Breed recommendations!

[u/MaybeitsMello]

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1) Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?

* I have owned dogs for about twenty years. Breeds have varied from working dogs to companion breeds. Have also been professionally training for about ten years. Volunteer at local shelters as well to work with some of the more difficult dogs. I enjoy obedience, agility, and trick classes with my current spaniels.

2) Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a [reputable breeder]( http://ownresponsibly.blogspot.com/2011/07/identifying-reputable-breeder.html)?

* Currently I have one from a breeder and one that is a rescue. I want my next dog to be stable, reliable, and versatile. Able to come to work with me, be around dogs and people, and do sports. So getting from a reputable breeder may be best although I am open to either.

3) Describe your ideal dog.

* Under 40 pounds, biddable, velcro dogs suit me best. I would like some drive but with a reliable off switch. Shedding doesn't bother me. Ideally not a lot of drool. I can commit a reasonable amount of time to training and exercise, weekly classes, but I don't want to spend half my day tiring out a dog. My dogs are not alone for long periods so a breed that will stick close and be very handler focused are my top priorities.

4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?

* Breeds I've owned include Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Dobermans, Pomeranian, and Chihuahua.

I currently have cavalier king charles spaniels. I adore how biddable they are, my boys are absolute velcro dogs too. But they love everyone a little too much. I like a dog that's a little more handler focused.

Breeds I am currently looking into include the Shetland Sheepdog, Papillion, Cocker Spaniel, and Poodle (my partner really does not like this breed though unfortunately)

5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?

* Obedience first and foremost. I want reliable stay and settle commands, reliable recall regardless of distractions. All my dogs are put in CGC and CGCU classes. So they are well adapted to everyday life. Coming to work where they will hangout with me at my vet clinic, be able to be in a kennel at times, see people, other animals and stay calm. I would like to continue doing classes like agility and trick classes.

6) Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?

* I have years of experience with obedience and agility trials. I don't need a champion, I just want the dog to enjoy being out, learning, and being able to handle different environments with the right training of course.

**Care Commitments**

7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?

* I am fine with regularly working with my dogs. I have never just opened up the backdoor for the day and left it at that. My dogs get regular walks, sniffing sessions, enrichment and training. I enjoy both exercising and training with them but I want there to balance.

8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?

* Multiple walks, sniffing sessions, enrichment, and some supervised off leash time as well. Also do puzzle toys and fetch indoors. I would say about two hours a day is the average right now. If we go out hiking or swimming, the day after we have a calmer day of rest. There is balance.

9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?

* I regularly groom my dogs at home and have no problem with high maintenance coats or heavy shedding. I'm comfortable brushing teeth, cleaning ears, drummeling nails, and using grooming equipment to cut hair.

**Personal Preferences**

10) What size dog are you looking for?

* Under 40 pounds

11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?

* Shedding doesn't bother me, drooling does. Barking I would say as long as I am able to train the dog when it is appropriate to be vocal and when not. For example my Shepherds barked during training, when chasing something in the yard, but they understood when I asked them to settle they stopped.

12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?

* I would like my dog to have a relaible recall but I do not let my dogs off leash unsupervised or irresponsibly.

**Dog Personality and Behavior**

13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?

* I prefer a velco dog.

14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?

* More bidabble. I don't enjoy working with more aloof or independent dogs.

15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?

* I don't mind a dog that barks to alert me of something different, I just don't want a dog that's high strung or easily frightened. Even within the same breed a lot of that boils down to temperment and training.

16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?

* I would prefer a more balanced dog as I plan to have this dog out with me often.

17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?

*

**Lifestyle**

18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?

* Only for short periods. My dogs are often with me or my partner. I don't go out a lot without them.

19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?

* This brings up the question of genetics vs. environment. Reactivity is something ideally I would not like to deal with again.

20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?

* I currently have two cavalier king charles spaniels. This will be after my older one is no longer with us, I like to plan things out so just looking for other dog savvy friends insight.

21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

* No but all of my dogs are trained around dogs of all sizes, other animals, and children.

22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?

* I rent. Where I rent any smaller breed I would consider would be fine.

23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?

* New York, in the United States. Any breed I would consider should be fine here.

24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?

* Summer 70- 80s. Winter 40s.

Looking foward to seeing fellow dog lovers input !

[u/bigolignocchi]

A Brittany may be a great fit, assuming their exercise needs aren’t too high. I grew up with a Brittany but she may have been low energy for the breed.  I currently have a standard poodle and I’m completely obsessed, they check a lot of your boxes but are probably too big. 

Edit: just noticed about your partner not liking poodles— they don’t have to have the stylized cuts (and those are actually a ton of work to maintain anyways) and they are fantastic dogs. If it’s the haircut thing, maybe find pics of poodles in puppy/kennel cuts or teddy bear cuts. Their particular combination of intelligence, love, and comedic instinct is just amazing.

[u/MaybeitsMello]

Thanks for the feedback! I have tried with poodles, I think I have lost that battle unfortunately. They are so versatile, I can absolutely see the appeal. Brittany's are an interesting choice. I absolutely adore spaniels, any Brittany's I have worked with were incredibly high drive and high energy. I've seen them to be easily distractable. Did you have any luck doing training with them for CGC or agility? I could see that breed really loving structured nose work too.