choosing a breed – second dog?

I have a young just turned 4 Cavalier king charles spaniel, I would LOVE another dog. I have read books and lots of forums about what type of dog is suitable so heres what i think.
-Robert is castrated so i would get a female.
-Small ( smaller that Robert )
-nither submissive nor dominant breed

Robert and the puppy will never be alone as when i’m at college ( night school ) my parents are in. We live in a medium size house,small garden but walk everyday in to the woods next to my house.

so my question is with your expert knowledge do you know of another breed that will fit in with our family? After research – bichon frise comes up alot as a good breed match. My neighbour has a female that Robert is always pleased to meet.

The reason i don’t want another ckcs is because i love Rob and would like a new challenge of a different breed and ckcs have alot more health issues but if its 100% best idea to get another ckcs for Roberts sake i really wouldn’t mind.

I would like to hear from anyone who has a small dog or ckcs and has a different breed.Also i know all about dogs in shelters but i live in England and i’ve looked into sheltered dogs but 99.9% of them are big or staff bull crosses.

I’ve looked into shelters and i’m on a few mailing lists in the area… i have been for 4month and nothing has come up. I’m aware of puppy mills are not looking for a cheap petshop dog ( In England its illegal to sell dogs from a shop ) once 100% decided on a breed i shall search for a good home breeder. I wouldn’t mind a small cross dog from a shelter but they are very rare since the whole "designer dog" thing.

My neighbor had a Bichon that passed away, and just got a second one recently. Both dogs were/are very friendly and happy-go-lucky. My own dog loved their old one and is just as happy to play with the puppy – they love the breed themselves and i have no doubt that if they were into the dog show world they would be working on bettering the breed. As it is both animals are/were spayed.

I think a Bichon might be a good option for you guys. Especially if your dog seems to get along with your neighbors – but be warned, a puppy may not have as much manners as your neighbors dog so YOUR dog may be a little put off in the beginning as they learn to get used to each other.

Poodles are also another good option – they have the same coat type as the Bichon but aren’t as stocky, if you get what i mean. You can also choose between three sizes! Depending on what you are looking for in a dog (IE what matters most to you in terms of looks, temperament, exercise/grooming needs, etc) there are several breeds that could work as well.

Havanese, Coton du Tulear, and as i said the Poodle being some of them. What exactly ARE you looking for besides dog friendly? Any requirements like no shedding, easy to groom, easy to train, etc?

I’m partial to Schnauzers myself but they CAN be a little high strung with other dogs. Have you considered visiting a shelter and seeing what they have to offer?