Advice/Info on Small dogs.........wanting to get a puppy

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MillionDollar

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I have 3 dogs already, all of which are Border Collies. They have the run of the farm and as I work from home (run a livery yard) they are not really house dogs. When they are in the house they stay in the utility only and then sleep in a kennel outside from 11pm - 5.50am.

Anyway I've wanted a small dog for a long time. It will be mainly be a house dog, but of course will go out on the yard/farm with me also.

So question is are any of these suitable? Does anyone have one?...........

Choodle (Miniature Poodle X Chihuahua)

Jackadoodle (Jack Russell X Minature Poodle)

Basically I'd like something that enjoys being in a house and likes to be fussed?

Any suggestions also most welcome.

Thanks :D
 
choodle??? it may be just a stereotype but dont chihuauas and mini poodles both have strong tendencies to be snappy and possesive. The ones ive known have been. That certainly wouldnt be a mix id want.
 
Why do you want a cross breed? Why not go for one breed so that you don't have-potentially-double the health/behaviour issues?

If you're out and about lots, I reckon a JRT fits the bill perfectly.
 
MillionDollar said:
So question is are any of these suitable? Does anyone have one?...........

Choodle (Miniature Poodle X Chihuahua)

Jackadoodle (Jack Russell X Minature Poodle)

Basically I'd like something that enjoys being in a house and likes to be fussed?

Any suggestions also most welcome.

Thanks :D
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If you want a mixed breed get a rescue dog and don't support irresponsible breeders or puppy farmers.
If you like poodles then get a poodle - great dogs. You'll probably pay less for a decent mini poodle from health tested parents than the scum breeding mutts charge.
 
Pedigrees arent all that. If you are crossing youer breeds responsibly you can end up with excellent traits from both breeds and cut out a percentage of hereditary illness.

equally you can come up with pups who show not so pleasant traits but really how do you think pedigrees became pedigrees? the variations didnt just pop up one day :)

Also alot of pedigrees can be easily tainted. I have known of someone who has two ESS's with papers that had both died, and he literally bought a new springer bitch (no papers) and puts it with his sprocker and sells on the puppies as fully papered up when what you are actually buying are not pedigree'd at all.

disclaimer, the KC have been notified about this.
 
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PerdixPerdix said:
Pedigrees arent all that. If you are crossing youer breeds responsibly you can end up with excellent traits from both breeds and cut out a percentage of hereditary illness.

equally you can come up with pups who show not so pleasant traits but really how do you think pedigrees became pedigrees? the variations didnt just pop up one day :)
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Spherical objects !

Breeds became breeds by being a type first - not by crossing two different breeds.
The recognised breeds that started as crosses - for a purpose & not for sale - took generations to stabilise and the early by products were given away or culled. Very different from producing crosses to sell to gullible puppy buyers.

For every cross breed that comes out with the desired traits there are another four to eight that don't and many breeds share inherited problems so crossing, usually untested, dogs often brings out more problems.
 
Border Terrier - Happy to run around fields all day or sleep infront of the fire. All the BTs I know are very people orientated dogs and are amazing to have around :)
 
I can show you two fully papered with 5 gen English Cocker Spaniels from reputable breeders and they both look totally different. like a totally different type, to the extent that I have been questioned before when taking them out.

One is the old school working cocker shape, lean-small-fit, tight coated, the other is at least 6 inches taller/longer, thickly bodies, long curly coat and has eye issues...

> usually untested, thats a pretty steep claim. i know enough pedigree breeders who dont hip/eye score their animals!

just because someone decides to breed crosses doesnt make them seocnd rate to someone who papers their dogs. There are alot of people who cross breed to create a better type of dog, myself included, i would put my sprockers over the pedigrees ive bred a million times, for working abilities, personality and general greatness.

at the moment i have two spaniel pups, the same age, a cocker and a sprocker, same dad that we own (tested-thanks) and the springer bitch is also ours (tested) and the cocker was ine is now my mums and is of tawnyhill lines and the mutt beats the pedigree hands down. they are both fab dogs and learning well, but you can see which is the better standard of dog already.

It s contraversial subject but you cannot just slam breeders of mixes, there are irresponisibilities on both sides.
 
But crossing two working dogs of known & similar types is not quite the same as random crossing to flog puppies with cutsie names.

