Help me choose a dog...

[smkiya]

DD is begging for a dog. We keep telling her we will get one when she is 7, but think we may go ahead in a few months. Our last dog was put down 4 years ago, she was a German Sheperd. The best dog ever! She was smart, sweet, and I never felt afraid when dh went out of town for work. She got cancer at the age of 6 (had her from 12 weeks). I would get another German Sheperd, but for the fact that she shed like crazy!!!! In the summer we shaved her, but she still shed. It was hard to keep up with the vacuuming, sweeping, etc.

I am trying to find a dog that would be comparable to a German Sheperd in terms of intelligence. I want a dog that is easy to train, loves children, has a protective instinct when it comes to family, is not high maintenance and hyper (we are laid back). I have a large fenced yard, and someone is always home 6-7 days a week.

I have narrowed it down to 3 (unless you have another suggestion). Here they are in order of preference:
#1 - Standard Poodle
#2 - Shih Tzu
#3 - Maltese

I really like the intelligence of the Standard Poodle. I've done some research and I think this is the dog for me (not mini or toy). I would keep a low maintenance cut (DSIL is a dog groomer and has her own shop 5 minutes away ), and they don't shed! Everything I'm looking for is what this dog has to offer. The problem is, dd doesn't like this type of dog. So, if I am unable to convince her, we will go with another of the breeds on the list.

I intend to get the dog as a rescue, and have considered getting an adult rather than a puppy.

What are your opinions and experiences with these breeds? I know the Shih Tzu all too well. It was actually my first choice until I learned about the Standard Poodle. My mom had a Shih Tzu for 13 years (got her when I was 15). My mil has one and my sil has 2.

So I guess my question really is, how do I convince my dd to choose the Standard Poodle?

 

[bellebud]

A golden-doodle!!

I have a german shephard, and a golden-doodle. My golden doodle is about 80lbs (same size as my shephard), and doesn't shed at all. They come in all colors, sizes and straight or curly hair. Mine is a creamy white. we keep him groomed so he doesn't mat.

So, my dog's mom was the standard poodle and his dad was the golden retriever. My dog is very smart, VERY good w/ kids, barks at workers coming into the yard until I tell him it's ok or he sees me interacting in a good way.

Don't confuse a golden doodle w/ a labradoodle (a lab/poodle mix). They are hyper. My golden doodle hangs w/ us inside, goes outside into our fenced yard by himself and wanders around (my shephard won't do this - he's almost TOO loyal to us in this way).

I wish I knew how to post pics... he's adorable!!

 

[Cinerbelle]

We LOVE our corgi... smart smart smart.

 

[christiane]

I love all three of those breeds! However, I wouldn't think of any of them as being especially protective, low maintenance or calm!

We have a lovely Shih Tzu and she is very smart, happy & playful. She adores the children & can't get enough of their hugs & kisses. She has some protective instincts and acts like a mother hen to the children & other pets but would probably roll over for a belly rub for any stranger showing kindness. She isn't hyper per se, but has a lot of energy flying around the house & yard, loves to bark and generally gets excited pretty easily. She likes a lot of attention, especially when playing with her toys. However, of all of our dogs she is the only one who will go off by herself and doing her own thing for an hour or two.

Maltese are pretty similar to Shih Tzu but can be a little shyer, sometimes preferring to mainly bond with one person in the family.

The Standard Poodle fits more of your criteria and can be a little more calm & aloof, but they don't have a great instinct for protection. I still think they are great choice for a family with children. So, one way to help your daughter consider this breed is for her to meet some. Your sister-in-law might know several from her grooming business so perhaps she could ask her clients if your daughter could me them. Ideally at a park, rather than the salon where they may be a little stressed.


Have you checked petfinder.org? I think you will find a lot more Shih Tzus for adoption than the other breeds. Maltese next, and a lot fewer Std Poodles.

Good Luck!

Christiane.

 

[goofy!]

Out of the three you mention, I think the Standard Poodle is the closest to your ideal. I would stay away from the poodle mixes as they are mixes and you cannot predict what you will get. Most of the things you mention would be contributed by the poodle anyway, so why not just get the original? You especially can't beat the intelligence of the standard poodle.

