Small vs large?

[Fudgeandcoco]

Hi

I am the owner of a beautiful Female apricot mini poodle Fudge. Me and Fudge lost our friend Coco a male Shih Tzu 8months ago Fudge has been down ever since it's hard to walk her as she Miss's having a friend to play with. Coco was my first dog he was 12yrs when he passed over the bridge. Fudge is 5yrs. The last couple of months have not been to bad as my mom was bringing her bichon during the day and Fudge just come to life she wants to play again and she goes on her walks but this won't work forever like if mom can't come over but I know Fudge wants a friend again.

I have decided to get another dog however I don't know if I should go large or small.
Small iknow but large I'm wondering are large dogs harder to live with them small dogs?

I have always worried about pulling on the leash as a small dog won't pull you over like a big dog and I never really had to teach Fudge or Coco neither of them have ever pulled even when pups as Fudge just followed Coco so she never pulled.

I don't want another shih tzu or poodle. I do however want an easy to train dog like Fudge as Coco 90% of the time did not listen he prefers to be lying on the sofa.

Things I do want.
Easy to train
Not to noisy
Can take 2x 40 min walks a day plus lots of play


I think first I need help with small vs large first could anyone tell what I might face with a large Dog (eg. Labrador) compared to small?

[Erica]

I grew up with large dogs and only in the past few years have experienced living with small dogs.

Large dogs are more obvious in where they are - I've had to go looking for the little dogs occasionally because I can't just hear them walking around the house like I can the large dogs. Big dogs definitely can pull harder, but training when the dog is young (or immediately starting training from day one if adopting an adult) can stop this for a vast majority of dogs. (Some spaniels and sledding breeds are harder to teach loose-leash walking to than most dogs.) Depending on how you've trained your smaller dogs, you may need to train different things with larger dogs. Many people are happy to have their little dogs jump up against them, because little dogs are small and don't knock you off balance like large dogs can. It's fine if your little dogs jump up; it's not inherently better for dogs to not jump up or anything. It's just personal preference. The little dogs I take care of do so, and their owners are happy for it because it makes them easier to pet.

Countersurfing is easier for larger dogs than smaller, so you may not have experienced that before. Large dogs may also be able to see out of the windows and bark more at things outside.

Because of their size, larger dogs are easier to pet, easier to harness or leash up, and easier to give treats to by hand. They also have, in my experiences, been easier to house train - but that may also be because people are more inspired to house train a dog who makes larger messes.

I do want to say that Fudge may not like the new dog, or may not appreciate the company of a puppy. Be ready for this possibility! Only get another dog if you want to.

[Fudgeandcoco]

Hi Erica

Thanks for you reply. That is very insightful and really good advice.

With what you said I think small or large would be OK. Jumping up and counter suffering I know well Shih Tzu never did either but Fudge jumped up but I have trained her not to by turning my back and crossing my arms as she hates being ignored so it took 24hrs and she stopped jumping up. Fudge also counter sufer's she is so smart that she leart how to jump on the bin and then the counter so I moved the bin and I don't know how but she leart how to open the stove door and jump on that and then the counter. I don't leave any food out now and she has stopped counter surfing.

I have looked through large and small breeds and after going through 300+ breeds only came out with tow . I have not slept just to go through all the breeds.

The Labrador and the English Cocker Spaniel.

I have read some of the posts on both breeds and still have a few Q's.

Which one is the most vocal between the tow?( my house is really quiet and Fudge rarely barks and would like to keep it that way. She barks when someone is at the door and at the binman)

Which one as an adult is the most energetic?Fudge is livly but she will happily settle down for a few hours in the afternoon. I know puppies are mad for the first tow yrs.

Which one would be easier to train. Fudge was trained very easily and she was not stubborn. Which one would be more stubborn?

Is there anything about either breed I should know?

[Theo400]

Hi

Between the tow I would say the Labrador would be better. In my limited experience I have never met a non snappy Cocker but that could be due to lack of training , bad breeding ect.

