Looking to get a smallish dog, any recommendations?

[jammybean]

As the title says...

We have an animal mad 18 month old and we'll be moving out of London in a month, so space isn't an issue. Ideally a breed that's good with kids. One that doesn't shed its fur every second month. And definitely not a "girls dog" says DP.

We have 2 labs in the family and DP has grown up with gun dogs, so were not complete novices.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated!

Border terrier, lassa aphso, cavalier king charles, mid sized poodle, westie, all good family dogs

cocker spaniel every time! terriers are yappy. Cockers are very playful and love people (and playing football).

There are lots and lots of things to consider.

Firstly if you really want a non-shedding dog you have to consider the girls dogs as they are the only truly non shedders. Most breeds can be good with children, but what other characteristics do you want the dog to have? You say smallish is that less than 10Kg so terriers and toy breeds or up to 20Kg taking in a much wider variety.
I personally feel that a dog and a child under 5 is a massive commitment and requires a huge amount of effort on your part to be fair to both. This is why even as a vet when I lost my beloved dog when DD was 9 months old I waited until she was 6 to get another one. I'm not saying it is impossible, but it is very hard work to have a dog and a child neither of whom you can reason with.
I think in your position I would give my new life after the month minimum 6 months, but better a year to experience all seasons to realistically know how much you are going to be able to do with your DC and a dog. You may find yourself in a busy whirl of playgroups etc and less time for a dog than you thought. I practice in the home counties so often see people move from London and get a dog and then discover that they have less time for it than they thought.

Rescue a small staffie?

DP will probably want a retriever (all men seem too!) but they are very big and strong for children - think arms wrenched out of sockets when 6mth old dog suddenly wants to chase that bird. Small dogs are manly too! Go for a poodle, they are not all sissy-looking like the show ones you may have seen on Crufts recently. They are intelligent, like a good run and a good small/medium size (obs not standard ones!). They don't shed, just need clipping every 3 months or so (I think). I would second a cavalier king charles, their tails never seem to stop wagging. I wouldn't necessarily go for a terrier like Twitter said can be yappy and recall might be more difficult when they get a scent.

Rescues: Pro Dogs Direct (South East England) and South East Dog Rescue wouldn't be too far away. Others are Heathlands in Hertfordshire, Four Paws, Hope Rescue, Wagtails Rescue (Essex), Oldies Club, Many Tears, Black Retriever Rescue.

Many rescues will have puppies, unwanted litters or young dogs put in rescue for many different reasons. You can google Dogpages and get a list of rescues in your particular part of the country. I found all these through Google, most of them have Facebook pages as well.

If you are willing to rescue a dog from abroad there are so many rescues operating in Spain like SOS Animals UK, RSDR in Bulgaria, Action Aid for Animals in Romania, Sirius Dog Sanctuary and Desperate Greekies as well as rescues in Cyprus - they are all helping to home dogs in UK and other European countries.

You will often find that dogs on Dogsblog have often been rehomed - they don't seem to keep it very up-to-date. Good luck

Lonecat I can assure you we won't be getting one as soon as we move. Not at least DD is 2 is the plan and until then we will continue dog sitting when the opportunity arises.

Good point about rescue dogs. I'd wrongly assumed that rescue dogs have a host of behavioural problems. And that we wouldn't be considered suitable because of DD.

Not keen on yappy dogs. Or staffies maybe its the reputation they'd seem to have.

I hadn't thought of a poodle...

My main concern with our labs is that they do get very boisterous and have knocked Dd over, hence why I'm keen on a smaller dog not a toy breed. Having said that thy are the most loving, patient animals esp. with dd and her two cousins.

What about a labradoodle (sp)?

A lot of labradoodles shed like a bugger and they're just as bouncy as labs.

Because a doodle is essentially a cross breed, you have no way of knowing which traits he will inherit. So, you may get a dog that, for example hardly sheds, like a Poodle, but you might equally get one that sheds like a bugger, like a Lab.

