Yep! Bazaar is wise. Lurcher pups can be a handful - like all pups. They get lazier as they get older but because they're sighthound crosses the lazy quotient depends on the mix. I love my whippety boy but all my previous dogs have been adult rescues...I much prefer adults! Don't write off an adult rescue, many are just happy to have a family and comfy couch. Very low maintenance.

Agree about the oldies, just love them! We got 2 rescue greyhounds earlier this year, one was almost 9 and she's such a brilliant dog. I love her to bits Dont think I would ever want to go through the puppy stage again, all that destruction and cleaning up accidents, give me an older dog anyday!!

OP having read what you want in a dog, the breeds I would be looking at would be:

Toy poodle - under 11" high, virtually no shedding, happy to take what exercise you can give, can be noisy unless trained to be quiet
Bichon frise - 9-12" high, virtually no shedding, easy going, lovely natured lapdog, exercise requirement low but grooming is a must
Cotton Du Tulear - 10-12" high, low shedding, need regular grooming, exercise requirement low, friendly and sociable
Bolognese - 10-12" high, low shedding, exercise requirement low, needs regular grooming, friendly and sociable
Maltese - 8-10" high, very low shedding, lovely nature, exercise requirement low full coat needs considerate grooming though could be clipped for a pet dog
Havanese - 8-11" high, very low shedding, pet coat easy grooming, longer she coat needs more work, exercise requirement low, not prone to barking much and are affectionate and good natured
Yorkshire Terrier - 8-9" high, a terrier so can be feisty depending how their bought up, exercise requirement low, pet dog can be easily clipped to a suitable pet length

You will not get a completely non shedding dog, so don't let anyone try and fob you off with
one. ALL breeds, even those claimed to be non shedding, do shed to a certain extent, just not as much as other breeds do. Anyone claiming to have 100% non shedding puppies is lying - there is no such thing.

All these breeds are bred to be lapdogs, so would be quite happy with home life, surrounded by people and a walk or two a day. They are companion dogs, bred to be around people, they do not like being alone, so would probably suit the OP's lifestyle very well.

A Jack russell is a small dog, but not a tiny dainty breed like the toy group. They can also vary as some are short legged and some are longer in the leg. The JR is indeed classed as small compared to say a cocker spaniel, but next to an average chi or yorkie, it would be distinctly bigger and far more stocky. The JR is not a good choice for the OP though, their energetic, need a good amount of exercise, can be very very noisy (like most terriers) and are not good around children as they have typical terrier temperament and can be extremely snappy. The big dogs I see when out in the park are far more approachable, than the JR's which usually fly at me and my dog snarling and trying to start a fight. For a small dog they can be very difficult to manage, I've seen one chase an Alsatian out of the playing fields once, as they can and will just go for another dog even if it's 10 times bigger than they are.

Have a look a mini daschunds as well

Are they friendly with children ? only ones I have met have been terribly feisty little creatures, gorgeous though !

Thank you some great info there. I must admit I am leaning towards the toy poodle at the moment.


Im not keen on the little legged breeds, as I had one and it was very hard on their back you had to be so careful of any weight gain. So cute though!

With very young children going to be around I would avoid tiny breeds like Chihuahuas or Yorkshire Terriers. I've also had from experience found them to be a little mouthy.

To be honest I'm struggling to come up with a breed with all the requirements you are looking for.

Japanese Chin maybe? There are a few inherited health issues and it is a bit small for young children to be around.

A Basset Hound is a more solid dog that can take children. But it is a hound so will require firm training and needs to be on a lead when out walking. Also health issues again.

A Clumber Spaniel is a rare British breed. Similar in type to the Basset Hound including inherited health issues.

Not a breed as such but how about a Cockerpoo? Needs a bit more exercise then the above two breeds but it's out-crossing can reduce health issues. Also it's a happy easy going dog.

To be honest if size wasn't an issue I would recommend a Greyhound.

Your best bet is going to rescues and finding a mix/cross there.

Toy poodle

My Chi sounds like the dog that could fit the bill. But of course he does moult, as will most breeds. He is a smooth coat, the long coats tend to moult less due to the longer hair growth cycle.
He isn't mad keen on going out on walks, but will tag along, if not a little begrudgingly. His favourite exercise is to get a fit of the zoomies and tear round the living room for 5 mins until he is out of puff.
He is pretty robust, and gives my old Stafford a run for his money. He is tiny, but not teacup, 2.5KG in weight. This little dog is every inch just that, a DOG. he is not a handbag accessory. He isn't nervy, snappy or yappy. A true pleasure to own.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ps10676dca.jpg

My chi is exactly the same. He loves walks once he's actually outside, but getting him to go out is a nightmare! He frequently goes into a mad chi-fit and tears around the living room before going into his bed and rolling around. its hilarious to watch He's only 4 months old so he's full of energy, but I wouldn't swap him for the world.

