Dogs...

My girls want a puppy for Christmas. I dont want a big dog, or a yappy one. The wife wants one that does not shed a lot.

After some research I came up with 2 choices.

1. Boston Terrier
2. Cockapoo

Any advise or suggestions?

My last dog was a Doberman...he was a great dog but needed lots of excercise & space.

Dachsund

We have had a Cockapoo for a year. It's our first small dog after owning a Lab for 10 years.
Riley is a good pooch, very little shedding, He isn't yappy but barks when other dogs are going by the house.
For the most part he is very well behaved, a bit of chewing is his biggest failing point (Nothing major, mostly pencils etc.)
The worst thing about him is being called a Cockapoo. Apparently the Aussies call them "Spoodles" I like that better.
He looks just like a Portugese Water Dog, so when people ask if that's what he is we just say, "Oh Sure"

Cheers,
Rich

I have a cockapoo. Best dog ever.

Have your girls made those solemn promises about caring for the dog? You know, the ones you'll end up keeping?

Get a female Labrador. I have 3 Labs. Black, Brown, Yellow. Two females and one male. They are honestly the easiest dogs to train, they learn super quick, I never have to worry about where they go or how they interact with people. All you have to do is play fetch and take them swimming and they will do anything they can to please you.

If you don't want a huge American breed look for an English Lab. They are medium sized somewhere around 50-60lbs. All mine are around that size and easy to scoop up in the truck or toss in the bath.

Unfortunately when they are young pups is when you need to be the most strict. Be firm the first 6 months and you will have an angle. Let them do what they want because they are cute and be prepared to spend 12 years shoeing them off the couch and coming home to a trash bin scattered all over the floor.

my two cents....

Favorite dog we ever had was American Eskimo/Golden Retreiver mix. Think 'Murray' on "Mad Abut You". They were lookalikes.

Don,

Get them each a pet rock. No such thing as a puppy, they turn into dogs.

Dave

bassett hound. my sister has two bostons andf they are very energetic, down right spaztic at times when new people come over

Bassett even look lazy:)

Bostons are very active and contain vast amounts of energy, very oriented to kids and make good family pets.

Get a rescue animal. If you are breed specific there are usually rescue groups.

And whichever breed, two words: "Crate Train". Makes all the difference to preserving your sanity, the dog's and the condition of your house and furnishings.

I'm not a dog person, but the best thing I've been around that fits the bill is a shih tzu. They're not yappy, good with kids, like to play, no shedding. There's one at the house my kids go to for daycare and she is awesome with all those kids running around.

a beagle..... They don't come any nicer too. Very loving.

and name it skippy..........it seems all beagles are named skippy.....

Bichon Frise, the most friendly, talented dog. Ideal for inside the house as they do not drop hair at all. Easy to train and they love doing tricks they have been taught. Ours lived for 16 years and it was a very bad day when we had to have him put to sleep as he was in a lot of pain and blind from a stroke.

http://www.bichonfrisesavvy.com/

Mutt...from the rescue...and get one that is about 10-11 months old. You will be able to have a better sense of their personality when choosing from older dogs (as opposed to simply basing your decision on tendencies of a particular breed)...and much of the crappy work (pun intended) of raising a puppy will be completed already. The kids will have an easier time getting used to caring for/training your doggie too.

...and ditto on the crate training. You will be VERY grateful for this step over time.

All great advice...keep it coming. We have gone to the pound a few times, nothing yet. Tons of pit bulls that do not interest me.

I will put Shih Tzu and Bichons on the list.

I told my wife we'll get another dog as soon as she finds one that doesn't bark or crap.....

I'm tired of waitin for somebody to say it....Hot Dog.........

BTW, here is Sherlock. He's a 9 year old cockapoo that we rescued.

-David

Don,

Male dachshunds tend to mark every couple of feet. Not sure about the bitches, Sorry about the pet rock thing.

Dave

Get a cat...

Don, ABoston Terrier sheds real bad, in fact any short haired dog will shed.
We have a Maltese, the best dog we have ever had, she never chewed on
anything but her toys, easy to train, good with kids and very playful.
A very definite people dog! Check them out. P. S. They don't shed.

