What Breed for Me?

[Brattina88]

I think I might be ready for another dog. While the loss of Nikki still hurts, I've found my old 'craving' is back. Though in the beginning of the month I saw a Sheltie at the shelter and started crying like an idiot I can now stand to see them and even talk to the owners about them. I don't think I could ever own another sheltie, however. They're really great dogs, but I think I'd compare too much, and that wouldn't be fair to the dog.
I've been volunteering at the FAPL since Ginger, my last foster, was placed. I love rescue dogs, mixes, and will always foster, but I find myself wanting to research, find an excellent breeder, and get a purebred puppy. The problem is, I don't seem to be able to judge and pick a breed that would suit my lifestyle. My judgment has been off on a lot of things lately. Any suggestions??
I work full time, and I'm personally usually gone from 7-4 Mon-Friday [it varies, depending on how many kids we have] My Mom doesn't have to be at work until 10:30, so its often she stays with my pups until 10. My Dad or teenaged brother always go to my house to let Maddie and Carly out around 2:30 - so at the most they are confined to one room from 10-2:30, I am not sure if this would be fair to a puppy or not. Weekends are dog days, I rarely do anything else besides camp with them, groom them, take them everywhere for socialization/fun.
They get a Ton of exercise one the weekends, but [if you've ever worked with kids (say, 7+ toddlers or 12 3yr olds) you'll understand that I'm pooped after work] only about a 20min walk around the block or the park in the evening on weekdays. Maddie also goes on the treadmill during the week. Dunno if another dog would need this
Ideally, I'd love a dog that would be able to hike in the woods with me and Maddie. I want to be able to train him to stay near us and come while off leash (I know some disapprove of this, but its a safe area and Maddie has been doing it for a couple years now)
I think that's about it. I think getting a male would be a good addition, and short hair would be nice. About the same size as a Cocker spaniel, a little bit bigger/smaller would be okay.
Thanks to all who reply in advance. Keep in mind, I'm just researching, and am NOT going to go out tomorrow and get the first breed suggested here.

 

[joce]

I've always had to go through puppyhood with being gone school hours so I'm sure any schedule you throw at them will be fine. I cna't think of any small breeds that do good off leash but my dobe has short hair and he is the best off leash dog yet

Do you want something more independent or cuddly? Shar peis are great if you are worried about not being around all the time,they are very independent. It is just really hard to find a good breeder. I can't think of many small breeds that are not terriers that usually run off. I've been liking the looks of the white terrier thing(forgot the whole name) and westies lately.

My favorite place to look is a dog show so maybe try to get to one with a large variety and see what sticks out to you.

 

[tessa_s212]

I know that usually most breed selectors aren't veyr accurate, but I have found this one to be. It had many of the breeds that I was seriously considering when I was looking for a new dog.

http://www.k9country.com/perl/dogBreed.pl

 

[bubbatd]

I'd recommend going slowly and decide on a breed ... then go into rescue. Being so partial towards Goldens as a real companion dog, it's hard for me to give advice on other breeds. I personally like the temperment of larger dogs. I don't want to put down smaller breeds as I've never owned them. Good luck !!!

 

[Brattina88]

Yep, I've been on that site before tessa. I like it better than others, but disagree with the tiny dogs=little or no training thing. I think that's a huge mistake. It gave me Basset Hound, Beagle, Boston Terrier, Bulldog and a Pug I think we already had this discusion about Beagles being off leash. I've never had a basset hound before, or a bulldog, but I don't think that would be ideal with the hikes in the woods.
Thanks grammy, that's exactly what I plan on doing. I love big dogs, I really do, but I don't think it would be fair to my current dogs and I have a really small yard; I'm concerned about the room and exersize

 

[RD]

How about a Miniature Poodle? They're around the size you want, and their coat can be kept in a short kennel clip, they're very athletic and hardy little dogs. They're attentive and easy to train, teaching off-leash manners isn't very hard with a Poodle. In terms of their independence I've found them to be somewhere around the middle. They adore being with their people but I've seen them adjust perfectly to living with someone who is gone during the day.

Whippets sprang to mind, but being sighthounds I wouldn't put too much faith in them off leash. I've seen Whippets do just fine offlead, but it takes a lot more training to get them to that point than it does with some other breeds.

 

[BigDog2191]

From your description, Pembroke Welsh Corgi comes to mind.

 

[joce]

A corgi sheds worse than any other breed and she mentioned short hair so thats something I would stay away from,not to mention my corgi is the only dog I have ever had that I can not let off leash.

What about a boston,if its a well bred one and not insance like my frineds they are pretty neat dogs.

 

[Brattina88]

I started researching the Boston Terrier and a miniature shnauzer. Though I was like NO WAY when I heard poodle, I remembered one I fostered about 4yrs ago and also remembered they're not all frou frou dogs
My uncle used to have Bostons and they were all out of control hyper and insane . . . .

