Parents have caved to doggie request from kids!!

Toinie

Hi, I need a recommendation for a breed/mixed breed of dog for my young family... I had settled on a cockapoo (like that size and the prospect of non-shed) but I believe they are wildly energetic? Could anyone help??

Knine

Toinie wrote: »

Hi, I need a recommendation for a breed/mixed breed of dog for my young family... I had settled on a cockapoo (like that size and the prospect of non-shed) but I believe they are wildly energetic? Could anyone help??

Would need more info about your lifestyle e.g what age are your children, what exercise can you provide, size etc.

If you want a mixed breed, would you not consider a rescue? You won't get reputable breeders producing crossbreeds.

Toinie

Knine wrote: »

Would need more info about your lifestyle e.g what age are your children, what exercise can you provide, size etc.

If you want a mixed breed, would you not consider a rescue? You won't get reputable breeders producing crossbreeds.

Hi there... My kids are 5, 8 and 12. We live in city, medium sized garden, can exercise daily, would prefer less/no molting and could do without a berserk dog!! Just a calm dog who wants to be loved and adored. Husband refusing the breeds I love, retrievers, Labrador, red setter, bec he says they are too big for our house.

Fearful of rescue dogs, bec if they are poorly treated, I couldn't cope with upsetting behaviour .

Pal said to look at soft coated wheaten terrier or a whoodle???

Any advice?
Antoinette

Knine

Whoodles, Cockerpoos & anything else poo are not breeds but are basically produced by back yard Greeders just looking to make money. I would avoid these for multiple reasons.

I would recommend you go to an IKC show to have a look at different breeds that might suit. Where are you based?

Lots of rescues have their dogs in foster care so they know the temperament of the dog, how they are with children etc.

The ISCWT is a lovely breed but I would not describe them as calm.

Toinie

Knine wrote: »

Whoodles, Cockerpoos & anything else poo are not breeds but are basically produced by back yard Greeders just looking to make money. I would avoid these for multiple reasons.

I would recommend you go to an IKC show to have a look at different breeds that might suit. Where are you based?

Lots of rescues have their dogs in foster care so they know the temperament of the dog, how they are with children etc.

The ISCWT is a lovely breed but I would not describe them as calm.

Thank you for those tips!

DBB

Whoodles, doodles, jackachis, morkies, westichons, jugs, it's all nonsense, isn't it?
OP, one of the troubles with these expensive mongrel puppies is that you don't get the same "predictability" of an established breed. And yes, every dog is different, but at least with purebreds you've got breed tendencies to help you predict what sort of temperament and behaviours you might reasonably expect.
You won't get this with your expensive mongrel. With the whoodle, you'll get a bit of Wheaten, a bit of poodle, but how much of either you have absolutely no way of knowing. This is all aside from the ethical concerns behind the rationale and motivation of breeding mongrels with silly names.
If you're looking for a reasonably low energy dog, then one of the last breeds I'd be looking at is the Wheaten. They are go, go, go. They also have a bit of a tendency to be "dog hot", or temperamental around other dogs. That's no fun for a young family trying to enjoy their first dog.
If you're looking for a reasonably sedate, good-with-kids, patient, easygoing family dog that's not too big, it's hard to beat breeds like the Cavalier King Charles, the Tibetan Spaniel, perhaps the Pug, Boston Terrier or suchlike.
Or, another very workable option is a young adult dog from a rescue: if you go to the right rescues, you'll have a pretty good idea of what you're getting because the dog will have been fostered. Only a small proportion of rescue dogs come with baggage as a result of cruelty, this is a misconception which must be done away with. Many of them are super, happy, friendly family dogs. You'll know what size they are, if they're low shed, if they like kids, if they're housetrained, if they like the car, if they need some work on their sit command etc etc. It's difficult to get such a provenance with a puppy, even one you've spent lots of money on!

Outkast_IRE

Toinie wrote: »

Fearful of rescue dogs, bec if they are poorly treated, I couldn't cope with upsetting behaviour .

Then get a rescue puppy, there are plenty of them come in needing homes every month.

tk123

Toinie wrote: »

Husband refusing the breeds I love, retrievers, Labrador, red setter, bec he says they are too big for our house.

