small dog question

[Lloyd Smale]

just lost my lab and don't really want another dog at this time but my learning disabled son lives in a small apartment here on my property and would probably love a dog. Dog would have to be on the smaller side. His apartment is to small for a lab sized dog. That said I hate little dogs that bark at everyone and everything. I would go beagle but my wife has taken a liking to feeding all the rabbits around here so a beagle would no doubt chase them off. Is there such thing as a small bread that isn't high strung and barks and growls at everything and doesn't cost a grand to buy?

[w5pv]

Find you a Fiest,they can be rambunchish at times but will settle down after the puppy stage.

[44man]

My friend is a Pekinese. Loves everyone and is not the normal little snappy thing. Calm and lazy, almost never barks. Friends come over and she goes nuts to be picked up.
Pomeranian's are great little dogs, watch inbreeding though.
I don't like high strung either.172000 My little poople, thinks she is a people.
I never had a dog like her in my life. She is sleeping under my seat right now. Carol named her Mai-Ling. She sleeps on my legs when I watch TV in the recliner.
She is a leaf and grass mop though. Carol gets mad with stuff on the floor so I told her to dust with Mai .
Spoiled rotten and has 100 toys.
I will never find another like her. I take her out in the morning but always on a harness and leash. Put her in and clean the dog pen from those in the garage and after her. The pen for the garage rat pack is large 40'X70". Then she waits for me to get coffee to come down for her treats. Never a sound.
If I sleep late, carol lets her in from the kitchen, she comes to the door, sneezes and stands up on the side of the bed. Wants a hug. Then gets a toy to play. I play heck to catch her so have to throw her toy a bunch of times.
Yeah, I have a rat pack in the garage too, not allowed in the house, too big and hairy. But I air condition the garage for them. 172001 Me with my baby.

[richhodg66]

Not really small, but smaller than a Lab, Bassett hounds are the coolest dogs going in my book. I've had three, been without one for a while and want to wait til I'm around home more before getting another one.

[44man]

Hard to find a good dog today, too much of the inbreeding for money. I had 2 peekapoms that were super but both had strokes, one went blind first. Broke my heart. Sisters that got into it all the time too so I had to grab one. Super dogs that did not live long enough.
Puppy farms ruin our lives.

[Ithaca Gunner]

I didn't think I would like small dogs either, then we took in a dog that needed a home. She's part Pomeranian and Jack Russell, looks like a mini Golden retriever with foxy ears. She does bark a little, but not like the typical yap-yap-yap-yap small dog does. I've had some limited exposure to Boston Terriers and though playful, I didn't think they barked a lot at all.

Take your son to the pound/shelter and look around, I'm sure the staff will guide you along if needed, and like I said before, when the right dog comes along, you'll both know it.

[Pine Baron]

Beagle/Collie mix. Smartest dog that God ever put in my life. Mellow in the house. Great with the kids. She left the rabbits and ducks alone in the yard, but was great in the field. Miss my Christa-belle.

[runfiverun]

my oldest girl got herself a chug that's a Chihuahua and a pug crossed.

I think little dogs are pretty worthless for the most part, but this one is actually a pretty good dog.
she is mostly quiet and has been pretty easy to train, she stays out of the way or just lays there quietly on your lap or next to someone.
she loves going to the store, or for walks and meeting people, but is fairly alert around the house, and she does very well around other dogs.
she is great as a companion dog and would work well for your L.D. son.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

My suggestion is to go to a shelter i have a lab German short hair mix comes in right at 60 pounds that we rescued from a shelter one of the best dogs that I ever had

[Jeff Michel]

Blue Heeler, smart, seldom barked, obedient to a fault. Mine weighed about 30-35 pound. Best dog I ever had, and I've had a bunch. I have a Fiest currently and have had Jack Russell terriers. Great dogs, but they are hunting machines. They would give your rabbits a real workout. You have a tough job, I never met a dog I didn't like.

[claude]

I have a 10 pound poodle, easy enough to care for and I have found that training is the major key to the yappity yapp yapp stuff. One can't get rid of all of it because they're dogs, and dogs are gonna bark, but it can be lessened a good deal.

Mine is a spayed ***** and I don't have the Pissing on everything in sight issue, but she's a tough little turd and chases the deer and an occasional bear out of the yard at my request.

[merlin101]

look on line for shelters near you, they'll have a lot of dogs pics and stats listed. Or go to a shelter, you'll see the dog in a stressful situation and if it's laid back and not barking you might have a winner.

[shdwlkr]

miniature Australian Shepard smart, loving and smart weigh about 20 pounds, when they bark sound like a big dog, lets you know when someone they don't know is around

[44man]

No dog is bad, owners are. Love is where any dog lives. Size is because of room you have and small are just too great too. Never met a dog I don't like. They know too so even those that are ruined by owners feel it. Never beat or spank a dog, Just a stern look if they did wrong, I never holler at mine either because they know if they messed up. It happens and my little one can mess the basement and will not come down until I clean up. I never get mad because I want her to be healthy and if she doesn't go outside, I worry.
It is OK fellas. Like a baby, love them. Nothing worse then baby poo in a diaper but you love them.
I admit I like female dogs better, males seem stiff but sure not dumb and love as much.
I would not have mine fixed because they can balloon and the way she eats, it would kill her.
I feel so much at home here with all of you. I know a person right off. He will love dogs.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

One notion to forget is that small dogs are necessarily inoffensive. For generations they have been kicked off and heard some unparliamentary language, for behavior which would get a rottweiler out of the breeding business, and perhaps out of this world, in one fell swoop. It is a good idea to avoid fashionable breeds or rare breeds, and especially fashionable and rare ones, since inbreeding within a restricted gene pool is liable to be a problem.

Jack Russell terriers are everywhere, seldom inbred, and can be very good. My German sister-in-law has one that loves learning tricks, and when my 88-year-old German mother-in-law was very frail after surgery, knew it and waited outside the bathroom in case she needed the alarm raised. In the local park the microcephalic owner of two dalmatians egged them on to frighten people, a practice which ended suddenly when Mr. Phipps fastened himself to one's throat. Unfortunately it was only the dog's.

Against that, even Mr. Phipps was foolhardy in his youth, with jumping off bridges etc. Some British Jack Russells appear just as good, but others are snappy little blighters. The old lady next door's was the only dog that ever bit my mother, totally unprovoked, and my mother always remembered hoping blood wouldn't show on the traditional Scottish "Cardinal" red-waxed doorstep.

It is right and proper for a dog owner to think the latest is the best, and for my Irish terrier a good case can be made. He is totally unaggressive, loves man and beast of every description, and barks at nothing but his enemies Mr. Vacuum Cleaner and Mr. Wheelie Laundry Basket, who eat up his cherished belongings. He doesn't mind stayoning in a small house all day, did almost no destructive chewing, and though like terriers he wasn't the fastest of dogs to house-train, suddenly said "Right, I'm house-trained now" and never offended again. He never steals except in cases of honest confusion, and you can take food from him without complaint, which is unusual with terriers. With dogs or physical dangers he looks before he leaps, although then he generally leaps.

But he is a manically energetic 40lb. dog. Indoors it only takes the form of finger and toe chewing with carefully contrived gentleness. He can untie and remove shoelaces without being noticed. But he has a fascination with kids, particularly when they have a football, and is very difficult to get away from them. He seems to think that leaping head-high without contact is an adequate compromise into which he has put a lot of effort. Fortunately they recognize childlike innocence of intent, but he might knock one over, or meet one who is terrified, though he hasn't yet. The TV dog experts who say you should never punish, but encourage good behavior, have clearly never put themselves in the situation of seeing his rear end a hundred yards off and heading for trouble as fast as anything without whippet blood can. You can see him noticing a white milk jug in the park a quarter-mile away, and thinking "That's a football, so where are the kids?" Also an Irish terrier might easily cost that grand, though their health record is good even compared with mongrels, and one big veterinary bill could make you worse off.

In your place I'd consider a cairn terrier, like Toto in "The Wizard of Oz" or Fremont in "Dennis the Menace". Ours, in childhood, was a little bully with our dogs, and growled when food had to be take away, but it was just show, and she never did anything violent. I wouldn't go for a Skye terrier, though. They are bigger, painfully elongated beasts of minimal intelligence, nothing like Greyfriars Bobby, and with a painfully small gene pool. I used to know a lady who bred them, and hers tried to chase sheep. That is a thing unforgivable in rural Scotland, but the sheep just stood and said "Are you going to bite me or anything?", and the dogs remembered business elsewhere.

Another possibility is a whippet. They are brighter than greyhounds (i.e. above garden gnome levels of intelligence), and although very fast, are far more content than most breeds to laze around outside brief exercise periods. But they would feel the cold for a lot of the year in Michigan, and modern whippets are so fast and light-boned as to be very easily injured in running on rough ground. They will tackle game the without hesitation, but a lot get hurt by foxes, even if the fox winds up wishing he hadn't, and coyotes are bigger.

A breed as tiny and beautiful as the Pomeranian is the papillon. They are very bright, tough little dogs, and perhaps easier to keep groomed. A friend's mother brought hers to visit him and his two working, fox-catching lurchers. But they got on as well as any other three dogs until the papillon was pestered too much, and then he saw them off with a growl like a dental drill.