My sister's name is sue, and everytime something went wrong around we would always be saying "ah, sh%t Sue" so she went and got shihtzu on her licence plate

don't get a Boston anything........it'll take ya for all ya got.

I've had labs. Great dogs but they shed and chew when they're young.
I'm sold on Standard poodles. No shedding. You do have to cut their hair though. With 3, I just cut it all off in the summer and let it grow out in the Winter.

I think they're more loving, loyal and intelligent then labs. My dog experience.

Here's one of our dogpound puppies...man, I am attached to this doggie.

And another...less wet...photo of PoundPuppie Paco...he loves hangin' out on the stairs:

Scottish Terriers, Black or Wheaton Best dogs ever

Personally I don't think you can go passed a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Friendly, loving, low shedding, but can matt if not brushed..

We have a Boston Terrier. Wife and daughter said they were cute. Said to be great "companion dogs", but they don't mean they'll be a great companion to you, but rather you'll need to be a great companion for the dog! Very energetic.

Compared the previous Golden Retriever, who would shed basketball-sized hairballs daily, the Boston doesn't shed much (unless stressed, then it can be amazing....)

They're also very expensive - apparently they are generally birthed by Ceasarian....hence the big $$$ for pure breds...

I've found that small dogs (like a Boston) are relatively high maintenance - small bladders (walk every 2 hours), delicate (lots of vet visits when swallow something bad, or get dropped on their heads), and generally delicate. And Boston's can't take cold weather, or very hot weather. Forget leaving them outside to extended periods.

And finally, I discovered that grapes are toxic to dogs. A bigger dog can probably shake it off, but apparently a few red grapes sent our Boston to the vet hospital for a few days with near kidney failure. Did I mention that Boston's are expensive?

I will say this - if you have a teenage son who wants to meet girls, just have him walk a Boston Terrier in a public area. The girls will be coo-ing all day.

My neighbor recently got a Boston Terrier, reminds me of the Tasmanian Devil from the Bugs Bunny cartoons. I can't even pet him because he never stops moving. I have a Westhighland terrier, don't get one of those.

The best dogs I ever had were mixed breeds. I had a female lab mix for about 10 years, smart, even tempered, easily trained. I had a male Border Collie mix for 11 years, too smart for his own good. Every device I came up with to keep him in the yard he was able to bypass and eventually got hit by a car.

Absolutely the best was a female golden retriever mix. A bit hairy and shed some, but she was incredibly smart, very sweet, rarely barked, didn't roam, best dog ever. We were companions for 16 years and I still miss her today.

Good luck!

I've got to agree with the mixed breed dogs. Grew up with mixed breeds, dad liked them, and found them like said above, even tempered and easliy trained. Best one growing up was a pekanese/poodle/cocker spaniel mix. Didn't really shed. I've had a few dogs and the best was a black lab/britanny mix, very even tempered, adored kids (and would go back for more abuse from kids) and took about 15 minutes to teach her a trick. She did shed though. Currently have a toy poodle that my wife saved from the pound, she's a great lap dog although sometimes a bit yippy (working on that with her). Doesn't shed.
My daughter had a full blood black lab for a little while. That dog wouldn't calm down and was always into trouble, made Marley from the movie look tame. She gave it to a farmer who loves it. She currently has a boxer/pit mix and that block head is sweet but stubborn. Other daughter had a boyfriend that has a husky/wolf hybrid, not suggested but this one is a good dog and beautiful. Loves attention and patient with people but not so much with other dogs, especially if the other dog is hyper.

I wonder how this is working out . . .
We have not replaced our lab/retriever cross, but I would like something smaller that doesn't yip.
Frankly, I think the yipping can be present with any breed and you just have to get lucky with the individual dog.
One thing I don't like with the light-colored wooly dogs is the discoloration that can come around the mouth and eyes.

my son's girl friend has a shihtzu and he (the dog, not my son) is entering the phase the vet calls " the bad attitude." apparently it is something almost all them get and many do not work thru it. he is very combative and belligerent and very protective of anything he takes a fancy to. my son has an american eskimo (very yappy and energetic but very smart) and the shihtzu pursues him unmerciably around the house/yard just trying to antagonize him. the shihtzu doesn't bark, tho. that's a plus. you also have to groom them constantly as their fur tends to ball up and tangle and then that causes skin irritation.