Our house and garden are small...and we have 2 retrievers! Big dogs are experts at curling themselves up into small spaces - like beside you on the couch lol!

Toinie

DBB wrote: »

Whoodles, doodles, jackachis, morkies, westichons, jugs, it's all nonsense, isn't it?
OP, one of the troubles with these expensive mongrel puppies is that you don't get the same "predictability" of an established breed. And yes, every dog is different, but at least with purebreds you've got breed tendencies to help you predict what sort of temperament and behaviours you might reasonably expect.
You won't get this with your expensive mongrel. With the whoodle, you'll get a bit of Wheaten, a bit of poodle, but how much of either you have absolutely no way of knowing. This is all aside from the ethical concerns behind the rationale and motivation of breeding mongrels with silly names.
If you're looking for a reasonably low energy dog, then one of the last breeds I'd be looking at is the Wheaten. They are go, go, go. They also have a bit of a tendency to be "dog hot", or temperamental around other dogs. That's no fun for a young family trying to enjoy their first dog.
If you're looking for a reasonably sedate, good-with-kids, patient, easygoing family dog that's not too big, it's hard to beat breeds like the Cavalier King Charles, the Tibetan Spaniel, perhaps the Pug, Boston Terrier or suchlike.
Or, another very workable option is a young adult dog from a rescue: if you go to the right rescues, you'll have a pretty good idea of what you're getting because the dog will have been fostered. Only a small proportion of rescue dogs come with baggage as a result of cruelty, this is a misconception which must be done away with. Many of them are super, happy, friendly family dogs. You'll know what size they are, if they're low shed, if they like kids, if they're housetrained, if they like the car, if they need some work on their sit command etc etc. It's difficult to get such a provenance with a puppy, even one you've spent lots of money on!

Oh thank you so very much for such a comprehensive response and I find it very reassuring. My 8 year old daughter who is the driving force behind our new undertaking, had googled the Tibetan spaniel and presented a good argument for that breed. So I laughed when I saw your suggestion.

I'm now feeling excited to be closer to deciding what dog would best fit in with our family.

Kind regards

fatmammycat

Toinie wrote: »

Oh thank you so very much for such a comprehensive response and I find it very reassuring. My 8 year old daughter who is the driving force behind our new undertaking, had googled the Tibetan spaniel and presented a good argument for that breed. So I laughed when I saw your suggestion.

I'm now feeling excited to be closer to deciding what dog would best fit in with our family.

Kind regards

Just be aware though that pugs shed a LOT! and I noticed in your original post you would prefer low shedding dogs. Best of luck finding your new companion!

beveragelady

I understand why people are reluctant to get a rescue dog. We hear so much about the dramatic cases; dogs with serious emotional issues or physical scars as a result of neglect and abuse. There is also an idea that dogs end up here because they failed somehow at being pets.
The fact is that most of the dogs in these places are perfectly fine, just a little desperate for a family. The people at the rescue won't let you go home with a dog that isn't right for you. If you tell them you're looking for a manageable dog who will fit in with a family in a city environment they'll do their best to find a match, or send you home emptyhanded.
Don't give up on the rescue dog idea. There are no guarantees with a well-bred dog, and remember that often somebody is making money on the deal and just wants you to hand over the cash. At the rescues the dogs have been assessed and most of their eccentricities have been spotted, by people who want the dog to find a happy home.
Hope it goes well. Whatever you do, it sounds like some dog somewhere is about to land on his feet.

Lemlin

Toinie wrote: »

Hi there... My kids are 5, 8 and 12. We live in city, medium sized garden, can exercise daily, would prefer less/no molting and could do without a berserk dog!! Just a calm dog who wants to be loved and adored. Husband refusing the breeds I love, retrievers, Labrador, red setter, bec he says they are too big for our house.

Fearful of rescue dogs, bec if they are poorly treated, I couldn't cope with upsetting behaviour .

Pal said to look at soft coated wheaten terrier or a whoodle???

Any advice?
Antoinette

Have you thought about a small bred Labrador? I have a field trial Labrador that is about the size of a Springer and alot smaller than the chunky "show" Labradors because it is bred to be small and quick.

