Debyork2 Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Having lost both my very elderly dogs some months ago I am now starting to feel able to think about getting a new dog-a dogless life is not for me! Both my previous dogs were toy breeds and altho' I like little dogs I have no preference for size-tho' perhaps not a giant breed, purely for practical reasons. Have had experience with all sizes of dogs-growing up in a doggy family, so, in this case size really isn't important. I would like a breed that is tolerant of other animals-I have 3 cats and the property I live on has sheep, horses, chickens etc..., also tolerant of small children, have no resident children but small children are frequent visitors and my old dogs weren't at all tolerant even tho' the kids were well versed in 'doggy etiquette'. Long or short coated isn't important tho', if I'm honest, I would prefer a dog that doesn't shed bucketloads of hair. What can I offer a dog? I don't work so apart from rare occasions when he/she couldn't come with me it wouldn't be alone at all, limitless opportunities for walks-off and on lead, secure fenced yard, he/she would be an indoor dog, I would probably show him/her...used to show dogs many years ago and now human children have flown the coop would like to get back into it. Obviously I want to get this right so am in the 'research' phase ATM and thought DOL'ers may come up with some breeds that I haven't, as yet, given any thought. Thanks in advance for any ideas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizT Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 So what breeds did you have and what are you thinking about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 I would suggest a gundog for several reasons. They are usually good with kids and cats, don't have any tendency to chase stock and won't go off hunting. If you like short coats, try a Viszla, GSP, Pointer or Wei. Longer coat, maybe a Springer or Brittany and for a longer coat a Goldie. Labs have short coats but are probably the worst shedders on earth. If you really want to show, how about something more unsual, like a Field Spaniel. If you want something smaller that is fun to show, a Japanese Spitz ticks all the boxes as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 (edited) You may want to have a look at the Portuguese Water Dog. Very smart thinking breed, ''non shedding'', adore being with their people and are really great companions for someone who wants a dog that needs to be worked with and who is willing to utilise a dog's brain power. For showing they are a fair bit of work but the wavy's especially are not meant to be 'perfect' like Poodles, Bichons really need to be for the ring so easier for a novice to achieve a reasonable result in the coat department. They are pretty rare in Australia so patience and research would be required. Edited March 15, 2011 by Sandra777 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debyork2 Posted March 16, 2011 Author Share Posted March 16, 2011 Thanks everyone...some breeds that hadn't occured to me there! Liz T.....I had a Chi (technically he was my daughters but became mine by default when she couldn't take him when she left home) and a Yorkie, my mother always had Danes & altho' I will always love Danes they just take up too much room on the bed! None of our traditional 'family' dogs seem really suitable...had quite a few Terriers in the family when I was young but they nearly all had unwholesome thoughts about chickens and small fluffy animals , some breeds I had thought of but have absolutely no firsthand experience with are the various Setters (always lusted after an English Setter when I was a teenager), Whippets, did think of a Poodle but my husband isn't keen on them..or any of the Retrievers as he was bitten on the bum by a Golden when he was a teenager and was deeply traumatised(more by having to bare his bum to the nurse than the actual bite, I think! ) My son's ex girlfriend had a pair of Viszla's...gorgeous dogs but maybe a bit too active and full on for me, having said that hers lived in a unit and probably didn't get enough exercise or company as she worked most days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyB Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 If you are after a small and hardy breed that will love all the attention you can provide as well as get along well with children etc I would recommend a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I would ensure that you look around and contact breeders for the breed you decide before doing anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FHRP Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 (edited) Vizslas and GSPs are very active, and certainly didn't spring to mind with your list. Unless the person sepcifically asks for an active dog, I wouldn't even suggest either breed. As for not going off hunting, many gundogs will do just that if not contained properly, they are hunting dogs! eta. A lot of what you're requiring comes down to training rather than just breed. I'd suggest getting back out to a show and seeing what breeds take your fancy and go from there. Edited March 16, 2011 by FHRP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskedaway Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I wouldn't suggest a Vizsla either, far too active. Maybe an Aussie Shepherd or Golden Retreiver? A Finnish Lapphund would tick most of the boxes too, though they will lose a fair bit of hair with a coat blow, but that's twice a year for an entire female and once a year for an entire male. The rest of the year they wouldn't lose much though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumabaar Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I wouldn't suggest a Vizsla either, far too active. Maybe an Aussie Shepherd or Golden Retreiver? A Finnish Lapphund would tick most of the boxes too, though they will lose a fair bit of hair with a coat blow, but that's twice a year for an entire female and once a year for an entire male. The rest of the year they wouldn't lose much though. Agree about a Lappie. I found the coat blow to be easily managed and only lasted a week or two, and for the rest of the year I hardly ever see a piece of Lappie fur around the house (whereas the Kelpies always create furbunnies). They generally like kids, either naturally lie down, or just want to play with them in my experience, are easy to train for shows and easy coat upkeep- although not sure about this in a farm setting as they would probably pick up burs more regularly. Even when my girl has got burrs they have been 'relatively' easy to remove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debyork2 Posted March 16, 2011 Author Share Posted March 16, 2011 Vizslas and GSPs are very active, and certainly didn't spring to mind with your list. Unless the person sepcifically asks for an active dog, I wouldn't even suggest either breed. As for not going off hunting, many gundogs will do just that if not contained properly, they are hunting dogs! That's what I thought...I'm quite happy, in fact I am looking forward to having a dog that enjoys being taken for walks but I'm not sure I could provide the level of activity that they need...better to err on the side of caution I think! