Small dogs

I highly recommend Lancashire Heelers big dogs in little bodies, they come in my favourite colour black/tan and have smooth coats. They are long lived and a very healthy breed who havnt been mucked up.

They do require a lot of exercise but are very trainable with a good temperment, they are good house dogs and are really good ratter and mouse rs. They are also very good cattle dogs and mine never took any notice of the horses. One of mine did agility with my daughter and she really enjoyed it. They are very happy little dogs and can turn their paw to anything.:D
 
Dobiegirl said:
I highly recommend Lancashire Heelers big dogs in little bodies, they come in my favourite colour black/tan and have smooth coats. They are long lived and a very healthy breed who havnt been mucked up.

They do require a lot of exercise but are very trainable with a good temperment, they are good house dogs and are really good ratter and mouse rs. They are also very good cattle dogs and mine never took any notice of the horses. One of mine did agility with my daughter and she really enjoyed it. They are very happy little dogs and can turn their paw to anything.:D
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LOL, snap, you beat me to it. They are quite hard work though sjlover, by no means lap dogs, that is to say there is nothing they like better than sitting on a lap but they do need to use their brains, like other herding breeds .
 
MurphysMinder said:
LOL, snap, you beat me to it. They are quite hard work though sjlover, by no means lap dogs, that is to say there is nothing they like better than sitting on a lap but they do need to use their brains, like other herding breeds .
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And is it best to do something like agility with them or could/would i be able to do some other 'brain exercise' with them?
 
If you didnt want to go down the agility route, they also do tracking and when you walk them they will hunt the hedges for rabb its. One year between May and September my 2 killed 30 rabbits between them. They cant outrun a rabbit but can move through a hedge as quick as and they do like to eat what they catch.:(
 
What kind of small dog do you want? Something feisty or mellow? Something active or low-maintenance?

I have a pug (total dude of a dog) and a Boston terrier (fun and active all the way). I'd recommend either of these breeds, especially if you're a novice dog owner.
 
Westhighland terriers. I have 3 and love them. Clever, hardy, dont shed, trainable, pretty low maintenance and full of personality. Love mine:D
 
I love my Border Terriers, I currently have two lay infront of me chewing on some bones (they keep getting bored of the one they have and swapping)

It depends what you want from a dog really?
 
prosefullstop said:
What kind of small dog do you want? Something feisty or mellow? Something active or low-maintenance?

I have a pug (total dude of a dog) and a Boston terrier (fun and active all the way). I'd recommend either of these breeds, especially if you're a novice dog owner.
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Something that likes walks really but not too much stimulation. Not bothered if they shed fur or moult
 
showjumpinglover said:
Something that likes walks really but not too much stimulation. Not bothered if they shed fur or moult
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My Boston walks four or five miles every day, loves fetch, dogs of every stripe and people of every type. They're renowned for being excellent with children, the elderly and strangers, don't bark, and are very minimal shedders. I am in the US, though, where they are a top 10 breed, and therefore more affordable, but I understand they're expensive in England.

Might you consider popping to a local rescue and seeing what little uns they have for adoption?
 
I've got a jack russell x border terrier, who is now 16 months old. He is lovely - everyone loves him and he is faultlessly good with people and kids. He has picked up all his basic training really well, was house trained in 2 days, and has just started agility traning. He has two default modes - active or asleep, when he's active he's really active, and he'll walk all day, but equally he'll sleep all day and if there's nothing exciting going on he is asleep. He is a lap dog, a walking dog, a spend-the-day-at-the-yard dog...and he likes to think he's a guard dog.

He is also the most stubborn, strong willed little character in the world! Fortunately I am stubborn too. His breeder reckons this is the Border Terrier side of him, and the Jack Russell side is the slightly gobby side!

If you do find yourself looking for a terrier pup at some point, I can put you in the direction of Stan's breeder, who I can't recommend more highly. She matched people to pups on an individual level - based on their individual temperaments, and the temperaments in their bloodlines. There are also a few good rescues you can try: Leicester Animal Aid and East Mids Dog Rescue.
 
OH's son has a Bichon.

Fantastic, fun and happy little dog. The only downside is the regular clipping, but we don't go for a specialist Bichon clip, just have her clipped nice and short which does save on costs.

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I have to champion my jacks. They take whatever walk is offered - from miles upon miles to a ball throw over the park. Then go back to sleep when I'm home. They are loyal and endless fun.
 
German Spitz Kleins for me... we have 2 - such characters - love walks, but fave place is on a lap

Very trainable, no terrier traits, little clowns really!!
 
I work 'for' 3 JRT's - I adore them, they have the swetest natures but I do sometimes wish they had an 'off' button lol.

