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Original poster

Help deciding on breed

48 replies

sammyspoon · 24/05/2021 09:55

Can anyone offer advice on possible suitable breeds of dog for our family?
We have never owned a dog as a family before, though husband had dogs as a child. We have 2 kids aged 9 / 12. We both work mainly from home, so there will usually be someone around. We live in a city but are fortunate to have a decent sized garden. Exercise will mainly playing ball in the garden and walks (could manage 2 per day 30-60 mins) in the nearby park and along the river where there are always loads of other dogs being walked.
We are thinking small-medium sized, short/smooth haired and low shedding. It will encounter lots of other dogs and children, so would need to be fairly good with them. We were wondering about Jack Russell / Beagle / Dachsund / Jackshund. Any tips and suggestions would be much appreciated.

OP posts:
MildredPuppy · 24/05/2021 09:58

Miniature schnauzer.

Aprilwasverywet · 24/05/2021 10:00

Lurchers are a very underestimated family pet ime.
We have 2 low maintenance ones!!
Extremely good with the dc.. And the dcat..

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 24/05/2021 10:05

Is the dog mainly as a companion for the family? I'd look at a breed that is quite trainable & placid, a toy or miniature breed.
Check out the breeds that go into different categories at Crufts, for example.
On that amount of exercise, steer clear of anything of a working, hound, gundog, pastoral type, like beagle.
I'd also not really consider terriers with children.
My other advice is think about maintenance, like grooming. Do you have the time to take care of a long haired dog, or the funds to go to a groomer regularly?
I'd steer clear of flat-faced breeds like pugs & frenchies & bostons for health reasons.
So yes a mini schnauzer is a great shout!!
Also what about a poodle?

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 24/05/2021 10:06

Dachshunds could be great, the ones I know are very vocal though, so it depends if you can live with that!

XelaM · 24/05/2021 10:10

Jack Russels and Beagles are both difficult breeds. Stay clear

XelaM · 24/05/2021 10:11

Dachshunds always develop back problems. Otherwise they are gorgeous

DeathByWalkies · 24/05/2021 10:15

Outing to anyone who knows me, but I have a Jackshund - or Jack Russell X Dachshund as I stubbornly call him.

He was on his fourth owner (me) by 18 months. Some of that was fuckwittery by previous owners BUT I have to say that he was very hard work at that time.

When I say hard work, I mean anything less than 2 hours a day of walks, off lead, (3 hours was preferable) and I would live to regret it. This was definitely not fun when I was working full time 9-5, it was the depths of winter, and I (as a lone female) needed to get ddog walked after dark in a London park.

Anything young with a Jack Russell in it is basically like the Duracell bunny - the stamina is incredible, and it won't cope with 30-60 minutes a day until you hit dog middle age (and even then, you're looking at 60 minutes and preferably more).

He came with some behaviour issues which can be attributed to his early experiences (and the worst of it has been curbed, but not totally, any only with years of work and £££), but I also think they're genetically predisposed to it. Dachshunds tend to be a bit nervy and Jack Russells tend towards bravado and barking / snapping at things they're not fond of. As a result I have a dog that gets worried and then has a crack at the thing that worries him for the sake of it.

I love DDog dearly, but I'm not sure I'd have another... and I really couldn't recommend a Jack Russell X Anything for your situation. I'd be looking towards the companion breeds, rather than the working breeds which both JRTs and dachshunds are.

Archiduchesse · 24/05/2021 10:19

I know you said smooth coat but miniature poodles are fabulous dogs. They meet your low/no shed requirement but will need regular grooming.

Atalune · 24/05/2021 10:33

We have a Jack Russell X shitzu. She is loving and caring and very snuggly. Was a breeze to train and is very very switched on. Loves to play games and loves to be with us.

Kids are the same age as yours too and she is great with them!

We do walk wise...
20 min in the morning
About and hour at lunchtime.

If we can only do a shorter walk at lunch time then we do a bigger walk after school. And we do play/interact through the day. However she is happy to just be near us snuggled.

XelaM · 24/05/2021 10:47

I would just get a Shih Tzu. They are lovely companion dogs (the ones I know)

wetotter · 24/05/2021 10:50

Look at the smaller, friendlier terriers - border terriers can be a lovely family dog, but if you can find one, then a Norfolk (watch list) or Norwich (vulnerable native breed), super little dogs!

Atalune · 24/05/2021 10:52

Norfolk terriers are SO CUTE

countrygirl99 · 24/05/2021 10:52

Have you considered a whippet?

Shmithecat2 · 24/05/2021 11:17

Beagles are definitely NOT suitable as a first dog 😂. Honestly OP, they're adorable and great fun, but also bonkers, needy and noisy. I had 3 at one point. They're exhausting. Jack Russell's I LOVE, but I'm familiar with them as my parents bred them. They're hard work, stubborn and take the piss if you let them. Wired haired Dachs are fab and not too difficult. However, I agree with pp, maybe look at lurchers? Awesome creatures all round, they need maybe 2 x 30 mins a day walks (if you can train to an excellent standard of recall, they need a blast off lead too). Other than that, they're lazy buggers.

thisplaceisweird · 24/05/2021 11:18

Go to a shelter and the dog will pick you.

