toys ever made are shredded and dismembered within minutes, but if it’s not theirs they don’t touch it.

Whichever you do choose, I wish you much pleasure and shared happiness and that they add to your family in the way that Jake did.

young children (4 -6)

Springer. Proper English Springer Spaniel.

I love Collies and really would like one and if you get a good one it will protect your kids to it’s last breath, but they can have funny “traits” which mean I would be a little wary around young kids unless I already knew it well. I know that can be said for any dog but Collies are so intelligent it worries me more.

A springer on the other hand I would be a much safer option to me. Yes they can be bonkers but they are really not that bad.

Try the North West English Springer Spaniel Rescue. We got a 6th month black and white from them 8 1/2 years ago and she means the world to us. Yes she growls at the rabbit and cats but then the rabbit ignores her and kisses her on the nose and at night she uses the 8 year old cat as a pillow and the kitten snuggles into her tummy. No other dog I would have with young kids for the combination of safety and bonkers at play time 😀

Our springer (bitch) barks like a loon when someone comes to the door, and also has a habit of taking against anyone or any dog we meet, unless very closely controlled. I’ve heard there’s a tendency for springers to do this. Maybe it’s just confirmation bias.

We also have a lab, who just wants to make friends with everyone/thing he meets.

So I would be a bit wary of a springer.

Oh – thanks andyl, I will give them a try.

🙂

Our springer (bitch) barks like a loon when someone comes to the door, and also has a habit of taking against anyone or any dog we meet, unless very closely controlled. I’ve heard there’s a tendency for springers to do this. Maybe it’s just confirmation bias.

We also have a lab, who just wants to make friends with everyone/thing he meets.

So I would be a bit wary of a springer.

We meet plenty of both out on walks. I’ve never met an aggressive springer, but plenty of aggressive labradors. Most are friendly, but a surprising number aren’t…

I have a scar on my eye lid from a springer that my parents had when I was 6minths old! My lab collie cross has a scar just below his eye from a springer he tried to make friends with when he was 6 months old! I have a scar on my lip from our old bearded collie who i scared when I was about 12. It all depends on the dog (not necessarily the type of dog) but you don’t know till they have grown up a bit.

I’d get a cross, I’d trust my lab collie cross with anything but then that’s just him…….

Springer here. Top lad he is. 11.5yrs and still properly bonkers.

Like Binners says, they don’t do things by halves. They run and run and run. Tail constantly wagging accompanied by a right cheeky smile.

Incredibly social. Loves kids, adults and generally anywhere that people congregate and make a fuss of him, ie pubs.

Very protective of family, especially monkey jnr (who he is best mates with).

My sister has two springers. They live in a house with an elderly cat and two kids (4 & 2) and they’re absolutely brilliant. Very well trained (my brother in law has worked with dogs all his life and has these two trained to perfection) and while they can be completely bonkers when allowed free, they’ll instantly snap into “best behaviour” mode at a command. I’ve walked them both plenty of times and aside from being walking turd machines, they’re faultless.

Collies I’d be more wary of. They can be a bit more challenging behaviourally, a bit more prone to neurotic traits.

Sprinters are half trained when they’re born and they are half trained when they die. Great dogs, but lots of work. And they need lots of work to remain sane.

Collies are very smart dogs. Probably the smartest. They need lots of stimulation, lots of things to do. You probably already know that.

I’d have a collie of the two. But I’d rather have a lab.

I was looking smaller than a lab… quite happy with the idea of a cross though, just depends what we come across/fall in love with (I happen to have a service job at an animal shelter in a couple of weeks… which could be dangerous!)

Jake was certainly neurotic at times, mainly because no matter how hard he tried he just couldn’t heard 4 cats into the same room at the same time – especially if it was the room all the persons were in too! He was both hugely intelligent and daft as a brush at the same time 😉 Absolutely fantastic dog, companion and friend – we went through a lot together, all the hardest things in life to deal with and he was there by my side.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/TcM3P7]4th May 2017[/url] by Rob Sutherland, on Flickr

Why a springer not a Working Cocker?

Something rescued,

Will be difficult with two young children in the house. We tried and gave up because the vast majority of the dogs we saw were for homes with older children only.

Went down this route last year – ended up with a pointer-lab, mum was a working GWP, dad a working lab.

22kg, absolutely amazing with the kids, eats like a lab, runs and runs and runs.

Yep – Cockers are in the list too, but I see very few of them around here and they tend to want a terrifying amount of money for them!!!

I love Springers but they are nuts – we had one called Meg who was brilliant. She had so much enegrgy and had a massive personality. Her and the collie used to run rings around our other dogs.

Our collie was a fantastic dog too who used to follow my sister and I around when we played around (on a farm in Dalby forest).

I’d have either but I’m a softie when it comes to Dogs!

I have a pedigree working springer, she’s bloody brilliant and infuriating!

So easily trainable at certain things – wait, sit, lie down, finding objects with her nose, being great with the kids (2 and 4 when we got her – now 4 and 7) and she is fairly chilled round the house.

Walking on lead is hard work straight out the door although after a run around she is fine.

