Choice of first dog!

[Ghost On The Highway]

So in two or three years I'll be getting my first dog (my own, my preciousss, etc.), and unless I can find a suitable pound puppy I'll probably be going through a breeder. What do you think of these breeds on the basis of cuteness (or experience)? It has to be a gundog as I plan on doing a lot of upland bird hunting.

The Sprollie <3 Border Collie and Springer Spaniel


The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever "Toller"


English Springer Spaniel


Brittany Spaniel


Or your own choice! (must be a gundog or sporting dog)

[Le bonheur*]

The "toller" is adorable! I'd say that one.
I also think the Brittany Spaniel is adorable - not just saying that b/c my name is Brittany.

[Golem]

English Springer Spaniel would be the choice for a very good loyal dog you can take with you for upland bird hunting.

[Celestial.]

Hi Jay.

I'm going to answer this based on my understanding of the characteristics of each breed, rather than cuteness.

First off, I don't know anything about you, or your lifestyle, other than you plan to do some hunting, and this will be your first dog, so I'll just have to answer according to those. Although, if you could give some idea of what else you're looking for in a dog - size, maybe, or temperament - that could help. I'm curious as to what criteria you used to come up with these four options. Do you want something only for hunting, who's happy to spend a lot of time away from you? Do you want a dog that's affectionate but enjoys hunting? Do you want a dog that gets along with people and other animals, or do you not mind if it's a one-person dog?

Anyway. If you're going through a breeder, please don't get a 'Sprollie'. For one thing, why would you? What reason is there for crossing a Spaniel with a Collie - will that make it a better gundog or herder? There are enough homeless dogs out there without adding to it by having people slap two breeds together and sticking a cutesy name on it to convince people it's a real breed.

Tollers are absolutely lovely dogs. I really have a soft spot for them. But they may not be the best choice for a first time owner. Have you had much experience with dogs? If not, I really wouldn't recommend Tollers. They're not aggressive or anything, but they can be high maintenance - they're very smart, so if you leave them alone too much or don't train them correctly, they're bound to find destructive ways to entertain themselves.

Springers are also nice dogs, and, given that they're Spaniels, they're affectionate and . If you do go through a breeder, though, make sure you specify that you're looking for a field dog rather than a show dog, as there is quite a difference. Like Tollers, they're quite smart, so they need to be well-trained and entertained so they don't get up to mischief.

The Brittany is similar, also being a Spaniel (debatably); they're known for being sweet-natured and somewhat sensitive. They're more of an all-purpose hunting dog, as opposed to, say, retrievers (which obviously retrieve), or pointers (which point to game), since they can be trained to point to game and then retrieve it. They're also very energetic, and can go a little stir-crazy if you don't give them enough exercise.

Again, it really depends what you're looking for. Do you want a pointer, retriever, spaniel? Some of the retrievers are known as good first dogs - Golden Retrievers and Labradors, for example. The Spaniels can also be good, as they tend to be easy to train and eager to please. Also, and I know this may sound silly, but have you considered Poodles? The Standards were originally bred to be hunting dogs.

Oh goodness. I've rambled on for a long time, haven't I? Sorry. I just love dogs. If you want some more input, it would be helpful if you could include some more information about what you want in a dog, what your lifestyle is/will be like, and other things like that. If, on the other hand, you're thinking 'Who is this crazy person and what are they on about?', feel free to ignore me.

[Ghost On The Highway]

Yeah I would have to decide whether or not to go with a breeder if I decided on the "Sprollie." I haven't heard too much about them, but read a piece in an upland hunting magazine that sounded intriguing. I have a border/german shepherd mix now that is pretty cool, guess I just love borders but can't take the full craziness of a purebred The advantage, IMO, would probably be increased intelligence compared to the springer -- borders are known to be some of the most intelligent dogs around IIRC. Perhaps also increased focus, though I'm sure the springer doesn't lack in that area.

I don't mind having a one-person dog. It has to be able to get along with other dogs, but not necessarily people . An affectionate dog would be nice, not overly so though -- and it has to be trainable to have a "soft mouth," and to flush.

I've had bad experiences with Goldens and Labs (mostly parents/friends/relatives dogs), either very stubborn or just nuts. Very nice, affectionate dogs though. No poodles, I find them ugly sorry . And probably a spaniel as opposed to a pointer.

I will probably be living in a fairly confined space (i.e. apartment), but plan to leave the dog un-crated and will take it for regular walks and such (I'm a nature person, so that should be easy).

And I do have significant experience with dogs, both good, bad, and in between lol. This would just be the first dog I took care of on my own (i.e. without parents)

And thank you Chess, very helpful!

[Celestial.]

I was hoping I was coming across as helpful and not pushy.

For the record, I love that you spell German Shepherd correctly. I have met so many people who claim to have a german shepard or dashound or dalmation, and I wonder how they got the dog if they can't even spell the breed's name correctly.

Anyway. I can see where you're coming from with the Sprollie thing; I love borders too. But honestly I don't see the need to cross springers with borders, because springer spaniers were bred with enough energy and intelligence to get the job done, so adding a collie to the mix might not actually help. You can't be sure which traits you're going to get - what if you just ended up with a dog that had so much energy it wouldn't sit still? Or one that was so confused about whether it was a herding dog or a hunting dog that it didn't know what to do? Okay, I doubt the last one would happen, but you get my point, right? The trouble with borders is that, yes, they're really intelligent, and focussed - but if you don't direct their focus towards something, like regular exercise, or training, or even a sport, then at best they might be unhappy, and at worst could turn into nervous wrecks. On that note, perhaps a Toller isn't the right choice; from my experience, they're kind of like the collies of the gundog world, and can be a little high-strung.

