Well, it’s been about 6 months since we lost our old dachshund. We still have the fat one (he’s watching the TDF with me right now:), but are starting to think about acquiring another. We’d like to get a medium size dog this time. We’re thinking seriously about a mutt, and I’d like to get a 1-2 year old dog so we can skip that cute, but pain-in-the-ass puppy stage. If we do go the pure breed route, anyone have any suggestions? Dog would have to be good with kids, short hair (or non-shedder) and not hyper.
Oh, and please, please do not hijack this thread with diatribes on pure breed dogs, puppy mills, the virtues of pound dogs, etc. – I’m up on all those issues.
We have 2 dogs, both were from rescues. The first one (which I was totally against getting) was 5 weeks old. We believe that she is a lab/pit bull mix. She is a very affectionate dog (2 y/o now) and 40 lbs. We had some aggression issues early on, but finally trained them out of her. Also, getting the second dog helped tremendously. In fact, getting the second dog was my idea, and as far as I’m concerned was the best decision we have made since deciding to get the first dog. The second we got when she was 2 years old from the humane society (this was a year ago). She is a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix (but we have no idea with what, maybe pit bull). She was surrendered from a family that had her from a puppy because of “allergies of a child,” but we have our doubts. Getting a dog instead of a puppy is like getting a kid who has already graduated from college. It was wonderful to not have to worry about housebreaking and obedience training. Again from a behavior standpoint, we couldn’t have gotten a better dog. She is so well behaved.
On the down side, she came with some medical issues (torn ACL’s which we think was the reason she was surrendered). She had some problems getting up from a sit or down, and would limp at night if she pushed it too hard during the day. So now she has gone through 2 surgeries at Michigan State Vetrinary College and is on Rimadyl and Cosequin. The recovery period was about 6 months total, and she was not allowed to jump, run, and had to be on a leash anytime she was outside. I also had to build a ramp in my garage so that she could in and out of the house. Part of her recovery was that she had to lose about 10-15 lbs. When we got her she was 65 lbs. and we have her at around 52 now. She is very lean. She does not hardly shed (at least compared to the other one which I brush almost every day).
I guess the long and short of it is I like having 2 dogs more than one. And I also liked getting a dog that is already trained and housebroken more than I liked getting a puppy. But, it is kind of like buying a used car, and unless you know who the previous owner was, you really don’t know what you are getting.
We have an intelligent English Springer Spaniel and I highly recommend the breed. He’s very calm and patient, very, very loyal. He really, really loves going for a run BTW, though he’s slow (he’s 9) and can’t keep up on a lot of my runs. If you want a little more energy you might look @ Soft-coated Wheaton terriers. Brittany Spaniels are also good dogs that meet your criteria. You can get purebreds through rescue. Do a google search for the breed website and often you can find a trained adult. You might have to drive a little to pick him up. That’s how we got our German Wirehaired Pointers. Sammie, the springer, also came to us 3 years ago when he needed a new home. I agree about the puppy thing.
Ummm, you could pay to get the Springer groomed right? I mean not that the doxie didn’t look great in his pictures, LOL.
Spaniels are terrific. I had several Englinsh, Springer and Cocker spaniels growing up. Boxers are on the big side of medium dogs, but are wonderful family dogs - great with kids, sensitive to people, and short hair.
Hi Amy, I have to put in a vote for a whippet. We have had ours for 10 years and got him after doing a lot of research. They are sensitive but very loving and good natured. Lots of energy but in short bursts…they are actually less work than labs and many of the other breeds mentioned. They need the opportunity to run but lots of their energy is fasttwitch and so once that is exhausted they are happy to sleep. Short hair, very little shedding very easy to look after. Our dog is shy with children but he was never brought up with them. I have seen other whippets with children and they do just fine. One of their key characteristics is that they desperatey try to please so they are easy to train and hate to be in trouble.
The “non-shedder” description basically eliminates all Spaniels, Collie types, etc. Not hyper does away with boxers (one of my favs) and simlar muscular dogs. Really though, all dogs shed.
medium size dog this time
medium-sized = “knee high”? (something between 30-50 pounds?) Bye-bye labs, etc.
Seems like you’re asking for a Beagle or Jack Russell or similar type dog that has made for great traditional family pets. Warning, don’t buy a hound type and expect it not to be a barker.
