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I have a mini poodle and a papillon, and they're both great. They're both really smart, sweet dogs. And Tim, neither of them bark a lot . 'Course, with the poodle, you have to groom them, since they have hair, not fur. This is a good thing too though. Poodles don't shed. Papillons are hypoallergenic, which is why we could get one. My mom is allergic. My dogs love everyone and everything. They're a similar size to your chihuahua, so they'd probably get along well.

I second the shelter suggestion. If I'd had a choice, I would have gotten a shelter dog. My poodle was a rescue dog, in fact. My papillon came from a breeder, since there was no way to find a papillon in a shelter, and we needed a hypoallergenic dog.

Here's Vinnie, my papillon:

Janna attached this image:

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They shade the glow of it with their mossy-misty costumes,
They wear masks of silk, porcelain, brass, and silver,
So as not to mislead with their own, ordinary faces.

[font color="#800080"]Thanks for all the answers guys!
I hadnt ruled out a shelter or rescue dog by the way, just that the only dogs available right now in the local shelter are pit bulls, rottweilers, or crosses of one of these two. I cannot convince my boyfriend to get a pitty- he has friends and relatives in Ontario and pittys have been banned, so we wouldnt be able to take the dog on trips, and our dogs travel EVERYWHERE with us! Neither of us is interested in a rottie- they are damn fine dogs, but those dogs I really believe thrive on a lot of exercise, and we will have a small yard and walks available. Also my bf had a really bad experience with 2 different rotties and therefore shys away.
Like I said, we want to pick the best dog for us. I dont wanna get a dog/puppy and have it be unhappy because its lacking something in its life. Too many people do that, and thats why the shelters are full of rotties, pit bulls, and shepards.
I hadnt considered a Boston Terrier because I had heard they bark incessantly! I absolutely cannot stand a yappy dog. Mind you, of course it can be trained down to a low roar with patience, but I would prefer a breed that tends not to bark much, or is highly intelligent and easily trainable.
My BF really wants a Bouvier, however, the only pups we can find nearby are 2000 dollars for half ownership, or 5000 for full ownership, regardless of whether you want a pet or show dog! Thats a little ridiculous for a pet dog!
We have met a aust. cattle dog before, he was not herdy of people, and was a wonderful calm laid back dog. In fact he was a rescue dog, but when I went to talk to my landlady about adopting him off them, she had already given him away 3 days before! She has 5 dogs now, but they are all aging collies with health problems, and I have discovered I do not like collies. I am not a "collie person".

So, the concensus has brought the list down to:
Bouvier, basenji, Boston Terrier, Mini Poodle, Papillon.
I am going to say I also have been interested in a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. They are a neat little foxy dog. I have always liked retrievers.
I had ruled out terriers- I dont have the energy for most of them .
What we need is a dog that will be happy with an hours walk a day and vigorous play as well, and is suited to a smaller house (therefore must either be smaller or be very calm inside), it will have a fenced yard to play of course. I would like a dog that doesnt bark much, is easily trainable, and I think above all I would like a CALM dog, our chihuahua is very emotional and coming from a troubled background (moved a lot, locked in a 4x4 ft room, maybe beaten), she was a handful and a half to train and suffered major seperation anxiety. She is good now, but it took a solid 2 years of consistent, heavy duty training to get her here. I would like a dog that is on an "even keel" so to speak, which is why we were favoring the Bouvier Des Flanders.
Keep on suggesting though, I am open to your knowledge of dogs people!
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Oh I forgot to mention!
After telling the boyfriend about this thread, he said, I forgot to mention the hound dog we were considering.
We have also been considering a Blue Tick/Walker Hound cross puppy.
Any thoughts on that one as well?


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Australian cattles are generally calmer than blue cattles/heelers, but can still be complete hotheads, especially in a small yard.

What about a greyhound? Or a whippet? Ex racing greyhounds need a home and really need minimal excercize (an hours walk would be tons!) and they are happy to just curl up and sleep on the lounge for most of the day. They are very trainable but can be a bit clingy.
Stepping down in size there is also the whippet and the italian greyhound (IMO too small and fragile)

Out of what you have there, i'd go either the basenji or the poodle. Poodles can have eye problems and often live longer than their eyes/ears/joints are willing to function. Often, when they hit that stage, they become snappy and unsociable. Either plan to have kids after this stage, or plan to have them be mature enough to handle it. a 3 year old will almost certainly get bitten when a dog gets the old age grumps. (i know its an odd thing to mention, but poodles seem pretty e to it)

I haven't had many dealings with basenji, but from what i know, they are wonderful housedogs and very self-assured. I don't know about noise level.. you might have some work to do there.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

I'd go with the shelter/rescue dog too. here is a link to search other shelters in your area or anywhere for that matter.
http://www.petfinder.com

all three of the dogs that I've had were ones that noone else wanted. One of them is handicapped (deaf) but he doesn't know any better, the other dog actually looks to him for encouragement.

