I just can’t choose a breed

[Pumpkin5piced]

I’m so excited that I’m finally ready to get a puppy but I just can’t choose a breed. I’m so scared of making the wrong choice.

A cavalier: I’ve read they’re pretty much perfect but have health issues. I’ve found a good breeder that health tests extensively but the pups are expensive and of course still run the risk of health problems. Plus cavaliers shed a lot I believe. No a major issue though.

Cavapoos: love the sound of them, have considered a poodle bit like the idea of the cav being in the mix. A struggle to find a good breeder.

Border terrier: I don’t know what it’s like to have a terrier and lots of things online say they’re not great for first time owners. I also need a dog that doesn’t bark a lot, I’m not sure if BT’s meet that? Some days I may only be able to do an hours walk.

The only other one id considered was shih tzu.

I would like a dog that can keep up with longer walks at weekends but that doesn’t need excessive exercise every day which is why I’ve ruled out cockers and poodles.

What do you mean by excessive exercise? I would say most adult breeds should be getting an hour a day at the least, unless very young, very old or suffering with health conditions.

If you don't want barky then I wouldn't get a shih-tzu. They're pretty noisy!

Border terriers are fab little dogs but can be noisy and do require a lot of socialisation as they can be grumpy and a bit reactive unfortunately.

What about something like a whippet, staffy or cairn terrier?

We have a one year old Cavapoo and he is fantastic. I've never had a dog before so have nothing to compare him too but he's everything we hoped to get and actually a whole lot more. He's full of fun, energetic and loves a long walk but happy to chill at home, and so affectionate and is completely part of the family. He's also very cute looking which helps when he's being mischievous - stealing socks is his favourite trick at the moment!

We are first time owners and have a Border Terrier. She's got a great temperament and extremely sociable but we knew her parents had good temperaments. She doesn't shed. We had also heard they can be barky but she isn't at all. She's very calm. She's been exposed to loads of experiences from 8 weeks so not much phases her.

Firstly it is great that you are putting time and thought into the right breed.

A cavapoo could be the best of both, or just as easily the worst of both (from your perspective/needs). Poodles are fab, but if they don't work for you then a poodle cross is a risk as you could end up with strong poodle traits. You'll need to factor in the time and costs of grooming too. There isn't as much consistency in a mixed breed; two pups from the same litter can be very different.

There seem to be a lot of cockerpoos being rehomed, for example, as people can't cope with the cocker part, or the mix of two working breeds (I have a cocker, he's absolutely brilliant but he suits our lifestyle).

I'd also be interested to know if the breeder is doing as much to ensure the health of the pups as the very diligent cavalier breed.

As for other breeds - I have a soft spot for Tibetan Terriers. Despite the name they aren't actually terriers. They need about an hour a day exercise but should happily keep up with longer walks at the weekend. They are fluffy but don't shed, so will need regular grooming.

I’m not worried about a cross breed inheriting more or less poodle traits. I’d be happy with a cavalier, and also with a poodle, but I would hope that crossing may lessen the working nature of the poodle. I just like the sound of cavapoos.

But it is rare to find a breeder of cavapoos that carries out all the relevant tests on their cavaliers in tbe same way my cavalier breeder has. But £2.5k is a huge amount of money for a dog with known and common health issues.

When I talk about excessive exercise, I mean that of breeds like cockers. I love them, but I know I couldn’t meet their needs every day. An hour is manageable every day, probably closer to 1.5. Then some days easily more than that too but I need to be realistic and say there are days when 1-1.5hours would be the maximum.

Thing is you have to blend into their life not the other way round.
You say you want a dog to walk longer at weekends but not that much in the week.
It doesn't work like that.
I assume you have never had a dog.

If an hour a day is your limit I wouldn't go for anything with poodle in - they're working dogs and need plenty of exercise and stimulation.

I see so many manic poodle crosses at work because they just aren't being given enough exercise and attention through the day.

When you say an hour a day-it that total?

So two or three short walks?

