Help deciding best breed for my family please?

[merlina]

Hmm...not sure about your info re cocker spaniels! We have had both show and working and to be frank restricting either to an hour a day exercise when young would have driven them mental (also us). A working cocker in its prime can do 3- 4 hours...a show can do the same but manage with 2-3! They are really meant to work and there's a group that works their show cockers very successfully.

What about a Tibetan spaniel?

 

[leashedForLife]

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Shelties are smart, biddable, highly trainable, & generally sweet dogs - they do require regular detangling to prevent mats, but they aren’t the silky-soft tangle prone monsters that Maltese, Shi-Tzus, & Poms can become.

I wonder if a Standard Poodle with a corded coat might not fit well?
They aren’t yappy, as their smaller kin are - they are tall but very slim & don’t weigh much; 40# for a F & maybe 50, in a large M. They are playful, energetic but not manic, will take as much or as little exercise as is offered, very trainable, & have lovely dispositions.
Once established, a corded coat needs very little maintenance; no combing is needed, & a 4-inch long fringe of narrow cords all over will dry quickly after a bath.

U just twiddle any new hair-growth at the skin into an established cord, leaving a quarter inch to a half-inch free at the skin, to allow free movement & air circulation. Any cords that get irremediably dirty or which pick up burrs, etc, just snip off the free end, & the paint, engine oil, cockleburr, etc, is gone.

- terry

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[Jon Roff]

Cavaliers are meant to be good family dogs

 

[Mad Murphy]

Cavaliers are meant to be good family dogs

but they come with a washing list of health problems

 

[Biker John]

Whippets have been mentioned, for an older person as with any breed pups are hard work so an older dog would be better. If you can get an adult Whippet then yes they are brilliant dogs. Obviously exceptions but in general they are quiet, clean very loving dogs. For exercise although they are quite capable of going on a long walk, they are happy with a couple of short (ish) walks they one thing that they love and do actually need, in my opinion, is the ability to free run. The owner of course can simply either stay still or walk around at their pace. Again in general they are healthy with a long life span.

 

[Jack-Russell-Lover]

Have you come to a decision yet @AgirlHasNoName?

 

[AgirlHasNoName]

Thank you all so much for your replies and sorry for having disappeared, notifications went to junk mail and I presumed no one else had answered!
I am happy to say we are now the owners of a miniature labradoodle and so far so good he has been fantastic!

 

[merlina]

Congratulations! Hope all goes well with him!

 

[Jack-Russell-Lover]

Oh that's great! Glad you have found a breed that's right for you, can we see pictures?