my husband and i are looking for the perfect breed...?

Question

My husband and I can not bare kids and we were considering getting a pet to complete our family. However, my husband is rather particular and says if we get a dog he wants a breed that is short haired so it does not shed as much, one that is small (about the size of a Papillon to a Wired Haired Fox Terrier,) one that is calm (like a lap dog,) and one that is not a consistent barker. We also want to make sure the dog does not bite often and is more loving then anything. What breed is like this? Also, should we consider a male or a female?

Thank you so much for the help! We have been searching like crazy for our newest addition to the family but can not find the perfect dog. With your help we hope we can find one! Thanks again!

Answer 1

Yorkshie Terrier (Yorkie), smallish, good for lap dogs, while they have long hair, they shed very little.

Answer 2

Our family has had dozens of dog's over the year's. Many were great pets, but all shed a little ... the Yorkshire is a good breed, the hair is longer and sheds little but all small dog's have the little dog syndrome,as does the poodle. Our best behaved dog was either our Boxer,(Hootch), named that because he love to lick
( Kisses), who was unusally large for the breed 110 Lb.
or our wire terrier/yorkie mix ( Minnie), she was about 15 Lb.s
Large dog's only live an avg. 9-10 years, but small breeds can live 15-18 years. Mix breeds live longer as well and have fewer gentic defects.Currently we share our home with a Lab/Pit mix
Dan is 3 and the vets all walk him around to show everyone how well behaved he is and the picture of health,, he loves kids even our baby grandkids, he'll approch very slowly and lay down and then roll or crawl close enough that they can touch him. He does not lick or bark. If he want's out he comes to us and then hurrys to the door and just sits there, when he wants in its just one bark.
Potty trainning is easy too , if they drink or eat out they go, and I go with them to praise them !!!Male or female ?? no matter just neuter or spay young, they are both great pet's!
I honestly belive that it's the time and the effort that you put into the dog that makes him a part of the family. Dan is with us at all
times.Once in a while one our Daughters will watch him because we go out of town & we can't take him , but otherwise he'll stay 8-??hours in the house and never get into anything.He sleeps on a bed on the floor next to us or in the living room his choice,he has two beds, its important that they have a bed.
I suggest that you get a book from the library , do a little research and then go the the pound and look for a pup or a dog with the correct family history, ( well cared for) preferably a mixed breed,
the best of two worlds and healthier too.You can also call a Vet , sometimes people have to get rid of a dog because of moving or allergys,and they sometimes come trained.
Good luck, we've never had a bad dog !!And they say pits are bad, our friends have indoor pits and they scare people to look at
and make great family members as well as protection systems,
when solitation is a no no !Dan loves it when kids pull his ears & climb on him,All the people at the vet want to take him home.
Take your time picking your dog, they'll be a family member for many years !!

Answer 3

A SHIPOO! It's a shih tzu-poodle mix. They don't shed at all, are extremely smart, loving, and adorable, and can easily be trained. Mine weighs 14 pounds {he's big for a shipoo} and is about 15 in. high. They don't usually bite. If u think both shih tzus and poodles are ugly, still the shipoo is guaranteed to be cute. They cost about 500$ and are originally lapdogs, but one as big as mine can actually be a hunting dog!!! {Even though it's only 14 pounds}
I had friends that had them, they were females and weighed only 7 lbs. They are the sweetest things, but they can be short haired or long haired, because they don't shed and their hair grows. You have to groom them once every 6-10 weeks. I mean proffesionally, not by you. But it really pays off. They barely eat so you won't need to have frequent stops to the pet store. My cat weighs less than my shipoo but eats 3x faster. And more. They are easy to train but sometimes stubborn. They r the best! Get a shipoo! They do not bark too much, but for barking, get a female.
They are hardier than purebreeds because they r mixed breeds.
Mixed breeds are generally healthier. I'd say they are 12-16 in.
and weigh 5-15 lbs. Get a shipoo! They're awesome! But you also need to take them on walks, they need exercise. I would consider a female, but males are fine once they're trained.

Answer 4

I have a terrier who's a sweet, sweet dog. WIth that said, I would not in any way call him calm. Terriers are highstrung and have boundless energy. They require a lot of exercise and stimulation. However, I do think they're worth it and they're easily transportable (he weighs 20 lbs)

You should do a little research concerning the smaller breeds of dog. Although there are always exceptions, an overview of the breeds could give you insight into temperament, etc.

