Townhouse Suited Dogs?

[mita]

If you like the working dog personality and type, but would prefer something a little smaller, have you looked at one of the Corgi Breeds? I have a Welsh Corgi (Cardigan) which are a little bigger than the Pembrokes, come in a wider range of colours and have a more laid back temperament(the Pem's are friendlier to strangers, by contrast).

We owned a Cardigan Corgi when we were kids & I'd back your description of the breed, as a great pet in a townhouse. Our Biddy was all round wonderful.

A Cardigan Corgi is superb laid- back housedog, sensible & clean. But equally wonderful to take out anywhere. Biddy was even brilliant being taken out on the boat. Once again, her sensible, laidback temperament made her perfect in that situation. A good Cardigan from a good breeder, is one of the most versatile dogs, in a compact size.

[Dogsfevr]

If you are expecting the 2 to be outside together during working hours then ideally you need to match the traits of the dog you have already & what you expect from the Malt when its new mate arrives.Are you expecting it to play with the new dog ??

How often has the Malt played with big dogs ??

I have big & small BUT they aren't always left together especially when young & the little ones get time out even though they have grown up with them.

Big dogs can only be expected to be so gentle when playing with a little dog & the little dog needs to be confidient around big dogs otherwise it won't work

[Alkhe]

If you are expecting the 2 to be outside together during working hours then ideally you need to match the traits of the dog you have already & what you expect from the Malt when its new mate arrives.Are you expecting it to play with the new dog ??

How often has the Malt played with big dogs ??

I have big & small BUT they aren't always left together especially when young & the little ones get time out even though they have grown up with them.

Big dogs can only be expected to be so gentle when playing with a little dog & the little dog needs to be confidient around big dogs otherwise it won't work

I agree - the maltese should probably also be a strong influence on the breed and individual dog that you get. Has s/he been an only dog her whole life? I'm just thinking that a larger and young dog might be a bit much for a 7 year old little dog. Obviously it all depends on the personality of both dogs, but it's definitely something that will make or break the situation.

I have no experience with dogs other than poodles, but a miniature poodle might fit the bill nicely? Not really a 'long coat' but ..

[Leelaa17]

If you are expecting the 2 to be outside together during working hours then ideally you need to match the traits of the dog you have already & what you expect from the Malt when its new mate arrives.Are you expecting it to play with the new dog ??

How often has the Malt played with big dogs ??

I have big & small BUT they aren't always left together especially when young & the little ones get time out even though they have grown up with them.

Big dogs can only be expected to be so gentle when playing with a little dog & the little dog needs to be confidient around big dogs otherwise it won't work

good questions. has the maltese been socialised? Asking only purely because of my experience with maltese they can be funny with other dogs (especially big ones) if they have been properly socialised with big dogs.

and x2 on the fact that the little dog needs to be completely confident. If you were to get a bigger dog, don't immediately leave it with the maltese... you would need to train the bigger dog how to act around the little dog and vis versa...

again, maltese can be quite stubborn (or at least my boyfriends mum's one is!!!), and if they don't like other dogs, it's very hard to GET THEM to like other dogs. I have tried socialising mia (maltese) SOOOOOO many times, and she has NEVER let up. she just doesn't like other dogs.

[Guest Panzer Attack!]

I had a similar dilemma to you, Molly. I am a share houser that eventually wants to move into an apartment and wanted a dog I could run with and do dog sports with. I chose a Papillon, and now I'm over the initial puppy trauma (my first ever pup!) Scooter and I click more every day. He's a smart little cookie and very energetic and I cannot wait until he gets older. He rough houses with bigger dogs but knows how to settle down when he has to. This last week he's really come into his own (he's 16 weeks today!) and he's such a doll. He's currently sitting on my lap watching my other dog as I type this :D

I also second the Corgi statement. I've met some lovely corgis and my other dog is a corgi x. He's very biddable, responds well to training and LOVES nothing more than getting out into the wide open, but also is more than happy to sleep on the bed with you all day. He's very people focused and a simple pat is enough to encourage him to do the right thing. I've talked to a couple of cardi owners and love them so much... getting another dog is very long time away for me, but if I do and don't decide to get another Pap, I'd be looking at a Corgi.

Hope this helps!

E x

[corvus]

Corgis are wonderfully adaptable. I had one in a sharehouse with a tiny yard that was just garden and a cement path for a year and our next door neighbours didn't even know we had a dog. She was fine, although she was happier when we moved to a place with a big, grassy yard. Apparently she missed rolling in the grass. ;) You can't go too far wrong with them. I did all sorts of stupid things to mine and she still ended up being a fabulous dog and everyone loved her. Except my honours supervisor, who was convinced it was evidence that I was a closet monarchist.

