I want a small to medium sized dog, need opinions.

[snowball22]

Inspired by the Cocker Spaniel thread and a thread about beagles. We want to get a dog for our kids but are clueless to what type to get. We want a small to medium, sized dog. We were thinking of a beagle but decided against it because of the hounding and the chance the dog will escape and never come back. Then we were thinking of a cocker spaniel but after reading the latest thread I am starting to doubt that choice also. Anyone know of a good for kids type of small to medium sized dog? We just don't want a large dog because it will mainly be a house dog. Thanks everyone!!!!!

 

[Serena]

Animal Planet Dog Breed Selector

 

[RoutemanDan]

Cairn Terrier. They are small but not fragile and hardly ever bark.when they do bark it's a bark and not a yip.And they love kids!

 

[LindaR]

There's lots to consider...........short haired, long haired? Some are harder to housetrain than others. Terriers tend to be diggers, the sporting breed tend to be kid tolerant................see where I'm going with this?

Make a list of what the "perfect" dog would be for you and then start your research.

Don't completely rule out large dogs because it would be inside alot. Some of them are really laid back and mellow inside.

All dogs need some outside exercise time.

One of my dogs is a German Shepherd who spends all day inside while we are gone. She gets about 30 minutes of ball time each day to rid her of pent up energy and she is wonderful inside. Tiny dogs may not be able to handle young kids (I also have a toy poodle) because they are more delicate.

 

[CookieGVB]

I've always wanted a Pembroke Corgi.

I've had a mini poodle, and he was great, but of course temperaments vary. This one thought he was a german shepherd, so he wasn't "yappy" like some are.

Good luck in your choice.

 

[Lynn CC]

I can't tell you what small dog to get, but I can give you some advice on what kind not to get.
We love our Miniture Pincher. She's very cute and cuddly, but she can't be trusted with any kids. She just doesn't like them. She's 8 now and the older she gets the worse she gets, even with adults.
She is confined to one room, she has always gotten into a lot of mischief, and she has accidents all the time. We take her out every hour but sometimes she still doesn't make it through the night.

They are VERY cute dogs, but I wouldn't get another.

 

[janette]

Once you decide on a breed you can use petfinder.org to find pets available. Most shelters are listed there.

We just got a Bichon Frise, they are pretty limited to adopt so we ended up going to a breeder but so far he's an adorable pet.

 

[Beauty]

Okay I'm not going to say don't get a Pomeranian because maybe not all are like ours...but she never ever ever ever shuts up. As I'm sitting here typing she as at the window barking at NOTHING! There is nothing out there....I swear she barks at the leaves falling. She is so hyper and never calms down. We love her but goodness...LOL!

Now I have 2 shih-tzus and besides the grooming they are both the sweetest dogs! Well behaved, quiet (as if they would have time to bark with the Pom), loving.

 

[sudiequ]

I love Shih Tzu's mainly because they do not shed!! Our first dog did nipp when you got to close to her food . Our current dog has never bitten anyone and we've had her for 4 years, so i guess it depends on their breeding. Good luck in your search!

 

[sudiequ]

I love Shih Tzu's mainly because they do not shed!! Our first dog did nipp when you got to close to her food . Our current dog has never bitten anyone and we've had her for 4 years, so i guess it depends on their breeding. Good luck in your search!

 

[becka]

Toy or Minature Poodle

I would probably recommend the mini size since they are a little larger (12ish pounds) and can handle more rough play with kids.

They are great social dogs that are intelligent and they don't shed. Plus they are great with kids.

 

[SPAGo 98]

jack russell.

 

[londonpenguin]

Like Janette suggested (above), get on to PetFinder and look at shelters in your area. You may just find the perfect dog that way, without getting your heart set on, say, a Westie. We found both our cats through PetFinder and are very pleased to have had the opportunity to give a home (make that "pampered, cushy, spoiled existence") to two abandoned kitkats! Whatever you decide to do, don't rush into anything just because you want a dog "today."

 

[NoodlesTheRabbit]

We got a Bichon Frise this summer, and she is a wonderful pet!! She does not shed, which is great...no pet hair on anything. Bichons have a very pleasant disposition too...they are also not prone to very many health problems as some breeds are. The disadvantage is that she has to be groomed at least every 4-5 weeks. Her fur gets knotted very easily and she starts to look too shaggy.

So far, she is pretty reliably trained to pee outside. She goes to the door and barks.

She is really a happy dog, never nips or growls. She barks every now and then when she sees a stranger or a rabbit, etc.

 

[NoodlesTheRabbit]

From the AKC information on Bichons:


The Bichon Frise is a small, sturdy, white powder puff of a dog whose merry temperament is evidenced by his plumed tail carried jauntily over the back and his dark-eyed inquisitive expression.

 

[SilverLily]

Shelties! They have a ton of hair, but they are sweet, intelligent, playful, and very loyal.

 

[skuttle]

We have a yorkie and a pembroke corgi.

I wouldn't suggest a yorkie simply because they are hard to train and bark all the time! Plus, you need to have them groomed regularly. It costs us about $25/month to have Maggie groomed. I love Maggie, our Yorkie, but I think she'd be a handfull w/ kids...plus I'd be scared the kids would hurt her since she's only 6 pounds.

I would definately suggest a corgi! Milo, our pembroke corgi, is a GREAT dog! He's about 25 pounds, sturdy, and not overly playful. He was super easy to train...he scratches at the door when he needs to use the bathroom, he goes to his kennel when we tell him to and he doesn't whine about it, he plays fetch and tug-of-war. He's great. The only grooming he needs is a bath and clip his nails...we do that ourselves. The only draw backs I can think of are that corgis shed...about twice a year they shed A LOT, but the rest of the time isn't too bad. Also, corgis are herding dogs so when we first got Milo he would nip at our feet, trying to herd us.

 

[BWVDenise]

Well, I can tell you that Wheatens don't shed, are very playful, and love attention. Now, they are NOT supposed to be barkers, but no one told that to mine . He barks constantly!

 

[regi]

i've always had dachshunds and i love them. they are the sweetest dogs. and they are great watch dogs. they have a very loud bark that makes them sound much bigger than they are. good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[cleo]

There's an excellent book titled The Perfect Match: a dog buyer's guide. by Chris Walkowicz. It covers any breed you might run across, giving information on things like protection, energy, how it is with children and other pets, shedding and grooming, health issues, and what sort of family makes a good or bad match. It also gives a picture of each breed as well as listing sizes and colors.

I spent months researching the perfect dog for our family. If that woman hadn't come along and pulled out the most darling collie pup I'd ever seen, I'm sure I would have actaully found my family's perfect match!