Which dog breeds should we look at?

[Wendi]

I can't believe it, but we are thinking of getting a dog. My dh actually suggested it! (My ds and I are the major animal lovers; if it was up to us, we'd have a zoo already.)

 

We have two indoor rabbits; we can keep them away from the dog if we have to, but it would be nice if the dog could behave well with the bunnies. For this reason, I'm thinking we need to start with a young puppy, so he gets used to the bunnies as friends. I'd never leave the bunnies alone with a dog, but it would be nice if, under close supervision, they could get along. I don't want a dog who will be obsessed with trying to get into the room where the bunnies are.

 

We don't have a huge backyard, but we do have a yard, and we can exercise the dog daily. (Dh jogs, and we have a park a block away, too.)

 

I personally love Westies and Corgis, but as breeds, they'd have a tendency to hunt the rabbits, wouldn't they?

 

We were at the puppy store at the mall yesterday, and fell in love with the Labradoodle and Golden doodle. Oh, my. How sweet. Do they get really huge?

 

ETA: WE WOULD NEVER, EVER BUY A PUPPY AT THE MALL. BUT WHEN YOU'RE WALKING BY THE WINDOW AND SEE A LABRADOODLE, YOU CAN STOP AND LOOK WITHOUT BEING EVIL, CAN'T YOU? WE HAVE NEVER OWNED A PET THAT WAS PURCHASED AT ALL; I AM INVOLVED WITH A RABBIT RESCUE GROUP AND USED TO WORK PART-TIME TAKING CARE OF THE BUNNIES. I JUST ASKED ABOUT THE DOODLES BECAUSE THEY ARE CUTE! SO INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT MALL PUPPY STORES AND PUPPY MILLS, CAN WE TALK ABOUT DOG BREEDS?

 

 

Wendi

Edited December 11, 2011 by Wendi
Clarification

[Chris in VA]

Love Goldens as a family dog.

Corgis, too.

[sheryl]

Goldens and labs are GREAT dogs. We have a pure bred yellow lab. Both are excellent breeds. Typically a female (good weight) would be about 75 lbs for an adult. Males run a little larger. HTH!

[astrid]

I can't believe it, but we are thinking of getting a dog. My dh actually suggested it! (My ds and I are the major animal lovers; if it was up to us, we'd have a zoo already.)

 

We have two indoor rabbits; we can keep them away from the dog if we have to, but it would be nice if the dog could behave well with the bunnies. For this reason, I'm thinking we need to start with a young puppy, so he gets used to the bunnies as friends.

 

We don't have a huge backyard, but we do have a yard, and we can exercise the dog daily. (Dh jogs, and we have a park a block away, too.)

 

I personally love Westies and Corgis, but as breeds, they'd have a tendency to hunt the rabbits, wouldn't they?

 

We were at the puppy store at the mall yesterday, and fell in love with the Labradoodle and Golden doodle. Oh, my. How sweet. Do they get really huge?

 

Wendi

 

NO NO NO!!!! WHATEVER YOU DO, DO *NOT* BUY A PUPPY FROM A PET STORE IN A MALL!!!!!

Okay, rant over.

 

astrid

[livingnlearning]

You do realize a lab or poodle cross (which is what any labradoodle mutt really is) will kill those rabbits too? It can either turn out like a pure lab (one of the most unhealthy dog breeds going these days, ESPECIALLY the ones at the mall) or a poodle, a very smart busy breed. It can shed and have allergies and bad hips, doodle or not. And probably be a spaz and smart on top of it.

 

And the ones in the mall pet shop are probably extremely badly bred and a bad idea all the way around.

 

I think you need to look at some of the more mild mannered smaller dogs, nothing in a terrier. Nothing in a hound, like a dachshund. Corgis are herding dogs.

 

Honestly the chances of your rabbits coming out of this alive are not looking good if you're tempted by labradoodles in the mall!

