Schnauzer v Poodle v Havanese

[Veryfinethreadmyfriend]

Hi
Anyone got experience with any of the above? We are looking for 1st family dog, we have 3 kids and have a relatively active lifestyle although we love our relaxing lazy time too!
I have done loads of research and narrowed it down to the above breeds. My youngest son is not allergic to dog dander but has other allergies including dust and pollen. We're also looking for a lovable, affectionate breed thats not too large and won't be aggressive to other dogs (loads of dogs round here). I thought these breeds might be the best option.
I know temperament is largely down to how they are brought up but can I have your thoughts please if you've owned any of these?
Thanks

Ha ha Stoat yes poodles are pretty good-looking without the silly hair-dos aren't they?

Rusty sounds like you've done a great job bringing up your schnauzer, if I could do the same I'd be very happy. Did you go through kennel club authorised breeders scheme or some other route to find the breeder? I am obsessed with finding the best / most reputable breeder out there even if I have to travel miles!

I always thought it was standard practice not to allow dogs off leads around livestock.

It is. It's also the law that they not be 'at large' - i.e. without a lead or under very close control.

Mine was not a specific comment on the pp in which the circumstances could have been very different to a dog loose in a sheep field.

However, because so many people thing their friendly dog is not really doing any harm by chasing the sheep because they don't catch or bite them, it's always worth mentioning that dog's kill sheep in ways you might not expect (e.g. fright). No matter the dog, if it's not working in the sheep field then keep the lead on.

Have you looked at mixed breeds within your. 3 choices? We have a mini labradoodle and he is everything we wanted he's currently 6 months old and he is great with our toddler DD and cat. He's not as active as a cockerpoo which is also a plus for us. Schnauzers you can get mixes with poodles and other breeds.

Ipchill I'm just really concerned about finding a reputable breeder of crosses and wouldn't know where to start. I wouldn't want to search online and there don't seem to be breed clubs like with the pure-breeds. The process just seems more of a lottery than with a pure-breed but I may be wrong and I'm certainly not dissing crosses - all of the ones I've met have been gorgeous.

Yes we went through the KC authorised breeder scheme. We visited the breeder beforehand just to chat about the breed and whether they were suitable for us.
The breeder is wonderfully bonkers and had loads of schnauzers at his address but he clearly knew what he was doing. Some of the dogs he had were bred for showing in the ring, some were used for showing in agility and obedience and others were pets.
When we went for that initial visit no alarm bells went off for me and I'll admit to being a highly suspicious person - I was looking for all of the signs of an irresponsible breeder.

There are loads of really intelligent rescue dogs with a broad gene pool, (meaning that they aren’t as susceptible to hereditary conditions so many overbred pedigrees can suffer from) waiting for a lovely home and some love, Op

We had a mini schnauzer. He didn't have an aggressive or snappy bone in his body and never so much as curled a lip towards a person or animal. He was a bit neurotic at times and got a bit stranger as he aged 😀. He was very barky until he was about 12, and we should've called him Tigger because boy he could jump! Needed enough but not excessive exercise. We could never trust him off the lead as he might as well have been deaf for all the notice he took if there was something else interesting going on, although admittedly we could've tried harder with training for this in his youth. He wasn't a 'chaser', more an 'explorer'. He would enjoy a cuddle on his own terms but was an independent chap and not a lap dog. He was a loveable, scruffy 90% of the time, old sod. Would I get another? I think the obsessive barking would put me off, although I do note that some don't seem to do this. Not sure I'd risk it personally.
Anyway, just a few thoughts. 😊

To those that asked the dog got out of his (very large) garden into the local farmer's field and chased the sheep which caused the death. Family member went straight to the farmer (who they know well) and paid for the sheep with a promise to do so if it happened again (I am pretty sure it did at least once subsequently but it was a few years ago now, the chicken killing was very recent). I just find it interesting looking at the three Schnauzers and seeing how very different they are. Of course some of it is probably due to training (all dogs bought as puppies and much loved) but some must be just personality.

I don't know if you are still deciding, but we have a Havanese, so happy to answer any questions you may have. He is a great dog, doesn't need masses of walking but loves a good walk in the country. Fine to leave at home for up to 3 hours. You do need to groom them but apart from that, not much in the way of negatives x

We have had 3 miniature schnauzers. One never barks, is well behaved though sometimes can be a bit stubborn on recall, is an amazing dog and never puts a foot wrong .

One barks at anything and everything, is very territorial and is easily bored so can be a bit destructive but his recall is great and he’s very cuddly and affectionate.

The other, one sadly departed was somewhere between the two.