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I Want A New Dog


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Terriers often have high prey drive and are not always sociable with other dogs, and they are also quite independent, so not the usual choice for obedience.

Some terriers which are not 'small' might include:

Irish Terrier

Airedale Terrier

Depending on how small is small:

Welsh Terrier

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I call my vallhund the hobbyist's working dog. ;) He is the best of both worlds. Outrageously smart and trainable, but he's small and portable. He's not very fast and can't run for a long time because he has short legs, although he likes to sprint, but he doesn't need a lot of exercise. He can only jump about 1m high, so being part cat is more useful than troublesome. He's about a third of a working dog. He sure gives a lot when he's on, but he's about a third as fast, needs about a third of the exercise, and is about a third as intense. It's nice to be able to be able to have crazy fun with him, but when you're done, you can pop him in the car and take him home for a snuggle on the couch. He gives good cuddles.

A couple of years ago, his breeder (Ausled) had a dog returned because he was a bit too clever for his own good. Great fun, but better for an experienced home that could stay ahead of his evil genius ways. I'm not sure if he ever did find a home. Adult dogs do become available, but don't always get advertised. Breeders often know someone who is looking.

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Actually I think you couldnt go past a proper Miniature Poodle. They are a tall dog for their size, so around 8 to 11 kg but knee high at 12 to 15 inches approx. They are biddable, trainable, affable, agile, companion dog that will be as happy to sit home on your kneee all day as they are to go out socially. I cant think of anything about the Miniature Poodle that would not suit. The best bit is you can keep the coat as long or short or as fancy or plain as you like too!

Here is a link for mature purebreed dogs from registered breeders :)

My link

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Actually I think you couldnt go past a proper Miniature Poodle. They are a tall dog for their size, so around 8 to 11 kg but knee high at 12 to 15 inches approx. They are biddable, trainable, affable, agile, companion dog that will be as happy to sit home on your kneee all day as they are to go out socially. I cant think of anything about the Miniature Poodle that would not suit. The best bit is you can keep the coat as long or short or as fancy or plain as you like too!

Here is a link for mature purebreed dogs from registered breeders :)

My link

I think you are right GrufLife. However I am a bit concerned about the amount of professional grooming required and the cost. How often would one need to be clipped?

ETA I have checked out the dogzonline pages and there is nothing there.

Edited by sarsaparilla
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I would love a big cairn terrier 10-12 kgs approx. Are there any breeds like this where dogs are readily available?

I had cairns and trained them. Both got their CDX, ADX, JDX. Couldn't quite get times in masters agility and jumping, but lots and lots of clear rounds just 1-2 seconds over. Both trialled in UD with near misses.

But my dogs were about 7 kg, so much smaller than you are after, and were to standard height (well bred and showable dogs).

I found cairns to be less of a terrier than other terriers, and easy to both train and live with.

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If a cairn is too small, a nice minatiure poodle would be a potential fit for you. You can easily learn basic pet grooming and keep them shaved down short. If you do it yourself it is very affordable.

I have moved from cairns to standard poodles, so can speak with a foot in both camps :laugh:

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Actually I think you couldnt go past a proper Miniature Poodle. They are a tall dog for their size, so around 8 to 11 kg but knee high at 12 to 15 inches approx. They are biddable, trainable, affable, agile, companion dog that will be as happy to sit home on your kneee all day as they are to go out socially. I cant think of anything about the Miniature Poodle that would not suit. The best bit is you can keep the coat as long or short or as fancy or plain as you like too!

Here is a link for mature purebreed dogs from registered breeders :)

My link

I think you are right GrufLife. However I am a bit concerned about the amount of professional grooming required and the cost. How often would one need to be clipped?

ETA I have checked out the dogzonline pages and there is nothing there.

The mature dogs listings change from day to day, so keep an eye on them. Also just contact breeders of breeds you are interested in as they may have a dog coming into retirement and if the perfect home pops up, you might be on a winner!

If you are happy with quite a plain all over clip for a poodle with nothing fancy at all, you could get away with three to four short all over clips per year, averaging around 50 to 70 dollars per clip depending on where you live. poodles look great in short all over utility styles and it gives you value for money and practice workability for home maintenance and outdoor fun in the dirt and prickles or the beach etc!

I really can't think of a more ideal breed for you!

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Shetland Sheepdogs are certainly interesting but I have been told they are barkers. My current 8yo dog is 10kgs and I trialled with her but I wouldn't like to go smaller though. She is what I call an RSPCA special ie many many breeds in her mix so therefore irreplaceable.

We had 2 Shetland Sheepdogs. Shelley lived up to the breed's reputation for barking. Her nickname was the Mouth from the South. But we adored her mad self.

Danny, a rescue, thro' the Sheltie Club, never made a peep. Not a barker at all. He was so all round gorgeous & good, his nickname was Saint Danny.

They also differed in size. Sable Shelley grew too big for standard, so her registered breeder sold her to a pet home (us!). Strangers used to think she was an adolescent Collie.

Danny, a tri-colour, was on the bottom end of the size standard. Pretty, as well as smaller .... strangers always thought he was a girl!

