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The doghouse

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What sort of dog do I want can anyone help with breeds?

56 replies

Wanttogetapuppy · 02/08/2023 22:25

I’m looking for a puppy and would like one with the following characteristics

-hypoallergenic (some kind of poodle ?)
-small breed
-good calm temperament
-doesn’t need lots of exercise
-no shedding/as minimal ‘dog’ smell as possible
-easy to train
-good with children

Can anyone advise ? Also where do I find reputable breeders as I want to avoid anything like gumtree etc obviously and to go to somewhere that isn’t a puppy farm
Thankyou !

OP posts:
mfhtoeh · 03/08/2023 06:53

+1 miniature schnauzer

mrsnjw · 03/08/2023 06:55

I second miniature schnauzer. We have a wonderful three year old.

YoDood · 03/08/2023 07:06

The only thing with schnauzers is that they have a reputation for being very yappy (and certainly that’s my experience of the ones I know).

Ihatethezoo · 03/08/2023 07:33

A shih tzu, I have always had them. My family do too. Their favourite thing is to curl up on couch next yo you. Don't moult, hypoallergenic, friendly, love my kids.
They're happy with short walks and a play in the garden.
A lot of people have said Bichon, my friend has one & so does her neighbour all they do it bark, especially when people knock or someone walks past. It's awful annoying, plus they get horrible brown staines around mouth, eyes & bum.

Ikeameatballlunch · 03/08/2023 07:35

If a high energy dog will catch a ball it's not high energy for you.

However, all dogs are high energy really.

My relative's (large long hair) chihuahua is bonkers

Ikeameatballlunch · 03/08/2023 07:36

Whippets or Italian greyhound would probably fit the best.

Love to sleep.

Don't really shed much as the fur is so short

TheGreenSketch · 03/08/2023 07:39

Do you actually want a dog? Your description sounds like a plush-toy that’ll walk around and probably like cuddles.

Ylvamoon · 03/08/2023 07:54

If you want something a bit different, I think a Chinese Crested (Powderpuff) would be the perfect fit! They don't shed, don't smell and are small. However, they do need exercise/ lots of stimulation as they are clever little dogs.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 03/08/2023 08:04

I would recommend looking after MIL’s dog for a couple of weeks full time.

DH and I were adamant we wanted a dog but looked after a friend’s dog (Labradoodle and a lovely dog with a really calm temperament) whilst they were on holiday. We adored him the first time and took him everywhere. That was a week in the summer. The second time we had him was 2 weeks in the Autumn and it rained continually. Suddenly walks were less fun and there were fewer places we could take him that weren’t outside. It made us realise that, whilst we love dogs, we don’t actually want our own. We still look after our friend’s dog every now and then and enjoy it when he’s here but I’m always glad to have my house and freedom back when he goes again.

SirSniffsAlot · 03/08/2023 08:14

-hypoallergenic (some kind of poodle ?)
There is no such thing, because it really depends on what you (or whoever) is actually allergic to. Some breeds are more likely to trigger an allergic reaction becaise of the hair and dander they shed and all dogs shed to a degree. This is really worth understanding because if you are trying to get a dog that does not trigger a specific person's allergy then you need to do what you can to establish exactly what they are allergic to, test around the breeds you are thinking about and then still accept that there is a chance they will have an allergic reaction to your dog.

-small breed
Loads of them Grin

-good calm temperament
Much of this depends on the breeding and upbringing but, as a general rule, companion breeds tend to be calmer than working breeds. Companion breeds do include some breeds that worked a long time ago but have mainly been bred for companionship since. So as you research your breeds, look at the breed's history.

-doesn’t need lots of exercise
Loads means different things to different people. I walk mine twice a day for about an hour each time and I think he is especially lazy. For many people that is actually a lot of exercise, because finding 3 extra hours in the day is hard when people are so busy (2 hours walking plus a hour to cover two lots of getting ready, travelling to somewhere decent, getting back, drying the dog off, changing shoes etc).

So you probably need to be clear what you mean by 'not a lot'?

-no shedding/as minimal ‘dog’ smell as possible
Dogs with poodle type fur shed less but dogs with short fur tend to smell less - but there is huge variety between breeds and individual dogs within the breed. Really, once you have a dog you do kind of have to accept your house will always smell a bit doggy to visitors. The car definately will.

-easy to train
As a general rule, those breeds whose purpose is to work one-on-one with a single person are the easiest to train. As in they tend to be the quickest to train and the ones most sensitive to getting it right. Collies, spaniels, that kind of thing. BUT it is not always a good thing and they come with their downsides - eg sensitivity to getting it right tends to go hand in hand wiith sensitivity generally, with can be linked to anxiety. Again, the companion breeds tend to be easiest to live with, with minimal training. Though all dogs will benefit from training, obviously.

-good with children
Then you are looking for tolerance in a dog. Lots of working breeds are not that tolerant. This is especially true of the terriers. I've known some wonderfully calm and tolerant terriers but it's not totally typical of the group.

