Good small dog

Artfully Martial

Artfully Martial

Joined
Jun 8, 2005
Messages
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I wasn't sure who to ask about this, but I've noticed there's been lots of dog lovers here, so I figured you guys would know. I'm a big dog guy, so, no experience in the small dog world.

In any case, my ex girlfriends have an apartment and they've decided they want a small dog to compliment their three cats.
It's got to be super cute. I know, I know...
It's got to be a solid indoor dog...
Has to play nice with cats
Has to be small...up to a "medium sized"..no larger than a heeler...according to them...

Suggestions are welcome! Especially when they've got photos.
Thanks
 
A puppy, growing up with cats, will have no problem with them. Other, older dogs, of whatever breed, MAY have problems if the cats stimulate the chase instinct.

Small breeds? Jeez. Kind of whatever they fall in love with.

Smaller breeds tend to yap quite a bit. Apartment may have regs that prohibit dogs. Dogs cost real money these days. Humane Society dogs may have problems, may not. Crap shoot.

That said:

Cairn Terrier is neat as hell.


Have fun. Puppies are a hoot.
 
My Mom's got two of them. They're only supposed to hit the 25lb mark but Sarge is a solid 30lbs of muscle. Tyler's still a pup, no idea how big he'll get. They're energetic but not like a Jack Russell. Not big barkers. When Rook, my Lab/Shar-pei, barks I usually tell her to put a sock in it. When Sarge barks I check it out. He only barks when there's somebody coming up the driveway. Smart, affectionate, not prodigious poopers. Good dogs.

A buddy growing up had a mini Schnauzer. He was a good dog. Had to be groomed, though. Hardy little guy.

I've always liked Doxies, too. Never had one but I've been around plenty of them. Never met one I didn't like. Have to watch that long back, though.

I've never been fond of chihuahuas or poms and they don't seem to like me either. Lhasas and Shitzus are okay if you can handle all the hair. My wife used to work for a vet that bred Pugs and said they were cool little dogs. I like the looks of French Bulldogs but have never spent any time around one. Hope that helps. Most of my dog experience has been with bigger dogs.

Frank
 
Your ex-girlfriends are now living together? There must be an interesting story behind that little development. :D
 
Artfully Martial said:
I wasn't sure who to ask about this, but I've noticed there's been lots of dog lovers here, so I figured you guys would know. I'm a big dog guy, so, no experience in the small dog world.

In any case, my ex girlfriends have an apartment and they've decided they want a small dog to compliment their three cats.
It's got to be super cute. I know, I know...
It's got to be a solid indoor dog...
Has to play nice with cats
Has to be small...up to a "medium sized"..no larger than a heeler...according to them...

Suggestions are welcome! Especially when they've got photos.
Thanks
Click to expand...

Please ask them to PM me.

I can sit up and beg with the proper motivation and I'm already house broken. I might be a bit much for a lap, but I will try.
 
Small dogs..ugh:barf: . To be fair, they can prove themselves to be worthy on rare occasion:rolleyes: . However under some of my personal general criteria, Real Dogs start at about 35lbs., must bark in a register tenor or lower. This is Canis Familiaris. Outside of this criteria dwells Neo Canis...yip yip yip yip yap, looking more like a rodent than any wolf. At their worst, they are genetic warnings:thumbdn: .
 
It's hard to beat any of the small terriers otherwise known as terrierists.
Our dog Ace is about 3/4 Rat Terrier at 30+ pounds but shouldn't be over 27, everything in our house gets fat sooner or later.
The Lakeland Terrier looks like a Mini-Airedale but most don't have half the sense of their larger cousins. The nice thing about the wooly coated or wirehaired terriers is that they need to be brushed or combed to get rid of their shed hair, at least it isn't so bad about coming out and all over the furniture.
The downside to any terrier is they are likely to have skin and allergy problems in warm and hot weather and especially in flea and tick season.
Ace gets one flea bite and his allergies go to full blown the rest of the year until cold weather again.:(
 
The boston terrier is a good small dog breed.
 
I'm not a fan of dog-rats. They can be very affectionate, but they tend to have the mentality of hamster more than the noble dog. However, I have to say that a good medium sized dog (those that are between 12 and 24lbs) is a great way to go. As far as breeds go? Well i'm in the Boston group with an actual "true-blue" breed. However, being the ol' softie that I am, I have a spot in my heart for the dog pound pups. In this day in age, who REALLY needs a dog bred for a certain function when it comes to companionship. I know, I know. There are those that need gaurd dogs, those that need hunting dogs, etc. However, a good "buddy" dog can be found in any breed. I have a mutt among mutts. Even the vet couldn't figure him out. Sheltie, some kind of terrier, beagle, ? Great dog and only weighs in at about 21lbs. Strong, smart, sweet, protective of the yard. Cost me a whole 70 bucks at the Humane Society. Wonderful addition to my wife and I's family. YMMV.

