Small size dog for us?

[NewToDogOwnership]

I have no idea about dogs. I was brought up with cats.

DD is 9 and has SN and a medical issue. She loves animals, especially dogs. Just DD and I at home

We’re moving soon and she’s asked for a dog, backed up by her physio and paediatrician who both think it’ll be great for her. Won’t be getting it until we’ve lived there at least 6 months and sorted out our routine so this is just research.

However rules they’ve suggested:

• Small in size (ideally under 15kg)
• Not going to pull on lead
• Easy to train
• Happy to be let off lead (as running alongside the dog or playing fetch etc is great for DD)

Other things to consider:

• Need only a 15-20 minute walk twice a day (but will have a longer walk of 2-3 hours in the country side every other weekend when DD is with her dad)
• Also needs to be quite relaxed and laid back when home – happy to sit and be stroked and sang to
• Can be left for a couple of hours once a week when I go to the office - i'll literally be out the house 10am-2pm but have a family member who'd check on the dog at about 12.30 and let them in the garden
• Get on with other dogs as I have family members with dogs
• Get on with other visitors as we often have physio or podiatry visit us during school holidays – the dog is allowed to join in with these exercises as long as it’s friendly
• Need to be suitable for first time dog owners as I’ve never had a dog

Not important:

• Doesn’t have to play fetch just needs to be able to be off lead and either walk/run beside us
• Doesn’t need to be fluffy just needs to have character

Breeds I don’t like

• Staffordshire Bull Terrier
• Chihuahua

DD wants a dog she can stroke and sing to and can teach a few tricks to, she really likes West Highland Terriers and I like Yorkshire Terriers, would either of these be suitable?

As I said very new to dog ownership. We want something that’ll make us both laugh and will happily greet us both.

I have the most delightful little Cavalier King Charles who would be a good fit to almost all of your checklist (although she definitely needs more than 2 x 20 mins per day...mine usually gets an hour in the morning and 20 mins in the afternoon, but is ok with a 40 min walk in the morning and 20 mins in the afternoon).

In my experience, female dogs are generally better about being left home alone for a few hours than male dogs are. All my friends with clingy dogs have boy dogs!

I mean our dog is amazing (I may be a little bias🤩 ) so I don't think dog ownership has to be a terrible experience and we got ours as a puppy when my daughter was 10 years old. She loved training him and going to puppy classes with him, but he's been a dream to train and all he wants to do is please and cuddle. 🥰 He will do any trick for a treat 😅 and absolutely adores kids. I used to take him on the school run where he let all the kids (and teachers) fuss over him. When my daughter has friends over, he always wants to be part of the gang and be with them. He's just the bestest boy.

I don't quite understand why you can't walk the dog a bit more though especially on weekends or alternatively get a dog walker?

@NewToDogOwnership - I wonder if this could be something to investigate https://tdn.org.uk I don't think it is just care homes etc - but you could perhaps see if DD seeing a dog would be an advantage as per physio etc have said

"Able to be off lead and walk/run beside us". This is a learned skill. You said you've had kittens before - this will be nothing like having a cat! Cats are kinda instinctive. Cats will (within reason) do what they want, when they want. Dogs require a lot more input and a lot more training.

I definitely recommend a Jack Russell Terrier. We are on number 2 and despite the poor reputation they have I can honestly say they are fantastic. Both of mine are fine if they get a walk for 10mins or 2hours . Both hated getting up too early 😂
Have a granddaughter who loves our dog and dog loves and protects her.
A bit yappy when postman is due but otherwise a fabulous dog X

What’s the dog supposed to do for your DD? What’s the benefits?

Because I’m reading that list and other than getting on with other dogs... what you’re describing is a Siamese cat.

People suggested Westies… I wouldn’t suggest if it’s only 15 mins twice daily.
I adore my two… but we live rurally on 15 acres and they can run round and chase rabbits to their hearts content.

Owning a dog is fabulous.
A smaller dog eats lessand needs less walking if you choose the right one. Consider getting a smaller dog from a pound.
Jack Russell crosses are sweet with families.
I would choose a slightly older dog so that you know it's temperament and needs. The dog can match your circumstances and personalities better.
Having a back yard makes a big difference especially if your dog is also allowed to be inside.
Walking a dog can be like walking with a friend. It is necessary but is not a chore.

I think looking into visits with a pets as therapy dog is a better place to start. I think OP is very naive to think a certain breed will just walk off lead, not pull, be happy being left for four hours and settle for hours while being mithered/sang to by a child. All of those things have to be taught.
A puppy is not going to offer any of those things. Just look through the posts on here with people pulling their hair out about their 12 week old puppy chewing the skirting and nipping the kids, their ten week old puppy that’s cried all night for two weeks, the realisation that no you really can’t leave the puppy for an hour when it’s 10 weeks old and it will scream the place down, then their teenage dog that has the zoomies for four hours a day.. dogs are lovely but I think we forget when we have a lovely 4 year old that we can leave for 4 hours, and sleeps through and hasn’t shit on the floor for years how grim the puppy stages are.

A Whippet 😊 the laziest dog (apart from a greyhound) that you will ever meet.
I often have to practically beg my whippet to go for a walk 🤣 And he is totally happy for a 20 minute walk once a day, let alone twice. He is 3 years old.

As others have said, puppies are really hard work.

We have a cockapoo who fits almost all your requirements but a lot of it is down to training. MN hates cockapoos, but ours is great. And he's happy with shorter walks if he gets stimulation in other ways - we play a lot of games with him.