Steph

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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West

I'd go with a Boston Terrier as well.

They are great companion dogs and very friendly as well. Not like those other "companion" dogs that attach only to one person and hate everyone else.

They are also a similar size to the chihuahua, so they could play together.

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

Well guys thanks for all your help!
We decided we are going to get either the Bouvier or the Australian Cattle Dog, or a Eurasier, however, we have decided to wait until we finish University and get a house of our own. That way we can have a nice big yard and a nice big house for a larger companion.
We got offered a purebred Birman kitten from the landlady upstairs (they have bad allergies, and have decided to add him to our family. So, welcome Rocky to our family! He already likes the fish!
So thanks everyone! Your input has been incredibly valuable. Just goes to show fp isnt just for fish, its a community of great people with wonderful knowledge and advice!


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Thanks for considering what we have been suggesting

I say take the cattle dog off the list. They are beautiful little dogs, but soooo active & intelligent (ours was always escaping from our yard even though we have at least 5 acres it could roam on + another dog to play with) and need lots to keep them mentally stimulated. Our pup became obsessed with chasing cars, shadows and torches. Eventually she escaped and was hit by a car while trying to chase it.
I have heard many good things about greyhounds and whippets - nice temperament, happy to laze around.
Also i have had labradors - best dogs in the world! So a lad X poodle might be a good idea. They don't shed hair like the labs which is great, poodles are intelligent, and labs are happy dogs that get on with anyone so a cross would be ideal i should think.

I say, if you do not have any plans on breeding them, go to your local animal shelter and look around. You neve know what you will find. You may find a pure bred there, I know I have done it. Just because you have no papers, does not mean it is not a pure bred. Also, you may find a mutt that is just too cute, fun loving, and perfect for your family. And if you do, that are two great reasons to get one from the animal shelter. First, you will be helping save an animal from eventually being put to death. This in its self is a wonderful thing. But secondly, you will save hundreds of dollars, as they usually cost only $50 or so. This includes the free spay/neuter charges, and all up to date shots! And some even include a guarantee, that if you are not satisfied, you can bring them back and look for another.

Just a thought here, that you might want to think about. Especially since you are going to be taking a little while to get one.

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There is always a bigger fish...

I would say thank god they arent Lassie!!! My landlord's live upstairs and they have 5 collies. This has allowed me to see I would never, ever, in a million years, own a collie! No offense to collie owners- but they are stupid, pea brain, yippy yappy dogs with beady little eyes.

That struck a nerve on me... I breed collies and currently have 4. They are the most loyal dogs ever. It sounds like the dogs your landlord owns just need to have a chance to run! I don't suggest collies to people that don't have an acre or 2 of running room. All they want in life is human companionship and a place to run.

i might be getting a dog to. good luck

It sounds like the dogs your landlord owns just need to have a chance to run!
Actually- they are on 3 acres, and are outside 80% of the time! They also own a very large home (3000+ sq feet), so it isnt like the dogs dont have room to roam.
I just find them to be very nosy, unnattentive (by this I mean they DO NOT listen) and are extremely yappy dogs. It could just be the dogs she rescues- but of the 8 she has had here this year, not 1 has been any different.
Perhaps its a lack of training as well! Im SURE NOT ALL collies are like this! It depends on a lot of factors, but I am sure a collie is not the dog for me.
Actually, we have decided once we purchase a home of our own (preferrably on some acreage), we are going to breed some kind of dog. We are still thinking Bouviers!
Thanks all,
But like I said, we decided for now to get a kitten instead.


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Oh, and I forgot to reply to Acidrain-
Actually the shelters here charge 140 Dollars for female dogs, 120 for males, and 90 dollars for cats and kittens.
Not the cheapest. And if they are an animal that has had any vetrinary work done, the charge is usually 200-250 dollars for the animal.