Most of the gundogs are quite affectionate, and many get along with other animals and people. And if you got a puppy and made sure to give it proper socialisation, you shouldn't have any problems; or even if you got an adult dog from a good breeder, they should have done the correct socialisation with the puppy, so, same thing.

Sorry to hear you've had bad experiences with some of the retrievers. I had a friend as a child who had a couple of labradors, and they were the sweetest things; it depends on both the breeding and the training. If a dog's been poorly bred, incorrectly trained, or something else is lacking (they're not getting enough exercise or attention, for example), then they can have a tendency to be a little hard to handle. So if you choose and raise one carefully, you should be okay; but if you'd rather stay away from the retrievers, then that's perfectly fine too. Your dog, after all. And with the poodles, that's fine. They're not for everyone.

For a confined space, I'd recommend something smaller, obviously. So something in the spaniel area would probably be a safe bet. Although you'll find that most dogs are quite adaptable, so as long as you give your dog plenty of exercise, an apartment shouldn't be too much of a problem. I have a Cattle Dog and not a very big yard, but I take her for a walk every day and we get along fine. Another thing to consider, though, if you're living in an apartment, is the regulations regarding pets: some places might not allow any pets, some might have a size limit, some might insist on you paying extra to cover any possible damage. But of course you probably already thought of that, so I'll stop pointing out the obvious, shall I?

Ah, I see. So as long as you've been around dogs a fair bit, I'd say you'd be able to handle any of the gundogs. While some of them can be exuberant or stubborn, none of them are known to be particularly difficult or aggressive.

Okay. Again, really sorry for the long reply. I hope at least some of it's helpful. Taking into account everything you've said, I think I'd recommend a spaniel of some sort - cocker, springer, field, etc. They're gundogs so you can take them hunting, they're small enough to fit into an apartment, they love to learn, and get along well with people and (in general) other dogs. Also, I feel obligated to urge you to check out any pounds, shelters, and rescue organisations before going to a breeder. I'm a big advocate for rescue pets, in case you can't tell. I'm not sure where you're from, but many places have specific breed rescue services, so you might find what you're looking for by going through one of them.

All right. I think I've said enough now. Sorry. I get a little excited talking about dogs.

[semiunbalanced]

I love The Sprollie and Toller. <33 CUTE!!

I had two beagles as my first pets. LOVE. them. <3

[Ghost On The Highway]

I love retrievers, there are just so many with physical/mental health problems (like us, lol) that are completely untrainable as suitable hunting dogs. They've all been sweet and cute though, great around people and other dogs. But quite annoying!

And yes, I have a rescue dog -- my BC/GS mix. She's great, but quite skittish even at 12, would make a horrible gundog. She was born, taken to the pound, adopted, taken back to the humane society, then we got her. She was...well...a bitch for a while. I would only consider a puppy to be honest. Not for looks, for trainability.

[*Learningtobreathe*]

my first dogs were a German Shepard named Duke, a chihuahua named Pecos, a Jack Russel terrier named Russel and a blood hound named Rusty. after they died i got a Blue Heeler named Puppy, I currently have 2 Cocker Spaniels named Hershey and Cricket, 2 Boxers named Butterscotch and Princess and a Husky mix named Prince Teriann. the best behaved dogs i have ever had were the German Shepard, the Blue Heeler and the Husky mix. i think the reason they are so well behaved and good dogs is because they are so bug they were trained differently.

[TakeTheLeap]

Awww, the Sprollie is ADORABLE! Based on cuteness, I'd go with a Sprollie, most definitely. Haha.

There was a TV show my dad and I used to watch called "Hunting with Hank." Hank is specifically a bird-hunting dog - the show follows Hank and his person across Alaska on different hunting expeditions. Quite cool to watch. That being said, Hank is a Llewellin Setter. He's fabulous at soft mouth, pointing, and flushing. And he's as cute as he can be, which is a definite plus... :P At the end of each episode of the show, you see Hank laying on the bed with Dez (his person), and Dez says, "And remember to never, ever spoil your bird dog." Bahaha.

[tylerjones553]

I think Sprollie's are very cute

[TheBabyEater]

Personally, I suggest NOT getting your heart set on a breed before going. I've done this multiple times, yes yes. I absolutely love Shiba Inus, Bulldogs, Boxers, Great Danes, lots of breeds really, with periods of exceptional love for one in particular. But, you should get a dog based on personality more than anything else. I've made this mistake before on other pets, I can't imagine making that kind of mistake for a dog... I'm totally into the humane society and adopting rather than getting it from a breeder (For one it's cheaper, but also a good cause) but I'm not here to convince you to buy from the Humane Society. Just to maybe go in and look and play with the dogs before making a decision.

These are all similar type dogs, and you specifically stated that you want a sporting type dog, so I assume you know all about what they need and like to do and all that jazz. I'll hush up for that part.

All that said, I voted for the Sprollie. Totally cute, and I love mix dogs =3

[Ghost On The Highway]

The thread will never die . I know I need to go into this with an open mind/heart, and puppies are all so cute anyway, but it will probably have to be a gundog. Generally speaking, since I'll be buying from a breeder, I doubt there'll be much temptation to get another Golden. Anyone here volunteered at the Humane Society? After I get a working dog I might consider adopting from there again.

BTW this won't really be my first dog, just the first one I pay for myself, take care of on my own, am completely responsible for, etc.