What Is A Good Small To Medium Dog Breed For A Small Family?
Sunday, October 25th, 2009 at
3:14 pm
I am looking for a small breed dog as a companion for my 7 year old daughter, who loves animals. We do not live in a large property, but are committed to walking the dog daily. Ideally, we want a dog that is good with kids, intelligent, trainable, loving and doesn’t yap and has no inherant health problems associated with the breed. Any ideas?
All suggestions welcome !
Tagged with: Breed • Family • Good • Medium • Small • What
Filed under: Dog Health Problem
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It would be quite hard to get a dog with no health problems associated with its breed but you could go to a reputable breeder and check their dogs’ medical papers and so on or get a cross breed/mongrel.
Their inherited health problems would be greatly minimised and you can get a dog that would suit you perfectly if it’s a cross breed as you could have a couple of breeds, traits, looks that you like in one dog!
Here are some breeds you might like:
American Eskimo Dog. They are medium sized, adorable, great for your needs and would be a perfect playmate for your 7 year old!
They do need quite a bit of grooming…http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/co…
dog.jpg
Cocker Spaniel,
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel,
Shetland Sheepdog.
Miniature Shnauzer (They do enjoy barking though…)
Westies (The also enjoy barking but you can always train them not to)
You can look up each breed at: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com
It’s a very good and informative site about many breeds or you could go to: dogtime.com which is another good dog site!
Or you could go to your local RSPCA and adopt one from there! (:
Good luck and I hope I’ve helped!
I would strongly reccomend a Boston Terrier. You may or may not know what they are, but thay almost perfectly match your specifications. They don’t get that big, though they are bigger than some small breed dogs. They don’t need a lot of space with a committed family that walks them. They are very easy to train because they love people, and are usally intelligant. They are very good with kids, and can be protective. If they see someone you’ve okayed before, they will trust them, but are often wary of strangers unless you act friendly around the unknown person. They are loving, and don’t make a lot of noise. As for the health, they are generally healthy, but the ones with flatter faces can have allergies. Bostons can have eye problems and luxating patellas, but if you get one from a good breeder, you are likely to avoid these problems. They live about thirteen to fifteen years. They are easy to potty train, and if socialized correctly, can get along with other dogs and cats very easily. They generally cosr $500 from a good breeder. Show dogs are around $1,200. You can buy them for between $200 and $350 from some breeders, but they probably won’t be as good because breeders who don’t know much about the traits of the breed will often pass on bad marking and inherent health problems.
Hope this helped!
Every dog, regardless of their breed/mix will have their possible risk of inherant health problems. It is up to you whether you choose a reputable breeder that gets their dog tested for genetic problems that the breed is prone to; OR go to a puppy mill/backyard breeder and get a dog from them. It is sometimes difficule to filter the “good” and “bad” breeders apart, but always ask to see the sire and dam, and the facility/their house first. You also want to ask for health certificates. Usually, reputable breeders will give you a health warranty with your puppy. Another good place to get a dog is to visit some shelters. The dogs/pups that are there are already tested for their health and temperment before they are allowed to be adopted.
As for a breed, I would suggest an American Cocker Spaniel (They is an English Cocker Spaniel as well).They are great with kids, and are highly trainable. They’re not that big, and is within the medium range. The breed will need daily walks to keep it out of boredom.
Good Luck!
most dog breeds have at least one genetic or health problem that can occur, some more likely than others.
I suggest these breeds
American Pit Bull Terrier, they are smart, fun,active, and enjoy kids and don’t have many common health risks.
German Shepherd Dog – Smart, good with kids, smaller ones are better, I have a female who is only 65lbs and she hasn’t had any health problems, she is 9 years. They are very active!!!
Pug – if you’d like a calmer walking companion go with a pug, they can get some breathing problems but are great with kids
You can always go with a mixed breed too, go to your local shelter and find a good match for your family.
Small breeds are YAPPY breeds!