You also have no way of knowing what size they will get to, our friends Doodle is huge already, but they in turn have friends with a really dinky one!

We have a Springer btw, who is going to be pretty dinky actually, looking at his parents and going by the vets comments today. He's only 11kg at 5 months so likely to really only get to about 18kg approx, maybe 20kg at the most, small for the breed.

Lovely friendly soul but likely their exercise needs a lot for a young family.

I really don't understand why people prefer Labradoodles above poodles! You may an exorbitant price because it's a "designer" breed, as others have said, There is no guarantee of size, shedding etc. You can't be sure they won't inherit the "bad" traits of each parent rather than the good.

Go for a poodle! Look - irresistible! tinyurl.com/c944g3n

lady I'm just not keen on the over groomed crufts look.
And I assume you have to take them to get groomed every month, I don't get a hair cut every month, I couldn't imagine that sort of maintenance.

jammy they don't HAVE to look like those show dogs, that's the point I was trying to make!
You can just have the hair clipped short all over, just like any other dog, does need to be done every 8 weeks...which, to be honest, seems a small price to pay if it means you're not hoovering the house night and day

Just seems a shame to pay so much money for a fancy crossbreed, which is what a labradoodle is, when you can't guarantee what aspects of both breeds you will get in the dog you choose.

Poodle def. on the list.

I've got a cairn terrier and a black labrador. The cairn is very well behaved. She can be walked easily she has great recall and not yappy in the slightest. Shes fab with the younger dc and dd1 often walks her on the lead when we're out (dd is 6)

Whereas the labrador needs walks of at least 90 minutes twice a day or hes so boisterous that he drives me potty in the house. He's not so good off his lead or with other dogs.

I'd definitely recommend a terrier for a first dog. Mine was a rescue dog albeit a puppy she was 16 weeks old when we brought her home.

Whippet. Every time. www.scrupleswhippetrescue.co.uk is the way forward and will find you a very worthy companion!

Sorry... link error! www.scrupleswhippetrescue.co.uk

Take a look at cockapoos (half poodle, half spaniel) Gorgeous dogs
There's a Facebook forum (Cockapoo Owners Club) which is useful.

"Go for a poodle, they are not all sissy-looking like the show ones you may have seen on Crufts recently. They are intelligent, like a good run and a good small/medium size (obs not standard ones!). They don't shed, just need clipping every 3 months or so (I think)."
Couldn't agree more but they need clipping every 6 weeks these are happy delightful funny and want to do the right thing so easy to train mine doesn't even pull and Im no great dog trainer they don't have a strong bite so don't seem to chew obsessively (unlike his best friends a cocker spaniel) they literally shed the occasional hair. Apparently one of the longest living bread of dogs and therefore relatively free of health problems. But don't buy one from those on line dog selling websites there is Miniature Poodle Club of GB Jackie Kitchener is the secretary she will know of any litters. Do expect to be extensively grilled as poodle breeders are very concerned that people are only buying them to breed doodles or what ever they're called to then sell at an outrageous price.

jammy PS I don't pay for a haircut every 8 weeks either (probably should, mind you!)

Aren't terriers yappy? I like terriers but no real experience of them.

I like the look of cockapoos.

Whippets= lots if exercise?

I have a young Border Terrier. He is definately a big dog in a little package. He isn't non shedding but not problematic.

He is energetic, playful and full of adventure. I think they are a great family dog.

My Patterdale terrier isn't remotely yappy . He also has a very good recall if you're sensible about where he is off lead . Lots of young families around here have miniature schnauzers ,so I'm assuming they're usually good with children ,and they don't look girly and can be nicely clipped

My terrier isn't yappy. He does bark if we are having a really boisterous game but thats about it. It's not a little dog yap though either...more of a loud 'rep rep'. Ear splitting enough to think a yap might be a good thing He's not constant barky though.

Cocker spaniel! i love them, not a girls dog either. Id avoid 'designer dogs' they can get more problems than pedigrees!