 

Go to dogbreedinfo.com-tons of good info there.

[ChandlerMom]

Do you want a small dog or a big dog? What criteria are important to you? WHY do you want a dog?

 

I'd do a LOT of research -- make it ds' hs project for a while. THere are nice short descriptive videos on most breeds on Animal Planet's website (search a breed name and "Dog 101".

 

If you want something to get along with your bunnies, you probably want to avoid terriers (hunt bunnies) and look for animals bred for companionship (tend to be smaller dogs). The bichon family seems to be less happy and non-agressive and get along with other pets: bichon frise, Havanese, etc. They have a reputation for being harder to housebreak.

 

I agree on avoiding mall pets (Google "puppy mills" for the why, it's SAD). You might consider a rescue pup, just check for those terrier fangs. If you want a purebred pup (or a 'designer breed' like labradoodles, for which you better familiarize yourself with things like F1b), expect to take some time finding a good breeder. I'd look AFTER Christmas (life settles down, you'll have more time, and better selection).

 

Good luck! Have fun! Read, research, and read some more!

 

ETA: if you like we sties and corgis, you might really like the bichon breeds -- cheery, playful, learn tricks (common circus dogs), stay "puppy like" most of their lives. Less food (cost), and less poo than a bigger breed. Generally no interest chasing cats and other pets.

Edited December 11, 2011 by ChandlerMom

[SailorMom]

From what I've read - most small dogs have it in them to hunt small animals....

You are far safer going with a lab, a golden, or a great dane.

If they are brought up as a puppy with the raqbbits, they'd be fine with them.

Great danes are wonderful, they grow up quickly, and become sweet, loveable, couch potatoes.

Labs and goldens are also wonderful - but have a longer "puppy" period.

 

I also wanted to add that it seems many new dog owners tend to think that small dogs are easier....

From my experience with family members and friends - they are much more difficult pets, and tend to not do as well with kids. Now - I don't want to stereotype all small dogs - but that has been my experience.

 

They are also more difficult to house-train.....

Edited December 11, 2011 by SailorMom

[Alenee]

Yes, if you have any hopes to have a healthy, trainable dog, stay far away from the mall. Puppies sold there are usually too young, having been separated from their pack far too early. They need time to learn how to be a dog and that only comes by being with it's pack long enough. We made this mistake, not doing our research, and it took another 6 years before dh agreed to try again.

[laundrycrisis]

I can't believe it, but we are thinking of getting a dog. My dh actually suggested it! (My ds and I are the major animal lovers; if it was up to us, we'd have a zoo already.)

 

We have two indoor rabbits; we can keep them away from the dog if we have to, but it would be nice if the dog could behave well with the bunnies. For this reason, I'm thinking we need to start with a young puppy, so he gets used to the bunnies as friends.

 

We don't have a huge backyard, but we do have a yard, and we can exercise the dog daily. (Dh jogs, and we have a park a block away, too.)

 

I personally love Westies and Corgis, but as breeds, they'd have a tendency to hunt the rabbits, wouldn't they?

 

We were at the puppy store at the mall yesterday, and fell in love with the Labradoodle and Golden doodle. Oh, my. How sweet. Do they get really huge?

 

Wendi

 

Please please PLEASE do not buy anything from the puppy store !!!!!!!!! Those stores keep puppy mills in business !!!!

 

Honestly since you already have rabbits in the house, I would look for a rescue dog who has been in foster care, whose personality is well known by the foster family. You are looking for a dog who is not interested in chasing squirrels and gets along fine with the foster family's cat. A dog with a very low prey drive. If you get a puppy of any kind, you won't know the dog's unique personality until it is a little older. A dog with a high prey drive for little furry things cannot be reliably taught not to pursue small prey animals.

Edited December 11, 2011 by laundrycrisis

[Rose in BC]

NO NO NO!!!! WHATEVER YOU DO, DO *NOT* BUY A PUPPY FROM A PET STORE IN A MALL!!!!!

