Doggie people... what''s a small, easy-going, affectionate, laid-back breed?!!

[Lynn B]

Brown Eyed Girl''s thread on her mom''s ADORABLE new Papillon got me thinking about something.

I have a friend looking to get a dog, but she wants a small (or at least fairly small) dog (will be a total house dog)... and one that is calm, affectionate, people-oriented and laid back. In her words, not a "yippy yappy nervous type that pees whenever it gets excited."

I LOVE all animals, but I am mostly a cat person, and know VERY LITTLE about small dog breeds.

Soooo, OK, PS''ers... what''s her best bet?!

Many thanks!

Lynn

 

[Irishgrrrl]

She needs a French Bulldog!!!

We just got our first Frenchie, Tucker, in September. We''ve had him for almost three months now, and he has been a JOY! Frenchies are known for NOT barking very much, and Tucker is no exception . . . he usually only barks when playing, and even then it''s not very much. You said she''s looking for a dog who is "small (or at least fairly small), calm, affectionate, people-oriented and laid back." This is practically the description of a Frenchie! As far as size is concerned, they usually average about 25 to 30 pounds when full grown, but it''s a small 25 to 30 pounds . . . they''re very stocky and solid, so they''re relatively small for their weight. I would DEFINITELY recommend a Frenchie for your friend!

 

[Haven]

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels!

My best friend has one and he is the calmest, sweetest little man in the world.

I hear they were bred to warm the laps of nobility. I can''t vouch for the truth to that story, but the Cavaliers I know are little cuddlebugs who only want to be sit in your lap and gazing up at you lovingly.

 

[Lynn B]

Ooooooh! This is fun! Please keep the suggestions coming! It will be sooooooooo helpful for her!

(And me, too... I aspire to a doggie brother for Boo myself one day!)

ETA: Oh, BTW, if you can, could you please post a picture of the breed you recommend? Thank you!!!

 

[stepcutgirl]

I have two poodles. One is the tiny size and she is a yippy yappy mess. The other though is a mid size poodle and he is calm, cool and collected in addition to being athletic and just a real sweetheart.

 

[Haven]

Here''s a Cavalier I found when I googled the breed name. SO ADORABLE!!!!

 

[niccia]

Ditto the CKC spaniel rec...they are wonderful dogs. I personally love Basset hounds, but they can be noisy and have very convenient hearing, esp if they find a smell they like. My fiance just arrived home with a chihuahua. Being a cat/big dog person, this is the last breed I would have chosen for myself, but she is very quiet (never barks) and very clingy and loving. It was impossible not to fall in love with her. I am not sure all of them are typical of that though.

 

[MissGotRocks]

I have had both a poodle and a yorkie and they have both been very sweet, gentle dogs. You can also find a hundred people that have had these breeds that found them to be yappy, snappy messes. I truly believe that a dog''s temperament grows to match the feel of the household - if that makes any sense. Even when my kids were still living at home, there wasn''t a lot of screaming and yelling and in and out and stuff that gets a dog really going! We''re pretty calm and laid back folks so I guess our dogs have been more like us!

 

[Haven]

Is your friend in the Chicago area?

The shelter I volunteer with has the most amazing nine-year-old boxer who needs a forever home. Her name is Olivia, we believe that her former family just let her loose when they were evicted from their home. She was found as a stray, but she was obviously loved for a long time because she is a total lovebug who wants nothing but to cuddle up next to her human.

I''ve already tried to get DH to adopt her. I''m still working on him, but the outlook is grim.

She''s amazing, and she so deserves to live out her golden years with a loving family, and not in a cage in a shelter.

She''s small for a boxer, and really she is the sweetest little girl in the world. She totally stole my heart.

 

[Efe]

I am partial to Japanese Chins. They are bred for companionship and are perfect for apartment living. They are wonderfully affectionate and loyal dogs. Their only drawback is that they shed big time.