The usual size of a Labrador can be 30 to 35kg I think but my girl is 18kg.

We have a 4 year old son that was 2 when we got our Lab and the two of them get on like a house on fire.

Ms Tootsie

We have a Wheaten and I can atest to the go go go - at least for the first two years. That being said he gets two good daily walks and tends to flake out during the day when we are at work and is happiest in the evening when he is snoozing beside us on the sofa or by the fire.

If you can commit to the exercise and mental stimulation that tires them out then you should consider them. But if we miss his walk even one evening he does laps and laps and laps of the house. Round the kitchen, up the stairs, bounces onto all the beds. repeat. We actually play hide and seek with our guy to tire him out - he LOVES it. It is the mental stimulation combined with some running and chasing that works well for him. I should say though this is the 'calmed down' version of him. From about 6 months until 1 1/2 a half he was non-stop. He used to do the laps after coming into the house from an hour long walk.

They are great kid dogs. Our guys seems to switch to some sort of gentle gear when around kids. And he can handle more rough housing than smaller breeds. He is also a fantastic watch dog and barks when anyone is in our garden. Other than that they are quiet dogs.

The limited shedding is one of the reasons we opted for a wheaten. I have the worst allergies and couldnt live with a dog that sheds excessively. You would never know we have a dog when you set foot in the house yet he lives indoors with us. The downside to this is that the coat requires daily brushing to stop any painful matting. Easy enough once you get into a routine. Only takes a few minutes. But miss a few days and then you have a problem on your hands. Also professional grooming is needed every 3-4 months.

While I am their BIGGEST fan the breed is not without it's problems - digestive being the main one. Our guy has colitis and it is very common among the breed so we have to feed him raw or fresh food. We have yet to find a manufactured dog food that he can stomach.

Training them is easy once you put in the effort. They are very smart dogs and respond best to reward based training. The hardest thing though is getting them to not jump on people when they say them. They are famous for their 'wheaten greetin' and this is instinct with them so it takes a lot of work to train it out of them. Also recall off lead can be hard as they are prey driven given that they were mainly working dogs.

I mentioned the watch dog part but they make the worst guard dogs. Yes they will bark at an intruder but once someone gets in they are more likely to lick them to death that anything else.

Given your situation the wheaten probably wouldnt be ideal for all the reasons I have outlined however if you are still interested you can PM me and I can give you any additional information you would like.

TBH I think the rescue route might be the best option. Puppies are A LOT of work. It is like having a baby! With a rescue you and your family would get to spend plenty of time with a dog before settling on one to join your family. That way you can see how the dog interacts with you all and you can see it's traits in action. Not all dogs are in need to being rescued due to cruelty. Some of the best dogs on here are rescue dogs

fiona-f

A rescue adult boxer might suit you. Very kid friendly but still big enough not to be injured or feel threatened by kids accidently being rough with them, short hair so no professional grooming ever and shedding is not a major problem, nothing that your regular hovering won't sort out.

The reason I suggest an adult though is they can be high energy and there's no way to tell when puppies, but if you get one from the lazy lump end of the spectrum, you'll have a great family pet - 1 or 2 good walks a day and they'll be worn out. They dont have the super intelligence of some other breeds so a quarter hour of training session or a game where they have to think will tire them out! Very affectionate and loveable.

Toinie

Love your response...that's what I think...hubbie not buying it! Plus he says we'll never manage the shedding/molting

Toinie

That's really useful, Thank you

aonb

Is there an allergy in your house, or is shedding and the related cleanup the only reason for a non-shed type? You are restricting yourself from some fabulous dogs/breeds if you only want non-shed. One dog in a house with 3 children isnt going to be much extra work

Have you and your husband previously owned a dog? If he is reluctant I would seriously make sure he will accept the dog when/if you get one! (My husband grew up in an animal free house - he is a total walkover now when it comes to our many pets - thankfully!)

I would also agree with others who have recommended a young rescue dog. Your children get an instant playmate (puppies are a lot of work, and three children going bonkers over a puppy can cause a lot of stress on pup & parents!!) and its house trained etc. There are some gorgeous dogs looking for a home and as has already been said, rescue centres will NOT let you go home with a problem-dog so dont worry about that aspect.

