The right kind of dog for me (pitbull, shepherd, poodles)
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We are, at last, dogless. Our 19-year-old cat has put her paw down when it comes to our bringing any more canines into the house while she's still alive, but we think about it all the time. When we do get dogs again (we like to have two at a time), we want to make sure we get the best breeds for us. In the past, we've had Cocker Spaniels, Collies, and a Golden Retriever mix. I would love to hear some suggestions from everybody as to what kind/s of dogs we should consider. Please don't just mention your own personal favorite breeds, but pay attention to my list of factors we want to keep in mind.
About us: We're retired and in good health. We're not typically both away from home for hours on end, having to leave the dogs alone. We like to travel but have relatives who would keep the dogs at their place while we're away or would housesit at our place (maybe 2-3 weeks at a time, twice a year). We have a decent-sized, fenced yard, but it's not enormous.
1. We want a dog (dogs) that are not prone to excessive barking.
2. We want a dog (dogs) that are not terrible shedders. (We had wall-to-wall Collie hair for several years.)
3. We want a dog (dogs) that are easily housebroken and trainable in the basics of good behavior.
4. We want a dog (dogs) that are friendly with people, not aloof, not hostile or overly protective.
5. We want a dog (dogs) that don't require huge amounts of exercise. While we're in good health, I am 6. and my husband is 72. We're not likely to want to take the dogs jogging.
7. We would prefer a medium-sized dog (dogs) over either a tiny dog or a huge dog.
That's all I can think of, right off the top of my head, although I'm sure other things will come to mind as I start seeing replies. Thanks in advance for your advise.
You might want to look at silken windhounds. They are a long haired medium sized sighthound.
Being sighthounds they do not bark much and are very quiet inside a house. Someone knocks on my door he lifts his head and looks at me asking" you gonna get that?" Mine only barks or makes a howl sort of noise when we play or when he is asking to play, Sometimes he makes what I call a happy hound sound when we are walking and he sees a little dog as he LOVES small dogs. Of course when the other dog is not a hound it sort of freaks out like " does that dog want to eat me?" But trust me it is a happy sound more like a very excited voice saying " Look at that cute little dog"
Most do not have dense undercoats and have longer hair so do not shed as much a dogs with undercoats or short hair . ( short hair has shorter life cycle so is shed more often then long hair) They also do not have a doggey odor.Even when he is wet Dazzle tends not to smell. He is wet often as he is what they call a swamp hound as he loves the beach.
They are very smart and train pretty easy as long as you keep sessions short and fun and use positive training. If you do too many repitions they will just shut down and tune you out as they are easily bored and take the attitude that they showed you they could do it 2 or 3 time and if you missed it that is your problem not theirs Dazzle has excellent manners and had his CGC his first year.
They tend not to be aggressive and many love to snuggle and cuddle. They tend to be great with kids. Many seem to have a great sense of humor and are fun to watch as they race around having fun, they can be goofy.
They tend to be medium in size and being sight hounds are thin so do not weigh much. My boy Dazzle is on the large size for the breed and he is about the height of a Golden but weighs in at 45-48 lbs and he can curl up like a cat into a small spot if he wants to as his body is like a pretzel but he can also stretch out and take up space if he feels like it.
If he gets a run or even a walk in he is content laying around as true to most sighthounds he is a couch potato.
The breed tends to be healthy and is part of a genome project at UC Davis where DNA from everyone born is sent so is the first breed to have a complete genome study being done.
Down side is they are FAST so when they are running around you have to be careful as they will race around you or do figure eights in and out your legs at an incredible speed so could knock you down. If they are raised with cats or small dogs they tend to be gentle with them. But some could have strong prey drive so if they are not raised or around cats or small dogs when young I would be careful.
You also should not have them off leash in a place that is not fenced as they can be far away within minutes and once they are running they do not always listen to you calling them. Dazzle is pretty good he does go off leash at the beach and in a couple unfenced wilderness areas that allow off leash dogs and he stays close by and when he does race off he usually circles around me and unless he is in a full high speed run he listens to me. But when he turns the speed on he is lost in the moment.
He is a very easy dog to own and he makes friends every place we go as when he is off leash at the beach he loves to go photo bomb people if they are taking photos, he walks right up and poses for them he knows he is a beautiful hound. You do usually have to plan in advance when you want to get one as most of the breeders are responsible breeders and do not breed often so you may have to wait for a puppy. They seldom wind up in rescue at this time but everynow and then a breeder might have an adult they need to rehome but frequently there are few available. But to me that is yet another positve the people who do breed them do care about the breed and are in it to make sure they breed the best puppies possible and place them in good homes.
I got mine because I was over 50 and felt I was getting too old for the energy and activity of the herding dogs I love so much and thought a dog that could go out exploring with me but also he content watching a movie with me would be nice.Daz fits that bill.