Spaniels are normally pretty intelligent. No dog doesn’t have health issues-if anyone says there breed doesn’t, there wrong!. Impossible to have a complete disease free dog unless it a stuffed dog. Some breeders will say that there breeds don’t have health issues, that simple not true. It an unfortuant fact of owning a dog. There not going to be healthy 100% of the time.
Go and visit your local animal shelters would be my best bet and don’t knock the adults.
Gosh some people on here are silly, i don’t see any sensible answers on here yet.
Yorkshire Terrier-Yappy Doghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdEubeMXn…
Poodle-barkyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jqd5o9EBu…
Chinese Crestedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5IWd6MJY…
American Cocker Spaniel-Barkyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xms0y1m8…
English Cocker Spaniel-Barkyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4izwBJEV0…
Toy Poodle-Barky
Schnauzer-Barkyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSCkQmMxS…
Chihuahua-Yappy-Yes they do Yaphttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y42h6ySX…
Miniture Schnauzer-Barky
Pugs-Relatively bark free, but make funny sounds due to there pushed in faces and are capable of barking, but there barks deeper-not yappy as suchhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=782bVtrHS…
Beagle-Well known for Barking/Howling-yes this is typically of a beagle!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC0XuGKkc…
Staffordshire Bull Terrier-Barkinghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS0eKJRVG…
Dandie Dinmont Terrier-Not yappy, but barkyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsDCFm91n…
Yorkshire Terriers are a very good breed to have.. They are small, intelligent and if you train them the right way, they won’t yap.
They are a very loyal type of dog, also. Whenever my Yorkie does something bad and is punished for it, it seems like he realizes he did something bad so he comes up and curls up on my lap. I would recommend a Yorkshire. They are very beautiful.
i would go to a shelter in your area and adopt a staffordshire bull terrier they are EXCELLENT with kids there nick names are ”nanny dogs”
forget the crap you hear on tv about they are aggressive if trained properly they can be the most loyal animals ever in the wrong hands though they can be dangerous but when raised with children they a superb.DO NOT buy a puppy as there are thousands of dogs that are in need of homes
if you dont care about noise, then get a miniture schnauzer. They are cute and freindly but they do tend to bark a lot. if you want a quite dog, then think of a pug or a yorkshie terrier, but pugs do shed every single day.if you want a cute dog, get an american eskimo.
If ou really want a good companion, get a larger breed like an Old English Sheepdog or a German Shepherd or a standerd poodle.
Small breeds arent the best comanions, large breeds are.
hope i helped
you can’t beat a miniature schnauzer – great with people and other dogs.
There is a possible eye problem so make sure parents have been tested and cleared.
They don’t cast and are easy to train. they are very curious and their one fault is that they love to explore and if you let them out they will disapppear for hours.
Don’t clip their ears or dock their tails – an Amarican habit.http://the-miniature-schnauzer-club.co.u…
Chihuahua – not yappy as some may think. It’s all in the socialization that you give it.
And EVERY breed will have health problems regardless. You have to do your research.
Good Luck!
Go to your local animal shelter and let the staff there help you choose the perfect dog for you and your family. You can check out pics of dogs at your local shelters and search by size as well at http://www.petfinder.com
chiwawas,miniature schnauzers or you can look at this list of small dogs http://www.allsmalldogbreeds.com/small-dog-breeds-a-to-z.html with pictures =]
http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselector.do
I would suggest taking that. It may help a lot:)
Hello,
To help you find out what dog breed is right for you, check this out:http://dogtime.com/matchup/start
cocker spaniels, ive had a few myself and are fairly low=matience (for dogs) playful and very safe
and not as much excersise needed as regular spaniels
I’d get a Yorkshire Terrier, I had mine when I was about six and he was the Best dog I’ve ever met. All my friends love him, he is so friendly and lovable and intelligent
Toy Poodle
Schnauzer
Chihuahua
Make sure you research the breed on Google!
