# Trying to decide between small breeds



## earthnut (Oct 18, 2007)

My husband and I want to get a dog and have these requirements:

Smaller size for ease of management and transportation (up to 35 lbs)
Very low maintenance coat and minimal shedding
Quick learner but not devious - I'd like to do some advanced tricks
Mellow, calm, quiet energy - not hyper and yappy
Lower exercise requirements, every other day walks for example
Happy and affectionate
Friendly to strangers, kids, dogs, other animals
Weak hunting/prey drive (we have pet birds) - sporting dogs, hounds, and terriers are out

I had retrievers growing up, and enjoy their temperament and energy, but I would now prefer something more portable and less shedding.

I'm tending towards Havanese, Bichon Frise, Maltese, or Miniature Poodle. (in that order) The biggest question in my mind is how do the personalities of those breeds compare to each other and to labs? (they seem so similar to each other) How would they likely do around birds (not that I would trust any dog alone with my birds)? Any other breeds you'd recommend? Bulldogs and pugs also came up in quizzes I took but we don't like the look of their smashed faces, and they seem to have more health problems.

Added to answer some of the replies 
We fully intend to get an adult or senior from a shelter. We have no interest in raising and housebreaking a puppy. 

I took 7 different online quizzes, and our top results were the bulldog, English toy spaniel, Boston terrier, Bichon Frise, Poodle, and Japanese chin. 

To me, having to shave the coat seems like less maintenance than having to vacuum hair spread around... We don't currently own a vacuum and the hair would be more 'contained'. I have a razor and am good with my hands, so I'd do a puppy cut at home rather than pay a groomer. As far as I can tell, any of the bichon breeds (Havanese, Maltese, Bolognese, Coton de Tulear, etc) can be puppy-cut. I probably wouldn't grow their hair long.

Thanks!


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Poodles can be high energy. Maybe a Lhasa Apso or Shih Tsu? You can trim their coat in a "puppy cut" for ease of grooming. They don't shed or smell, low prey drive and are not high energy, but will learn tricks.


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## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

I wouldn't consider any of those dogs to have a low maintenance coat. Bichons and poodles have a hair-like coat but need professional grooming at least monthly. Maltese and havanese will need daily brushing to keep their long fur from matting, unless you keep them cut short which could be an option. 

And I can't end this post without mentioning the merits of papillons. They are very smart, low maintenance coat (hair-like single coat, quick daily brushing, no professional grooming required), although toy dogs tend to be yappy I believe it is all in how they are raised and trained, they enjoy a good long hike but can be happy with playing fetch in the hallway or with an interactive toy, happy and affectionate would be an understatement for paps!

I would also encourage you to check around at your local shelters to adopt a dog. We live in a small town and there are always lots of dogs that I could adopt with the qualities you are listing. You may need to go looking every few days but I'll bet within a month or two the perfect dog could be found there.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

I dunno, paps can be pretty devious.  

Seriously though, they are a bit higher energy than most toy breeds, but are loads of fun. They're not too bad as far as exercise goes- at home mine do fine with an obedience session or two a day plus some off leash play time and a game of fetch or two. Now, my apartment dog, who is a papillon, is crazy active. She gets an hour walk a day, plus anything else I have time to throw in and training sessions around the clock. She is also a very unusual and intense papillon.

Low prey drive, great with other animals, like my chinchilla. Good with other dogs, mine like kids provided the kids know how to handle a small dog. They're very very smart and one of the easiest breeds to train. They are also a top sports and obedience breed. They have a low maintenance coat- single coat, no undercoat, hardly any trimming done at all. You can brush them once a week and comb out the ears a few times a week and be great. Some are vocal, but I have one that rarely ever barks. The ones that do bark are really warning barkers. 

They are super attached to people and way over the top affectionate. As briteday said, it's an understatement. (Let me put it this way, my dog's grandmother was named Kissey). They are very lively, fun dogs. I wouldn't call them mellow at all, but they're really an easy breed and a blast to live with.

We've had a lab and a half golden before. They're very friendly in a similar way, but to me their smarts are more like a herder in many ways. They're much more a mental energy v physical energy type breed.









She's not fond of the chinchilla.


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## jesirose (Mar 27, 2008)

Wow, either she's smaller than I thought, or that is one big chin!


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

jesirose said:


> Wow, either she's smaller than I thought, or that is one big chin!


My chin's kind of a monster.  She's over 2 lbs! Summer's also very small. She's 6.3 lbs right now.


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## jesirose (Mar 27, 2008)

Laurelin said:


> My chin's kind of a monster.  She's over 2 lbs! Summer's also very small. She's 6.3 lbs right now.


Sounds about right! My neighbor's daughter has a papillon and every time she walks by she tells me how the dog has never met another dog, so he doesn't know what my dog is. Despite the fact they've met at least 4 times. Anyway the point was he is a tiny dog, probably close to that. 