This will come off as a strange suggestion, but an American Staffordshire Terrior or American Pit Bull Terrier meet your criteria exactly. If you can get past/ignore the the news hype, they are generally great dogs
What you did not say, was whether your friend has dogs. Pit bull breeds tend to be dog aggressive, but not generally with dogs they know. So, if they are familiar, even if your friend has dogs, you should be ok.
A standard poodle may also be a dog to consider, but you do need to clip them- $40 for an electric clippers and a willingness to keep them in a puppy cut, you are looking at a monthly clip at home for coat maintenance.
A Brittany may be a third option to consider, although they may have more energy and hair than you want, they are also a decent match for what you outlined in your preferences.
I have seen many such questions, with "suggest the right breed for us". This OP list is still reasonable, but some people compile long lists with impossible requirements and insist on every detail. Few weeks later, when asked what breed they finally chose, the answer was - "a mutt from the local shelter"...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eresh
The first thing that came to my mind is a corgi. I've never owned one, but maybe someone who has can weigh in.
Corgis are great dogs, but tend to bark and be stubborn.
Anyway, the Pitbull suggestion is fine, with the exception that these dogs really need exercise, and lots of it.
Spinone Italiano, Standard Poodles, Labradoodles, Greyhounds (there is a special program for retired dogs) and the smooth collie mentioned above can all be good choices.
Love, love, love my cardigan welsh corgi but he is a shedding machine and does bark with some
regularity. I don't think the breed is stubborn at all. Usually they're quite willing to please. Mine is a lot like my German shepherds - but shorter. 😀
Love brittany's too but every one I've known has required a ton of exercise.
What about a retired greyhound? They have short coats and from what I've read most are couch potatoes. I don't think they would bark a lot being a sighthound.
Standard or Miniature Poodle comes to mind for sure -- extremely intelligent, highly trainable, not huge of a barker as long as trained, doesn't shed at all. The only thing would be to get their active minds busy, or they get bored easily (all that brain power!). Smooth Collie would be along the same line... great dogs, but I wouldn't expect them to sit and do nothing day in and day out, just a lot going on in their minds and they need to be mentally stimulated and physically as well.
King Charles Cavaliers are incredible dogs as well. Extremely loving, smaller sized (15-20 lbs is the midrange), not big on barking at all, will be very happy and content doing whatever it is you and your husband are doing -- they'll be active with you, and just as happy being couch potatoes for hours with no need to go anywhere. Amazing in many ways... but they do shed (nothing crazy, mostly seasonal and easy to control as long as you brush them every few days).
Retired Greyhound as mentioned above will make a great dog as well, just be careful -- many do have neurotic issues (at least in my experience).
If not for your worry of shedding, I'd say go with a Golden Retriever... perfect adaptable dogs, calm and trainable.
And just as a heads up -- my best dogs have been shelter mutts, despite the fact that we've had at least 14 purebreds over the years as well.
This will come off as a strange suggestion, but an American Staffordshire Terrior or American Pit Bull Terrier meet your criteria exactly. If you can get past/ignore the the news hype, they are generally great dogs
What you did not say, was whether your friend has dogs. Pit bull breeds tend to be dog aggressive, but not generally with dogs they know. So, if they are familiar, even if your friend has dogs, you should be ok.
A standard poodle may also be a dog to consider, but you do need to clip them- $40 for an electric clippers and a willingness to keep them in a puppy cut, you are looking at a monthly clip at home for coat maintenance.
A Brittany may be a third option to consider, although they may have more energy and hair than you want, they are also a decent match for what you outlined in your preferences.
Pits I've had/known have generally been amazing dogs. Very affectionate, loyal, trainable, fun-loving, and not big on barking, though they CAN be dog-aggressive. Hundreds of them are at shelters throughout the States, most will make great pets... something to consider for sure.
While we're in good health, I am 6. and my husband is 72. We're not likely to want to take the dogs jogging.
I just re-read my OP. It's too late to edit it, but I promise, I am not a 6-year old married to a 72-year old! Today is my 66th birthday. I obviously have a mental block which gets in the way of my typing such big numbers.
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Dazzle has excellent manners and had his CGC his first year.
You do usually have to plan in advance when you want to get one as most of the breeders are responsible breeders and do not breed often so you may have to wait for a puppy. They seldom wind up in rescue at this time but everynow and then a breeder might have an adult they need to rehome but frequently there are few available. But to me that is yet another positve the people who do breed them do care about the breed and are in it to make sure they breed the best puppies possible and place them in good homes. 
I just re-read my OP. It's too late to edit it, but I promise, I am not a 6-year old married to a 72-year old! Today is my 66th birthday. I obviously have a mental block which gets in the way of my typing such big numbers. 
