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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

First timers looking for ideas and tips please!

27 replies

lMocha · 07/02/2025 10:00

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!

OP posts:

GuestWW · 12/02/2025 14:00

EdithStourton · 08/02/2025 09:06

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.

Avoid working spaniels, they are like poodles, very clever, very demanding, suffer from FOMO, need training and lots of brain work. They struggle with an off switch. I am almost at the four year mark with mine, have been to professional classes every week since he was 12 weeks and trained every single day. He is still a WIP.

Funf · 14/02/2025 09:27

Two of us are allergic to cats
We have had a Mongrel, Two Yokies to Lhasa also's and now have two Dandie Dinmont Terriers all bar the Mongrel don't shed and we had no issues.
The Daddies are fantastic little robust family friendly dogs and after having two I don't think any other breed could take their place. You have to wait as only about 90 puppies are born each year but its worth it.
Training
We have several places nearby, the best one is a place that trains Gun dogs and close protection dogs, very strict but gets the results.
Its as much about training the owners as the dog so you can spot issues and manage them.
You really need to talk to owners, firstly find what the dog was originally used for as if it's a busy working breed it will still want to be busy working and that might not suit your lifestyle. We are similar working from home dogs never left for more than two hours and always crated when left.
You might like this TV program
Its in Gaelic but has subtitles and shows a mans quest to get the right puppy
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002572n

BBC ALBA - Cu Leis Thu? | A Puppy for Padruig

Peter MacQueen heads to Skye to track down one of the rarest dog breeds, the Skye Terrier.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002572n

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