My Lappie would be fine in a townhouse. He is pretty quiet and laid back and he's super gentle with smaller dogs. Some folks down the road have a BC in a townhouse and you never hear it. My other honours supervisor had one in a townhouse as well. She was a bit excitable sometimes, but settled after a few mad laps. They also had twins under a year old at the time, so I think she wasn't getting as much exercise as she normally did. I'd go something smaller though, just for those moments that the dog has the zoomies or something.

[mita]

Yay, PA, another vote for the Cardigan Corgi as a great townhouse dog!

Here's an example,...tho' this girl might better make that rare creature...an only dog in such a situation. So probably not quite for the OP's situation, but she shows why the CC is a quiet achiever & a gem as a pet. (Yes, this is coming from a Tibbie tragic )

http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/mature/welsh-corgi-cardigan.asp

Edited May 20, 2011 by mita

[dee lee]

I'm another who much prefers large dogs. I have nothing against small dogs, its just a personal preference.

I live in a terrace house that sounds a lot smaller than your town house- in fact my whole block is smaller than your yard.

We have a Golden Retriever that we adopted from Golden Retriever Rescue as a 2 year old (she is now 4).

She is perfectly happy in our small place and she would be fine sharing with a maltese (just not the feral on next door! ). She gets lots of exercise at the local parks, we jog or play fetch every morning. Then she sleeps the rest of the day inside.

The size of the house/yard is not as important as the level of interaction and amount of exercise the dog gets.

The extra effort that is required when keeping a dog in a small area, means that such dogs are treated much better than the poor dog thats locked outside in the suburbs etc, that doesnt get walked because the yard is big enough for "self exercising".

Having said that, not all dogs would be easy to live with in a townhouse, an adult may be a better option as has been suggested. Certainly worked for me. :D

[mumtoshelley]

I'm another who much prefers large dogs. I have nothing against small dogs, its just a personal preference.

I live in a terrace house that sounds a lot smaller than your town house- in fact my whole block is smaller than your yard.

We have a Golden Retriever that we adopted from Golden Retriever Rescue as a 2 year old (she is now 4).

She is perfectly happy in our small place and she would be fine sharing with a maltese (just not the feral on next door! ). She gets lots of exercise at the local parks, we jog or play fetch every morning. Then she sleeps the rest of the day inside.

The size of the house/yard is not as important as the level of interaction and amount of exercise the dog gets.

The extra effort that is required when keeping a dog in a small area, means that such dogs are treated much better than the poor dog thats locked outside in the suburbs etc, that doesnt get walked because the yard is big enough for "self exercising".

Having said that, not all dogs would be easy to live with in a townhouse, an adult may be a better option as has been suggested. Certainly worked for me. :D

I can understand you there so many people around my area don't walk there dogs. Theres a couple down the road i haven't seen there dogs leave there yard yet for a walk, Then the owners wander why there dogs keep barking when others walk past. My yard here is plenty big 3/4 acre so big enough for self exercise which i know Shelley won't do. I like to take my girl out and about gives me something to do and gives her plenty of things to do.

[Molly:)]

Thanks everyone for your input.

To answers some of your questions:

The maltese lived most of it's life with two other maltese's.

She has been around other dogs including my BC that I had and they got along fine.

My dads 21 month old male BC comes round for visits, they get along fine and if she doesn't feel like playing she is confident enough to tell him so.

After posting my initial post I looked through the Spitz forum and found both the Keeshond and Finnish Lapphund to be quite cute, however I am not familiar with these breeds. Can anyone tell me what their temperament/personality is like?

[Esky the husky]

Why not come ask that in the spitz breed thread?

This is how temperament is described in the breed standard for Lappies

TEMPERAMENT: Keen, courageous, calm and willing to learn. Friendly and Faithful.

The UK standard states

Temperament: Intelligent, brave, calm, faithful. Suitable as companion and watch dog.

And this is what the standard from New Zealand states

Temperament

The Finnish Lapphund is an intelligent dog that responds well to its owners. It enjoys family life, and is calm and loyal. It makes both a good companion to the family, as well as a watchdog that will alert when strangers approach.

Upkeep

The Finnish Lapphund is active and needs a good workout every day, either in the form of a long walk or jog or a vigorous play session. It loves cold weather. It can live outdoors in temperate to cold climates, but it much prefers to live indoors with its human family. Its thick coat needs brushing and combing two to three times a week, daily when shedding. The Finnish Lapphund drove reindeer by barking. This trait may cause problems in apartments or quiet neighborhoods.

I don't personally own one yet, but I have been doing research into the breed for quite some time now and can't wait to have one in the family! I am a little biased though as I am in love with them, and have liked every Lappie that I've met.

