advice needed please

1890 Views 23 Replies 16 Participants Last post by BlackGSD, Jun 21, 2008

WackyLackeys

Discussion Starter · Jun 19, 2008

Our son is very small for his age and he often talks about getting a dog "his size". We've thought about different poodle mixes so they would be low dander/shedding, but we honestly don't want to deal with having a dog that HAS to be groomed. We've looked at toy rat terriers and miniature dachshunds. I was wondering if anyone on here has any experience with either of these breeds or if anyone has a suggestion on another breed. Our son is 36" tall and weighs twenty pounds. We would really prefer something around ten pounds or less so he won't get knocked down if the dog jumps. It has to be good with bigger dogs as we have an eight month old GSD and a nine year old Border Collie. We want a playful dog, but one that will calm down and snuggle and watch movies with our son. And we absolutely don't want a dog that will bark a lot. My husband works nights so he's sleeping through the day.

Hmmm...a small dog that's not hyper and doesn't bark a lot...am I asking too much

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jake

· #2 · Jun 19, 2008

Is there any chance you could work with your son and your current dogs to make one of them HIS dog?Do not see where you posted the age of your son.8 MO GSD requires kinda some maturity-I would guess 8 YO at least.(9 YO border collie might with some effort from you work out regardless of son's age)Whatever son's age the best lesson you could teach him(forgive 60's reference)is 'Love the one your with'

G

· #3 · Jun 19, 2008

While I'd like to remind you that at 8 months your GSD is close to the age when he'll settle down more and also suggest that a few more months time may be all that's needed I do have a suggestion.

Have you ever seen a French Bulldog? They're very personable littel fellows and get along quite well with GSDs. My neighbor had one for years and he was a wonderful little guy. Didn't bark much and was very calm and lovable.

But getting back to your GSD, I was born into a house with many GSDs in it as my father was a breeder. I survived the occasional tumble and grew very close indeed to the dogs. They have been an integral part of my life ever since. My earliest memories are filled with the GSDs I knew and loved. Not judging you by any means. I'm just encouraging you in the thought that time may be the answer as well.

Wetdog

· #4 · Jun 19, 2008

I kind of agree with Tom. But, it you are sure you want something else---take look at Cairn Terriers. Right size, don't require a lot of grooming, can hold their own with the big dogs, very loyal, and very good at keeping away flying monkeys and witches.

Toto in the original "Wizard of Oz" with Judy Garland was a Cairn Terrier.

WackyLackeys

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jun 19, 2008

Our son is 7 years old. I try to imagine if I were my son's size and how big everything is to him. I actually don't think it's unreasonable in any way for him to want something small that he can hold in his lap that won't hurt him.

Our Border Collie is very respectful of his space, is gentle with him and is truly a wonderful dog. Our German Shepherd is also wonderful and highly intelligent, but can easily hurt our son by stepping on him or hitting him with his tail. These are things we work on daily and we watch them very closely.

I'll have to look into French Bulldogs.

My best friend has a Carin Terrier and although I love her and she's a sweet dog, she was a hyper ball of energy until she was about 4 years old.

Lauri & The Gang

· #6 · Jun 19, 2008

What about a Chinese Crested? There ARE good ones out there - like mine!

She is very outgoing, loves people, loves to snuggle, very playful, good with other dogs and only barks when something needs to be barked at (not yappy).

They require some skin care if you get a hairless or some brushing if you get a powder puff.

We LOVE our girl!!

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WackyLackeys

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jun 20, 2008

I've never met anyone that owned a Chinese Crested! I could only get the powder puff, though. No offense to anyone that has one, but hairless dogs freak me out!

I'll look into them as well, thanks!

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Lauri & The Gang

· #8 · Jun 20, 2008

Too bad the hairless ones aren't your cup of tea. I just happen to have two wonderful foster boys that love other dogs, LOVE people and love to snuggle and play ...

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TNGSD

· #9 · Jun 20, 2008

We have a yorkie-poo that the girls adore! He is not as smart as a GSD but he thinks everyone is his best friend, always happy for attention no matter if it's being petted, dressed up in doll clothes or having the hair on top of his head dyed strange colors by my daughters. For his whole life he has slept under the covers in their beds. I can remember when one of my duaghters was younger she fell asleep holding him like a teddy bear and when I went in to check on them Tiger's fur was damp from my duaghter sweating on him as she slept. He loves, loves, loves them!