Here is a very controversial TV documentary which warns of what you might expect in the pedigree dog world. Of course specific breeds may be quite different on different continents. I wouldn't for example know if the seriously bad state of British basset hounds applies in the US. But attitudes to breeding and showing probably do. The second of these shows that a lot, though perhaps not enough, is being done, and that the breed associations, empires run by prima donnas, vary greatly in their resistance to change.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedigree_Dogs_Exposed

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedigree_Dogs_Exposed_%E2%80%93_Three_Years_On#

[Bookworm]

We had a Pug for several years, before it succumbed to liver cancer (of all things...).
Not the smartest dog I've ever been around, but certainly the most eager-to-please. Once that dog figured out what you wanted, it was all over it.

Very quiet dog, loved people. Very easy to get along with, not high energy - yet always willing to go for a walk or whatever. It would chase small animals, but never got anywhere close to catching one.

At 18 pounds, it ate 1 cup of dry kibble a day. Economical to feed.

We took it everywhere we could. Hardware store, car-parts store, park, Lowes, camping. It got along well with other dogs.

And, it was house-trained at 4 months old. Really.

[montana_charlie]

Daschund or miniature daschund

[jmort]

I have had many large breeds over the years and when the last one left us, we got a small hypoallergenic West Highland Terrier. Really like the smaller dog all-around. I want to add a hypo-allergenic miniature Schnauzer next. Less food, less mess, way less fur/hair but hyper-vigilant. I am a small dog convert. I just need a little head start which the dog gives me when someone or something comes around the house. My daughter just got a German Shepard /Husky mix and for me it confirms all I have discovered about small dogs. The only down-side for me is heading out in the field. It is nice to have a large dog around. I do miss that.

[Rick Hodges]

How small LLoyd?...my all time favorite is the Springer Spaniel. Get one from hunting stock, bright, trainable, good natured dogs. A ***** (oops female dog) will go 30 lbs and a male another 5-10. Bigger than an ankle biter and a decent working dog if you are so inclined. (flushers like labs, great grouse, pheasant dogs...small for waterfowl but they are eager and excellent for jump shooting ducks).

[popper]

On my third ****zu - calm, friendly, playful - don't shed. Might also suggest a Maltese. Fine indoors, take care of themselves if you change the litterbox. Kind of cat version of ****zu. If he needs any 'protection', a 20# Seal Point neutered male Siamese will do the job. Very 'one person' but with some peculiar habits.

[Blackwater]

You know, Lloyd, this is always the 64 dollar question that we all face when we lose a great dog, and finally decide we can't go further without another one. And all I can recommend for your son is a Pekinese like 44man said, or a daschund like Montana Charlie recommended. I now have a half Llewellyn setter, half "mountain" fice (larger breed). She' 10 mo. old and @ 30 lbs. so will be a medium sized dog. Mine's rather loud sometimes, and insistent on getting what she wants at others, but I can't help but be amused with her, and I've come to really love this boisterous little dog. To watch her run about and prance when she picks up a stick like it was the leprechan's pot of gold is something I just can't not appreciate! She loves to chase squirrels, but hasn't caught one yet because of the nearby trees, but I think she'll definitely get one if and when she can find a young one far enough from a tree. She's amazingly fast! Got her build from her Llewellyn mom, and her muscles and love of the chase from her fice dad. And she's independent to a fault! Won't come when called very well at all, but we're working on that now.

Best advice I've ever been given or received is to just go looking. When you find one that's right, you'll know it. And it might be a pure breed or a total mutt. But you have a really good idea what kind of dog your son needs and can manage and enjoy. Just let that be your guide, and use your inner instincts. These decisions aren't always ones that can be thought out exclusively via the intellect, and often depend on what you bump into. Just have a little faith, and don't make your decision too quickly unless and until something "clicks" for you, and inside, something says "This one" to you.

Again, that's the best info I've ever given or received. If you could mail order one like you think you want, when it got here, you might not "click" with it like you expected. So just keep searching a while until you find the one that "clicks" for you and your son. And your son is probably the best one to decide which one "clicks" with him. Wish I had a better answer, but this is all I've been able to come up with in well over 50 years of lovin' my dawgies.

[garym1a2]

I like Rat Terriors but they are not good around bunnies as they are bred to hunt. Mine two are lazy and don't hunt.

[DerekP Houston]

Beagle/Collie mix. Smartest dog that God ever put in my life. Mellow in the house. Great with the kids. She left the rabbits and ducks alone in the yard, but was great in the field. Miss my Christa-belle.

I was gonna mention either of those breeds, or a sheltie (miniature collie). Just depends how much you mind the long hair a grooming. We also had a miniature schnauzer that was the sweetest little dog. Im not to big on pedigree dogs myself but I see the appeal. Our current dogs are a terrier mix of some kind, and as best we can tell a beagle/blue healer mix.

EDIT: correction, basset hound/blue healer mix. He is very short and stout like a weiner dog style, but looks like a blue healer. or maybe something else. All I know is I fed him as a stray for a few months and he never came inside. During a new years celebration he got scared ran inside with us and never left.

[shoot-n-lead]

Well, since everyone is throwing in...I will, too.

Had a bunch of dogs of all sizes...house and yard dogs. Best small house dog we have ever had, is the Boston Terrier that we have now. She is a great little dog...would get another, in a heartbeat.

[Duckiller]

We have a Chihuahua mix, 15 lbs; a terrier mix 30 lbs that refuses to wear a collar and Laso Apso mix 10lbs. All have worked out great. Daughter is responsible for two and former housekeeper brought the Chihuahua when she was about 7 weeks old. found her wandering the streets. It has been a long time since I was in the UP so I am not sure of the shelter situation but since you want a companion dog that is where I would look. Shelters should let your son play with any dog he is seriously interested in. You know the hunting breeds that will bother your wife's rabbits. Only problem we have ever had with shelter dogs is one was very afraid of men. He dearly loved my wife and daughter but was afraid of me his entire life with us. That and some long haired dogs require monthly hair cuts. I would talk to the shelter people about any dog you may be interested in. They will have seen how it behaves and what it will and won't do and likes and dislikes. Good luck on your search.

[Clay M]

We wound up with a poodle mix breed. Someone dumped the little dog out to die.
My son opened the door of his truck and she jumped in,went under the seat and wouldn't come out.
She was very dehydrated.
He took her to his mom to find her a new home, and she fell in love with the dog.
It was so happy to have a home that I couldn't send her away. She followed me everywhere.

She is a great watch dog, and barks when strangers come up.Also chases the coons, opossums, and armadillos out of the yard.

I wasn't really looking for another dog, but she is sweet, and needed a home.
All my cats are rescues too.

[EllasPapa]

I'd never owned a dog under 100 pounds until I was in my 40's. Had to have a Shepard put down due to epilepsy, and my wife brought home a Pug. For almost 20 years, we had three of them, down to one now. The first two both lived past 17, were wonderful dogs. 20 pounds, thought they were 200. Very little barking, and quite happy to spend their day sleeping or laying around. Not into exercise. Very good natured, comical.

We just got a purebred Pomeranian puppy, 13 weeks old. We've only had him for two weeks, and I'm amazed at the little guy. Paper training took two days, he walks on a lead perfectly. We had him two days before we enven knew he COULD bark. Laid back, intelligent, very easy to get along with.

[thegatman]

Pocket beagle

[SSGOldfart]

Try a Papillion they only get to 6 or 7 pounds spends most of the time sleeping or just laying in your lap,I've had this one for almost 8 years, other than the occasional mistake she is not any trouble.Friends of my wife's sent this little papillon to me after I had a stroke,during my hospital stay I give away my lab to another Vet who had just returned from the sandbox.So he could hunt her I didn't see it fair that she would spend her first year or two sitting in a kennel while I was trying to recover,this little papillion weighs in at 4.5 #, she is fussy about what she eats.will never get bigger than she is now.good luck with your son:mad:

[BrassMagnet]

look on line for shelters near you, they'll have a lot of dogs pics and stats listed. Or go to a shelter, you'll see the dog in a stressful situation and if it's laid back and not barking you might have a winner.

Merlin said it very well!
If that laid back shelter dog happens to be a Jack Russell Terrier, then even better!

[Hannibal]

Go and get yourself 12 of whatever dogs you can find. 11 will not be worth owning. 1 might.

Such has been my experience.

[KAF]

Small, smart, likes to lay on your lap,
fun, easy to care for.......... A Cat.

[historicfirearms]

I've always had large dogs and thought I hated small ankle biters too. One day we stopped at Jays Sporting Goods on a day when they still used to have their puppy sales. Long story short, I got a new rifle and the wife came home with a shih Tzu puppy. Turns out he is the best dog I've ever had. He is great with the kids, loves to play fetch, loves guns so much I have to put him inside while I target shoot so he will keep out of the way. He barks lots less than Gus, my chocolate lab. I just took him on a family vacation to Wyoming. He went with us on a few hikes in the mountains and kept up fine, one day going over 10 miles of hard trails. He loves water and when I take him fishing he will lay down at the shoreline with his belly just in the water. And he is far and away the most loving dog ive ever seen. He loves to be by your side and have his belly rubbed.
About the only bad thing I can say about him is that he needs a haircut every month or so. Otherwise their coat soaks up every like a mop.