I have a standard dachs - he's fantastic, will walk all day or sleep all day depending what you feel like. Loves putting birds up & flushing rabbits too - enjoys work. They can be wary of strangers though, vocal, and need lots of socialising when young.

I can second the corgi suggestion - I recently had the pleasure of meeting one properly for the 1st time - a little blue merle Cardigan and he was fantasic. Real family dog, dignified but a sense of humour - lovely.
 
Terriers ( and I speak as one who loves them and has 2 staffie bull terriers) can be a little bit of an acquired taste as they are not self effacing dogs by any standard. This is regardless of which terrier they are! As you are forward planning, how about volunteering at a local rescue to walk their dogs or even foster for short periods of time? that way you will get a really good idea of what "traits" you want in your dogs. I love terriers as they are active, full on, bright and excellent companions. Another person might find them too full on and prefer a breed that is a little more restrained!
 
Had thought of rescue, but reading a lot of things on here has put me off a little because a lot of people have said because they have said they have been turned down because of not having a garden/secure garden but have plenty of space/ areas to walk the dog (let it off for a run).

At the moment fostering is also out the option as I have a cat who absolutely hates dogs. Or is there a way that this could be overcome? I think this may be out of the option as well though as it's due to lack of funds to be able to afford a dog at the moment.
 
I would have thought a foster family would keep the dog, so if you are short of money I don't think this would work, however manytears.co.uk are always in need of good foster families, worth a chat maybe?
 
Hi I'd say it depends on what you're after and your lifestyle. Personally I've got a little Cavi and they are renowned for having the most wonderful temperaments and being brilliant with children and other dogs. In her younger days (she's 12 now) mine used to walk for hours quite happily (now she can still go for an hour or so with the help of painkillers for her arthritis) but was equally content with a 5 minute trip round the block followed by a snooze. Unfortunately the breed as a whole is very much plagued by health problems (mitral valve disease, dry eye syndrome and syringomyelia to name a few) which does have to be considered.

As someone on here said fostering for a rescue charity could be a great way of getting a taste of what kind of dogs and breeds suit you whilst at the same time helping out a number of dogs in adjusting to a nicer way of life (you never know you may even meet your perfect little dog this way!). Also I wouldn't necessarily discard all rescue dogs, they haven't all ended up there through mistreatment; some of them have been given up by owners who can no longer afford them, some are lost pets that have gone unclaimed and some have owners that have gone where they can't follow.
 
Have had terriers all my life and have to say the JR we rescued was very very loving. Had a westie and a scottie. Westies are very easy to train and are nice lap dogs. Scotties are the most loyal dogs to one person and make great guard dogs, as do most terriers.
 
Not quiet sure how you expect a cat that hates dogs to cope with introducing a puppy or foster dog then? It's no guarantee you get a puppy who will tolerate the cat, or that the cat will eventually learn to live with the dog. You need to seriously reassess if a dog is right for your family while having a cat who is obviously not happy with a canine new addition. Plus MT will not allow a foster dog to go to a home without a secure garden...in fact most rescues won't because one of the points of foster homes is to assess the dogs so likely they will be unassessed dogs coming into your home, therefore might be escape artists.


And many rescues will assess your home situation (assuming the cat issue is sorted?) and will rehome to you, using foster homes to match the dog to new adoptees. Therefore you could get a dog who doesn't need a secure garden AND is cat friendly. LDR are very flexiable and will match the dog to your home. Might mean waiting for the right match but any dog is worth waiting for.
 
jsr said:
Not quiet sure how you expect a cat that hates dogs to cope with introducing a puppy or foster dog then? It's no guarantee you get a puppy who will tolerate the cat, or that the cat will eventually learn to live with the dog. You need to seriously reassess if a dog is right for your family while having a cat who is obviously not happy with a canine new addition. Plus MT will not allow a foster dog to go to a home without a secure garden...in fact most rescues won't because one of the points of foster homes is to assess the dogs so likely they will be unassessed dogs coming into your home, therefore might be escape artists.


And many rescues will assess your home situation (assuming the cat issue is sorted?) and will rehome to you, using foster homes to match the dog to new adoptees. Therefore you could get a dog who doesn't need a secure garden AND is cat friendly. LDR are very flexiable and will match the dog to your home. Might mean waiting for the right match but any dog is worth waiting for.
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Thats part of the reason why I am waiting a few years to see what happens with the cat, I know it's unfair on the cat and/or dog to be put in a household where the cat doesn't like dogs.

Ideally at later date I would like to rescue when I can get a dog having done it before when I lived at home with mum, but I am fully aware that most places don't like to/ won't re-home a dog to someone with no garden, even though I have a decent sized park less than two minutes away.

(This may be a stupid question, but is there anyway I can get the cat used to dogs, for his safety because I dont want him to get scared by a dog (have quite a few down my raid and in my area) and run out onto the main road and get run over?)
 
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