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Whoa! that sucks. I guess that is why the couple around here, actually rarely have to put any animals to sleep. *smiles for local area dog shelters*

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There is always a bigger fish...

Sneaky: Have you considered a Jindo? Similar to Shiba Inu's/Akita's & basenji's personality wise.
I had one of them before as a rescue, wonderfull dog, saved my life one night.
If you want a incredibly loyal dog, and one who would give their life for you *with out being aggressive all the time* Jindo's are a great choice, and pretty darn rare.
I've seen Jindo's anywhere from 35 pounds to 80+ Pounds.

I'm glad to see you guys are waiting a while to take on another dog, spend all your time researching, and I hope you wind up with a great new friend.

http://www.kang.org/Jindo.html

http://www.geocities.com/jindojunkie/JindoRescue/what_jindo.html

u should get a yorkie

Unless you have at least half an acre for a backyard, stay away from the cattledogs. They will get destructive and very strange in the head in a cramped environment.

Watch out with puppy crosses. There's absolutely nothing wrong with a cross or mixed-breed from a shelter, but the kinds of people who purposefully cross two different breeds are rarely the kinds of people you want handling the choosing and rearing of your dog. If the "Pom-a-poo" (for example) people really cared about either breed, why aren't they doing their best to preserve each individually, rather than creating yet another cross? A poodle mix is easy enough to get at a shelter - the world doesn't need a bunch of new mixes, especially at the absurd prices they so often go for.
And ditto the others - avoid the heck out of pet stores, and go through your local kennel club, they'll know the best breeders with healthy, well-reared, intelligent puppies. A good breeder will be able to pick the right puppy from a litter for your needs, or tell you why their breed might not be the right choice.

-Molly
Visit shelldwellers.com!

I do not want a Pom, they are in my experience very yappy.
They also are very low in the "obedience" level- I kind of want an easily trained, obedient, loyal dog.
I have experience with Poms, they are not the dog for me.
Also, I wouldnt exactly call their coloring brown, its more like orange. Their base color is Orange (show quality only allows for solid colors), and colors such as blue, and white are rare. Black is totally disallowable in show stock as a color. But pet quality poms can come in any color just about. Just not the dog for me.

I think we have narrowed it down to just a few breeds now:
Papillon, Poodle (toy or mini), Mini American Eskimo, basenji, Australian Cattle Dog, Bouvier Des Flanders, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, or one of these with a cross breed -say papillon/poodle cross, Cattle dog-sheperd, etc etc. May not end up being pure-bred, but half/half is what we are aiming for or better.
Do any of you guys out there breed these dogs? Have puppies? Know of anyone with puppies?


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Those are the three main colours. The rest of the colours are pretty much just different shadings of those 3 main colours.

But they do also come in a blue/grey shading colour.

Last edited by PJ at 22-Dec-2004 17:40

lol Pom's come in A LOT more colours then 3, real cute buggars, saymoyeds are nice as well, but certainly not for everyone

Get a Pomeranian or a Samoyed (check spelling)

Those are the cutest dogs you can get

Pomeranians stay small and come in white, black or brown.
I have 2 pomeranians, 1 pure bred and one 3/4 pom 1/4 chewawa.

Samoyeds are just like giant pomeranians but they only come in white

Here are some more pics
samoyeds
pomeranians


Last edited by PJ at 21-Dec-2004 19:51

Well since you still seem to possibly want a basenji, let me try to help you along with that as much as possible.
I'm a rescuer in the Shiba Inu community and we often work closely with basenji's, because as I stated before they are both primative breeds and have very similar personality traits and care wise.

Unfortuantly, even if you buy a real nice purebred dog, doesn't keep it from having behavioral issues or physical issues, and basenji's have their share of on going medical traits.
I'll give you some links to some good rescues for basenji's, they are great little dogs if you know how to understand them.
Get close with other members in the basenji community and I'm sure some of them would have no problem helping you to find the right basenji for you, even transport from America to Canada.

And just for the record, Shiba Inu's are not naturally an aggressive breed, some simply have bad owners who don't understand or have what it takes to be owned by one

http://www.basenjirescue.org/

http://www.basenji.org/

http://www.coloradobasenjirescue.org/index.html

http://www.siscom.net/~charlied/bearhome.htm

Bouvier Des Flanders are also herding dogs and will need something to keep them occupied. Also a lot if coat on a big dog! The final choice will have to be yours. Remember it takes just as much money to properly raise and care for a rescue or mongrel as it does a well-bred pedigreed dog. Just don't go to a pet store. Check out local kennel clubs and try to find breeders who can give you information about both the sire and the dam. Of course my advice will be to get a PUG!