Aren't most toy breeds kind of high energy?


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## dogpositivetraining (Aug 27, 2008)

Hi,

These little fellas (or gals) are great, would be ideal for your needs 

Basset Fauve de Bretagne

I know you say no hounds but trained from an early age you really won't have problems.

I have a Weimaraner and he doesn't go chasing everything.

They match all your other requirements


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## swampcat18 (Jul 23, 2008)

I might look into either an Italian Greyhound or a Whippet. I don't own either, but from what I've read they are very low maintenance and minimal shedders. I've read that they are very calm and mellow inside. They will fit your size requirements as well. They should be friendly with children as long as the child doesn't play too rough with them.
Just a thought.

Edit: Sorry, I missed the part about needing a dog with a low prey drive. Both of these have high prey drives. Nevermind.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

jesirose said:


> Sounds about right! My neighbor's daughter has a papillon and every time she walks by she tells me how the dog has never met another dog, so he doesn't know what my dog is. Despite the fact they've met at least 4 times. Anyway the point was he is a tiny dog, probably close to that.
> 
> Aren't most toy breeds kind of high energy?


I wouldn't say most toy breeds are high energy. Shih Tzus, and pekes for example always seem much lower energy than the papillons. With the exception of like.... min pins (and toy fox terriers if they're all like my friend's!) I don't think many toy breeds are lower energy than the paps generally are.


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## FriendsOfZoe (Aug 7, 2007)

I think the bichon could work. The coat is pretty low maintenance for you personally if you're willing to spend the money for professional grooming once a month (keep the dog in a puppy cut). They are quite intelligent but not overly difficult to live with. My aunt and uncle have one and they are very busy with work/kids and do not get a whole lot of exercise...and their dog does fine. 

I tend to think of bichons and shih tzus as having similar personalities and again, if you can pay for the professional grooming, I think the shih tzu would be your best choice. They fully fit your other requirements, and I think you might get used to daily brushing and learn to enjoy a bit of grooming. From what I know of bichons, they would probably work, but I highly suggest you think about shih tzus. And again, there are always plenty of shih tzus and shih tzu-mix dogs (and other little dogs that meet your needs) in shelters. Try looking on petfinder.com in your area.


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## Dogstar (May 11, 2007)

I'd definitely think about whippets - they do have prey drive, but in a very workable way unless your birds are free-ranging. Almost alll the whippets I know live with other pets without any problem at all. 

I think the mini poodle and bichon, out of the four you listed, have the easiest coats- you can just have them completely shaved down every 4 weeks and do basically no maintenance, or keep a bit of hair and do a little grooming between appointments. That said, for some reason, most of the really HIGH energy poodles I've met have been minis. I'd go through your local breed rescue OR find a retired showdog from a good breeder, rather than going with a puppy. They seem to be hell on wheels for the first 2 years or so.  A lot of my friends with rescue poodles have large minis/small standards (16-17" at the shoulder) and that might be another good option for you- they seem to have energy more along the lines of the standards, who, while not exactly laid back, can be a little bit less zoomy. 

I would NOT call the Havanese coat low maintenance.


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## Criosphynx (May 15, 2008)

I second (or third  )The Whippet and Pap idea.... also i didn't see Pomeranians or Chi's suggested... so i'll go there.


Prey drive can be very easily managed btw, like others have said. You could also get a "low prey drive" breed and get a dog that is obsessed with prey, it happens. I share my home with lots of "prey" including free ranging birds. So yeah, It can be done.

Anything that needs professional grooming is not an easy coat IMO.


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## Erick Aguilar (Jun 9, 2008)

I'm impressed nobody has said Chihuahua?

Low shedding, alot of sizes from teacup to standard, loves to do tricks, not stubborn, easy to train, they don't eat and poop much.. they do pee with frequency though.
They are pretty interesting dogs indeed, everybody(with some experience) can have a chihuhua and have years of fun with one.


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## spinach (Jan 9, 2008)

I have two votes!

1) I'll back the Papillon vote, I grew up with a house full of papillons and LOVED them. My mom used to breed them and they are wonderful companions. I had exposure to 5 papillons regularly and their personalities ran the gamut. We had a loner, a happy go lucky (a little on the dumb side...), a love bug who was quiet and accepting of everything, an obedience/shadow dog, and the tiny one who wanted to scare off anything that wasn't her human parents...not sure what was wrong with her...Anyway. They're GREAT! I'll nod with everyone else on this one.

2) Maltese!!!! I've only had exposure to one long term...but he's mine and he's one of the greatest dogs I've ever known. First - they're hypoallergenic. Their "hair" can be a HUGE mess if you let it grow, but if you keep it trimmed (as I do) it's wonderful. And they look like puppies. They're notoriously hard to potty train, and mine does live up to that annoying standard. But if you put in the time, it's totally rewarding. Oh...they're yappy. Wickett (ours) isn't annoyingly yappy, he's a guard dog. If there's a knock on the door (or the tv, or you drop something, or your other dog's tail hits the wall...) he lets you know something's going on. 