Okay, rant over.

 

astrid

 

:iagree::iagree:

[SailorMom]

NO NO NO!!!! WHATEVER YOU DO, DO *NOT* BUY A PUPPY FROM A PET STORE IN A MALL!!!!!

 

Okay, rant over.

 

astrid

:iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree:

[By Grace]

Shelties (aka, Shetland Sheepdog--they look like mini collies) stay smaller and are bred to *protect* their herd, not eat them. :) So a Sheltie likely could be taught to get along well with the rabbit. They are long-haired dogs, but honestly, my sisters' short-haired dogs shed a whole lot more than our two Shelties did (one died last year of old age, so now we're down to one). Shelties are *great* with kids if you raise them from puppies, and they tend to be pretty healthy so long as you get a puppy from a reputable breeder. They're athletic enough to go along jogging, and will keep up with the kids well. But they can handle staying inside a lot, too, when needed. They're also very smart; my 9 yo is constantly teaching our dog new "tricks". We've had one or more Shelties since DH and I were dating. It's a great breed!

[I talk to the trees]

NO NO NO!!!! WHATEVER YOU DO, DO *NOT* BUY A PUPPY FROM A PET STORE IN A MALL!!!!!

Okay, rant over.

 

astrid

 

Agree x 1000.

 

There is a pet store here in town, and they had a huge banner with "Puppy Sale!" written all over it. Dd and I were headed to the store next door, and I paused, thinking I should go in and speak my mind about puppy mill pups. Dd read my mind and said, "Mom, let it go. Dad doesn't want to bail you out of jail this evening." I guess she's heard my rants often enough to know that it would have been anything but a civil discussion!

 

OP- All dogs have a prey drive to some degree. You could probably train most any dog to leave the bunnies alone, but I don't think I'd ever allow them to be together unsupervised. My favorite breeds have always been the herding dogs. They're intelligent, which makes them easy to train. But they do need to be kept busy, and they need plenty of exercise. We have shelties, and I adore them, but they need to be brushed....and brushed...and brushed. I don't mind, because I spin their combings into yarn :001_smile:, but some might find the collie-types need too much grooming.

[Mommy_of_4]

I would contact a local humane society and give them your criteria for a pet and they will set you up with a dog that matches your family. Whatever you do DO NOT but from a puppy store and if you buy from a breeder make sure they are not a puppy mill.

[Halcyon]

I agree about the pet stores-please don't get a dog from there. We adopted a rescue dog about 9 months ago. He was about 7 months old. My DH's only requirement was that he be small. My desire was for a dog with personality, great with kids, playful and able to withstand roughhousing without getting aggressive, lots of energy but also relatively chill in the house (ie minimal chewing would be nice). Our adopted dog really, really has fit the bill perfectly. He's a terrier mix (Border Terrier and Cairn, it seems), will grow to a max weight of 11 pounds, thinks he's a big dog so he has a take charge, bold, and open personality, extremely friendly , great with kids (they tackle him daily, take him for runs, etc). He doesn't play fetch particularly well, but loves to play tug-o-war.

 

Plus, he likes to sleep in my lap when I'm reading :D

 

My youngest just posted a blurry shot of him on his blog :tongue_smilie:

 

ETA: He gets along very well with cats, and has met my half-sister's bunny and just wanted to lick her.

Edited December 11, 2011 by Halcyon

[Samiam]

We have a lab and had a bunny. The Lab loved the bunny...was definately NOT hunting it or having any evil intent....BUT the Lab is like a big clumsy oaf,

and thus could not be trusted around the rabbit, for fear of accidental damage to the rabbit.

 

Also the rabbit was not that big of a fan of the Lab....guess he didn't care for the extra sloppy wet kisses. He tended to freeze up. I've heard rabbits can die easily from fear, heart attacks or something. So another reason we tried to keep the two separeted.

