Breed sugestions please.

[PostmanPat]

Quite agree but it's not just limited to GSD's, in fact most breeds suffer this breed for looks fate, Labs do not escape it. Unfortunately with GSD's due to so much interbreeding any line can be prone to hip problems, breeders do not seem to care, as long as they look pretty and make money. My oldest GSD, a superb flat back working line, has Degenerative Myelopathy (DM), though not a hip problem, a degenerative spinal problem that it genetically inherited.

Even the Czech Wolf Dog (CWD), a breed only since 1955, is Prone to hip dysplasia.

Agree to some extent with all the positive and negative comments about labs and GSD on this thread. As they are two of the most popular working and family dogs in this country there are many examples of poor breeding, mostly by well meaning people that don't know what they're doing...

However, both breeds are also popular with excellent breeders of strong working lines. Breeders like this will give you dna screening tests, hip elbow and eye scores for both parents and in many cases grand parents. Puppies will be well socialised and won't have the tempremant issues mentioned if you raise them well.

The best way to find good breeders is to reach out to some of the sporting bodies leadership (IGP for GSD) or just search well online. If a breeder gives you all the necessary health scores and can tell you about their lines and prove the success of previous litters in working homes, you like their methods, and you can visit their parents wile their working. That's a breeder you should work with.

 

[Countrygirl]

I was the proud owner of the cleverest dog in the world up untill last year, He was a Toller and I still miss him, however the time to get back on the horse and get another dog. Now although Im convinced he understood quatum mechananics and could bark in serveral languages he was could be a bit boisterous. Now Im 15 years older, almost an OAP and the wife is not in the best of health Id like a breed slightly more placid, and simpler to train but Id still want to take him rough shooting and fly fishing and on the odd driven day.

So size of a spaniel, temperament of a guide dog, intelligencence of a collie, Not to much to ask is it?

I would say lab but I'm also going to throw Springador into the mix. No guarantee on the size though, could turn out as big as a lab or as small as a springer.

 

[Alces Alces]

I was the proud owner of the cleverest dog in the world up untill last year, He was a Toller and I still miss him, however the time to get back on the horse and get another dog. Now although Im convinced he understood quatum mechananics and could bark in serveral languages he was could be a bit boisterous. Now Im 15 years older, almost an OAP and the wife is not in the best of health Id like a breed slightly more placid, and simpler to train but Id still want to take him rough shooting and fly fishing and on the odd driven day.

So size of a spaniel, temperament of a guide dog, intelligencence of a collie, Not to much to ask is it?

Labrador from a working strain, would fit the bill perfectly.

 

[Siggy]

Labrador walking vet bill

I’ve got a GWP like that. Also she is good orientated like a lab - beginning to think she’s a lab in disguise

 

[Bowland blades]

Its gotta be a Lab sooner you admit it the better LOL. Careful you dont get a real wizzy trial bred one as in general they do take a more "on it" trainer / handler . Most popular working dog , most popular shooting dog, most popular assistance dog, most popular pet dog on the planet , yet a fairly recently created breed in dog terms .