Dog breed suggestions

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

Whippets/Lurchers are generally lovely...they'll be one of my next if not a lovely little mongrel

tandraig

If you want a really calm dog which would be happy with a short walk once or twice a day and dont mind grooming - may I suggest a Clumber Spaniel? most of them are dead lazy! fairly intelligent and pushovers for affection! good with other dogs too.
but I am really a Staffy fan - they do like exercise but will make do with a garden to do circuits in and a regular walk. also, its how you bring them which affects their behaviour - generally they are not aggressive dogs and will put up with young kids a lot better than most breeds! its best to find out the characteristics of the parent dogs and then judge yourself the calmest of the litter - the breeder will know this. also - they dont need much grooming but mine loved a shower every week(?) the only other dogs i ever had were a border collie (hyperactive) and a springer spaniel (not the sharpest knife in the drawer and useless as a watch dog - would let anyone in! but affectionate - needed a LOT of grooming tho.

elfen

Could go for a rescue greyhound - my mum is considering one - mainly as she can't cope with long walks anymore due to bad knees and arthritis. Not too big, curl up nice and small and look lovely. Saying that, my mum has a good record with rescue dogs, all have lied to a ripe old age - border x sheltie - v intelligent, escape artist extraordinaire, any unlocked gates and she was out, but loving and gorgeous - lived to 19. Last dog, nearly pure alsatian - used as a puppy farm, then binned, found eating takeaways, absolutely soppy, acted like a puppy, lived to 13 i think. Some breeds may be kinda big, but please don't go in with "expectations" about a breed - as with people, dogs are all different, the alsatian used to let my niece grab her fur when she was learning to walk, and laid asleep with my niece asleep on her. It's the owner, not the dog, who can mess up, so please be aware of this

foreign_correspondent

aren't clumber spaniels working dogs, used as beaters? I would expect them to need quite a bit of exercise? For a dog that may only get 40 minutes exercise a day, personally, I would avoid all the high energy/high stamina working dogs, eg, any designed to run all day - so, in general collies, springer spaniels, retrievers etc... a bored energetic dog will find it's own work!

Sighthounds tend to be sprinters and snoozers, so whilst very fast, they exercise in bursts, and have less stamina, so need less exercise.

Otherwise, a nice little mongrel may be as good a choice as any - its just a case of choosing the right individual dog...

jenhug

Was going to suggest Mastiffs but you don't want a large dog. Brilliant company though!

tandraig

sorry - should have said - Clumbers are a bit more energetic as pups and young dogs - but generally calm down when older so a rescue Clumber may be suitable - the one i had tho was lazy from a pup and had to be forced out of the door for walks! they are a working dog used as beaters - but i am convinced it was because of the noise they made - they are big and quite heavy and tell to snort a lot when walking! but saying that i find them adorable and am quite a fan. the only other spaniel i feel would fit would be the lapdog type - but my neighbour has one and its very lively! and hates being alone! but - most breeds of dog dont like being alone - they are human companions and seem to need owners around - though some dont mind being alone for a few hours. my son has a cross breed labxborder collie and she doesnt mind being left alone for a few hours. my staffy didnt mind and neither did the spaniels! i think it was because they were used to it from puppyhood..........its how you bring them up and train them.

foreign_correspondent

I am surprised that clumbers dont get overly bored - they are not a breed you see around much though!

UKTigerlily

A reputable rescue won't rehome around xmas, a reputable breeder won't have any litters available either plus they will have waiting lists. Staffies are sometimes good & sometimes bad with other dogs, many are perfect. With an older dog you will know what you're getting, with a pup you won't, many older dogs come from homes that have let the dog go through no fault of it's own & the rescue will have it's full history, some have been with a foster home also being assessed, a pup you won't know if it'll grow up to be aggressive or not, or course training & socialisation help, but the pup will have a character too & will have likes & dislikes.

I don't think a Whippet would be good being left alone for so long, but as I said it's all down to the individual dog not the breed, my rescue Staffy fits everything except she's dog aggressive, but unless you want a second dog that's not an issue at all (If it's because you want to let one off lead, you may not be able to whether it's friendly or aggressive)

WolfSong2000

I think a greyhound would suit you down to the ground...yes, they're technically "bigger" dogs, but they're not actually all that big as they're very slender. They'd also cope better with the long periods of being left at home as they'd likely just doze, and could live with shorter walks. A friend of my mothers has had rescue greyhounds...forget the name of her new one, but her older one, Kipper was such a little sweetheart. He has passed away now, but one of the best-tempered, sweetest dogs I've ever met. Total angel. There's also a lot of greyhounds in rescues.

nettttie

we've had an ex-racer greyhound; lazy !!!!! but v funny and comical and used to make the kids laugh cos they kinda bounce on their 2 front feet!
also had a Staffie - you know what they say when you've had a staffie you'd never get anything else! I cant wait for the day I can get another one! really miss her. too many small dogs and cats that play out round here though and the kids used to leave the garden gate open ;(
Got a lovely little Heinz atm - staffie x with basset hound! had him since March - we're still learning but he's very good in the house.

advantage of getting an older dog, housetrained ie: no pu's or wee's and no chewed up furniture! Maxi chews loads of stuff up - plastic etc but only toys what we give him, he wouldn't dream of chewing the remote. I give him them macdonalds toys that talk, like toy story figures and they freak him out! He's the first dog i've had and that's my only regret, always had a !!!!! and find that they respond to me better. This one is very strong willed and stubborn so I have to be extra tough with him - maybe some dogs need the firmness of a male but that's where we're still learning..

I think the best thing would be to spend quite a bit of time getting to know the dogs personality before agreeing on which one you want. Mine have always been rescue and am generally v happy with them.