My nephew has a CS and she is CRAZY she never tires down my nephew gives her 2hrs of exercise a day and the Cocker is still ready for more she's a show line . he socialised her really well but she has her moments were she will hide under the table or will be snappy when petting her and when you stop she pest's you for more attention. I personally am not a fan of the breed but I think his is from bad breeding as she is unpredictable.

My brother has a Labrador and she is amazing now she has matured the first tow yrs were crazy for my brother but now pepper has settled she's just the best dog ever. Also show line she gets tow 40 min walk a day and lots of brain games. Pepper is happy with her routine and is happy to settle in the evening for a couple of hrs. As a puppy she was a rollercoaster of engery now she has matured she can get quite lazy.

Regarding you Q's

I would say Cocker's bark more. Pepper the lab hardly barks except for fireworks, thunder or the binmen.

Again Cocker has the higher engery level my nephews Cocker is 7yrs old and is still full of engery like a puppy were pepper now she's matured is content with 90mins of exercise a day and is happy to snooze most of the day.

Both are easy to train but labs listern to there stomachs so will do what ever you ask for a cookie . my nephews Cocker can be stubborn at times or to excited to listern.

Both have health issues and labs can get fat quikly so watch out.

Erica looks after labs so she may be able to add to this.

[ScarletSci]

Both labs and cockers are likely to need more exercise than two 40 minute walks. Labs do listen to their stomachs, and are keep to please, but tend to be lovable oafs who knock things (including people at times!) over and can be be a bit brainless and goofy which can make training require a lot of patience.

I disagree with Theo about Cockers, but I'm more used to working lines than show lines. Show lines, in my experience, have the tendency to be a tad more neurotic. Cockers do have a rep for being snappy, it comes down to breeding and knowledge of dog body language. I'd say I'm biased towards spaniels, and might recommend a Springer/cocker cross

Like one of mine
But my first ever family dog was a lab cross, and an absolute dream, so maybe not so biased.

Either will bark when alerted by something, but don't tend to be yappy for the sake of it. Cockers maybe a little more, but again, there's usually a reason for it. Labs are louder. You asked about which would be more likely to be stubborn, and that's most likely the cocker I'm afraid.

Energy levels as an adult... it's really individual so hard to say. Both breeds can either be wildly energetic and non-stop, or can tend towards the lazy side. Some of it is genes and breeding, some of that is lazier owners who overfeed and don't exercise enough, so the dog gets used to a lazy lifestyle and waddles everywhere. Some of it will be working lines vs show lines. Best bet is to see the parents, assess temperment, and assess energy levels as the dog matures. My Sprocker isn't very high energy, compared to my Springer girl who is non stop naturally high energy. I know some very low energy lazy labs who slowly circle the park, others who are athletes and will go all day.

They are both prone to weight gain, but also easier to keep them trim by monitoring extra treats (and counter surfing or scarfing up finds when out and about - both will do this given the chance) and upping exercise when needed. Really no excuses to have a fat lab or spaniel.

Will you let us know what you go for in the end?

[Fudgeandcoco]

Hi

Thank you for your advice. I still read it even though I'm not getting either. Tow days ago I put a new post saying that Fudge did not take to either the lab or Cocker which you can read in my other post. And my new post was about the Newfoundland as she was really taken by my uncle's newfs and after advice on here and all the knowledge my uncle gave me and the fact that me and Fudge fell in love with the newf I decided to go with the newf.

I did actually decided that Cocker's and labs were both to energetic for me.

[ScarletSci]

Hi

Thank you for your advice. I still read it even though I'm not getting either. Tow days ago I put a new post saying that Fudge did not take to either the lab or Cocker which you can read in my other post. And my new post was about the Newfoundland as she was really taken by my uncle's newfs and after advice on here and all the knowledge my uncle gave me and the fact that me and Fudge fell in love with the newf I decided to go with the newf.

I did actually decided that Cocker's and labs were both to energetic for me.

Ah, sorry, I haven't caught up with every post on the board yet.
I just couldn't not defend a spaniel breed when I had the chance!
Newfs are gorgeous, I hope for lots of puppy pics!