Recommendations for small breed dog?

[mjkacmom]

If you want a dog with tons of personality - Miniature Pinscher... Clean short coat, minimal shedding. Mine is only 10lbs. They are lap dogs for sure! Did I mention tons of personality? Good with the kids (but mine are 11 & 16 now) they love love love to play!

Downside is that mine can be a bit bossy with the other dogs, I have a feeling bossiness is a trait amongst Minpins. My other dogs tolerate it, most of the time, even though they are older & bigger! So your Lab would have to be really easy going....

Feel free to ask me about Bo! and no matter what you choose, be sure to check out Petfinder.com!

I was going to post NOT to get a minpin! I had mine for 8 years, and although I loved her, she was not great with kids (even ours!). She would tolerate them, and the kids did learn respect for animals (or they'd get nipped), but she really preferred adults (my gf is having similar issues with hers). She barked at everything, and was really hard to housebreak. She ended up getting hit by a car - she kept digging her way under our fence. I think they're adorable dogs, but very strong-willed (mine almost attacked a rottweiler), and not likely to put up with small children.

 

[Aimeedyan]

The most important thing if you want a purebred is to find the right breed for YOUR family. This is a great breed selector test, it's the most reliable one I've found. You might be surprised at the outcome, we were!

http://aolsvc.decisionguides.aol.com/dogs/start.jsp

We have a Shih Tzu, love him to tears but he has his downfalls and is not for everyone. After taking that test, it's obvious that a Bichon would be a great fit for our family if we bring another purebred into our house.

Good luck!

 

[clarabelle]

You could try one of those breed finder quizes.
they have one on the eukanuba web site.
I have a mini dachshund -who we adore -but they are not consistiently good with kids- some are -some aren't

 

[drgnfly30]

I was going to post NOT to get a minpin! I had mine for 8 years, and although I loved her, she was not great with kids (even ours!). She would tolerate them, and the kids did learn respect for animals (or they'd get nipped), but she really preferred adults (my gf is having similar issues with hers). She barked at everything, and was really hard to housebreak. She ended up getting hit by a car - she kept digging her way under our fence. I think they're adorable dogs, but very strong-willed (mine almost attacked a rottweiler), and not likely to put up with small children.

That's the thing with dogs.. not all dogs in a particular breed are alike! (Note my post about my Cairn Terrier!) Bo loves the kids, he's even good with my sons ferrets, loves to play with them & never plays too rough! I admit that they are escape artists but nothing a run line didn't solve.. I second the dog breed quizzes... Minpin happened to be in the top 5 choices for me... the others required too much fur maintenance for me!

 

[hmwnick]

We've had ours for 8 years & have been really happy. She weighs about 12lbs (was the runt). Schnauzers do not shed. A friend's daughter has bad allergies & they purchased a schnauzer for that reason. They are playful, not too delicate, are very loyal, ours is quite the lap dog, but also can hang w/ our chow/ german shepard mix. She tends to be alittle "barky" when a stranger is around.

So needless to say, mini schnauzers get my vote. Good luck!

 

[FayeW]

Westie! Westie! Westie! (West Highland White Terrier)

Westies are cousins to the Cairn and Scottish terriers. They are very sturdy little dogs with personality plus! (I've never met a Westie I didn't like )

Our Westie is a fabulous fit for our family, full of love and so playful! She doesn't shed, and if the weather is lousy, we've been known to "walk" her by throwing her ball up and down the stairs a couple of dozen times. Not ideal, but it does wear her out!

 

[bekkiz]

We have a mini schanuzer too. He runs on the bigger side (at 20 lbs) but most are in the 12 lb-18 lb area.

He doesn't shed, great with kids and an awesome personality. I get comments all of the time about how cute he is and how fun. Our neighbors have 2 boys (10 and 7) and a lab, and our Indy can keep up with all of them! He thinks a bit bigger than he is

Here's some more pictures of him, from puppy on:
http://www.adamlyon.com/gallery/v/indy/

 

[golfgal]

We have a rat terrier and they are great dogs. They are small dogs with a big dog attitude. They are very smart, easy to train, come in a variety of sizes 5 lbs to 55 lbs depending on the line. They are a cross between a smooth fox terrier and a Manchester Terrier so they also come in a variety of colors (our dog is mostly black with tan and white markings). She loves to play and run with the kids but she also loves, loves, loves to cuddle with you, best of both worlds!

 

[goofy!]

That's the thing with dogs.. not all dogs in a particular breed are alike!

A truer statement could not be said.

All the reason that after you find your breed, if you can't find it through rescue, you find a reputable breeder.

Breeders with lots of experience know their dogs, breed for certain temperaments, and temperament test their puppies before placing.

A knowledgeable and reputable breeder will help you get the perfect puppy with the temperament that suits your family situation best!

Good luck!

BTW - check out the Whippet too. They make great family pets.

 

[janette]

I'd also browse at www.petfinder.com ; especially if you aren't set on having a young puppy. Lots of dogs looking for homes, sometimes it takes a little longer to find a particular breed or just the perfect dog for you but they are fun to look at.

