Advice on small to medium calm dog breed for multi generation family

[CharlotteCChapel]

I'm currently very ill and it has been accepted that having a dog would force me to exercise. Anyone have any advice on a small to medium non yapping dog. We are a multi generation family and dont want a designer one.

Propper cross breeds are OK but although I need to exercise i dont want some that is too energetic like a border collie. We have access to an all year beach.

Would need more info to be able to suggest breeds that would work for you

How long would you be able to walk a dog each day, what are your grooming requirements as regular trips for a trim add up cost wise and grooming can be difficult for some people, personally I would never have a long coat dog due to damage to my hand meaning I can't brush for extended periods so I keep short coats and do a little each day

If the house is multigenerational do you have babies and toddlers running about? Or are there grandparents in to let the dog out for bathroom breaks

Have you owned dogs before or is this a first pet?

I’m sorry to hear about your poor health, but I worry about the idea of buying a dog thinking it will get you out the house and exercising. Most people want a dog because they like exercising and enjoy the company, doing it the other way around feels really risky and a bit like setting yourself up for failure and misery.

So I think you need to be very honest with yourself (as does your family) about how much exercise you can realistically give a dog and, more importantly, what sort of exercise.

But I agree with PP that we really need more information before we can advise! Hope that you do get better soon though.

Could you try one of those 'Borrow my Dog' groups? It would be awful if you got your own dog and then found it was too much work.

I was going to say the same as @TheHungryHungryLandsharks - you need to really want a dog to get a dog, not just because you think it’ll force you to exercise. They are a big commitment and can be hard work - especially if you’re looking to get a puppy. It’s certainly a labour of love raising a dog! For the right person, they are totally worth it. I hope your health improves soon!

I never owned a dog but my gran had a collie long hair god ans she needed about 3
20 Miles away
I live near a park and a beach so we'll think about 3 or hour walks
Th youngest child is 10.
My dult son has wanted a beagle for year

I dont mind brushing out a coat but love the look of tibetan terrier. There are 4 adults who'd walk it as well as.e

I hadnt considered borrow my doggit. Good shout

Lack of exercise has contributed greatly to my illness

Gibberish also due to illness.

We had a miniature labradoodle and she was lovely.
very sweet , playful and clever.
not barky
very chilled and calm indoors but always up for a good walk.
or how about a lurcher if you don’t have cats?

Our first family dog was a rescued tibetan terrier. He was a lovely boy, very kind and loyal but incredibly stubborn! I'm not sure what a young one would be like - but they are very much family dogs. It may be worth looking at a tibetan rescue site to see what they say about taking one on. I've now got 2 spaniels and they are a lot of work - in terms of energy, cleverness, and clinginess.

We have a cat with access to a catio. He's fairly chilled with current next doors dog.

I must say this is thinking ahead. I could be out of hospital soon or I could be here for monthd

Think about the practicalities about getting a dog. They’re not just a fluffy toy, but an active being with its own wants and needs.

I’m confused about your walks. Is that 3x 1 hour walks a day, or week? Dogs don’t generally need three walks a day, and they need walking daily, rather than three times a week.

If you have a beach nearby, can’t you start walking now, without a dog. Find a walking plan online, and stick to it.

I don’t have much advice other than to say I’ve never met a calm non yapping small dog. They all seem to bark incessantly and it drives me nuts. I much prefer larger calmer breads who don’t feel the need to bark at every noise or person that wanders past. I assume big dogs don’t feel as easily threatened so don’t feel the need to bark defensively as often. I could be completely wrong and just happen to have met a lot of annoying small dogs.

Sorry to hear you’re in hospital. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Don’t know accurate this is, but you could try this ‘which breed’ quiz.

https://www.purina.co.uk/find-a-pet/dog-breeds/breed-selector

Sorry you've been unwell and hope you're feeling much better soon.

I would be VERY wary of getting a dog to force you to exercise.

The happiest dog owners are the one who like exercise and already walk regularly so having to walk twice a day, in all winds and weathers is a pleasure for them.

