Pointy hound types, come hither...

[GeorgianMumto5]

...and tell me more about your dogs.

I'm awaiting a rescue dog, but it's a specific breed of dog (toy poodle) and I fear I may be waiting forever, so I thought maybe I should consider other breeds. I need a dog that is low allergen (hence poodle) and fairly small (hence toy breed). I need a dog that requires daily exercise, but doesn't need loads of exercise. My health would both benefit from and cope with that.

Would a whippet also fit the bill? Someone told me that greyhounds are low-allergen. I wondered if that is the case for whippets too. A greyhound would be too big, I think. I only have a small 2-sweater sofa and I gather they like sofas.

I have 2 DC, aged 7 and 10. The 7 yr old wants a dog who will 'run fast and catch a ball'. The 10 yr old wants one she can do something with, e.g. train, dog agility, etc. I would obviously be the main carer and I want a dog anyway. I want a youngish rescue, not a puppy.

Any advice? Would I be better sticking with poodles?

Ah thanks, I agree though

We have made loads of Border mates.I think they are similar to greys in the sense that you have to stop and chat to other Border owners.

We went to Northumberland in half term and couldn't get half a mile without being stopped! It is nice though

I also went to N'land at half term - and we did see some borders (also saw some lurchers). I like both - although my aunt-in-law's border terrier sheds more than our lurcher does (who is 3x the size)

They do shed , though I'm forever strupimg bits which helps.

Apologies then mistlethrush if you met any blue and tan over excitable borders attempting to throw themself at you, it was likely us He loved it but he is an addict, the more attention he gets the mpre he craves. If only he realised that restraint would grant freedom as the silly sod had to stay on lead on the beach as it sent him into frenzied unstoppable excitement!

That should say stripping!

I striped bits of our lurcher whilst on holiday - she went to sleep and started dreaming...

If a small boy enthusiastically asked you whether he could stroke your border terrier and was happy to be jumped all over, that was mine....

Ha ha...we met a few of those!

My border looks a little off beat on the presentation front as he is happy to let me strip his back and sides but gets proper antsy about elsewhere so he is lean and short on his body with a tufty hairy face, neck and legs. I have said I'll pay next year but everyone says how cute it looks and I like his hairy chops so we might see how it goes.

So OP, bear all this on mind if you do go hairy!

We saw a particularly hairy brand of border (some sort of special description?) whilst on Holy Island - he looked slightly bigger than usual too. Border terriers are one of the breeds where most of them seem to be nice and friendly - to DS at least, even if not mistlehound. She finds it a bit difficult to play with things that small and ends up jumping over the top of them rather a lot.

We did go to Holy Island...

Ours is tall for a Border, you.do seem to get some leggy ones but he is lean. I still need to get a little more weight on him but a Barf diet is finally helping plus I have to remind myself that when stripped they actually should look lithe as I think you do see I lot that are perhaps a little 'stockier' than the ideal!

Oh and if the terrier dog aggression is in mine it hasn't surfaced yet. To be honest he is the opposite as he is that problem over friendly mutt who gallops off to harrass dogs minding their own so his freedoms are heavily curtailed till he learns. And his favourites are enormous dogs who'll play. He seems quite happy to be a canine football and they seem to tolerate him better as his hideous rude bounciness isn't so in their face . I am trying to teach him but I do wonder if he'll ever stop.

Not sure if this is still selling him!

Ah, we should have met up whilst up there - mine would have give yours all the exercise he could have dreamed of plus a bit more...