Which small dog for a big family?

[HBGKC]

Hello MN, I'm after your expertise on which small-medium dog breed would be the best shout for our large family.

My eldest daughters (22&20, will be at home for a few years yet) really want to get a dog. I've made it clear that they will be responsible for it/its mess/its costs/exercise/meals etc

Our youngest child is 2, loves animals, & is used to our neighbour's cat who spends a lot of time in our house. We also have 5,8 & 10 year old girls (and a couple more older ones but don't want to out myself!)

There is always someone at home, so a breed that wants company pretty much round the clock would suit us well.

Exercise - an hour a day we could easily manage

Low-shedding pls!

Don't mind even daily grooming, as there's enough of us to take turns, as long as it's fairly simple to learn how to do.

In a terraced house, and I'm noise-sensitive, so not a yappy breed or one prone to incessant barking.

My research has thrown up: bichon frise, poodles (miniature?), Maltese (my DDs don't like the look of those tho)... they live all the cute Daschund & Cavalier crossbreeds, which I'm trying to warn them against...

Any advice welcome

Oh - coton de tulear also came up, but they seem quite rare and expensive to boot! (Forgot to say that we/they don't have ££££ to spend on an expensive breed of pup.)

The humble lurcher is a very underestimated family ddog. We had 1 before ds was born. Now have 2 and ds declares them his besties...
Not all hunt and kill things. We have 2 dcats.
Fold up small!!

Cairn terrier. Vastly underrated dogs.

yorkie. Have a reputation for being yappy but if you actually treat them like dogs and train them correctly they are no worse than any other breed. Mine has been trained to bark at the door as i often don’t hear it, but once the door is open he shuts up. But fit all your requirements.

A beagle might be good. They're great family dogs, although they do shed. And can they have a loud bark.

Came on to say Cairn! I have two, my Dad has one and I had one as a childhood bet. Lovely dogs - full of personality. V low shedders. Lindcoly are good breeders.

Cocker spaniel, I’m living with my 2nd blue roan. Lovely temperaments, clever and usually excellent with children.
whatever you decide on - find a good breeder, see the mother with her litter, 5 year health/pedigree on both parents. Pups bred indoors not in a shed.

Thank you all - cairn terriers sound like a great match.

One slight concern about them, tho, given they're likely to chase other animals - what would they do to our neighbour's cat who scrambles over the six foot fence to visit us regularly? Would he be able to scale the fence over to her side..? Or would he just chase her off so that she returns home to her own side of the fence?

English cocker spaniels also look beautiful tho! Too many lovely dogs to choose from.

I wouldn’t recommend a cocker spaniel. A good cocker spaniel is a thing of beauty but too many these days are bought by inappropriate owners (small children, not giving the dog enough exercise etc).

Have a look at spaniel aid and see how many have been given up because they need to much exercise - I’ve fostered two in the last year who were basically relinquished because they weren’t stimulated enough. And when a cocker spaniel goes wrong, it goes VERY wrong.

^^ what @Killingoffmyflowersonebyone said, times 100.

Please don't get a cocker spaniel. In the right homes they're a joy, but they are not easy dogs and are prone to resource guarding if not handled properly and given the correct boundaries.

I agree with those who recommended a cairn terrier. We also have a beagle who would fit with what you need, though they can be noisy and don't often like being alone.

I'd also have a think about the long-term, what happens when your daughters move out? Will they want to take the dog and will they be able to do so? Can you commit to a dog for the next 15 years?

The cairns I knew got on really well with cats. Same with yorkies. I think the size makes them not seen as “prey”

I’d often find the cat and dog conspiring to get whatever they’d found into the house.

the other plus with cairns/yorkies is they aren’t “fashionable”, so you have a better chance of finding a genuine breeder rather than having to wade through puppy farms. Try champ dogs or do a bit of research on shows etc.

Miniature Schnauzer! Perfect fit into our family and doesn't shed xx

Not a working cocker unless you are prepared to put many hours of training in. They can be high anxiety, prone to resource guarding and separation anxiety.
They are a working breed who need a job to do!

Shihtzu. Ours is so lovely and quite lazy! Doesn't shed. Happy with a 40 minute walk and if not likes a run round the garden and being chased.
The absolute sweetest boy.

We have 2 miniature schnauzers💝

The low shedding rules out a show cocker spaniel anyway (brushes hair off keyboard...).

All dogs get expensive. Have your daughters looked into costs for food, vets, training and insurance, not just purchase?

I do keep telling them to research all the associated costs...

I think Cairns look perfect for us. We're in SE London, if anyone knows of any good breeders not too far away. Have looked up Lindcoly as per a PP, but they have pups now whereas we're about to embark on a loft conversion so wouldn't be ready for a dog for 6 months probably.

Winter isn't a great time to get a puppy as you are then toilet training in the dark and wet

I wouldn't get a dog in winter - toilet training in the cold, wind and pissing down rain is miserable for everyone, lol, and being honest, your DD's are likely not to want to go out at 3am in the middle of January, so it's going to mostly be left up to you.

You say they've researched costs - have they looked at how long this dog can be left alone? How much training and exercise it will require? What they'll do with it when they leave home and both want to take it with them?

I’ve just had a look at lindcoly.

now to caveat this is the first time I’ve come across them. But several red flags immediately:

puppies ready now- ethical breeders have buyers before they breed so rarely have litters immediately available.

multiple breeds- puppies are extremely hard work, multiple breeds and multiple litters normally indicate a puppy farm. They also sell cross breeds.

it’s definitely a business, and I think it’s unlikely puppies are raised in the home environment.

you could visit, but it’s very difficult to walk away from a cute puppy even if you know you should.

There’s a cairn rescue:

https://www.cairn-rescue.co.uk

even if you aren’t sure about rescue they may be a good resource for finding a dog.

Schnauzers would fit the bill for you. Friendly, intelligent and characters and low shedding. Great breed.

She said she doesn't want a barker

I think you should absolutely have a family pet. but in my experience most dogs will attach themselves one favourite person in the family.

Something to keep in mind when it comes to caring for the dog.

I'd go for something medium sized and sturdy... my breed of choice is a Tibetan Terrier. Now, they are quite challenging as puppies but can grow into lovely family dogs as adults.

Pros are: low prey drive (good for the cat) low shedding, pretty solid character, not scared of loud noise busy places - they prefer cautious investigation to running away. Can thake 5 hours hiking or 5 min around the block for exercise.

Cons: regular coat care, need training class for the first 18-24 months (what you put in what you get as end product) not always easy to train (stubborn), lov to be in the centre of the action, so don't want to be left behind.

Tibetans also have a sense of humour, so be aware that the find ways of getting your attention.