I have no problem with responsible lurcher & terrier breeders, I'm not sure why someone would want to do a cocker springer mix when the breeds meet in the middle anyway - at least the working strains do. Can't be bothered to travel to find a stud?

The answer is to educate the public to only buy from people who do things right with testing & acting on the results of those tests - which is the main failing of the KC scheme.
I would like to see all registrations endorsed until test results are recorded.

Trouble is Joe Public doesn't care and wants a puppy now! They soon shout when they realise they have been sold a pup and as seen with the "Bichon noir" advert earlier this week the advertisers know how to get the dosh and people who would look for independent reviews if buying a toaster will believe what the seller writes.
 
Because I like crosses. I should have said that 2 of mine are actually Border Collie Xs, that I bred. And I much prefer them.

And as to getting a Rescue...............I've had enough of dog homes, they won't let us have one, even though my first puppy was a Heinz 57 from a dog home and she lived until 16. Apparently we have to go to puppy classes, and have home visits............and then our garden fence isn't sufficient enough............it goes on and on.

I don't want lectures on you MUST have a pedigree or if you do get a cross get from a rescue home, I just want opinions on breeds whether that is a cross or pedigree that'll be suitable please. And of peoples experiences of the ones I mentioned.
 
Well the first place I'd be off to is your local rescue / or breed society resuce.

The second place is a reputible dealer of non cross breeds.

I've fallen in love with Bichon's over the last year. Great little dogs.
 
Interesting.............is your horse pure bred??
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This argument is a non starter - so I wouldn't even go down that line, if I were you.

Anyway - have you contacted Cayla - she may know of something.....
 
MillionDollar said:
And as to getting a Rescue...............I've had enough of dog homes, they won't let us have one, even though my first puppy was a Heinz 57 from a dog home and she lived until 16. Apparently we have to go to puppy classes, and have home visits............and then our garden fence isn't sufficient enough............it goes on and on.
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This is something that REALLY annoys me about some rescues! but try the smaller ones instead of the big national ones and you'll probably find them far more flexible :)

As to your choice of breed - I'd steer clear of chihuahua crosses as they tend to be snappy and possessive (ditto JRTs for that matter). I love poodles but for a house dog living on a farm you may find that coat will need massses of maintenance. I'm on a farm too and my lapdog is a whippet - loves a run but happy to sleep all day if I'm on office duties, curls up small for a cuddle but big enough to see when you're driving a tractor, short coated so easy to keep clean and smell free for house time :)

If you're interested pm me for details of the rescue I got mine from - who were very happy to be flexible :)
 
Brownmare said:
This is something that REALLY annoys me about some rescues! but try the smaller ones instead of the big national ones and you'll probably find them far more flexible :)

As to your choice of breed - I'd steer clear of chihuahua crosses as they tend to be snappy and possessive (ditto JRTs for that matter). I love poodles but for a house dog living on a farm you may find that coat will need massses of maintenance. I'm on a farm too and my lapdog is a whippet - loves a run but happy to sleep all day if I'm on office duties, curls up small for a cuddle but big enough to see when you're driving a tractor, short coated so easy to keep clean and smell free for house time :)

If you're interested pm me for details of the rescue I got mine from - who were very happy to be flexible :)
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Thank you for that..........very helpful :)
 
I think most dogs will happily live in the house, be they large or small. I would avoid designer crosses with silly names and equally silly prices. Fair enough some working breed (and i'm including terriers and gundogs in the term working) crosses are done for a reason, but so many of the toy breed type crosses do not seem to have a purpose.
Just because one rescue has turned you down doesn't mean they all will, definitely worth trying some of the smaller ones. However, can't see an issue with having home visits, or taking a puppy to puppy classes, perfectly reasonable imho.
 
I'm not going to get involved in the 'whether you should buy a crossbreed/get a rescue' debate, but just answer your original question. (Except to say I wouldn't pay silly money for crosses and I would want to buy from someone reputable.) I know several 'jackadoodles' and they all seem to be affectionate, happy dogs who enjoy being out doing 'horsey' stuff but also nice to have in the house. Obviously that is only based on my knowledge of about 5 individuals though!

