Suggest me a medium sized dog breed

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Booboos

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I need a puppy. We lost both Spitzes within a month of each other this spring. At 15 and 16 they had long lives but it was still a horrible blow and the only way I can deal with it is by getting another dog (of course we still have the lovely Dizzy and the insuppresible Pookie!).

So requirements are:

- medium size because the car can't fit two large sized dogs and we already have a GSD
- active and happy to go for long walks, spend time with the horses, but not hyperactive and unable to switch off
- intelligent and trainable. We'd look hard for a breeder that breeds for temperament suitable to a family home.
- ideally we would like a GSD but smaller!

We've already looked at the Australian Shepherd but I think they are a bit too close to the Border Collies in activity requirements. I briefly considered Irish Setters but apparently they have recall problems? We don't really need anyone encouraging Pookie to piss off, he does that quite nicely by himself!

What about greyhounds or whippets? Poodles? Any other ideas?
 
How about something like a Small Munsterlander? Setter like, smaller, energetic but I don't believe they're over the top with their exercise requirements. Oddly, when I was looking to get a dog ten years ago, I went on this Pet Planet website survey thing that you input your wants/needs/requirements and committment to things like exercise, training, and grooming. At the time I lived in a flat in town, but had access to lots of walks, capable of grooming and so on. The number one and two breeds it came up wtih were Small Musterlander and Border Terrier. I ended up with a BT and I must say he's been perfect. Always wondered how I'd have got on with a Munsterlander, and the few I've groomed and have met have been rather nice, laid back dogs. Last one we had in was ANCIENT (like nearly 20) and the German girl that brought it in said it STILL walks for hours -- but it'd been kept really fit all it's life.
 
Have a whippet or two. They are fabulous. Their ideal life is to eat and exercise for about an hour a day and sleep the other 23. Easy as anything. In truth ours do a bit more than that because they are with us with the horses so they can go and rootle and mootle about but they have their bed there as well and all crash out in the sun in it when they've had enough. Small enough to be portable and very little shedding as well.

Ours all have excellent recall and aren't in the least bit bothered by the horses either. Bearing in mind that none of them had any experience of horses before we had them (they were adults when we got them) they are just so simple to have around.

I had greyhounds before the whippets and they were just as good but being retired racers they took a bit more effort and training to get them as relaxed as the whippets are around the other livestock but they were in the end. They also had excellent recall but that took a little more work as well.

Good luck with whatever you have
 
Thanks! I can't find the Pet Planet but I tried a few other quiz sites: the first came up with a Labradoodle, the second with a Husky!!!!!!!!!!! Who programmes these things???

I am not familiar with the Small Munsterlander, will look it up!
 
My family keeps two Labradors. One of them is almost two years old and the other is twelve and all they need is two walks per day and a small run around before going to their kennels at night (they're both working dogs, but not during the summer). However, they can grow quite large sometimes, and shed all year round if they are hairy. The females are more medium sized than large, though, and I have never heard of one being dangerous to keep around.
 
lydia said:
cockerpoo! they are lovely! and minimal moulting!
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Minimal moulting...how can you guarantee that:confused:

I would go for a poodle over a designer x of the 2, then it will def be low shed and have some brains about it:p

I obs have whippets so im biased:p the rest of mine are all biggies excpet the cavalier:)
 
Actually one of the few breeds with medium size in the standard is the Dobermann.
I assume you want something knee height or thereabouts.
Why not go to a show and see what takes your fancy, narrow down the list and research from there. Poodles are great and come in all sizes. A buhund may fit your remit as might a PON (Polish Lowland Sheepdog) A BSD bitch might be small enough for you.

Plenty of Staffies in rescue....

Narrow it down a bit; hairy, smooth, brushing or clipping? Slender or chunky?

Exactly how big? Border terrier or border collie sized?
 
CAYLA said:
Minimal moulting...how can you guarantee that:confused:
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This ^^ How on earth can you say this and why has this myth still not been exploded? :confused:

Are you after a puppy, older dog? Energy level? I think anything is trainable, it just takes commitment. The list is endless!

I'm a slight fan of springers, but I'd be so tempted to take on an older dog next time. Looking back, I really had quite a tough time with the puppy phase!

