Which breed of puppy for pensioner?

[nodice]

Please no judgments as I have made them all! Need help choosing a breed of puppy for my mum please. She is indecisive and liable to be a victim for any puppy seller with a sob story unless I direct her to the right breed. If left to her own devices, she will choose with her heart, not her head. Rescue dogs are out so that is not up for debate.

She is an experienced dog owner. She is up for two 30-min walks a day. She doesn't want a dog that needs frequent trips to the dog groomer. It will need to be a small or medium sized dog. A tendency to be good with small children is essential.

She is considering: miniature dachshund, miniature schnauzer, beagle, bedlington terrier.

Any other suggestions, please?

I don't envy you nodice it sounds like she's made her mind up despite the very real probability that you'll end up with the dog.

Re: ex racing greyhound, not personal experience but someone in DH's office used to bring a one in everyday. Minuses he's mentioned before was toilet training (the dog at work previously only lived in stables/outhouses so there was lots of accidents) and it was a massive silent shadow as well as taking up lots of room lazing about so often tripped people over. Other than the couple of mad burst runs it needed it was a real chilled out lazy dog. plus its farts were the stuff of evil apparently

I'd agree with whippet or greyhound.

Yorkie? Yes long hair but if you enjoy brushing it don't often need groomers.

I also agree not a puppy. They're very hard work and very annoying. I know not rescue but try breed specific rehoming. Many take in dogs who's owners have died or cannot look after them, as much as proper "rescues" from bad or unknown environments.

Thank you all for your input - much appreciated. Yes, a puppy is hard work (I have a teenage one!) but he has been such a dream that I think it has led her into

Whoops! Pressed the wrong button!

....led her into a false sense of security. Thanks again.

I do feel for the position you're in here because it sounds like you know all the reasons you shouldn't do this, and are trying to work to ensure a dog doesn't end up neglected.

If you refused to help would she reconsider a puppy? If you said a rescue greyhound with your support or a puppy without would it change her mind?

If it wouldn't than a pug seems a relatively good breed from her requirements.

A whippet could be a good fit as long as they're happy managing a potentially very high prey drive and they could give one the opportunity to run off lead and really stretch their legs on a regularly (preferably daily) basis. I'd also suggest being careful with breeders as some poorly bred ones can be overly skittish which you don't really want round children.

I've got three so I'm a bit biased but they are fabulous little dogs. I don't have any children but mine are brilliant with my niece (just turned 10 years old) and other children we've met. Very little needed in the way of grooming and the sweetest, cuddliest things ever.

My mil has a mini schnauzer, bought when mil was 75.

She has been nothing but a joy and a fantastic companion (mil is widowed). No hair shedding, great guard dog, not prone to running off or naughtiness and not so big that she was hard to handle on a lead before she was fully trained.

If she will consider a rescue greyhound, I would recommend getting a crate for housetraining- I got a mahoosive crate for my boy when he first arrived. He was happy to go in it and we were able to establish that the garden and walks were the places to go to the toilet. After a couple of weeks I was able to get rid of the crate. One of the major benefits of a quiet greyhound is that they have been trained to walk so beautifully on the lead so don't pull which is useful for someone who is less steady on their feet.

I join the call for a Whipped - they are great with kids quiet around the house (ours where anyway), don't need to much exercise or grooming. Unlike Schnauzer or westie.

A retired couple I know had a gorgeous whippet ( pup born in rescue) and I always thought he was perfect for them. They were active, lifetime dog owners but wanted a dog who wouldn't get too heavy for them to lift and was happy lounging around the house with their cats.

Miniature schnauzers need regular grooming.

A rescue greyhound would be brilliant- they're lovely dogs, but they are incredibly, incredibly lazy so if they are after an active dog they might be in for a slight shock! . My friends got one recently and he's the loveliest dog, but it's rare to see him do more than open one eye and wag his tail, which was not what they were expecting from a 4 year old ex-racer!

agree re mini schnauzer - or my fav - a mini wire-haired dachshund.... Such characters! Got ours cos little legs only need 30 mins a day - and can skip the odd day if not feeling up to it.... while equally happy with a four hour walk when we go to Devon... no trips to groomers... we just brush with wire thing to get rid of "dead" hair as doesn't shed.... My DMum at 80 adores him and goes and sits in the park with him for a couple of hours once or twice a week... Deeply tolerant and impossibly good natured. Wags his tail at the smallest thing and always looks happy.

Jack Russell. Tough, healthy, not expensive to buy or insure.

I have a whippet puppy ( 6 months old )and he is brilliant with my kids and quiet in the house. However he is very very excitable out on walks and stronger than he looks, he is lovely but I certainly wouldn't be recommending him as a good dog for a pensioner. Oh and it can't just be him as there is a whippet at my puppy training class who is even worse!

Have they thought of a cairn terrier? My parents have one and he is very good, easy to train and good with kids, doesn't need too much exercise.

My Mum is coming up for 81 and she has a 3 year old Shih Tzu she's had from a pup. He came after she'd lost her previous Shih Tzu after 14 years.

He doesn't need much exercise but she walks him for miles every day. He keeps her fit, and being on her own now he keeps her company.
He's groomed every 6 weeks and the groomer collects.

Re the Scottie suggestion...I have had two, both were little bundles of high energy and very very stubborn little dogs. That said, they are fiercely protective of 'their human'.

How about a rescue greyhound? They are usually pretty calm,don't require masses of exercise (despite what a lot of people think) and require minimal grooming. And,according to someone I know who has one,are good with kids and tougher than they look!

Pug!

My parents (in their 70's) love looking after mine when we go on hols. Pugs are so laid back and just want a whole heap of love and a nice lap to lay their head.

Portuguese Podengo pequano would tick all your boxes. Looks like a terrier but a bit more chilled out than most terriers. Do NOT get a dog from the Plushcourt breeder though.

I also have a cavachon who I think are the ultimate chilled out dogs. But generally need grooming. Saying that I bought my own clippers and clip mine short. I hardly bother brushing her.
Saying that cavalier spaniels are known for all sorts of health problems and unless you get a health tested puppy I would avoid either any cavalier spaniel or a cross.

I don't think Pugs are the healthiest of breeds either. And personally I couldn't cope with the snoring. They're also meant to be terrible for hair shedding.

If she could get over the grooming bit (could she just have a mobile groomer who comes to the house and does them in a van outside the house?) then a toy or miniature poodle might be good or as long as it is health tested then a cavalier.
My Grandma got 2 puppies age 83! She had her son lined up to take them and she also donated regularly to the Cinnamon trust as a back up and paid in regularly to a bank account for them. By the time she did go they were quite old and had several 10's of thousands in their bank account! The dogs kept her company and kept her going out etc they meant the world to her and her to them. As long as it is planned well I think dogs give so much to elderly people.

My parents work for a charity that rehomes pets left behind once their owners have passed or gone into hospital/palliative care. It is truly heartbreaking to see, not sure why you would want to do that to a dog or have you mum endure the stress of training/caring for a puppy.

A pug. They only need one to two 20/39 mintue walks a day. They don't need to go to groomers, just need flaps washed, brush and nails cut. Fantastic with people including small children. Very much a companion dog!

Definitely, definitely not a beagle.

French bulldog? We have one, low maintenance, although eats fucking everything! Great if you don't like hoovering! "cleaner dog!" Very very friendly fab with children, not massive on excursive

Excusive*