What breed of dog?

adouglasmhor

beat me to it krlyr

SleeplessinScandinavia

My personal favourite is the cocker spaniel. However they do like plenty of exercise, are strong-willed, and need plenty of grooming.

If you can find one, why not consider a pug? They don't need quite so much exercise as other dogs, and are easier to groom and train

samasama

Another "get an old dog" recommendation from me too. I unexpectedly brought home a 8yo lurcher about 4 yrs ago and I don't regret it at all (he was facing a needle because he didn't fit in with his owner's lifestyle - some people grrrr!). I'd done no planning/research, it was just that I melted when he looked up at me. Four years on he's suffering with arthritis and only walks as far as he needs (often turning round and heading home whether I like it or not LOL).

There's a lot of breed-specific info out on the net. infodogs .co .uk /dog-breeds/ (sorry can't post links) is a good one. That should help narrow it down a bit - but I'd definitely recommend lurchers or whippets.

Getting a dog is a big commitment - you need to consider vet bills (especially with an old dog) and food (not as cheap as you'd think). However the love you get from them makes it worthwhile. You're approaching it the right way - good luck in your hunt for what will be a new best friend :T

MentalMinnie

You might want to consider www.poodlesinneed.com

OneYorkshireLass

moggymutt wrote: »

Sounds like you want to keep walking as much as you can, and so a dog sounds ideal- I'm sure that there's lots of dogs who aren't able to walk too far- I know that one of mine can only manage small walks now.

That's what I was aiming for. I've been told I need to take regular small walks but walking around the block alone is boring and by having a dog I would HAVE to go, rather than put it off as I do now.

Welshwoofs wrote: »

I know you said 'not too big' - but it sounds to me that a rescue greyhound would be perfect as they don't moult much and are lazy dogs that are happy to cuddle up on the sofa with you and sleep for hours. Do you have a garden? If so then a bit of play with a ball in the garden would burn off energy that spent walking round the block.

Or a rescue whippet; smaller and the added benefit that they're really not too keen on going out in the freezing cold/tipping rain.

I've considered a greyhound/lurcher/whippet in the past - there's a dedicated rescue centre for them not too far away. I do have a garden, it's not 100% secure at the moment (small holes in fence etc) and how high can they jump? I'd be worried about them getting over one of the smaller (5ft) fences.

Re getting a cat - the house is on a relatively busy road, no cat rescue centre will entertain giving us one and even if I did get a cat if anything happened to it I would never forgive myself. Plus, the reason for getting a dog was to get me out of the house a lot more than I do now.

I've had a look at the poodle site suggested - awww, how cute are the miniature ones

Thanks for all replies. I will look at all the links.

lostinrates

My grey is not a rescue, but she ( and my other sight hounds) have great recall but it has taken work. They are all very much happier for access to an offload run, and mine do have a prey drive, so it's hard to call them off a rabbit for example, but they are fine with small dogs.

They are VERY sociable, and walk is ok, but what they really want is to meet and greet (and run quite fast) with other dogs.

Greys DO moult. But it's short fine hair, so not hard to keep clean. They are very easy to keep clean in fact, a damp face cloth and a quick wipe over does most of the work most days of the year.

They do seem to have, all of them I have known on various diets, terrible smelling wind.

Oh, and mine hates to jump. A five foot fence easily keeps her in, even though she theoretically could hoist herself over it. If there were a bed or a sofa to jump on she would do it, and she jumps on the hay stack in the barn if I don't keep an eye on her, but over a fence...no way. Through a hedge would be a different matter.

OneYorkshireLass

Thanks Lostinrates. I think I'd be better off with a lurcher/whippet as greys look enormous!

Forgot to add that the local field is a sports field - quiet during the day, but not fenced in - and there's a park nearby.

I've found a possible dog on my hunt around the rescue centre websites - what are wirehaired daschunds like? I've just googled the breed and apparently they don't moult but can be vocal. I'm not keen on yappy dogs, so can they be trained not to be quite so vocal?

I sound really fussy, don't I?

gettingready

Better be fussy ie honest as what you can/can handle now before taking on a dog than cause a heartache to both yourself and "a" dog by taking on an unsuitable one...

but - are you sure you won't be better of with a cat?

OneYorkshireLass

gettingready wrote: »

but - are you sure you won't be better of with a cat?

No, I would like a cat but there's a busy road outside and I need an incentive to get out of the house, even in bad weather and just take a walk around the block or the field. Also, I wouldn't be able to clean up the cat hair. I used to have a cat and know from that experience that they moult like crazy.

krlyr

Have you considered any other pets? For example, ferrets - fun, fantastic for keeping you amused, and you can take them out on walks (providing they've had the appropriate vaccinations) so they can get you out of the house. Ferret shows/events could get you out and about if you have transport (fun stuff like ferret racing and all sorts tends to be present at these shows). But, unlike a dog, if you're having a particularly fatigued day, you could compromise with just playing with them within the house/garden. If cleanliness inside the house is an issue, you could set up a shed/aviary/summerhouse for them - you can then sit outside and get some fresh air when the weather allows, while entertaining the ferrets.
Their personalities are a mix between puppies and kittens really - so they're very amusing, can form great bonds, be taught tricks, and make fascinating entertainment. I fostered a pair for a ferret rescue and had them in a converted summerhouse with attached aviary, and I was really gutted to see them go (unfortunately had no room to take them to the new house when we moved)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHteyJOiHhs&feature=related

Or rabbits can have huge personalities when you actually spend time with them - I had indoor bunnies and they'd follow me around the house like a dog, one would even hop on my lap for a cuddle and fall asleep there. Again, an outdoor setup could work out for you.

Rats, although not outdoor pets, are also fab entertainment and huge personalities for such little critters. A large cage and at least an hour or so of attention a day is really all they demand (well, on top of a good diet, vet care, etc) but they're fascinating critters - and another one that can be trained to do tricks!