Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Best small Lap dog for House

  • 25-01-2011 8:41am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 289 ✭✭


    Hey there . Im considering getting a small house dog to have as a companion. I really Love pugs. What other dogs would people suggest as house dogs. My friend has a yorkshire terrier and when i visited last it ran around in circles for hours. Unreal energy a lovely small dog but something a bit quieter? Would a pug be considered a house dog? I mean you wouldnt really leave a pug or any small house dog out on its own outside at night right?


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 487 ✭✭DBCyc


    Pugs, like any dog, need regular exercise. Our pug is mad in the head so he needs his walks or else he climbs the walls. That may have been the issue with your friends yorkie.

    I wouldn't leave any dog outside at night personally, but definitely not a pug. They are very social dogs and would not do well to be left alone like that.

    In general, regardless of breed, if you exercise your dog regularly and train them to be obedient and calm, they will be. Any dog can be a quiet companion about the house. Think about how much time that you can commit to this when researching breeds.

    Pugs are low energy dogs so a 30-45 min stroll a day is fine for them. If you are more active and like longer walks/runs, maybe a higher energy breed like a springer would be more suitable.


  • Registered Users Posts: 289 ✭✭finnegan2010


    hmmm Yeah i was watching pugs on youtube them seem pretty quiet fellas and that head to the side thing they do is adorable. Im 90% on the pugs going to see one later its 800 quid so ill be breaking open my piggy bank! LOW ENERGY DOG FOR SURE is what im looking for


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,413 ✭✭✭Toulouse


    That seems very fast considering you were only thinking about it in your first post.

    Pugs can have alot of health problems dervied from poor breeding, what do you know about this? What questions are you going to ask this breeder? Is the breeder reputable? What kind of a routine is this dog going to have?

    Don't be going off what you see on youtube!! If you are really interested in getting a pug then go to some shows, meet some dogs in the flesh, talk to a good breeder and then consider getting one. I really wouldn't buy this breed from Donedeal.

    A dog is not something to be bought on a whim. You need to do a bit more research than looking at a pretty dog on the internet.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,412 ✭✭✭toadfly


    There are loads of small dogs that would suit you, as long as they are well exercised you wont have a problem of them going mad at home. I have two Yorkies and while one is more hyper they are both quiet in the evenings. Happy to sit on the couch/in front of the fire and snooze.

    Just be very careful with the breeder you are going to see, pugs can be difficult to breed hence the large fee but make sure you buy from a repubable breeder.

    Where did you find this breeders information if you dont mind me asking?

    Others that might suit would be King Charles, Maltese, Bichon etc. Terriers like Yorkies and JRT would be more high energy than other small dogs.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 75 ✭✭memomy


    My girlfriend and I have owned a Maltese for nearly two years now. Superb dogs and have completely changed my perception of "small dogs" as I wouldn’t have been the biggest fan prior to getting her.

    As a rule Maltese dogs can be full of energy and very playful and ours is no exception. But any time you sit down she will always run over and paw at your leg to be picked up so she can sleep on your lap and keep you company. They have great personalities and thankfully very seldom if ever barks which is a plus for me :D


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 3,181 ✭✭✭bryaner


    Couldn't recommend a Shih Tzu enough, we have had plenty of small dogs over the years but this little girl is near human.

    Bit troublesome at the start training her to go to the loo outside but a training crate sorted that out.


  • Registered Users Posts: 489 ✭✭perri winkles


    Why don't you consider a slightly older dog? If you get a pug puppy, you'll have to be prepared to train it and exercise it.

    Even small dogs need exercise no matter the breed. A pup will definitely have alot more energy and will be very inquisitive comapared to a dog that is maybe one or two years old.

    Rescue centres are teeming with little dogs lookinfgfor homes. The staff there would be able to advise you on their personality and which ones are more suited to a quiet home. Thats something you can't guarentee when you buy a puppy.


  • Registered Users Posts: 289 ✭✭finnegan2010


    Toulouse wrote: »
    That seems very fast considering you were only thinking about it in your first post.

    Pugs can have alot of health problems dervied from poor breeding, what do you know about this? What questions are you going to ask this breeder? Is the breeder reputable? What kind of a routine is this dog going to have?

    Don't be going off what you see on youtube!! If you are really interested in getting a pug then go to some shows, meet some dogs in the flesh, talk to a good breeder and then consider getting one. I really wouldn't buy this breed from Donedeal.

    A dog is not something to be bought on a whim. You need to do a bit more research than looking at a pretty dog on the internet.

    well thinking about it for the past few months actually i should have rephrased :) Well I would only buy from someone with an IKC cert


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,412 ✭✭✭toadfly


    Well I would only buy from someone with an IKC cert

    IKC cert doesnt guarantee a healthy pup. You need to research the breeder much more than that.


