Suggest a puppy breed please

Steve30x

I am looking for a small puppy but am not sure what breed is best. I prefer cross breed dogs because there is less healt problems with them and they are easier to train. I know exactly what I am looking for in a dog and its kind of a long list.

Heres what I am looking for in a puppy:

* Easy to train
* Small breed that fits on my lap (Looking for a small lap dog)
* Friendly and playful
* A little independant
* Nice tail (I dont like short tailed dogs)
* Not too much fur (Im not fond of those walking mops)

* I know all dogs have health problems and I dont mind that but some breeds have more health problems than others but saying that I still would like a King charles or Chi

I like the king charles but they have health problems and they are very clingy. Also I ave been told that its very hard to potty train the king charles. My parents have a cross breed Minature Jack Russell / Shih Tzu and its a great little dog. It fills every need I have for a puppy. Pictures attached of my parents dog and the type of dog I am looking for.

Do you guys have any suggestions for me?

ziggy23

What about a pappilon? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papillon_%28dog%29

They don't seem to have many health problems. They could be hard to come by though. Maybe someone else could give you a bit more info

Steve30x

To furry. It looks like a beautiful dog but I dont ant a walking mop lol. I would look silly as a 36 year old man walking one of those up the road also.

peasant

Steve30x wrote: »

* Not too hyper
* A little independant
* Not too clingy

The above really depend on training rather than breed

ziggy23

Steve30x wrote: »

To furry. It looks like a beautiful dog but I dont ant a walking mop lol. I would look silly as a 36 year old man walking one of those up the road also.

Haha I don't know if there are too many manly looking small dogs around:D

angeldelight

Steve30x wrote: »

I am looking for a small puppy but am not sure what breed is best. I prefer cross breed dogs because there is less healt problems with them and they are easier to train.... My parents have a cross breed Minature Jack Russell / Shih Tzu and its a great little dog. It fills every need I have for a puppy.

Do you guys have any suggestions for me?

Yes, a miniature Jack Russell/Shih Tzu is clearly perfect!

Steve30x

peasant wrote: »

The above really depend on training rather than breed

I have a Jack russell here and he is very clingy , He is hyper no matter what excersize or play he gets and is very independant but he is also very very hard to train and very destructive. He is nine months ole and I got him three weeks ago like this.

ziggy23 wrote: »

Haha I don't know if there are too many manly looking small dogs around:D

Most of them arent manly but that dog is way too furry for me. I like the short to medium coat type

angeldelight wrote: »

Yes, a miniature Jack Russell/Shih Tzu is clearly perfect!

They definately are but are very hard to come by.

ziggy23

Or maybe a bichon? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bichon_Fris%C3%A9

The one in the pic is very curly but you can get different cuts for the breed. I personally love the afro though:D

Whispered

Steve30x wrote: »

I have a Jack russell here and he is very clingy , He is hyper no matter what excersize or play he gets and is very independant but he is also very very hard to train and very destructive. He is nine months ole and I got him three weeks ago like this.

3 weeks is a very very short space of time to say he's very hard to train. Also a dog at nine months old has obviously been living elsewhere where being clingy might have been accidently encouraged. You certainly don't have him long enough to make a call on the breed based on an almost adult dog you have less than a month.

Steve30x

helena.ryan wrote: »

3 weeks is a very very short space of time to say he's very hard to train. Also a dog at nine months old has obviously been living elsewhere where being clingy might have been accidently encouraged. You certainly don't have him long enough to make a call on the breed based on an almost adult dog you have less than a month.

My brother has a jack russell also and she is exactly the same. She is clingy , Hyper as hell ,impossible to train and destructive.She is two snd a half and he has her with just over two years. I'm sure its in the jack russell breed.

ziggy23

One of my fave dogs is the miniature schnauzer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miniature_Schnauzer

They have an excellent temperament and very little health problems. The only thing though is they have a docked tail.

Sorry I'm not much use am I

Steve30x

No bother Ziggy. You are trying to help. Those Schnauser are not to my taste. I like the sort furred Chihuahua but I am not sure about them and people seem to ask a lot of money for them.

