Help please. What dog should we get?

[Luunaa]

Hi Doghouse regulars,

I hope you won't mind helping us. We've been ready for a dog for a few years now, but haven't had the time to commit to a puppy. I've now stopped working and won't be going back til September - very part time in a SEN school and DDog can come with me. DS is also at home now of course too (he's 9) so it would be great to get him involved.

Sorry to sound like such a newbie but it's great to get real life perspectives. What dog would you recommend to us please? We'd like something small, and ideally hypoallergenic - I know there's a risk with all dogs but minimising the risk would be great. I've got a disability so can't commit to lots of walking, although we'd get a dog walker to give it one good walk a day on top of the mini walks we could do.

I've been thinking of a small poodle or a cockapoo- friends have cockapoos and they're absolutely lovely.

All help and ideas really appreciated.

Also- where does one go about finding a reputable breeder once we've chosen a breed?

[VetOnCall]

Cockers and Miniature Poodles are both active breeds so for your circumstances a Cockerpoo isn't a great idea. There's no such thing as a 'hypoallergenic' dog, but many breeds are low-shedding with hair coats rather than fur and don't require huge amounts of exercise. You've had lots of good recommendations so far - Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso, Bichon, Maltese, Yorkshire Terrier, Toy Poodle. Havanese are gorgeous. Research breeders very carefully - it's often necessary to be on a waiting list for a puppy from a good breeder for quite some time. Research health testing for your chosen breed and only buy from a breeder who does all the required tests and preferably is a member of their breed club etc.

[itstrue]

I've got a mini poodle but she's more like a large toy size. She loves going for walks but we throw a ball around for her a lot if we aren't able to walk her. She's a delight to be around and would love to go to work with you.

Grooming is definitely the downside to a poodle. It's expensive and needs to be done often. We underestimated the cost of this. You can do it yourself but my girl won't stay still for me to do it.

Lockdown is going to make socialisation impossible probably though. It's a positive on the amount of time you will be spending with a puppy but you won't be able to take it to the sort of places you should be.

[Doggomatic]

@VetOnCall - Havaneses are lovely, aren't they? I don't know how well they are known in the UK, but here I think people are discovering them more and more as a breed so they're slowly becoming popular.

And to think, they nearly died out as a breed because of the revolution in Cuba in the 60s!

[Bienentrinkwasser]

People of a variety of ethnicities
@Doubleshotofcoffee This is so true but I’ve never seen anyone mention it before! The number of ‘racist’ dogs in my parents’ (very white) village is unbelievable!

[VetOnCall]

@Doggomatic they really are. I'm in Canada and they're quite popular here. Did you see Crufts a few weeks ago? The Havanese got Reserve Best in Group in the Toy Breed judging; he was adorable, his tail never stopped wagging. I'm a Working Cocker/Vizsla person but if I was ever going to get a small breed they'd be top of the list.

[Doggomatic]

@VetOnCall. I'm in Canada too! I guess that's why I think they're a well known breed, but perhaps in the UK they aren't so well known.

Id never heard of them 5 years ago, now they seem to be everywhere. And yes, Bono with his streaky silver hair at the Crufts thing was amazing.
I'm now googling Vizsla!

[Doggomatic]

@VetOnCall
Wow, those are beautiful dogs! They look like they'd need a lot of working. Love the colour of the coat.

[TheVanguardSix]

A Whippet!
I'm a big gun dog owner and lover, but for you, I think a Whippet ticks a lot of boxes, apart from the hypoallergenic one.

[TheVanguardSix]

No vizsla. They need loads of walking! Mine's a vizsla lab cross. Two hours of walking a day required for gun dogs. They're gorgeous but high need.

[Doggomatic]

@TheVanguardSix - don't worry, we weren't recommending that breed! :-) It's the breed VetOnCall has. We were just having a bit of a chat.
We were both recommending Havaneses.

[adaline]

Of course you can have a dog if you're disabled! Ignore that comment.

You just need to be careful picking a breed. Something designed as low-energy companion dog would be best - maybe a Lhasa apso, a Bichon or a Shih-tzu?

[purpleboy]

@Doggomatic we have a Hav too!!

I've never met another one yet! Here's our naughty boy having a sleep on dds teddy.

