Advice on which small breed ?

[CocoLady]

Hi all I'm
Looking For the best small dog/breed for a family of 3.(2 adults & 1 child)
Doesn't have to be a pedigree etc. does anyone have any advice thanks xx

Border terrier or cavalier. Oh or a whippet. Chihuahuas can be yappy and snappy 🙈

A neighbour of mine has a jack Russel chihuahua cross and he is a lovely dog. He is excellent with other dogs, including mine. Owners have a small child and they get on fabulously.

Agree. A BT seems the obvious fit. Or a BT cross.

Whippets are amazing, or a small Lurcher such was a whipped x bedlington terrier. Lovely temperaments, sleep a lot and don’t need to be walked for miles. My Lurcher hasn’t twitched for 2 hours and is sound asleep.
They don’t need the attention of a groomer, a good brush once a week should be fine. More if you like. They can be a bit dim in the recall department but some treats in your pocket can work wonders.

I’m slightly biased because I have a chihuahua and I think they are great! You do have to put the effort in with toilet training and socialisation is really important so they don’t turn yappy but I love mine to pieces. Mine loves nothing more than snuggling with us on the sofa and will hop up and make herself comfy on someone as soon as they sit down. I walk mine twice a day and do longer walks at weekends and she loves them, she also has free run of the garden when we’re home.

Another vote for a Border. Amazing dogs, huge personalities in a perfect sized body. I've fallen for the breed after being a "big dog" person.

@PieonaBarm I forgot the bladder of steel!! Only now at almost 14 does my boy need to go more often.

Just to add another option into the mix..

We have a rescue Shih Tzu cross and she is amazing….brilliant with kids, not yappy (actually has a ‘big dog bark’ and only uses it occasionally) and clever (but she’s 10% collie.. we had her dna done). Also love the lack of shedding (does mean grooming though)

My colleague has a basset x lab - lovely dog, looks like a cartoon character! really smiley face and kinds looks like a dopey corgi (in a lovable way!). He got him via a fostering placement- which worked really well. He initially had two chihuahua‘s as fosters but didn’t want to keep them, then he got this new one and his son fell in love so the dog stayed! It was a bit like a ‘try before you buy’ process.

You can’t beat a cockapoo

ultimate family dog

no moulting

everyone’s best mate and whilst needy can be left alone school hours no problem

mines content with an hour walk or even a day off with no walk if weathers bad or we are really busy

I haven’t met a cockapoo that wasn’t amazing

Thanks @PieonaBarm. I adore BTs. Also in the running are a Westie or Cairn terrier. We had a cairn as a family pet when I was a kid and he was fabulous. We've dog sat a Westie and I cried when she left us after a week!

A rescue dog. There's no such thing as a responsible breeder

Yes, luv, and try getting a rescue dog when you have young DC... I know, because I tried 20 years ago, and it hasn't got any easier.

There are plenty of responsible breeders out there, too, who breed healthy litters, think carefully about who gets the puppies, and will take a dog back. These are not the dogs who end up in rescue.

OP, whichever breed you go for, it's very helpful to meet the parent dogs, to give you a better idea of temperament. It's not a guarantee, though, only a guide.

We had a JRT when our DC were young, a proper feisty prey-driven one, and she was brilliant with them. They're not for the faint-hearted, though, and we had JRT experience, so as PP suggest a border or a cairn might be a better shout.

@Dippydonky we have a basset and she's the reason why I believe size of dog isn't a deciding factor. Larger dogs can be a lot calmer and chilled around children.

We had two JRT X chihuahua when I was a teen. They were absolutely lovely dogs. So sweet.

One of our dogs is a Jrt/chihuahua and is an amazing dog! Barks at some dogs but loves people and is ever so cute. He's nearly 4 bit still looks like a puppy. I can't imagine life without him in it 😍

Malshi - maltese and shih tzu, no shed not much exercise needed but we do go on regular walks! She is an amazing and lovely member of our family. Don't know what I was doing before her