If you have a small(ish) dog what dog do you have and why did you choose them?

[SummersB]

Having lost our beloved Lab some time ago, we are thinking of getting a new dog at some point in the future. Due to circumstances, we are thinking of getting a smaller breed this time, however, having only ever had Labs we are a bit clueless about smaller breeds, their characters and their challenges. So if you own a small(ish) breed - why did you choose it? What traits first attracted you and what challenges have you encountered?

Show type or working cocker spaniel. I currently have a 20 month old show type, kind, gentle, bred for temperament by people who have been breeding and showing spaniels for 30 years. so, no health or temperament problems.
I've had a cockerpoo (sadly he died a year ago, aged six, inoperable tumour). I have a large labradoodle, gorgeous dog, intelligent, responsive and kind. My cockerpoo was a beautiful dog, devoted to me but he lacked the positive qualities of either a show type cocker (his mother) or a midsize poodle (his dad). I wouldn't recommend cockapoos to be honest, having seen many of them in our local training group. I know there are lovely cockapoos but the temperament isn't consistent.
I wouldn't be snobby about poodle crosses - "anyone can breed a poodle with a labador, that's not what we have". My fifth generation labradoodle has working lab and standard poodle in her background. High prey urge, independent, taught me so much about how to help a dog who thinks she was born to hunt deer (sheep, small furry animals) that she should stay with me.

@micahi think the Aussie mix is the difference. Anyone can breed a poodle with a Labrador, that's not what we have

So basically an "aussie mix" is anyone who's bred a labrador with a poodle, then done it 4 (5?) more times with the offspring?

@lotsofdogshere did you know you have an aussie labradoodle, not your bog standard version!

5 generations isn't really long enough to establish breed traits...especially when it appears you can add variety of crosses and it still be an "aussie labradoodle"

*An Australian Labradoodle can be classified as such if any of the 2 conditions is met:

The Labradoodle breeding reached the 5th Generation

The dog’s pedigree consists of the Labrador, Poodle, and American Cocker Spaniel

Add them up, including the Labrador and Poodle, then the Aussie Labradoodle has a total of 6 possible parental breeds*

I have a Sheltie (Shetland Sheepdog). This is my 5th Sheltie - surprisingly considering my Username.

They have all been the most amazing dogs, loyal, timid until they get to know you and always ready to play/walk/sleep! I cannot imagine having a different breed. I think they are seen as high maintenance with the long coat, but I groom about every third day and hardly have any hair around.

They are quite difficult to find now, probably because of the new breeds becoming popular, but well worth seeking out. Good Luck and enjoy your new dog, whatever you chose.

We have a patterdale/ border cross terrier. She's been an amazing family dog. She's 11 now. Everyone votes her their favourite dog when they meet her. She's just so clever. She will judge where a stranger is likely to throw the ball to and wait there. When she wants a walk she goes and collects her lead and brings it to you. She's been carried round, dressed up etc over the years by the kids and loves it. She gets on really well with the cat and they nuzzle each other. But she is a terrier and will chase rats and squirrels.

I have a miniature dachshund and agree with what @SashayThatWay and @HarrietBasset have said.

But to add, if I could change one thing then I would consider making him a standard size rather than a mini just to make life easier for him! Teeny tiny dogs seem to have a tricky life sometimes (getting underfoot, scared of big dogs, have to be so so careful with their backs, etc).

@Micah ok, I wasn't looking for an argument. I'll leave you to argue with yourself

I’ve got a cavalier - he’s very energetic and very much a ‘proper’ dog but small enough to be easy to take out and about. He also likes cuddles.

I agree with a previous poster, that sighthounds are 'foldable' :-) My only experience of a small dog was an Italian Greyhound that we lost suddenly, a year ago, at the age of 9-and-a-half. I still haven't got over it. I think it all depends on the breed, not the size. Now I'm on my 4th sighthound (large male greyhound this time), all rescue, I couldn't imagine having a dog that doesn't expect to sleep 23 hours a day, and God Forbid you should be trying to give them lots of exercise - 'My bed - drop of rain - my bed, drop of rain - hmm, let me think'.

Thanks to everyone’s again for the responses.
After careful consideration, DH and I are going to see a litter of Springerdors this weekend. We have decided that we just love Labs’ characteristics and temperament too much, and from our research it appears that Springers share many of their lovable traits. Not quite the reduction in size we had initially decided we would go for, but at least there’s is a chance that the resulting offspring will turn out slightly smaller than a lab

We’ve got a 13kg wcs and she is a delight. Snuggled up with me as we speak being a little ray of sunshine
Clever, fab with kids, will take a whole family day out ten minute run to the co op and be happy with either. Reasonably obedient, recalls well and keen to please. Can carry if necessary

After careful consideration, DH and I are going to see a litter of Springerdors this weekend

As long as you are aware “springador” is not a breed, and may inherit the worst or best of both breeds, or anywhere in between.

Also bear in mind that good breeders of these crosses are rare as there is less regulation as they are outside KC. be alert for flags that may indicate a puppy farm- the fact they have a litter available immediately is a big one to start. Let me guess, someone dropped out so there’s one puppy available?

Make sure all the health checks are done and you see evidence.

We have decided that we just love Labs’ characteristics and temperament too much, and from our research it appears that Springers share many of their lovable traits.

