Dog advice

krlyr

If you're houseproud, you may be better off with a stuffed toy! Most dogs shed, but even those that don't will traipse in mud, have the odd accident indoors, they may chew the odd chair leg or get claw marks on your furniture.
Saying that, you can have a dog and a tidy house, you just have to be prepared to clean up after them. A shedding dog just means you have to hoover or sweep daily - I have two heavy shedding breeds and all it means is that we had to buy a half decent hoover and spend 10 minutes a day hoovering the rooms they go in (the hair does travel elsewhere but that doesn't need hoovering daily), we purposely went for laminate downstairs because of the dogs. We find the odd dog hair in dinner, and we have to de-hair our work clothes as we go out, but it's a small bit of work in return for the pleasure of owning dogs. Carpets and runners help keep the laminate floor clean in the rainier seasons - I shut the dogs in the kitchen when they have wet feet until they've dried off, though you can train a dog to have its paws washed and dried (I just can't be bothered!). My two know they're not allowed on the new sofa, but the old ones were pretty hardwearing and didn't really show many signs of the dogs climbing on them anyway - leather is quite forgiving! Soft furnishings, I spray down with a 50:50 solution of lemon juice and water to deodourise and give a nice citrus-smell. Air fresheners aren't great to use around dogs because the chemicals can irritate their respiratory system, but there's lots of natural alternatives (check out the Old Style section for ideas too). Washing the dogs' beds, I tend to chuck a bit of bicarbonate of soda in with the washing powder which helps tackle the damp dog smell they can get in winter, and in the summer, one of the best cures is to just have a window or door open to freshen it up.
I'm sure our house does have a bit of eau de dog to visitors, but we don't notice it and I wouldn't say it was excessively smelly. I think it also helps that my two are on a raw-fed diet and have quiet a low odour themselves, some foods can give dogs a real musty odour which transfers onto furnishings and carpets.

~daisy~_2

lol yes i am quite houseproud but im also prepared to clean up .....i have laminate and leather sofas anyway so should make it slightly easier

i feel really quite over whelmed with choices and no idea where to start flitering out .....

minimad1970

Border Terrier's are great dogs. Great characters and if you have them stripped not much shedding. Mine doesn't bark much either.

love_daschunds

Smooth haired dachshunds, they don't smell doggy or loose hair that you can see!

Bobl

Go to your local Dogs Trust, they will match you and your home with a dog. A Jack Russell is probably the sort of dog you are looking for. But if you have never had one before think carefully about the time needed for a dog, they need exercise and mental stimulation between times, so don't think you can just take them for a quick walk and then leave them all day.

The dogs trust will ensure you know everything before you are allowed to adopt a dog (it never belongs to you by the way).

Take your time, find out everything, and the right dog will give you years of love and devotion, as you will it!

littleun

look up papillon on google,

krlyr

I would think about what you want in a dog and what you don't want, as well as what you as a family can offer.
E.g. a few things to consider -
Is it important to have a dog that can be off-lead anywhere? Bear in mind that many terriers will have a strong instinct to "go to ground", i.e. down rabbit holes, badget setts, etc. which puts them at risk (badgers can inflict horrible injuries, little dogs can get stuck down tunnels and never found again, etc). But non-terrier breeds can still have chase or prey drives - Collies can be prone to wanting to herd everything, including joggers and small children, which can be inappropriate and even dangerous. My two can't go off-lead in most places because of various issues (the GSD is impolite with other doggies and needs to be introduced slowly so is kept on a longline, and the Rottie x has a really high preydrive to the point she'd run across a road or into a freezing lake to chase something, so it's not safe to let her off in many places) and it can..not spoil, but hinder walks sometimes, I would quite like to have a pair of dogs that could go off-lead anywhere and not have to worry about packing longlines, keeping an eye out for things they might chase, etc.
Do you want a dog that is likely to get along with most dogs? Some breeds can be more aloof with other dogs, e.g. Staffies are lovely dogs but sadly have fallen prey to idiots breeding them for status dogs so some lines are less likely to get along with other dogs, having been "selectively bred" as such to display aggression to other dogs. Guarding breeds can be more aloof with other dogs and can need extra socialisation throughout their life to tackle that. Other dogs may almost be too friendly and want to mug every dog in the park to play with them, e.g. Labradors, so need extra training to learn that they can't run up to every dog they see without being told they can.
Grooming wise, are you prepared for the time and cost of a dog that needs lots of grooming, e.g. a Shih Tzu. If shedding is a concern, look up breeds that are low/non shedding. Bear in mind that these supposed non-shedding crosses (Labradoodles, Cockapoos, etc.) may not always inherit the Poodle hair.
How much exercise are you prepared to give a dog? Some breeds do better with the odd sprint a couple of times a day, like a Greyhound, others require more than that, a Collie might be better off with something that works the mind as well as the body, like agility.
Another thing to take into consideration is public perception. Staffies are lovely dogs on a whole, but there is a social stigma that comes with them. Ditto with English Bull Terriers. There aren't too many small/medium breeds that are looked at like Rotties, German Shepherds, Dobermanns etc. are but if you're the type to take comments to heart, do consider the reputation of a breed. My mum always had GSDs but then ended up adopting a small Collie x and was amazed at how much more willing people are to stop and say hello to the dog, let their dogs play with her and so on.
Everyone will recommend "their" breed but I think you need to consider the practical side of things and see what you can offer. Maybe consider volunteering at a local rescue and see if you can walk some of the dogs and get an idea of the kind of dog you click with

Caroline_a

Excellent advice from krlyr. Have you or your OH ever owned a dog before? You'll get lots of good advice on here from experienced dog owners in both your search and also when you get your dog. Are you wanting a pup or an adult? Also who is the main driving force between wanting a dog - is it you, your OH or the children? Whoever it is should be prepared to be the main carer of the dog, but of course everyone should muck in, including training, cleaning up after him/her, feeding etc.

I'm a great believer in one person taking overall control of the training, but everyone else following the same words and methods that the main person uses, otherwise it's terribly confusing for the poor dog. But I'm getting ahead of things - make a list of what you want with pros and cons, and go and find yourself a lovely new addition to the family!

~daisy~_2

thanks ever so much everyone for all your advice - all very welcome as have never shared our lives with a pooch before !!

~daisy~_2

had dogs in the family as a child but never since we had our family. my daughter has been wanting a dog for years and years - is 16 now - but its a mutual thing between myself and hubby really.
we dont really want a puppy - would prefer someone about a year plus