Recommend me a small dog please!

Spudlet said:
Depends on the dog SC, some 'rescues' will be there for reasons like their owners having to go into rented housing, or similar, and have few issues at all. A decent rescue centre will take your experience into account and find the right dog for you.
Click to expand...

Yep, my daughter and her chap just got their first dog from a rescue place a month ago. They both work and live in a tiny house with no garden. He's been fine alone for short periods of time, doesn't chew, fully housetrained, totally laid back happy character. He was rehomed due to a health problem in his previous family and came fully trained. He's a JRT cross, an absolute gem and completely settled with no issues after only 4 weeks. :)
 
I've had whippets all my life. Shown them, raced them, rescued them and generally just adored them. My daughter still has several, but 2 years after losing my last one, and thinking about another dog, it made sense to go much smaller. I intended to take the dog to work with me and the dog needed to be small.
The obvious first thought was Italian greyhound, but during my work with rescue whippets I had fostered several IG. They do tend to be very different to their bigger cousins and are not lazy at all. In fact the ones I've met and homed were very good at doing the wall of death at top speed all over the house. With their very fine frame, that causes near heart attacks in the owner !!!
The next thought was toy poodle, lovely little dog, chirpy happy temperament and super intelligent. Highly trainable.
But in the end I decided I didn't want the amount of clipping they require to keep tidy.

With a little hesitation, I looked at chihuahua's. The only knowledge I had of them (hardly any) was bossy, yappy, snappy, horrid little critters.
How wrong I was. Sure there are many like that, but its 100% the owners doing.

I've had mine 6 months now. She is the easiest dog I've ever owned. Perfectly behaved at work, quiet and relaxed.
super happy and friendly with people and other dogs.
Great fun and keen to play for hours but equally will lie down and be quiet when asked.
She is great company and adores me, which I've learned is typical of chihuahuas, they worship "their" person. She loves nothing more than snuggling up with me.

She is an honory whippet, races round with my daughters dogs trying to keep up :-) , we were worried they may see her as prey and go for her, but they are brilliant with her.

All in all, I am over the moon with my choice, can't recommend them highly enough.
 
Thank you so much everyone, too many to reply to individually now :)

ribbons, I have enquired about a chihuahua from a breeder fairly close to my home in Yorkshire and waiting to see what she says. I think 'portability' is something I really need from my new little dog as I want to take him or her everywhere with me :)
 
Mine comes pretty much everywhere with me. She has a cosy carry box which she loves.
At home its always there with the door open, and if my lap is un available its her chosen place to snooze. It means I can take her almost any where as she is happy in there with the door shut.
If I do go out without her, she just curls up in her box until I return, even with the door open.
Her size does make her easily portable, but her attitude also makes it so simple. She just fits in with whatever is going on.
 
That attitude sounds perfect :) I'm happy to do some training,of course, but overall I really want a happy,friendly, well behaved little dog who loves cuddles and being with me but who will also be happy on the odd occasion that I have to leave him or her.
 
Actually my next door neighbour (about half a mile away across the hay fields) has a miniature Chihuahua and although I'd always laughed at such dogs previously, this one is the most fabulous teeny little dog ever! My dogs are all huge and they kill small critters so I was obviously really concerned when she first got her little Chi as her other dogs (2 JRTs) always come running across the field to see my dogs. The first time the little Chi came with them, I watched in horror as my 3 giant livestock dogs went hairing across the field to meet them. My first thought was they were either going to eat the Chi or crush it under their huge paws. Neither happened and my heaviest livestock dog (who is probably the least friendly of all my dogs) just clicked with the Chi. They are best buddies! One of my liveries has one too and as I see it frequently, I do have to say there really is something about them. Don't think I could bring myself to having one, but I can see the attraction of them :smile3:
 
Some great suggestions already but I'm going to throw in the Cairn terrier. Merry little dogs, make good pets and not as all-out 'terrier-y' as some terriers IYSWIM.
 
