Help me chose a breed

[CheersBoris]

I’m hoping to be able to get a puppy in the near future. I’ve spent well over a year learning about breeds and breeders and what a dog will need so I’m not after advice about that.

So the breeds id love to hear of peoples experiences with are;
Shih tzus (maybe not able to handle longer walks?)

Westies (barkers?)

Mini poodles (need a lot of stimulation and sensitive?)

Cavaliers (health)

Cockers (resource guarding?)

Frenchies (health)

And possibly some of the poodle crosses (I know,I know, bad breeders..)

I’m aware of health issues within a couple of these breeds being significant. I’ve also put a lot of consideration about what we could offer the dog in terms of exercise ect.
So the main things I’m wondering about and prioritising are..
Exercise requirements, I’m willing to put in what’s needed but ideally not a dog that absolutely needs more than an hours walk every single day but is physically able do stroll around a park for a couple of hours or more

A dog that isn’t too vocal (neighbours)

My kids are 8 and 16 so able to respect the dog and be involved in training. A playful dog would be good, my youngest has adhd and likes to play outside.

A small-medium dog.

I’ve known some lovely Staffies but as a first time owner I’m too scared to take on a dog that powerful. I also hate the fact everyone is scared of them.

Another thing Inreally need to consider is cost and availability. For example, shih tzus seem to be the cheapest and are actually good all round in terms of our needs and theirs.
Whereas as cavaliers are very expensive and also hard to find a good breeder.
These are big considerations as I don’t want to spend thousands or spend 2 years on a waiting list.

I have a 10 month frenchie and at the moment really struggling with him .. he's house trained and non destructive when left alone but if your home and not playing with him he chews everything.. he's destroyed a sofa .. eaten the bottom of the stairs an currently trying to stop him chewing the outdoor furniture!!! He is destroying everything and is a nightmare.. he's brilliant with my toddler and husband but does nip me!! Going to get him neutered hope they helps if not to be honest not sure if I can cope any longer with him.. avoid the puppy stage it's horrific!!

We have a shih tzu and she is absolutely perfect and a very easy dog. Would always recommend this breed.

From your list:
Wastes: I live near a couple and they BARK BARK BARK. Actually, they yap. Apart from that, nice dogs.
Mini poodles: don't know enough to comment.
Cavaliers: health train wrecks. Incredibly sweet little dogs, but their skulls are often too small for their brains, and some insanely high % of them develop heart problems (mitral valve disease).
Cockers: can be prone to resource guarding, but the ones I've known have all been fine, very loving and jolly. Be aware of the breed split between show and working. Working line cockers are little bundles of insane energy and you will need to train quite intensively to keep the prey drive under control. The show line are more chilled, but they have more coat, so take more grooming.
Frenchies: also health train wrecks. There is a reason why wild or feral dogs don't have those smushed-in faces. They have breathing, eye and spinal issues.

Whippets are lovely (though terrible and shameless thieves of food).

A border terrier might suit if you want something a bit more robust (just check out the temperaments of the parents etc, as I've known one or two who can be little shits), though all the terrier breeds can be a bit barky - it was part of the job description, but you can train them to be more chill, and keep them away from the windows.

I'm going to chuck in a wild card here and suggest a schipperke (skipperkee). They are small, robust, intelligent, loyal, don't smell, don't need grooming beyond the odd brush when moulting and are very playful. They need good socialisation and they will guard your house for you - I knew one who barked the place down when someone tried to enter the house at night, and saved the family from being burgled.

Just saw your update:
Schipperkes are not common, so you'd probably have to wait. Borders and whippets are much easier to find.

Staffies have a wrong name. Their honestly the softest dogs Iv ever come across. Specially if you get them at a young age and can train them properly to how you want, they learnt so much so quick and very easy to train and they nacker themselves out in the garden a lot of the time haha

Their not a powerful dog IMO their pretty small and honestly- I'd have one tomorrow around my kids. When we're out and you see dogs 9x10 it's other breeds you can't stroke! Never come across a staff yet that we've not been able to stroke

Also less health problems then most !