  • Registered Users Posts: 430 ✭✭boxerly


    Why not go along to some shows,speak to owners,breeders,vets etc and do lots of research before you consider.There was a show near the airport at the weekend for all breeds but Im sure there is another coming up.You may go for a totally different breed than you expected.I wanted another boxer as a second dog and I ended up getting a bichon hahahaha now ye cant get more opposite than that hehe.Id contact the IKC and get numbers of the breed group,the groups for different breeds are mostly very happy to sit and chat about the breeds.Best of luck what ever you get..just remember dont get one on a whim :) you could have your doggie for the next 12/16 years :)


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10 Rosiedcat


    A Chihuahua is your answer, I have one and she is the best house dog ever. She is so loveable and enjoys nothing more than to sit on my lap and snuggle up. She is super loyal and doesn't go mad running around the house, she is 2 years old. But be warned they are not good with young children. Make sure if your getting one to get it off a reputable breeder and ask to see it's parents.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,531 ✭✭✭Tranceypoo


    well thinking about it for the past few months actually i should have rephrased :) Well I would only buy from someone with an IKC cert

    Just so you know, puppy farmers and back yard breeders can get IKC certs for their pups, they don't mean anything


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,411 ✭✭✭ABajaninCork


    Another vote for Shih Tzu. I have one. Normally I'm not a small dog fan, but my fella's such a lovable, cheeky dog and a real character! He's very playful, great with kids, loves his walks. But equally he's just as happy to curl up beside you, like he is now.

    They don't need much exercise. a 1.5 mile walk will do, although my dog loves long walks. But they do take a hell of a lot of brushing, and regular trips to the groomer to be clipped if you want to keep them short.

    Shih Tzu can be stubborn and difficult to potty-train, so you need to be firm with them. But they are SO worth it in terms of the loyalty, love and companionship they offer! A real little lap dog. Which is of course what they were bred for.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,710 ✭✭✭lrushe


    If you don't care for the breed but would just like a small dog with the same energy level as you you can get some gorgeous dogs in rescues, the rescue will match the dog to you plus they will be s/neutered, microchipped, wormed, vacc'd etc. all for a small donation. Most rescues will have some history on the dog too. Win, win situation really! :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,524 ✭✭✭Zapperzy


    well thinking about it for the past few months actually i should have rephrased :) Well I would only buy from someone with an IKC cert

    Have you gone to see the pug for €800 yet?

    Do not take an IKC cert to mean that you are buying off a genuine reputable breeder. All an ikc cert means is that the dog's parents were purebred and ikc registered, it does not reflect the health or reputability (if thats a word :P) of the breeder. Puppy farmers and equally as bad breeders who just stick 2 pugs together in the hope of getting some pups as a bit of extra income can get ikc certs, they can even be forged or people can give you a cert from a completely different dog not relating to your dog at all.

    For the sake of your sanity, wallet and the dog think very carefully before buying a pug and who your buying one off, there are more unreputable breeders than reputable breeders selling purebred dogs out there.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,851 ✭✭✭Glowing


    If you can't afford a pug pup, then you definitely won't be able to afford the pug vet bills!


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,132 ✭✭✭Sigma Force


    Mabey it would be a good idea to check out rescues there are often smaller dogs looking for homes.

    Smaller dogs tend to be yappy so none will be very quiet, obviously any dog no matter what type needs excercise every day esp. if getting a pup they'll need out (what seems like) every 5 minutes with their toilet training at first.

    If you go with buying a pb dog then research the breed like mad first and don't make any rash decisions even if you see the pups and really want one, take a week out so you can think about the breeders set up etc. and make sure all is in order.

    Papillons are expensive but for a small dog they don't (obviously depends on how well breeder has looked after them and bred them) have many health issues some can have knee probs but any dog can and they can be sensative to anesthetic but so can any dog. Other than that they are energetic and do need their walks but once they have had their walk they are very happy to plonk, in fact they love nothing more than sitting on the couch as long as they have a lap to sit on, they feel the cold as they have no undercoat so it's a must they are kept indoors, that doesn't mean they can't go for walks in the rain like any other dog but when it's freezing you need to keep an eye so they don't get too cold.

    They are clever and need a lot of attention and love kids, adults and other dogs a lot of people keep more than one because they love playing so much and having another dog to play with their own size is handy because they can be delicate or if you know of a friend that you can visit that has a similar sized dog to play with.

    Our guy will start whinging if noone will sit on the couch with him, he walks around the house when he's tired and whinges until someone sits down and cuddles him. But he'll run rings around our collie and has loads of energy.
    They're super clever so love toys and puzzle games.


Advertisement