My husband has finally agreed to get a family dog. I think my two boys (10 and 12) would enjoy the dog immensely. I have grown up with dogs, (my husband has not)and it was very rewarding and memorable for me. Because of my husband's inexperience with dogs, I want a lovable dog but not one that is hyperactive as I don't think the hubby could deal with that. I'm thinking a smaller dog, preferably short hair for minimal shedding (I don't like poodles or poodle mixes - just don't like that curly hair) and one that gets along easily with other animals (we have a cat). What breeds would fit this description? Haven't counted out mutts but would like to know some dogs breeds with these desired traits.Well, I was never a lover of small dogs...always grew up with labs, etc. but my friend breeds chihuahuas and her last litter had this adorable one that was long haired...so, she talked me into it. And I have to say Snickers surprised me. She is a very good, well behaved dog...lives to be up cuddling on your lap, and is a human garbage disposal, as she will eat anything that hits the floor. She is not a big barker either, though sometimes she 'tried to be a dog' and bark when the doorbell rings. But, she has put up with my little kids dressing her up and playing baby, and all sorts of things. Very good dog. Oh, and given the fact she is actually smaller then my cat, they get along just great. :)
As far as other smaller breeds, I am not sure. I have had a Beagle and a Sheltie in the past (favs of an ex husband) but they are both very hyper in my opinion.
I like a mutt with a lab mix..........but i love all dogs, well, um, except german shepherds.Really, don't like poodle mixes? Neither did I, but, oh my, I have the most AWESOME Goldendoodle! My middle child is highly allergic to dogs, we used to have 2 Norwegian Elkhounds. We waited about 5 years, and tried introducing her to this breed with absolutely no problems. He's a bigger fella, around 70 lbs. at 10 months now, but they have smaller ones, and he looks like he should be on tv. His coat is long and wavy, not tight and curly (I'm not a fan of that, either). Shedding, what shedding? The goldendoodle goes thru a period around 8 months when they start to lose their puppy coats, so you have to brush them constantly for a couple of weeks, then it's over. But no shedding. When you brush them, hair does come out, like ours does, but that's really it! I can wear black fuzzy clothes and have him sit next to me with no reprecussions.
Also, one of the most kid-friendly, loving animals I know, who is so well behaved with a minimal of training. When guests come over that don't particularly like animals, I just say Benny nite- nite and he goes and sits off to the side.
Can you tell I am in love with my 'dood? There are all types of breeders out there. And, unlike others, we didn't pay an arm and a leg for him. PM me if you want, I can send pics, too!
We got a Toy Poodle this fall. All the boys in our family (3 of them, 4 if you include Mr. Lovie) were totally against Poodles. They said "We're not getting a sissy dog like that!" "Their UGLY, we don't want that, No way!" But like always; my daughter and I wore them down and after several months of researching our options (and begging) we talked them into a Poodle. We're TOTALLY in love with her. We're a blended family of 6 and Miss Lilly is our first dog as a new family. She's like the baby. It's unreal how much everyone enjoys her.
There's a website I use to go to when I was researching breeds. I'll have to poke around and see if I can pull it up. All you do is type in your criteria: Small Breed, Large breed, medium breed, Activity Level, Shedding, None Shedding.....you get the idea. Then it would pull up a whole list of dogs that would be right for your situation. Poodles popped up constantly (So did the doodles;) since I put non-shedding.
I'm excited for you!! Good Luck with your search.
We have 2 dogs now...one sheltie and one poodle. Of the two, the poodle is by far the smarter one...too smart actually
We've also had german shepherds and labs. If I was to ever get a larger dog again, it would be one of those...very gentle dogs and very smart.
I've told my husband that after these 2 are gone, I don't want another dog.....BUT if I do I've been thinking I'd love to have a miniature dachshund.
If you're looking for a non shedding smaller dog...but not into poodles...what about a miniature schnauzer?
After my miscarriages, I wanted a companion dog, a lap dog. I choose a pure breed shih tzu and about 6 months later, there was a shih tzu poodle mix that needed a good home so of course, I took him home to. The two are best buds and the greatest dogs! I take them to work with me everyday. They are not yapping and very friendly and love children!
Here they are in there winter coats. By the way, the both have hair and not fur so no allergies and no shedding. Most people do keep them cut short because it is a lot of work to maintain the long coats that mine have. Harley is the pure breed, the brown one with the underbite (an undesirable breed trait but I think it gives him character!) And Oliver, the black one, is the sh*t poo!