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesluvscavs Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 If you are after a small and hardy breed that will love all the attention you can provide as well as get along well with children etc I would recommend a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I would ensure that you look around and contact breeders for the breed you decide before doing anything. I agree but they (mine do!!) shed heaps of hair !!! (maybe they not as bad when they are clipped, but we don't clip ours, just general trimming) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lic_82 Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Another vote for the Australian Shepard from me too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskedaway Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I wouldn't suggest a Vizsla either, far too active. Maybe an Aussie Shepherd or Golden Retreiver? A Finnish Lapphund would tick most of the boxes too, though they will lose a fair bit of hair with a coat blow, but that's twice a year for an entire female and once a year for an entire male. The rest of the year they wouldn't lose much though. Agree about a Lappie. I found the coat blow to be easily managed and only lasted a week or two, and for the rest of the year I hardly ever see a piece of Lappie fur around the house (whereas the Kelpies always create furbunnies). They generally like kids, either naturally lie down, or just want to play with them in my experience, are easy to train for shows and easy coat upkeep- although not sure about this in a farm setting as they would probably pick up burs more regularly. Even when my girl has got burrs they have been 'relatively' easy to remove. Yeah, even with Halo's more fluffy puppy coat, burrs come out relatively easily. And both she and Akira are extremely good with kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsrawesome Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 What about a Smooth Collie or a Rhodesian Ridgeback. They are both good with little kids, a bit active but im unsure on the shedding part as i havent owned either of the breeds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Maybe a sheltie, but you'd need to train it to be good with kids. But they're smart dogs. Or a welsh springer spaniel - they're a bit like brittanies but slightly smaller and only come in chestnut and white. And very docile, good with kids. Or bedlington terrier? They don't shed much and cope fairly well with children - not snappy - just leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Fox Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 What about a Smooth Collie or a Rhodesian Ridgeback. They are both good with little kids, a bit active but im unsure on the shedding part as i havent owned either of the breeds Ridgebacks aren't particularly tollerant of strangers and while they are great with thier "own" kids that doesn't always extend to kids outside of their pack. They are also rough, boisterous, bouncy players and and will easily bowl young kids over. Well in my experience anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightgrace6 Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I am biased but a DOBERMANN. my little girl is 11 weeks ever so smart doesn't shed (yet) and is best friends with my lop eared bunny charles.. my two dobermanns back at my parents farm were HUGE dogs and although they sometimes jumped on us they NEVER jumped on my sisters twin boys from age 4 right up till 12 (when they were just about as tall as me) and even then it was just one welcome jump that was easily deterred...they are large (females smaller) but quite thin and they can flatten themselves out for a laugh haha... I've always loved Aussie Sheps, Old English Sheepdogs and Bearded Collies unsure about the shedding though as I have never owned one.. but you can always shave them Maremmas are livestock guardians (bred to protect animals) and are used to being alone, so if you do on occasion have to leave (emergency etc) they will probably be a little less inclined to go nuts, again unsure about the shedding but I think any breed that isn't a heavy shedder would suit.. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsrawesome Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Ridgebacks aren't particularly tollerant of strangers and while they are great with thier "own" kids that doesn't always extend to kids outside of their pack.They are also rough, boisterous, bouncy players and and will easily bowl young kids over. Well in my experience anyway. Oh i used to live near two of them a 11month old female and a 8yr old female and they used to be really docile haha used to live straight across the road and i could go over and play with them anytime i want thats why i suggested them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baileys mum Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I'm very biased but I think an Australian terrier ticks nearly all your boxes. They are a very friendly, charming,loyal little family dog with pesonality plus!! They adapt well to all sorts of living conditions including rural or city living, have a low shedding easy to maintain coat, very trainable as they love to please their owners, are very healthy & absolutely adore children. The only downside is being a terrier they have high prey drive & you would really have to watch them around chooks & other small animals. They could be socialised as puppies with small animals, but they would still always need to be supervised together IMO. Other than this an Aussie would be perfect for your home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debyork2 Posted March 16, 2011 Author Share Posted March 16, 2011 I'm very biased but I think an Australian terrier ticks nearly all your boxes.They are a very friendly, charming,loyal little family dog with pesonality plus!! They adapt well to all sorts of living conditions including rural or city living, have a low shedding easy to maintain coat, very trainable as they love to please their owners, are very healthy & absolutely adore children. The only downside is being a terrier they have high prey drive & you would really have to watch them around chooks & other small animals. They could be socialised as puppies with small animals, but they would still always need to be supervised together IMO. Other than this an Aussie would be perfect for your home. I did actually consider an Aussie as I have known a few and as you say they are great little dogs-very underrated, the only thing is the chook issue, we also have Guinea Fowl that wander around the garden...they are great early warning systems for snakes so I like to encourage them! I am definately going to keep aussies in mind tho, as in all other regards they fit the bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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