Have you rescue centres nearby? Go have a glance.
 
You just need to get a small GSD :) My parents had whippets when I was young, they are very easy dogs to have around and very cuddly. Border terriers are nice little dogs too, but I dont have any experience of them. Whereas I am all for people taking on rescues, with a young baby in the house I personally would go for a puppy, there is always that element of the unknown with an older rescue.
 
OK be prepared to flame me because here are all my prejudices!

Schnauzer: I haven't known many but all the ones I have known have been hyper and barky - apologies to all Schnauzer owners, but I am not that keen

Labs: lovely dogs...they just don't inspire me!

Cockerpoo and Spaniels: All the spaniels I know tend to be on the loopy side of high energy

Dobermans: has to be fluffier!

Buhund: too Spitz like but not a Spitz

(do you want to kill me yet? I don't blame you!)

Polish Lowland Sheepdog: AWWW!!! Gorgeous...but would it suffer with the heat in the south of France?

Other questions: moulting and general dirt are not a problem, the house is a pigsty anyway. It has to be a puppy as we have a baby and I want to make sure the dog is socialised and trained as well as possible. I greatly appreciate the efforts rescues make but, and I am sad to say this, I want to be able to choose the dealer because he/she breeds for temperament with health screaning. Size wise more border collie size than terrier size. Energy wise we cope fine with the GSD and the JRT so it doesn't need to be a couch potatoe, but then again it can't be 'on' 24/7 because there are also the horses and the baby to look after!

MM: a mini GSD would be perfect! Do I spot a gap in the designer breed market? :D Whippets are current favourites along with Shelties - not exactly similar dogs but both have something which is appealing.
 
I board a Polish Lowland sheep dog (sp) and they shave her down in the summer:eek: she does look very cute when they do it mind you:p she is a lovely dog.
I also board a gorgeous little sheltie, I always wanted a sheltie when I was little (random):p again (lots of hair)
We have some cute as you like mini daxis in for rehome:p (I shall send one over) we have sent a few dogs to France recently:)
 
Not medium but they have very big hearts - Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
I have one who frequently lies in bed until lunchtime until she is forcefully turfed out, and another whos nearly eight and is mad. She still does agility, will run for ages, holds her own with other dogs, loves cuddles. If you can compromise on the size, everyone should own a Cav :rolleyes:
 
Standard Schnauzer, Swedish Vallhund, Malinios (show or pet rather than working lines!!!)
Shiba Inu.

TBH, GSDs *should* be medium sized, they are not meant to be a giant breed :(
 
C: Ohhh I love mini-dachounds!!! Do you think I could slip one in and the OH wouldn't notice? Poor polish sheepdog would need to be shaved for 9 months of the year (yes people the weather is gorgeous and we have had loads of sun this year - sorry!). Shelties I have always liked too!

More fussiness:

Spaniels: still too loopy, sorry!!! Very lovable though!

Belgian Shepherd: can I convince the car that the Belgian is much smaller than the GSD so that they can both fit in? ;) Who am I kidding, the JRT takes up the most space anyway!

Retriever: lovely but dull

Wheaten terrier; now that I am not familiar with!

Staffy: they just don't do it for me. I don't think they are going to eat anyone alive but they just don't excite me.

Schnauzer: keep up, I have already dismissed this breed for no good reason!

Swedish Valhund: funnily enough I came across this breed looking today, interesting...

Shiba Inu: hmm, don't know the breed very well but I wonder if they are not best suited to a home with older children?

CC; I completely agree with what you say re GSD size. Dizzy is nowhere near a Great Dane or a Pyreneese Mountain dog, but he still takes up most of the boot of the 4x4 so realistically I would need a (much) bigger car for two GSD sized dogs.
 
nova scotia duck tolling retriever?

Good recall, love to learn things. Goos with kids. Fluffy yet medium sized?
 
Booboos said:
Oh I like the Petit Basset Griffon!!!! Is it going to piss off with the JRT though, never to be seen again?
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LOL possibly, but they are supposed to be easy to train and the 1 I met was very obedient (it was more terrier, than hound nose to the ground and never to be seen again like............probably why it appealed to me).
 
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