I haven't owned one, but I have met French bulldogs that I could fall in love with.

"If your not too used to owning dogs, and understanding them I would cross the basenji and Shiba Inu off of your list.
They are both "primative" breeds, meaning basically they aren't your typical Lassie!"
Angel- I already have a dog. And as for that qoute there, I would say thank god they arent Lassie!!! My landlord's live upstairs and they have 5 collies. This has allowed me to see I would never, ever, in a million years, own a collie! No offense to collie owners- but they are stupid, pea brain, yippy yappy dogs with beady little eyes. (at least these 5 are- im sure there are plenty of good collies out there).

I have already used all those breed selectors, and have been researching what breeds are suited to me.
I did take the Shiba Inu off the list, but have kept the basenji. I believe it would be an excellent dog for us- however, they sell for over 1000 dollars a "pet quality pup" here.
I have pretty much ruled out a shelter dog. There are many reasons why, but mostly I remember back to being a kid, and my parents got like 5 different dogs from the shelter, and none lasted more than a week. My boyfriend also remembers how his parents did the same thing- none of those dogs lasted with them more than a couple of days.
Also- when I look at the 5 collie dogs my landlords have upstairs, their behavioural problems, their health problems, the fact that they bark from 9 AM till 3PM, puts me off. I cannot afford huge vet bills, nor do I think I can put up with another behaviourly disturbed dog- I already spent 2 years training my other dog because of behavioural issues from her previous homes. (We basically rescued her)
I just dont think I am ready at this stage in my life to take on someone else's problems again. I think I would prefer to start off with a clean slate, a young pup I can bond with, and raise to be the good dog it should have the chance to be. My Chihuahua already has future health problems coming, I dont think we could afford to care for two inherited/neglected/genetically affected with illness dogs.
Our Chihuahua was purchased by my BF's mom in Ontario- from a breeder known by her sister to inbreed the dogs. She was purchased as a "purebred pomeranian", and is not a Pom. She then was given as a gift to a 2 year old grandchild, who's parents dont like dogs, nor have time, and Muffin spent 4 months at their house locked in a 4x4 foot room for 12 hours minimum a day.After which she was returned to the moms house because she apparently "visciously attacked" the granddaughters dad when he took away a chicken bone. This makes no sense to me, as the day after I found that out, I tried throughout 2-3 days time taking food and treats away from the pup and she never so much has growled. But, like most little dogs, she will only put up with so much torment and aggression from people before she gets growly and snappish. Perhaps the story has more info they care not to share.
Needless to say, when we moved out of his moms house, we took Muffin with us. We had to deal with massive behavioural issues- seperation anxiety, destructive practices, lack of housetraining, barking, emotional problems, etc. Its taken 2 years now to get her to a happy, healthy, well behaved and enjoyable dog. I dont know if I could go through that again right now.
Maybe later down the road.
Cory Addict- Petfinder.com is also for Canada. Thanks, I have been searching on it for weeks already!

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And here is a site that features lots of homeless pets, and you can search for them by entering your zipcode.

PetFinder.com

EDIT: Oh wait... I forgot you're in Canada.

Last edited by Cory Addict at 21-Dec-2004 14:23

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

If your not too used to owning dogs, and understanding them I would cross the basenji and Shiba Inu off of your list.
They are both "primative" breeds, meaning basically they aren't your typical Lassie! 9 times out of 10 they take a highly knowledgable dog owner, to become a dog you would allow be part of human society.

Each breed has it's breed standard, but of course there will always be exceptions to the rule from dog to dog.
I encourage you to get a rescue/shelter dog as well, wonderfull animals that can be mutts, or purebreds, even some retired show dogs.

Check these Dog Breed Selectors out, just a general guide to help you pick a breed that might fit into your life style. It's really important to get the right dog for YOU, because far to many dogs are returned or left at shelters every day.

Once you narrow your search down, try joining an active breed mailing list and talking to other owners, breeders and rescuers on there, they are often your best bet to hear about how the breed REALLY is.

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

http://selectsmart.com/beta_dog/

http://animal.discovery.com/guides/dogs/selector/selector.jsp

http://www.ivillage.com/pets/tools/breedselector/