Puppy recommendations

[Daisrose]

Hello all, I’ve name changed as this is incredibly outing. We got a little schnauzer after failed ivf threw up a host of medical conditions for me that I’ve been living with since. She was sassy, sweet, funny, playful and so loving. Basically my little sidekick as I’m also self employed. At 13 months, we went away leaving her with a dog sitter that she adored and very sadly and suddenly, she passed away. It’s been incredibly traumatic and I’m still in the midst of grief. I am finding myself looking at puppies and know we will get another one at some point. I’m looking for recs, a pup that’s playful, loving, has personality, can be left alone for a few hours, happy to go places with me, NO guard dog personalities 🙈 - we were training her out of it but would be lovely not to have that, friendly and happy to be around kids even though we don’t have any. Not massively energetic, happy with a 45min walk plus a couple of walks throughout the day plus some longer ones at the weekend. We are flat living city people with a small garden. I don’t think I want the same breed as I just loved her face so much and know I will compare another to her. My current list is … and yes please don’t give me grief over designer breeds, I’m just looking for a nice dog and I’m sad. And yes, I’m looking at rescue dogs too

Cavapoo
Cavapoochon
Mini golden doodle
Schnoodle
Border terrier
Mini poodle
Bedlington terrier
Mini labradoodle
Lurcher
Australian labradoodle

Lachon, Bichon Lhasa cross
Whippet
Miniature Schnauzer
Havanese
Brussels Griffon

Thank you dog lovers ❤️

I would absolutely love a border terrier, but didn't get close enough to having one to do any proper PROPER research, so can't advise there I'm afraid - other to say that I love them 🤣

We ended up with a poodle mix, who is the most gorgeous, friendly (over, if anything), sociable babe.

However, I wouldn't get another.

As with any mixed breed, it's hard to find a breeder you are happy with. His parents were health tested, and he's a few generations in. If you get a poodle mix, research your breeders.

Poodle mixes are also very high maintenance.
He requires daily brush, and grooming every 5ish weeks, which is expensive.

Border terriers require hand stripping, but not frequently I don't think.

What about a Cavalier rather than one if the crosses. Wonderful, calm easy dogs

They are just the best, we got ours nearly a year ago and you couldn't ask for a better dog, he's just the best. Ticks all your boxes, too.

Do go to a reputable breeder who's done all the health checks though, and be prepared to pay for top quality insurance. Or try a rescue - Bliss Cavaliers, or Many Tears seem to get a few Cavs.

Here's our boy Harry.

Photo didn't post!

Aargh.

I give up!

Made me chuckle @MadameSzyszkoBohusz ! Re the photo, I’m sure he’s gorgeous. Tell me more about cavaliers!

@DrMeredithGrey2023 thank you. Why wouldn’t you get another one? I guess my thinking behind a cross, is less health issues?! But I have no idea how to find a reputable mixed breed breeder. I think border terriers are very cute too

I’ve got two cavaliers and I think they are perfect. Clever enough to be easily trainable without needing to work their brains constantly, don’t have the stubbornness or happiness of some of the other smaller breeds, funny spaniel
personalities without the hyper cocker/springer traits, SO gentle, ours love being out and about with us but we can leave them easily for about 4 hrs and they are fine.
Will come for a hike but most days get about an hour, and that’s fine for them too.

Well I won't comment on most of the cross-breeds you've mentioned as you've requested not - I will just ask you to look VERY carefully at puppy farming, how prevalent it is, and how much some people conceal the origins of their puppies. It is an evil industry, please do all you can not to support it. Obviously that counts for many of the pedigrees too.

That said, with a flat and the exercise requirements you state, you certainly don't want any form of Labrador/Golden Retriever/large Poodle cross!

If you enjoyed your poor sweet Mini, why not look at a different colour of the same breed to avoid the comparisons?

Totally agree, best little dogs ever, can have some breed health issues though so need to find a reputable breeder where parents have been health checked.

Honestly I wouldn't get another schnauzer. My parents got the same breed after they lost their previous dog after 14 years. Worst decision they made. The poor puppy was in their deceased dogs shadow and never lived up to his name.

That should say yappy Ness not happiness

I think they're gorgeous but i really wouldn't as the breeding is awful.