Sorry will continue reading the thread, just got a little excited by someone having a Hav😂❤️

[purpleboy]

Current position ❤️

[Doggomatic]

@purpleboy. Oh my lord, ADORABLE!!
I've got a black and white one too - with an eyepatch. Also a golden one.

I don't think people know how endearing they are and how bright. It's like they have an actual sense of humour.

[purpleboy]

Pics please doggo

[username00]

I'm researching breeds too as we want to get a dog in about a years time. What about a French bulldog? Obviously I've no dog experience but so far that breed seems to come up as a friendly and loyal breed that doesn't need excessive walking? The breed can have quite a few health problems though

[VetOnCall]

Oh gosh no absolutely not recommending Vizslas here! They're wonderful and I adore mine but they need huge amounts of exercise. Definitely would suggest the OP considering a Havanese though.

@Doggomatic small world! I'm from the UK but now live in Alberta

@username00 French Bulldogs are very endearing dogs but they are unfortunately very overbred at the moment due to their huge popularity. They are not a healthy breed - prone to breathing problems, skin problems, eye problems, heart disease and spinal issues which can require major and costly surgery.

They are being bred as a money-spinner for fashionable 'rare' colours which are not correct for the breed - blue, black, brown, 'lilac' etc. which can have serious repercussions on health and breed type.

Blue colours increase the risk of a health condition called colour dilution alopecia (sometimes known as blue dog alopecia) that leads to chronic inflammation of the skin, and patchy hair loss across the coat of affected dogs. Colour dilution alopecia can also cause sores to develop and the skin to crack, which in turn increases the risk factors for skin infections. The effects of the blue colour gene can cause a serious immune disorder in some breeds that proves fatal to pups soon after birth.

The only correct colours for Frenchies are brindle, fawn and pied (white with coloured patches) so any breeder not breeding only these is not reputable.

[Aurea]

Australian labradoodles are bred to be hypoallergenic, therapy dogs. They come in different sizes. A micro mini can be 13" to the shoulder.

I have a medium sized one and he is very happy spending most of the day having cuddles on the sofa. We often have to coax him out for a walk as he's also very lazy.

[username00]

@VetOnCall I knew all about the various health problems and read a lot of detail on that side of things but never found any information about the coat colours. Thanks for sharing that. I know someone recently who bought a 'lilac' French bulldog - quite disturbed by that now! I think one of my biggest worries for when we finally decide on a breed is making sure we get a reputable breeder - what's the best way to go about it?

[wetotter]

I thought the biggest drawback with French bulldogs was the incessant flatulence

(Though perhaps that's just the ones we know, not the whole breed)

[VetOnCall]

The best way to find a reputable breeder of almost any breed is via the breed club (exceptions being some working-bred dogs where you might go to field trial or working societies instead). There will be a 'parent club' made up of breed enthusiasts e.g. www.thecockerspanielclub.co.uk/ and there may also be smaller regional clubs.

Contact the breed club - usually via the Secretary - and they should be able to recommend reputable breeders that you can speak to who breed good examples of their breed with all relevant health testing etc. Attending some shows is also an excellent way to meet breeders - and lots of dogs of course - so you can see what good examples of your chosen breed are like and which breeding lines you might prefer more than others.

You still need to carry out your own due diligence - check that health tests have been done and are up to date etc. and you will likely have to wait for a puppy from a reputable breeder, most of them will have waiting lists well in advance of every litter, but it is absolutely worth waiting for the right puppy. Be prepared for them to grill you as to why you want a puppy, why that breed, your circumstances and lifestyle etc. too!

[VetOnCall]

I've used the Cocker Spaniel Club as an example as Cockers (working type) are my breed, and they're an excellent example of a well-run breed club, if you just look at the front page of that link you can see the wealth of information they have on the breed and the activities that they coordinate - shows, health testing, seminars, field trials for working type Cockers, rescue and rehoming etc.

[username00]

@VetOnCall very useful. Thank you so much

[permana]

Look at how much a dog needs grooming too if you are disabled.
Dogs that don't shed (mine doesn't - mixed breed rescue from abroad) then you will need to brush them and take them to the groomers regularly.

[Wincarnis]

Another vote for Glen of Imaal Terrier, friendly, intelligent, affectionate, good with people and other dogs, doesn’t need too much exercise and rarely barks. Best dog i’ve ever had.