First timers looking for ideas and tips please!

[lMocha]

We will be first time dog owners and would be very grateful for your advice. We’re looking for a small sized, hypoallergenic, family friendly dog. We are a family of 4, kids aged 8 and 12. I work part time but can work from home; partner travels to work. I'd love to keep going to the gym twice a week when kids not around(leave home for roughly 2 hours at a time).

DC love cavapoos but I’ve read they can be high maintenance and prone to separation anxiety - any other options that are slightly more independent so I can do my chores and go out for family meals from time to time?

Also any tips on training a puppy I'd be really grateful. Thanks!

There's no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog.

Just to be an echo, there really is no such thing as a "hypoallergenic" dog. Allergies are complex and if you have someone with allergies or asthma in the family, even hairless dogs or low-moulting dogs can trigger allergies with dander.

If you're simply looking for a dog that's low-moulting for cleaning reasons, that's fine, there are lots of low-moulting breeds. BUT crossing a poodle with a high-moulting breed doesn't always equal low-moulting crossbreed, they can just as easily inherit the moulting side of the family. Unfortunately the vast majority of poodle crosses are only bred with cash in mind, not overall health.

Dogs Trust has some buying advice on their website here:
https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/getting-dog/choosing-dog/buyer-advice

Read through "puppy blues" threads on here and elsewhere on the web. Introducing a dog into your household will mean that you have to change all your other routines, for puppies especially everything else will need to be put on hold while you work on training, that includes training them to be ok alone. As someone who adopted an older dog with separation anxiety (she used to be left alone or left with another dog she barely tolerated for hours at a time), it's hard work to manage!

100% agree with @biscuitsandbooks It's why SA and other rescue centres are full of so many 'oodle' mixes - because half the time they're not hypoallergenic. Even poodles aren't 100% full proof when it comes to allergies.

Strongly recommend that you really consider this, OP. Puppies cannot be left for two hours for quite a long time - not just because of the risk to your house but the risk of them harming themselves. If you do commit, i'd be prepared not to go to the gym for at least a few months.

Stear away from doodles if you wouldnt have either of their parent breeds in full . They are a mixed breed that come with unknown qualities of each breed, it's sold as something that produces the same result each time which is crazy. If there is a reason you wouldn't want a poodle (which is probably because they are high energy, highly strung and highly bored) then don't take a gamble on a dog that might end up with a real poodle personality

Think of it like human children. My partner and I are of different races, and our children have come out with different hair types, personalities and skin colour because they got different bits of us in different portions

What's your capacity to entertain/ walk the dog? If you are wfh do you need a quiet dog that does its own thing, or do you have time to add some playtime in to?

Are you/the kids looking for snuggly or playful? What would you be doing with your dream dog?

In terms of hypoallergenic, what does it mean to you? Is it about allergies? Or is it about shedding? What sort of grooming do you envisage? Some people are happy to brush themselves, and wince at professional grooming fees, others are happy to take on a dog that needs professional grooming if it means they don't have to do it at home

Again doodles have unpredictable coat types, and while some don't shed, they often have a high grooming need as the type of coat is mixed and prone to big old tangles, collecting twigs etc that needs very regular brushing, and regular professional groom

It's worth saying that those with allergies can be triggered by different things (eg oily coats, saliva, dusty coats, the actual hair), so it's worth finding a dog of the same breed to check if you react to that specific dog type

Thanks for your responses so far - much appreciated. Some very good advice and I’ll definitely study the link @bunnygeek

DD is allergic to cats, not sure dogs. We went for a walk with a cockapoo once and she was absolutely fine.

We’ll try to groom ourselves but equally happy to pay for grooming if we struggle. I’ll be happy to commit to the puppy 100% until they settle and resume gym after that.

Thanks for the advice on oodle mixes. Any thoughts on miniature or toy poodles?

Being okay on a walk isn't the same as being okay with one in your home - if your DD has allergies I would think really carefully about how fair it is to make her live with a trigger 24/7 for the next 10-15 years.

My mum is allergic and is absolutely fine out on walks with all kinds of dogs - but being in an enclosed space with one is totally different and she struggles after an hour.

@Glowingworms
Ideally looking for a mixture of playfulness and calmness so I can sit at my computer as well. Kids will absolutely love to play and snuggle too.

Poodles can be great for a family, but don't underestimate their intelligence and energy levels, there's a reason they were often used in circuses back in the day! Love this video from Crufts way back in 2013, a toy poodle agility champion!

When it comes to grooming for low-moulting dogs, its best to seek out a professional. Those mats can really hide and it's really not that easy for a beginner! My girl is a PomChi (Pomeranian x Long Hair Chihuahua) and she heads to the groomers roughly every 6 weeks or so, it helps to have the butt fur trimmed (poop danglies in the fur is no fun!), as well as her claws and "grinch feet" fur tufts!