The one in my avatar is 4 years old and he weighs about 9.5 pounds.

 

[kama_s]

Shih Tzu''s! They are cute, loving and relatively lazy/laid back - my kind of breed! I don''t think I could keep up with a dog that needs to be walked for 2 hours a day - especially when it gets so cold and icy!

 

[purrfectpear]

Another vote for Cavalier.

I have a Silky Terrier and while they are not yappy, nor high strung, they are intelligent and stubborn, and it sounds like she is looking for a dog that won''t require a lot of owner input

Much as I love Frenchies, they are extremely expensive, and may have several genetic issues. Cute as hell though.

 

[sba771]

I have a min pin. He isn''t yippy, but he can be a little high strung. He has tons of energy but loves to play and is SO loyal and loving. I think with any breed it is just about socialization and training. Apparently min pins are supposedly not overly child friendly, but mine has been around other dogs and people and children since day one and therefore is 100% child proofed.
Your friend should also consider rescuing. Grey hounds are great and there are TONS available right now because of the track in WI closing. If I were in the US at the moment I would be adopting one. They aren''t too big, very sweet and caring and not barky. In general a lot of rescues have purebreeds (if that is what she wants) and she should check out petfinder. (I am a crazy dog person and get worried about BYB)

 

[Samantha Red]

Date: 11/24/2009 9:48:28 PM
Author: Haven
Here''s a Cavalier I found when I googled the breed name. SO ADORABLE!!!!

Cavaliers are indeed cute, but prone to so many health problems. I don''t know about the US but here in the UK 50% have heart murmers and they suffer from a condition where their skull is not big enough to house their brain - very distressing and painful. Personally I don''t think you can go wrong with a rescue cross bread generally, for temperament and health

 

[bee*]

Date: 11/25/2009 3:30:11 AM
Author: Samantha Red

Date: 11/24/2009 9:48:28 PM

Author: Haven

Here''s a Cavalier I found when I googled the breed name. SO ADORABLE!!!!

Cavaliers are indeed cute, but prone to so many health problems. I don''t know about the US but here in the UK 50% have heart murmers and they suffer from a condition where their skull is not big enough to house their brain - very distressing and painful. Personally I don''t think you can go wrong with a rescue cross bread generally, for temperament and health

ditto Samantha. I do adore Cavaliers and if I had to get a small dog they would be high on my list but just make sure you get them insured. The medication that they require for heart problems (which a high number of them suffer from) is pricey but they can go on living for many years with this medication and live a very normal life. They are brachiocephalics but so are boxers and some other breeds so just make sure that you look for a legitimate breeder. Rescue dogs can be fab though.

 

[Samantha Red]

Date: 11/25/2009 4:13:49 AM
Author: bee*

Date: 11/25/2009 3:30:11 AM
Author: Samantha Red

Date: 11/24/2009 9:48:28 PM

Author: Haven

Here''s a Cavalier I found when I googled the breed name. SO ADORABLE!!!!

Cavaliers are indeed cute, but prone to so many health problems. I don''t know about the US but here in the UK 50% have heart murmers and they suffer from a condition where their skull is not big enough to house their brain - very distressing and painful. Personally I don''t think you can go wrong with a rescue cross bread generally, for temperament and health

ditto Samantha. I do adore Cavaliers and if I had to get a small dog they would be high on my list but just make sure you get them insured. The medication that they require for heart problems (which a high number of them suffer from) is pricey but they can go on living for many years with this medication and live a very normal life. They are brachiocephalics but so are boxers and some other breeds so just make sure that you look for a legitimate breeder. Rescue dogs can be fab though.

Thank you for mentioning this Bee; I am sure your knowledge is way greater than mine. I am a dog owner and I live next door to a vet so I am always picking his brains bless him. Maybe if people voted with their feet and stopped buying the breeds with inherent problems the breeders would have to do something to try to eradicate them. Sorry for the soap box moment but I get so upset at dogs suffering for human vanity.

