You have my condolences Jimmy.

I second the adoption route.

Sorry for your loss.

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
If you like houndish pups that love being doted upon, beagles. When they bark, it’s often that typical endearing bay. Just don’t let them get loose.

Uhhh, Beagles LOVE to bark. They are also hounds, making them (typically) stubborn and VERY hard to train. Our Beagle will be out at our fence barking (there is a walking trail in the green space behind my house). I yell at him. He stops, looks RIGHT AT ME, and turns back and continues barking. This is his way of telling me "I heard you, I am ignoring you, I shall continue barking, and you can't do a darn thing about it." That dog CONSTANTLY and purposefully defies me. I remember the first day after we got him that he went an entire day without making me mad at him (this was about 5-6 months after we got him). It takes special patience to own a Beagle. . .

They are natural escape artists, and as gearhounds indicated, God help you if one escapes. They run and run, ESPECIALLY if they get on a scent trail of a rabbit, squirrel, other dog, cat, will o' the wisp, etc. . .

Of course, not EVERY Beagle will be like this, but I believe it's typical of the breed.

I had Bassets for 14 years - they are typically stubborn and lazy. I loved mine, but they are not for everybody.

Try a miniature poodle or miniature poodle mix. I've been seeing more and more mini Goldendoodles (yeah, they are technically 'mutts,' but our full-size is a GREAT dog). They are around 30-40 lbs, a little bigger than a Beagle or Cocker Spaniel. You will need to get them groomed every 5-6 months for life (their hair never stops growing), but they are (typically) non-allergenic and smart. My next dog will almost certainly be a mini-Goldendoodle. . .


You probably know this, but there are dog books that can help you select a breed. They ask questions, such as how active are you (do NOT get a hunting breed if you are not able to exercise them daily), what kind of property do you have (do NOT get a Labrador Retriever if you only have a one-room studio apartment), how experienced are you (do not get a Belgian Malinois unless you have a lot of experience - they are NOT an entry-level dog), etc etc. Many people buy dogs based on what they look like, or if they see a cute one in a movie or TV show (there is a reason in the 1990s that a LOT of Jack Russel Terriers ended up in shelters after the movei "The Mask" and the tv show "Frasier" - JRTs can be VERY difficult dogs. A good dog book will walk you through and recommend several breeds based on your answers.

Also, keep in mind, dog temperaments vary greatly depending on the dog's breeding. I had at least one dog book that had two different personality/temperament descriptions on some breeds based on whether it was a quality breeder dog (show-bred) or a puppy mill dog. Cocker Spaniels, for example, have been badly and irresponsibly over-bred (it is almost a curse for a dog to be on the top 10 AKC 'most popular breeds list, as greedy people breed them for quick profit with NO consideration of how good of breeding stock the parents are). One book I read indicated show-bred Cockers are good with children and other dogs. It indicated that puppy mill Cockers are bad with both.

I recommend you don't skimp on the price for a dog - you might get sticker shock by paying for a good-quality animal, but the long-term benefits (the health and temperament of the dog, as well as vet and other bills) will be worth it.

what are you looking for the dog to do for you and your family? Companion only....watchdog...protection....agility? Pet only around house or will it be going on frequent camping, boating, hiking trips? I did not see in original posts what the dog would be if anything other than housepet.
If only a house pet I might recommend one of the designer breeds...goldendoodle... My wife had bullmastiffs for past 25 years and decided to go back to a smaller dog now that our kids are grown and also grandkids all in school. She got a Havapoo...small, robust, smart, non-shedding, great with kids and great personality. Not big yapper and not a nipper. Pretty maintenance free.
If want something to be watchdog as well and a deterrent to trespassers or others...I can highly recommend Bullmastiffs..especially females as all of ours were. Yes, much larger than you wanted but low activity inside....dont eat a lot....active outside...dont bark at every little thing, great with kids and people you let into home. Just basic obedience and that is all...couch potato inside...but very alert and responsive to her family.
Unless very active family, running, hiking, long walks, etc...would shy away from sporting breeds mentioned. Yeah people do it...yeah it works...but the dogs are bred to work...whether guarding, hunting, retrieving...and a walk around neighborhood is not usually enough..they need vigorous exercise with running. As they build up energy they will find things to get into trouble...digging, chewing, etc. A walk is not enough for a working dog...
I would strongly consider a Havapoo if smaller dogs are not a concern. Throwing toys in hallway, little tug a war on couch, walk to go potty and they are good.

A generic mutt. Rescue one.

Sorry about your companion.

My suggestion is miniature Schnauzer. Although they are known to be vocal at times my pup is generally very quiet...only barking when she encounters an unknown noise and such, when she gets really excited playing and particularly when she senses (when I start pulling out luggage) we are going somewhere. She's an amazing pup and very intelligent.

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
some dogs mentioned will be higher energy and require lots of exercise. Like and Australian sheperd. And certainly Springer spaniels. Wife's mother has always had Cocker spaniels. She has loved them.

My last dog was a black lab/border collie mix.
He was super-smart and chill. Always on duty, he was a terrific watch dog.

The current dog is a Australian shepherd/border collie mix. She is the world's best frisbee catcher, but that comes with a price: she does need her exercise. We walk her about 2 miles/day. On top of that, she is ALWAYS looking to play.

Both are great mixes, IMO.

I really like Shiba-Inu's and Mini Aussies for anything that needs to be knee high.

We had a miniature daschund (sp). Most loving dog, great temperament, surprisingly the best hunter of any dog I’ve owned, yet dumb as a box of rocks. I couldn’t seem to train her well to do anything other than cuddle, which she excelled at.