I don't think the physio and paed should be recommending a dog. They aren't the ones paying for it or caring for it.

DD (MH issues and waiting for asd assessment) would benefit from one. I love dogs but it would be an insane idea that would put more pressure on me.

Westies can be snappy. My friend had a Westie and it bit her DS on his face. She had to re home the dog.

We have a miniature poodle and she’s easily the best dog we’ve ever had. She’s calm, obedient, easy to train, gentle and very loving. I think the stupid haircuts put people off poodles but we give our dog a once over and she looks like a normal dog. 🐶

Thanks everyone have told DD no.

I had imagined I'd have to train it even if I went for an older rescue. I have a garden at new place, not large but not tiny, has some grass, a path etc. I imagined planting some nice smelling plants along one side and DD setting up treasure hunts for it.

I was planning to get a dog door/flap and to train the dog to use it.

I never had an age in mind, youngish but not necessarily a puppy.

I imagined with 15-20 minutes twice a day walking, plus DD playing in the garden doing reasure hunts or dancing etc It'd be fine. Probably naive of me.

Some days it'd be more as DD has activities I don't need to go inside to drop off so I could drive the dog to the activity with me - if they like that car that is - have a walk around outside while DD is inside, and then drive DD and the dog home, so that'd be 45minutes to an hour as her activities are usually 45-60 mins. That'd be 2-3 times a week.

The other walk I imagined would be in ,my lunch break, which is 30 minutes, and I need to eat in that time to. Can't take a dog on school run as DD does breakfast club and school is a 5 min walk.

I planned for off lead walks everyday if the dog could do it. I can't do more regular countryside walks as DD can't manage it, so she'd

I also wfh 3days a week so I imagined the dog to be with me, in a bed or under my desk while I worked, following me to the bathroom and into the kitchen, getting underfoot and me jokingly telling it off.

It'd be left for 4 hours once a week, but not straight away. I get I can't plan for a dog to be over summer hols though.

But I was naive, obviously. Which is fine. I won't be getting a dog. Many of my family have dogs and don't walk them for anywhere near 2 hours a day or do anything with them, one person I know doesn't even have a garden - dog is really happy, sleeps when in the house and just potters at home, has 1 10 minute walk round the block a day or sometimes not at all if its tipping it down.

We had a cat and DD was uninterested in her, she slept most of the time and just didn't do much - when she died DD was sad of course but hasn't asked for another. I'm allergic to Rabbits so thats a no go as well.

DD doesn't meltdown, she shuts down, so she stops eating, she stops talking, she stops doing things. A dog was intended to help her come out of those moments, so they don't last hours.

But we're here and I've been throughly talked out of it. I will probably never get another pet now. Too much hardwork.

I haven't read all the other comments but I have a westie X bichon friese and he's brilliant. Love kids, love dogs, has 1 30 min walk a day and a good play in the garden and then goes to the woods/beach etc on weekends and it's more than enough for him. Doesn't really like cats but that's because he's never lived with them and they just come in the garden, I think had he been brought up with them he'd be ok. Weighs 10kg. All I will say is he has a few allergies (chicken and grains) but you need to make sure you're feeding a good quality food (like forthglade) anyway, so it's not an issue.

@NewToDogOwnership I think the most naive part of that is saying the dog who is confined to an inside life and only occasionally gets a 10 minute walk around the block is perfectly happy.

yep I agree… a dog coping with its surroundings doesn’t mean it’s happy. Walking a dog isn’t just about exercise, it’s about stimulation, socialisation and training. Ten/15 minutes isn’t going to do that

one person I know doesn't even have a garden - dog is really happy, sleeps when in the house and just potters at home, has 1 10 minute walk round the block a day or sometimes not at all if its tipping it down.

I would bet my house that this dog isn't even remotely happy, let alone "really happy".

Where does it go to the toilet? How does it get any mental or physical stimulation? Does it never meet other dogs or people or run and play and explore new places?

Sounds utterly shit to me. Does it really sound like an existence that would make a dog happy to you?

@cinnamonfrenchtoast He never pees or poops in the house from what I can tell (maybe he does but person doesn't tell me). He literally sits down in his bed after greeting guests or walks around with his owner. Doesn't seem unhappy but I've never had dogs so wouldn't know what being unhappy meant.

I'd wait until your dd was in secondary school and can take a dog out by herself. We waited until our dc were nine and twelve.

On the days we are all at out, dh walks the dog at six before work and then we have a dog walker who takes her out at lunchtime-ish and the children walk her at about three thirty after school.

When I'm not working I take her for a good couple of hours in woodland and it's the best part of my day really. I love the walking side of having a dog.

one person I know doesn't even have a garden - dog is really happy, sleeps when in the house and just potters at home, has 1 10 minute walk round the block a day or sometimes not at all if its tipping it down.

Does it wear a nappy or something?

Can you face therapy dogs visit you?

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=therapy+dog+visits&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari

https://petsastherapy.org/

Havanese. Similar to a Bichon but straight haired. I keep them short in a puppy cut to make grooming easier to manage . Lovely sweet natures, non shedding. 20 mins walk twice a day fine for them,

But we're here and I've been throughly talked out of it. I will probably never get another pet now. Too much hardwork.

yes well, there is no doubt at all that having a pet is hard work so it’s good that you made a thread to help you to decide that you don’t want to do that hard work.