Here is a thread specifically about the breed, with lots of information, you can add questions too

http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/174330-finnish-lapphund/

[jr_inoz]

Shelties are a vocal breed but most live happily in town without too much issue, training is the key in most cases. It would really depend how the section is situated. If there are people constantly walking the fence line this could be more of an issue as a sheltie will bark at strangers. They would also be more suited to a dog door inside as that helps to minimise barking. The section size wouldn't be an issue as long as the dog was adequately exercised. They are a working breed and are extremely quick and easy to train.

Agree,

I have a shetland sheepdog and live in a town house with a small yard.

I chose this breed because of my living situation. They also cope well with being home alone (bred to do this - look after sheep on their own for long periods). They will follow you everywhere when you are at home though.

Shelties adapt well to the amount of exercise you give them. This is why they are great companions for elderly people as well as for families.

I have found that mental stimulation is just as beneficial as physical exercise for my girl.

Shelties can be vocal as cowanbree says, but you can train them not to bark. My girl barks at strangers (which the neighbours don't have a problem with) and not at all at neighbours or their dogs. She doesn't bark when she is inside, unless a visitor comes to the front door. (warning bark).

[MalteseLuna]

First off how big is your partners Maltese (it's just Maltese no terrier by the way ;))?

I personally think that mixing large-medium dogs with toy dogs - especially working breeds is a recipe for disaster. It can work - but requires a lot of supervision and often separation when not supervised.

I would look at other toy breeds or small dogs breeds - there are many to choose from!

A cocker spaniel or sheltie might fit the bill - but I'm not familiar with energy requirements? A Shih Tzu or Lhasa Apso may also be a good choice - they are lovely placid breeds (bit larger than Maltese) which are coated.

[goldielover]

Provided they get exercised daily, Goldens are fine in townhouses. They don't need a lot of room, and most aren't big on barking either which is a bonus in a townhouse situation. They do love to sleep inside with their family though

[Ons]

I wouldn't rule out a male golden retreiver. My boy could live quite happily in a townhouse, his golden retreiver sister would go nuts. I think the boys are probably more placid than the girls but there are exceptions of course.

Ons went and stayed at my auntys in a terrace house recently for a week and he was very happy with his walk morning and night and able to sleep the rest of the day away. she has a pocketsized backyard and I presume he was out there when she was out (which wasn't often). At home he loves being outside even when he is able to come in but just sits by the gate looking out, he hardly ever runs around the yard like the others. Some of my american friends have golden retrievers in apartments and as they are adquately exercised are fine

[BC Crazy]

I know my 2 Border Collies would go stir crazy be lunch time in a unit / townhouse. I personally don't think they are suitable for that style of housing. House with a large fenced back yard & exercised daily, yes. I would be thinking along the lines of a Poodle or Pap if it were me.

[aussielover]

I had an Aussie Shepherd in a townhouse with a tiny courtyard for a number of years- including her puppy years.

She was perfectly behaved and as long as she got out twice a day for a big walk (1hr each) she was happy.

But I have also seen some aussies that would be totally unsuitable for a townhouse. It is all about getting the right dog/pup, which the breeder can help you with.

Golden Retrievers may also be an option there a quite a few laid backs ones around, I know a few people living in townhouses and semis with small yards/couryard with GRs.

Most of the Poodles I've met have been high energy and quite like the sound of their own voice!

[cowanbree]

I had an Aussie Shepherd in a townhouse with a tiny courtyard for a number of years- including her puppy years.

She was perfectly behaved and as long as she got out twice a day for a big walk (1hr each) she was happy.

But I have also seen some aussies that would be totally unsuitable for a townhouse. It is all about getting the right dog/pup, which the breeder can help you with.

Golden Retrievers may also be an option there a quite a few laid backs ones around, I know a few people living in townhouses and semis with small yards/couryard with GRs.

Most of the Poodles I've met have been high energy and quite like the sound of their own voice!

I guess it depends on the aussie as I have had 2 and nether would do well with a small section. All the walking in the world isn't a substitute for the hours of romping, wrestling and charging round they do together. I would also hesitate to leave them unsupervised with a smaller breed. Not because they mean any harm but they are a very physical breed and mine at least don't seem to have an awareness of the impact they make when they bowl or jump on my 8kg shelties. Given Reeve is 26kgs that is a big weight difference.

[Gayle.]

Neither of my girls are very physical, and both love nothing more than to be near or on me. I don't know what Shae is like around little dogs, I've never seen her with one but Dusty is as gentle as a lamb and lived quite happily with our elderly and very fragile Lhasa Apso until the old girl died (of old age) recently. I never separated the Lhasa from the Aussies, they were fine with her, but then she never instigated play and they tended to play with each other and leave her to get on with her napping.