Here he is! He weighs about 8 pounds and does not shed!

He was best friends with our old GSD but Radar (4.5 months) is a little too wild for him!

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DianaM

· #10 · Jun 20, 2008

If you're flexible on the weight.... CORGI! Corgis are excellent active-big-dog companions, great with the family, and have the wonderful herding dog temperament.

Other small breeds I've liked and would "trust" around kids, provided they came from excellent breeders who focus on family life and temperament, include small terriers like the border and cairn terriers, Cavalier King Charles spaniels, papillons, and Tibetan spaniels.

WackyLackeys

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jun 20, 2008

See, yorkie-poos were one of the first breeds we seriously thought about because they don't shed and I thought they would be the perfect size. He sure is cute! Does he have to be groomed? If so, how often?
Thank you!

Yeah Lauri, sorry...definitely not my cup of tea

oopcat

· #12 · Jun 20, 2008

We always had Boston Terriers growing up, they are big dogs in a little dog body, lol

TNGSD

· #13 · Jun 20, 2008

I bought clippers and twice a year I completly shave him down to about 1/4 inch long. I like him short but my family likes him long. I trim around his eyes with scissors about every 3 or 4 months. If you got one that was more curly you might need to groom him more. Tiger is like a wavey yorkie. We do bathe him almost every week since he sleeps in their beds and on their pillows when they are at school! I hardly every brush him because he does not mat. He has thyroid problems and takes medicine everyday- it came from the poodle side of his parents so they stopped breeding her, but I don't think its a probelm with most yorkie-poos.

tracyc

· #14 · Jun 20, 2008

I had a mini daschund that lived to 17 years old. He was a wonderful little snuggle bug--(slept in bed under the covers), confident, didn't bark a lot. He was a great dog and an easy keeper. Very little grooming needed.

DHau

· #15 · Jun 20, 2008

I understand why a child would want a dog that is truly his own to cuddle. That's a stage all children go through. Many people here get a German Shepherd because it's a family dog and want it to grow up with their children. I got a German Shepherd puppy when my eldest daughter was two and both grew up together. Of course it was not easy because the puppy grew faster than my daughter, but in the long run, it turned out good.

I don't think your son truly realizes what a great buddy he has right there living with him. Explain to your son all the good qualities that a German Shepherd has to offer which is why you have one. Encourage a close relationship by letting your son take care of the dog. I am sure everything will turn out well. The puppy you have now is rambunctous but all dogs go through that. It'll eventually settle down. Your son is going to grow in size and mature as well and will appreciate what he has over time.

BTW, my German Shepherd likes sitting in my lap and I love it.

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BrennasMom

· #16 · Jun 20, 2008

I'm a little biased, but I think beagles are a great breed for small kids. They are small but not so small that you're scared you'll break them. My beagle growing up allowed us to do anything to him and my current beagle is the same way. I used to have a neighbor with a little toddler who would run up and hug her, put his fingers in her ears, pull her tail, etc. and she just lapped up the attention.

doxsee

· #17 · Jun 20, 2008

I would recommend encouraging him to interact more with your current dogs. If you really want to get a small dog, please get one of the sturdier breeds. I used to work in a vet clinic, and I can't tell you how many small dogs I've seen with broken legs because kids don't understand how fragile they are. Some kids are better being gentle than others, and only you know if your kid is able to understand. I just don't recommend toy breeds for young kids in general.

zyppi

· #18 · Jun 20, 2008

how about a border terrier? About 13 lbs.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/borderterrier.htm

I hear they're great little dogs.

WackyLackeys

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jun 20, 2008

Thank you to everyone who listened and understood what I was asking and made a suggestion of a dog that might be suitable for our situation. I will look into those breeds.

BlackGSD

· #20 · Jun 20, 2008

Originally Posted By: zyphow about a border terrier? About 13 lbs.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/borderterrier.htm

I hear they're great little dogs.

They can also be crazy obnoxious little pains in the "hinney". (They ARE terriers in the truest sense of the word.

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