Good Luck!
a little beagle or just a good old mixed breed rescued from the pound.
poodle or those spotted dogs with black spots and with skins
I would have to say a Papillon although they are a bit expensive they are worth the money, I own two myself.
The Papillon is a wonderful breed to own, they are very intelligent, train very easily, It’s said that they are hard to house break that’s only partially true, my female was hard to house break it took me four long grueling months to get her house trained were as my male learned with in a week.
They are great with children younger children under the age of 5 should be watched so they don’t hurt the little guy because they do have a very light and fragile frame. They also get alone very well with other animals.
As with all small or toy breeds they can have loose knee caps and eye problems..i have never heard of any papillons having these problems but it is possible since they are a toy breed they could have these problems that’s why you should check into the dam and sirs history to see if any of these things were in their history. Most Papillon breeders will have a health guarantee with their pups.
The papillon does not have an undercoat so very little brushing is needed and they are easy to keep clean. They do shed just not as much as your breeds with an under coat do.
Most Papillons are not yappers, you can train any dog starting at a young age not to bark, for instance i have a pomeranian as well they are known for their yapping..mine does not yap at all, sure she will bark when shes excited ( when someone comes to the door, when a cat is outside or dog, when playing) but as soon as the excitement is over shes done, its all in the training. The more you socialize the dog the easier the training will be as well.
The Papillon does not need a whole lot of space they can live in apartments, trailors, houses and farms thats whats so nice about this breed because they can live any where and they don’t need a whole lot of excersize so just a short walk or a little play time outside is enough.
Good luck on your search!
pugs good for small apartments, and kids they love people more then other dogs , don’t need to be walked , Health problems is the eyes can get scratched easily .Then you need to put eye drops in for a week .They are trainable but a little on the stubborn side food and treats are a BIG motivator to get them to obey you during training .They rarely bark at all .
Appearance
The current breed standards call for a compact form, deep chest, and well-developed
muscle. Their heads, carried on arched necks, should be substantial and round, the
better to accentuate their large, bulging, dark eyes. The wrinkles on their foreheads
should be distinct and deep, and were especially prized by the Chinese as they
seemed to spell out the character for prince. The ears should be smooth and soft, like
black velvet. The lower teeth should protrude farther than their upper, meeting in an
underbite.
Temperament
Pugs are very sociable dogs, and usually very stubborn. They are playful, charming and
clever and are known to succeed in dog obedience skills. Pugs are sensitive to the tone
of a human voice, so harsh punishment is generally unnecessary. While Pugs mostly
get along well with other dogs and pets, they generally prefer the company of humans
and require lots of attention.
History
The breed was first imported in the late 16th and 17th centuries by merchants and
crews from the Dutch East Indies Trading Company. The Pug later became the official
dog of the House of Orange. In 1572, a Pug saved the Prince of Orange’s life by barking
at an assassin.http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=…http://www.reelingreviews.com/miibpic.jp…
the other dog i would suggest is a york shire terrier
Appearance
Yorkshire Terriers are a long-haired breed with no undercoat, which means that they do
not shed. This makes Yorkies one of the best breeds for allergy sufferers. Additionally,
since Yorkies carry less dander on their coat, they generally do not have the unpleasant
“wet dog” odor when wet. Yorkie puppies are born with a silky-soft black and tan coat
and normally have black hairs mixed in with the tan until they are matured.
Temperament
Though a toy breed, the Yorkie still retains much of its terrier ancestry in terms of
personality. The vast majority seem to have a confident, vigorous and self-important
personality. Individual dogs sometimes differ, but they are generally intelligent,
independent and gutsy.
History
As the name implies, the Yorkshire Terrier originated in Yorkshire County (and the
adjoining Manchester County), a rugged region in northern England. The Yorkshire
Terrier was introduced in the United States in 1872. The first Yorkie was registered with
the American Kennel Club in 1878, making it one of the first twenty-five breeds to be
approved for registration by the AKC.http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=…