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Small dog people...breed advice/suggestions
My husband and I have discussed getting a dog after we move into a larger house, hopefully next spring/summer. Well, mostly I want a dog and he is indulging it, on the condition it's a small breed, and not overly hairy. Most of my experience is with larger dogs, particularly sporting breeds. I've always avoided little dogs...no offense, but most of them are too yip-y for my taste and I like my dogs sturdy.
Anyway we've been throwing breeds around and I'd appreciate any recommendations. Things we are looking for: short-haired (short wire-hair is ok), okay with kids, has the endurance for long walks, not a crazy prey drive (we have three cats), and not overly yappy or known for nipping. I'm not overly concerned about stubbornness...I've been through my share of obedience training and know how to be patient.
My husband keeps bringing up dachshunds but I am reading online that they can be nippy and aren't a great choice for kids. Does anyone own one?
My one coworker brings her boston terrier to work frequently and he's a really mellow, easy going dog, and I haven't heard him bark at all yet. It says online they are good with kids too. Are they all this nice?
I know beagles are supposed to be great with kids also, and there are so many of them in shelters, but I'm really afraid the baying would drive me nuts.
Re: Small dog people...breed advice/suggestions
all breeds have their drawbacks, and with some of the characteristics you are talking about I would suggest getting an older dog. Because no matter what breeds are recommended there is a wide variety of dispositions within the breed. So remember anything I say is broad generalizations and not dog specific.
In general, Boston Terriers can be stubborn. ie difficult to train (most terrier breeds are this way) they also are a breed you will want to acclimate early to small children or they may have issues later.
I know you said short hair, but mini poodles -I am personally not a fan of anything smaller ie teacup- are intelligent, obedient and can be great with kids if properly introduced. They do get longer hair but the nice thing is they don't really shed so hair isn't all over your furniture and clothes.
I agree that an adult dog or even an older puppy might be the best match for you. With an adult, their temperament is set so you have a much better idea of what you're getting. Also, you can look for an adult dog that has been cat-tested (and kid-tested if that matters to you).
Also, every dog is an individual. You can definitely make generalizations about breeds, but in my experience, it's best to meet the dog and consider its individual personality, energy level, etc. The breeds you mentioned (beagles and doxies) are both hounds (though wirehaired doxies have some terrier in there). The doxies I have met love to burrow and dig and have barked a lot. The beagles I've met have been very vocal and require a lot of exercise and mental stimulation. However, that is not true of all doxies or all beagles, and many of the negative behaviors I've seen in these dogs could have been prevented or corrected through training.
One thing I noticed is you said you'd prefer short hair - is that for grooming reasons or shedding reasons (or both)? I ask because short hair does not mean the dog doesn't shed. I have 2 pugs (which have short fur), and they shed quite a bit, but most people assume they don't really shed because their fur is short.
I hope that's at least somewhat helpful!
I have two small dogs. One is a Dauschund/Chihuahua cross and he never nips and rarely barks. He's the queitest dog I know - which is not something that either breed is known for. He is fine with kids but he's not playful or anything, so not much fun for them. My other dog is...I'm not sure - I think a Jack Russell and Chihuahua. She's lots of energy, really playful - she is more of a barker, but she's not overly yappy. She's fun for long walks and jogging. She's small and cute, but not a lap dog at all.
Boston Terriers - tend to be crazy bundles of energy. They don't tend to be mellow on average - so your coworkers dog may be the exception. But they high energy can be a great thing as long as you are willing to exercise your dog and dedicate time to training.
I've never met a beagle that wasn't a friendly sweet dog. They do tend to howl. So they aren't the quietest breed on average. I fostered a beagle mix once and she was quiet in the house and really mellow - but she had more of a prey drive than either of my dogs. It's the hound dog instinct. Once she smelled something good or saw a squirrel, she would bay and want to follow. So you really have to train them not to act like that!
My recommendation is a mixed breed dog from a rescue group. A good rescue group will give you a lot of information about the individual dog - rather than the breed standards. Not all dogs meet the typical personalities of their breed.