To be honest OP, I also think the toy poodle would be a good choice. I've got one myself and all of his traits would be perfect for what you want in a dog.

Toys should be 11" or under, and a nimble but sturdy little dog, but mine is around 14" and built like an army tank, so they do vary, but they should not be over 15", as that would be a miniature instead, which are considerably bigger.

They don't shed as such, you won't find hairs all over your house and clothes, rather you get small bits out when you brush them, and it's not at all like 'dog hair', it's like a soft almost wool type coat, that gathers in clumps not strands. This coat does have the disadvantage of requiring serious grooming, or it will go into an out of control matted mess, it will not stop at a certain length like other breeds, poodles hair grows like ours, continuously, and needs clipping every 6-8 weeks.

A lot of people are put off poodles, due to the hairstyles their given, but you don't have to do this. Those styles are only done for show purpose, my own has never been cut like that, I clip him the same length all over, and he looks like a little curly tailed mix breed. Show trims are extravagant, costly due to the work required in them, and very high maintenance, if you want to keep one in traditional clip, the puppy or lamb trim is by far the easiest and most manageable, where the nose, paws and base of tail is clipped, but the rest left a uniform size all over. It is also, the least 'funny' looking trim.

They are very very sociable, love people, mine is excellent with other animals and will happily wander about with the rabbits and my other pets. They are not nasty natured or snappy, and do great with children.

They don't need a lot of exercise, mine doesn't even like going out when its wet full stop, and a walk a day would be quite adequate. Mine is 12 now, but even as a youngster, he wasn't fussed about walking much.

They can be finicky, fussy eaters, so you have to be firm with food. Also in my experience they can have a very weak stomach and not able to tolerate things like beef, mince etc, maybe that's just mine, though other people I've spoken to have said the same thing about them.

Like most small dogs, they can be noisy, but if its nipped in the bud at a young age, it shouldn't be a problem.

They don't smell! Because they don't really shed or have typical dog hair, you don't get the telltale doggie odour with them. So if your a house proud person who can't stand the fact you can tell there's a dog in the house the second you step in the door, or want something unobtrusive to be able to take visiting other people's houses, their perfect as you will NOT smell these!

You have plenty of colours to choose from, poodles come in black, white, cream, silver, apricot, red, brown and blue, all of which are solid colour. There is now growing availably for 'parti-colour', popular in the States, and getting popular over here, where you get a mix of black/ brown, black/ white, apricot/white etc, highly undesirable in the show world, but for a pet it does look really pretty and different.

The poodles' origins are for the larger sizes were bred as retrievers of birds (mainly ducks), and the smaller ones were used for hunting out truffles, so there is no terrier or hound type nature in them.

The toy poodle is a relatively fit, healthy dog, but because they've got floppy ears and hair grows actually in the ear itself, they can have ear problems, however regular grooming and plucking out the hair keeps everything ok.

Their a real companion dog, they want to be with you and like to join in and be part of the scene whatever it is your doing.

Yes their very intelligent, but you can occupy them with things like puzzle toys, toys with treats in, kongs, or even just teaching them little tricks like play dead, shake hands and beg. They might be a brainy breed but they won't demand your attention, their a dog that is easy enough to fit in with your lifestyle. Whether you live in an apartment or a country mansion, walk them once a day or four times a day, they will adapt to whatever they are given, their a very versatile breed, that would easily fit in with almost anybody. The single biggest consideration with them is the grooming, other than that, their one of the most easily manageable dogs your likely to find.

Here is a picture of mine, so you can see one without the puffy pompoms:

http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/...psb36d0ac1.jpg

http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0cefd804.jpg

Hope that helps you

Thank you everyone. ( some lovely photos )

Yes I am going to go for the Toy Poodle. The more I read the more I know this is the breed most suited to me. I have a lot of time on my hands and can spend a lot of time teaching and training.
So yep, now just going to wait for one to turn up.

Thank you again.

We meet a lovely unclipped toy poodle on park walks. He's delightful and so good to see'lne "au naturele". Funny about shedding..our Keeshond must be one of the hairiest dogs around yet she sheds very little .

The poodle we had many years ago was only clipped a few times. Loved him unclipped as not only did he look different clipped but acted different as well.