The Cavalier King Charles spaniel is one of the unhealthiest dog breeds in the world. They were deemed to be suffering so greatly from health problems that the Oslo District Court banned the breeding of Cavaliers in Norway altogether, as their propensity for unhealthiness was considered to be a violation of the country’s Animal Welfare Act. But why does this breed have so many health problems?
All Cavaliers and Cavalier mixes originate from just six Cavalier King Charles spaniels who were inbred to restart the breed after World War II. This inbreeding is likely what has led to the prevalence of certain genetic health issues and diseases within the breed. Because the conditions are genetic, dogs mixed with Cavalier King Charles spaniels, like the “Cavapoo” (a Cavalier-poodle mix), are still likely to inherit health issues. Cavaliers, like all dogs bought and sold, are exploited from birth to line the pockets of breeders who don’t care if the dogs endure painful conditions.

More info here:

@LoveWillGetYouThere i really don’t think I can. I think my heart would break even more being reminded of her

@Choconut wow, that’s scary reading

I wouldn't get one again based on the ongoing cost and upkeep of his coat. I'm not completely foolish - I did look in to grooming and made his first appointment with his groomer before I'd even collected him 🤣 he's just quite a big boy and I miss the days of having a dog I can just rub down with a towel after a wet walk. I absolutely loathe walking him in the rain (I do, I'm not a fair weather dog owner) but he takes forever to dry. What he lacks in hair shedding in the house he makes up for in mud!

To be fair, we keep him as long as possible, as he has a gorgeous fleece coat. Maybe if we just had him cut short he wouldn't need brushing daily, I'm not sure.

@DrMeredithGrey2023 ahhh that’s interesting. Yeah our mini needed more grooming than I realised and it adds up! The short cut does make life easier

@Sarvanga38 you’re probably right re - any form of Labrador/Golden Retriever/large Poodle cross!

We spent over a year finding the breeder for our mini so are willing to put the time in

A mini poodle is a good call - if you dont get the traditional poodle cut they look pretty similar to a cavapoo.

We do have a cavapoo (a semi rescue in that a family member got her and then had a change of circs). It would not have been our choice due to issues re finding a good breeder. But she is absolutely adorable and meets most of your criteria except she does not love being left. We have worked up to 3 hours and she is just about ok. We dont find the grooming particularly onerous. She does go to the groomers about once every 8-10 weeks but does not need daily grooming in between (apart from the period when her puppy fur was transitioning to adult fur when it would get matted very quickly without regular brushing).

We plan to get a second dog when I retire in a couple of years and although i would love another cavapoo i just would not get a cross. We were on the lookout for a havanese or tibetan terrier when we were asked to take her on, and that is probably where i would start again.

@WhyOhWine thank you as well. Why wouldn’t you get another cross? Tibetan terrier was also on my list… not that I’ve met any!

Sorry for your loss. That must have been such a shock.

I have a border terrier. She is 7.5 months. My last dog was a terrier sighthound cross so I am used to the breed traits. I have taught lots of BTs agility and always said if we bought a breed then that's what I'd have.

Good bits
She is sassy. Attitude but a nice one. Much like the last dog.
She is cuddly but likes her own space. Not clingy
We haven't left her long yet as she's young but she is showing signs of being fine when she grows up a bit
She loves her walks - her recall is fabulous but we have worked very hard on choice based training with her from the first time she went off the lead.
She lives with a calm confident cat - she would irritate him to death if left alone with him - she just wants to play. She is getting better with him. Her breeder had cats and the adult terriers left him alone. Just the puppies were a pain.
She is excelling at her training classes and I find her easy to train but then I understand dogs and in particular terriers. You have to make it worth their while
She is cautious with other dogs - she has had some bad experiences as we live in land of don't give a shit if my adult dog is pounding your puppy into the ground but she is improving with careful exposure.

Bad bits
None really. She will need hand stripping and I am finding it hard to find someone to do that where we live.
She can be barky but it's excitement and again we manage it and it's not horrific.

It found us ages to find a breeder that wasn't a dealer. They have become very popular and the dealers are cashing in on that. She is KC reg from very good breed lines (dad is a top show dog) but mum is a pet. Her breeder does breed from a few dogs - all pets and all within the KC guidelines and they aren't disposable. Much loved family dogs. We were on several waiting lists for show breeders but they were very small, timid and quiet dogs whereas I wanted something with a bit more zip so she will hopefully enjoy agility in the future.

only reason i would not get another cross is i think it is too hard to find a good breeder.