EDIT. Just looked up the Chihuahua and theres too many health problems with them to even consider owning one.

ziggy23

here is a good website with all the breeds on it http://www.justdogbreeds.com/dog-breeds.html

Steve30x

Thank you for the link but the only dog that interested me was the Chihuahua. I didnt realy lok at any others on there. I will look more tomorrow. The only two things putting me off the Chihuahua is health problems and the price people ask for them. The cheapest I have seen is 300 euro.

00112984

Steve30x wrote: »

Thank you for the link but the only dog that interested me was the Chihuahua. I didnt realy lok at any others on there. I will look more tomorrow. The only two things putting me off the Chihuahua is health problems and the price people ask for them. The cheapest I have seen is 300 euro.

Bet you know this already but please be very careful with Chihuahuas if you're looking at websites for a breeder. I was considering one last year and the amount of scams involving that breed were huge- much more so that any other breed I've ever seen. I think it's because the market for Chis tends to be younger girls and I think they're seen as an easier target than other demographic.

Another thing about Chihuahuas- my friend has had several over the years and she once told me that they like nothing more than barking. Ultimately, that's what put me off getting one. That and the fact that my 6' 4" husband would refuse to be seen out with a Chi in public

BanzaiBk

From your list albeit 'friendly and playful' I'd recommend a West Highland, as long as you have no children though. I'm not saying Westies aren't playful and friendly by any means, they are quite playful and friendly...on their terms only though.

They are exceedingly independent for a terrier from my experience (currently we have 4) and make excellent house dogs as long as you train them. Saying that I don't think any dog can be trained effectively in 3 weeks. They need to be put firmly in their box from day one otherwise they'll drive you up the wall.

Health-wise look out for symptoms of "westie jaw" and dry skin.

Steve30x

I dont mind the barking too much once the dog is quiet at night. Also I live alone in s small one bedroom house but my garden is very big @ 46FT long x 36FT wide. I read that the Chi is a good watch dog which is what I need also.

I might have a problem with a westie because my sister visits me often with her kids which are boisterous. Both kids are 4 years old and two years old. Also my sister has very little control over her kids.

BanzaiBk

Westie deff. out of the picture so. Kids perceive them as being "white and fluffy and cute", big mistake tbh.

star-pants

I'd mark out LhasaApsos too then, don't think they're overly fond of being played at by kids.
Fairly slimline list you have there, you might have trouble finding the right dog. Dogs are going to have health problems down the line, and not all dogs are problem free forever.
Also being clingy etc, has been said by a few - is a lot down to training. If you're not the pack leader, you can't leave the pack, hence the clinging and the crying when you go. You've had your current dog 3weeks, which isn't long enough to have got it used to your house/your rules, you need to be strict and train hard with them.

AlanSparrowhawk

Steve30x wrote: »

I am looking for a small puppy but am not sure what breed is best. I prefer cross breed dogs because there is less healt problems with them and they are easier to train. I know exactly what I am looking for in a dog and its kind of a long list.

Heres what I am looking for in a puppy:

* Easy to train
* Small breed that fits on my lap
* Friendly and playful
* Not too hyper
* A little independant
* Not too clingy
* Nice tail (I dont like short tailed dogs)
* Not too much fur (Im not fond of those walking mops)

I like the ling charles but they have health problems and they are very clingy. Also I ave been told that its very hard to potty train the king charles. My parents have a cross breed Minature Jack Russell / Shih Tzu and its a great little dog. It fills every need I have for a puppy. Pictures attached of my parents dog and the type of dog I am looking for.

Do you guys have any suggestions for me?

No offence mate but I reckon you should get a PS3 or an xbox.

star-pants

AlanSparrowhawk wrote: »

No offence mate but I reckon you should get a PS3 or an xbox.

A more helpful post next time?

