I'll tell you about my household, you tell me about your dog

[thesockmonsterofdoom]

I want a dog, I am a long way off convincing dh but no idea what sort of dog would suit best.
I have 2 dd's 6 and 3, 2 cats and chickens in the garden, obviously the chickens and the dog would not be out together.
I have a medium sized garden, can walk twice a day, probably half an hour a time.
Dh works full time, I work evenings, cross over of about 3 hours where there is no one in the house, 3 dqays a week.
I like small dogs, like westies, yorkies, jack russells and poodles.
So tell me about dog, good points, things which would be a problem for me and why it would a good daog for my family.
TIA

'the horse smells of spunk again' has had me weeeeeeeping with laughter

Thankfully she no longer remembers this or the word spunk.

pmsl

Awesome

To answer the question about exercise and poodles. They are very adaptable and although ours will walk miles daily, equally if I don't get time to take him for long walks for a few days, he is absolutely fine with a short walk. We have got a large garden though, and so he gets lots of exercise in that, chasing balls for as long as anyone will throw them for!

But having seen friends dogs, who get very morose or naughty without a set amount of exercise each day, I think he is quite different to that, and like i said, adaptable to whatever is happening that particular day.

Wastwinsetandpearls, pml too, that is so funny

FWIW, I agree with Bella. Terriers are a bad idea with chickens, and probably cats. Of course, you'll always find a person who says 'I have had a terrier for years with my chickens and all is well', but terriers are (or were originally) bred to have an inane interest in small furry and feathered things, and all might be well until one day their prey drive kicks in...

If you liked bigger dogs, I'd say something like a Golden Retriever. (I am biased, btw!) As you prefer smaller dogs, how about a Cocker spaniel (show bred rather than working) They are extremely adaptable, and whilst they'd ideally prefer more than two half hour walks a day, if a lot of that is off lead and the kids can play ball in the garden each day too, then they'd be more than happy with that. Both breeds are great with children, easily trained and ideal first dogs.

Any dog that is a 'gundog' of some sort will be fairly easy to teach to leave chickens and cats alone, and I know of several people with cockers and Goldens that have chickens in the garden, although the two are never left alone unsupervised, which is just common sense.

we have 2 pugs

small, not yappy, completely chilled, my mum has a 7 year old male, ive never even heard him growl.

They enjoy a walk, but can live with just one a day

Really sweet dogs who are so funny and just want to curl up with you, i love them.

I would say call up your rescue and see what cat-friendly dogs they have and go from there, that will narrow it down a bit