Dog Breed Suggestions Round 2!

peachyprice

If you're wanting long hair how about a large Yorkie.
Reading through your list of criteria my baby answers yes to all. He's never been a chewer, will take or leave a walk, is happy on his own for 4-5 hours a day, probably 3 times a week, it the most loyal, soppiest dog ever and loves nothing more than a cuddle, but is great fun when he's out for a run. He's about the size of a JRT I suppose.
HTH

moggylover

I want ALL the staffies! They are so cute!

We have one over the road from us and he pops over to visit for a cuddle and a bit of a fuss (and usually leaves us a present somewhere:rolleyes:) and I must admit that I was worried that he would be naughty with my cats but he just trots past them and avoids their eye so has obviously learnt that cats are the boss at some time in the past.

Trouble is he always wants me to pick him up and cuddle him - and he weighs a ton!!!

candygirl

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

Patch is very handsome - sweet face:

http://www.dogsblog.com/patch-33/

Aww he's adorabubbble, and my candy looks like Samson:D:D
MOGGYLOVER, staffies are always real cuddlybums:) There was one tied up outside the gym today, and everyone was giving him a wide berth, then I went over and he was dying for a cuddle:)

tandraig

I have to say out of all the dogs i have had in the past - mutt X jack russel, border collie, labrador, staffy, clumber spaniel and springer spaniel my ideal dog has to be the staffy. she was well behaved (but not that easy to train until i discovered her passion for cucumber), great with adults kids babies (especially babies - she loved them and would poke her nose into passing pushchairs unless i was vigilant) great house dog, great protector of me and kids when out. didnt start dog fights but wasnt afraid of other dogs no matter how big or aggressive. didnt mind me working part-time, and on top of that - had a great sense of humour!!! am thinking of the time when DS1 had a car that made all these noises - drove us nuts the week after Xmas until it mysteriously went missing - until i remembered seeing staffy digging under the junk under the stairs! yep - she had hidden it!!!! she also used to let my daughter dress her up in baby clothes or put earrings and necklaces etc on her - oh and she sat still while my daughter painted all her toenails pink! ahhhhhhh fond memories of a wonderful dog!

UKTigerlily

I suggested a Staff but the OP won't consider one sadly! Yep it's my Staffy Rescue Chaya who's a PAT dog now. I just read mrcol's post about how they won't be escape artists & today I let Chaya off the lead for the first time in almost a year (She doesn't like dogs but lives with a cat happily) & we were in an enclosed area but it was huge & she wouldn't leave my side until I got her ball & whenever I walked away she'd follow!

The good points about my adult rescue Staff are that she never barks, not when the post comes, not when the door goes, never!
She lives with a cat & has zero prey drive
She will walk all day or sleep all day, she's a couch potato & happy with what she gets, if we have to miss a day she's fine, if we walk all day that's great too!
She loves people & is especially gentle around tiny kids
Very intelligent! She learns new things like rolling over in about 2 minutes & remembers them!
100% house trained & can be left for 4 hours, tho I had a tattoo last week & had to leave her for six (Didn't know it'd take so long) & she was absolutely fine, tho I wouldn't make a habit of that & stick to 4
I don't have a secure garden so can't say if she'd try to escape but from seeing how she is she generally will keep looking back to see where I am & has to be encouraged to leave my side & I think if I had a garden & left the door open she'd still stay in whatever room I was in

Not a big dog, mine's tiny & people think she's a Pup but even full sized ones are only medium sized
Rarely needs grooming, she goes once a month for a bath at the groomers but doesn't need this, it's my preference & she'd be fine with just a yearly bath, never see fur from her, it all comes from the cat!

Generally the breed are healthy & cataracts & eye issues are their main problem but mine's had a couple of infections & tumours but not breed related & which any dog could get.

Anyway, once you get to know a Staff who'd want anything else! They're always so happy to meet people & be around them & I love to come home to mine & have her so pleased to see me! I really would recommend giving them a chance, maybe go to the local rescue & meet a few & see how you feel!? (Many *do* like other dogs, i've seen plenty on walks that have no issues at all!)

ETA she's also never yet chewed anything that isn't her toy & given to her with the aim to chew it, and she's not destructive at all either x

tandraig

would endorse all you just said UKtigerlily - out of all my dogs i miss the staffy the most! would have another one in a minute! i knew my dogs parents and her litter mates as they all lived in our village. and all of them were people friendly! the reason the pups were in demand was because the parent dogs lived in village pub! and roamed the bars at night and we got to know and love them! their offspring were great dogs too! the staffy was the only dog i had which actually enjoyed fireworks!!! she would sit on the bed and watch out of window with the kids and our own fireworks display? she would just sit in lounge and not turn a hair - i never let her join in outside but wonder if i was wrong - she may have enjoyed it!

CFC

Thanks for your thoughts. To add to the list already in consideration

Labs - I appreciate that there are lazy and active ones, but they were bred as working dogs - anyone got any other thoughts on their need for activity as we have one poster who thinks they can be lazy and another who says they are a bit hyperactive. I know it will depend on the individual dog but all I can do is increase my chances of a 'best fit'.

Yorkies are a potential - how trainable are they and are they 'barkers'; I'm thinking of when he/she would be home alone? OK - my husband would feel like a ninny walking such a small dog, but that's tough

Staffies - feedback is that they're a bit dog aggressive, I do want a dog breed not known for aggression towards dogs or people.

zaksmum

I got a whippet/labrador cross as a puppy, he's 16 months now and the perfect dog! He loves to go out for walks and runs like the wind chasing balls (and seagulls!) He has about 4 walks a day, the first being about an hour and the others shorter, but all off lead in the park/woods/beach etc.

When he gets home he just conks out for an hour and even at his age is happy to potter round indoors after me. He's fine to be left for periods of a couple of hours but mostly there's someone home with him.

He has a lovely temperament, the calmness of his whippet dad and the gentleness of his labrador mum. Although he does also have a hunting gene and can outrun any rabbit...!

He has a ferocious appetite and after he's been fed (twice a day) he also has a snooze for an hour, so sleeps happily a lot of the time.

He seems like the perfect breed of dog for the OP's circumstances, so maybe look around for a whippet/labrador?

Hope you get the dog you're looking for.

candygirl

I bred working labs which are hyper, but also owned show labs which were still very energetic, and both sorts were massive chewers in the house:D:D
I still love the breed though, but at the moment staffies are a lot easier for me:D

lostinrates

OP, hav you tried any of the (admittedly crude) online breed selectors? The link beloiw is diret to the Kennel Club one, skipping the intro page, but I recommend reading the information about it.

although all the breeds mentioned are super, we tend to focus on a limited number of breeds (whether purebred or as part of a cross/mongrel) and its a shame because there are so very, very many.

The online selectors are crude but they do focus the mind somewhat. There are many an the KC one linked is just because I knew of it, but if you google there is a choice.

http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/services/public/breeds/find/Default.aspx

I also recommend Discover Dogs if you haven't ever been. It gives you an oppertunity to meet dogs and chat to (biased!) owners about the pros and cons of their breeds.