Good breeds for first time dog owners?

[Eastereggs1]

I’m thinking of getting my first dog having always had cats around.

Firstly, would I be a horrible dog owner to have a dog in a flat? There is a shared garden to the back and I see lots of dogs playing there during the day, plus several parks nearby. I know there are a few pups in my block but I am a bit worried!

What are some good breeds for a first time dog mum? I love westies and have also been looking at cavapoos, cavachons and maltipoos. I’m not so keen on pugs/bulldogs etc.

I mostly work from home but there is a doggy day care around the corner from me and another a 15 min drive away for the days I do have to go to the office.

I would like a rescue pup but don’t think anyone would accept me since I’ve never had a dog and don’t have a secure garden. I also have young children in my family.

@Eastereggs1 I worked for Scottish staffy rescue for many years and they absolutely rehomed dogs to flats.

I lived on union street in Aberdeen in a top floor flat with a boxer and a JRT. I never had a issue. My dogs got walked many times a day, in fact most likely way more than people in houses as they just shove them in the garden.

Plenty of people in flats manage perfectly well with dogs and lots of rescues understand this.

If you are an inexperienced dog owner with no garden it’s impossible to adopt from a rescue (which makes me think I shouldn’t get a dog!).. if you know if any rescues in Scotland that will allow it then please let me know.

That doesn't mean you go for a puppy farmed designer cross instead 😬

But in all honesty, if no rescue or reputable breeder will allow you to adopt or buy, maybe there's a good reason for that. If you have no dog experience you want to make things as easy as possible for your first dog - and that probably includes having a garden for easy access to the toilet so that you can toilet train quickly and don't need to go out 5-6 times a day, everyday.

Some utter baloney re cross breeds as per the norm on MN. Frankly I’d ignore the MN obsession with having a purebred.

Research, research, research where you buy any dog. Any type of dog can come from a breeder who shouldn’t be doing it and a dog bring a non cross isn’t going to stop that. It is really damaging to infer it is the case. Some larger breeders will be better than smaller. You need to visit first( several times), check facilities, cleanliness, happiness and health of animals, environment, meet the mum and ensure she is nursing and with the litter etc.

If you want a cross research traits of both and ensure you can accommodate the worst of birth. Research breeds. We crossed off many, many purebreds as unsuitable for us and went

Cavspoos have health issues so I’d avoid.

Frankly I don’t think keeping a dog in a flat is kind. I think space, outdoor access, time for decent walking, how much it would need to be left alone,quality of walks available, size of dog etc all need to be considered.

We have a Cockapoo from a very good breeder who breeds from KC registered parents and has the most lovely facilities. We have the full history of both parents and all diseases were screened for. Pups vet checked by them and us. Breeder insisted we had our own vet checks too very soon after taking her home.We visited several times often unannounced and they were always clean,amazing facilities, li very environment with mum etc. Really healthy happy dogs. Our vet commented on it when she first had her check 2 days after we took her home and since.

Cockapoos have been around since the 50s so aren’t a fad but I wouldn’t recommend them for a flat or a poodle for that matter. A ridiculous suggestion.

www.hillspet.com/dog-care/dog-breeds/poodle

In other countries where most people live in flats they have dogs too. You will be ok.
It’s a bit of extra work and maybe you should plan logistics more, like: should you get it in Spring instead of winter so pup can adapt to you and the flat while go out outside a lot and by next winter if fully potty trained? can you create a sunny spot in the house for the dog? Can you give it a tun every morning and afternoon/ evening? Not just going out for a wee.
And just educate yourself as much as you can in the breed you’re getting. Good luck.

We have a Cockapoo from a very good breeder who breeds from KC registered parents and has the most lovely facilities. We have the full history of both parents and all diseases were screened for. Pups vet checked by them and us. Breeder insisted we had our own vet checks too very soon after taking her home.We visited several times often unannounced and they were always clean,amazing facilities, li very environment with mum etc

what do you mean by “facilities”?

I take it that means a bulk breeder with some sort of kennelling arrangement for multiple whelping mums? Pups not raised in the home?

o/p is a first time owner. Chances of her being able to spot a puppy farm or byb are slim, especially with designer crosses.

there was a thread here last Week where someone’s mum had been taken in - lovely farm, home raised pups, all staged to sell the litter.

I've only ever had chihuahuas... (and one sausage dog) but I got my first chihuahua and never looked back. People have a lot of hate for them but they are perfect little dogs if we'll socialised! Mine are loyal, low maintenance, loving, they don't bark a lot, they don't cost too much in food! You don't have to walk miles.

My sausage dog however... she's a little shit! I do love her though! She can walk for miles & miles as well! Xx

Second those saying ex-racing greyhound. Will likely come to you already housetrained and some of the breed-specific rescues will rehome to flats and don’t mind if you don’t have a garden.

Plus the poo mixes like that very much tend to be bred by puppy farmers. I would avoid

This is rubbish. We have the most loving cavapoo who was most definitely not puppy farm bred. Would recommend as a breed. Intelligent, very trainable, non shedding and very loving.