The last thing I would say is please don't forget mutts. My terrier is a mutt (a border terrier/wirehair mix) and he's wonderful. My last dog was a lab mix (although she was much smaller than a lab). Both have been smart and healthy. There are so many great dogs in shelters, and those include purebreds, too. There are rescue organizations for almost every breed. You could find yourself the perfect pet and give that perfect pet a good home.

Good luck! ....and your perfect dog will find you!!

Answer 5

While I personally LOVE big dogs (like Shepard's) my mom has a Shitzu. (spelling might not be right, but spell check didn't have any suggestions) He, and most of his breed, is very loving, calm, and quiet. He is the best behaved dog I have ever seen. My roommates have Pomeranian and they are small, but YAPPY. And, they can't seem to learn how to not go in the house. My mom's Shitzu will sit quietly at the door and look at you until you take him out. He never barks, unless you purposely get him riled up while playing. He sleeps contently at her side, and can sit up on his hind legs for a treat. Even when they have company over, he will listen if you tell him to calm down and lay quietly. From what I have learned, his traits are that of most well bred shitzu's. Shitzu's are NOT short haired, and it's cutest if you keep it trimmed up and shaggy. However, the hair doesn't shed at all. I hope you find the right dog for you!

Answer 6

One thing is short haired dogs shed more the long hair dogs I find. With alot of long haired dogs the have hair not furr so only shed the way us people do.

Shih tzu's are great. Just take them to the groomer every so often and bush there ears and tail so it does not get matted. Oh yeah and they don't bite much.

Ok with male or female it is diffent from breed to breed. Female shih tzu's are Diva's. They do there own thing and can get a little moody. The males just like to play and have fun.

Answer 7

Pugs, schnauzers, cocker spaniels, miniature poodles, and welsh corgi....some lap dogs like yorkies and chihuahuas can be "yappy" and very territorial believe it or not.......Just because it is short-haired does not mean it will not shed much....we have a beagle and he sheds quite a bit (and howls a lot, too!), but we adore him. Ask a veterinarian what are some good choices for you, too. Good luck and enjoy. Oh, there is no perfect dog, by the way, as there are no perfect people, but your dog can be "brought up" to be YOUR perfect pet along with the right choice of breed for you and your hubby.

Answer 8

Get a Shiba Inu its a japanese breed and they are short haired but the will she twice a year. They are a lap dog and they will only bark when they sense someone is in their territory the are very protective of there owners. They are however an independet breed and they have cat like tendencies. They don't bite but the will play like bite but when they feel skin they will back off. But other than that there a great breed and they are so cute.

Answer 9

I have found that Dachsunds are wonderful pets. They are short-haired and don't shed that much. While some Dachsunds can get large enough to not be comfortable lap dogs, you can go with a miniature dachsund instead. They are loving dogs and enjoy adult company. I have had some minor problems with an occassional snap are two at overly hyper children, but if you have no children in the house, you'll find them to be very loving animals. They love to be close to their owners and I have found that mine doesn't really bark much. As far as the sex, I've owned two Dachsunds, and both were females.

Answer 10

For a dog that doesn't bark much, I would look into the sighthounds....greyhounds, whippets, italian greyhounds, and basenjis. They are also all very loving breeds and don't shed too badly if you wipe them with a rubber mit every once in a while. All dogs shed though, and all dogs bark some unless they have been debarked. Basenji's don't bark, but they do yodel.

I don't think you're going to find a PERFECT dog, but continue to do your research and be willing to train your dog and you can end up with a perfect dog for your family. You have to train your dog to do what you want it to do.

Corgi's sound like they would be good for you too.

Answer 11

You could look into Pugs, Puggles, Boston Terriers, even though Shih- tzu are not short haired they can be kept groomed in a puppy cut........they do not shed. These are tend to have good personalities and don't seem to be nippy. As for sex....I prefer females for me but I think the personality of the puppies needs to be the key. If you feel drawn to a puppy then sex should not matter. I would also check you local Human Society or Animal Shelter. There are plenty of dogs that are in need of rescue that are euthanized everyday.