 

[jennobrn01]

I highly recommend the poodle breed. And the miniature poodle in particular. We grew up with retrievers of all types, pug, terrier, and spaniels. Our most beloved family pet was our poodle. Very smart. Enmeshed herself into our family so that she became just like a person. She was 5lbs full grown and kept up with the retrievers hunting doves. Absolutely hypo-allergenic and no shed.

There is a recent thread here praising the traits of poodles... you'll have to look it up.

This is our miniature poodle, Lucy, at 12 weeks. We got her 3 weeks ago. She is absolutely wonderful!

Lucy the day she came home.

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

We have an almost 10 year old toy poodle, and she is everything and more in a dog. She doesn't shed at all but needs a haircut every 3 months or so. She is VERY smart. It is amazing. She loves kids. I didn't experience any of the things people told me to watch out for when I got her. Maybe she doesn't know that she is a poodle. Anyway, she is like a baby, and very spoiled by the whole family. She is perfect for us.

 

[AKLRULZ]

I'm not a fan of small dogs, but my parents have 2 Bichons that are super cute, uber friendly, well behaved (sorta - my dad really spoils them ) easily trained and no shedding. If I was ever to consider a small dog I'd go with a Bichon.

 

[LK03]

Lhasa apso!

Our guy is just a larger version of a shih tzu and has TONS of personality. He's definitely not a fragile little thing. Loves to hang out in our laps but also keeps himself very occupied on the floor running about with toys or chewing on his nylabone. He was very well mannered at puppy kindergarten, he was the first one to completely just relax and lie on the tile as we learned. He has yet to shed (knock on wood) since we got him in March. He does need to be groomed every two months unless you are trying to keep the coat long (we just keep it an inch long like a fluffy pup).

 

[paigevz]

It has now been almost 3 full years since losing our beloved pug/fox terrier mix. We do have a big baby (a lab) and although he is a great family dog he is not "in your lap" cuddly.

We had Cooper our pug mix for 10 years. He was just a person in a dog's body! We loved his attitude and his spunk. We miss having a little dog that can curl up in our lap and that can climb up on the bed without taking up half of it.

So...as we approach the holiday season, we are thinking of making another "small dog" a family member. It has taken us years to get to the point where smaller sized dog stuff doesn't send us running for tissues and thinking about Cooper...but I think (as a family) we are finally ready to look for another lap baby.

We do have a lab...but he is great with other dogs. As long as the small dog could get along with him...he will relish in having another dog around again. He was lost for months without Cooper to keep him in line.

What I am looking for are recommendations for small breed dogs. We are hoping to find a dog that will be about 5-15 lbs when fully grown. We are also looking for a breed that doesn't shed much (if at all...we don't mind paying a groomer to keep them nice and neat). Also, being good with kids and good with other dogs is a must.

We are looking for a dog that loves to be with people and loves to be perched in your lap.

Mixed breeds or pure breds are great by us. **PLEASE do not turn this into a debate about why you should only get pure blood dogs...I posted this request on another message board I am a member of last week and it became a heated exchange...I only want feedback about your own dear dogs**

I would love to see some pictures if you don't mind sharing!! Thank you all in advance!!

Whaddayamean ANOTHER message board??? So THIS is why you've been ignoring me?

I have two suggestions, not that I'm sure I want to give them now....

When I was a child, I had a poodle/terrier mix. Best dog. Weighed about 10 lbs, white fluffy hair, no shedding, but needed plenty of grooming. Dog was active, but reacted to my moods, so if I wanted to sit quietly, he would. This dog was always bright and happy. Easily trained. A real winner.........

The dog we have now is a Boston Terrier. Great breed. He's a great kid dog. My son and he have a VERY special relationship. He has more quiet moments than the poodle did. He's smart, but a bit stubborn. He did take some time to housetrain, but it's because he's afraid of airplanes and thunder, both of which occur fairly regularly outside. He has the bulldog jaw, so likes to chew on things.............the only problem we have with that is he chews the kids' toys.....no clothes, no shoes, and no bones.

So here's our Chewey:

Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[Barb]

Another Miniature Schnazer fan here. Our Minnie is a total lap dog with tons of personality. She loves everyone! She doesn't shed and she's as smart as a whip! She was super easy to train and fits our schedule to a tea! We're late sleepers and she is too! If I get up early for work, she gives me a dirty look for getting her up so early!

 

[Uncle Remus]

Get one like this:

And don't get one like this:

 

[hiwaygal]

Get one like this:

And don't get one like this:

 

[mrsstats]

I would suggest a rescue. My 2 (gotten at different times) both are rescues. One we got when she was 4. She is a chi/mix. Vet thinks she may be full chi. She weighs around 14 lbs. My Petey is a corgi mix, he weighs 15 lbs. We had Kallie and went looking for another dog. We took her with us each time to meet the prospective new dog. This was the only one she paid attention to. They now get along but it was a little rough in the begining

 

[MerryPoppins]

I have two bichons and they are loves. I've had a variety of dogs and I have to say these are the most easy going. They don't shed, do need grooming, are a little stubborn, and very intelligent. I can't sit in the recliner without both piling into my lap. Their name doesn't mean "curly lap-dog" for nothing.