[quote CheersBoris]@Brownlongearedbat yes that’s true. Ok so ideally I’d rather not have hair everywhere but it’s not a priority. It’s a sacrifice I can live with. Same with grooming, easier the better really, but again, not a priority. I know with poodles for example grooming and costs is a big consideration. Also is dirt and bits more likely to get stuck in their coats on walks?[/quote]
Yes, I have a bichon frise cross who has a very poodle type coat. I get her scalped at the groomers every 6 weeks and I mean scalped.

By the time she’s due her next groom the muck which she’s bringing into the house is noticeable. She’s low to the ground so her tummy gets filthy but her paws as well with the excess fluff.

Op I am in the same position so reading with interest.

I am a life long Cocker owner and have one currently. She is a working. could be crossed with something as she is tiny. She was a rescue. I fostered the litter at 6 weeks old after they were abandoned. So don't have a history.

Honestly, from that list I would say a well bred show cocker would suit. Our current one is working. She has just turned 2 and has calmed down somewhat. But still mad as a hatter. But she suits us. Our show cockers have always been laid back.

There is the resource guarding issue. I have had 11 cockers, working and show and crosses of both. I have never had one that has ever done it. It appears to be quite common, but in spaniel groups there's tend to be one common denominator. And it's that the owners treat them like human babies. Not always, but the majority of the time. If you feel unsure about early training, maybe they wouldn't suit.

We now want another dog. something smaller and more chilled than our cocker. My son is also autistic and we want something that will be a family laid back and chilled companion for him. He adores our spaniel but she is a bit much for him sometimes.

I wanted a cavalier, but the health issues terrify me.

I don't think anything on your lists really fits the bill in terms of what you actually appear to want from a dog.

Shih tzus - brachycephalic (although not to the same extent as say, pugs) and often have eye and heart problems.

Westies - probably the most realistic one on your list although they are prone to skin issues. I would look at a Cairn Terrier instead.

Mini poodles - barky and have high grooming needs. They're also very intelligent and need a fair amount of mental stimulation as well as exercise.

Cavaliers - appalling health issues, which is a shame as they're lovely dogs but personally I think it's cruel to get a breed with such well known health problems.

Cockers - a well bred cocker won't resource guard, but they need a lot more exercise and stimulation than you're able to give them. An hour in the park won't tire them out. They need to use their noses and have the chance to run.

Frenchies - appalling health issues and to be honest I've never met one that's calm or chilled! The one I look after is 100mph - she's strong, stubborn and a real handful. I'm not sure why they're so popular as every owner I've met struggles with theirs!

I would have a look at breeds like Cairn Terriers, Bichons (though they do bark a bit), Havanese, Lhasa Apso, Whippets, Border Terriers or Maltese.

Terriers can be quite stubborn, and some types aren't often recommended for novice owners.

The ones which most often are, are Border, Norfolk and Norwich.

I think Portuguese Water Dogs are a bit big and need more exercise than you have time for. They’re a working breed.

We were in your position last year. First time dog owners, researching breeds etc.

In the end we went for a cockerpoo and it's worked out really well. He is very easy. He is food driven so very trainable. His coat is manageable and he doesn't shed.

We walk him twice a day but, if for some reason we can't, then he is fine. My husband is a runner and occasionally runs with him - he can keep up and run for 5km
He weighs 9kg so is small enough to be picked up.

One thing we did as soon as he'd had all the necessary jabs was send him to day care once a week. It means he's interacting with loads of other dogs and also got used to being without us. He loves going and it's money well spent.

Not a small dog I know... but labs are the best! I'm bias tho
My second choice wound of been a cocker or poodle. I saw a poodle in pets at home recently and was surprised how big it was. Maybe it was a cross... but looked like a standard poodle to me. The only one on the list I wouldn't get is a Frenchie.

