We have already got two old cats, two fish tank full of Mollies a number of big old African snails, hamsters and mice. But the Mrs thinks it the right time for her to have a new dog, she is now working part time from home.

We have two young kids 6 and 2 so the dog would have to be good around them, active, love water, the Mrs loves sailing, but also a bit of a lap dog as well?

I used to have jack russells, when I worked on a farm and loved them to bits, but not sure if they would be the right choice now.

Always like greyhounds too, not sure they are that active and I don't think they like getting wet much either, please correct me though, if I am wrong?

its going to be a rescue dog, if we can, but it would be nice if any owners here could give us some recommendations.

Please no anti dog posts here, if you want, I can start another post for you to get your teeth into if you like 😉

Cheers…

I've heard that retired greyhounds just require a quick blast and then are happy to sleep all day.

I could be completely wrong though.

I've had a variety of dogs in the past and would happily recommend a Golden retriever if you have a family, if you wanted something a little smaller but still active and loves water then you can't go wrong with an English Springer Spaniel from good working stock.

labs all the way for me, monty is not quite a lap dog but loves water and beer

springer spaniel, happy, energetic, good with people, loves swimming running, and will follow me on the bike for a good 10 miles. may eat sunglasses, digital cameras and the tops off my hunter wellies between the ages of 0-6 months though! needs training and lots of exercise

As you've got cat's, hamsters and mice I'd avoid any type of terrier.

I've a border terrier and the above are classes as sport

Been waiting all week for a dog thread!!

So how about a lurcher, ours likes water but doesnt really swim much as yet but shes only a baby.. have a look at http://www.lurcher.org/llink/forum/ like a greyhound only not.

Find friends who have dogs and borrow them for a few hours – see how you get on with them. Also – look at how much time and effort you are prepared to put into the dog – training is for the whole family and the dog – more for the humans if I'm honest. Look at how much time you can give it – not just being there but interacting / playing / walking etc. Some dogs have real traits (like the working dogs) and you must work to those traits or you risk a terrible experience and a bored dog.

Dogs come in the following classifications:

Lap dog
Ankle dog
Knee dog
Hip dog
Proper dog.

The only sort worth considering is a proper dog.

Of the proper dogs, the only sort worth having are the hounds. They're happy to laze around all day so long as they get a good run at some stage.

Therefore you need a Great Dane or a Wolfhound.

SImple, isn't it?

Oh, and a very large sh1t shovel.

Anagallis_arvensis, she looks a cracker, not considered a lurcher thanks for the link.

I had though of a Springer Spaniel, one of my work colleagues have them and can thoroughly recommend them.

Just spoken to our local RSPCA centre and they said they have two young Springer Spaniel Collie crosses, which they said, might be good for what I am after, so, going over at the weekend to have a look.

Thanks for all the other advice, btw, all points noted.

To be truthful – you need to see what your good points are before making your choice…

If you are strapped for cash – avoid retreivers – labs – unless you take out insurance as soon as you have the pup..
These pedigree type dogs can be so interbred that they have common problems from quite an early age.

If you are strapped for free time – avoid collies, alsations, working breeds as they need to be 'entertained for hours'

If you are 6' 6" and 20 stone.. avoid Shitzu and poodles

Family dogs in my opinion – Staffies – Jack Russells or better still – Heinz 57

a springerxcollie would be a very very very energetic dog you would need loads of time to walk it.

molly is good fun and very clever indeed.

Left – my wifes 'demon' dog that I have mentioned in a post a few mths ago.
And right – my daughters Jacky .. or 'proper' dog as I call it when my wife is in earshot…

If you are going for a rescue dog then issues of what breed to choose etc are less relevent – with the exception of staffordshire bull terriers the vast majority of dogs you will seee for adoption in the mainstream centres (RSPCA, Battersea, Dog Trust) will be cross-breeds and, size aside, the temperament etc of the dog is probably more important than anything else.

All above good stuff and have a look at German Short Haired Pointers, great with children, love water, great with bikes, and a hound therefore = real dog. Spaniels/collies good fun but depending on which one can bounce about alot and be 'too' much if not working.

ex racing greyhounds are lazy buggers!
A quick run on the morn, then chill out for the rest of the day.
A lurcher, or coursing greyhound may be better for your needs, hmm dont know about the cats tho

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F it. Ill work it out tomorrow!

jack russells all the way 🙂

We had a Jack Russell when I was a kid. Excellent dog, very friendly, and a good little guard dog. Also had a labrador before leaving the UK. Very friendly dog, excellent around kids, probably not the best at guard dog duties. Just bought a Bull Mastiff/Rhodesian Ridgeback cross. Only 10 weeks old, but it's going to be a big dog. At least my bike will be safe with that around!

I picked up a Manchester Terrier from a shelter when I was back in the UK. Lovely dog he was, very energetic, and just wanted to play all the time.

don't get a collie. great dogs if you can give them 110% attention constantly but if they're not kept active they go completely nuts. literally.

we got this little beauty. she's very loving, is happy to sit on the wife's lap all day but still enjoys running around with my son in the park and chasing cats, she lives to chase cats.

bit like asking 'what bike'. same one as me! 🙂
we have a welsh springer/field spaniel cross. about as big as a working cocker. slim. she has her funny fives minutes but most of the time she's very mellow. we didn't want a purebred due to propensity for illness/defects. GF has done wonders with her training and she's a lovely dog. she'll run with the bike but i wouldn't take her on a 'regular' ride.
great pic Samurai.
king charles cavaliers are generally very good natured from what i have seen but that particular breed can have some real problems if not 'well bred', as can any breed i guess.
anything with collie in it will be hard work, as they need to be kept busy, but i'm sure they're very rewarding too.

