Your Choice For A Small Performance Dog

[Henrietta]

In my ongoing quest to decide what my next dog breed will be, I am asking what your choice for a small performance dog would be. This would be an agility and/or obedience dog. I do have a few breeds that I am toying with, some are small, some are not. I honestly don't mind if people throw in some medium breeds either. I am thinking small, because there are advantages to a smaller size, but I don't want to write off a potential breed for me based on size.

My focuses are on structure, temperament and activity levels. I want a dog that can cope with (sorry, and enjoy) the physical and mental rigours of exercise and training and a dog that is predispose to an outgoing temperament. I do not mind having to think outside the box with training, however I am inexperienced. I do not need to be extremely competitive, say in agility time-wise, but I would love to make a good go of it within me and my dog's limitations.

This is all just ideas. I endeavour to meet any breed I am seriously interested in at shows/trials and talk to as many owners/breeders as possible, and I am hoping to start this later in the year.

Edit - I have been considering mini poodles for a while now, they seem a great choice. The other smaller dog I have an interest in is a Tibetan Terrier. Not an obvious choice, I know. But overall a healthy breed, long-lived, and they have an intelligence and temperament I think I would really enjoy.

Edited May 3, 2010 by Emm

[Gretel]

A Cavalier A couple of girls I bred have done brilliantly at agility. I used to do obedience with one of my girls and she did very well. I've gotten lazy about training now but they are fun to train.

[Kavik]

What are your thoughts on hair? Especially with smaller dogs, many of them have long hair. Any type of coat you would prefer or not consider? Or look/type of dog?

Some ideas:

Sheltie

Mini Poodle

Papillon

Cavalier

Bit bigger:

Cocker Spaniel

Competitive but a bit more independent:

JRT

Border Terrier

Manchester Terrier

Japanese and German Spitz

[Nevafollo]

I'd personally go a papillion if I wanted a little dog for agility and obedeince!!!

[FHRP]

My first thought is Mini or Toy Poodle. They are agile, active and trainable. They enjoy and can be competitve at agility, obedience, tracking etc. Be prepared for a lot of grooming though. Other small breeds that came to mind were Shelties (important to select for a solid temperament), Papillons and Cavaliers. I'm sure if you decided the Tibetan Terrier was for you that they could enjoy doing agility & obedience also. We also have Min Pins, Machester Terriers and Italian Greyhounds competing succesfully in agility. The smaller terrier types are also active dogs that can give agility and obedience a go, but can present more training issues. As long as you aren't choosing a breed of extreme body type (long, low set, solid, too flat faced) then the dog will probably enjoy trying agility and obedience. You have to enjoy living with the dog first and foremost. Maybe go to a few agility/obedience trials and shows and have a look at what small dogs are competing and interest you.

[poodlefan]

Miniature or Toy Poodle

Shetland Sheepdog from the right lines

Papillon

Swedish Valhund

Most CKCS I've seen don't have a lot of drive. Drivey ones are out there but you'd have to hunt for one. There's a good breeder locally who's had a lot of success with her dogs.

FHRPs suggestion is a good one - go to obedience and agility trials, see what's out there and most importantly, ask folk who bred their dogs.

[Clyde]

My Stafford ticks all those boxes, she is 15kg.

Failing that - a Poodle! Although there is a great little Papillon at agility.

[Sophieandgracie]

My American Cocker was BORN to do Agility!

[pipsqueak]

My next choice will be a Brittany, pretty much for the same reasons as yours... though probably considered to be a medium rather than a small dog.

[poodlefan]

My next choice will be a Brittany, pretty much for the same reasons as yours... though probably considered to be a medium rather than a small dog.

Jumping 500, I consider them large!

[Guest DBT]

I would vote Koolie .

[Daisy]

just to throw in something completely different... I have heard that hungarian pulis (sp?) are good at sports, also for some reason lappies spring to mind. And cleoj is doing really well with her corgi (I always get the types mixed up she has the type that the queen does not!).

Edited May 3, 2010 by Daisy

[Sandra777]

Schipperke? Something a bit different.

[Tiggy]

German Pinscher . I want me one .

[huski]

Beagles all the way for me, though probably a bit more of a challenge than you are after

[Staff'n'Toller]

JRT, but I just have a liking for them in general as small dogs.

Myself I would seriously look at scouring the pounds to find a small scruffer with lots of character that is happy to engage in games with me.

[pipsqueak]

My next choice will be a Brittany, pretty much for the same reasons as yours... though probably considered to be a medium rather than a small dog.

Jumping 500, I consider them large!

I can understand that... I guess I own a deerhound x, so most dogs seem smaller!!!

[RallyValley]

A Scottish Terrier got first place in the 200 height class at nationals. I would choose a breed you like, otherwise if the dog is a sport failure you might resent it. (Hence why I am going to attempt agility with a Chesapeake one day )

[Henrietta]

Thank you - what great responses.

Where do I start...

My thoughts on hair - When I first considered the mini poodle I will admit to freaking out a bit about the grooming. I have the willingness to make the time to maintain a poodle, but the thought of learning the grooming was a bit scary. I'm pretty sure given the right direction I would definitely cope and enjoy the grooming aspect. Shedding isn't a huge issue for me. A Tibetan Terrier would be a lot of grooming as well, something that I will definitely have to speak with owners/breeders about. I don't want to underestimate grooming committments, but I have an open mind in regards to what sort of time I can devote. Equally, I love short coats, in fact my other potential breed is the Hungarian Vizsla (yes on the other end of the size scale).

I think the main thing for me is, given my experience level, I'd be better off with a dog that wasn't as 'sharp'. I don't mind a challenge in training and having to approach things differently perhaps. I am thinking that most terriers are out, as much as I enjoy their spunky attitudes. (Tibetan Terriers are not true terriers).

For example, I love the Schipperke and I find them a very interesting dog. But living with one? I'm not so sure. They aren't terriers, I know.

I do quite like the idea of a papillon, a very athletic little dog and very driven.

Poodles of course.

Shelties, I have seen a couple of shelties doing agility and they were delightful to watch. When you say 'from the right lines' is it safe to say that some lines are producing traits that are undesirable in a Sheltie?

Cavs and Cockers - lovely dogs, but probably not for me.

Daisy - The Queen has Pembroke Corgis and the other type are Cardigans.

Huski - I think it's safe to say a Daisy is a little bit too challenging for me!

Edit - I meant a Beagle, but you know what I mean!

Edited May 3, 2010 by Emm

[Henrietta]

A Scottish Terrier got first place in the 200 height class at nationals. I would choose a breed you like, otherwise if the dog is a sport failure you might resent it. (Hence why I am going to attempt agility with a Chesapeake one day )

I know what you mean, but my dogs will always be companions first. Dog sports is something we would do for fun. But it is something I try to take into account when choosing my next breed. I will definitely choose something I like though for the simple fact that I will be living with this dog for ideally a very long time!