Steve30x

star-pants wrote: »

I'd mark out LhasaApsos too then, don't think they're overly fond of being played at by kids.
Fairly slimline list you have there, you might have trouble finding the right dog. Dogs are going to have health problems down the line, and not all dogs are problem free forever.
Also being clingy etc, has been said by a few - is a lot down to training. If you're not the pack leader, you can't leave the pack, hence the clinging and the crying when you go. You've had your current dog 3weeks, which isn't long enough to have got it used to your house/your rules, you need to be strict and train hard with them.

I have two dogs. The small one is the clingy unobediant one who is 8 months old and the bg dog is independant and very obediant. I have the big dog with just over a week and she is training very fast. Also the JAck Russell is 9 months old where as the Border Collie x Golden Retriever is 4 months old. Also I know dogs will have health problems from time to time and more frequently when they get older , but a dog breed with less health problems is best because they will have less health problems er the years.

AlanSparrowhawk wrote: »

No offence mate but I reckon you should get a PS3 or an xbox.

I have both already.

star-pants

The older dog - have you had him from a pup or just recent?

Steve30x

star-pants wrote: »

The older dog - have you had him from a pup or just recent?

I got the older dog 3 weeks ago. He is 9 months old. He is the one who is giving me trouble. The 4 month old one is the cross breed which is a great dog and I got her just over a week ago. She comes inside for two hours every night.

star-pants

You leave the 4month old outside most of the time?

The older one, might not have been trained as a pup, and thus he's a little older, so a bit more stubborn about getting his way. We got our older dog Lily when she was almost 2. We had to retrain her with some stuff. She'd never been played with / played with toys, didn't know what they were. Took a while but she learnt.
Obviously if you've reached the end of your tether with the older one, not much anyone can do to change your mind, but I think 3 weeks if a very very short space of time to expect results from a dog who hasn't been with you from the start.

Also, why are you looking for a puppy when you can't handle a dog you have at the moment? (no offence meant btw) but just that you can't predict a pup, you can try and get the best dog you can, but half of it comes down to good training too.

samantha2000

AlanSparrowhawk wrote: »

No offence mate but I reckon you should get a PS3 or an xbox.

I could not agree more. OP, sounds to me that you don't want a living animal that will become a part of your family...you want an ornament...try Woodies

star-pants

samantha2000 wrote: »

I could not agree more. OP, sounds to me that you don't want a living animal that will become a part of your family...you want an ornament...try Woodies

I will say this once more - helpful posts please
I get that people think he's being very very strict about what breed of pup he wants, but that's his choice.

Steve30x

A younger puppy is easier to train when got young enough which is why I am looking for a puppy. My parents had a jack russell before also and they were telling me how much trouble they had with him and how they couldnt train him so between this jack russell , my brothers 2 and a half year old untrainable jack russell and the jack russell my parents had I have come to the conclusion that they are extremely stubborn and not easily trained.

Ive trained two other dogs before with no problem. I trained a pure breed Border Collie and my parents cross breed Jack Russell x Shih Tzu. So I am not bad at training dogs. Its just I cant get any good from this dog. I mean he will not listen to me what so ever. I know three weeks aint long to ask of him but he just isnt listening to me.

samantha2000 wrote: »

I could not agree more. OP, sounds to me that you don't want a living animal that will become a part of your family...you want an ornament...try Woodies

I have a Border Collie x Golden Retriever which is the greatest dog in the world. I wouldnt give her away or sell her if my life depended on it. I didnt think what I am looking for is that strict. I just know what I am looking for. Im not jumping in to this unsure as to what I want like a lot of people do.

samantha2000

star-pants wrote: »

I will say this once more - helpful posts please
I get that people think he's being very very strict about what breed of pup he wants, but that's his choice.

I'm sorry if I may have caused offence, my point was simply...if you have those high standards..why not buy an ornament, problem solved.

star-pants

Well it is up to you at the end of the day if you feel you wish to give your jackrussell a new home.
Would you try and get another breed like the cross you currently have? the younger one

Steve30x

samantha2000 wrote: »

I'm sorry if I may have caused offence, my point was simply...if you have those high standards..why not buy an ornament, problem solved.