[bdicki]

How small LLoyd?...my all time favorite is the Springer Spaniel. Get one from hunting stock, bright, trainable, good natured dogs. A ***** (oops female dog) will go 30 lbs and a male another 5-10. Bigger than an ankle biter and a decent working dog if you are so inclined. (flushers like labs, great grouse, pheasant dogs...small for waterfowl but they are eager and excellent for jump shooting ducks).
I agree with this.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t182/bdicki/080807-2.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t182/bdicki/DSCN0311.jpg

[Rick Hodges]

I agree with this.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t182/bdicki/080807-2.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t182/bdicki/DSCN0311.jpg

That's what I'm talking about. :bigsmyl2:

[w5pv]

For my own use I love Black Mouth Yellow Cur dogs(the Old Yellow type) good watch dogs,hunting dogs, companion.They will die protecting you.Good loyal to the core.

[NavyVet1959]

Had a neighbor that had a pair of beagles. I quickly learned to hate them. They would howl / bark at *everything*. Mosquito flies through the yard, they would howl. Hand another neighbor that had various small dogs (dachshunds, etc). They were just as bad, but just barking instead of howling. Chows are great in that they are lazy and if they are really excited, you might get one deep "woof" every 5 minutes. :)

Just got back from a month in the UK and Ireland and saw a lot of people with Staffordshire Terriers over there. They were all very friendly. They are similar to the Pit Bull. I have a female Pit and she is probably the smallest dog that I would be willing to own. I hate those high strung yipping dogs (i.e. rats that bark).

[HABCAN]

I had a very obedient dog. I'd say "Are you coming or aren't you?" and he'd come or he wouldn't.
Now, back to the OP's original thread.............

[Char-Gar]

I have a 15 pound Pekineses, who is my constant companion. He will bark/alert when something different happens around his world. He can here the UPS truck a block away. Unless something is amiss, he doesn't have much to say.

I like this in him, as my hearing is getting worse and he hears what I don't. I always pay attention to him and thank him for letting me know something is different.

If there are small children don't get a Pekineses, for they don't like small children. Other than that they are great dogs.

[Char-Gar]

Go and get yourself 12 of whatever dogs you can find. 11 will not be worth owning. 1 might.

Such has been my experience.

My experience is that there are far, far more bad dog owners than bad dogs.

[DerekP Houston]

My experience is that there are far, far more bad dog owners than bad dogs.

I think out of that dozen I'd find 8-9 neglected or abused dogs that deserve better and 1 that was treated right and 1-2 dogs that might have had temperamental or genetic issues due to puppy mill or poor breeding. Not every dog is perfect, they are the same as us, we all have our flaws.

[richhodg66]

Small, smart, likes to lay on your lap,
fun, easy to care for.......... A Cat.

The wife and I have pretty much come to this conclusion. Still have a very old Shi Tzu and he has been a good, low maintenance little dog who has gotten along well with other dogs and is basically 100% indifferent to the cats. Love our cats, we're up to four now.

I'm about to start a job that will have me home more. I'll probably wait til the Shi Tzu passes on and maybe til next summer, but I'll likely either get another Bassett or go adopt a mutt of some sort.

[DerekP Houston]

Nothing wrong with cats in my eyes, just aint the same as having a dog. Oh and my wife is allergic to cats...though her name is Cat....funny to me!

[bedbugbilly]

We don't have kids so our dogs have always been kids to us. We've had a Basset,, a couple of Cairn Terriers, a Husky/Shepherd mix, a Lab/Shepherd mix, a Jack Russel and we now have a Poodle/Bichen mix - about 18 pounds and a Poodle. Mind you, all of them have been great dogs and companions. I always told my wife that I NEVER wanted a POODLE! (I think that was the "macho side" talking!?). I lost my Lab/Shepherd mix which was a rescue dog - she was a beautiful dog and totally devoted. We went to get dog food at a pet store in AZ for our Poodle/Bichen mix and there was this 10 pound Poodle that the owner was "fostering". She had been abused and was in pretty sad shape but when the lady picked her up and put her in my arms, I was a "goner". "Gracie" is probably one of the nicest dogs I have ever had. It took her a while to "trust" but now, she is always on my lap if I'm sitting, sleeps on the bed with us and she is super smart. She "rules the roost" now and she and our Pooodle/Bichen are like brother and sister. When one goes to the vet - they both go and the same way when they go to the groomer - they are best buds.

Everybody has their favorite breeds or mixes - I am sold totally on Poodles now. Great companion dogs and loyal beyond any question. Hopefully you'll find a good "fit" for your son - I know size is a factor but there are many breeds and mixes out there just waiting for a good home. And just remember . . . just like you and me when we feel the need to talk we do . . a dog needs to express themselves once in a while too. Gracie was "de-barked" by her original owner who also abused her. If I could ever find out who it was that abused and de-barked her, I would be more than happy to remove parts of their anatomy as well. Fortunately, she is able to bark but it is subdued - she's a good watch dog and a real joy when she is trying to get me to do something and she starts "bossing" me around! Best of luck to you!

[RogerDat]

Look to what the dog was bred for, while some individuals may fall toward the ends of a breed characteristic most will be true to what they were bred for. I like and have a Schnauzer, standard not mini and she runs 40 lbs. Which is certainly not small but smaller than a lab. Smart dog bred for farm, so strong prey drive for rodents (your rabbits are toast too even at 11 years old) and requires activities that engage that brain. Mini Schnauzers are smaller from having terrier bred into the line, shows up in both temperament and a slightly bow legged front stance. Much less calm than the standards.

I like Blue Heelers and Australian cattle breeds but they require a lot of training and will nip to move people and animals and cars and.... also a breed that wants and needs a job to do. Same for the border collies. Smart and wonderful dogs but they need to herd or do something to please you. Watch a border collie do dog agility, they land coming over a jump looking at their handler for what next. Brittany Spaniels are nice but were bred to chase bunnies in circles so hunters could shoot them, not a good dog for sitting around.

You might consider a Lhasa Apso, they are the larger version of a Shih Tzu http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/lhasaapsos.html calm temperament but they were bred as a watch dog so some obedience training is in order.

Designer dogs - not generally something I like, it takes inbreeding to get a mix of two breeds to breed true. Lots and lots of inbreeding. Or you have a mutt that won't breed true but is just a cross, with all the "ugly" ones culled. For which you pay big bucks. Mutts on the other hand can be great but also like a box of chocolates, never know what you are going to get. Had one dog looked like a Sheppard pup, except sort of floppy ears. Turned out to never get bigger than a 6 month old Sheppard and liked to bay when on the hunt. Would cruise right by a bunny with her nose to the ground following the scent.

My suggestion is start with an actual size, as in weight and height. Then temperament and maintenance (coat and grooming). Consider known health issues, some breeds are very prone to certain diseases or conditions. Also life expectancy can matter. We all want them to live forever but some breeds seldom make it to 10 years and others normally live into their teens. Avoid dogs that have a "job" bred into them unless one is willing to provide a substitution to engage that need. We ran dog agility, I was never too serious in terms of championship level competition but the jumps and practice in the back yard and competitive events provided a job and working relationship with her human that a standard Schnauzer needs.

After researching and getting some ideas of what might work search online and head for a "benched" dog show. Benched shows the dogs and breeders have to stay all day, instead of leaving as soon as they compete unless they win and have to compete in next group. Great way to meet people that raise and handle the breeds your research indicates are possibilities, ask them questions and meet the dogs. Couple of terrier breeds were on our list but talking to breeders it seemed pretty clear these breeds would have conflicts with the cats. The smaller breed would have been killed when it got in the bigger cats face, which it would have done. Larger terrier would probably win or at least cost us a fortune in vets bills to patch the dog and cat back up.

Don't forget to have a plan to socialize and train early. Young puppies learn things in a way that makes them almost reflexes. The down, sit, come or heal learned at 2 months become instinctive so have the training class lined up. Your son may form a very solid bond with dog in giving dog treats during training. Wife feeds the dog but I am the source of treats for the "come" whistle she has in her brain.

[Lloyd Smale]

that was one of my first choises rick
How small LLoyd?...my all time favorite is the Springer Spaniel. Get one from hunting stock, bright, trainable, good natured dogs. A ***** (oops female dog) will go 30 lbs and a male another 5-10. Bigger than an ankle biter and a decent working dog if you are so inclined. (flushers like labs, great grouse, pheasant dogs...small for waterfowl but they are eager and excellent for jump shooting ducks).

[KMac]

How small LLoyd?...my all time favorite is the Springer Spaniel. Get one from hunting stock, bright, trainable, good natured dogs. A ***** (oops female dog) will go 30 lbs and a male another 5-10. Bigger than an ankle biter and a decent working dog if you are so inclined. (flushers like labs, great grouse, pheasant dogs...small for waterfowl but they are eager and excellent for jump shooting ducks).

I love my labs and Goldens but I will have to also agree that the best dog I have ever had was a English Springer Spaniel. Gentle, smart , great looking dog. My cats and kittens loved that dog more than each other. Great size, not too small or to large,not too much energy, but would play for hours if you wanted too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Just got back from a month in the UK and Ireland and saw a lot of people with Staffordshire Terriers over there. They were all very friendly. They are similar to the Pit Bull. I have a female Pit and she is probably the smallest dog that I would be willing to own. I hate those high strung yipping dogs (i.e. rats that bark).

