Choosing successor to perfect dog: breed recommendations?

I was sorry too, Paint M, but reading between the lines in my conversation with the breeder and independently researching raised too many concerns about barking, which is, after all, what the dog was bred to do. Since this will be my office dog as well as barn and house dog, that’s a risk I can’t run if I have other options. Under other circumstances, that might be different.

Back to sitting on my hands til I can go meet the pup…

Hm. In my limited experience, I have to say that one of mine was a barker and one was not. So that could be a concern, sure enough. But if you’re with the dog most of the day, as it sounds like you will be, I can’t imagine it would be an issue. Mine only barked to summon a person to whatever situation s/he felt needed attention. My little fellow who barked too much did so because I wasn’t able to be with him enough.

when the person recommending the breed says that the non-barker just barks when she wants attention, that’s a barker. hahahaha. Glad it works for you and I’m sure it would for others, but it’s a flat out deal breaker for an office dog.

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Lab, German Shepherd or Golden. Hard to pass up a reliably good dog.

OP - if the pup you are looking at is a PWD, I will follow this with interest. Met my first one just today - My little guy and I went on a Therapy Dog visit, and she was one of the other dogs there. Very cute dog - she was, I believe, on the smaller end of standards - and I’m most intrigued.

Have been loosely considering dog #2 after a year or more as a 1sie…Always have been a bigger dog fan - shep. mixes mostly, but now am thinking more in the 40 lb range. Same reaction to the variety (or lack thereof) at shelters these days.

We have here in Fla a number of potcake rescues and I’m also considering that route.
Keep us posted.

I have adored my English cocker spaniels. They have been fun and sweet dogs. Two of the three I’ve had have been exceptionally athletic (both were field bred), and very playful, but also quite mellow in the house. One of my current boys has never met a toy he didn’t like: stick/ball/stuffed toy, it doesn’t matter, he can make a game with any of them. My second dog is a little too dignified for that, he instead collects the toys in his bed - I think he is into inventory control. I know that you mentioned they were small, but at 32-34 lbs., I’ve really appreciated their size. They are big enough, IMO, to not be a little dog, but small enough that I can easily pick them up when needed.

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I could definitely downsize to an English Cocker; I have Brittanys which are just a little bit bigger but I think tend to require more exercise or they can be difficult to live with. The English Cockers are adorable and small enough that you can get an extra. LOL. :slight_smile:

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Brittany owners have my utmost admiration. I don’t know how y’all do it.
My border collies have a Brittany. They adore him. I think he is the worst.dog.ever, but I have to keep him for their sake.
He wandered up to the farm one day and my elder BC bitch begged me to let him in the fence. Pleasemomcanwekeephim?
He eats sheetrock, cannot be reliably housetrained, and cannot be crated. Barks at things only he can see. Often. He digs under fences and kills chickens. He has no recall. But he’s funny (I guess, if you’re another dog) and energetic (a big plus if you’re a BC) and I can’t give their dog away.

Well that’s too bad. They are pretty smart, so it sounds like this one is just not trained at all. And, probably not exercised enough. I have to run mine at least 2x a day, even in the subzero wind chills or 98F heat.

But there is also a huge difference in the mentality of a BC and a Brittany - one of my good friends has two BCs and we have talked about the differences. For a Brittany (and lots of other hunting breeds) - prey drive is very strong and the prey is their reward so it takes totally different methods to train them than herding breeds (or other breeds). This is why my dogs wear e-collars and hers don’t - she couldn’t get them to run away if she tried because they want to be with her and “work” all day. Mine would ditch me to go hunting every day if I allowed it. They would like to hunt with me, but if I wasn’t going to hunt, they would be happy to go alone.

If you want a hunting dog, though - that’s what you want. :slight_smile: The key is knowing what you’re getting…because otherwise you’ll hate it.

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My two field bred english cocker have, despite being high energy, stuck close to me, and always listened for me. They were both runners, but would run in big, fast circles around me when out hiking. The third, a bench bred dog, needs to stay on leash. He isn’t all that energetic… but he will wander away and get himself lost. Truly, you can seem him just roaming off, following his nose (downhill, he won’t choose to go uphill, lol), then he looks up and has no idea where he is. He isn’t the best listener, either, unless you have food in your hand. He is as sweet as the
others, but would really rather hang out on the couch, or go for a leisurely short walk.

![]( got her on Friday. She’s delightful - the cutest thing you ever saw, charming and brilliant. Too soon to tell how perfect she’ll be (I think very) but she’s doing the current job (keeping me too busy to miss my old girl) perfectly and with abandon. All I can say is that you shouldn’t go see a PWD pup if you don’t want to bring her home.
[IMG]https://scontent.fbed1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/26815314_10215230814744614_8754381109895354017_n.jpg?oh=3ce17ce8d7eb0bab4ca374043d8ac0be&oe=5B26E822)

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Love her!!! What is her name?

beautiful!!!

… and her name is … Trouble!

Never mind, she is adorable, good for you!

What a vibrant cute puppy that is, irresistible is right.

I am a lover of all things corgis. I have both types of corgis, cardigans and pembrokes.

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I got her on Friday. She’s delightful - the cutest thing you ever saw, charming and brilliant. Too soon to tell how perfect she’ll be (I think very) but she’s doing the current job (keeping me too busy to miss my old girl) perfectly and with abandon. All I can say is that you shouldn’t go see a PWD pup if you don’t want to bring her home.
[IMG]https://scontent.fbed1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/26815314_10215230814744614_8754381109895354017_n.jpg?oh=3ce17ce8d7eb0bab4ca374043d8ac0be&oe=5B26E822)

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gorgous! congratulations!!!

Awww so sweet! :slight_smile: Beautiful puppy.

Love her, what nice markings! updates required please.

YAY!!! What a cutie!

StG

Very nice. She is lucky to find you!