 

In the end, bunny had to find a new home, just because we were not able to give him enough roaming area due to trying to keep the Lab away from him.

[laundrycrisis]

OP- All dogs have a prey drive to some degree. You could probably train most any dog to leave the bunnies alone, but I don't think I'd ever allow them to be together unsupervised.

 

Some dogs are just born to hunt - especially small furry things. I have two rat terriers...the one who is now extremely old was a natural hunter from a very young age. I tried and tried to get her to leave the wildlife alone while the vet, and later the trainer, laughed at me. Even confined to a fenced yard that she only had limited access to, she managed over the years to kill a lot of little critters ! She was never an aggressive dog with people - she has been very sweet her entire life. But some dogs just have an amazingly strong instinct to hunt. The trainer just said, "I'm sorry, she's a fierce little hunter, there is nothing that can be done about that." So I never dared to bring a kitten, rabbit or any sort of rodent into the house with her around.

[DarlaS]

I didn't see any indication from the OP whatsoever that she was actually thinking of buying a dog from the mall! Just that she saw one there and came here to ask about the breed. Good grief!

[Susie in SWVA]

Please get a dog from a rescue, whatever breed you decide you want. One of my daughters is a foster home for rescued Australian Shepherds. Those people and the dogs are wonderful.

 

Susie in SWVA

[laundrycrisis]

I didn't see any indication from the OP whatsoever that she was actually thinking of buying a dog from the mall! Just that she saw one there and came here to ask about the breed. Good grief!

 

No apologies from me ! People who are not already sufficiently horrified by puppy stores to keep themselves from window shopping in them are the ones who end up buying puppies from them !

[TravelingChris]

I recommend miniature poodle. Mine, who I got from a rescue, does not chase squirrels, rabbits, hamsters, or cats. I did train him to bark at deer. He is small (15 lbs), does not shed, and while he doesn't chase anything, he does play with my kids.

[ChristyB in TN]

Please get a rescue from a shelter! They are wonderful and need good homes! I have a westie/scottie mix that would not be able to control himself around a rabbit. I think terriers are a bad choice for rabbits. We got what looks like a chocolate lab/weinereimer (I have no clue how to spell that) at the shelter last year. She was probably 9 months old when we got her. She is the sweetest dog I've ever seen! My daughter named her Karma and she loves our cats and has been so good for the aging scottie/westie, too! When she has found a way out of the back yard she sits on our front porch and waits for us to let her back in the house. :) Love her! Can't believe someone gave her up!

[SpecialClassical]

Don't get me wrong, I am pro-rescue dogs. But how would you know if the dog was originally from a puppy mill? It's health and temperment could be compromised. I understand that sometimes the background is available, but sometimes it isn't. Even if it isn't from a puppy mill, it could be unstable.

 

Our first dog (a boxer) came from a rescue and was fine with us, as sweet and patient as could be. He was big baby and had a nice reputation from his time at the rescue. But he must have been abused by a man with a deep voice. He tried to attack a friend of ours and would have torn his knee apart if my husband hadn't been there to grab him just in time. I had never seen a dog act like that and I grew up with dogs my whole life. A few days later he went insane over the meter reader with a deep voice. We decided no more older dogs with questionable histories for us.

 

Our current dog came from a recue and his background was available. He was a purebred lab bought for hundreds of dollars from a breeder. The family who turned him in simply couldn't handle his energy as a puppy. That is what we were told. He was 11 weeks old when we got him and was a holy terror beyond the typical lab destructive reputation. He wasn't just attacking things, he attacked us, bloodying our hands regularly. I was able to get the name of the breeder and called him. We were at our whits end with him as his temperment was so bad. (Our trainer thought it was just us until he tried working with him.) Anyway, the breeder told us that Woody's mom was the same way and he almost gave her away. Instead he decided to breed her! We stuck it out with him and now he is 10 years old.