There is a cautionary tale here, about the kind of thing you have to watch out for in a dog. Since 1991 the American pit bull has been a full-auto dog, illegal to buy, breed, keep unneutered or take out unmuzzled. As they don't live to 25, there are in theory none in the UK. It did indeed reflect a need, for there had been some dreadful savagings or deaths of children, with no advance warning, by dogs that I don't think the best training in the world could have made all right. They probably hadn't had the best training in the world, either. The law has certainly reduced such tragedies.

I think an entire breed suffered the cruelest cut of all because of the behavior of various strains, small in number, which had been bred for illegal competitive dog-fighting. It is a malodorous sport of seriously low quality human beings, for the usual thing in dog-fights is they end when the loser admits defeat. The trouble is that with dogs, odd little quirks of instinct can linger on, and sometimes you can observe a dog for days and think he is reliable. Lanty Hanlon the Irish terrier occasionally goes on point in the classic pointer's manner, and the genetic link between him and the Kerry Blue of sixty years ago is confirmed by their being the only dogs we've had which turn round and round to flatten down the grass in a grassless petshop bed. These things don't hurt anybody, but others might.

The Staffordshire bull terrier and the English bull terrier are generally friendly with humans and not offensive with dogs, although they are capable of saying "make my day". Surprisingly, golden retrievers probably figure highest of all in the figures for biting people, but it is generally a mild bite, and with a bull terrier, you stay bitten. Also there are rogue strains we don't always know about, especially if they have been bred for showing, and owners can't afford to waste a generation or two straightening out temperament.

Of course nobody can tell the difference between some of these breeds, and their crosses, just by looking at them. (Oh dear, however were we to think of that?) But in relatively minor cases it gets judged on type (i.e. imagination), and if somebody gets involved in a serious maiming or death, I believe DNA testing might come into play.

Princess Anne was fined under that act when one of her English bull terriers badly bit two children in Windsor Great Park. Another fatally bit one of the Queen's corgis. Reports of its killing the corgi are slightly misleading, as it was put down after a bad leg injury, and it wasn't a big leg. The Princess was an Olympic competitive horsewoman, and appears to be a just but decisive trainer of human beings. I can't imagine her bringing up dogs badly. But it does sound as if there are undesirable genes in those dogs.

What happens when someone less in the public eye gets worried about his dog, without a serious incident? It can end up in a rescue kennel. My advice would be to get only a well-known inoffensive breed from a rescue kennel, but if you want any kind of bull terrier or similar you will probably be lucky, but is "probably" good enough? I'd say get one where you can look carefully into his background. The name "Tyson" in his pedigree is probably a danger sign.

[Lloyd Smale]

daughter and son in law have 3 pit bulls and there some of the sweetest dogs ive ever seen. They wouldn't hurt a fly. Problem though is a couple of my neighbors have small kids or grandkids and I just don't want them to be uncomfortable. This dog would run free during the day and come and go as it pleased. I wouldn't have a dog unless it could. MY lab was the neighborhood pet. He made rounds at least twice a day getting treats at all the houses within a half a mile. It was nothing to see him playing in the yard with a couple 6-10 year old kids without a parent even giving it a second thought. He loved kids as much as they loved him. Now if I could only find a half sized lab!

[Ithaca Gunner]

Yeah Lloyd, there was a young couple down the road who had two pit bulls, (really shouldn't have had a dog, they kept them tied out and more often than not the dogs were in need of food and water). They were fantastic dogs, sweet, loving, and just wanted some attention. We kept an eye on em and gave em water and food when they needed it, even brought em to our yard to play with our five herders and sporting dogs...a good time was had by all. At times the male, (Moses) would get free and I'd see him running up the road, only two calls were needed, "Moses!" he'd stop and look around, a second, "Moses! Come here buddy!" and his paws hardly touched the ground, he'd come flying, apply the breaks on the front porch, his tail whipping around, tongue hanging and slobbering. He'd spend an hour or so with us on the porch, then we'd take him back. Wonderful dogs, the pair!

A couple of Pit Bulls I'd like you to meet, Sgt. Stubby and Sallie. Both war dogs, both hero's.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn179/krag1894/Sgt_Stubbys_brick_at_Liberty_Memorial_zpsf9f62aee. jpg

A wounded Stubby helped from the battlefield by a friend.
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn179/krag1894/wardog_c_soldier_zps93ede0dc.jpg

Stubby meets Pershing after the war. The coat he wears displaying his medals and awards was made for him by some grateful women of France.
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn179/krag1894/sgtstubby4_zps7e4f67b0.png

Stubby was adopted by men of the 102 Infantry Regiment of the 26th "Yankee" Division while in training and was smuggled aboard a troop transport bound for France during WWI. When caught by an officer aboard ship, Stubby saluted and won a place with the 102nd. Stubby proved invaluable on the battlefield, he heard incoming shells before any human could and warned the men, smelled poison gas and would let out a special bark for it, (he had his own gas mask too) he sought out wounded men between the lines and was often found comforting the men in field hospitals between battles, he even caught a German spy. Stubby was wounded twice and was the first American war dog awarded rank. Back home Stubby participated in parades, met generals, and presidents. He helped the nation forget the horrors of war and ranked a celebrity in the early 1920's. Stubby's obituary in 1926 covered a half page in the newspapers, more than notable humans.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn179/krag1894/Sergeant_Stubby_zpsd7cd8f79.jpg


Sallie of the 11th PA Vol. Inf. 1861-1865. Sallie was a gift to the regiment when it formed in 1861, just a tiny pup among the men. She learned to march with the regiment and fight with it. "Sal" showed her loyalty at Gettysburg, the 11th. fought on July 1 on Oak Ridge eventually being pushed back to Cemetery Ridge with the rest of the 1st. and 11th. Corps, but Sal was not to be found. An officer of the 12th. Mass, a sister regiment of the brigade found Sal on July 5, standing guard over the dead on Oak Ridge, dehydrated and hungry. Sal was wounded twice, gave birth to several litters of pups, and was Killed in action alongside the men she loved at Hatcher's Run in 1865. Sal was buried where she fell by her comrades. It was said Sal hated three kinds of people, women, Rebs, and democrats.

The 11th. PA monument at Gettysburg with Sallie at it's base.
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn179/krag1894/11Pa-4c-451-055_zpsc1f018b6.jpg

The only known photo of Sallie.
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn179/krag1894/d3mtgrg_547g8c5tfcg_b_zpsde24f243.jpg

Visitors to the 11th PA. memorial often lay gifts at the base, dog treats and sometimes money. These are gathered daily by park volunteers and donated to local shelters. After 153 years "Sal" is still a hero dog, though now through donations to shelters.
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn179/krag1894/11Pa-Sallie-4c-451-103_zps0d91676d.jpg

[DerekP Houston]

I'll have to show my bias again. I read the history of the pitbull and the fact it was a treasure before maligned and misbread/found by thugs/gangs. Mine was the sweetest dog, but he did cause other people issues. They are quite strong and willful, but also playful smart and a blast. Our 2 smaller dogs started ganging up on him and we had to rehome him. It was sad to see him go, but he is at a better house now with more room to run. I still think all dog breeds can be trained and brought up to be "good dogs" except for the few random genetic or temperamental issues. Ain't like humans don't have the exact same issues.

I'm for idiot legislation not breed specific registration.

[Blackwater]

Thanks, IG for those wonderful stories. Kind'a sums up the man-dog relationship through time.

And as to the pit bulls, the first ones I ever knew of were bred to work cattle. If they grab a cow's nose, that cow ain't goin' NOWHERE! And I've seen this strain of pit bull literally have its eyes poked and ears pulled by toddlers, and it just took it in total boredom. Not the least scintilla of evidence of being dangerous at all. And I was this in that particular strain and its offshoots time and again through the years. Absolutely great dogs! But you have to be sure it's a working strain. If it's got a fighting dog anywhere in its past, I'd pass on that one. It'll always make me extremely angry to know people fight dogs, often to the death. It'll never happen in my presence, is all I can say about that. It's just not gonna' happen!

[Ithaca Gunner]

"Tige" of Buster Brown fame was a Pit Bull as was "Petie" of "The Little Rascals". I read where they were considered children's dogs from the 1880's-1940's.

[NavyVet1959]

And I've seen this strain of pit bull literally have its eyes poked and ears pulled by toddlers, and it just took it in total boredom. Not the least scintilla of evidence of being dangerous at all. And I was this in that particular strain and its offshoots time and again through the years. Absolutely great dogs!

I've found that most large dog breeds are better with children than the small dog breeds. The small dogs feel threatened and are likely to bite whereas the large dog breeds just kind of ignore the kids like they were nothing more than mosquitoes.

I had one large dog with food protective issues with my daughter at one time, but a bit of negative reinforcement when he tried it again and then making him eat out of her hand so that he associated her with *giving* him food and not taking it away cured him of that.

[shooter2]

How small LLoyd?...my all time favorite is the Springer Spaniel. Get one from hunting stock, bright, trainable, good natured dogs. A ***** (oops female dog) will go 30 lbs and a male another 5-10. Bigger than an ankle biter and a decent working dog if you are so inclined. (flushers like labs, great grouse, pheasant dogs...small for waterfowl but they are eager and excellent for jump shooting ducks).

