Choose a breed for me

[Happymiraclemorning]

Hey, so we would like a dog to join our family. 1 child age 8 and 1 cat.
Husband is home all the time and I work part time. Would be left no longer than 4 hours when we sometimes pop out shopping on a weekend.
House is medium size and garden small.

Walks will be 30 mins a day
Weekends longer about an hour (sometimes longer)

Husband is moderately allergic so would need to be something that doesn’t shed too much although I can deal with some hair as I vacuum everyday

We live in a terrace house so nothing too barky!

Would need to be a dog that likes other dogs , cats and kids

I just can’t find something that ticks every box

Any suggestions?

@HotnSunnyRainbowRoses - yes you're right. People do lie all the time. They show prospective owners a puppy in a loving home environment. Except it's not - it's a back street breeder and the puppy potentially has any number of physical and temperamental issues.

You need to be very careful, do due diligence and use your common sense when getting ANY dog - rescue or puppy.

But please don't buy into the myth that that ALL rescues are dangerous and ALL puppies are safe.

If it wasn’t for the cat I’d have said greyhound
But realistically if you can only commit to 30 minutes a day a dog probably isn’t the pet for you. Echo a previous comment a lot of behavioural issues in small dogs is because they are chronically under exercised

............................ I know this is DogHouse but ..................... (whispers) why not get another cat ......if your Resident Cat is in agreement

Are you experienced with dogs?

@70isaLimitNotaTarget

............................ I know this is DogHouse but ..................... (whispers) why not get another cat ......if your Resident Cat is in agreement

Siamese or oriental cats are blooming brilliant if what you want is a dog but either can’t do the walking or need to be out more than a dog can tolerate...

My Siamese had better recall than most dogs and would play fetch for hours if you wanted to, lol

They show prospective owners a puppy in a loving home environment. Except it's not - it's a back street breeder and the puppy potentially has any number of physical and temperamental issues
I’m not disputing that but a puppy is highly, highly unlikely to seriously injure someone.
It’s a much lower risk in terms of injury than a mature adult dog.
Even puppies that turn out as adults to be quite seriously dog or stranger aggressive are often still perfectly friendly living with their own people.

You need to be very careful, do due diligence and use your common sense when getting ANY dog - rescue or puppy
Of course.

But please don't buy into the myth that that ALL rescues are dangerous and ALL puppies are safe.
I wasn’t trying to suggest that at all, just that a rescue is something of an unknown entity because you are reliant on the previous owners honesty.

If it turns out that the adult dog isn’t what you are expecting it is hard work to try and turn that around.
You have to formulate a bond with the dog (which would have already been there with a dog you’d had from a pup) and try and change behaviour it has potentially practiced on a daily basis for years.
That isn’t easy.

If an adult dog is uncomfortable around children, as an example, they are much more likely to badly injure that child than a young puppy would be.

I’m not saying that rescues are bad. Nor dangerous. Im not saying that all.
I absolutely agree there are many sweet, kind, beautiful, tolerant adult dogs in rescue who would never hurt a fly but given that you are dealing with a mature animal with no bond to you, that it’s previous owners may or may not have been honest about, that may or may not have exhibited its full temperament yet due to being kennelled or only in foster for a short period of time, I think it is unwise to take the risk when you have young children and/or small furries in the house.

Re rescues - rescues work on the assumption that surrendering owners lie btw, that’s why there are so few dogs available assessed as suitable to be rehomed with young children or cats.

It’s actually incredibly hard to adopt a rescue if you have children or a cat, never mind both.

@tabulahrasa

Re rescues - rescues work on the assumption that surrendering owners lie btw, that’s why there are so few dogs available assessed as suitable to be rehomed with young children or cats.

It’s actually incredibly hard to adopt a rescue if you have children or a cat, never mind both.

Yes completely agree. We are a very experienced spaniel home with massive garden/always someone in/miles of walking a day and a working home. I tried for months to adopt but because I have a child and cat it was complete blank no. The child is 11 and very dog savvy, and never left alone or in a compromising position with the dog I did have who I trust as much as you trust an animal! The cat will see off any dog it's ever met. I've a lovely pup now, I just thought it was a shame I couldn't give a good home to a dog in need of one.

I think OP is completely over it

Also wanted a rescue but couldn't because of the DC.

I have seen lots of rescue dogs suitable for under 10s, BUT they're usually online for barely half a day before they're reserved. To get a rescue with younger kids you got to be checking websites daily and be very quick off the mark. And then hope that your home and your kids are the best out of the 50 other families also applying.

I wouldnt get a dog if your husband if your husband is moderately allergic. I am allergic to cats and my husband wouldn't suggest getting one when he knows they make me very unwell and itchy. I love looking at them though and do wish I could have one but it's not the end of the world.

My mum has a snoodle. And he often has 2, 30 minute walks a day and longer at weekends. He’s absolutely fine with this. He’s great with my children, really gentle and friendly and he doesn’t shed. He doesn’t like cats, but has never lived with one so could be different if he’d lived with one from a pup? He doesn’t like being left alone for long periods so would be ideal with your dh working from home. I look after the dog one day a week and he is no bother, he just likes to be near you a lot of the time.

With that limited exercise I would only look at Lap dogs. No other breed will be happy with that apart from maybe a greyhound but the cat will be a issue.

I was going to say a King Charles spaniel. I've got 2 of them, sounds like they may be perfect for you

Is your husband sure it is the hair he is allergic to? Dog dander (skin dust) is a common allergen and people often think dog +allergic reaction =hair.
I ask because my dh is terribly allergic to dogs, we assumed it was the hair (he's even been hospitalised for it once when he kipped on a mates floor as a teen and spent the night close to allergen trigger). But actually the only dog he's never reacted to was very hairy... Bit of a mystery until we discovered it was the dander setting him off not the hair and this dog had very clean, none-dusty skin! Which was a good job as he then lived with us for 11 years as a much loved pet (though it nearly killed the hoover)

I would be careful with a rescue greyhound- wonderful, lovely dogs and ours was the kindest thing ever. Hated being walked (would refuse to move when he felt he'd done enough!) and adored his sofa but he actually did kill the cat. He'd passed the cat tests with flying colours but when it came to it instinct was too strong. It was one morning I will never forgive myself for.

As you can't really commit to more than 30 minutes a day for exercise and given that your husband is allergic, you don't want any barking, etc., I'd suggest a stuffed dog.

Get a build a bear