Unclipped he was just a dog who loved rough and tumble, clipped he would prance and not like rough and tumble. and sit on the sofa not the floor.

What ever you decide I hope you come back and show us some pics ! Good luck and hope all you find the dog of your dreams SP !

I will do, although it wont be to well into the new year, as want to make sure we are all ready and everything has been thought of.

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone xx

Happy Christmas SP and everyone else, so exciting getting a new puppy or dog I quite envy you

They are a totally different dog unclipped, and are viewed differently too. Everyone I've met that don't like poodles, have been smitten with mine because he doesn't look anything like what people imagine on hearing the word 'poodle', which is a girly sissy dog with a silly haircut. And who can really blame them, some of those clips do make them look totally ridiculous, and there's the dreadful notion of dying them pink or blue too which makes it even worse. When I first got my poodle, my mate's reactions was to laugh and say 'why did you get a daft poncy looking thing like that for'. Afterwards when I took him for a walk we bumped into them, their reaction couldn't have been more different ," awwww WHERE did you get him?! He's adorable, I want him, can I have him off you!" - all because of the image their given with their looks. I personally would never clip one into a style, they look so much better for it, and people definitely look on them in another light.

Lol, at the risk of hijacking a thread, I never thought I'd find a breed I love as much as my beloved stafford and Pit Bull. But for its size the little Chi is just as much dog, in a tiny package. Such characters and so smart. My Toro is my mini bull, my pitahuahua if you like. Love them to death

I have to disagree with you there!.. You have lumped all poodles together!, there are toy, miniture and standard poodles!, and they are all varying sizes!, a standard will of course need much more than a toy but i can tell you i have throughout my life had all three types and none of them went for long walks everyday!, the standard lived with us in a top floor flat in London when i was a teenager and my father used to take him out morning and evening for a walk around the estate and that was enough even for him!, He was a lovely family pet that seemd to enjoy his life!, The toy only went for a 'sunday' walk once a week!, and he never showed signs of distress or anything like that!, he used to come out with me in the car on my daily housewife world and he was wonderful!, we still talk about him even now years after he left us!... he was an absolute delight of a dog!...




sweetpeanut!... i have made the decision for you!, The toy poodle is the absolute dog for you!.........

You wont regret it for a moment!......

Please let us know when you have got your dog?.....

I thought poodles were gun dogs, miniature or otherwise, their temperament will need lots of stimulation and gun dog type runs?

We have a collie retriever cross with a family history like that you would imagine a lot of walking - she hates walking and 20 minutes is enough before she sits down and refuses to go further. Always has since she was a puppy. You can't predict what a dog will enjoy or cope with really and most dogs will adapt to less or more if introduced to it.

Yes the more I read the more I am certain the toy poodle is my dog. Cant wait but not going to rush. I am reading a book "Finding your perfect puppy" or something like that, recommended by someone on this thread.
I dont want to make any mistakes in choosing the pup from the litter taken it to early, or to late etc.. This dog is going to be part of my life for the rest of its life and I want to make sure I make its life as happy and contented as I know it will make mine.

I will not forget to come back and show photos

I have read a lot on this breed and they are quite content with shorter walks as long as they get plenty of play and training games.

No, standard poodles were originally bred to retrieve ducks and other game birds from water. The name 'poodle' comes for the German (yes their a German breed not French as is often depicted!) word 'pudel' which means to splash about in water. The instantly recognisable clip you see on the standards was done like that on purpose for practically, the lack of fur so there's less weight and it dries quicker, with the 'pompoms' left partly to aid buoyancy to keep the dog afloat (they act like armbands), but also to protect the joints and internal organs, hence why the body/ legs/ tail tip is left fluffy. There is actual real method in the madness of such a peculiar looking haircut!. They are not designed to run after the birds, or flush them out like retrievers and spaniels, merely to fetch them once their in the water, so don't need the exercise most gun breeds do. The smaller poodles were originally used to hunt truffles, particularly the miniatures, but the toy was and is primarily a lapdog, just like the Chinese had pekes for company, and the English the King Charles spaniel, the Germans made their smallest poodle into a suitable companion dog.

Poodles need stimulation because their so intelligent that its a bit of a shame to let it go to waste, but that doesn't mean they need lots of exercise, they won't go crackers like a collie would for instance. Basically if you want to train your dog to walk on its back legs or on a ball this is the breed to do it, they were popular in circuses for this reason, but it's not essential, it's up to the owner if they want to teach it or not. Their quite happy and content just being a pampered pet. Going by what Sweetpeanut wants and has requested in a dog, I'd say the toy poodle fits that list to a T.