Did you know you can cord a poodle? Ok, this is coming from an owner of corded dogs, so I am partial to them, but perhaps if you show your daughter how unique they can be, she would like them.

Of course, you would never have to cord the dog, as that process wouldn't start till about a year of age. And by then your daughter would be so in love that she probably wouldn't care what the coat looks like.

But here are some pics of corded poodles:

 

[diesel]

I never liked poodles until we took our lab puppy to puppy training class. There was a beautiful standard poodle there that was just amazing. The most intelligent dog in the class. She interacted so well with children. My lab was such a doofus next to this lovely, classy poodle.

 

[wdwfam]

Personally, our family is a big fan of the cockapoos. Between our daughter and us, we currently have three. We've had shih-tzus and love them, but the personality of the cockapoo can't be beat. Here's a picture of our Sophie taken for her Therapy Dog International paperwork.

 

[StacyMarie]

I have 2 Shih-Tzus. If I knew how to post pics I would. We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our dogs. They are like little people. They do not shed. I have mine groomed every 6 to 8 weeks. During the summer, we have them shaved. In the winter, I keep their coat a bit longer. My daughter has allergies really bad and she has never had a problem with our dogs. They are so smart and loveable and playful. They really are like my sons, LOL! I would have 20 if I could

 

[T*Bird]

I have 2 Shih-Tzus. If I knew how to post pics I would. We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our dogs. They are like little people. They do not shed. I have mine groomed every 6 to 8 weeks. During the summer, we have them shaved. In the winter, I keep their coat a bit longer. My daughter has allergies really bad and she has never had a problem with our dogs. They are so smart and loveable and playful. They really are like my sons, LOL! I would have 20 if I could

I'm a cat owner, but my sister has a Shih-Tzu, and she loves hers, too! It is her 2nd one, and he is just a year old. Her first one lived to about 15 years old. He never barks (I don't think I have ever heard him bark!) and doesn't shed. She keeps his coat pretty short, too. And he follows her everywhere in the house, just like her shadow. He's also playful and affectionate, but not overly hyper. I'm not even a "dog person" but he has won me over!

 

[jrmasm]

Given that your daughter is so young, I'd pick a dog that works best for you and your husband as the dog will be your responsibility.

 

[paintnolish]

Have you thought about Shelties? They aren"t so small that they are delicate and they are not too big either. They are healthy and hardy. They are smart and very easy to train (right up there with GS and poodles) but don't get bored and destructive. They can be a little shy at first but warm up quickly. They are barkers, though, but I guess the upside is that they will let you know if a stranger (or a squirrel) approaches your house or yard!

 

[StitchFanZ]

I'd go for the standard poodle - they are really great dogs. Can you take your DD to see some puppies or some older ones? They are hard to resist. My mom has a sheltie and they are great dogs but keep in mind that they are by nature herding dogs and it may come thru in them barking or them trying to herd kids.

 

[STLDisney_Freak]

My grandma used to have a poodle when I was younger. All I remember about that dog is it was mean and it used to snap at me all the time. I eventually learned to just ignore the silly thing.

There are four dogs total in our house.

My daughters both have their own dogs which they take care of...My eight year old has a shih tzu that she picked out named Emma. Emma is super laid back. She loves to lay on Autumn's lap all the time, but she also has her playful side too. She is truly a great dog.

My six year old has a chihauhau named Ariel (yes, after the princess ). Ariel is a very sweet dog and loves her belly rubs. She also likes to be held and carried all the time so she works good with Kassie whom always wants to cart her everywhere. Ariel thinks she is the guard dog of our house.

Both of my girls alternate between feeding the dogs/putting water in the bowl and cleaning up the potty pads and poop. It is part of their chores. I've told them both that a dog is a responsibility and if you do accept the responsibility then you need to take care of it. So far they have both followed through, of course, that doesn't mean I don't hear some whining every now and then.

