So who knows dog breeds?
- Thread starter Cutlass
- Start date
A border collie or smaller. Keep in mind a border collie is thinner than it looks.
Did anyone suggest Pomeranian?
There's also the likelihood that the dog will come from a shelter, and not a breeder. So while I'd like to know about a variety of dogs that might meet her needs, an expensive dog that isn't likely to be found without shelling out a ton to a breeder isn't too likely.
A dachsund might come in handy for this -I like dachsunds- but I fear they'll be too short they're still quite lovely at times. Of course, I prefer cats.A foot to a foot and a half tall.
Oh, then just look for a small mix-breed dog. Mix-breed dogs are better.
That may be true. But they are somewhat like the breeds that they come from. So I'm still looking to learn a bit more about the breeds.
Part of my problem is that Mom had a bad experience with her last dog. So is gun shy this time and that makes it hard to pick one out. She loved her beautiful Sheltie, but the expensive high bred dog had epilepsy and couldn't live past 3 years.
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From what you're describing I think a pug would be a good fit for her.
Pros:
-They're small enough for mom to handle and are suitable for small residences.
-They're people friendly.
-They seldomly bark, and when they do, it's muffled compared to other small dogs.
-Don't require much exercise
-Spends tons of time sleeping, even for a dog.
Cons:
-For a dog with short fur they shed a whole lot (they have one of those double-layered coats of fur where the bottom layer is constantly pushing the top layer out)
-Get fat easily
-High maintenence in terms of grooming and cleaning - they are chubby faced little dogs and need to have their facial folds cleaned.
-Not suitable to hot climates.
Pros:
-They're small enough for mom to handle and are suitable for small residences.
-They're people friendly.
-They seldomly bark, and when they do, it's muffled compared to other small dogs.
-Don't require much exercise
-Spends tons of time sleeping, even for a dog.
Cons:
-For a dog with short fur they shed a whole lot (they have one of those double-layered coats of fur where the bottom layer is constantly pushing the top layer out)
-Get fat easily
-High maintenence in terms of grooming and cleaning - they are chubby faced little dogs and need to have their facial folds cleaned.
-Not suitable to hot climates.
I suggest a cat since she is 84. a shelter cat at that.
They are very yappy.
I agree that mix-breed is probably better, and it would depend more on the individual dog. You already have a few criteria to work with, so go to the pound or an animal shelter with your mum and browse, and you're more likely to stumble across an acceptable range of suitable dogs.
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That's a great idea. But if she's really stuck on a dog I'd recommend the same thing. Save a dog.
Border collies are typically quite hyperactive, need to be intellectually challenged, and have been known to bite and herd children because they see them as surrogate sheep:
http://www.bcrescue.org/bcwarning.html
The family had a female boston terrier while I was growing up. It's a great house dog. I wouldn't get anything much larger unless your mom has a really big house or a large fenced in backyard. And a 3 ft fence is pretty easy for a mid-sized dog to jump.
Cutlass, the average healthy dog can expect to live at least 12-15 years. You need to have a plan in place for who is going to have guardianship of the dog if/when your mom passes on or if she has to be hospitalized long-term or move to a nursing home. It's not a pleasant thing to have to think about, and I don't say this to be offensive or hurtful to you. But having lived around the elderly (of several species) all my life, I have seen what can happen when there isn't any guardianship contingency in place.Mom's mother was able to live alone until age 95 and died at 102.
I absolutely recommend a poodle-cross. Poodles crossed with various sorts of terriers are normally a modest size when fully grown, are moderately active, very intelligent, affectionate, and don't come with the health problems that a purebred dog would tend to have. And poodle crosses - at least all the ones I ever took care of or knew - are not any yappier than any other dog. They're also trainable. Training, in fact, is essential.
This would be my first suggestion too, but if she really wants a dog...
If you go to a shelter, take your mom with you. Chances are, a dog may decide for you. I've often heard it said of shelter pets, that they are the ones who choose the human, not the other way around.
It would also be a good idea to talk to a vet before picking out a dog. He/she can give you advice on what potential health problems come with the different breeds. As mentioned, basset hounds do have health problems, and so do dachshunds. Their spines were never really meant to hold up those overlong bodies of theirs.
I knew a couple of basset hounds, though... Barney and Eliza. Barney was such a sweetheart.
Poor Eliza couldn't bark, because her human had her voice box removed! 
Barbaric.She has 2, but wants a dog as well.
Valka, I would care for the dog if mom couldn't any more.
Those dogs are insanely yappy
Hey, I don't know if anyone has given this link yet, but...
http://www.petfinder.com/index.html
You can search by breed. It's a great site. From wiki...
http://www.petfinder.com/index.html
You can search by breed. It's a great site. From wiki...