Don't shop for one like a pair of shoes

manysummersago · 24/05/2021 11:20

Realistically that’s unlikely to happen with the children’s ages.

Have you considered a basset? Such a loveable breed.

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 24/05/2021 11:22

Tibetan terriers are gorgeous
Portuguese Water Dogs are hard to come by but fabulous

PermanentlyDizzy · 24/05/2021 11:31

Whippet or English Toy Terrier, either one would fit your requirements.

Atalune · 24/05/2021 11:32

@thisplaceisweird

Go to a shelter and the dog will pick you.

Don't shop for one like a pair of shoes

A shelter dog would rarely be matched to a family with young kids.

I understand your sentiment, but it’s not a realistic suggestion. Confused

GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 24/05/2021 11:35

@thisplaceisweird

Go to a shelter and the dog will pick you.

Don't shop for one like a pair of shoes

Every single thread like this... OP has DC, one under 10, and will very likely find it hard to re-home from a rescue. As for 'Don't shop for one like a pair of shoes'... That's very much what you should do. You need to think about what kind of dog will fit your lifestyle, because that's better for both the dog and the family.

OP, IME Jack Russells are amazing dogs, but not for the faint-hearted or inexperienced. They can be dog aggressive and you get a lot of dog in a small package, with vast amounts of energy, strong opinions and considerable prey drive. There is a well-known meme where the collie says, 'I am a good dog. I herd the sheep.' and the Lab says, 'I am a good dog. I guide the blind.' and the JRT says, 'I am a little shit.'

I've known quite a few whippets, who are mostly lovely. Small lurchers would also work for you, though you might want to avoid anything from a coursing bust as they will have a lot of prey drive.

Lightningrain · 24/05/2021 11:43

I agree with the suggestion of a whippet.

Mini Schnauzers would also fit the bill but there are several that live local to us and they all seem to have small dog syndrome (barking and lunging when another dog walks past).

I wouldn’t recommend a Beagle. They are popular due to their size and looks but they’re not an easy dog to train. My friend has one and they can’t let if off lead as it picks up a scent and takes off. I wouldn’t really recommend any of the hound breeds for the same reason.

A miniature poodle would also be worth a look. No shedding but they will need regular grooming. I also know a Bedlington Terrier that’s non-shedding and lovely with kids although like most terriers can be a bit stubborn when it comes to training.

Shmithecat2 · 24/05/2021 11:51

@Lightningrain

I agree with the suggestion of a whippet.

Mini Schnauzers would also fit the bill but there are several that live local to us and they all seem to have small dog syndrome (barking and lunging when another dog walks past).

I wouldn’t recommend a Beagle. They are popular due to their size and looks but they’re not an easy dog to train. My friend has one and they can’t let if off lead as it picks up a scent and takes off. I wouldn’t really recommend any of the hound breeds for the same reason.

A miniature poodle would also be worth a look. No shedding but they will need regular grooming. I also know a Bedlington Terrier that’s non-shedding and lovely with kids although like most terriers can be a bit stubborn when it comes to training.

Indeed - my DM has a lurcher (bedlington x deerhound) - the terrier is STRONG in that one. Cute though.
reallyreallyborednow · 24/05/2021 11:56

I have a yorkshire terrier.

As long as they get a haircut 3 or 4 times a year their coat is more than manageable, doesn’t shed, and doesn’t need much upkeep.

Walk wise mine isn’t over keen, he spends most of his day pottering in the garden hunting mice. Having said that he’s also perfectly capable of coming out waking all day with us too.

Great with kids, great house alarm. Good with other dogs, but unless he knows them not overly keen as they tend to jump all over him Hmm. Sticks with me mostly so was easy to train off lead and recall. Easy to train basic commands like sit, stay, paw etc, and has a suprisingly large vocabulary, we’ve taken to spelling out certain things but he’s picking that up now as well…

The advantage I find is they are easily manageable- I can grab the dog, and pick him up if any worries.

Unpopular as a breed so not many byb or puppy farmed- they’re all busy churning out yorkipoos and the much more lucrative crosses. A few breed specific rescues too.

cupsofcoffee · 24/05/2021 12:12

I have a beagle and honestly, I wouldn't recommend them for your situation - mainly because the exercise you're offering isn't enough, and they can be very tricky for first-time owners.

My beagle will play with a ball for about five minutes then he'll start eating it Grin he needs space and time to run, but I have to be very careful where he's let off as once he catches a scent, he's gone and his ears switch off completely. He also needs to work his nose - playing with a ball just doesn't capture his attention for long at all.

I would also be very careful in general with using ball play to tire out a dog. Chasing and leaping after a ball isn't great for their joints (especially when they're young) and can lead to all sorts of injuries and problems later on in life. Please don't rely on it as a daily form of exercise - it should only be done once the dog is warmed up, at a low level (no ball chuckers), on soft surfaces and for short periods.

Hereforthedramaz · 24/05/2021 12:59

I have a mostly cavalier with a little bit of miniature poodle deliberately mixed in for health reasons. But it also means there is very little shedding.

He is very much a companion dog, loads of cuddles and adores children (perfect size for them).

But loves a walk, although doesn't need a huge amount of exercise.

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