My doggies are both Pugs. I have a black one as well as a fawn colored one. Pugs shed alot so if you aren't into cleaning up fur then stay far away from them. Both of my pugs growing up would have been an excellent dog for a child. They are both old timers now, ages 13 and 11.

 

[bellebud]

I would stay away from the poodle mixes as they are mixes and you cannot predict what you will get.

This doesn't always have to be true. We found our breeder for our golden doodle (happened to be the owner of the kennel we had recently started using), her poodle was having a litter soon (with the father, a golden retriever), we said we wanted one, she knew our other dog well from boarding him, and she knew us (met my kids a few times, etc). We left it up to her to pick one out of her litter for us. The poodle had 11 puppies... we offered to go help 'bottle feed' the litter every day (too many puppies for the mama to feed on her own), boy, that was fun!!! Did you know you have to burp them like a baby??? anyway... every litter will have a range of temperaments (shy, friendly, cautious, leaders, followers, etc). We got to know the puppies from when they were born, and we ended up w/ exactly what we wanted, a friendly, submissive (but not in a scared way), smart, wonderful dog. The breeder could also tell how the hair (fur) would be by then. So it was not a guess by any means as to what we would get. Of course, it being a very local breeder we had a relationship with helped a lot.

 

[smkiya]

My grandma used to have a poodle when I was younger. All I remember about that dog is it was mean and it used to snap at me all the time. I eventually learned to just ignore the silly thing.

When I was young my neighbor had a poodle and it bit my finger. I was maybe 4 years old. I had to get a tetanus shot and disliked poodles from that day on. I don't know it it was a toy poodle or a miniture poodle, but it wasn't a standard poodle. Standards are much larger (50-80 lbs), and from what I've read have a much different temperment than the mini's and toy's. I've even read some breed sites that discourage people with small kids from the mini and toy poodles but say that the standard is great with children.

Thanks for the great suggestions everyone. I agree with a pp that said since I'll be the one responsible, get the one I want. DD LOVES animals, and during her Kindergarten graduation was voted most likely to be an Animal Rescuer. She'll be happy just to get a dog. She just turned 2 when we put our German Sheperd KC down, but she'll look at the framed pic of me, my husband, and KC every now and then and say, "I miss KC."

 

[walden]

Well, my vote is for the Standard Poodle, but then I have always wanted one myself! Absolutely gorgeous, fantastic, trainable dogs and much different from the minis. And those corded poodles ::swoons::

Seriously though, is this your dog or your daughter's? You will need to train that standard poodle with your daughter so that she can walk it safely. They are big dogs. I have also met lovely Shih Tzus and sweet Maltese.

I have nothing against mixes and applaud your thoughts of an adult rescue. In your place I would be volunteering with (or visiting) your local rescue with your daughter and looking for a perfect match for you all. The right breed may be an all-American.

 

[rie'smom]

Of the 3 you have listed, I'd choose the Shih Tzu because they're good house dogs.
I'd encourage you to check out the Japanese Chin as well. Our Bruiser is 8 years old and a darling. He's very quiet unless a stranger comes to the door and then he barks. Children love him because he's so sweet. Besides all of that, he's super smart and took to house training in a day.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Have you thought about Shelties? They aren"t so small that they are delicate and they are not too big either. They are healthy and hardy. They are smart and very easy to train (right up there with GS and poodles) but don't get bored and destructive. They can be a little shy at first but warm up quickly. They are barkers, though, but I guess the upside is that they will let you know if a stranger (or a squirrel) approaches your house or yard!

Shelties shed a ton! Nice dogs though.

 

[FQ fan]

I vote Standard Poodle. They have all of the attributes you want.

You should definitely start getting involved with a resue organization! You will not only have really good resource for information, but the rescues know their dogs and want to place them in the home that is the best fit. Good luck, and I'm sure your daughter will come around.

 

[MiniGirl]

We had to put our Standard down a year or so ago, and I still miss him. Standards are a wonderful breed of dog, and I did find mine to be very protective. They are high maintainance (grooming wise), but it sounds like you have that part covered.

Has your dd said why she is against a standard poodle? Does she just want a smaller dog?