 

So my recommendation is to MEET THE PUPPY'S PARENTS if at all possible. Ask lots of questions. And if you go through a rescue, get as much information as you can. Don't take the dog until all avenues have been pursued for information. Ask around about the reputation of the breeder.

[Wendi]

NO NO NO!!!! WHATEVER YOU DO, DO *NOT* BUY A PUPPY FROM A PET STORE IN A MALL!!!!!

Okay, rant over.

 

astrid

 

It's okay, Astrid. We just ooh and aah over the puppies at the mall; we would never buy one there. To be honest, we have always adopted our pets from rescue organizations (or from friends), but I'd also consider a local breeder.

 

Wendi

[astrid]

It's okay, Astrid. We just ooh and aah over the puppies at the mall; we would never buy one there. To be honest, we have always adopted our pets from rescue organizations (or from friends), but I'd also consider a local breeder.

 

Wendi

 

Whew. Good to know. Thanks!

Good luck in your search! Depending on what you're looking for size-wise, there's lots of variety from which to choose!

 

astrid

[TravelingChris]

I didn't know where the rescued poodle came from. I knew he was in a responsible home when young and that he probably wandered away from an elderly person who probably was loosing their abilities. I know this because he had a neuturing done at a young age and his nails had grown abnormally long. He also was very well socialized. If he had been a long time stray, he would not have had long nails. If he was bought by an originally negligent owner, he would not have been neutured at a young age. We were living in Florida and this problem of elderly Alzheimer people losing track of their pets was all too common.

 

My rescue was fabulous. They checked us and our home out. We needed references which they checked. They had done an eye surgery on our dog, had given him shots and a micro-chip, dewormed and cjhecked for Heartworm and started HW prevention along with flea and tick prevention. They tested him with other dogs but the foster person didn't have cats so we brought our cat to her home to see how he would react. He didn't care so we adopted him. They even gave him a blanket that one of their volunteers sewed and quilted.IF you are in coastal FL, I can recommend them=Coastal Poodle Rescue.

[momtokea]

We have had a golden doodle for the past 2.5 years and he has been the best dog ever. He has a wonderful temperament, is very affectionate, puts up with my rambunctious ds, and doesn't have a mean bone in his body. He looks like a great big stuffed teddy bear. Ours isn't overly big, about the same size as a lab or retriever.

 

The only issues we have with him is that his fur is high maintenance. He doesn't shed but his fur mats up when it gets long or when it gets wet. He needs a lot of brushing and grooming. But it's all worth it because he is such a good dog.

[HandmaidenofChrist]

We've also had Aussie's, and border Collies.

We have an almost 2yo male Golden that is the sweetest dog, by far, we have ever owned. I wouldn't say they are the most protective dogs, but so far this young man barks whenever anyone who is a stranger comes near our country property. I know LONG before the door bell rings that someone who doesn't belong there is coming down the driveway, thanks to our dog, Mr. Finnigan, barking to let me know.

 

Our dogs have been raised with rabbits and cats and get along very well with them. Our Aussie actually used to carry our rabbits around by the nape of the neck and play with them, with everyone having a great time in the "playground".

The aussie would even go down the slide with the bunnies.

 

We don't have bunnies any more, so I can't say how our Golden would respond to them, but he adores our cats and snuggles to them all the time.

 

Golden-doodles are AWESOME, too, but if you're going for the shedless version, I'm told you need to make sure you have at least a 2nd generation or more doodle in the bloodline, or they will still shed a lot. I just spent 2 days with a Golden-doodle working on Therapy dog training seminar. He was THE best dog in the entire program and OH so sweet! If my husband would let me get one, they'd be my first choice for our next dog, as I'm trying to cut down on the amount of animal hair in our home.

 

Have fun looking for dogs. Make sure you all play with the dog of choice before bringing it home to make sure it is a good fit for your family and I would encourage you to make sure you have a health guarantee on your puppy from the breeder that their hips are good as well as their overall health. Most reputable breeder's will include this in the purchase of a puppy these days.