A couple of other points to ponder

  1. A breed is not a guarantee. You could spend forever picking a breed and then end up with an individual dog that is not typical. This happens more than you think. There are no guarantees than a new little bichon (for eg) won't grow to be a budding athlete that is happiest with several walks a day. The dog you get will be the dog you have and you will have to meet their individual requirements. The only way to be reasonably sure of the dog you are getting, is to get it as an adult so their temperament is already apparent.
  2. Yours is a wish list but you would do as well to really think about things you cannot live with. Barking. Digging. Chewing. Seperation anxiety. all for examples. All can be worked on with training but it would be madness to get a dacshund (for eg) - a breed bred to go down holes - and then be upset when you have to work on their digging habit.
SirSniffsAlot · 03/08/2023 08:15

The second time we had him was 2 weeks in the Autumn and it rained continually. Suddenly walks were less fun and there were fewer places we could take him that weren’t outside.

Agree with this. A dog in the summer is a totally different animal to a dog in the winter Grin

Newpeep · 03/08/2023 08:41

How much training do you want to do?

My high energy terrier (and the one before her) ‘only’ has an hour of exercise a day (off lead, enriching woods, drivers tracks, beaches etc, not a park) but we do a lot of brain work with her so that’s enough. She does agility and obedience so two classes a week plus training of some description every day. She also gets enrichment games and puzzles.

Most dog sport people and those into training don’t walk for hours but do exercise their dogs brains. Anything poodle, schnauzer or terrier will need this to be happy IMO.

pilates · 03/08/2023 09:29

Miniature schnauzer from a proper breeder. Expect to pay up to £1,500.

Jellybebe · 03/08/2023 10:01

The advice from a previous poster to take care of MIL dog full time for a few weeks is a really good suggestion. It is easy enough to look after a dog for a few hours for cuddles and a walk on a sunny afternoon but completely different to owning one, especially a demanding puppy and it sounds like most of the hard work is going to be on you.

People can often underestimate how much dog ownership can interfere with their lives and they expect the dog to just fit around their lifestyle which does not work. It is therefore much easier if you have the type of lifestyle a dog needs - do you already enjoy walking in your free time as if you are not already a 'Walky' person then it is unlikely you are going to enjoy doing it everyday in the pissing rain just because you have now got a dog. You also need to consider how you currently spend your weekends as if you like days out as a family to theme parks or fancy restaurants then you need to realise that having a dog is very restrictive for this and one of you will now need to pop back to take the dog out or stay behind whilst the rest do the family go out. You can also forget holidaying abroad unless you can get doggy care .

Ikeameatballlunch · 03/08/2023 10:56

Ikeameatballlunch · 03/08/2023 07:36

Whippets or Italian greyhound would probably fit the best.

Love to sleep.

Don't really shed much as the fur is so short

Don't smell and good with kids.

Italian greyhounds have generally lost the prey drive too. There are some larger boned ones around. They're actually gorgeous little things and generally really friendly.

My fave dog is Sheltie as they generally fit the rest of your requirements bar the hair, and have been bred to be much more friendly / less guard dog like now - but I'm a very experienced fluff dealer 😎

Mini Poodles don't smell doggy and are delightful but are v intelligent so you'd have to be very aware of dog psychology and training.

Definitelyrandom · 03/08/2023 11:09

I'd second (or third) a retired greyhound. Females are often surprisingly small (certainly compared to our big lad) and if you're working from home there's nothing nicer than a (mostly) kipping greyhound in the same room.

vivainsomnia · 03/08/2023 13:58

Yorkie, Bichon Frise, miniature poodle, Maltese tick all the boxes.

Ikeameatballlunch · 03/08/2023 14:22

Definitelyrandom · 03/08/2023 11:09

I'd second (or third) a retired greyhound. Females are often surprisingly small (certainly compared to our big lad) and if you're working from home there's nothing nicer than a (mostly) kipping greyhound in the same room.

Yes - especially if they've been cat, small dog and child tested. Many rescues do do this; there's one I know in Durham that does.

Bairnsmum05 · 03/08/2023 21:30

You are describing my whippet to a tee.

jbee1979 · 03/08/2023 21:57

cheapskatemum · 02/08/2023 23:08

Lhasa Apso would be a good breed for you. They do need brushing though. You can keep fur short by taking to a dog groomer every 3 months or so.

Yes yes yes 🙌 best dog in the world ❤️❤️❤️

WatchOutMissMarpleIsAbout · 04/08/2023 05:33

We have a rescue Lhasa. She’s amazing. Stubborn but amazing with kids. Tolerant. Only likes one walk a day. I swear she just parks her bum if we want to take her out twice. But prefers to play with us & her toys in the evening. She gives me unconditional love & doesn’t answer me back like the rest of the family.

I can give you rescue we got her through & you can take from there as they may know about puppies & breeders. Let me know & I’ll pm you.

2catsand2kids · 04/08/2023 07:51

We have a miniature poodle and it meets your list pretty well. He doesn’t shed or smell, great with kids, easy to train, not at all barky and generally an affectionate, beautiful dog. We had to do a lot of training around separation anxiety though.

However having a dog is so much harder than I thought it would be, it takes up huge amounts of time and money and limits what you can spontaneously do. I love him to pieces (he’s nearly three now) but would not have got him had I realised what life with a dog would be like or how stressful my husband would find it.

Paramummy3 · 04/08/2023 07:52

A jackapoo

WatchOutMissMarpleIsAbout · 04/08/2023 08:14

Please do not get a cross. So many are puppy farmed or bred by pet owners with no real experience.

wellstopdoingitthen · 21/08/2023 19:24

Did you decide on a dog yet OP? 🐾