I know one JR x Chihuahua cross and it is a nervy, yappy thing, so that would put me off any Chihuahua crosses.
 
I don't profess to being a dog expert, but I do live in NYC, where the toy/small dog is king, and I've met every single pedigree and "hybrid" combination known to man.

Do not get a Jack or Chi cross. I've met just a handful of chihuahuas and chi crosses that are sweet and don't try to kill dogs bigger than themselves. Poodles get a bad rap--they are so smart, and I've met plenty of great minis. Plus they live well into their teens. Havaneses are great little dogs, too--full of fun, smart and a healthy breed.

As to whether pedigrees or mixes are healthier, the jury is out on that one. I've yet to meet any random Shepherd mixes that don't end up with hip problems/bone cancer, while my sister-in-law's Collie/Basset is beset with torn ligament issues. At the end of the day, if you can't find a suitable rescue, go with a breeder that health tests and breeds infrequently. Maybe it is different in England, but the only people in America that breed small hybrids are the puppy millers from Missouri and Kansas (and yes, they sure churn out a lot of pedigrees, too--my rescue pug being one of them).
 
I have 4 dogs at the moment, A Weimaraner bitch that spends the whole day at the yard with me, she is smart, very intelligent and just LOVES everyone (including the horses that don't love her much hehehee) but at the end of the day she chills in front of the fire and chews the kids toys. I also have an English Bulldog that can only just about walk to her food bowl before falling asleep again and boy can she snore!!! Absolutely no doggy satisfaction what so ever. Finally I have 2 Yorkshire terrier house dogs (not silly toys but proper terrier size) they are both great, they love everyone, will play for hours, cheep to feed and they protect the house like mad.
Basically I think all dogs will fit into your routine if your train them right. I am a firm believer in the fact that dogs learn bad habits from "bad" owners. I have had them all from Rotty's to border collies and the only breed that I would never touch again is a Boxer but that is just my opinion.
Good luck
 
Google The Little Dog Rescue, they are more flexible than the big ones.

Whippets are FANTASTIC ...okay...I lie they are insane chewy mad creatures...well mine is but apparently according to friends I happened to adopt the one and only evil whippet out there so if we go off their experiences a whippet, or small lurcher could suit you down to the ground. Although have to say while mine is related to some form of earth bound demon...he is exceptionally good with the horses, and does sleep a huge amount once he's had exercise...so not all bad!!!

I have 2 poodle crosses in my pack, both we were not able to rehome via the rescue because of various reasons. The Standard cross is extreamly motivated and requires exercise like no dog I've ever met, without at least 4 hours hard work he becomes a monster in the house. The toy x is bitey nasty evil and totally unable to cope with any sort of 'family' home...lucky for me I live alone with a huge pack of dogs and that lifestyle suits him.

Please don't venture down the 'designer' dog route, there are plenty of fab crosses available and if you do end up buying then just go very very carefully.
 
How about a Patterdale terrier? My mum has one on the farm and she's lovely. She's happy to be out and about around the farm and more than happy to snuggle up on the sofa in the evenings. She does also have a standard poodle who is lovely but a nightmare to keep clean
 
Ugh please don't support back yard breeders or puppy mills.

Make sure the parents are at least all hip, elbow eye tested.

And i am sorry but any decent breeder will want to home check you too.
 
I'd 2nd a whippet! I've met quite a few and they are just gorgeous and so affectionate!!

I have a german pointer which is far from a small breed, although he loves his cuddles!

If I was ever tempted to get someone other than a GSP again.... I think it would be a whippet.

I think the main thing about cross breeds that irk people on here as that generally neither parent is health tested.... and noone on here would support or recommend a pedigree dog where the tests aren't done either. So it's not that everyone is against crosses and for pedigrees. It's more PRO breeding responsibly from the best dogs.
 
Brownmare said:
T

As to your choice of breed - I'd steer clear of chihuahua crosses as they tend to be snappy and possessive (ditto JRTs for that matter). /QUOTE]

My dog (in my siggy) is a Chihuahua cross JRT and he's the most loving dog in the world and not at all snappy!!!

He thrives on going out for walks, I take him out with the ponies and he keeps up all the way round, but he's also happy to cuddle up on the sofa for a cuddle.

I believe its more to do with the dogs upbringing as to whether its snappy or not!
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