Don't know if that helps!
I have a larger dog but my mother has a toy poodle and he is fantastic. He's incredibly smart but with that does come some yappyness (he recognizes dogs on TV and barks at them). He's well trained and completely loyal to my mother. He's great with my dog and cats (in case another dog or cat could be possibility in future). He doesn't shed at all but my mom trims his hair constantly. As for with children, you have to make sure any dog is properly trained to be around kids, although their are specific breeds that are better "family dogs". When we adopted, we watched Dogs 101 on Animal Planet and did their breed matcher. It's pretty basic but it will give you a general idea of the breeds that will be the best fit for your family and what you are looking for in a dog.
There's really not. Any dog of any breed can be good with children, or not.
The short hair requirement is mostly about grooming. I just don't have the patience or time to keep up with caring for a long coat. Been down that road with long-haired cats before and no interest in doing it again.
I really don't mind an energetic dog. My last dog was a brittany. Another breed that is the definition of energy
We will probably end up looking with rescue groups first, so it will probably be an adult. Small dogs are hard to come by through shelters but all of our cats are shelter rescues.
I have two small dogs. One is a 9 yr old teacup chihuahua who is amazing. She is very cat like and has been her entire life. She never had that typical "chihuahua" personality. Sadly, she suffered a stroke a week ago and reality is kind of kicking in that she is getting older. She has never had any serious health issues up until now and her size makes her the perfect travel animal. She is wonderful both in a car and on a plane.
We also have a 11 month old French Bulldog. Frenchies are AMAZING pets. He is such a joy and a complete social butterfly. His picture is my avatar. He has been wonderful to pottytrain. He has had one accident in the house since we got him last Sept (and it was right next to the front door and we were not paying attention to him). He is wonderful with other animals and children. Only drawback (which isn't one for me because I find it adorable) is he snores like a grown man.
I recommend both breeds. My chihuahua is an angel and has been with me well before the FI was in the picture...however she is a total daddy's girl now and I sometimes think she forgets that I was around first.
I have a Boston, and she is amazing with kids. my co-worker (who has 3 kids) also has a Boston and he is also amazing with the kids. It truly depends on the dog! I also like calavier king charles spaniels for a family dog. I have never met one who didn't love every person they saw.
Every breed of dog is going to have their specific medical issues, do your homework and decide if it's something you can handle.
Also, consult with a dog trainer BEFORE adopting, they can help you pick a dog that will most closely match your family's needs and lifestyle.
Good Luck!
I hate the two dachshunds I know, but that's because they've never been properly socialized or house trained. Unfortunately I now have a dislike of all dachshunds. At some point I'll meet a wonderful one and my prejudice will dissipate.
If you're looking for a purebred puppy, I'd look at some sites with generalized traits of breeds, then start contacting breeders and inquiring about what personalities their lines typically have. Some breeders may even have older puppies or retired show dogs looking for forever homes.
But as it sounds like you're not in love with a particular breed, I agree with amyn1919. Go to the shelter or a rescue group (or several) and see what dog you bond with. Ask the staff at the shelter what dogs they'd recommend for you. That's how we ended up with Diesel (pic in my siggy). We asked the lady at the front counter for a younger, laid back dog, and she immediately told us to look at Diesel. Most shelters will cat test dogs.
And the worst coated dog I've ever had was a yellow lab. That pin like hair got everywhere and you couldn't vacuum it up! Diesel's coat is wonderful compared to that dogs coat. Brush every few weeks for 30 minutes and he's good to go.
I'm a dog groomer so I can tell you from experience that anything with terrier in the name is going to be high energy, you may get a good calm one but generally terrier = high energy. Dachshunds and chihuahuas are nippy. I have a chihuahua and she LOVES kids, which is surprising since she is a rescue but she doesn't like kids, she isn't very yippy but like a said you may find one that doesn't fit the standard for the breed. Poodles are higher energy but do make good dogs, I know long haired. Puggles seem to have a very good disposition I have found. Better than pugs or beagles. I would definately avoid short snouted dogs as most have breathing problems.