An ex race hound - in a flat!

They are honestly the laziest, easiest-going dogs in the world. Even when I had a highly strung, anxious female one she still slept for 21 hours a day and only wanted an hour or less of walking a day.

I have a bigger male greyhound now and he spends the day moving between the sofa and his bed and occasionally pestering me for a treat. I’ve never heard him bark. He also doesn’t take me on particularly long walks.

They don’t need loads of room, they don’t need loads of exercise, they don’t tend to make much noise, not big shedders and low dander skin so don’t smell. As long as you can get them comfy with the stairs in your place (which they often haven’t encountered before) I can’t see why it wouldn’t work. I know people with greyhounds in apartments.

Why not?

Greyhounds are exceptionally lazy dogs. They don't like rain or cold or bad weather and, contrary to popular belief, need very little exercise.

They're not my kind of dog at all, but they're a much better suggestion than some of the other breeds mentioned on here!

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣No. Just no.

House cat? You could (I imagine, get a rescue). That’s not sarcasm- I just can’t imagine having a dog in a flat. My Lab has bouts of IBS I cannot picture having him in a flat- he can spend an hour outside and I need a hose pipe afterwards. TMI sorry… but it just sounds a bad idea.

Failing that, get a small dog!

When I was much younger my grandma moved in with me and she brought with her a rescue daschund puppy. I lived in a flat and boy was he a nightmare to potty train. We got there eventually and he was a lovely little guy but it certainly was a challenge!

Here’s my short and long list:

Whippet
pug

Never have I ever met a nasty pug!

NOT a golden retriever (gorgeous and lovable as anything but full on!)
And steer clear of other lurchers like Salukis. They can be extremely difficult to handle.
No working dogs.

Don’t get a poodle cross they are virtually impossible to find from reputable breeders. Of the people I know in flats with dogs the one that seems to be the best is someone with a Bichon.

Also suggesting a rescue greyhound. The advantage of an adult rescue is you will know the temperament and you can rescue a dog that's already housetrained.

We have a rescue Dal who is so well trained. He would actually have been fine in a flat as he is super lazy but I think that's unusual for dal's!

General guide to getting a greyhound is also to buy an extra sofa as it will take up residence and not move.

they are fast twitch animals. Short, high speed bursts, sleep in between. As long as they have access to a suitable field or park they will spend the rest of the time refusing to move.

D'you have a balcony? Subject to it being safe, you could toilet train a pup there if so. Agree with others about the shared garden being a problem. I'm not sure what you'd do in the 3 or so weeks whilst they can't go on the ground.

For that reason, and the endless trips to a potty stop, a rescue might work best.

Are ex racing greyhounds generally toilet trained on arrival though? I thought many had lived outside and were not housetrained as a result.

Please don't get a Frenchie. They commonly have multiple expensive health issues because they are bred to be brachycephalic. I see and hear so many grunting, wheezing (and consequently overweight, because can't exercise properly) flat faced dogs on our walks.

My friend's westie is so frigging noisy. Dachshunds the same, plus health issues. Mini poodle could be good.

Lots of dog daycares are full with long waiting lists so best check they definitely have places if you are going to rely on them.

@Goawayangryman racing greyhounds have lived in kennels, not quite the same as outside, but are still accustomed to the idea of not shitting where you eat, if you will 😀

It’s common to have the occasional accident in the house as they adjust to their new surroundings but not generally the same level of input required to get them settled as you might have with a pup.

I've an ex racing greyhound and I didn't need to toilet train him, he just got it straight away. I'm a first time dog owner. Had a lot of problems with walking and separation anxiety as he is very nervous, but I've had him 18 months now and we're turning a corner and he js the best company. Just great.

Also I think sleeps 21/22 hours a day! But can also go out for a day if needed.

We have an ex racing greyhound, he's wonderful.
Inside the house, calm, gentle, laid back. Needs 2 walks a day, 20-30 mins but will do more if we/he fancies. He's like a big cat. Sleeps a lot. They're known as 40mph couch potatoes!!
Great with children, sensitive, quirky.
Came to us almost 2 years ago and has only had 1 wee accident, he very quickly picked up that our back garden was for wees etc.
I know people do have them in flats.
You need a breed specific rescue. Please do consider 'adopt, don't shop'; 8000 greys are given away by racing tracks annually, and need homes. They make wonderful pets.
I'm a first time dog owner (apart from having a terrier as a child), with children age 11 and 14.

Notanotherusername4321 has it right above, greys are sprinters. A quick zoomie in a secure field, garden or even indoors, for 1 minute, and they're done for the day. They're not marathon runners - the biggest myth about greys is that they need tons of exercise! If only I had a pound for every time....
Mental stimulation of course is very good for them,enrichment, etc, to tore them out, but that goes for any breed.

I'd probably get a Jack Russell or boarder terrier.

My JRT is 17 now and has been a dream from the start. My mum has a boarder terrier - she's a bit whiny but otherwise a lovely dog