Now that we've gotten the sorta maybe a little on the negative side stuff out of the way...They're AMAZINGLY affectionate. I have never been happier than when he wants to cuddle - and boy does he cuddle. As long as you're there, he'll sit, sleep, lie down, or WHATEVER. Just be there and he's happy. I think they CAN BE hyperactive, but Wickett is just easy going. But if you want to play, he's all about it. And they're so small most anything they do is cute not annoying. 

Anyway...yes. small dog. Awesome. Either paps or maltese.


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## skelaki (Nov 9, 2006)

If you get an adult rather than a puppy the dog will be calmer than it was as a puppy regardless of breed (calmer being a relative term of course). We had two Maltese years ago and they were great dogs but they do require grooming or having the coat clipped every few months. Papillons are also great dogs. Much of what you're indicating you want depends more on you and your training the dog than on the particular breed.

One thing you can do is take several different breed selector quizzes, such as the ones on Animal Planet andt K9 Country. Answer the questions honestly and see what breeds come up over aand over again. Those, or similar breeds, would be a good place to start in your search.


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## earthnut (Oct 18, 2007)

We fully intend to get an adult or senior from a shelter. We have no interest in raising and housebreaking a puppy. 

I took 7 different online quizzes, and our top results were the bulldog, English toy spaniel, Boston terrier, Bichon Frise, Poodle, and Japanese chin. 

To me, having to shave the coat seems like less maintenance than having to vacuum hair spread around... We don't currently own a vacuum and the hair would be more 'contained'. I have a razor and am good with my hands, so I'd do a puppy cut at home rather than pay a groomer. As far as I can tell, any of the bichon breeds (Havanese, Maltese, Bolognese, Coton de Tulear, etc) can be puppy-cut. I probably wouldn't grow their hair long.


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

I think it is great you want to rescue a older dog. I have little to no experience withthe breeds you mentioned. except for toy poodles, I grew up with 2.5 of them. great dogs, always willing to please. Easy coat manitence. you could easly just buy a dog shaver and do it your self. 




Erick Aguilar said:


> I'm impressed nobody has said Chihuahua?
> 
> Low shedding, alot of sizes from teacup to standard, loves to do tricks, not stubborn, easy to train, they don't eat and poop much.. they do pee with frequency though.
> They are pretty interesting dogs indeed, everybody(with some experience) can have a chihuhua and have years of fun with one.


Sorry there is ONE size to chis. No teacup, standard, toy ect. one size only.


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## skelaki (Nov 9, 2006)

Thank you Tankstar!

And, yes, any of the long-haired breeds could be kept in a puppy clip. Either the Japanese Chin or English Toy Spaniel would probably work well for you.

Why not go to a few shows and talk to the breeders, owners and handlers of the various Toy Breeds? That way you can see them in person and get first-hand information about the pros and cons. Someone might even be able to put you in contact with someone who has an adult dog they need to rehome.


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## LeRoymydog (Feb 25, 2007)

Have you looked into French Bulldogs. Very low maintenance, small, and excellant with children, no prey drive at all.

That would be my pick!!!


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## doggone6 (Sep 7, 2007)

Many good suggestions here, but have you considered the Tibetan Spaniel?


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## KelliCZ (Aug 1, 2008)

Erick Aguilar said:


> I'm impressed nobody has said Chihuahua?
> 
> Low shedding, alot of sizes from teacup to standard, loves to do tricks, not stubborn, easy to train, they don't eat and poop much.. they do pee with frequency though.
> They are pretty interesting dogs indeed, everybody(with some experience) can have a chihuhua and have years of fun with one.


 

Have you ever had a Chihuahua?


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## Mish Mish (Sep 1, 2008)

I am new to this forum and I just adopted a chi/min-pin mix named Charlie. He is about 2, I think--not sure, he came from a rescue who got him from a shelter.

He is not high energy--after the 20 minute walk, he's pretty tuckered out. He seems to have bursts of crazy, but they don't last long. He is also not super barky--so I think it really just comes down to meeting a lot of different dogs until you find the one with the right personality. For every person who told me "get this breed" there was another person who told me "DON'T get this breed." It was really hard to know what to do!

I did consider certain breed characteristics, but you still never know until you meet a dog and handle him/her a bit. 

Charlie is also cool with our house rabbit--the rabbit has her own area of our family room that is closed off from him. He tries to engage her sometimes if he's having his crazy play urges, but if she grumbles at him, he takes off. Most of the time he just ignores her completely. The first introduction, he barked and grrrrrrr'd at her, but I gave him a stern "AH! AH!" and he stopped. We kept him on the leash around her enclosure for the first 24 hours and he did well.


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