agree with a Chi actually, as some small breeds actually still have a lot of energy and require a lot of stimulation: friends who have jack russels and some terriers find that they need as much if not more than big dogs! i am a fan of big dogs- i have a GSDx who actually lives in a small ground floor flat, but he is out at the farm with me at least 2 hours a day and gets tonnes of exercise. I never used to like little dogs,but lived with a chi x bison frieze and she is lovely. loved a little walk, but then is tired out. excitable, but mostly calm, a bit like a cat! she destroys all chew toy but is crate trained to be left occasionally. my bf's mum also has 2 Chi's and they are lovely little dogs.
 
Ha ha, we are all different, with different tastes in pets SF :D I've never been one to think that 'size matters' when it comes to dogs. Like horses, good dogs come in all shapes and sizes I feel certain :)
 
Snowy Celandine said:
As for rescue dogs... my daughter works in a welfare centre and I don't feel, from her accounts of many rescue dogs, that I have the experience to meet the needs of a rescue dog. Like I say, I've always owned whippets from pups and have no knowledge of dealing with ill-treated, excessively nervous or aggressive dogs. I also want a dog from a pup because i wouldn't have a clue how to eradicate unwanted and ingrained behaviours. Just being honest really.
Click to expand...

Not all rescue dogs have issues. My mum has just adopted a 6 year old JRT from a local rescue centre. He came in as a stray. She has had him a week now and he is the most well behaved and polite dog. It is worth a look for definite.
 
Thanks for all the rescue suggestions but I have a houseful of gorgeous rescues, not to mention a gardenful and I very much want a puppy so that I can train it from scratch. I am not an experienced dog person, having always had whippets ( the easiest dogs in the world) :)
 
If you don't mind all the grooming then if it were me I would seriously look for a Maltese Terrier. I looked after one once and he was a real peach. One day I shall have one if I ever get over the Whippet Bug.
 
Snowy Celandine said:
Ha ha, we are all different, with different tastes in pets SF :D I've never been one to think that 'size matters' when it comes to dogs. Like horses, good dogs come in all shapes and sizes I feel certain :)
Click to expand...
Yes that's the nice thing about dogs. There's a suitable breed for every different home and environment. Although I like mongrels, you never really know what you'll get with them. When you're looking for a dog to play a specific role in your life, then just a bit of research into all the breeds of that type generally finds you the breed of dog most suitable.
 
i have seen numerous puppies in rescues, so you can have both a puppy which is also a rescue :)
any way- good luck with your search
 
Thanks everyone:) The chihuahua breeder has just got back to me and everything looks good. She's answered my questions and she's hoping to breed a litter some time towards the end of the year. She breeds for the show ring but,obviously, not all pups will make the grade so maybe I will end up as a proud mummy of a pet quality chi?
 
I was going to say be careful. There are some awful chi's around. With many excuses as to why they are not registered !!
But it sounds like you've found an experienced breeder.
Good luck, and keep us posted.
 
Glad you're going for the chi option! I have had mine for a year and a half now, had him as a 1 year old as didn't have time to train a puppy. He is the best most trainable little thing ever. He not long achieved his gold good citizens award and is now doing advanced training with the club I go too. He also loves agility and is super fast! He is very brave and confident but is wary of new people and will bark/growl at them, but considering he had no socialisation (had never been walked outdoors!) until I had him, I give him the benefit of the doubt, but he is getting better. He sees me as 'his person' but does love my dad too, he sticks to me like glue, yet I can leave him in the house for long periods of time and he just sleeps and waits for my return. We have crate trained him which was def the best idea, they love somewhere small and cosy to have as their own space, mine actually has a fur lined cat pod bed that he sleeps in at night and from day 1 we've never heard a peep out of him at night. I feed him nature diet trays (98p) each and get 5/6 meals out of one tray. Good luck, they're wonderful dogs :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top