What kind of dog do I want...eventually?

[kokotg]

I have a very dog aggressive Cattle Dog mix right now, and no new dogs are coming into the house until she's gone (we tried that a couple of years ago; I now have an elaborate system of gates in my house to keep the two of them separated all the time, and DH has a scar on his leg from a pre-elaborate gate system dog fight breakup). But she's almost 13 now, and, while I know she could live a few more years (my just turned 16 year old other cattle dog mix is still hanging in there), I'm starting to think ahead.

 

Our sole young dog is....some kind of shaggy herding dog. The shelter called him an Old English Sheepdog mix, but, as unlikely as it is because they're very rare, our best guess is that he's a Bergamasco or a Bergamasco cross. He was kind of an impulse Christmas present to the family. We went to the shelter a couple of days after Christmas 2 years ago and picked out the biggest, furriest, cutest dog we saw. We love him, but, honestly, he's not the best match for us, and he has issues we couldn't have known about in advance since he came from the shelter. He's kind of nervous and grumbly around the kids sometimes, and he has some resource guarding issues. Basically, while I love both my doggy problem children, I'd like to do a lot of research for the next go round and try to find a dog who really fits in with the family.

 

So, since I don't know whether I have 6 months or 3 years to research (and because I'm a compulsive planner) I've started thinking about breeds to look into more. Here's what I'm looking for:

 

*good with kids (but we don't have babies or toddlers anymore)

*good with cats

*won't kill chickens

*too small to reach the counters (I'm tired of trying to train them not to do it. I just want one who can't reach.)

*also want a smaller dog for other reasons. I want the smallest dog who can still play with my 60 pounder. I'm thinking 20-35 lbs is probably perfect.

*NO dog aggression issues. Done with that.

*I prefer short haired dogs, but it's not a strong preference

*Fairly active is fine. We have a big yard and go for a long walk every day, and I'm hoping for a dog that one of the kids might want to do agility or flyball with.

 

I know, of course, that you can't predict all of this based on breed, but I'm just looking for a place to start. I love, love, LOVE herding dogs...but they tend to be sort of full of issues. The chicken thing makes me wary of hunting dogs, and there are an awful lot of hunting dogs.

 

So far my list looks like this:

 

Corgi

 

...yeah, that's pretty much it. I did have rat terrier on there, too, but I hear they're often bad with cats. So maybe we can add rat terrier who is known to be good with cats to the list?

 

anyone had a Corgi? At the moment, I think of them as my dream dogs, but I haven't really known any terribly well. The ones I've met have all seemed nice, though. They seem like one of the saner herding dogs.

 

So...who can help me expand my list so that I can waste even MORE time on Petfinder? :D

[5LittleMonkeys]

I will always have a special place in my heart for Schnauzers. If you get them young and train them not to yap at every piece of lint that falls to the floor they are wonderful! I've had 3 and will probably get another one when my youngest is out of diapers. I've also had my eyes on a Flanders Cattle Dog but you said no herders so that is probably out.

[kokotg]

I will always have a special place in my heart for Schnauzers. If you get them young and train them not to yap at every piece of lint that falls to the floor they are wonderful! I've had 3 and will probably get another one when my youngest is out of diapers. I've also had my eyes on a Flanders Cattle Dog but you said no herders so that is probably out.

 

Schnauzers are cute!

 

I'm not opposed to herding dogs...I'm just wary of the issues that come with dogs who think they're smarter than you are ;). But I'm definitely drawn to them; all the dogs I've had as an adult have been herding dogs or herding dog mixes.

[Guest sarah16]

Cockerpoo? They are great dogs!

[specialmama]

 

Animal Planet has some great info! Check out Pets 101, then click Dog Breed Selector to fill out the quiz. It will match your criteria to the breed standard. Then research your top breeds in the Dog Guide. Easy peasy! Enjoy! We had so much fun researching!

[Kebo]

I think a lot of breeds could fit your criteria, if you get the right individual.

