Please recommend me a dog breed

[Be1atrix]

Hi MNers.

I am really keen to get a dog, but never having had one before I am desperate to do it right. Please can you recommend breeds I could research that you think will suit me/my family? (Me, DW and DD age 9)

-We both work full time so dog will need doggy daycare at lunchtime.

-I work in a school and staff are allowed to bring in their dogs. I would like to do this once trained- so need a fairly chilled one.

-not too barky because of neighbours

-easy to house train because we stupidly have cream carpets

-No big dogs. I'm quite scared of them/the giant poo!

-Don't need too much walking; I have a disability so DW could do about an hour a day

Thanks for any/all advice. We've wanted a dog for a really long time but had to wait until we moved to a house with a garden. I do have an anxiety disorder so I overthink everything, and feel overwhelmed by my googling, so person recommendations are really appreciated.

Thank you!

Get a little rescue bodeguera from spain. Small to medium. Not barky. Easy to train. Affectionate. Not aggressive

My rescue shih tzu has the most beautiful tempernment, I'm thinking of putting her forward as a therapy dog because of this.
She hardly sheds but needs grooming regularly because otherwise they can get matted.

I would love a toy poodle if I was going for another dog.

OP I'd really recommend that you sign up to borrowmydoggy so that you can experience looking after a dog, before you take on the long term commitment of your own.

Labradors are wonderful - I know you said no big dogs, but they don't do giant poos, I promise, and they are the least scary dogs I know - they are more like big teddy bears. They are very food motivated, which does make them easier to train - although the black and yellow labs are much brighter than the brown ones - there is a reason that there are almost no brown lab guide dogs!

They have lovely temperaments, and, in my experience, don't bark a lot - we have two dogs - one is a brown lab, who only ever barks if dh is wrestling with her, and a rescue dog who we think is a lab-pointer cross, who is definitely a bit neurotic because of her history, who is a barky dog.

Have you considered a rescue dog OP? There are so many and you can talk to rescue centres about what your family can offer dog and what you'd like considered - you can know that they'll already like children / be socialised etc.

The rescue centre can not only advise on dog breeds best suited to you, they can also advise on the specific, individual dogs that could be a great fit too. And they'll provide ongoing support to you in the form of advice and suggestions because they'll want to ensure the dog is comfortable and happy in their new home.

Getting a puppy is absolutely all consuming - some of my friends have been honestly broken by it during the first three - six months, even more so than when they've had babies!

Could you at least visit a few rescue centres as priority and get a feel for whether it's for you? Not only are you going to be more secure in your new dog pal being a good fit for your family and vice versa, you'll also be giving them a second chance for a happy life!

Whippet, definitely. Ticks all the boxes but can be anxious when left, so would need sensitive handling with dog walker etc

I've had many dogs, and for the first time ever we've got a Shih Tzu. Not my personal favourite 😬 but he's honestly been brilliant at house training, and is good with my lad who has autism.
He doesn't moult, doesn't require long walks and he has a good even temperament.

@Cyberworrier
It’s not ableist, OP said DW would walk the dog not them. It’s called being practical; puppies need a lot of time and attention, not left all day and getting one walk a day; what if DW is ill/unable to walk dog? I think OP likes the idea of this fun puppy but isn’t being realistic, this is why rescues check and most breeders sell to anybody. Rescues do not want the dog given up again.

Sorry Bookworm, I misread that as that they would be able to walk the dog for an hour. OP, even if a grown dog is fine with an hours walk with a dog walker, Book is right that this is not practical or fair on a puppy. Puppies need frequent short walks, which obviously would be less practical for a dog walker than one big one. OP, is your partner going to do any walks/care for the dog? People have called you up on saying daycare at lunchtime, I hope you’ve read that and that you are researching puppy daycares or family who could be with the puppy. How soon are you anticipating bringing the pup to school with you? Puppies are like children and are constantly developing, in a way I imagine the earlier you can at least do the odd visit, the better from the dogs perspective at least, so it gets used to the environment. Not sure if that would be practical.

Certain breeds have characteristics. That doesn’t mean all of them are predictably the same, how they turn out depends on their care and experiences. Don’t assume all cockerpoos are mental or all terriers are yappy or all labradors are obedient etc.

From your Op your lifestyle doesn't sound conducive to owning a dog at present.
A cat instead?

@bookworm4 I don't know if you're deliberately being insulting or just poor choice of words.

Do you then also not rehome to single people in case they get ill?!

DW can do an hours walk a day. PLUS a dog walker. How is that not enough?!

I've already said we have plenty of dogs in my school and it works fantastically.

I never once said I wanted a puppy so your notion of a 'fun puppy' is just rude. I haven't ruled out anything yet.

I'm not phobic of anything, I'm just realistic. Actually I don't know why I'm justifying myself to you so I'll stop now.

Nothing I said was insulting just countering your points. Just because someone doesn’t agree with you doesn’t mean they’re insulting, you post here wanting opinions and you got them, I’m not the only one who doesn’t agree with you.

I have a chihuahua. She sleeps all night and until 11/12 if left un prodded 😂 so she’s happy left until lunchtime if I force her out for a half awake wee at 8:30
She then sits looking out the window for 3 hrs snoozing until dh gets home at 4
(3 days out of 7 as I’m part time)
Mum lives in our annexe and checks in on her but generally has to prod her awake
She’s adorable and 2

I'd suggest an adult rescue rather than a puppy as dogs are all very different even if the same breed. Visit some shelters and explain your lifestyle and the temperament you need and they will let you know of there are any that might be suitable.

Definitely not puppy under your circumstances. My pup is 5m and I can barely leave him to go upstairs never mind go out to work. I adore him though and he's made us much happier.

I'm with @Flamingo84, DON'T get a Dachshund.

Ours holds our hearts in his ornery little paw. But they're stubborn, and definitely 'one person dogs'. Ours thinks my DH hung the moon and thinks of me as 'that lady who'll do when my dad isn't here'.

Seriously, Dachsies are notoriously hard -impossible- to train, and can be prone to nipping. Not a good dog to have at a school with multiple children around.

Miniature Schnauzer!

I also suggest a rescue dog.
Talk to them about your needs and be patient until the right dog comes along.
I have 2 boxers and they are the most amazing family pets but require at least 2 decent walks a day.
Difficult when both my partner and I work full time. it takes dedication

In your shoes I'd go for a failed guide dog lab or a young adult show prospect from a breeder that turned out to have a fault. Both will be well socialised and spare you the hard parts of puppydom and could go straight into school with you. The setup you describe is fine especially with days at work with you.

I wouldn't go too small so would rule out toy breeds and anything notoriously batshit (jack Russel/dachshund/collie). Maybe look into whippets/border terrier/mini schnauzer/Staffie). Really nothing beats a staffie for easy to train and affable if from a good breeder and well socialised. They get a bad reputation but are the most wonderful dogs.

@EverTheConundrum

Every mini shauzer I've ever met has been very barky! My MILs drives me to distraction although that is partly a training issue! Barking seems to be a common schnauzer trait though as cute as they are

My dcs school have a school dog, she goes in 3 days a week , lovely little dog

We have a shih tzu , he’s a stubborn little thing but good with the dc and doesn’t need much exercise

@SlowMoFuckingToes how would you go about getting a failed guide dog?

Found the website :)