Lovie, please find that web site, I'd be interested in it. We're not looking for a dog as we still have Cleo, the beagle, but she's 13 and DH keeps talking about our next dog. He wants a Jack Russell and wants to call it Mr. Darcy, poor DH is the only guy in the house.
Hessalina, short hair and no shedding are not synonymous, we got a beagle partly because I thought we wouldn't have to brush a short hair breed and I don't have to brush her very much, because the hair just falls out ALL THE TIME. I read every book I could find when I was looking for the right breed for 2 girls, age 5 and 8 and it looked like the beagle was everything I wanted. But the books didn't say anything about them running off the second you opened the door, the constant shedding, the puking when they drank too much water. Don't get me wrong, Cleo is a wonderful dog, gentle and smart and the right size for someone who is worried about being knocked over, but having a dog is like having another kid, and don't believe them when they promise to take care of it, it will be your responsibility, so get a dog that works best for you.
Hey, how do I get pictures in here: I can't seem to copy and then paste. Is there a trick to this?
I use photo bucket and click on the vary bottom url under the picture and paste it here.
Poodles do have to be groomed ALOT! That was the only draw back ever listed (That I actually considered a draw back) and I though "How bad could it be?" If you don't learn to groom them yourself you have to take them somewhere every 4 weeks or so.....6 at the most. A lot of poodle owners groom their own. I'm not there yet.
D~I'll look for that site as soon as I get a chance.
Hpw about an English Bull Dog? They're hilarious to look at, totally not hyper. They are loyal, fun, a little stubborn but definintly trainable. And don't believe what you see on TV. They aren't the meanies they're always made out to be. The ones I've known, (mom used to breed them) have been sweeties!Those little French Bulldogs are adoreable! My sister wants one of those.
Aren't the English Bulldogs really heavy and strong? You might want to take that into consideration when thinking about a dog.
That's one reason I went with the Toy Poodle instead of the miniture. A difference of about 10lbs. My back can't take a heavy dog. The bending up and down and up and down with these lap dogs is rough enough....I can't imagine if she was heavy too!
Lovie2008-02-29 13:58:35Thanks everyone for all your comments and great pics. Deborah, the chihuahua is on the short list. Deidre, thanks for your comments beagles. I have definitely scratched that breed off the list. You also mentined Jack Russell terriers. This breed is one I like a lot except I keep reading about how super active they are. Does anyone have any experience with them?
I LOVE the name Mr. Darcy!! Has anyone been watching Pride and Prejudice on Masterpiece Theater? It's the good one with Colin Firth!
Ive never owned a Jack Russel, but I have friends with one. he jumped out the upstairs bedroom window. And kept on running!! They can be barkers too.
Oh MY Gosh!!!!!! Yes, I have been watching it with Colin Firth...just ended last Sunday, and I am so totally bummed it's over. He was great, but the girl who played Elizabeth was just, well, perfect. She didn't need to speak, her expressions said it all. I even TiVo'd the series. And then for the remaining weeks, they are showing other Jane Austen adaptations.
Funny thing, my daughter is named Darcy, and she can't figure out why this guy has her "girl" name. Of course she thinks I made the name up,--can never seem to find personalized anything with the name Darcy!
Mr Darcy emerging from the lake in his britches... ahhhhhhhhhhhhh
Heres a picture of my puppy! He plays hid and seek, he sleeps stretched out, he walks on a lead, he plays chase, he growls at Boxers and red setters and he digs his own toilet!
My dog is very tiny. A six months she weighs about 6lbs. She doesn't have to go out that much....and never goes during the night. She was easily house broken (Thanks to my husband!). I think that's the poodle in her though. THeir really smart.
I'll look for that website today. Promise.
My mother has a silky terrier...they are very lovable..they have hair not fur. They get along with other animals, she also has a yorkie but thet are extremely high maintenece, althoug completly adorable!
here is some info:
Here's a site where you can search dog breed criteria.
This isn't one I remembered using but it's simular.
Do a google search. Just type in "Dog Breed Criteria Search" and several simular sites come up. It's fun to see what might suit your family.
There is also dog Rescues to check out . If you find a certain breed that you would like
there is usually a rescue group you can check out on line .
The people who run these rescue groups would know which dogs are great with kids , potty trained , just plain healthy.
There are a few that come from bad homes but most are just abandoned or found wondering with no ID.
I've met some great dogs through some of the rescues .
Thanks everyone for all your valuable input. I will be visiting the SPCA to check out their doggies. Will also look into the rescue dog programs.Probably the most easy going dog in the world is the lab.
