Small family dog that can be left in secure garden for an hour or two?

[kissmyheathenass]

Can dogs (if so which type) be left in a secure garden - with shelter - while I go out for a hour or two (ie shopping)?

I work from home so am usually in the house but when I do have to go out somewhere that's not dog-friendly, I will need to be able to leave the dog in the garden so it doesn't trigger our alarms. We have a large garden which will be secure. We also have plenty of shelter and I could get a kennel. Would any dog (Im thinking of a smallish terrier-type) be ok with this arrangement?

I love border terriers - I love the typical black and tan markings. They are quite lively though and I am not sure I can give them enough exercise.

This is my list - if anyone else ahs any suggestions then thank you

Smallish
Non yappy/snappy
Calm and biddable (ds very nervous but getting better)
Low-shedding (ds has allergies to cats but is ok with dogs, still prefer a non-shedding type tho)
Suitable in a family with youngish children (my youngest is 6)
Able to go on long walks at weekends - 3 - 4 miles is typical
Also able to snooze/relax when I am working (at home but still working and cant keep looking on mumsnet giving the dog much attention from 9-2ish
One decent walk a day (school run 2 miles through a big park)
One bedtime walk round block

I have shortlisted small terrier types such as border, cairn, westie. Dh likes these (because they are small).
My worry is terriers can be a bit snappy/yappy.

I'm still keeping an eye out for a rescue whippet type and I have seen a beautiful dog locally here at Dorset Dog Rescue. I might ring them

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A lurcher is a sighthound cross with a 'working' dog... So a whippet / terrier is a lurcher - although often known as a whirrier.

Fanof - that is precisely why we got a lurcher not a greyhound - she sleeps when there's nothing interesting happening but is happy to play and walk and run and generally take part in active family life when there is a chance to - but doesn't bother my DH who works at home to play or let her out or in or feed her etc.

Scruples are a good whippie rescue - but I wouldn't worry about specifying a dog to them, I would outline your 'requirements' (eg young children, only one dog etc) and see if they have any they could suggest. GWRE are also sort of the right part of the country for you - again, let them know what you can offer and see what they might suggest.

I think that some south western rescues probably gets lots of dogs in from Ireland from what I've seen.

If you can throw a ball about on that 2 mile walk through the park to school and then do 25/30 minutes on a night then that would be okay for a border if you can get the kids to throw a ball about after school too. Mine does snooze for about 4 hours after a walk it is just that he is up and at them when he wakes up

. Don't get me wrong, he is not constantly manic, it is just that some people see a small dog and think small walks and an easy life. I meet a bunch of fellow walkers most mornings with a variety of dogs - a LOT of labs, labradoodles, schnauzer, GSD, Great Dane and a few Visla's. The others all have bursts of mentalness and there is only mine and a young Visla that is right there for every single mad race around. The others have a mad 5 minutes whilst mine has a mad hour!

He is Blue and Tan too...picks on profile if you want a nosey to try and tempt you onto team terrier . Though I have to admit biddable and terrier are rarely paired up! They are fun though and Borders are not snappy or yappy.

There are alot of paired up terriers and lurchers around me mistlethrush and I do like them, they usually have the same ragbag appeal as terriers!

We knew ds was allergic to some dogs and went meet a rescue hound having explained we needed to spend time and unfortunately it triggered his allergy. We knew we'd be keeping dog for life come what may so needed to be as low risk as we could. We looked at low allergy breeds and spent a good few hours sniffing Borders.

I do know a yappy border... she's an aunt-in-law's so we do see her quite a bit too. I do love borders though and would certainly have considered them - but we felt that the sleeping during the boring bits of the day rather than wanting to have the stimulation for longer would be really helpful to fit in our life.

I also know lots of people with a terrier or two with a lurcher (or 7) - funnily enough (or not if you know the two types) no one seems to have more terriers than lurchers, but people often only have one terrier and several lurchers....

Mine's a scruffy lurcher - scruffy on top and a bit round the edges but short underneath and on her legs, so easily cleanable with a towel! (Another advantage of having a slightly taller rather than low-to-the-ground version!!)

Funny you should say that...man down the street has 4 lurchers and 1 terrier

Rescue Mini Schnauzer - they were in your OP and one from rescue won't cost £800!

They are not all yappy, mine isn't, and if you are getting an adult you'll get a better idea of temperament, mine is certainly not calm and biddable!!! But we do know quite a few that are, I just got a lemon!

Mine is asleep on my bed as I waste time on MN get on with my jobs.

(Pic on profile)

The (non rescued) mini schnautzer that aunt-in-law has with the border terrier is a horrid, nasty thing, that I don't trust not to bite my dog-savy (and very careful and gentle with dogs) DS.

mistle You'll find good and bad in any breed but in defence of the Mini Schnauzer I do think they are, on the whole, quite good natured. (Mine is high maintenance but really tolerant of kids and very sweet tempered.)

PS. OT I love your NN it's just one of those words that it's a pleasure to say

Mothership - I am sure that there are some nice mini-S's - our previous next door neighbours had one who was lovely (although he did yap) - but then they got a second and she wasn't - whilst the first would bark when we were in the garden until he'd worked out it was us then he would yap in delight and want to see us, she would simply carry on barking - and she wouldn't come up to say hello like the first one either - very strange. There are some dodgy lurchers, dodgy other terriers (although I've never met a border with a bad temperament, even if they are bolters and escapers and generally stubborn) and even problem labs and retrievers. Even with something like a mini-S, a rescue might even be better because you could actually find out what the grown-up dog's nature was going to be - whether they were likely to want to play with the children, or stay in a much more quiet home.

I agree an adult rescue, especially one that's been in a foster home, could be the best way to go.

We've encountered a few Borders with dodgy temperaments including one that bit a fellow dog walker and several that have been aggressive with dogs, but some lovely ones too!

There are no guarantees in the dog world.

We have one of these

TBH he is not what we planned on getting at all, he belonged to a neighbour of my sisters who was in her 80's and could no longer cope with him. He is all the things you listed. He is gentle, clever, as good as gold, obedient, can keep up with a family bike ride or sleep by your feet all day.

Only draw backs are that although he doesn't shed hair, his wool grows really quickly so I bought clippers and trim him myself. We have to keep him trimmed really short or else he acts like a sponge and soaks up mud.

He is a great little guard dog too and has a really deep voice.