As for poodles, they are prone to separation anxiety and are very intelligent. They also need regular grooming or they will matt.

Thanks, agreed. we'll need to look into looking after a dog of the breed we choose before committing to one.

Thanks, agreed. we'll need to look into looking after a dog of the breed we choose before committing to one.

Unfortunately even this is no guarantee - you can be fine with one and allergic to another. Maybe she could get allergy tested privately first?

😂 love the incredible energy level!!

Good call, will look into this thanks.

I don't think a dog would necessarily slot into the type of lifestyle you propose.

For starters, you are looking at a 18-24 months of committing to formal training class. (I know lots of people don't, hence the raise in behaviour issues).
Personally, I think if you go slightly bigger, you have more of a choice of different types of dog for your family.

Most adult dogs are fine being left for a couple of hours as long as you gently teach them from puppies.

I'd do more research on different breeds and try to spend some time with a breeder and their dogs to see if there are issues with allergies. Maybe you can spare some time and go to crufts beginning of March? Check out the discover dogs section and speak to different breeders about their dogs.

If your daughter has allergies then do you have a friends dog you could borrow for a while to see if she is ok? Or people whose house you can visit?

She may be ok. My son is allergic to cats but fine with our dogs but it's a risk.

With regards to breed, have you looked at Bichons?

Kids will absolutely love to play and snuggle too.

What happens if the dog does not want or enjoy snuggles. Many puppies will not be happy with this situation, will wriggle, bite and scratch. Puppies look cute but they are very often little demons.

Most puppies are not the rose tinted advert puppies. They have their own character will take up hours and hours or your time, will required consistency and a lot of training for months/years. Why add this to your busy life?

Having had our cockapoo puppy for 13 months now, I can absolutely recommend you DO NOT get one! I wouldn't get a "designer" breed ever again.

She's a bit of a nightmare in many, many ways.

She's incredibly cute and loving (to us. She hates all other dogs and some people) but she's also very needy and barky. She's basically my lap dog. Always jumping up and sleeping on my lap or just getting in my face, follows me everywhere, even into the bathroom and jumps up onto the bath while I'm showering. She cries if I shut her out.

If you need me to expand on why she's a nightmare, just ask!

On the other hand, we have a well behaved, adorable mini schnauzer who's a delight most of the time. Very gentle with everyone, intelligent, very quick to train and happy to sleep most of the day! She's not playful though, except with other dogs, and can be stubborn.

Both are "hypoallergenic" (if there is such a thing. FIL does get a bit sniffly sometimes) but do shed if their fur isn't cut short regularly. Cockapoo goes to the groomers every 3 months and the schnauzer every 4-5 months. It's not cheap. You only have to look at a cockapoo's fur and it's matted.

Problem is, you can research and find the "ideal" dog, but in reality, they all have different personalities so you can't be sure what you'll end up with.

You'll need to spend lots of time and energy on a puppy. They can be a real struggle sometimes and you wonder what the hell you've done and if you've made the biggest mistake of your life. We both felt that way about our cockapoo. It took many months to feel like I loved her. I think we actually hated her for quite a while tbh. The schnauzer, I couldn't wait to get home to see her every day and missed her so much.

we were looking at cavapoos but ended up with a miniature Australian Labradoodle. To be considered an Australian they have to be at least seven generations established so you get much more consistency in the breed such as no Labrador type coats. Ours is an absolute dream plays with our boys who eight and 10 very active on a walk but sleeps by my feet while I work the rest of the day very very happily he he’s been a dream dog.

A puppy is A LOT of work. My dog is 18 months old now and our life is slowly starting to calm down now. I wanted it, and I knew exactly what I was getting myself into, and it was still hard at times. First, you have the tiny baby puppy phase where they need you around the clock (I'm not exaggerating, they're like human babies that can walk, so get into more mischief). Second, you have the playful puppy aka the Land Shark phase, where - again - they can't be left alone for a moment because they'll chew on everything (and swallow it whole while at it) and you'll have holes in all your clothes (and your hands will look like you've been fighting a tiger). You can't just let them out into the garden and leave them to it, those little hoovers eat everything and then you're dealing with watery poops and vet visits twice a week. Third, you have the early puberty helldog, where they're still playful, but no longer in an innocent fun way, they become malicious little demons and will test each and every existing boundary. That was the phase when it was the hardest for me to WFH, he would demand attention and bark and bite if ignored, the walks were also no longer fun because he would fight against the leash. Fourth, the puberty itself, it had it's heights and lows as they get sort of emotional and scaredy one day, only to turn into a big bad wolf the next, you never know which dog you'll dealing with until it emerges... They tend to develop back and forth in phases at that stage. This one took about 8 months and got easier with time, so now we're slowly seeing the adult, calm, well behaved dog he's becoming.

