small dog question

[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

[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.

[Rick Hodges]

I agree with this.

That's what I'm talking about.

[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.