You get get breed descriptions at site for the most famous dog rescue centre in the UK (Battersea Dogs Home), here's the address:
http://www.dogshome.org/rehome/choosing_a_pet/which_breed/
I wouldn't recommend a terrier of any kind (I have a yorkie) if there's a cat in the house. Terriers have real hunting instincts and will probably hunt a cat.
Anna
We have a west highland terrier ( westie), she is wonderful. Doesnt shed and is so affectionate and good with small children. She was easy to house train. We also have a golden retriever but the shedding is a nightmare, she has a great personality and is very laid back but then again she is 12 and has arthritis. My parents had a lab and she was also a good dog to have. I find yorkies yap a lot, my neighbour has one and it drives us crazy.Poodles can be yappy too....but we've gotten lucky with Lilly. I'm not sure how I did it but she only barks to warn us someone is coming or something is off.
Lisa' my parents thought they wanted a westie. I'm glad to hear yours is so sweet. I'd love to hear more about her. I read an article in dog fancy a couple months back that said they would run off quick to chase and would never be able to be off leash. Is that true for your dog? Is she high energy? I didn't realize they didn't shed....my parents will be thrilled to hear that.
Lovie2008-03-05 05:19:44Hi Lovie, maybe we have been lucky with phoebe but she is never on a leash when we walk only if we are crossing the road as she is a bit scared of cars. We take her to the dog park and she runs around but comes when we call her and doesnt really bother with the other dogs unless the come up to her, then she hides behind our legs. She isnt high energy, I dont think I could cope with it if she were, she is quite lazy at home, she just likes to be close to us , she lays on my feet most of the time. Friends of ours have only ever had westies and wouldnt have another breed. She is my daughters dog but has formed a special bond with my husband. Id love to get a black scottie for her to play with but dont think I could handle another dog just yet.I found a puppy that I just HAD to have she was adorable, then I found out she was a poodle! I didn't know. I was totally against getting a poodle but we got her anyway because I just fell in love with her. She has turned out to be the best dog I have ever had. I have had a yorkie and a maltese before. BOth good dogs. I would recomend a yorkie over a maltese just because the maltese has white hair that is had to take care of. The yorkie is VERY smart, easy to house break (but she is a girl, I heard males are harder to housebreak) The maltese was hard to housebreak and has A LOT of energy.
But my little poodle is the smartest and most lovable out of all of them. Like lovie said the only drawback is the hair, I take care of that myself though.
But anyway, I would definitely recomend a yorkie and you can get them at all different sizes. We have a larger yorkie. Good luck with your search!
_popupControl();Yay! Dogs are fun! Shelter dogs are great, but generally a no-no if you have kids. You don't know their life story, and even if they are the sweetest things in the world, there is no predicting their behaviour, unfortunately. If Beagles are out for you (I just saw the cutest Beagle called Pencil in the movie Year of the Dog... so cute!), will you consider a cocker spaniel? I have the most beautiful golden cocker spaniel and he is a devoted mate. He has been my buddy for the last 8 years, with lots of cuddles and snuggles, and he doesn't get too bothered if I'm too tired to take him for a walk, as long as I spend time with him. There is practically no shedding, but they do need grooming and brushing (I generally just make the groomer shave him completely every 6 months). He is great with kids, too. The problem with cockers (yes, there is one), is that the solid colour cockers suffer from a genetic condition which affects a few called 'cocker rage'. If you can train the dog early, and have an outside area, there shouldn't be a problem. Generally they just like to horde bones and toys and like to eat tissues, and can sometimes have grooming issues (they don't like clippers near their ears or feet), so if you can give them some space of their own, and can find a nice groomer, you should be fine, or just get a mix colour.
Here is my Loki:
he's a cutie!Look for a shih tzu poodle mix, you get the smarts of the poodle, less genetic problems and the hair requires a lot less grooming!!! I made a post yesterday with a bunch of pictures, Oliver is the black one and the shih tzu poodle mix, very smart and very loving. Not yappy. Goes out in the am, once in the afternoon and before bed. He has hair so is hypoallergenic and does not shed. You can have the groomer shave the hair shorter if you don't want to bother with the longer coat but his coat is much easier to comb and take care of than my pure breed shih tzu! We also have a kitty and no problems there!
OMG Stephen; You have a Poodle! That's awesome. All this talk of dogs and you never mentioned this before?
My husband was the same way. He and all three of our boys were totally against a sissy poodle. I'm thrilled to report their all totally devoted to Miss Lilly.
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