It gets easier, but it's a huge commitment in terms of time and effort. We trained every day to get the well behaved dog we wanted and sacrificed a lot of opportunities, outings and events, especially in the first year. I hat to work in the evenings a lot to finish my workload (my employer doesn't care when I work as long as everything is done on time, but I know that I'm lucky in this regard). For us, it's been worth it, because you get so much more in return, but you need to take a hard look at your priorities first. If you're prepared to commit to raising a proper doggy individual, then go for an established breed (none of those "designer" dogs, none of them beat an established breed from a good breeder, who's been breeding for health and good character for generations). If you're not ready to invest this amount of time, then I would not get a puppy. Maybe look into "dog sharing" or walking people's dogs first.

In your shoes, I would avoid the working lines of any breed. Working cockers and springers are different from the show lines, and there is a constant parade of them across the board that are driving their owners bonkers. If you don't fulfil dogs like that (not just exercise, mental stimulation) they will find their own entertainment, get antsy and start resource guarding, bark at everything etc etc.

I have two working line dogs who are 8 and 4. They need a lot of breed-appropriate input, which means regular training sessions even now.

We’ve got a cockapoo. She’s adorable, calm, playful, very gentle, ignores other dogs for the most part.

she’s also very stubborn.

shes 5 now and not hard work. No more than any other dog. We can leave her at home on her own for a couple of hours or so and can leave her to go out for the night as long as she’s been out for a weee.

the puppy months are intense and they can’t be left for long at all till probably six months.

also she is prone to allergies (which is common in doodles) and ear infections. I’m really glad I got an insurance policy that covers conditions for life as we pay 600 in insurance and they pay out about 200 a month for injections pills and ear infection stuff.

for a family dog I’d look at labs.

We have a toy poodle and that crufts video is a pretty accurate representation of his energy levels! At the same time he's perfectly happy to snuggle on the sofa for hours with me, Dh does most of the walks, they are out 3 times a day.

In terms of allergies, when dc were little we got a rescue puppy. All went well until she was about 16 weeks old and began to shed and dc1 ended up in hospital with an asthma attack. We had to rehome her with SIL, and didn't consider getting another dog until dc1 left home. Our poodle doesn't cause any issues and I wish we had got one sooner. He is absolutely adorable and a joy to have in the family.

He does have separation anxiety though despite our best efforts. He is very attached to dh and I and we've never left him alone for more than 20 mins. If we're going out we have to arrange for someone to stay with him which is a bit of a nuisance but that's pet ownership for you.

He can also be quite barky and is very protective of the household and any perceived threats!

Overall I'd say he's on the high maintenance side. Emotionally and physically (he needs grooming every 6-8 weeks and daily brushing)

If I had a young family I'd get a Kibg Charles, they are sweet, easy going and don't need long walks.

Good luck with your decision!

Thanks all for your input. We're leaning towards a mini poodle but really do need to consider how I would change my life for the first year at least.

Do you meet up with your friends outside or do they always come to you as you can't leave your puppy at home? What do you do when you have to go shopping or to the bank?

When they're really little, you can sometimes carry them in a baby wrap if you really have to go to the bank. Walks are slooooow at that age, they stop to sniff at every step. Wouldn't take a dog shopping though, that's just not done. You just have to plan shopping trips so that the puppy is not left alone. We ordered online and had our shopping delivered for the first six months, this is very much the easiest problem to solve. Doctor's appointments are a bother, I once had to go urgently and my DH was on a work trip - I asked a neighbour to mind the puppy for an hour, she was delighted. People usually don't mind helping out if it means that they can play with a puppy in return. 😉
You can try crate training, but they won't be able to stay in their crate for long at first, and will end up hating and avoiding their crate if you rush it. As for friends, they either come to you or you meet up outside. Some won't mind you bringing the dog with you by the time they're housetrained.

It's not just a toy you can get out whenever convenient and put away later, being a (responsible) dog owner is a lifestyle. You will end up taking care of a senior dog when your children move out. But I think that you've realised that already.

We have a shihpoo and are first time dog owners. She is 14 weeks old, and she has fitted in with our family very well so far.

As others have pointed out hypo allergenic is misleading. Our pup needs daily brushing and her hair grows but doesn't fall out, so would be matted if left unbrushed.

I didn't want a puppy, but as we have children and two cats, it was not possible to get a rescue dog - we tried for 2 years..but that's not the topic.

I have a child at secondary and one slightly younger. Our puppy is very small so kids need to be very aware and gentle with this breed.

We have the zoomies a bit but she is clever and has been able to catch on to training very well. I wfh and she likes to play but settles well in her bed when I'm at my desk.

We are starting to very gradually work on her being able to stay alone by going upstairs or outside for a couple of minutes at a time.

She will chew things and likes to help with laundry, running off with socks etc but is lots of fun and enjoys ball games and toys.

We have adjusted our expectations for the next couple of years around lifestyle and holidays while we invest time in training. But absolutely no regrets!