[georgialee]

We have a cavalier king charles x bichon (called a cavachon by breeders) and we LOVE his personality! He plays with the boys, plays with our cats, sniffs at our chickens and ducks. He does not have a prey drive at all. Plus, he is insanely cute and is a low shed breed. He's probably around 15 lbs but is taller - if he stands on his back legs his front paws come up to my 4 yr olds shoulders. Perfect weight/size for any age child.

[kwickimom]

Love labs, breed labs (GASP) and all I will ever have is home grown labs. :) Ours cannot be trusted around the guinea pigs though. She is too rough and I am pretty sure she would eat them if she had the chance. She also chases wild rabbits but left our chickens alone. Guess the small animals have to be furry...she is also bff's with our 2 outdoor cats.

[Wendi]

We have a cavalier king charles x bichon (called a cavachon by breeders) and we LOVE his personality! He plays with the boys, plays with our cats, sniffs at our chickens and ducks. He does not have a prey drive at all. Plus, he is insanely cute and is a low shed breed. He's probably around 15 lbs but is taller - if he stands on his back legs his front paws come up to my 4 yr olds shoulders. Perfect weight/size for any age child.

 

This is an adorable breed! I just looked at pictures. I think my dh wants something a little bigger, though. I'll see what he thinks.

 

Wendi

[Mom-2-7]

My friend has a Lab / Border Collie mix. She is the sweetest dog alive.

She is about 2 1/2 now and they recently brought home 2 6 week old kittens. It took about a week before the dog thought of the kittens as part of her herd. She would never hurt them.

She is very protective of her family and a lovable lap dog.

[Lovin Learnin]

My niece owns a bunny and a dachshund. The bunny is free to roam the house and the worst the dachshund has ever done with the bunny is to lay on top of him. He does that a lot. Never hurts him. Just lays on him.

[AStableBeginning]

We just got a beagle puppy and he is great!

[Jilly]

We have had a golden doodle for the past 2.5 years and he has been the best dog ever. He has a wonderful temperament, is very affectionate, puts up with my rambunctious ds, and doesn't have a mean bone in his body. He looks like a great big stuffed teddy bear. Ours isn't overly big, about the same size as a lab or retriever.

 

The only issues we have with him is that his fur is high maintenance. He doesn't shed but his fur mats up when it gets long or when it gets wet. He needs a lot of brushing and grooming. But it's all worth it because he is such a good dog.

 

:iagree: Our goldendoodle is a year and a half old. He is so loving and loves to play and cuddle with all my kids.

[nukeswife]

I just saw you want something bigger , but will throw out the option of a Pug. They are awesome fun loving dogs. They may seem small, but are quite a bit of dog in a small package. We had ours for about 5 years and then got a cat, we also have had mice as well and he's never and issues with them. He's curious but not aggressive in any way.

[Splash]

Goldendoodles and Labradoodles are really cute. Friends have Goldendoodles that are beautiful and huge. Both dogs suffer from anxiety though. One friend had a beautiful goldendoodle that she spent thousands and thousands of dollars trying to help because she was afraid of everything and was becoming a fear biter. She ended up putting her down because two different animal trainers/behaviorists told her it wasn't something she could fix. I only tell you this so you will be careful when choosing. Other friends have great goldendoodles/labradoodles that are wonderful.

 

We need nonshedding breeds so we have a Portuguese Water Dog who is 7 and a 16 week old miniature poodle because dd wanted a lapdog for Christmas.

 

Other dogs we've had in the past and loved are labs and boxers. Love their happy personalities. Our rescue boxer had a ton of health issues and was most likely a puppy mill type dog. She had a lovely personality though.

 

Happy choosing.

[KatieH]

We adopted a pug from a rescue, and he's pretty much the best dog ever.