just day dreaming, what would be a good breed of dog for us?

[thesockmonsterofdoom]

Just day dreaming as dh doesn't wwant a dog. Have a 3 and 6yo, 2 cats and a garden full of chickens, garden isn't particulary large but we areb very near park. I like small dogs, dd1 has allergies. Don't think dh would ever agree to one (been working on him for years) but I just like looking at pics and breed stuff. I'm thinking westie, yorkie or labradoodle, what do you think?

poodle?

Never say never. DH was totally anti dog and now loves our dog.

Careful with labradoodle. They are not always ok for allergy sufferers. Depends on whether they take after the lab or the poodle.

Problem with asking this question is that all dog owners come on and recommend the breed of dog that they own.

So true to form, I am going to say MALTESE x CAVALIER KING CHARLES

My dog is just over a year old, does not shed hair so suitable for allergy sufferers, sweet, loyal, good natured and great with DC. She does not need a lot of walking, an hour or so a day is plenty.

MmeLindt, well said. There's certainly no guarantee a Labradoodle won't shed, which is one reason why some end up in rescue, the owner of the Labradoodle Trust tells me. If you ever do want to take the idea further though the Labradoodle Trust is a super rescue and will give excellent advice.

If I were you I'd opt for a Poodle as they don't shed, there are a variety of sizes to the breed and they are generally an intelligent one (but very expensive to buy and presumably thus to insure).

an aquaintance who is doing a medically-related degree and is dog-allergic tells me though that it isn't the hair which causes the allergies, its (if I recall rightly) the skin or somesuch, so you might need to research the cause further.

Fllowing ML's comment I have to recommend GSDs but I'm biased. However, I don't hink this would be right for you, from what you've said, though you're the best judge, not me.

ML, I've never met a Maltese X CKC - what a lovely mixture, I'm very jealous.

Brishons are lovely. I'm not a little dog person but I rate them for personality and temperament.

So is this where we book in for Valhalla to recommend our dream dog? I'd love to have a pooch, but I work 4 days a week, so it's a non-starter. However, we have 3 DDs, 1, 3 and 5 yo, a small garden but plenty of greenspace in the village.No allergies. I had a Shetland sheepdog as a child, and he was fab!

DH has never had a dog, thinks it would be a great idea for the children but I know who'd end up walking it.......

I third the caution about labradoodles and allergies. The other thing about them is that they can get much bigger than people realize (though you can get minature ones a fair few of those turn out not to be so minature) and they generally are very bouncy and sociable so can be a bit of a handful and take a long time to calm down plus come with the issue of restricted exercise with a very bouncy dog. Mine sets my friend who suffers from allergies off within a few minutes of seeing her.

Valhalla
our dogs mum has just had another litter and now we have a liitle colony of MC/CKC dogs in our village. There are 5 of them I think. All of them are very good natured, lovely dogs. Not sure if this is typical for this cross or if we just got lucky.

Daphne meets her sister

Border Terriers - I don't have one (mine is a border collie) but I know several and all the owners also have children. They are happy little dogs which don't require massive amounts of walking but also can go all day if they need to. I would also advise against a puppy, or at the very least look into getting an older dog, as puppies are bloody hard work. I loved mine when she was tiny but it's SO much easier now she's grown up and gone through all the phases (chewing, house training, chasing etc etc.)

MmeLindt oh wow, how sweet are they! If I can't have one can I at least come and live in your village in the hope that I'll meet the tribe!

We've just got a pup, and dh, who is at home doing most of the looking after says it's like having a baby/toddler again. I'd not get a pup with young children either, because they do nip and pee and chew, and it is very hard work, and we have an 9 and a 10 year old and teaching them not to run or play wild games near the pup is hard, but doable, I don't think they would have understood a year or two ago and the chance of trouble would be high I think. An older rescue with a history is probably a better bet, especially because unless you get a pure bred you can never tell what your cute pup will grow up like.

Our pup is very lovely though - I just hope that he and dh come to a better understanding. Last week I came home and dh said he wanted to send him back (this was day four I think). 10 mins later the pup bit dh on the nose