After much thought, we have decided now is the time to get ourselves a family dog.


The position is we live in a reasonable size house, with large garden, open fields opposite (with plenty of public paths).
Most of the time there is someone at home, but very occasionally dog would need to be left at home.

Also in house 2 teenagers + 1 cat


We just aren't sure which breed to go for, we think we've narrowed it down to two, either a Cocker Spaniel, or a Golden Retriever - Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated

We've had both a cocker spaniel & a golden retriever/Labrador & the latter is more suited to family life as they are more laid back.

We gave our Cocker Spaniel to a family member when our eldest was born as we just didn't want to risk it snapping at him. We then didn't have a dog for many years & got a Golden retriever / Labrador just over 5 years ago when the kids were teenagers - my only regret was that we didn't get one earlier.

Hope that helps.

Thanks. I was starting to think that way, the spaniels don't seem to be as "calm" - at least the ones I've met don't ...

My vote - Choc lab .... Here is our 2

How about a Brittany spaniel, slightly taller than a cocker but with a great disposition. I know of some pups coming up soon. I have known the mother since she was born and have looked after her at times. Great dog, very obedient and great natured.

If the kids are teenagers then you might find they take an interest in some of the really intelligent breeds which are loads of fun, dogs like Border Collies, German Shepherds, Cocker Spaniels, Golden retrievers etc.

These breeds are definitely more interactive than the average toy breed which makes them lots of fun for kids. But note, Not always with young children, especially the herding breeds.

The added bonus is that almost all of the working breeds make excellent guard dogs and 99% don't mind being left alone. They're clever enough to figure out that you will come back.

An alternative would be any of the Poodle-Cross designer breeds of modern times, Cocker-Poo, Labra-Doodle, Collie-Poo etc. The main advantage is the lack of fur (you get the Poodle Wool which doesn't moult) but the snappy temperament which a lot of Poodles exhibit seems to have been bred out.

Anyway, do plenty of reading on each of the breeds you are considering; it will pay dividends in terms of understanding them. And whatever you choose, you will never look back. A house simply isn't a home without a mutt

Good luck.

I have a Bearded collie and a Lhaso Apso , and out of the two of them the beardie is so chilled out and calm even with crawling kids around her she is so laid back and also quite intelligent for a dog …

The Lhaso Apso is just a wee B D ……

Had Labrador retriever and they are the gentlest calmest dogs you can get but also a good gaurd dog

Ours never wandered even if the door or gate was left open - my brother has 2 golden retrievers and they are constantly running off looking for bitches on heat. The local farmer has picked them up and warned my brother he will shoot them if he sees them again

Spaniels are hyper - my parents had one and it wrecked the car and house if left alone. Ended up going to a bloke who trained it as a gun dog  Wanted a Series 2 LR since childhood but previously owned MY16 Disco Sport HSE TD4 Auto, MY13 RR Sport Black Edition TDV6 Auto, MY10 RR Sport HSE TDV6 Auto, 2007 Freelander 1 Freestyle TD4 Soft Top, 2009 Freelander 2 GS TD4 Auto, 2007 Freelander 2 GS TD4, 2004 Disco 2 Metropolis Auto, 2002 Disco 2 GS, 2000 Freelander 1 SE TD4 SW

Still hoping for a S2 one day!

Thanks for all the info

I think we may steering towards the retriever route.

In your opinion, which is best to go for in a family pet - dog or bitch ?

I vote for the retreiver / Labrador route too.

Had one from being aged 10 till I was 25, and they are great with kids, and are very laid back ;

Click image to enlarge

We went for a bitch cocker spaniel as we thought that would be better - but it wasn't.

Our Labrador/retriever is a dog & couldn't be more kid friendly, doesn't run off even when allowed to roam around when walking & knows the boundary of where he is allowed.

So for me it would be a dog.

There are no bad dogs......

If you want an easy life then its the Retriever, these dogs are so chilled. We have two at work (special school) and they do great work with our kids.

If you want an active life then Springer Spaniel/Alsatian/Border Collie

Grew up with four cockers in the house (all girls) - one comatose, one just thick, one lazy, and one absolutely mental but brilliant fun (would chase ball/rock all day, come windsurfing with me - that kind of dog - would have made a great gun dog) .
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Has to be a Lab from me. They are amazing dogs. My 4yearold bitch is amazing. My son has grown up with her (worry like about anything happening to her) my son pulls her, sits on her cuddles her and she just lies there and licks him. He thinks she's ace. Was in the kitchen the other nite and Ewan and Poppy were in the lounge. I could hear Ewan saying "eyes, eyes" came in and he was trying to poke her in the eyes. She just licked him and he got a off me. [img]http://www.fuelly.com/driver/rob2529/range-rover[img/]
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We had a dog and kids jumped all over him but he never snapped or growled at them - even if they took his bone off him

Strangers were terrified of him though because he barked and growled

He was not chopped and never had a problem

Bitches are supposed to be more loyal but never had a problem with our dog

I can not live without a dog now - just got a parson terrier but he is a lot more work  Wanted a Series 2 LR since childhood but previously owned MY16 Disco Sport HSE TD4 Auto, MY13 RR Sport Black Edition TDV6 Auto, MY10 RR Sport HSE TDV6 Auto, 2007 Freelander 1 Freestyle TD4 Soft Top, 2009 Freelander 2 GS TD4 Auto, 2007 Freelander 2 GS TD4, 2004 Disco 2 Metropolis Auto, 2002 Disco 2 GS, 2000 Freelander 1 SE TD4 SW

Still hoping for a S2 one day!

Goldie. As a first dog, they are just about perfect, if you have room for a large mobile hearth rug.

We've had both Golden Retrievers and a Cocker Spaniel. My wife would not have another Cocker.

I loved the Cocker but they are very high energy (it is impossible to knacker one). They are perpetual motion machines both in the sense that they are always moving (or ready to move) and that they seem to expend more energy than they consume.

Meanwhile, a Goldie is never happier than when lying by the Aga. They are gentle and biddable.

There is an old adage that a Labrador is born half-trained but a Spaniel dies half-trained. Not that our spaniel was disobedient. He knew what all the rules were but just wanted to check if they had changed in the last five minutes.

I loved my cocker to bits but he was hard work. Bags of character and a great companion. Mad as a box of frogs (which was his downfall - he ran under a car chasing a rabbit).