 

They are a bit on the small side, but you might consider a papillon. Or a westie. Or a norfolk/norwich or cairn terrier (not sure how they would do with chickens). I have a border terrier, and he fits most of your criteria, but would definitely kill chickens. (Or pocket pets. Or small, helpless kittens. Or hand-raised birds. If he got the chance....which he doesn't).

 

In my agility group there was a very talented american eskimo, and many schnauzers, a few corgis, a yorkie, some border terriers (including my own), a couple papillons and pomeranians, a brussels griffon, and a few other smallish breeds. Boston terriers make good pets, though exercise/agility isn't their strong suit. Bichons might also work for you, though I didn't see any in agility, and the constant grooming would get me down. Ditto for poodles.

 

I don't have much first-hand experience with corgis, but I know they can have strong personalities (mostly the pembrokes. The cardigans tend to be more laid-back, which I prefer).

[Ginevra]

Border Collie gets my vote.

 

I'm not a fan of Corgis. I kind of hate them. *Whoops! I said that out loud.* My MIL has two of those fat, stinky, disobedient dogs. I miss her Doberman. That was the best dog.

[Daisy Mommy]

I want a bichon frise toy poodle mix! It's my dream dog... :) I like them because I have allergies and they are hypoallergenic, and because they are good with little people...and they look like fluffy teddy bears (and toy isn't that small, it's the teacups that I think are really small) AND no shedding!

[Teachin'Mine]

Jack Russels are a bit smaller than what you mentioned, I'm not so sure how they do around chickens, I know they can be fine around cats, but they're super intelligent. Don't know why, but this breed came to mind. :)

[NanceXToo]

Let me preface this by saying that I have NO interest in owning a dog.

 

But if I HAD to get a dog... I would totally want to adopt a retired Greyhound. :)

 

(I never will though, I've decided I'm just not cut out for owning animals that require so much care, attention, expense, training, planning for when we want to be out of the house for long periods, etc. Our fish, turtles and gecko are just my speed). :D

[4ofus]

We have a Corgi mix...she looks just like a Corgi & in fact may be full bred but we rescued her, so have no real proof. We just call her a Morgi~part moose, part Corgi. She has a very special place in our family but she.is.needy. B/C she's a corgi? idk? b/c she's a rescue? idk? We found her at the shelter at approx 2 wks old w/no mother so she definitely came with baggage.

 

Plus side: she's so so so easy to train. She wants to please me so much. She learns anything in record time. She's a good size to play with my kids. I'm very strict on puppies & usually end up with nice adult dogs. :)

 

Cons side: She is very protective of me & our family. To the point of displaying defensive behavior to folks she does not know. She doesn't bite, but she is the first dog I've ever had that I would not tell that to anyone, b/c she actually might. When people ask to pet her I explain it's not a good idea, or I hold her muzzle while they pet. She only likes dogs smaller than her & is afraid of dogs larger. She will snap at large friendly dogs who want to play. She won't leave my side. This becomes annoying. When we leave the house without her she goes bananas. The first year she had to be kenneled when we left to curb her angry destructive behaviors. She's no longer destructive, but she barks loudly at us & occasionally is brave enough to bite our ankles (herding us back into the house?). Annoying.

 

The BEST, easiest, laziest dog we ever had was a pug. They.are.awesome. If you can stand the smell :lol:.

 

Good luck!

Edited May 19, 2011 by us4jones
spelling error

[Magdalene]

We have a corgi and he's a fantastic dog. Fairly easy to train, extremely friendly, and the perfect "big dog in a little dog's body." He's a very lovable dog and he's pretty active (although he's starting to slow down now that he's getting older).

 

Some cons to the breed:

 

Shedding. Major shedding. All. Year. Long. This doesn't bother some people, but it drives me nuts. He/she will need to be brushed often and even then you'll still get a gigantic cloud of hair when petting. :glare: Be prepared to vacuum a lot.

 

They can be kind of "barky." I haven't had many problems with this as I nipped it in the bud when he was a pup. It's a very loud bark too. Especially when trapped in a car with one. Ask me how I know. :glare:

 

Corgis are kind of smelly. Again, I bathe ours pretty regularly, so it's not a huge problem.