Thank you. Maybe I wont aak for advice on this forum next time. Next time I will make a mistake all on my own. I didnt think I was asking too much in what I was looking for but its obvious I am. Maybe this thread should be locked then.

star-pants

No need for this thread to be locked, you're getting some good advice here too. I've warned people about unhelpful comments, anymore and I'll be handing out bans.

Steve30x

star-pants wrote: »

Well it is up to you at the end of the day if you feel you wish to give your jackrussell a new home.
Would you try and get another breed like the cross you currently have? the younger one

I dont want another big dog. My house is very small and I dont want to be crowded in here. But a cross breed is always better.

star-pants

Well you could check out local shelters etc, see if there are any young pups of cross breed?

Steve30x

Closest shelter is waterford or cork. I will check them tomorrow. From What Ive heard and my experience with the two cross breed dogs (Mine and my parents) Cross breed dogs are more willing to learn and have less health problems than pure breed dogs.

I dont mind caring for the dog when its sick and bringing it to the vets when the dog needs it (Maybe thats what you guys are gettig at) but some pure breed dogs seem to have a lot of health problems which I would like to try and avoid.

BanzaiBk

I'd suggest a Cairn terrier also, great hearty little dogs and quite independent although that might just be my one. Very good with kids and new people in general but if not exercised will destroy your garden with digging. Seriously big into digging random holes when bored.

Steve30x

Just read a bit on the Cairn Terrier and the two sites I looked makes me think they are a handful.

dialer

we also have a cairn terrier, and is mostly trained at 9 months. lovely dog, never thought i'd have a small breed as was brought up with numerous german shepards over 20 odd years.

as BanzaiBk pointed out cairn's are lovable dogs by as all pets they need exercise.

your not gonna get a dog that ticks all the box's, that comes with character and training and upbringing.

as samantha2000 says, doggies are not easy and sometimes a new plant would suffice

Magenta

OP you already have two puppies which you have owned for 3 weeks and 1 week. Would you not give these dogs a bit more time to settle in and get the less obedient one trained better before you bring in any more dogs? From this thread and your other thread about your house situation you seem to have a lot on your plate already so maybe iron out those issues before getting more animals?

peasant

So basically you've got a Jack Russel cross that you haven't been able to turn into a perfectly functionin image of a dog within three months and now you're looking to exchange it for something more plyable.

I'm afraid, I've got bad news for you. Any small dog that has an element of terrier in it will always be stubborn to some degree ...that's how they were bred. Independent, clever, strong willed and unafraid ...the kind of traits you need when you get sent into a dark burrow after a fox or badger.

The other small breeds, the toy breeds that have been lapdogs for generations are a bit more easy to train ...but they all come in different shades of fluffy and quite a few of them with some health issues attached.

I would suggest that you get yourself two or three packs of patience and keep at it with the dog you've got.

petergfiffin

What about a Glen of Imaal Terrier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_of_Imaal_Terrier)? I don't actually know anybody who has one but I've seen them around and they're a nice little breed and from what I hear they have a good bit of character too.

Steve30x

Magenta wrote: »

OP you already have two puppies which you have owned for 3 weeks and 1 week. Would you not give these dogs a bit more time to settle in and get the less obedient one trained better before you bring in any more dogs? From this thread and your other thread about your house situation you seem to have a lot on your plate already so maybe iron out those issues before getting more animals?

This thread is for a suggested puppy. The jack russell is being rehomed next week to a guy just a few miles away. When he is rehomed I will wait a while (Maybe wait until the young one is a year old) to decide wether I want another puppy or not and the suggestions made here are to help me decide what breed I should consider.

As for my rat problem. I got onto the council and health board. The council were reluctant at first to do anything until I pushed for them to do something. So the Council sent in some guys to lay down more poison. Then the health board got onto the council about the problem so yesterday there were some council men in the house next door clearing out the house and laid some poison in there (Rember there is nobody living in the house next door and the house is boarded up) So in the past few days there is reduced activity of rats in my house and it seems that theres no rats left in my house but I will know in a few more days if they are gone. But there is a horrible stink on my bathroom like a rat is dead in the toilet or down the shower drain.

peasant wrote: »

So basically you've got a Jack Russel cross that you haven't been able to turn into a perfectly functionin image of a dog within three months and now you're looking to exchange it for something more plyable.

