What little dog for a big dog person?

[PeanutsOnTheFloor]

We have a biggish dog and she needs a friend. Practically, a small dog would mean we could take both on holiday. Really non lap-dog people, what non-terrier would you recommend? (Recently saw a terrier named dog that isn't a real terrier - can't remember what it was).

[Murloc]

What about an English Toy Terrier? They're on the vulnerable breeds list, and there's not many breeders about but they're fabulous. They're also very un-terrier like.

Great with children and cats, and they just don't know that they're little. They look like a miniature Doberman, don't take much grooming and are very easily portable. Can you tell I'm a fan?

[trevortrevorslatterfry]

YY Flora don't get a patterdale if you don't want a terrier - Patterdales are as terrier as terrier can be!

[PeanutsOnTheFloor]

Oh God - I'm going to end up with twenty small dogs at this rate!

Twunting crow - that's the dog I was trying to remember - I remember reading about Tibetan Terriers a while ago and asking DH if he liked them. The only thing is, they are described as 'sensitive' in the blurb I have read. We have an incredibly active and noisy house - we are all quite loud at home - would that be too much?

Also, Twunting - I love the scruffy look rather than the long flowing coat. Would it be awful to take scissors to it and make it choppy looking? I don't want to have eggs thrown at me in the street!

[TooOldForGlitter]

I wasn't fair, I know. I shot my gob off. I'm just so tired, so bloodytired of picking up the pieces. It honestly feels like nobody cares. Every day it seems we take in another pregnant bitch or another litter left in a bin bag by the road and nobody seems to be able to form the connection to, I want a puppy, hey let's buy one - to, I love and genuinely care about dogs, we'll wait and rescue the perfect one. Read the puppy threads. People on day 3 who are "tearing their hair out". Didn't you bother to research how hard a puppy is?? People screaming that their 10 week old pup won't ve dry in its crate. Again, did you just bowl up cash in hand and buy a living creature? Yeah, you did.

It's exhausting. It's relentless .I'mso worn down with it. My ndn is aware to an extent of my involvement in rescue. He's 5 dogs. 2 bitches, 3 dogs. None neutered. His youngest bitch, 6 yes SIX months is pregnant. He's no clue which dog has fathered these pups. He's not bothered. He's going to sell them and breed her again next year. I'm so so tired of all this that I cannot be arsed to be nice to people who work forty million hours a day but want to buy a puppy. IM PICKING UP AFTER YOU.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Another vote for a corgi here [smike]

[nooka]

I think that if you are really aiming for a companion dog then going down a rescue route is the best approach (well to be honest I think it's the best approach full stop) as rather than a tiny pup who may turn out in all sorts of ways you most likely adopt a dog knowing what sort of character they might have. Lost of smaller rescues have their dogs in foster homes so you will get a much better idea as to their characters too.

Choosing a breed doesn't mean you know what sort of character a dog might have. My mum and big sisters both have miniature schnauzers, and apart from their teddy bear aspect they are very different dogs. My sister's dog is fairly obedient but very very yappy. My mum's dog is a badly behaved escape artist! Both much loved.

Also surely soppy pretty much equals lap dog in a dog small enough to fit on a lap? Quite a few bigger dogs manage to fit on laps too of course (like my mother's previous collie, and collie like mut).

[Capewrath]

Honestly, when a staffie smiles at you, it's like that first smile from your firstborn. And there are masses in rescue. And they sit on laps.

Mind you, so do several lapradors I know.