However, she has started taking a dislike to other dogs coming near her, or me. She’s not aggressive – in that she isn’t looking for a fight but if a dog challenges her or comes too close she will snarl and snap. I’m managing it and we are working with a behaviourist and doing socialisation pack walks to help get through this, but I suspect it will always be a trait we will have to be wary of. She basically doesn’t like some dogs.

One thing about springers is you don’t need to walk them for hours and hours each day – if you do this they will get much fitter than you can ever cope with and will never be satisfied. What you need to do is exercise their brain. Their noses are phenomenal – i do scenting games with a ball and fields of long grass. or in the undergrowth in woodland. Also did them round the house when she was a pup. 20 mins ot half an hour of finding stuff and she’s knackered and content.

We also have a collie cross rescue dog. and He is the best dog ever, intelligent, soft as and great with kids (he was with us before the kids), totally chilled although he probably sleeps the least of all our 3. He just potters around. Everyone wants to take him home.

Rescue is great but they are difficult to find with young kids. Spaniel Aid seem to have lots of good springers if their facebook feed is anything to go by, and occasionally have dogs that would suit 5 and up.

Personally, I would have a springer or collie cross. maybe a sprollie! Get some cross breeding just to temper the more excessive traits of either breed.

Good luck and post some pics.

Charley (collie X corgi?!)

[url=https://flic.kr/p/7nmQ8s]Charley[/url] by Evil Goat, on Flickr

Nell

[url=https://flic.kr/p/R86t7d]IMG_20161022_164152[/url] by Evil Goat, on Flickr

SPRINGER!!!! Or a cocker if you fancy something a little smaller.

You still have the energy and madness, but it’s a little less mad and a lot more awesome.

we’ve had our springer Ben coming up for three years and had him as a rescue when he was a 3year old. It’s been such a rewarding time to see him gain in confidence, health and affection after a difficult start to life.

I know a lot have preached about rescue on here (me included) but it’s a great thing to do

we got Ben from these great people http://www.caessr.org.uk/
& they always state whether the the dog is cat friendly/child friendly etc.

our family would never be complete without a dog or 2

adopt not shop…that’s my advice.

what ever you do, good luck Capt.Kronos

I am very much keeping an open mind on either adopting or going for a pup – everyone knows what I am like though, I will *find* something (or… more likely… it will find me!)

Do like the idea of a Sprollie – saw some pups advertised somewhere not too far from here so will keep an eye out. Loads of Springers and Collies in the Lakes so should be a relatively common mix 😉

Thanks for the ideas.

And pics 🙂

Having deficit of doggy love at the moment and talking to any I see in passing as a result (even more so than normal!)

Cocker. Perfect family dog, not too big, plenty of energy for long walks. Loyal and reasonably intelligent. Springers are more highly strung but have the same traits, just more energy, and I’ve seldom encountered a collie without some form of suspect behavioral trait. We have several springers, cockers and a collie in the family. And my sister has had two bearded collies – they were just nuts!

In fact, I’d get a cocker, and then get another one. The dog emptying on a per kilo basis is not so different to one larger dog, and the company they afford each other is great. Not a huge behavioral or size difference between males and females really.

And it’s unlikely you’ll be allowed to adopt with two young children.

Which reminds me, I need to stop following Spaniel rescue on Facebook. I keep wondering if the house could cope with a third one around.

Our Springer/Lab mix, after a hard day’s running around chasing everything that moves, or might move. Especially if it’s a ball. Or a cat. Or another dog. Or a horse. Or a sheep. Or a ball. Did I mention balls? Is that a ball? It might be a ball. Or a cat. I think it’s definitely….enough.

^ 2 y/o Working Cocker^

My two…

Id look for another Collie, cute when they are little and great as they get older. Think we went too long when Surf died, thirteen year gap before Kevin and the girls talked me into another. As soon as I saw her that was it.

Fin as a pup

Now three

My dog is 15 months old now. Springer cocker cross. She is very lean, only 12kg but well proportioned, certainly not a small yappy dog. Super mellow around the house but just explodes with energy when out on a walk. I’ve recently started taking her out with the bike and she will overtake with ease when I am at 35mph. Very intelligent, often hilarious, not seen any aggression yet and loves the kids (7, 9 & 11). She gets two to three walks a day, usually totaling around 60 – 90 mins. Sometimes this is less, often more, she is quite happy either way. I’ve never tired her out yet. A genuinely lovely dog.

I am training my dog for mountain rescue search and she loves working. I’m not saying she needs to work but it is when she is in her element.

We work and train a lot with collies and they are wonderful dogs. Many of them do have a funny trait, how big a deal this is depends on the trait. On balance I would also suggest that they seem a bit nippier. I love collies but I think for the family side of life I prefer the spaniel.

Spaniels are also very soft mouthed. None of us have ever even had a nip from Ziggy in 3 years.

Tracey… I think your puppy pic may have just broken me.

Just sent an email about a merle collie 😉

I also have a second plan which involves a rescue springer. Liverpool is a bit of a hike though!

Well if puppy pics work for you…

Edit, apparently posting pictures doesn’t work for me

Posting broken link above

Edit: Yep that is a very cute puppy