I'd recommend a border terrier from what you've said. I have one and she's not a yapper and is excellent with my baby and children. She goes out for 2x 30 min walks every day but loves a longer walk exploring at the weekends! She can be a bit mad in the house and loves playing with everything (slippers are her favourite) She took a longer time than my other dogs to train as wasn't very food orientated. Remember dogs can have certain traits but it'll mostly come down to how much effort and time you put into your training and socialising of the dog

We have a Zuchon (Shih Zhu x Bichon Frise) and he is an absolute dream. Lovely temperament and great with children. Can walk for hours but is equally happy snuggled up on the sofa, doesn't moult, doesn't bark unless can hear someone coming into the house, so cute little guard dog, and was really easy to train. He is universally adored by everyone who meets him. My boarder even offered to have him for free for a day because he hadn't been for a while and she missed him . Only thing is that they love being around people and are prone to separation anxiety so if you are going to be out a lot they're probably not for you.

I can't believe some people on here still buy pugs and Frenchies. How could any dog lover?

I think a border terrier would really suit you! Spaniels are great but only in the right environment. Whippet?

Lots of recommendations for border terriers. I wish o could remember why I do them out and favoured the westie.

I probably won’t end up going for a frenchie or a cav because of the health issues

Shih tzus still seem like a pretty good fit and everyone that has one says they’re happy and friendly. Also interested in some of the crosses like shih/poodle and shih/bichon

Will do more research on show cockers and poodles as whilst on the surface it seems like they could be a good fit id really need to make sure I can give them what they need as they’re definitely more high energy than the others on my list.

Then there’s cockerpoos and cavapoos which are easier to find, but much harder from a good breeder and it’s a bit of a gamble with breed traits. I’ve heard cockerpoos can be either extremely friendly family pets or a bit neurotic and too high energy.

Also agree with someone who said it’s about what you put in, not just breed characteristics.
I’m going to have a few ideas in my head about which breed I’d prefer, but not base it purely on breed and also base it on a combination of price, breeders and availability. Then adapt to whatever we end up getting, but within our narrowed down choices.

“I’ve known some lovely Staffies but as a first time owner I’m too scared to take on a dog that powerful.”

A well bred staffy is only just bigger than a french bulldog - and they’re a very similar build....

Cockers are actually usually bigger, so are a lot of poodle crosses, so while staffies are powerful for their size, they’re not more powerful than larger dogs.

So if a staffy is too powerful, you’ll want to stick to the small breeds really.

Then there’s cockerpoos and cavapoos which are easier to find, but much harder from a good breeder and it’s a bit of a gamble with breed traits.

The same goes for the bichon/shih-tzu crosses you say you're interested in.

The vast, vast majority of cross-breeds come from unscrupulous breeders (at best) or puppy farms at the worst. Please don't contribute to that.

There are plenty of breeds out there that would fit your requirements though you don't appear keen to consider them.

Oh, and if a Staffy is too powerful for you then I would rule out Frenchies and cockers - both can be very strong pullers and Frenchies in particular are very strong and muscular dogs, despite their size.

We have two mini poodles. The 3 year old was our first dog. He's amazing. Was so easy. We now have a 14 week poodle too and after a tricky first week with a dicky tummy and the heat, things have settled down. She already knows sit and flat. And is sleeping through some nights. Most of her toileting is outside.

All dogs can be needy and noisy. My two so far and very much people dogs. They are needy in that they like human company. The 3 year old has always been fine being left for a couple of hours though. And he will just sit with you if you're busy. He's not destructive in any way.

My daughter is 8 and has meltdowns often. She can be very loud. The 3 year old is her comforter. He runs straight to her and licks her feet, snuggles up to her, brings her a ball. He's amazing.

He does bark when someone comes to the door. But that's fine with me. He will bark if he needs some help - door opening, food passing etc. But it's more to talk to us and not just constant barking. Other than that he's pretty quiet.

A lot is definitely trainable. And with a clever dog that's easier.

Cons are that poodles can sometimes have teeth prone to issues and can sometimes be fussy eaters. One of mine is a fussy eater. Though I think that's because he thinks he's human and can't understand why we feed him 'dog food'.

Frenchies are one of the most expensive breeds to insure for a reason.

@icedcoffees I’m happy to consider them, such as border terriers people have suggested. The others that have been suggested are unsuitable, I’ve already spent a year going through breeds and this is what I’ve narrowed it down to.

When I speak about staff us being powerful, what I’m really referring to is the stuff in the news about them killing children. Now I understand staffies are not like this, and other dogs have the ability to. I just don’t feel comfortable with it.