Spanish Water Dog.

Had ours now for two years and not one single regret. Great round kids, attentive, alert, willing to learn. Perfect temprement with my two girls who treat it as a toy and pamper her to death……definitely not a 'soft dog' though, just a fab temprement.

As their name suggests they love the water – webbed feet come in handy for her weekly swims int he River Dee, THEY LOVE WATER. USed in Spain (and other countries) as police dogs, rescue dogs, working dogs etc, a thinker

Pure wool coat that when grows goes into loose dreads if you let it…..if you dont like strangers stopping you asking 'what dog is that, isn't she stunning' dont get one!! She's a crowd puller!!.

IN all the two years of having her I havent found one dog hair in the house, they do not shed any of their coat.

Perfect dog for family, training, working. Can run all day too but doesn't get hyper on those odd days when you can only squeeze in a 20 min walk round the fields.

Size – knee height for bitch. larger for dog (technically speaking!!)

GET ONE!

Border terrier? Always a good choice.
As for greyhonds, there are so many lokking for new homes. Check out any of the greyhound rescue site. But be warned, you're taking on a dog with a history. More often than not, it's not a nice history either. As for excercise most greyhounds and longdogs, (2 x sight hounds)are more than happy with an off the lead blast and then sleep the rest of the day.

We have a Boxer and she is an absolute joy. Loads of character and very cuddly. She has her mad half hour each day but she mostly chills around the house. She is an excellent family dog and is brillaint with our 13 months old daughter.

Snoopy's a long dog, greyhound and saluki. He was two speeds, 100mph or zzzz mode.

The posts about greyhounds above are generally correct, although some of them love water. A lurcher would be a better idea, although it would depend on the cross, they have more stamina, but can be just as lazy when not out and about. More prone to liking the water, although their anatomy means they are often poor swimmers.

A case in point is Ted, loves water, hates to swim:

As Anagallis said, Lurcher Link is a great site for available dogs and advice, as is Greyhound Gap (who saved Ted)

Great pic there Samuri, reminds of this one of Ted. Two very different dogs (Ted is nearly 3 feet tall at his ears) but they look so similar.

Cavaliers, superb dogs! Can work to guns or simply prop up the bar at a pub. Great companions and really good characters.

Daisy, where your little Border?????

My Lakeland Terrier is good fun, great with the kids but couldnt eat a whole one! playful and enjoys running etc.
Downside is she is a bit yappy. Doenst do as she's told (much) but thats typical of most terriers.

SPANIEL!!!!!

Although our little one has just got out of surgery to have two stones, some bark chip and part of a sandal taken out of his gut, so maybe not.

If you want a sensible dog, go for a Lab of some sort. A lot less mental than a Springer or a Cocker.

We have a Lab collie cross and he is absolute fantastic. He has the best temperament of any dog I've ever met. Is great with our 3 week old baby and friends children who pull his tail and poke him in the eyes while trying to pet him. He loves coming for 6km runs with me most days, does about 10 miles with me while biking, plays in the park with his doggy friends every morning. But once he has had his walk he is very happy to sleep most of the day and he loves having a cuddle on the sofa.

He loves water:

My parents have a spaniel/collie cross – he's a really nice natured dog too but he has loads of energy. This is great for them as they do loads of walking. He is the smaller one in the pic below (when he was a puppy – now is spaniel size) the larger one is Elmo our dog.

So hard to choose a breed that you like and that will fit into your lifestyle.

I fall in to the category of if your going to get a dog get a proper dog, none of these handbag efforts!

I have a Rhodesian Ridgeback which I have to say is a perfect breed for somebody who gets out and about on a bike a lot, doesn't mind a dog with an amazing attitude, serious amounts of independence, aloof-ness(?), intelligence and pure character. Highly devoted to just one person but very protective of the family unit. If your wife was the one spending the majority of the time with him/her she would be the only one with complete control, don't expect a Ridgeback to have two masters. Hard work but definitely a case of what you put in you get back!

Springer Spaniel, German Shepard, Border Collies etc are great for running, family and companionship.

Boxer,the funnest dog ever invented,love kids & kids love them.Not so good with cats though,they just see them as a toy to chase about

If you want a sensible dog, go for a Lab of some sort. A lot less mental than a Springer or a Cocker.

Beware of the Labs, yes they look calm placid etc etc – however they are hard work, they will walk forever get home, then play for the rest of the evening – by play I mean use the two sofa's in the house as a wall of death. If you get one with a bumble bee for a brain that's even worse!!

If you want a sensible dog, go for a Lab of some sort. A lot less mental than a Springer or a Cocker.

Beware of the Labs, yes they look calm placid etc etc – however they are hard work, they will walk forever get home, then play for the rest of the evening – by play I mean use the two sofa's in the house as a wall of death. If you get one with a bumble bee for a brain that's even worse!!

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whats wrong with my posting a pic? Im doing the same as normal, but no piccy appears!