If you’re wanting to avoid the puppy-stage AND test for being good with kids, then IMO you’re simply going to have to go from shelter to shelter, with your kids and just let them play with the dogs there and see what happens. From personal experience, the two times we went" looking for dogs", the dog chose us, not the other way around. You start petting and playing with dogs and one of just fits with what you’re looking for … and becomes a part of your family.
Actually, no, springer spaniels are non-shedders, Collies, a different breed, shed. Yes, all dogs shed to some level but Poodles, Portuguese water dogs, Springer spaniels, shih-tzu, wheaton (should I go on) shed very little. In addition to our two GW pointers and our Springer we have 2 Jack Russell Terriers. We have had as many as 5 @ one time. JRT’s don’t shed they sluff. When we pet our Jakey hair flies off and as a breed they redefine hyper. I love my JRT’s but they are the antithesis of what she described. They are small, shed and intense, actually maniacal. If you’re looking for a dog that will play catch for hours with your child then look into a JRT. But I warn you, if the child pulls his tail or pulls his ear the dog will bite him
That’s interesting. My sister’s JRT can run like the day is long, but would rather sit on the couch with his head on your lap being petted for hours on end. Stop petting him and you get the “nose under the arm” nudge indicating “more, more, more”. I have a 4yo Power Ranger-Spiderman hybrid (i.e., son) that will test a dog’s patience. Her dog has never as much as growled at him.
IMO, the story here … is get to know the temperment of the dog before purchasing … especially if you have kids.
We currently have a Rat Terrier, whose fur seems to resemble that of a Beagle and JRT, and we get “little white hairs” on the floor, etc (mostly basement where we play). She is the most aggressive/territorial of our 3 dogs (Aussie Cattle dog and “Lablike” Mutt). But, her and my son are inseperable. If we would allow him to sleep in her kennel, he would. She’s about to make the move to sleeping on a large dog pillow, next to his bed (fully anticipating that she will be sleeping nose to nose with our son in his bed withing 1-2 nights). I’m rambling …
I had not heard of JRT’s as being hyper. Active, yes … but not the annoying hyper (like a poodle that on the couch, off the couch, etc). Learn something new every day.
I looked up Springer Spaniels, and they seem to resemble Brittany Spaniels, which we have friends that own two. Whether they “technically shed or not”, I don;t know. I do know when you pet them, or hold them, there will be hairs on your clothes, furniture, etc. That’s what I am referring to as “shedding”.
Don’t have experience with this type breed but my husband and I were considering it after looking at their statistics - greyhounds.
Apparently you can adopt them at about the age of 2years, after their racing years end. They appear gentle and calm and the puppy stage is done. You might think of them as big but they truly are delicate and streamlined and short-haired.
Anyway, it was just a suggestion. They are supposed to be good with kids.
My wife has looked into greythound adoption extensively, right up to the point of going to one of their “get-to-know the dogs-before-adopting parties.”
Two things - you CAN NOT take them off the lead when out and about or running. If they see something (rabbit, squirrel etc) they are GONE and you ain’t gonna catch them. Because of that a fenced in yard is a mandatory requirement of adoption organizations we talked to along with some other, what seemed to be arbitrary personality-driven, rules.
Just to touch on the Greyhound thing. Great dogs and very good family dogs. The comments above about always being leashed and fenced it true and another not is they do tend to be a bit more delicate than most dogs which, depending on what you want to do may be something to consider. My GF had one and she was just a great dog.
A whippet is a good suggestion. I was wondering, though, after reading the info about greyhounds, does your dog tend to run off if not on a leash? We have a pretty good yard, but it’s not fenced and there are lots of critters about. I keep meaning to call the Invisible Fence folks, but my dachshund stays pretty close to home, so we haven’t really needed it.
I walk our whippet off leash all the time but he is older and very responsive. I think if you had a puppy or a younger dog you would need a fenced yard. When I walk Eddie I watch him to see when he has spotted something interesting and call him to heel pretty quickly but if he gets a run up it is difficult to call his attention back.
He has caught a squirrel in a forest and was a master catcher of field mice so you have to know they are quick. I think the thing is that they don’t necessarily want to run away from you they just get distracted by the hunting instinct.
A greyhound is also a good suggestion if you didn’t want to go the puppy route…although they are bigger, some of the females are not as big and they have all of the same characteristics as a whippet.
They are very much creatures of luxury and comfort (whippets and greyhounds) our dog is about the only whippet I know that doesn’t sleep in the owners bed but then he does have 3 beds scattered around the house.
Let me know if you want more info, I would be happy if you wanted to talk on the phone
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