I'm afraid, I've got bad news for you. Any small dog that has an element of terrier in it will always be stubborn to some degree ...that's how they were bred. Independent, clever, strong willed and unafraid ...the kind of traits you need when you get sent into a dark burrow after a fox or badger.

The other small breeds, the toy breeds that have been lapdogs for generations are a bit more easy to train ...but they all come in different shades of fluffy and quite a few of them with some health issues attached.

I would suggest that you get yourself two or three packs of patience and keep at it with the dog you've got.

No! I have a pure breed jack russell. I understand what you are saying about the health problem and dont mind it but some breeds have a lot more health problems than others.

petergfiffin wrote: »

What about a Glen of Imaal Terrier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_of_Imaal_Terrier)? I don't actually know anybody who has one but I've seen them around and they're a nice little breed and from what I hear they have a good bit of character too.

Thanks for the suggestion but its a small lap dog I am looking for suggestions for.

petergfiffin

Funny you mention a rat problem....was watching a programme on BBC a couple of weeks ago and they were actually using Jack Russels instead of poison or traps to get rid of rats in people's houses....much more effective apparently. Not directly related to your problem perhaps but if you are having problems with vermin then terriers (particularly JRs) are fantastic to have around

Steve30x

petergfiffin wrote: »

Funny you mention a rat problem....was watching a programme on BBC a couple of weeks ago and they were actually using Jack Russels instead of poison or traps to get rid of rats in people's houses....much more effective apparently. Not directly related to your problem perhaps but if you are having problems with vermin then terriers (particularly JRs) are fantastic to have around

I think theyre dying on the side f my house where the bathroom and bedroom are because it stinks in my bedroom and bathroom today.

lyndareinl

Hi Steve30X,

I recently had the same dilemma, I wanted a dog that was small but not a Chihuahua, sit on the lap, but not a clingy dog, strong health and sturdy, non- shed smooth coat- easy to train as i wanted to teach him lots of cool things...

and then i discovered the Boston Terrier.

they grow about the same size of a Jack Russel... check out the pics:








Boston is 14 weeks old now and his ears will stand up straight in another 2 weeks or so.

AT 8 weeks he could sit, and was paper trained, he is now fully toilet trained, but remains a house dog. he rings a little bell to let you know when he needs to go.

super fun, super cute, loves everyone, and the best part - it is not in their nature to bark. Boston has only barked about 3 times in all!!

hope you find this helpful!

Lynda

Steve30x

lyndareinl wrote: »

Hi Steve30X,

I recently had the same dilemma, I wanted a dog that was small but not a Chihuahua, sit on the lap, but not a clingy dog, strong health and sturdy, non- shed smooth coat- easy to train as i wanted to teach him lots of cool things...

and then i discovered the Boston Terrier.

they grow about the same size of a Jack Russel... check out the pics:

Boston is 14 weeks old now and his ears will stand up straight in another 2 weeks or so.

AT 8 weeks he could sit, and was paper trained, he is now fully toilet trained, but remains a house dog. he rings a little bell to let you know when he needs to go.

super fun, super cute, loves everyone, and the best part - it is not in their nature to bark. Boston has only barked about 3 times in all!!

hope you find this helpful!

Lynda

Thank you or that great suggestion. That breed seems to tick all the important boxes. I will certainly consider one of those when the time comes that I might want another puppy or not. I just have to get a few issues to iron out first and let the new puppy I have (Which definately ticks all boxes) grow up and get used to me. By the way that puppy of yours is a realy cute little thing.

messygirl

Im sorry but let me get this straight,

your parents have a jack russel
your brother had one
you said you didnt like them
Why did you get one then? Why are you getting rid of it after 3 weeks? It takes more than that to train them. We had a jack russel and she was a great watch dog wary of people she didnt know and very sweet with people she liked. she didnt bark except for at storms or visitors. she came back when called but we didnt need her trained. im having a REALLY hard time why you took a dog when you had negative experiences of a breed. were you holding it for a while? its behaviour wouldnt get better when you get it at 9 months and then two weeks later introduce a new dog to the pack. the dog's habits can change but it takes a while. if you get a new puppy i asssume you are prepared for the fact that it too might be clingy/hyper despite what the breed temperment says?

