Hardest work small to medium breeds

[Doggieconfused]

Please tell me what they are so I can avoid them when choosing a breed! (I know all puppies are hard work but I’ve heard some are worse than others...)

Don't get a patterdale or similar working terrier

Working terriers yep. Definitely hard work unless you can go with their traits.

Show cocker spaniel. Look cute but are actually related to satan.

Anything bred to dispatch vermin or go down holes. So terriers, basically.

I guess that's true of all dogs: if it's bred to do something, it'll be hard work if you don't want it to do that particular thing (herd sheep, follow scents, dog holes, shake rats to death, shout at intruders, etc). Honourable exceptions being breeds bred to sit on knees and keep humans company.

Dachshunds (sausage dogs). Look cute but stubborn as hell.

Jack Russells are little shits.

Jack Russells are high energy, always on the go. If you're not super active, avoid.

I have a patterdale x and he’s never really been hard work , he’s great fun .

Patterdale terrier.

We.have one. He's twelve now and an absolute arsehole. I love him to bits and he's a fab family pet but Christ he has been hard work 🤣

terriers. Love them, but they fit your description

Echo the above regarding working terriers. I have a patterdale. I love him. But he’s a ‘handful’ to be polite. Not for the faint hearted.

Daschunds, yes!!
Bred to badger bait so feisty as fuck and scary little sods, despite their size. A massive dog trapped in a tiny body and seemingly very angry about this.

They're real personalities but hard graft.

Agree with what everyone else has said.

Patterdales
Jack Russells
Dachshunds

I would also add that Frenchies are not the easiest dog - they are known to be stubborn and difficult to toilet train.

Definitely patterdales!

We have a cockapoo - not hard work as he’s great fun and we love him, but by christ he’s unhealthily besotted by us and can’t be left on his own. I’ve heard the same from other cockapoo owners - they’re gorgeous, very loyal and very lively.

Jack Russells. Have owned one and lived with others.

Love them, but while ours was great with the DC she would threaten to punch out the lights of any dog who thought it might get in her way, no matter how big it was. She never got into any fights, she never needed to, she'd just have GSDs backing away with their tails tucked (two of them at once, on one memorable occasion: 'I say you fuck off, so you fuck off, right?' 'Of course, madam, at once, are we fucking off fast enough...?').

And despite her general lack of leg length, she could easily keep up on a seven mile bike ride, and needed >1hr exercise a day. Hunted rabbits. Would have killed any rat that got in her way. If we let her, would stand on the window sill threatening vengeance upon any dog that walked past.

Since ours passed over to the Other Side (and I won't specify which Other Side this was), another Jack Russell has cropped in the neighbourhood. He read the manual: he is a little shit.

Working-line spaniels can also be, um, challenging. Just in a different way.

Chihuahuas are a nightmare to house train.I love mine but what a ballache.

She never got into any fights, she never needed to, she'd just have GSDs backing away with their tails tucked (two of them at once, on one memorable occasion: 'I say you fuck off, so you fuck off, right?' 'Of course, madam, at once, are we fucking off fast enough...?').

My JRT is the same - I'm in awe. How does she do it? See off dogs who could swallow her whole without actually using violence, just threatening it!

Jack Russells are a pain in the arse (but so full of character, I love my boy)

Hahahaha I've got a Parsons and he's livid if he is forced to do a long walk more than two days on the trot and spends most of his day either in the garden following the sun puddles or buried under a blanket on the sofa.

I will 100% try to kill any cat or postman that attempts to enter his garden though, and is an escapologist. We now have a very high solid wooden gate with an external postbox on...

Chihuahuas. The majority I've met are not house trained they are disgusting little dogs.
Personality wise they are delightful but unless you want piss and shit in the house.......there is one in my community who is now banned from my house because he shits in the bedrooms ffs.

First few posters are spot on imo - I came straight on to say not to get a Patterdale or JRT. I've had both (still have a JRT) and they're amazing dogs but absolutely not to be considered if you're looking for easy.

My Patterdale in particular was amazing but you couldn't drop your guard for a second (even when she was a slow, deaf 15 year old) because her drive to hunt never ever slowed down. If she'd been my first dog I think she'd have put me off forever!

Also my show cocker really hates other dogs and this is quite an issue. He loves humans, is great with kids, can be left alone quite happily and in many ways is quite low maintenance but the hating other dogs thing has professed quite a bit.

from personal experience I would say miniature dachshunds!! I love mine to bits and she’s cute AF but my god!! I’ve had and trained dogs all my life and she’s the MOST stubborn, wilful little madam I’ve ever met! Gorgeous nature though and adores children so I can forgive her a lot. That said, I gather this isn’t all that common in the breed and many are not as people-friendly.

Spaniels. I have a sprocker (springer x cocker) and God, he’s hard work. I’m an experienced dog owner and still find myself at the end of my tether with him. He’s so loving and affectionate but I still wish I’d got something with a lot fewer brain cells 😆