Choc retreiver or something else?

[Targarama]

Time to add a hound to the Targa household. I've had dogs in the past, mainly Mongrels. No kids yet, but may be soon. Would be someone at home most days, but the odd day it would be home alone. Mrs says must be short-haired and hates that wet dog smell. Do any dogs not smell when wet?

Can't be too small and yappy/shagging visitors legs type of dog, can't be a council estate/scrote power emblem type of dog (YKWIM). No handbag size dogs! We're happy to adopt via Dogs Trust/RSPCA etc. route. We have a secure, good sized rear garden and plenty of energy for training/walkies.

Currently thinking of a Chocolate Retriever, or similar. Any suggestions?

[matt173407]

Labradoodles are great and will fit your requirements

[Targarama]

matt173407 said:

Labradoodles are great and will fit your requirements

Yes, I thought about them, neighbour had one and it was a great family pet. Will research...

[Jasandjules]

How much time do you have to walk them? And train?

[scrwright]

Don't expect a Lab not to drop hair all over the place, if you are hair adverse look at short haired pointers/hounds.

[Targarama]

Jasandjules said:

How much time do you have to walk them? And train?

Plenty

[Jasandjules]

Targarama said:

Plenty

Then a Lab is quite a good choice.

[pikeyboy]

I have a brace of gsp's, they still loose hair and can be very hard work compared with a lab. Personally i'd get a lab.

[agent006]

Choice of food influences smell a lot.

[AdiT]

Labs do have an affinity for any water so wet Lab is a constant possibility.

[PowerfullyBuilt]

Have a look at Flatcoat Retreivers - people think they're just black Golden Retrievers, but are in fact a separate breed (Goldens were actually originally bred from flatcoats). They're long haired but somehow their coats stay so clean and soft - and even after a liberal dipping in a local reservoir there's no wet dog smell. Also possibly the most loving and affectionate dogs I've come across, and delightfully daft and loopy at times.
I wouldn't buy another breed now.

[pikeyboy]

PowerfullyBuilt said:

Have a look at Flatcoat Retreivers - people think they're just black Golden Retrievers, but are in fact a separate breed (Goldens were actually originally bred from flatcoats). They're long haired but somehow their coats stay so clean and soft - and even after a liberal dipping in a local reservoir there's no wet dog smell. Also possibly the most loving and affectionate dogs I've come across, and delightfully daft and loopy at times.
I wouldn't buy another breed now.

Great dogs but hard to reccomend as they are very very prone to cancer

[Jasandjules]

You could go left field and (if you are able to control them) get a Chesepeake Bay (sp?) poochie?

[Sexual Chocolate]

How about a Hungarian Vizula? Short haired, don't molt and also known as the Velcro dog.

Can't go wrong with a working cocker spaniel though.

[PowerfullyBuilt]

boy said:

Great dogs but hard to reccomend as they are very very prone to cancer

Sadly very true - my 3 year old is in remission from lymphoma, although you'd never have guessed anything was wrong with him. Thank god for pet insurance is all I can say! My last one, Dennis (Dirty Den to his friends!), lived until his 15th birthday - one of the longest-lived flatties of all time

I still maintain that even a few short years with a flatcoat is worth a lifetime with a less loving dog.