You have no idea what mix you'll end up with. You could end up with the worst of both breeds here. Springers are working dogs that need a job and in my experience don't calm down until they're about ten! Combine that with the madness of a young Labrador, and well, I hope you've got plenty of time for long muddy walks!

Where is your litter of springadors?

We've got a Springer and she's amazing. She's 3 this year and was crazy as a pub but we learnt that as long as she had two good runs a day she's absolutely fine. She's really calm. She has a good run in the morning off lead (excellent recall) for about 30 minutes weekdays. At weekends we're out for hours but that's by choice. She's been brilliant with our little boy who came along after her. We feared that she'd never calm down - but now she can be both placid and mischievous. Such a character!

Yes, my ideal dog (apart from the one asleep on my feet now) would be mid-size, likes walks and also sleeping, doesn't bark needlessly, reasonably easy to train and full of personality. I meet a lot of dogs and most are a bit meh. Hairiness and naughtiness not a problem!

We have a Yorkshire Terrier.

We got him because we had one before.

He’s a horrible arsehole so I don’t recommend.

*We have a Yorkshire Terrier.

We got him because we had one before.

He’s a horrible arsehole so I don’t recommend*

Ha mines fucking amazing. Everything I want of a dog. Always had yorkies.

My friends yorkies are little shits though.

Although we happened to have an utterly amazing wee yorkie when I was a child so I researched it's bloodlines and went back to a group of breeders who work with the same lines. This dog has the same gggparents somewhere. As soon as I met the breeders dogs I could see the same personality traits.

People do express surprise when he doesn't try to bite them though!!

I've had 4 Yorkies over many years. First one was brilliant, more like a jack russell in temperament and would even come out riding, belting happily after cantering horses. Second was a very even tempered and quiet ex breeding bitch, fourth was similar, very laid back and loved long walks. But, the third one, who was a rescue, was a biter, and I had him pts after he bit 2 people (unprovoked) on successive days, one of them a child. I later discovered he had been got rid of for biting, but they didn't disclose it. (This was many years ago when fewer checks were made.). It put me off ever having another rescue dog.
OP, a good friend had a springer (I know yours will be a cross). She was a stoic and experienced dog owner, but the dog really wore her down. It was a constant explosion of energy (despite plenty of exercise) until the day it (literally) dropped dead. She said she would never have another. I would think a lab/springer cross will be doing everything at100 miles an hour plus pinching anything remotely edible, so good luck.

As previously mentioned I have a gundog. She was sold by a very reputable breeder of gundogs as a Working Cocker, but it became very apparent at 4 months that she was half lab. It turned out the breeders teenage son had accidentally let a male lab in with the female cocker and never told his dad who then took the bitch at great expense up north to be sired. Anyway, we got our money back but kept the pup. We never refer to her as a Cockador or anything. She's a cross breed but has inherited nice traits of both. She is small, a bit bigger than a working cocker but not much. She is black and has labrador fur but massive ears and a docked tail. White patch on chest and looks like one of the mongrels everyone had in the 70s! She is a great dog, soft and silly, but works very hard, great in the field. She is also magnificently greedy, steals anything off the side, opens the bin and goes through it etc.

If you've really set your heart on a spring/lab cross then go for it. But i can't help thinking you should just get another lab if after all the advise you are choosing a dog that size.

This is my working cocker/ Labrador cross. 😍

We have a maltichon which is a bichon Frise cross Maltese. She was rehomed to us from family but she's so very well behaved excellent off the lead. Incredibly loyal and friendly but alert to intruders. Only barks when a stranger is at the door. She is very clever and loves learning new tricks. Her coat doesn't she'd therefore she needs grooming fairly regularly. I haven't had one before but I would have another in a heartbeat. My dcs and dp and I absolutely adore her.

We have a yorkie, great temperament, happy to sleep on your lap, or walk for miles, loves everyone, very gentle with children, barks at the postman and the doorbell. no shedding. My DH absolutely adores him and the way he greets us when we've been missing for any length of time from 1 min to a couple of hours.

me guess, someone dropped out so there’s one puppy available - um no actually. The puppies are only 2 weeks old at the moment and come from a breeder who has bred twice before and a dedicated Facebook page set up where she encourage she me to chat to owners of the previous litters before even coming down to see the puppies so definitely not a puppy farm. I have no idea what in my post would have given you that impression?

Imo basically everyone owns a mongrel!!

To answer a few wire questions:
adaline yes we are prepared for long, muddy walks. We live in the middle of the countryside and out dogs have always had 6k walks daily, more if we were out and about at weekends.
berryfull Gloucestershire
BigusBumus she looks adorable! We have decided not to go for a Lab again this time because in addition to wanting ideally a slightly smaller size we lost our last one under very traumatic circumstances and I just can’t bring myself to look at lab pups. I’m not sure I could explain my feelings exactly but that’s just how it is.
To anyone who has expressed concerns about crossbreeding and warned that the dogs will end up with the worst traits of the breeds: with the exception of greed and high energy levels I can’t really see any “negative” traits attributed to either breed. And even if we went for a registered, non-crossed breed we might end up with a dog that turned out hard work for whatever reason! Just reading this thread, people describe completely different characters of the same breed of dog. It’s just a chance you take isn’t it?
Thanks to everyone for their advice and descriptions of their lovely dogs, I really appreciate it.