 

[oddoneout]

Bichon Frise

 

[April20]

I have a yorkshire terrier/poodle mix. He''s a 100% house dog, no shedding either. He only barks when he feels our safety is threatened by mom''s passing with strollers, joggers or bike riders. Or if I''m leaving as he''s only slightly attached to me. He loves to cuddle with us and he loves to play. I cannot say enough good things about his breed mix.

 

[geckodani]

Pug!!! I describe my sister''s pugs as furry puddles of love.

They are fantastic. And amazingly tolerant...

 

[PinkTower]

Gecko, That is the best picture. I can''t wait to show it to my husband. You should enter it in a contest.

 

[dragonfly411]

I have to put in a word for yorkies! Mine is calm, easy going, loves affection, but is also independent enough that she won''t suffer anxiety attacks if you go to work, she likes to play but likes to cuddle, She''s not loud unless you''re in play mode but if you say quiet she will be quiet as a mouse. She''s EXTREMELY intelligent.

 

[elrohwen]

I have to agree with some of the others on Cavs - they are absolutely the cutest and sweetest little dogs (and I think act far more like big dogs than most little dogs precisely because they''re so laid back). They are the small breed that I would want the most. *But* they have such a high incidence of very serious genetic disorders (especially the one where their skull is too small for their brain) that I could never get one. I''d be devastated if my dog had to suffer like that

I really hope Cav breeders can start to breed this out.

Frenchies are awesome little dogs. Gotta second that recommendation! They''re such clowns and very laid back.

 

[geckodani]

Date: 11/25/2009 9:40:56 AM
Author: Pink Tower
Gecko, That is the best picture. I can''t wait to show it to my husband. You should enter it in a contest.

Hee hee. She really is extremely tolerant. Apparantly she stayed that way for about 20 minutes. !

 

[mayachel]

My first thought for on the smaller side, and laid back are basset hounds. They make for good "people dogs" in that they get very attached to their owners. They may not be great for apartment living though, if they start to howl it can be upsetting. My neighbor''s only did this when she was scared, or heard something out of the norm.

 

[MonkeyPie]

I didn''t want a yippy dog, either, so I did a quiz on animalplanet (I think?) to see what breed matched me best. I got American Eskimo - cute, fairly easygoing, and cuddly.

 

[VegasAngel]

The pug in the bumbo is funny/cute, my 3 year old is cracking up.

 

[stephbolt]

Date: 11/25/2009 9:35:59 AM
Author: geckodani
Pug!!! I describe my sister''s pugs as furry puddles of love.

They are fantastic. And amazingly tolerant...

Oh my goodness gecko! That picture is HILARIOUS.

 

[geckodani]

Glad to provide some giggles, LOL!

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 11/25/2009 10:32:53 AM
Author: geckodani

Glad to provide some giggles, LOL!

OMG that is seriously hilarious!

 

[Haven]

I didn't know all of that about Cavaliers, I just know many people who have them and adore them. That's very interesting, none of our friends have ever had any issues (that I know of) with their Cavaliers, young and old. Thank goodness!

Of course, I always support adopting a pet from a shelter and I really cannot understand why people go any other route. If you have allergies, you can still find a dog you can tolerate from a shelter or rescue organization. I volunteer with our local shelter and so many people come over to us at adoption events with their own dogs and say "Oh, I bought mine from a breeder" and when we ask more questions it turns out they bought the pup from a puppy mill that claimed *they* bought the pups from a breeder.

There is a lot of ignorance out there when it comes to dogs and adoption and breeders. It's horrible, and the fact that people are ill-informed guarantees that these mills will always have customers.

Anyway, Lynn asked for information about *breeds* so that's what I shared. I think anyone who adopts any dog should do their research on genetic issues and such before they adopt. That's the only responsible way.

ETA: That pug picture is PRICELESS!