 

They like to herd. A lot. I've met a few that are a quite nippy while herding, which can be bad if you have younger kids. My current corgi isn't much of a nipper, more of a "I'm going to bark really loud at you and push you with my head" kind of herder. I don't let him herd humans, but I do let him herd the Papillon around the house. It keep her in line. :tongue_smilie:

Every corgi I've ever met has had a stubborn streak. :001_huh: This can make training a bit of a pain, but if you're consistent and firm, you'll win in the end. Really, they just want to please you. Our little guy is almost six now and he's starting to mellow out a bit.

 

I hope that helps a bit!

Edited May 19, 2011 by Reed0125

[kokotg]

Animal Planet has some great info! Check out Pets 101, then click Dog Breed Selector to fill out the quiz. It will match your criteria to the breed standard. Then research your top breeds in the Dog Guide. Easy peasy! Enjoy! We had so much fun researching!

 

the problem with breed selection quizzes is they never ask about chickens :lol:. I just went and tried it, and got...a million different dogs. Herding dogs and assorted spaniels always seem to come up at the top of the list for me.

 

 

They are a bit on the small side, but you might consider a papillon. Or a westie. Or a norfolk/norwich or cairn terrier (not sure how they would do with chickens). I have a border terrier, and he fits most of your criteria, but would definitely kill chickens.

 

 

Ooh! There's that whole scrappy little terrier class that I was forgetting about! It seems like chickens really ought to be different enough from rats that terriers would know to leave them alone...

 

I'm not a fan of Corgis. I kind of hate them. *Whoops! I said that out loud.* My MIL has two of those fat, stinky, disobedient dogs.

 

So if I like fat, stinky, disobedient dogs, a Corgi should be great? :D

 

 

Cons side: She is very protective of me & our family. To the point of displaying defensive behavior to folks she does not know. She doesn't bite, but she is the first dog I've ever had that I would not tell that to anyone, b/c she actually might. When people ask to pet her I explain it's not a good idea, or I hold her muzzle while they pet. She only likes dogs smaller than her & is afraid of dogs larger. She will snap at large friendly dogs who want to play. She won't leave my side. This becomes annoying. When we leave the house without her she goes bananas. The first year she had to be kenneled when we left to curb her angry destructive behaviors. She's no longer destructive, but she barks loudly at us & occasionally is brave enough to bite our ankles (herding us back into the house?). Annoying.

 

The BEST, easiest, laziest dog we ever had was a pug. They.are.awesome. If you can stand the smell :lol:.

 

 

 

Thanks! I think it says something about just how challenging my crazy Lucy girl is that all of those issues sound totally manageable to me. But then, this is the dog whom expensive dog behaviorist #2 called "the most interesting case of dog on dog aggression I've ever seen." It's the herding dog thing, I guess. I want a really smart dog with no issues, and that's not usually how it works.

 

My friend got a Pug recently, and I actually like her. I always thought I hated pugs, but apparently I like them just fine.

[4ofus]

"Thanks! I think it says something about just how challenging my crazy Lucy girl is that all of those issues sound totally manageable to me"

 

 

Our Morgi is named Lucy too! :D

[kokotg]

We have a corgi and he's a fantastic dog. Fairly easy to train, extremely friendly, and the perfect "big dog in a little dog's body." He's a very lovable dog and he's pretty active (although he's starting to slow down now that he's getting older).

 

 

 

x-posted with you--thanks for all the info!

[RoughCollie]

*too small to reach the counters (I'm tired of trying to train them not to do it. I just want one who can't reach.)

 

I'm kind of laughing about this. I figured our Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier would be too small to reach the counters since he will only weigh 40-50 lbs. when he is full grown.

 

He weighs 22 lbs., is exactly 4 months old, and can reach the counters just fine. He stretches, and jumps if he has to. He can reach in 18" from the perimeter of the dining table, too.

Edited May 20, 2011 by RoughCollie

[kokotg]

I'm kind of laughing about this. I figured our Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier would be too small to reach the counters since he will only weigh 40-50 lbs. when he is full grown.