Springers are pretty smart, very loving and gentle. They want to be close, so do not make them sleep outdoors. Buy a cage, take off the door, put in a good bed and let them love you up. We've had many over the years and found that two is better than one. Look at ESRA for adoptions or find a reputable breeder. Ours like their beds at night, but nap with us in our bed. God, I sure do love them!

[RogerDat]

Grew up with an English Cocker, very sweet and friendly dog. Modest sized, smaller than a Springer, larger than a Brittany. Lived a long time, was blind for the last few years but would still go for walks with my dad. She tolerated a lot of abuse from my nephew when he was young, that shepard mutt mentioned was not going to put up with his shenanigans. She allowed him to run up and kick her once, but the second time she whipped her head around, opened her mouth, put her teeth on his leg (without biting down) and then as she rolled his direction pushed him back with her mouth. His leg was fully in her mouth, with teeth on both sided and yet not a mark on him, just slobber. Kid was too surprised to even yell, did stop bothering the dog after she explained "see teeth, see quicker than you". Kid was rowdy not stupid.

Bully breeds do get a bad rap to some extent, many are sweet, one of the kids had a Rottweiler that was a sweetheart and very gentle. Thing is when these breeds bite they can do a lot of damage and are less inclined to bite and go. More inclination to stay and bite repeatedly this leads to those incidents that do take place tending to cause more harm than other dogs of similar size. Breeding does matter, some were bred as fighters, others as working dogs. The advice to go with a working dog strain is a good one. A dog that barks and backs up is a watch dog, a dog that stands its ground is a guard dog. Any breed that is inclined to be a guard dog requires extensive training to overcome the tendency to "guard" on its own, making its own decisions on acceptable force.

[firefly1957]

My last two dogs were from the pound they were/are Corgi mix and great dogs . I have had two labs and a Irish setter over the years the Irish setter was the smartest and most protective dog .

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Thanks, IG for those wonderful stories. Kind'a sums up the man-dog relationship through time.

And as to the pit bulls, the first ones I ever knew of were bred to work cattle. If they grab a cow's nose, that cow ain't goin' NOWHERE! And I've seen this strain of pit bull literally have its eyes poked and ears pulled by toddlers, and it just took it in total boredom. Not the least scintilla of evidence of being dangerous at all. And I was this in that particular strain and its offshoots time and again through the years. Absolutely great dogs! But you have to be sure it's a working strain. If it's got a fighting dog anywhere in its past, I'd pass on that one. It'll always make me extremely angry to know people fight dogs, often to the death. It'll never happen in my presence, is all I can say about that. It's just not gonna' happen!

This is indeed the situation. As with lots of other legislation, the innocent suffer for the sins of the guilty. All of the combative breeds need careful training, though. If a stranger slaps you on the back without meaning any harm, and your dog bites him in a way that doesn't mean much harm, you don't need quite the same people skills with a spaniel.

Rottweilers never were singled out in law, but used to have a bad reputation in the UK, I believe for two reasons. Behaviour that is deadly in a Rottweiler often gets tolerated in a dachshund. Also they are often owned by someone who doesn't understand dogs well, and just wants another set of muscles to flex besides his own. I never met one that wasn't just a really nice big dog. My mother's collie-whippet lurcher used to sail up to strange male rottweilers and nip them affectionately on the neck. They couldn't have caught her, but didn't know that and never tried, since they loved it as the universally mistrusted generally do.

When people talk of having big, tough dogs, I always reflect on Robin, the scruffy little spaniel (or nearly) owned by Jim Corbett, who for some twenty years of his life hunted only maneaters which knew their business, and mostly in dense jungle. Robin was bought from a native, and probably due to bad feeding in youth had a heart condition which made him faint under severe exertion. But there wasn't much exertion in his work, and he knew exactly when he, or the biggest dog in the world, had to fall back and rely on the boss.

Last night Lanty Hanlon the Irish terrier proved twice over why Airedales, a close but slightly larger relative, were sometimes used as police dogs. I was making a piece of jewellery, another hobby of mine, and dropped a little gold ring the size of a grain of rice. That would have been serious, since apart from value, I couldn't have replaced it in time for the local show. But Lanty went straight to it. I've known him dash in from another room and do the same for a piece of plastic not much larger. He hadn't seen it, and the area was full of things with the same thing. It was just the acoustics of the room that guided him.

Two small boys also came over the garden wall uninvited to retrieve a ball, and he arrested them. He didn't bite, didn't threaten if you know what his style of playfulness is, and only gave two barks to make sure we knew. It reminded me of the movie where Charlie Chaplin in the First World War captures the Kaiser and the Crown Prince. He surrounded them. Lanty is teeth all the way to the ears, with the knack of seeming like half a dozen sets all around you.

It wasn't very different from the way he unfortunately hasn't yet been trained out of helping kids to play football. The European version is a non-contact sport, and he appears to think jumping to head height without quite touching is all the compromise we should get this year. The trouble is that the footballers like it too much, but these were terrified. As Shakespeare says, conscience doth make cowards of us all.

Dogs have rendered great service in war, for it corresponds a lot to their instincts, and there are no amateur dogs. One of my childhood friends was a human equivalent of Robin, a tiny and pathologically shy First World War sniper who could blend invisibly into anything he leant against, and considered it unchristian to kill anybody he could send home to take his pension. One of his greatest regrets was that it was his plain duty to shoot dogs as the number two priority after officers.

I sometimes annoy my German wife by mentioning that others said their fox terrier could recognize Germans by smell, but it was probably clothing, accoutrements and diet. They used to say that you always have less chance of trouble with prisoners when you have given them a cup of tea and a biscuit, and that was what convinced the dog they were no longer the enemy. I just hope he wasn't the fox terrier that became a POW, and the property of PFC Hitler. There is a most unfair myth that Rhodesian ridgebacks have an inbuilt dislike of blacks, but a ridgeback brought up by blacks could be just the opposite. I used to know black New Yorkers who took special care that their German Shepherd should get to meet their white friends, in case he went wrong that way.

Here is one that had the unusual distinction of being held prisoner by both the Americans and the Japanese, besides six months' quarantine on arriving home:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_(dog)

Surprisingly she was relatively well treated by the Japanese (relatively), because she hadn't disgraced herself by surrendering.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive seen those miniature beagles advertised on craigs list here. I wonder if they have any of that bunny hunting mentality left in them?
Pocket beagle

[Lloyd Smale]

no dog sleep outside at this house!!
Springers are pretty smart, very loving and gentle. They want to be close, so do not make them sleep outdoors. Buy a cage, take off the door, put in a good bed and let them love you up. We've had many over the years and found that two is better than one. Look at ESRA for adoptions or find a reputable breeder. Ours like their beds at night, but nap with us in our bed. God, I sure do love them!

[DerekP Houston]

no dog sleep outside at this house!!

Same here, though we do kennel them at night. Just replaced most of the carpet to laminate and if we don't all you can hear is clicking nails on them walking all over all night still.

They did serve their purpose last night and alerted me to take a walk around. Heard 5-6 fairly distinct bangs...way late and past fireworks season here. So, I took a lap around the block to see what was up. Only people I saw were the sketchy neighbors outside who claimed someone else was setting off fireworks...but no smell of gunpowder, no firecrackers in the street or anyone else outside. Still seemed weird and kept me up awhile. I did see a sherif take off to a different end of the subdivision....just....weird feeling for awhile.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Here is a feline one. There is a possibility of a substitute cat creeping in at some point, but some of it is undoubtedly true. Of course Unsinkable Sam couldn't strictly be called a hero. He just got wet.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsinkable_Sam

[Ithaca Gunner]

no dog sleep outside at this house!!

Not unless I sleep outside with em!

[frank505]

What about a border terrier? I'm looking for a smaller dog than my beloved German wirehaired pointers. Something that can hike with me and warn us of bears etc. A fine companion someday...

[Ballistics in Scotland]

What about a border terrier? I'm looking for a smaller dog than my beloved German wirehaired pointers. Something that can hike with me and warn us of bears etc. A fine companion someday...

That should be extremely good. They don't have a troublesome temperament, and are better at running and long-distance walking than the shorter-legged terriers. They vary greatly in trainability - which isn't the same as intelligence, as like most terriers they tend to have firm conviction that you like them the way they are.

A healthy border terrier tends to be very healthy, and long-lived, but the breed does have quite a few inherited health problems. Their have increased greatly in popularity in the UK in recent years, and might be increasing in the US now. As I said earlier, that is a situation in which it is a good idea to look for an AKC accredited breeder scheme, check up on the breed association policies, see the puppies early and with the mother, and check the pedigree for excessive inbreeding.

In the US they are subjected to trials in synthetic underground burrows, with cages of protected but no doubt anxious rats. Parents which have done well in this might be worth looking for.

I believe it is an exceptionally trained border terrier that you can see in the 1943 "Lassie come home", the movie in which Elizabeth Taylor hit her peak. That dog seemed far brighter than the temporarily transgendered male collie which played the leading lady. I showed that movie to Saudi students who had been made to come in on a weekend to keep the course validators happy about contact hours, and they got quite sentimental about Lassie's puppies.