Why exactly are you getting rid of this dog? It might help when picking a new one (by the way its really good you found it a home instead of dropping it at the pound) Was it only a temporary arrangement or had you planned on keeping the dog?

If you are looking for a mellow lap dog maybe a rescue cav or shihtzu? our neighbour adopted a shih tzu and he is dead quiet and sweet, but the guy does walk him twice a day regardless of weather and he is delighted now to be in a home it seems! you will need insurance for any lapdog really, and i wouldnt buy into the "if you cross a cav and shih tzu you get the best of both" Sometimes you get the worst of both. some mixees are very hard though so its all luck and guesswork. jack russels are very independant and hunting dogs so they are bred to be high energy. my aunt has a jack russell and he gets about an hour and a half walk everyday and then the run of the garden.

cocker spaniels (especially blue roans) are beatiful, can be a lapdog (little bit bigger i know but a bit more manly than cavs) and have the same activity level as a cav. it depends on the puppies personality when it comes to its temperment later. clinginess could be a result of boredom. Shihtzus have one of the lowest level activity needs so i would guess that translates to less hyperactivity.

any terrier bred for hunting, or spaniels, will be hgh energy dogs.

dee o gee

I would be with everyone else in that let your new dog settle before introducing a new one.

What exactly is wrong with your jrt that you don't like about him? Would bringing him to a obedience class help? Allowing him 3 weeks to settle into a new home, while in the mean time introducing a new dog would be hard on him, so if you don't really want to rehome him then id hold off for a while do some more training with him, bring him to a good obedience class and then decide what to do, but its up to you.

I have a cairn terrier cross, he is a lap dog, is quite independant yet he does love company without being too clingy, he does shed a bit but no more than most other dogs, I find him very easy to train (even though he does have a few problems), he is very playful and friendly and loves kids hes very gentle with them, and I do think he has a lovely tail!!
That said he is a cross, of mostly cairn but something else too. No two dogs of the same breed are exactly alike, its mostly in the upbringing. I would say that when you are ready to get a new dog, go have a look at whats in the pounds and shelters, take some of the dogs out for a walk to get a better sense of what they are like, especially the older dogs some often come in already trained.

If you are thinking of getting a chihuahua one thing I will say is that they are not outdoor dogs, they are very small and have a very thin coat so get cold easily, they are also a prime target for dog thieves so a chi left unattended in the garden would be an easy job for them.

FAYESY

I would suggest a cocker spaniel - they are a medium sized dog - still lap sized - mind you any dog will often think he is a lap dog - my rottie does!

but please remember owning dogs takes time & patience & training - dogs need to learn & smaller dogs are often working dogs so need exercise & mental stimulation. Please research a heap of dogs before you decide to get another dog.

ronboy

Would you not consider a minature smooth haired dachshund. I have two at the moment and there excellent pets. We have had all the different types of dachshunds from smooth haired to long...from black and tan to chocolate....rabbit sized to standared. For about 40 years we have kept dachshunds and know them inside out. There a great dog and companion.:):):)

ghost_ie

Even if you get a dog that fits your specifications, you never know what health problems may arise. My middle dog is a jack russell cross, perfectly healthy apart from a missing back leg (and no - I don't know how she lost it. She was a rescue dog). Now, at 7, the vet took a biopsey today from an abscess on her face and I won't know whether she has cancer or not for another 10 days. I always swore the very last dog I would ever get would be a Jack Russell and now I have 2, and am in bits waiting for the results from the vet.

Rather than going out with a list of requirements that your dog must have, just go to a rescue centre, look at the dogs and puppies there and bring home the one that steals your heart