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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

I have a small garden and want a dog. what size?

50 replies

Whoknowswhocares · 26/02/2013 18:04

As title really. We have a medium sized house and a very small garden. It's around 25 foot square, so more a yard really! It has a patch of grass for 'comfort breaks'
Looking to get a dog and want to know if I should restrict my search to very small breeds. I will be taking the dog out for a minimum of an hours long walk with off lead play etc, plus a morning and evening leg stretch on lead at about 15 minutes a time
In an ideal world I want a fairly active dog I can mess around doing a bit of agility stuff etc with and definitely don't want a lap dog. Any advice?

OP posts:

GROOVEYCHICK · 27/02/2013 12:15

Forgot to add have a medium garden x

Floralnomad · 27/02/2013 12:21

If you want a dog to play fetch definitely get a Patterdale terrier , mine will quite happily play ball all day with anybody and everybody . He's even happy playing fetch in a 20' lounge . We have a medium sized garden but he's restricted to the patio which is about 13' x 25' , he only goes in the garden to play in his sandpit and terrorise the rabbit . He would also be quite happy with the amount of exercise you've suggested .

Original poster

Whoknowswhocares · 27/02/2013 12:35

Hmm, I do fancy a terrier actually. The patterdales look great although also keen on a border terrier.
What about the chase instinct though. Lots of online advice says to keep it leashed when out......which makes it impossible to play properly. Also not much fun for the poor dog if it can't run about and let off steam surely?

OP posts:

Beamur · 27/02/2013 13:23

I have 2 sets of friends who have Patterdales (and love them very much) BUT both have commented (a) they are the naughtiest dogs in the world, not terribly obedient with poor recall and (b) you rarely see an elderly Patterdale because of the high octane way they live their lives!
My own dog is mixed breed, but I suspect at least 50% terrier - it has been hard work to recall train but not impossible, but if she gets the scent of something she has been known to run off...

mistlethrush · 27/02/2013 13:32

I've just got a lurcher. They come in lots of different varieties - including ones that love to play fetch. Mine plays chase the ball, throw the ball, gamble about with the ball, run in a big circle with the ball and they lie down with the ball and jump up and run away just as you draw close to try to get the ball to throw again (but things are improving, its still early days with her!). I have a friend with a flat and no garden with a lurcher. The right one would play as long as you would play, walk as long as you wanted to, do agility etc and then come in and go to sleep just in case you wanted to do it all again - but fine if you didn't . If you were going for one I would go for a rescue so that you could discuss your ideal scenario with the rescue and they could suggest the dogs that might best suit you.

MothershipG · 27/02/2013 13:46

Can I just add that small dogs do agility too! I do it with one of my Affenpinschers, pic in profile, and there are some JRTs in our club doing really well.

Floralnomad · 27/02/2013 14:44

My Patterdale goes off lead but only in certain areas , we have a large local Heath where he is ok off and parks are ok if there's not a pond and the beach is fine if you don't mind taking back a wet dog ! He goes off lead every day . I wouldn't let him off in a wood or if I see any wildlife or livestock . His recall is pretty good . Infact he has been fairly easy to train in general ,can be left for hours with no problems ( not that he is very often ) and is wonderful with people especially considering that he was from Battersea and hence probably didnt have the best start in life .

Original poster

Whoknowswhocares · 27/02/2013 14:57

Crikey this is difficult. Every new suggestion starts a google image search..........and I want ALL of them

How on earth am I going to narrow it down to one ????

OP posts:

mistlethrush · 27/02/2013 14:59

Rather than think of the dog, think of what you want from your dog - what characteristics etc - and you can go from there. For instance, most collies are on-the-go most of the time and have endless energy - great for ball throwing, but not necessarily great for relaxing at the end of the day. Some small breeds can be yappy. Some breeds shed a lot. etc etc.