[jlchucker]

Nothing wrong with cats in my eyes, just aint the same as having a dog. Oh and my wife is allergic to cats...though her name is Cat....funny to me!

Agree wholeheartedly. I have two--an 18 pound yellow tom, and a 10 pound solid black female. Both are neutered. They have unique personalities, and although I got the black one some years after the tom, the pecking order was established with one quick right paw after they first stared at each other for a moment--and big ol' Skippy was no longer the ruler of the roost. They get along fine. I never was much for those little yappydogs, until I spent a winter in Florida with a lady friend who had one. I don't recall his breed--a little white furball with floppy ears and a bark that would pierce eardrums. When she brought him to my house, that dog had no experience with cats, and barked excitedly at my little black cat, who was lying on a low shelf. She just looked at him until she figured he'd barked long enough, and then two very quick right-paw swipes and the dog shut up and hid behind his momma. A few minutes later, all critters were no longer strangers, and got along pretty well. The cats stayed home, and the dog went to Florida with us, and I got to like him quite a bit. Not exactly a pit bull, but he was a dog who would bark and growl like something way bigger than he was. His kind made for a great pet, and he got along with other dogs of all sizes for the nearly 3 months we were wintering a miserable winter in a great place to be in the winter.

[jlchucker]

My suggestion is to go to a shelter i have a lab German short hair mix comes in right at 60 pounds that we rescued from a shelter one of the best dogs that I ever had

When I was growing up, our family dogs as well as those of most neighbors were mixed-breed dogs. All sizes and who knows mixed with what. Purebread dogs are OK, but mixed breeds, raised with affection, can be every bit as good or better than lots of purebreds. If someone is looking for a pet, and wants a dog, the shelters are full of nice dogs just waiting to be rescued (or sadly, put down for lack of someone taking them home).

[toallmy]

Yes Sr a good American mutt is a darn fine buddy . I have had home made , and store bought doggies unless you are bragging to your friends , or after a special trait eather will be fine .

[Lloyd Smale]

one good thing here in our shelter is dogs are never put down. They stay until there adopted or die of natural cause. I know that that's where I should be looking and if I found a pup there id grab it but I'm a bit nervous about an adult dog. I'm sure theres lot of good ones but theres also problem dogs there. Am I sharp enough to tell the difference? Probably not. Also this dog is for my son and its his first and theres a bond that's formed with a puppy, training them right from the start that I don't want him to miss out on.
When I was growing up, our family dogs as well as those of most neighbors were mixed-breed dogs. All sizes and who knows mixed with what. Purebread dogs are OK, but mixed breeds, raised with affection, can be every bit as good or better than lots of purebreds. If someone is looking for a pet, and wants a dog, the shelters are full of nice dogs just waiting to be rescued (or sadly, put down for lack of someone taking them home).

[toallmy]

Lloyd here is a picture of my girls watching for me to come home from work .

[pmer]

I didn't read all of these yet but we have a 23lb or Boston Terrier / Rat Terrier mix that is pretty relaxed and well mannered. Bostons are laid back dogs. Ours can hunt, he mouses and can climb trees but that could be the Rat side of him. Another good house dog would be a 40 ish lb pitbull like a well bred runt of the litter. I had a bigger pitbull years ago and she was one of the best farm dogs we had.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Here are a couple more military dogs. This one didn't have to be conscripted:

https://www.harpercollins.co.uk/9780007478897/the-small-dog-with-a-big-personality-rats

There were lots of Catholic areas in Northern Ireland which weren't particularly hostile to British troops. But South Armagh, and in particular Crossmaglen, were a particularly bad place, and the Crossmaglen sangar, a word inherited from Afghanistan in an earlier age, was a wired fortification. Rats was a stray who wandered in, attached himself to the soldiers, and took to going out on patrol. He knew his job very well, and was a valuable ally, for he could smell guns, explosives and guilty intentions. Soldiers rotate, and he wouldn't go out with recent arrivals until he knew who he could trust. He was partially blown up twice, but it didn't seem to bother him.

The IRA actually put a price on his head, both because of his military value and because (I joke not) he was an Irish dog, and therefore a traitor. On one occasion a woman tried to run him down with her car. It is a long-term characteristic of the country to hate informers much worse than overt enemies, and my Irish nationalist friends could talk to me, a staunch Empire loyalist, as they never could among their own. The second priority on finding a garbage-bagged body on a country road (after determining whether it was booby-trapped) was to find out whether it had shoes on, as that meant a soldier, policeman or loyalist, while informers underwent the sort of interrogation that began with their shoes off. So Rats was eventually retired to a secret address in the UK, like witness protection.

Bobbie was also a scruffy mongrel, but he accompanied the Berkshire Regiment at the disastrous battle of Maiwand in Afghanistan in 1880. He appears to have been present when the last eleven fit men charged the enemy to give the wounded (in fiction including Sherlock Holmes's friend Dr. Watson) a chance to get away. He was brought back to the UK and introduced to Queen Victoria, at much the same time as Cetshwayo the Zulu king, whom she also appears to have liked. Unfortunately Bobby was run over by a hansom cab and killed the following year. I've seen him in the regimental museum in Salisbury, where although being stuffed might be considered a misfortune, he has an immortality which many a Victorian government official might envy him. The apparent difference in colour from the photographs of the dog the Queen met can be explained by the orthochromatic photographic plates of the day. The medal he wears is probably that of an unknown soldier, despite the myth that he was decorated by the Queen.

http://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/research/the-collection/search/q:bobbie

[Ithaca Gunner]

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn179/krag1894/funny-dog-pitbull-fight_zpszfyspfsm.jpg

[toallmy]

I love it giving him a raspberry .

[kmw1954]

My choice. In loving memory of Roscoe. This was the morning before we had to put him down. He was almost 12 years old.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/bonz-d/001_zpsgokpxh0m.jpg (http://s276.photobucket.com/user/bonz-d/media/001_zpsgokpxh0m.jpg.html)

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/bonz-d/008_zpszexxcne1.jpg (http://s276.photobucket.com/user/bonz-d/media/008_zpszexxcne1.jpg.html)

[shoot-n-lead]

My choice. In loving memory of Roscoe. This was the morning before we had to put him down. He was almost 12 years old.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/bonz-d/001_zpsgokpxh0m.jpg (http://s276.photobucket.com/user/bonz-d/media/001_zpsgokpxh0m.jpg.html)

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/bonz-d/008_zpszexxcne1.jpg (http://s276.photobucket.com/user/bonz-d/media/008_zpszexxcne1.jpg.html)

I feel for ya'...

Sorry you had to do that.

[Lloyd Smale]

your putting tears in my eyes again!
My choice. In loving memory of Roscoe. This was the morning before we had to put him down. He was almost 12 years old.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/bonz-d/001_zpsgokpxh0m.jpg (http://s276.photobucket.com/user/bonz-d/media/001_zpsgokpxh0m.jpg.html)

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/bonz-d/008_zpszexxcne1.jpg (http://s276.photobucket.com/user/bonz-d/media/008_zpszexxcne1.jpg.html)

[44man]

Mine is pure Pekinese. Most laid back and loves everyone. Not snippy at all. The fear is she will be stolen so she is never loose and always on her leash. She will run to everyone but does not like strange dogs. I take her to my neighbors with two border collies and they get along fine.
Neighbors drive by and I have to pick her up so she gets petted, She will whine to do it. Paper lady, mail man. She loves all. Everyone here loves the little poople.
I ask if she want's to go see mike or Sheryl and she runs to the Polaris. She watches squirrels and deer and loves chickens. We can go 10' from deer.
I don't know what it is because most of her breed are nasty. Dogs know when there is love or bad feelings. Pete does not like dogs much since he works long hours and will not get his son one, but when he comes over, he scoops her up and she will be on her back on his chest and he does not want to put her down. My dog goes crazy when any friend comes over. She knows all by name too.
Don't fear little ones.
I don't teach my dogs to do anything. Just want a hug and to hold them.

[44man]

your putting tears in my eyes again!
Me too. So sad it can't be put into words.

[NavyVet1959]

I don't know what it is because most of her breed are nasty.

My parents had a Pekingese many years ago in their later years... Mean little bastard... To trim his claws, it took two people and one person had to be wearing thick gauntlet type welding gloves to hold him while the other clipped the claws. More than once I kicked him down the hallway when he growled at me because I came too close to his food, toy, or whatever else he had protective issues with. With all that hair, they slide really far... :) Actions that people would not put up with for a minute with large dogs just get ignored by some people with the small dogs.

[kmw1954]

Thank you everyone. He was one terrific dog. A great small child protector. He loved the little ones. Next to my wife he had been my greatest companion. I miss him also and Diesel is at my feet once again.

[44man]

Not mine, she loves to play and has 100 toys to choose from. True she hates the vet since she had problems. But she will get nails clipped with no problems. Female vet gets the worst response.
I could eat out of her dish with her.

[blackthorn]

Quote "I could eat out of her dish with her."

The dog---or the female vet???