Personal taste has to be taken into consideration of course and at the end of the day you will choose a breed that appeals to you/yours - just make sure that if getting a puppy that you go to a reputable breeder where you can check bitch and how its been reared/bred/handled. Let us know how you do!

Toinie

aonb wrote: »

Is there an allergy in your house, or is shedding and the related cleanup the only reason for a non-shed type? You are restricting yourself from some fabulous dogs/breeds if you only want non-shed. One dog in a house with 3 children isnt going to be much extra work

Have you and your husband previously owned a dog? If he is reluctant I would seriously make sure he will accept the dog when/if you get one! (My husband grew up in an animal free house - he is a total walkover now when it comes to our many pets - thankfully!)

I would also agree with others who have recommended a young rescue dog. Your children get an instant playmate (puppies are a lot of work, and three children going bonkers over a puppy can cause a lot of stress on pup & parents!!) and its house trained etc. There are some gorgeous dogs looking for a home and as has already been said, rescue centres will NOT let you go home with a problem-dog so dont worry about that aspect.

Personal taste has to be taken into consideration of course and at the end of the day you will choose a breed that appeals to you/yours - just make sure that if getting a puppy that you go to a reputable breeder where you can check bitch and how its been reared/bred/handled. Let us know how you do!

No allergies... Just a reluctance to bringing any further workload upon ourselves with extra scrubbing!

Husband grew up on farm, where dogs work and are not pets.. Though the kids have converted the currents working dogs into pets when they are on the farms in question!

I think I might plot and plan a surprise arrival in our house!

ferretone

Toinie wrote: »

No allergies... Just a reluctance to bringing any further workload upon ourselves with extra scrubbing!

Husband grew up on farm, where dogs work and are not pets.. Though the kids have converted the currents working dogs into pets when they are on the farms in question!

I think I might plot and plan a surprise arrival in our house!

So long as it's only the kids you are planning to surprise: usually the husband would much prefer to be in on the whole process

And the shedding doesn't involve scrubbing at all really, just a bit more often hoovering or sweeping. I wouldn't be inclined to make this the defining factor in the dog you adopt, especially when non-allergic kids are in the equation. It's far more important how well the temperament is going to work out in the family.

Also, it sounds as though at least the oldest child would be capable of helping out with the extra cleaning, and probably the next one as well, if the research she was doing on your behalf is anything to go by I used to do masses of chores at those ages in exchange for riding lessons, and I'm pretty certain if having a family dog had depended upon it, I would have done it for that too

Best of luck with the new doggy!

borderlinemeath

I have setters, and tbh they don't really shed all that much, a quick sweep and it's gone. Far more hair comes of a golden retriever than a setter. Fabulous family dogs, brilliant with kids, wonderfully affectionate.

I actually find that the shorter haired breeds, labs, jrts etc, their hair is course and short and sticks in rugs/throws/upholstery, and it's far harder to get out.

I agree with most posters, pups are hard work, it's like having an extra child with the house training, lead training, recall training, obedience training...A young rescue would be ideal if you pass the homecheck.

DBB

DBB wrote: »

Whoodles, doodles, jackachis, morkies, westichons, jugs, it's all nonsense, isn't it?

its funny i put pugs and Tibetan spaniels in the same box. Difference being the cross breeds have more of a chance having less health defects .

DBB

[Deleted User] wrote: »

its funny i put pugs and Tibetan spaniels in the same box. Difference being the cross breeds have more of a chance having less health defects .

Not sure why you'd put them in the same box given they're breeds in their own right, and it's simply not true to say that crossbreeds, in this context, are healthier or have fewer health defects.
First generation crosses, such as the list of silly names I wrote, are just as likely to be unheathy as their purebred parents, and indeed may be faced with a wider range of health defects depending on the parents.
It's the real, proper "mongrels" which have a really mixed up and indeterminate ancestry that have a reduced chance of health problems.

Knine

Health issues in pure breeds tends to be documented. Nobody takes any notes of health issues in crossbreeds or mongrels.

All my pure bred dogs lived long healthy lives. One of my heinz 57 types died of heart failure aged just 3. Another who is still alive has had numerous conditions.

