Still in search for the right breed?

Question

I'm the mom with the 3 and 4 year old in search for the right beed. Thank you for all your responses, they have helped out a lot! Ok so what do you guys think of a soft coated wheaten terrier? Do you think they would be good and if so do you know of any breeders. I think Labs might be just too big. We're looking in the 40lbs and below range. Again thank you for all your help!!

Answer 1

Wheatens, in my opinion, are the best of the terriers! They're outgoing and sociable, active but not hyper, with much less of the aggressiveness associated with terriers. They can have some stubbornness, but are very trainable. Also very good with kids, provided of course, that you teach your kids how to treat a dog.

You do realize that they require regular coat care, but it's not really a big deal. You do need to be prepared to brush them out every week, though.

You need to find yourself a reputable breeder so you can be sure of both health and temperament of a puppy. Your best bet might be to attend a dog show in your area so you can meet and talk to both breeders and owners and see the dogs in person. Failing that, you can do an internet search for breeders, starting with the parent club for breeders on their list. Good luck in your search!

Answer 2

I love all dogs,don't get me wrong. I love terriers too. But that is a lot of terrier temperament to take on right now. Although a wheaten on is not as large as an Airedale its a pretty big terrier. If you do decide to go Wheaten, please make sure you get one from a real good breeder. Sit down with the puppy and the dam (also if possible the sire) and watch their temperaments. You don't want a scared Wheaten with young children. Some Wheatens I have been seeing recently could use a little more calm, and be a little less fearful.

If you haven't owned dogs before just be aware that terriers are known for having terrier temperaments. That means they are more wired, bit more active, a bit stiffer bodied, not as relaxed etc..That can be a lot to handle with kids at the same time unless you have some dog experience. Breeds that are the opposite of that type of temperament would be spaniels, retrievers etc..

Of course no matter what breed you choose get the dog that appeals to you. The dog that has that special look that melts your heart you will provide the best home for. Dogs will eventually have accidents and you want one that you would forgive no matter what because it has the special appeal to you. Take a look through the AKC breeds a little more, each one has a video link also. You might want to look at a Tibetan Terrier which is not a typical terrier, or a Bearded Collie, what ever you choose make sure it appeals to you.

I thought about this a bit more, and I know what I would do before I bought any dog. I would go to a dog show and watch the different breeds all day. There are dog shows all over the country I am sure you can find one near you. At a show you can even meet breeders, but more importantly you can see interact and decide what breed you really like. Dogs live a long time,getting the right one is important, as you will have to live with it, care for it, and hopefully enjoy it for a long time. Looking at a show doesn't mean you need to get a show dog, but it will certainly help you see what each breed is like.
The last link will list dog shows that may be in your area.

Answer 3

I don't remember if I helped you before, but you can try the link below. Go through the "dog breed test" on the left, and see what breeds are recommended for your family. Also if you already interested in a breed (like I see you like soft coated wheaten terriers) you can scroll down in the section to the right labeled "dog breed list" and look that way as well. Good Luck! :)

Answer 4

wheaton terriers are great dogs, they have lots of energy and need to be excercised everyday , they have a good disposition and are responsive to obeidence training. Make sure you use a crate it will help alot in your training and everyday life especially with small children. ( I am an obeidence trainer with 5 yr old triplets so as a mom I can not stress this enough). When the dog is 4-5 months old get to an obeidence class, preferabbly one that does NOT use treats you will find that the dog will learn alot faster and be more reliable without them. As for breeders you could check out pet finder.com or the AKC should be able to give you the info you need. Good Luck and Happy Dog owning :)

Answer 5

A terrier? Terriers are very vocal and certain breeds enjoy a good dig. Im not sure a terrier would be right for such young kids. Also if you have any small animal a terrier would not be welcome as they were bred for hunting small animals. But all dogs will be good with kids with the right training. But I personally think a terrier would be better with slightly older kids but like I said it depends on the training. Personally I love all types of dog but especially spaniels. They are very friendly and inteligent. Cocker spaniels are quite small and id say very cute. When walking my jack russel cocker spaniel cross puppy I see allot of families with young kids with cocker spaniels. In fact we saw a cocker spaniel puppy last week and it was little and fat and so friendly. It loved our puppy.
Oh also my puppy is crossed with a terrier and he is very destructive when left just today he empty our bin all over the floor. But then again some spaniels can be destructive.
So after all that I think I just talked you out of both types of dog. (I didnt mean too) Trust me though everyone loves my jack russel cocker spaniel cross cause he is so friendly.
Maybe would be best if you try and find a cross between something like a lab and a spaniel. Plus would be allot cheaper.

Answer 6

Don,t know any breeders, but terriers are great with children. Only problem is they can be like children, wilful,bursting with energy and destructive. In saying that I had two staffies and they were fab with my daughters. I did keep them in a dog crate/cage when left on their own as pups, both to stop the destruction of the house--they could eat their way through the house very quickly and also they used it as refuge when they had enough of playing with the girls. Good luck with your eventual choice.

Answer 7

I have a border collie and she's got the sweetest disposition of any dog I've ever met! She weighed 43 lbs at the height of pregnancy, so she's relatively small. I actually have 4 out of 6 pups that will be ready for homes at the end of this month if you're interested. Some of them have longer hair, so feeding them a higher protein diet will reduce the chance for shedding.

Answer 8

Of all the Terriers in my opinion the Wheaton is the most gentle of them all. I think this is a good breed for a young family. You should make sure you have enough time to exercise the dog. They are a bundle of energy but no where near a Jack Russel. I say go for it!

Answer 9

A boxer dog would be great,especially if you have kids. They are so loving and loyal but crackers and will keep you entertained for hours.They weigh about 30lbs when fully grown.Best place to look for dog breeders is epupz the website,they got all the breeds you can think of. I really would consider a boxer as they are so friendly and family orientated.

Answer 10

Whatever you choose check out the temperament of the bloodline because of your young children.This would be my main priority when choosing a dog no matter what the breed when there are children to consider.I have 2 yorkies.One is gentle the other is an ankle snapper which i did not realise because i did not ask questions relating to parental temperament prior to buying him.