 

He weighs 22 lbs., is exactly 4 months old, and can reach the counters just fine. He stretches, and jumps if he has to. He can reach in 18" from the perimeter of the dining table, too.

 

Yeah, it's hopeless, isn't it? MY 22 pound dog can't reach the counters, but he can (still. at 16) climb onto my kitchen table when no one's looking. Maybe I should just keep the elaborate system of gates in place to keep all dogs out of the kitchen forever!

[kokotg]

Okay, I've spent all evening on petfinder, and now I'm totally in love with about 10 different little terriers of various kinds. Like the Scottie named Lulu. And the Cairn Terrier mix named Jelly Bean. Jelly Bean! I want to go get him tomorrow. But I cannot. It does seem like a young, little terrier of indeterminate ancestry will be pretty easy to find as a rescue, though...they're a lot more common than corgis on petfinder.

 

so, hey, related question: has anyone paid someone to do temperament testing when getting a rescue dog? I think the place one of my dogs went for obedience offers this. It seems like a good idea, but I wonder how much they can really tell. I know getting a dog from a foster as opposed to a shelter helps you get a better idea of a dog's quirks...but my mom fosters Cocker Spaniels, so I also know that foster parents sometimes...how shall we say? accentuate the positive a bit much.

[Kebo]

Oh, yeah, don't look on Petfinder until you're ready! ;) You'll find yourself in the car before you know it.

 

Be sure to research the negative side of all the breeds you are considering. Scotties are a cool breed, but not for everyone. Some are pretty dominant and they can be dog aggressive. Your counters would probably be pretty safe, but agility may be a no-go.

 

An obedience trainer may be able to pick up on some concerns that you wouldn't have noticed, but some problem behaviors only show up in specific situations or environments and wouldn't be caught in a one-time temperament evaluation. Other "problems" might go away once a dog adapted to your household. It would be ideal if you could arrange for a trial period if you get a foster dog, so you could figure out for yourself if you could live happily together.

[RoughCollie]

Okay, I've spent all evening on petfinder, and now I'm totally in love with about 10 different little terriers of various kinds.

 

You should come and spend the day at my house. Aidan's breed is the least terrier like of them all. Someone forgot to tell him that. I'll grant that he is cute and hilariously funny. Check out the Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers on Petfinders. You have to be careful not to get one that has allergies or protein wasting disease. Their temperaments are great. Aidan loves everyone, and they love him back. He sort of bowls them over -- literally.

Edited May 20, 2011 by RoughCollie

[ChristusG]

Jack Russell Terrier? My Jack is 11 years old....we got him right before we got married, so he was our very first baby. He's great with cats, kids, and other animals. In fact, we used to have degus (sort of like gerbils) and if they escaped, I'd set my Jack loose in the house searching for them. He'd locate them without harming them. He does love to chase after squirrels and cats if they enter the yard....but not to harm them. He just wants to play.

 

He's energetic when I'm playing with him or someone enters the house, but for the rest of the day, he's really lax and just finds a place to sleep.

[kokotg]

Be sure to research the negative side of all the breeds you are considering. Scotties are a cool breed, but not for everyone. Some are pretty dominant and they can be dog aggressive. Your counters would probably be pretty safe, but agility may be a no-go.

 

 

 

yes...my research on the scrappy little terrier breeds has revealed the following issues: bad with cats, bad with chickens, tendency toward dog aggression. Harumph. My list might be back down to Corgi.

[kokotg]

Jack Russell Terrier?

 

I have another thread about how we got our perfect dog (the 16 year old) DNA tested and got the results today. some of the findings are a little suspect, but apparently (the part I'm willing to believe) he's half Jack Russell. But then I read a few horror stories about Jack Russells and cats today that make me nervous....

[astrid]

 

So far my list looks like this:

 

Corgi

 

 

anyone had a Corgi? At the moment, I think of them as my dream dogs, but I haven't really known any terribly well. The ones I've met have all seemed nice, though. They seem like one of the saner herding dogs.

 

So...who can help me expand my list so that I can waste even MORE time on Petfinder? :D

 

WE ADORE OUR RESCUED CORGI!!!!