I'm doing that with my 15yr old rescue mongrel & consider it a bare minimum tbh.

if youre really picky about really specific things like barking or ability to cope with long walks but not need too much exercise the rest of the time, then I think a rescue dog that you can see what its already like, rather than a puppy where you just hope for the best

We have a Cavachon (King Charles x Bichon)
He's amazing and chilled out! Might be worth a look?

When I said an hour a day, that would be the exception not the rule. Usually more like 1.5. Sometimes 2. Yes split into 2-3 walks I’d imagine.

I don’t expect to get a dog that is happy with one hour most days and hours others, I know that’s not realistic. But it would be nice to have a dog that would be happy strolling around the park for a few hours or through the woods with the kids at the weekends.

I would pick a breed that could tolerate the least amount of exercise and stimulation you're able to give each day.

Yeah that’s why I was looking at breeds like shih tzus initially. But the barking is a real priority.

Unfortunately smaller breeds do tend to be yappier, though generally it can be trained out of them if you persist!

the working nature of the poodle
they're working dogs
Lively dogs, yes. Working dogs... Working poodles are like hen's teeth.

Poodles have been bred as pets for decades. If you don't breed for working traits, they will slowly get mislaid.

They may not (generally) work anymore but they still have high exercise requirements - they're also very intelligent and need a good amount of mental stimulation.

It's not a good idea to get a poodle mix with the expectation that crossing it out will reduce the amount of exercise it needs.

Working dogs have focused drive, which isn't the same as high energy requirements and intelligence (though they usually have both of those too). I'm sure some poodles do still have drive, and the ones I know are very lively. I just don't want anyone thinking that they've had a standard poodle and that a German pointer out of field trailing parents will be just the same.

You need a Maltese we had cavaliers but their health issues are prohibitive we have had two Maltese and they are fabulous they will walk for miles or just chill on the sofa they are really bright intelligent so so gorgeous and non shedding

Whippets are great. They are almost completely silent and aren’t massively fussed about how long you walk them for. If you li’e shihzhus then maybe you are going for a different look though. I know 3 people with Maltese x shihtzu and all 3 of them yap for England and all have different health issues. The owners don’t know each other and the dogs are unrelated (afaik). I would personally avoid that particular cross although I’m sure other people will know lovely ones.

I was going to recommend a Lhasa Apso until I read not barky. She was the best dog, we'd give her two short walks a day during the week and on the weekend take her out and she was happy with that, she was a little adventure dog who loved being out and about but was also happy at home, she'd sit on the back of the chair looking out of the window and watching the world go by, she was the best dog in the world, easy to train, no shedding (though did need clipping but I was happy to trade that for no shedding), friendly, good with people and dogs... but yeah. She did bark sometimes. It wasn't really bad and It wasn't really an issue for us.

Oh and also they're one of the most long lived breeds!

I've had 2 cavaliers and they hardly shed at all. Will happily go for a long walk but happy with much less some days.

I've never met a quiet Border Terrier, maybe they just attract owners who don't bother training them but every one I see is mouthy and aggressive

I'm inclined to say that most dogs , bred from a terrier , are inclined to be snappy and/or aggressive.
Small dogs are also inclined to a more fearful approach regarding strangers and other dogs. That being said, with regular training classes then they should be fine , particularly if you can find the time to reinforce their training.

I do find, on my dog walks, that the smaller breeds tend to be fearful of larger breeds, and the owners are unable to let them off and they always either reduce their leads to let us pass , apologise for the aggression or pick them up.
Not great , as it reinforces the preciousness of the smaller dog which reinforces their aggression.

I think I should discount a border terrier just because I’m scared of how many people warn me off of terriers. I’m inexperienced and don’t want to get it wrong. For example, a cavalier sounds much more suitable for someone inexperienced.

I’d love a cocker spaniel or a poodle but I just don’t want to get a dog and realise I’ve got myself in too deep. I have no point of reference so it’s hard but all the talk of needing lots of mental stimulation and high exercise needs scare me, not because I don’t want to do it, but I’m scared I won’t be able to do enough and the dog would be unhappy.