 

[joce]

Yeah,most seem to be but I have to admitt all the ones I know are pure puppymill dogs. I have heard that the well bred ones are great.

I like the mini schnauzer idea. they are cute and really smart. My aunt had one that lived into its twenties and that dog could do every trick I have ever seen a dog do.

 

[BigDog2191]

A corgi sheds worse than any other breed and she mentioned short hair so thats something I would stay away from,not to mention my corgi is the only dog I have ever had that I can not let off leash.

What about a boston,if its a well bred one and not insance like my frineds they are pretty neat dogs.

Seriously? Are you exaggerating about the shedding part?

If not, then a short-haired dachshund is what I was thinking.

 

[joce]

My corgi sheds worse than my husky ever dreamed of It is horrible!

 

[Ash47]

My two are Chi and Shih-Tzu. They are great and very trainable in most cases. Those are always my picks for small dogs Then there's: Doxie, Pomeranian, Yorkie, Toy American Eskimo. Just some small dogs off the top of my head.

 

[Brattina88]

Carly is a pure Shih Tzu. She deffenatly isn't well-bred, but it's just really hard for me to picture a Shih Tzu hiking with us. I mean, I know they're 'real' dogs too, and some would probably want to, but they hair and size just isn't ideal to me. I brought Carly with us once, it was a beginers trail that bored they heck out of me and Maddie. Carly got stuck in a burr bush, well I pulled her out of that she ran for a minute and got stuck in some thorns, and then she nearly drowned herself in 6" of water LOL
It's funny how some dogs just 'know-how' and have natural instincts and others don't. I had to carry Carly home
A Beagle would be ideal if I could get one to come! My friend that I used to work with at a Day Care is now a dog trainer at Pets Mart. She says that as dedicated as I am I could train a beagle to come. She said since my hiking areas are safe and theres no cars around I could. I told her I didn't think so, because the first time it would go out of my sight I would freak out. She then told me I could train Maddie to retrieve what she calls a "flag" and then hook it to the Beagle's leash and then when I call for a come and the beagle doesn't Maddie could drag him in. !

 

[Brattina88]

is it unrealistic to want another dog to hike with off leash??

(sorry to double post - it wouldn't let me edit again )

 

[bubbatd]

Bratt...it depends on the dog. Again, I'd go larger breed. I can't see a beagle off leash in the woods with a rabbit hopping by !! I may be mean, but with any of my goldens, I could live in a two room house with a 12 X 12 yard and they would be happy. There again, it depends on the breed and the breeding and their age. EliN's back yard is very small , he basically lives in 2 rooms..her den and her bedroom, ( though he has free rein of any room ), he walks off leash .....and he's a rescue.

 

[Nobody's Fool]

Bratt.....
Are you only looking for a pure-bred? Because I know from experiance that two mixed breeds are wonderful for hiking off-leash and very little or no shedding.
I had a beagle/schnauzer(sp?) mix that loved to hike in the woods, and if she strayed I only had to whistle and she was back at my side. Even with a rabbit around. I also had a bull terrier/jack russell terrier mix that loved to hike. He was a VERY smart dog. And then, although out of your size preference, there is the collie/golden retriever mix dogs. VERY smart, EXTREMELY calm, and oh-so dedicated!! My Duke looked just like Lassie, even though he was a mix (I really need to get a photo scanner!), and he truly loved to walk the woods and was afraid of nothing.
Sometimes a mixed breed is perfect, as long as the parents are not unstable.

Sara

 

[joce]

My beagle mix is great off leash. A guy a couple houses down from me hunts with his and they listen to every word this guy says and they are of leash all the time. It could work,you just have to be realy persistent with recall from a young age.

 

[RD]

is it unrealistic to want another dog to hike with off leash??

(sorry to double post - it wouldn't let me edit again )

Not at all. I'm of the opinion that it has a lot to do with training and not as much to do with breed. My Border Collie (who has insane drive and would love to take off and run for miles after the many rabbits around here) is a fantastic hiking partner, he doesn't like to let me out of his sight so he always sticks fairly close. If you teach them about being offleash at a young age (safely, of course, not out in the open where you could potentially lose your puppy) they will most likely be much easier to train for an off-lead recall.

I still stand by the suggestion of the Poodle. Believe me, Frou Frou dogs they are not!

 

[Brattina88]

Thanks guys. I'm currently researching the Miniature Schnauzer and the Toy Poodle and haven't totally ruled out the beagle yet... And I wanted to add that I didn't want a short haired dog for shedding reasons, its just that I have two "high matenence" dogs and its already an all day excursion if I bath them both in the same day, but I guess it doesn't really matter. I just wanted to go short for a change
Thanks for the suggestions guys, keep 'em comming!