She died and after a couple years we got a Welsh Corgi. Think big normal dog in a smaller package. Smart, very trainable, loves to be under foot, is talkative but not like a beagle. Loves to follow you around and sit next to you. My wife is convinced he’s the best dog we have ever had. She might be right.

I like the rescue option but where I live the rescues have become a bit nuts on their requirements. I sometimes think adopting a human would be easier and less stringent than adopting from these kooks, albeit very loving hearts in the right place kooks. I also like to at least attempt to get a breed that probably will conform to expectations while a mutt is a bit more of a gamble. Although probably a healthier gamble overall. My wife likes pure breads though so I don’t really have a choice. Our rescues have all been cats. You want to talk crazy? Rescue a cat up where I live. They want all kinds of things including unannounced visits after adoption to check on cat. Umm, nope.

I'm more of a large dog guy, so I don't have any specific recommendations.

I DO, however, have experience with neighbor's beagles.

They're a great hunting dog, but I would never, NEVER, NOT EVER recommend them as a pet, and that goes double if you live in town or a closely spaced neighborhood.

They are incessant barkers and while it might sound romantic in a hunting situation, it will drive you to the edge of madness in town or even in the country if they're kept in a kennel.

I have a 11 year old Goldendoodle who is about the best dog a guy could have. They come in lots of colors and 3 different sizes. Mine is a large and black weighing about 60 pounds.

https://blueridgegoldendoodlep...es-of-goldendoodles/

AKC and Westminster Kennel Club sites have great information on breeds and suitability, including activity level, barking and health issues. Don’t let anyone who doesn’t show dogs in conformation tell you that they are a “breeder.” At the very least, a reputable breeder will be able to show you specialized vet genetic testing and/or specialized skeletal evaluations of hips, elbows and the like for the bitch and dog they bred for any genetic or known common problem in a breed. They should be able to show you this information for successive generations. If you want a pure breed, the money you spend for a sound puppy will still save you thousands of dollars in vet bills over the life of the dog, especially for breeds with commonly known problems like hip dysplasia and eye problems. Good breeders also breed for temperament. One friend who is a breeder has taken dogs back and find a suitable home, even if the surrender reason was something stupid like more or less the dog had just become inconvenient to the owner at ten years of age.

To start, sorry for your loss. Losing a pet can really be hard.

Personally, we've had great luck with dachshunds.

There are 2 sizes, "miniature" which weigh about 10-15 lbs and "standard" which weigh about 20-25 lbs.

Then there are 3 types of coats; 1) smooth hair, 2) long hair, 3) wire-hair.

I found our current dog on a rescue website which can be found at:

www.dachshund.rescueme.org

Ollie wishes you the best of luck!

As mentioned, dogs within a breed can vary in temperament and drive. We have 3 Australian Shepards that are on the low side of energy and each of them are smart and loving in their own way. If you think an Aussie might be too much, then a Brittany might be an option.

Again, dogs within any breed can be high-drive but working with a reputable breeder and explaining what your "drive" preferences are will go a long way in finding a dog that will fit your needs and lifestyle.

Sorry for your loss. We filled the void with these two boys. Hunter and Dug.

We all tend to recommend our breeds.

If you want a great companion to hang out with you ...How about some Pug love.

18-22lbs usually.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
A generic mutt. Rescue one.

Absolutely.
We rescued (at different times) two Shepherds (one white and one CG) and a Boxer.
The all are medium sized and all mellowed to the energy of the owner (us) and we wonderful and I miss them all so much.
If you apply the love and attention then most should respond accordingly.
I do get that size matters ~ we couldn't deal with a little yapper or a super big dog (wife is 104 lbs) so medium is good.
Labs would be good too.
Rescue is it's own reward.
Good Luck.

As a breeder and exhibitor of dogs for 3 decades, my advice is to match the energy and intensity of the breed to your lifestyle. Look at what a specific breed was intended to do, and you will gain valuable insight into the dogs drive and mindset.

If high energy is not your thing, than stay away from herding breeds and terriers.

Companion breeds like King Charles Spaniels are great, as are Tibetan Spaniels.

Given your requirements, I suggest you look at the Sussex spaniel; They are happy, pleasant dogs and not high energy.

Dogs make our lives better if we choose wisely.

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:

You want to talk crazy? Rescue a cat up where I live. They want all kinds of things including unannounced visits after adoption to check on cat. Umm, nope.

That would be a deal-breaker for me, too.

We tried to rescue a brother/sister set of Basset Hounds several years ago. They denied us, since we both work full-time jobs and there would be a 8.5-hr period each work day where neither of us could be home. This was ridiculous, as we treat our pets almost like human children (we always come home each work day to let them out for bathroom breaks). IMO, that shelter missed out on sending those dogs to a great home just because they had draconian (I would say BS) rules.


The breed recommendations are very useful for getting a shelter pet, as well. A Beagle is a Beagle whether you buy it from a breeder or rescue it from a shelter. Of course, there are many more variables with a shelter, as you never know how pure a breed is (not that I'm a breed snob, but knowing a dog's breed is important, since this will greatly influence the dog's personality and physical/emotional needs). Also, many shelter pets have been physically and/or emotionally abused. Those dogs need good owners more than any other, but some dogs are irreparably damaged and require significant love, work, and professional assistance before they can be rehabilitated. . .

I second the Golden Doodle - Loyalty of the golden and the intelligence of a poodle.

quote:

Originally posted by Rucker:
Havanese. Everyone we know who has gotten one has decided to never own another breed of dog.

We have one. Best advice in Havanese is read their character traits. Any I’ve seen have them exactly.

Separation anxiety is the real deal for them.

quote:

Originally posted by 2000Z-71:
Australian Cattle Dog.

A good friend just got this Aussie puppy.