Knine

Knine wrote: »

Health issues in pure breeds tends to be documented. Nobody takes any notes of health issues in crossbreeds or mongrels.

All my pure bred dogs lived long healthy lives. One of my heinz 57 types died of heart failure aged just 3. Another who is still alive has had numerous conditions.

no matter argument you make about getting a pure breed the same can be said about getting a cross breed.

If you like a cockerpoo get a cockerpoo.

borderlinemeath

Deleted User wrote: »

no matter argument you make about getting a pure breed the same can be said about getting a cross breed.

If you like a cockerpoo get a cockerpoo.

There's no such thing. It's a stupid name tacked onto a cross breed.

How about you cross a pug and a beagle? Or as the BYB call them 'puggles'

You've a dog with notorious breathing difficulties and some have difficulty regulating body temperature with a breed that needs a huge amount of exercise and activity along with a high prey drive. There is no certainty that the resulting pups will have the elongated snout of the beagle or the sedentary preference of the pug. There is no guarantee of the good traits of both breeds coming through, whereas with a pure bred dog you have the knowledge that if both parents are health tested for genetic and hereditary illnesses/faults then the resulting pups have a far better chance of a long healthy life.

Knine

[Deleted User] wrote: »

no matter argument you make about getting a pure breed the same can be said about getting a cross breed.

If you like a cockerpoo get a cockerpoo.

Yeah you are right but the best of luck finding a reputable breeder because no reputable breeder deliberately breeds crossbreeds. Just look on the popular websites and you will see them for sale. No mention of health testing, microchips etc. Anyone buying a dog purely based on looks is not ready to own a dog.

And with these designer dogs you simply never know which breed traits these crosses will have. They most certainly don't always get the best of both.

Cherry Blossom

Don't know much about them, but would a miniature schnauzer suit the OP's circumstances?

kormak

adrenalinjunkie wrote: »

Don't know much about them, but would a miniature schnauzer suit the OP's circumstances?

Miniature Schnauzers would be perfect for the OP...
But I would advise 2 things here.
Firstly, they need to be groomed quite frequent. Grooming can be a costly expense. Lots of people get Schnauzers and fail to see this oversight.
Secondly, some of them have a tendency to bark at anything that moves!!
That mightn't suit a city centre house. Then again, every Schnauzer is different. Just commented on the ones I know...

borderlinemeath

borderlinemeath wrote: »

There is no guarantee of the good traits of both breeds coming through, whereas with a pure bred dog you have the knowledge that if both parents are health tested for genetic and hereditary illnesses/faults then the resulting pups have a far better chance of a long healthy life.

Then why rescue ? You do not have these guarantee's either.

borderlinemeath

Deleted User wrote: »

Then why rescue ? You do not have these guarantee's either.

Because for every dog rescued it's another puppy not bought from a farm or breeder. If everybody rescued rather than bought on a whim there would be no market for byb and puppy farmers.

The good breeders who do everything right - ie
Don't overbreed their bitches
Health checks, xrays for hip scores
Pick sires and dams for their traits as opposed to just two of the same breed. Top quality food for mother pre and post birth and top quality food for the puppys at weaning.
Multiple vet visits if needed, despite the cost
Worming, vaccinating, microchipping, registering with the relevent club Socializing the pups, ensuring they get exposed to men, women, children of all ages, making all sorts of noises. Household noises and regular household activity.
Interviewing potential owners rather than the other way around.

There will always be a waiting list for these well bred, healthy, confident pups.

Jazbee

We have a miniature schnauzer. She is our first dog and is lovely. Very little shedding hair. Seldom barks. She is good with the kids. So far she is quick to train eg house trained, sit, down...working on the others! Loves cuddles and lots of attention.
On the grooming side you can do it yourself. We are going to buy a professional clippers, there's info on the net on how to do the proper cut. Got a friend to show us the first time.

Do take your time looking for a good breeder. We went to see about 4 'breeders' before we found our dog. There is english website, don't think I can mention it here, that you can be put on waiting lists for litters, they cost more but would be of a good standard. Google miniature schnauzer kc registeted, should come up 6th. Or contact IKC.

Good luck with your search