Jake
 
For sheer love and companionship you can not beat a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I call these guys Anne's "Slipper Dogs." They follow her around all day like a slipper on each foot.

They do very well in apartments.

They rarely bark, are very good natured, travel well -- we take them everywhere. They have been to San Francisco (twice), New York, Quebec, Boston, many more places -- everywhere we go.

They are also absolute show stoppers. An incredble number of people MUST pet them. At local antique shows people know their names even when they forget me and Anne.

We got the black, white and tan first. Named him "Chumley" after m first dog, "Chum." A mexican guy does our landscaping. He asked, "What your dog name?" I said, "Chumley."

He responded, "A lot of Maxicans live in Chumley!" I said, "What?" He said, "Si, Chumley Tucker." An Atlanta suburb we call "Chamblee Tucker."

So when we got the brown and white guy, we named him "Tucker."

Incredible "chick magnets." If you are single. BTW Anne and I are always together, but a hellovalot of single women really swoon all over these guys.

They are a bit expensive, but you will never regret the money spent.

If you get one, go to an established breeder. For God's sake don't go to a "puppy mill." Ask to see the mother and father. Do this with any dog!

The breeders interviewed us for an hour and half before they agreed to sell him to us. They want to be sure that he would have a good life.

People before us made the mistake of asking the breeders what kind of chain would be right to tie him in their yard?

The breeders stood up, said "This interview is over. We would not sell you a Cavalier under ANY circumstances. Leave!"

We got a big discount on Tucker because he has teeth that meet. To win shows, he must have an overbite. His parents win every show they enter, always "Best of breed" and often "Best of show."

But Tucker is a winner in our hearts. Always will be.
 
A big dog in a small dog body is the Scots Terrier, better known as the Scottie. My Grandmother had them when I was growing up and they are very nice dogs, with the one exception that they are really one person dogs. They fix on one person with whom they relate and they tolerate others to greater or lesser degrees. But they will defend that one person to the death. What this meant in my Grandmother's case was that her Scotties were not terribly friendly with us as visiting children nor always as tolerant as they should have been. But they had not been raised with children. My sister had a Scottie and it was simply wonderful with her children and cats as it had been raised with them.
 
How big are those spaniels? How smart are they? I like smart pooches, and can't stand the dumb ones.
I have only seen the king Charles in photos...never in the fur.
 
I keep trying to talk them into a bulldog. Thanks for the suggestions so far, I'll have them reread the page later today. Bulldogs are so cool.

Has anyone had any experience with a Brittany?
 
Steve Poll said:
I might be a bit much for a lap, but I will try.
Click to expand...

:D Thanks for the laugh, Steve. Makes me think of the line from the Toby Keith song:

"I ain't as good as I once was
But I'm as good once as I ever was."

On the topic at hand, we have had a Chihuahua in the house for about a week now. I know, I know - I've heard all of the comments about "rat-dogs," "kick-dogs," etc. While there is a part of me that still sees this little creature as only a first step toward an eventual "real" dog, I have to admit it has started to grow on me. (At least I have my khukuris to help me hold on to something resembling manhood, right?) :)

Eric
 
Artfully Martial said:
I keep trying to talk them into a bulldog. Thanks for the suggestions so far, I'll have them reread the page later today. Bulldogs are so cool.

Has anyone had any experience with a Brittany?
Click to expand...
Had four Brittanys; way too energetic for what you discribed. Ours always looked upon our cats as convenient chew toys.

Low to ground and doesn't screw wid the cats....Hmmm...English Bull, and a class act at that. I'm totally with you on this one.
 
Please...consider this. Go to a shelter and rescue an abandoned mutt that is in desperate need of a good home. There is good karma, as well as good sense in this. A dog who has had some bad times in his/her life, is more likely to appreciate the things you provide - food, shelter, love.

Breed doesn't guarantee much, unless you're dealing with a high-end breeder and are looking for a specific dog behavior. Our Katrina-rescue white shepherd-mix is a pussycat who likes to play with the little puppies in the dog-park. Our purebred Walker coon hound is so shy she gets spooked by almost everything. We once had a black Labrador who was a terrorist with other dogs. Yes, there are inbred characteristics, but it isn't the whole story.
 
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