Owllady · 27/02/2013 15:03

my first dog lived with me in a flat :) and she was a very active border collie. We walked a lot

fanoftheinvisibleman · 27/02/2013 15:35

Terrier are fabulous! I have a Border and he loves to play with ds. We only have a small garden too.

fanoftheinvisibleman · 27/02/2013 15:39

Recall is an issue with my Border, not losing him as such but stopping him legging it to say hello to everyone whether canine or human. He tends to be on lead in busy areas but is fine when it is just us. He doesn't run off though, he is just easily distracted.

needastrongone · 27/02/2013 17:04

Do an online questionnaire, Google something like 'what's the right dog for me'. Agree, consider what you want from the dog and what you can give, rather than the breed, iyswim?

saintmerryweather · 27/02/2013 21:08

papillons are small, intelligent, energetic dogs who learn very easily and are amazing at agility. love them!

Original poster

Whoknowswhocares · 27/02/2013 21:40

Does anyone have experience of a Tibetan Terrier?
They seem on paper to fit the bill and some are available very,very close by from an assured breeder So far I've sat on my hands and not called, but I'm tempted. So very, very tempted.............

OP posts:

saintmerryweather · 27/02/2013 21:53

i have 2 tibetan terriers. they are lovely fun dogs, natural clowns who want to make you laugh. they dont shed much (our bitch leaves little curls of hair on the floor) but if you leave their coats long they need a lot of grooming (but look gorgeous). our dog is very clever, he loves clicker training and likes to work thibgs out for himself. i have done agility with both of them although the bitch is retired now and im working on the younger dog, he is going to be really good, he is brave and fast and listens when he wants to.

bad points is that they can be very stubborn, u have to give them a reason to do something or they wont do it. quite a lot of them develop allergies. their biggest drawback is how very clingy they are. they are real velcro dogs and most suffer hugely with seperation anxiety

LadyTurmoil · 28/02/2013 00:46

I don't know if they are near where you live, but have a look at Heathlands Animal Sanctuary in Hertfordshire. Don't know if they have a good reputation as a rescue but they have some beautiful dogs looking for homes. You might need to persevere as it sounds from comments on FB, that you have to be patient and call a lot before getting an answer from them
www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.408525105863532.85944.162793817103330&type=1

MothershipG · 28/02/2013 08:15

Saint Do you have Papillons? I really want one to do agility with, I love watching them at competitions, fab little dogs!

saintmerryweather · 28/02/2013 08:41

i dont have a papillon and realistically i dont think they would be the right dog for me, but they are gorgeous little things. im off to crufts next week so ill definitely be going to.see them at discover dogs!

Original poster

Whoknowswhocares · 28/02/2013 08:49

I'd love to go to crufts but its a long way from here. If OH can get time off I might, but it would have to be an overnight stay somewhere which makes it probably too expensive. I want to spend it all on a puppy and a million toys

OP posts:

saintmerryweather · 28/02/2013 17:05

out of interest which tibetan terrier breeder are you eyeballing?

lougle · 28/02/2013 17:46

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Fabulous with children. Keen to sleep when there's not much going on. Incredibly loyal. Absolutely fab at running and agility. Short coat so easy to keep clean.

Original poster

Whoknowswhocares · 28/02/2013 18:16

saintmerryweather
Thanks to your advice I'm not anymore! OH's number one worry about getting a dog is it being too anxious to leave. His dog was this way as a kid and he feels he missed out on stuff. So a breed with this as a big issue would not really be sensible and unfair to him. It was not something I had found on the breed descriptions, so I'm really grateful that you flagged it. If you still want to know I can PM you

All breeds have their plus and minus points so I think I might just go back to the golden retriever! It really is my dream dog. I'll work around the disadvantages happily if i get the plus side they offer

OP posts:

paddythepooch · 28/02/2013 18:49

pal has a retriever - lovely dog, lovely nature, moults everywhere all the time, they have virtually no garden but he gets 1-2 hours a day. His character is totally different from the pooch. Retriever is dizzy, blonde bombshell who is constantly saying 'love me, love me, I love you', jumps into every puddle and up at every friend. Lurcher pooch is the calmest, most laid back dog who comes over for a lean when he can be bothered to get up from the sofa. Complete opposites. Temperament so much more important that garden space.

saintmerryweather · 28/02/2013 19:04

oh thats ok i was just being nosy. my mum shows hers so i know the kennel names of the big name showers. our male dog is desperate not to be left behind, so much so he leans on you while youre on the loo and watches you in the bath. he leaps up from a snoring sleep to follow you if you get up. he may be an extreme (my mum never left him on his own as a pup) but seperation anxiety is defi.ately a breed trait!

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