So, like anything, it comes down to individuals within the breed.

Why not check with the good Sheltie breeders to see if they have an adult for placing in a good pet home? By that stage, it will be known if it's a Shelley or a Danny. :)

Are you Qld? If so, the registered breeders who run the Shetland Sheepdog Club of Qld are amongst the most professional & helpful people I've come across in the dog world. Ditto for the Poodle Club of Qld.

Edited by mita
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Thanks, I was thinking of Border terriers as being more athletic but you are right they are quite small. It is not easy to heel with a small dog. It is difficult to know where you dog is without looking down and I would hate to trip over one. I guess I am sort of thinking of a small but less energetic working dog. Does such a dog exist

I have a border terrier and have been having heaps of fun with her. She's nine months old and lives with an older Frenchie. She loves every dog and person and is very easy going. I've been doing basic obedience and working on lots of tricks since I got her at 8 weeks. She's calm, smart, loving, cheeky, enthusiastic, funny and so easy to live with. She's happy to walk long or short distances and isn't at all demanding if she doesn't get a walk for a day or two. I'm sure with the right input any dog would be the same though.

Good luck with your search!

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I am only slightly younger than you and also have three dogs...Keeshond 6 months, German Spitz 1 year and Lulu our 6 year old Jap .Spitz.

We are full on but really love them all. Thinking Ollie the GS would fit your requirements.Hes intelligent ,active but not crazily .,obedient and very loveable and affectionate. The other two are Kees too big ,lots of grooming,but adorable,Lulu ,a real princess but not very active.The Spitz breeds are often overlooked as they are not that common in Au , Nz .Good luck with whatever you choose. :)

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You have already had some very good suggestions.

The need for a dog tall enough to make heelwork easy without getting a crick in your neck, plus the low weight range, plus the trainability requirement lead me to suggest a Whippet.

These little dogs do quite well in sports and performance.

The standard calls for an average height of 18 inches (then add neck and head LOL for heeling) and a weight range from about 7kg through to 13 or 14kg. Obviously you wouldn't want want one from the hiigher end of the weight range - the females tend to be smaller on average.

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I think the mini poodle would be a great dog for you. Good to live with but so trainable and very agile. I was considering one for agility but went with a kelpie instead.

The jap spitz that I have met, one in particular are great little dogs if you like coats. But nothing matches a good poodle and I say that as someone who doesn't have one, just admires them. BUt you would have to learn to be a groomer or have a few bad hair days! I have two rescue and the kelpie btw.

Also see a lot of shelties in agility, lovely but like to make themselves heard !

So many choices. Boston terrier?

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Actually I think you couldnt go past a proper Miniature Poodle.

Who could forget the you tubes of the three legged toy poodle do agility? :love::love: Miniature Poodle? 100%.

I am only slightly younger than you and also have three dogs...Keeshond 6 months, German Spitz 1 year and Lulu our 6 year old Jap .Spitz.

We are full on but really love them all. Thinking Ollie the GS would fit your requirements.Hes intelligent ,active but not crazily .,obedient and very loveable and affectionate. The other two are Kees too big ,lots of grooming,but adorable,Lulu ,a real princess but not very active.The Spitz breeds are often overlooked as they are not that common in Au , Nz .Good luck with whatever you choose. :)

OMG - how could I have forgotten the German Spitz :eek: . I rescued and rehomed homed one and another who was a cross. Totally beautiful dogs. Even taking into account the dogs who have been my own, these two dogs were two of the nicest dogs I have ever ever come across. Would not have weighed 12kgs, though.

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Mini Poodle or Whippet. Bitches are around 18 to 19 inches, and about 10 to probably 13 kgs. Boys are 20 to 21 inches and around 13 to 15 kgs. Obviously these are averages and different lines will differ. You can get gigantor Whippets. there are some Whippets training and trialling very successfully in many and varied dog sports. They are often - unfortunately - in rescue. You may also find a nice older young dog that is being moved on from showing etc from a breeder.

The go really fast for a short time. They love a walk but don't care if they miss a day or three here and there. Personally I like mine to be very fit so they free run every day. The are very trainable using positive reinforcement but will shut down with check chain type training. Mine do obedience, rally and agility. They would have more titles if it wasn't so hard to get to trials. The boys are more velcro and more willign to please, girls can work very well but are a little more independant and whats in it for me types. My girls works really well but you can't push her too hard. My boys would drop from exhaustion before they stopped working for me.

I was never a boy dog person I now have two males and will always have Male Whippets now. I like velcro dogs but if you don't like sitting on the lounge with at least one part of them touching you at all times then maybe a girl suits you better, they will sit on the end of the lounge quite happily.

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12kg is quite a small dog, if you don't want a 'small' dog you may need to increase your weight limit.

12kg is not that small. We have a 2yr old border collie that weighs 11.5kg (500mm at shoulder) and an 8yr old that weighs 12.5kg (490mm). Obviously a border collie is not what you are after but just pointing out that 12kg doesn't mean a small dog.

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