[tdoyka]

the first and best dog i've ever had was a scottish terrier-toy poodle(muffin). i was 4 y.o. when i got her. 19 1/2 years later, we had to put her down. dang cancer got her. next was a brittney spaniel(brandy). she was good but she did like to run. unfornately she never stopped. i got a shock collar to keep her in the yard, but it never worked for her. she passed away after 8 years. then i got another brittney spaniel(lacie) that i still have. she is 15 y.o. and i have a feeling that it won't be long to put her down. when lacie was 3 y.o. , i got another dog that was a yorkpoo(katie). she was a little smaller than a terrier poodle but she had a heart bigger than mine. she was with a stroke-abled guy till i had to put her down too. her lungs began to fill with fluid until she couldn't breathe much, it was a hard choice to do. she was 12 y.o. now i have a a yorkee(buttons) that is 1 y.o. she knows whether its good(like peeing on the paper) or bad(peeing on everything but the paper!!!) and yet she does the bad more. but i can't stay mad at her. she knows what "buttons" to press that makes everything all right.

all of my dogs were neutered(about 6 months+/-). every dog i loved. if i could make dog years more like people years, i'd still have muffin. her and katie and buttons could take over my bed while brandy and lacie slept on the floor!!![smilie=l: not that i'd mind it...

[44man]

Quote "I could eat out of her dish with her."

The dog---or the female vet???
Funny, but too old for the vet! I don't like dog food either but can reach in her dish to give her the choice pieces. Spoiled rotten.

[odinohi]

A yorkie puppy looks like a tiny Rottweiler;) Very cool little yappers.

[Dframe]

I can't help you. I've been a Beagle guy forever

[kmw1954]

Well we just received a call from the shelter that our application has been accepted. Will be going next weekend to see a couple 9wk. old Belgian Shepard/Border Collie mix puppies.

[needausername]

+1 on the Blue Heeler. Quiet, calm, intently aware, eager to please and patient. Only down side is you must do your part. Any breed worth having is a 50/50 effort. If you're not up for your 50, then just don't.

Nothing more annoying than lap rats.

[jonp]

bulldog or a valley bulldog. We have a valley bulldog. Knee high but 70lbs. Doesn't bark, loves people, very loyal and well mannered. She does well in smaller areas as long as she is walked or let out into the yard once in a while. We also can leave her in the house when it rains all day while at work and she just sleeps. Very gentile with kids. Our granddaughter climbs on her, tugs her ears and generally fusses with her and all she gets is a lick from the dog. Once attached to a person they are very, very protective.

[DerekP Houston]

Well we just received a call from the shelter that our application has been accepted. Will be going next weekend to see a couple 9wk. old Belgian Shepard/Border Collie mix puppies.

Awesome! Im thrilled you went with adopting from a shelter, best of luck with your new pup.

[tdoyka]

+1 on the Blue Heeler. Quiet, calm, intently aware, eager to please and patient. Only down side is you must do your part. Any breed worth having is a 50/50 effort. If you're not up for your 50, then just don't.

Nothing more annoying than lap rats.


hey, i like lap ra... i mean dogs!!![smilie=l:

since i can't hunt small game anymore(stroke), lap dogs are my favorite.

[Lloyd Smale]

I grew up with beagles. My dad allways had at least two. I love them but my wife likes the rabbits running around the yard. Wouldn't matter to me but shed be mad if the dog ran them off.
I can't help you. I've been a Beagle guy forever

[Lloyd Smale]

I checked into the local shelters. Puppies are rare there. Most older dogs. By the time I pay 350 bucks to adopt a pup I might as well try to find another lab. I could probably get a black one for that kind of money around here. Part of the problem is money kind of tight. Kind of hoping I can find one that someone will swap a gun for a pup. Id like a smaller dog but bottom line is my heart belongs to labs.
Well we just received a call from the shelter that our application has been accepted. Will be going next weekend to see a couple 9wk. old Belgian Shepard/Border Collie mix puppies.

[44man]

Any dog will do. My friend loves Great Danes--sheese the dog is taller then me but is a lover and gets along with all other dogs, even my rug rat.
Now a neighbor has 3 new puppies and I can't take mine over. They are big and love to play. Jump on me and scratch me and jump on my little one. They would hurt her with their big feet. Not mean but do not know their own weight. Tommy can't get them to stay down. They go nuts when I go over. I hate to get jumped on with sharp claws.
I go to another neighbors with 2 dogs and they do not jump and my little one gets along fine.
The people at the other end own 2 rescue dogs, big black things. One will attack people and the other will kill any animal, even small dogs. He walks them and they pull him all over. I pick mine up and take her in when I see him. I won't go near them let alone my dog. One of them bit the lady across the road from him. Shotgun time!

[DerekP Houston]

Any dog will do. My friend loves Great Danes--sheese the dog is taller then me but is a lover and gets along with all other dogs, even my rug rat.
Now a neighbor has 3 new puppies and I can't take mine over. They are big and love to play. Jump on me and scratch me and jump on my little one. They would hurt her with their big feet. Not mean but do not know their own weight. Tommy can't get them to stay down. They go nuts when I go over. I hate to get jumped on with sharp claws.
I go to another neighbors with 2 dogs and they do not jump and my little one gets along fine.
The people at the other end own 2 rescue dogs, big black things. One will attack people and the other will kill any animal, even small dogs. He walks them and they pull him all over. I pick mine up and take her in when I see him. I won't go near them let alone my dog. One of them bit the lady across the road from him. Shotgun time!

I treat puppies like kids, they don't know better yet and just need a firm hand and patience. Mine still yap quite a bit but retreat into kennel.

Letting the dog lead you around and pulling...needs more training. Mine still give me issues like that if I don't keep them in check and trained. They will revert to bad habits if possible just like we do. That's owner training just imho dogs take their cues from us.

[NavyVet1959]

I was in Dallas picking up a Ruger .45LC Blackhawk that someone had listed on Armslist. As I'm trying to find a parking spot, I see this small young woman being dragged down the walkway in front of the stores in the strip mall by a large black dog. Don't remember the type of dog, perhaps some sort of black lab mix, but it probably weighed more than she did. It was pretty funny to watch -- something like you would see in one of the old cartoons or whatever. So, I drove a bit further so that I would be parked in the area where the dog was dragging her towards. I got out of my pickup and stopped the dog as she was getting dragged by me. I then showed her a trick I had discovered for leashing dogs that like to pull. With it, I clip the leash to the collar (with the collar ring oriented up) and then run the leash under the chest of the dog (directly behind his front legs) and then route the leash under itself when it comes back to the top. You are effectively creating a half-hitch on the dog's torso. With this mechanism, you are not choking the dog (which causes some dogs to pull even *more*). If the dog pulls too much, you are restricting how far his chest can expand and thus how much air he can breathe, but not with the same reaction from the dog as if you use a choke collar. He has to take shallower breaths. I've subsequently learned that there is a company that makes a leash / collar that works on the same principle. Anyway, after I reconfigured the dogs leash and gave it back to the woman, it was like night and day. She could now hold the dog with one hand instead of using both hands on the leash and still being dragged down the sidewalk.

It's similar to how this commercial product works, but it works with your existing leash (as long as it is long enough) and thus doesn't cost you anything to try out.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Jt1Jloblxs/Uh719JrmWLI/AAAAAAAAI6o/MbcMN_qVhi4/s640/thunderleash+product+review.jpg

[44man]

That is great.

[NavyVet1959]

If you've ever tried walking 3 dogs that like to pull and each go their separate way, only to find out that you are quickly wrapped up like a maypole by the 3 leashes, I have a solution that has worked for me. Take a ring and put 3 short (i.e. 2-3 ft long, depending upon the size of the dogs) leashes off of it. For each of the short leashes, have a bolt snap that clips to a dog's collar and on the other end, attach it to the ring either by sewing, tying, or another bolt snap. You then clip your longer leash to this ring. This allows you to keep the dogs together and they are pulling against each other instead of pulling against you. Of course, this does not work if the dogs are smart enough to gang up on you and all pull in the same direction. None of the dogs that I've ever owned have been smart enough to cooperate though -- they all want to go in different directions and tie me up. :)

[Ballistics in Scotland]

A device we sometimes see in the UK is a sort of combination of collar and muzzle, arranged so that excessive pulling produces a sideways pull on the muzzle. The trouble is that a lot of people then take it for a dog that has to be muzzled in public, and just as with humans the friendless tend to fall into line with what is expected of them. I've seen just the same with a labrador that is muzzled on the beach, for nothing more aggressive than consuming unfortunate things there.

A lot of people will tell you that if a dog pulls, you should simply turn and walk in the opposite direction. Well a dog doesn't have to be very bright to learn that you can't do that all day. Winding the lead in short and proceeding at a funeral pace works better.

I've just taken delivery of Mary Elizabeth Thurston's "Lost History of the Canine Race", which really is a most excellent book. It has much detail on the story of war dogs, particularly in America. America may still be the only major nation not to have erected a government memorial to its war dogs, but the logic may be that so many other organizations have been willing and able to do so. Here is a picture of Stubby, mentioned on page 3 of this thread.
172739


He was taxidermatised (rather badly around the muzzle, I think), and prominently displayed for some years in the Red Cross Museum in Washington. Then he was transferred to the Smithsonian, where he remains in a basement storage room. As of 1996 the museum had no plans to exhibit him, as the collections had become thematic in nature, and the administrators didn't consider that he fitted any particular theme, or was of great educational value. I know the sort of thing. The Kelvingrove museum in Glasgow has a magnificent collection of early firearms and arms and armour, almost all bequeathed to it long ago by a shipowning collector. But what is now displayed is now distributed around various thematic sections, and sporting guns in the wildlife section is not among them. Still, that did guide me to a cast of the skull of King Robert Bruce, which has a well healed sword cut of unknown origin. He was lucky it didn't hit him in a vital spot.