 

Seriously, he's awesome. And we are BIG DOG people, who show/train/compete heavily in dog sports. We ADORE or corgi. BUT, he's broken right now; got hit by a freight train. Well, almost. He darted in front of one of our big Leonbergers who bowled him over and snapped his ACL; awaiting surgery next week.

 

He's definitely too short to reach the counters, but he does love to chase our chickens and cats. He's a herder, and he's only doing what hundreds of years of genetics are telling him to do. Corgis have some of the strongest drives in the herding group, so you'd have to be prepared for that. They do excel at agility, flyball and obedience though. SMARTEST dog I've ever had. Bar none.

 

He's a darling, and though we'll always have our big dogs, we'll always have a Pemmy too.

 

astrid

[kokotg]

WE ADORE OUR RESCUED CORGI!!!!

 

 

 

yay!

 

He's definitely too short to reach the counters, but he does love to chase our chickens and cats. He's a herder, and he's only doing what hundreds of years of genetics are telling him to do. Corgis have some of the strongest drives in the herding group, so you'd have to be prepared for that. They do excel at agility, flyball and obedience though. SMARTEST dog I've ever had. Bar none.

 

 

 

I'm used to herding. Our big some-kind-of-herding-dog-maybe-a-Bergamasco chases the chickens, but it just annoys them; I'm reasonably sure he wouldn't actually hurt them. That I don't mind.

[Teachin'Mine]

I have another thread about how we got our perfect dog (the 16 year old) DNA tested and got the results today. some of the findings are a little suspect, but apparently (the part I'm willing to believe) he's half Jack Russell. But then I read a few horror stories about Jack Russells and cats today that make me nervous....

 

One of our vets had a Jack Russell and he had full run of the office and waiting room. He was great with all the dogs and the cats too. And of course smart as a whip. :)

[astrid]

Border Collie gets my vote.

 

I'm not a fan of Corgis. I kind of hate them. *Whoops! I said that out loud.* My MIL has two of those fat, stinky, disobedient dogs. I miss her Doberman. That was the best dog.

 

Awww, well that's just no fair! ;)

 

MY Corgi is neither fat, nor stinky, nor disobedient! In fact he's cleaner, in better shape, and better behaved than most kids I know! (and maybe smarter than some! :D)

 

astrid

[Ecclecticmum]

First of all, you are best off getting a puppy, if you do get an older dog, it should be in EXACTLY the same situation as all your wants & don'ts

 

Any dog is going to be interested in chickens, there is no "won't kill chickens" breeds, their game, their fun to chase. Even a dog that has grown up round chickens should not be trusted, as a few people whom hve come home to quite a sad scene have found out.

 

Its best to avoid terriers, hunting, scent, pointer & sight dogs, but even these dogs can be trained to ignore the chickens, it just depends how strong their working drive is.

 

Golden Retrievers have shown ignore capabilities if trained properly, labradors too.

 

There are lots of wonderful breeds out there, but don't limit yourself to certain breeds, judge the deed not the breed,so the saying goes.

 

Good luck with your search, I did a similar one for months on end, and ended up with a really big crossbreed (labxBorder Collie x Rotti x Kelpie) just because I am smooshy when it comes to animals and wanted to save her lol.

[kokotg]

First of all, you are best off getting a puppy, if you do get an older dog, it should be in EXACTLY the same situation as all your wants & don'ts

 

Any dog is going to be interested in chickens, there is no "won't kill chickens" breeds, their game, their fun to chase. Even a dog that has grown up round chickens should not be trusted, as a few people whom hve come home to quite a sad scene have found out.

 

 

Yeah, I know there are no guarantees when it comes to dogs and chickens, but I figure it doesn't hurt to have genetics on our side...we've had good luck with our herding dog mixes and the chickens (and the dogs are never out with the chickens when we're out of earshot; I just want to be able to let them out to pee without worrying too much). The cats and other dogs things are bigger dealbreakers, really. and the little dog thing. I really want a little dog next time...so I'm kind of in the market for one of those elusive big dogs in a little dog body.