If you're not a natural exerciser then having to go out and walk every single day, twice a day or more, potentially for the next 15 years is a big ask. You might have to force yourself to do it. Or you might get fed up with it very quickly and then your dog will be a burden, perhaps rarely walked, which would be awful for it.

Hi Op sorry to hear your unwell !
However I don’t think you’ve thought through the commitment that being a dog owner takes ! It’s a lot ! I love my dog but it does take a lot of work which you don’t seem to have taken into consideration.
Also dogs have their own personalities so even though you say you want a yapping dog you might end up with one even if you chose a breed that typically isn’t known for it!
I think you have to really want a dog !!!

I agree with pp , I don't think you are getting a dog for the right reasons. They are not a gym membership.

Dogs provide a huge amount of love and companionship but also need a lot of commitment.
You say your neighbour has a dog , could you go with her / him when they walk their dog for a few weeks , then if that works out take their dog out alone for a few more weeks.
I'd aim for at least 4 months of pooch walking before even remotely considering getting your own .
Even then your dog will have a completely different personality so may end up been hard work .

Also talk to your neighbour and every other dog owner you meet about the cost of keeping a dog .
Food , insurance, worming , annual check ups , one off serious issues
( my cat cost me almost £3000 two years ago )

"small, non yappy"
Honestly, You'll never be able to guarantee non-yappy. I got mine as a rescue at 3 years old, he was quiet until he settled in and then a year or two later he had relaxed and he has a very irritating yap 😂

A chihuahua or chi cross might suit you. Please don't turn out to be one of those people who think that they don't need exercise or to be treated like an actual dog with canine needs, but they are fun, enjoy a snuggle when you're feeling poorly and love time out adventuring. Mine does scentwork with me and hoopers.

I’ve got to be honest, I don’t think getting a dog when you’re ill is the wisest move. They’re really hard work as puppies, whatever breed they are.

I would focus on your recovery and maybe once you’re getting out and about as a matter of routine, think about it again. Don’t rely on a dog to get you out and about (or the other adults who might say they’ll walk it but in reality might leave it all to you). Get well soon 💐

I'm really sorry you're so unwell, but, being honest, getting a dog because you need to do more exercise is a really, really bad idea.

They're a lifestyle, not a pet. You need to walk them everyday, no matter how unwell you are, or how shit the weather is, or how tired you are, or how busy you are. They're also not cheap - they need vet appointments, parasite treatment, insurance, food, collars, chews, enrichment, training.

If you need more exercise, join a gym.

Illness and new dogs don't go together to my mind. I really don't want to criticise, but puppies are very very hard work for the first 15-18 months (remember the terrible twos, followed instantly by teen life -- and triple it). Borrow My Doggy is a good start, followed by some pet sitting for two or three week stints. If you enjoy all of those, start looking for a puppy or a rescue. Consider your physical strength, and where it is. Good bottom half suggests a walking dog. If you have strong arms and shoulders and actively enjoy wrestling, you could consider a bigger dog.

I have loved all three dogs I've had over the last 30 years. They have all been Labs. Because they are calm, usually keen to please so easy to train, they like people, especially children, so they make great family companion animals. They like to chill but are always up for an adventure too, until they get old. My current dog is nearly 13, but because she came from a shooting line, she had/has a strong prey drive so she would quite often dodge into bushes and present me with a dead squirrel. You need to think that through. It is innately bred into the strain of dog you chose. It really isn't about choosing pretty.

When I write, presented me with a squirrel, or a rat, I mean she killed them in front of me by catching them in the neck and shaking them to death. The local game keepers adored her.

Don't get a dog, and don't get one because of how it looks.
Beagles are lovely but they have their own minds - they're hunt dogs.

Hope you get better soon.

If you’re in hospital, I wouldn’t be planning on a dog quite yet. Inevitably it’ll be stressful when you’re trying to recover. It’s not always going to be straightforward introducing a new animal into your home and you’ve got to be well enough to manage that. The suggestions re borrowing or walking a neighbour’s dog sound like a good compromise initially.

A whippet. They are kind, gentle dogs. They run fast then get tired and curl up small and sleep. They are wonderful.

Are you ready for the first two years of your dog and taking them to dog school, doing all the training, and putting up with puppy naughtiness?