[44man]

To have a dog stuffed would be pain and tears too much. A grave is bad enough. A person to get flowers at the stone but a dog is all out crying. You replace but nothing gets better. But you need a dog. Life sucks without them.

[DerekP Houston]

I was in Dallas picking up a Ruger .45LC Blackhawk that someone had listed on Armslist. As I'm trying to find a parking spot, I see this small young woman being dragged down the walkway in front of the stores in the strip mall by a large black dog. Don't remember the type of dog, perhaps some sort of black lab mix, but it probably weighed more than she did. It was pretty funny to watch -- something like you would see in one of the old cartoons or whatever. So, I drove a bit further so that I would be parked in the area where the dog was dragging her towards. I got out of my pickup and stopped the dog as she was getting dragged by me. I then showed her a trick I had discovered for leashing dogs that like to pull. With it, I clip the leash to the collar (with the collar ring oriented up) and then run the leash under the chest of the dog (directly behind his front legs) and then route the leash under itself when it comes back to the top. You are effectively creating a half-hitch on the dog's torso. With this mechanism, you are not choking the dog (which causes some dogs to pull even *more*). If the dog pulls too much, you are restricting how far his chest can expand and thus how much air he can breathe, but not with the same reaction from the dog as if you use a choke collar. He has to take shallower breaths. I've subsequently learned that there is a company that makes a leash / collar that works on the same principle. Anyway, after I reconfigured the dogs leash and gave it back to the woman, it was like night and day. She could now hold the dog with one hand instead of using both hands on the leash and still being dragged down the sidewalk.

It's similar to how this commercial product works, but it works with your existing leash (as long as it is long enough) and thus doesn't cost you anything to try out.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Jt1Jloblxs/Uh719JrmWLI/AAAAAAAAI6o/MbcMN_qVhi4/s640/thunderleash+product+review.jpg

Oh man that is genius! You could've saved me money about 3 years back. The under harness trick *does* help quite a bit with dogs that pull!

[NavyVet1959]

Oh man that is genius! You could've saved me money about 3 years back. The under harness trick *does* help quite a bit with dogs that pull!

Many dogs instinctively forge. It's like they want to be pack animals and pull a cart or something. Choking them by the neck just encourages them to forge even more. Routing the leash in a half hitch under their chest cuts down how deep they can breathe and it really seems to make a difference. In the photo that I posted, the company decided to use a bolt snap with a larger square strap opening with a slot in the square strap portion to allow the strap to be slid in without you having to route most of the length of the leash through the opening. Of course, that weakens the force that the bolt snap could hold and it *could* be a potential problem.

With a bit of nylon straps and some marine hardware that you can find at any big box (e.g. Home Depot, Lowes, etc) home improvement / hardware store, you can create a harness or leash combination that works just as well as the commercial product that some companies are producing now. When I came up with my design, it was just a "I wonder what would happen if I routed the leash underneath and around him" sort of idea. Surprisingly, it worked great on the first try. This was a dog which had managed to physically break one of the bolt snaps on a leash previously. I could always control him since I was stronger than him, but my wife could never walk him. He would have dragged her down the street if she could have held on to the leash. After I reconfigured his leash this way, she had no problem with him.

While in the UK recently, I noticed a lot of Staffordshire Terriers with body harnesses on and they were very well behaved. I don't think that a normal harness would have this effect though, so it's probably just a case of well behaved dogs. :)

[RogerDat]

Halti works by putting a strap over the nose, pulling on the leash pulls the nose down, a dog has an instinctive reaction to pull backwards if their nose is pulled down. Like a reflex. Makes pulling against leash counter productive. Dog self trains not to pull. Where it gets fun is the same collar can be used with the leash not hooked to the nose strap. Dog having trained itself to not pull when wearing that collar will probably not pull even without the pressure.

Choke collars encourage lunging because they lift up the head and neck. Again an instinct is usually triggered only that one is to leap forward to get away. Pulling on belly, mid point causes loss of traction in addition to the other issues mentioned, that is something the dog will try and avoid. Growing up we had an English Cocker Spaniel that had learned to give her head a shake while quickly stepping backwards to slip out of her choke collar. Was never a puller but she was a fox about slipping her neck back out and going for a run.

Only problem with the Halti's is they look sort of like a muzzle so people are more inclined to think the dog bites and be concerned if the dog is friendly or inquisitive. Had a lady ask why dog had a muzzle since her little girl was petting our dog while eating an ice cream cone and the dog was not being pushy or aggressive to get the food right there in front of her. I said not a muzzle, dog knows only food that is offered is ok for her to take. Grandkids can surround her on the floor with plates of food and she won't bother them or the plates. Offer her a bit of hot dog and she will watch until the last bite on your plate is gone however.

If you use those choke collars with "prongs" and the dog still pulls, you have a problem and need to hit obedience classes. Saw a woman trying to train a dog to do agility and dog was lunging at other dogs against one of those collars. Trainer pulled her aside and explained dog control had to happen before obstacle training.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

A lot of people put their dogs in ordinary fixed harnesses because they pull. In the UK it is often a car seatbelt harness, because either that or some kind of partition to keep him out of the driver's way is now mandatory - and very wise too, as long as you get the choice. The harness stops him choking on the collar, which often distresses the owner. But if it isn't constricting his chest, it is just giving him a more comfortable way to really get that dog-sled moving.

[Markbo]

Miniature Schnauzer

[dh2]

Find you a Fiest,they can be rambunchish at times but will settle down after the puppy stage.I
I had a Fiest very loyal, only 10 to 15 pounds , her biting or snapping at any one including kids that come around I had plenty with a school next door, if some one came over that she did not know I had a lap full of dog, but no noise

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

I have had puppies and I have had shelter dogs , as adults if you can spend some time with them before you make the decision , you can pick out some really great dogs , we have had a beagle basset he was technically a senior dog when we got him he was a very good dog for the 4 years he lived. he would let the kids dress him up he just basically enjoyed the attention.
next we got e 5-7 year old German Shepard she is great most trainable dog I have ever had smart but also been great with the kids.

after we had the Shepard a few years my wife decided she wanted a small dog , so we kept an eye out and we went to visit a 4.5 pound chihuahua and brought our Shepard with so they could meet and controlled the interaction but they were good together and we adopted the Chihuahua she barks a bit but not much.

just take your time make a few visits make sure that it is the right fit and not that your projecting your desire on it fit.

[flounderman]

get a Brittany. They will point the rabbits, chase tennis balls and retrieve them

[KenH]

That's a neat idea for the harness to prevent pulling. Our two shih tzu give my wife a hard time with pulling so she puts a harness on them...... I just use normal collar and they don't offer to pull.... once I did a bit of training. The groomer thinks it's funny how well behaved they are with me - they walk at heel, don't pull, sit until ready to leave, etc while with wife it's a full hassle. All in the training - and dogs know it!

Ken H>

[odinohi]

Sorry for the loss of your pooch. My wife and I just got a 8 week old chihuahua. It's been one year since we lost our Maggie. Right now she is 2 lbs. tiny little turd

[44man]

I take my little one in the Polaris and she sits on the seat with a paw on my leg. In the 4 runner, she is on my lap. Not right but she will not go other.
She always is on a leash and if I put it down. she will stay as I go to pick up branches across the yard. I have to pee a lot outside and tell her "wait for me" so she will sit until I tell her OK.
The bond and love can't be explained, if people were like dogs there would not be wars.

[Markbo]

Hey Lloyd. I just wanted.to check in and see i you have thought about a new dog and whether you have gotten one. I lost my little buddy in January and am just now seriously considering another.

[NavyVet1959]

Surprisingly, the female pit bull that my daughter rescued from someone having dumped it on the highway last week took to a leash VERY well. No forging ahead or anything. She walks right beside me when I take her out of the backyard. She and my other pit bull have an issue and I'm keeping them separated until the sutures that I put in my other pit bull heal up a bit.

https://www.googledrive.com/host/0B8A9o0AImjXHfmlSQWdFVFRfSmd6d19mTG1jVXUzRWhrZk1KQ WFvdjJidlFtUERRcXh3M1k/found-pit-320w.jpg

[jonp]

Oh man that is genius! You could've saved me money about 3 years back. The under harness trick *does* help quite a bit with dogs that pull!

We got one of those under harnesses last year after someone else recommended them. Our valley bulldog would literally tear her collar off pulling us around. With the harness she completely stopped. Fantastic invention.

[jonp]

I grew up with beagles. My dad allways had at least two. I love them but my wife likes the rabbits running around the yard. Wouldn't matter to me but shed be mad if the dog ran them off.

We always had beagle/bluetick mixes. The bluetick gave them longer legs to run deal with the snow when running rabbits. Great dogs.

[44man]

Mine is a leaf and grass mop! :bigsmyl2: She will walk over a leaf and it is GONE, have to peel them off before I take her in. She loves other people and kids so I never let her run loose. She gets along fine with neighbors dogs but not strange ones.
I took her to the vet to get her nails clipped, asked if they sold leg grow! Cracked up the office.