The Labrador is the most popular breed of dog (by registered ownership) in the world, and is by a large margin the most popular breed by registration in the United Kingdom.  They are exceptionally affable, gentle, intelligent, energetic and good natured dogs and are generally considered good companions for people of all ages.  They are known to have a ha good choice for a family dog. These dogs are loyal and with training, the Labrador is one of the most dependable, obedient and multi-talented breeds in the world. They generally come with chocolate, black or yellow coats although there can be a few variants to this.

Labradors have the reputation of being a very mellow breed and an excellent family dog and generally get on well with other animals but it’s worth noting that their fun-loving boisterousness and lack of fear may require training and firm handling at times to ensure it does not get out of hand.  As you can imagine, an uncontrolled adult can be cause a lot of problems.

Labradors mature at about three years of age and before this time they show quite a high degree of puppyish energy which has often been mislabelled as being hyperactive. Because of their enthusiasm, traing the labrador to be good on the lead should be done early to prevent them pulling when they are fully grown. Labradors love to chase and  retrieve a ball endlessly and also enjoy lots of other forms of activity such as agility training, frisby throwing and playing in the water or swimming. They are considerably “food and fun” oriented, very trainable with patience and love new things.  They thrive on human attention, affection and interaction and can sometimes find it difficult to get enough !!

If you have a labrador you will also note how wet and dirty they can get when you take them out because they love the water and the freedom of the fields.  It’s a good idea to invest in a waterproof dog bed for either outside in his dog kennel or indoors to keep your furnishings clean.  A dog run in the garden will also allow you dog to play and exercise whilst you are at work.

Labradors are generally not noise or territorial, although they will sometimes bark at noise, especially a degree of “alarm barking” when there is noise from unseen sources.  They are more often very easygoing and trusting with strangers and because of this are not usually suitable as guard dogs.

The English Cocker Spaniel comes in at No. 2 and is a breed of gun dog.  Cockers have coats of many colours such as black, black and tan, black and white, black white and tan (tricolour), blue roan, blue tick, blue roan and tan, silver, chocolate, chocolate and tan, chocolate and white, chocolate white and tan, chocolate roan, chocolate roan and tan, sable, copper red, red, gold, buff, red roan, red and white, apricot, orange, orange and white, orange roan, lemon, lemon and white and lemon roan.

Cockers are renowned for their stubborn temper but they can easily be trained and make a good medium-sized family pet as they have a happy disposition and continuously wag their tails. They are noted for their optimism, intelligence, working ability and adaptability.

However, some of them can also show dominance and they don’t like being left on their own. Although they  bond well with family members, they sometimes tend to bond strongly to one individual person within the family to whom they will be very loyal.

In at No. 3 is the Springer Spaniel.  A typical Springer Spaniel is an intelligent, friendly, eager to please, quick to learn and willing to obey. It generally makes an affectionate and easy-going family dog and its alertness and attentiveness also make it the ideal hunting companion.

English Springers need plenty of exercise in order to run off their excess energy. Its long-legs make it among the fastest of the spaniel breed and although these dogs can be over excitable, adequate walking and exercise can prevent this.

In general, the Springer is good with other pets in the home like cats or even ferrets but it has been noted that some English Springers might not be suitable for homes with pet birds due to their natural hunting instinct and so would need extra training in this area. As with any other breed, dogs must become accustomed to other pets and it’s usually better to introduce the pets when they are both very young.

Their coat comes in black or liver (dark brown) with white markings or predominantly white with black or liver markings; Blue or liver roan; Tricolour: black and white or liver and white with tan markings, usually found on eyebrows, cheeks, inside of ears and under the tail. Any white portion of the coat may be flecked with ticking.

In general, English Springer Spaniels are energetic, cheerful, happy dogs but as with many playful dogs or hunting dogs bred as retrievers, these dogs will play with things as simple as empty plastic bottles, socks, or towels so must be watched in order to prevent them hurting themselves or damaging your property. The Springer can easily remember where such things are kept and are good at getting them out so they also need a lot of regular exercise and mental stimulation to prevent them from doing this.

If you have to leave the Springer alone then a dog run outside or a dog kennel in the garden will be ideal so long as you leave him plenty of toys to play with.  A waterproof dog bed would also be a good buy as they are easily kept clean and fresh.