A friend for Crossbone

There's been some serious talk about adding a dog in 2014. Crossbone just LOVES the company of other dogs and I've always loved having multiples. DH is on board and wants one just as much or more than me! (which he has always been a 0 to 1 dog person). We've been checking out petfinder periodically or talked about grabbing a Koolie when we're in Australia in January.

What we're looking for:
- Between 14-19" tall
- Med/High Energy - needs to love to play and keep up with Crossbone. He loves to wrestle, chase and play tug with dogs. Fetching is a major plus.
- Adaptable- needs to be able to travel every other weekend to different houses with us that could have other dogs, kids, etc
- We're gone between 7 & 13 hours a day for 18 days each month (we're home or travel with the dogs the other 12) but walk/bike/jog 4 miles 3-5x per working week
- happy & friendly


Dogs we've talked about:
I've been toying around with rescue vs breeder. I've never had a dog from a reputable breeder and would love to have some idea about temperament & health, especially because I love dog sports. But I haven't found "my breed" and love the idea of having a slightly older rescue mutt.

- Another cattle dog mix or rescue.Would love to have a small female. Only concern really is no health testing/temperament guarantee.

- Koolie - Major concern, among others, is their size and intensity with our 750 sq ft house and 4ft jumpable fence.

- DH LOVES the look of Chinese Cresteds but I can't find ANY good breeders and they're not terribly sporty

- Rat terrier? Not sure if I want another terrier and I'd have to do a lot more research

- Mini Poodle - DH thinks they're scary looking but I think it'd be a good traveler and I could see it meshing well with Crossbone


Any suggestions or opinions?!?!

Answers in purple!

Uhm, you need a Lucy. That is all.

Pool Day by DJetzel, on Flickr

In all seriousness, if you don't mind LOUD(er), then a Kooligan may be a good fit. I'm just one to push cattle dogs of course. Lol!

ETA: Lucy would be an amazing sports dog. Just another thing to think about.

That video made me cry. I would absolutely do more Crestie breeder research -- I'm very particular about which ones I like.
ETA -- DH calls them "those beautiful punk rock dogs"

Meagan, I think we need to have a Crossbone/Lucy play date!!!!! Lol at the LOUD(er). I swear Crossbone barked more than Traveler or Didgie (or Frag & Rider) at the park.

I'd look into a crestie a little bit more...I've known some pretty athletic ones, and I believe MafiaPrincess does agility with Arson.

The mini poodles I've known have not been a fan of any kind of rough-housing, wrestling, etc. with other dogs.

In your situation, I think I'd be looking for another herding mix rescue, but personally I've always leaned towards rescue dogs.

I know Cresties are athletic, we see a few who do agility at some of the venues I frequent, they're just not terribly serious about the game.

I can't speak for herding breeds, so others with more experience can help there I do know of several very sporty Mini Poodles. Most are up for anything .not dainty foo foo dogs at all.

Answers in green!

Hey Linds how are your two when introduced to small dogs/animals?

I'm just curious because you might have more experience than me:

While the poodles I know are extremely athletic, active, and not too dainty for sports in any way, I've NEVER seen one wrestle with another dog or tug. IME they like other dogs, and will try to "play", but it's never really wrestling or tugging.

Writing this, I'm also realizing the majority of dogs I work with are pit bulls or other large bully breeds, so "wrestling" and "tug" might be a little more intense than other breed's owners have in mind.

Traveler thinks little dogs walk on water. He absolutely adores them to the point it's probably one of his highest distractions. He lays on the ground and rolls around in front of them, gives them his butt to hump and just tries to love them to death.

Didgie really doesn't act one way or another, she normally doesn't have much time for other dogs unless she's fixated on them moving but she and Siri had a blast together and played great.

Both have been around small dogs at the dog park and never had any issues at all (Unless you call Traveler trying to get them to hump him an issue....)

Small animals, well Didgie and Traveler play fine with my ferrets but ferrets are pretty hardy animals and can hold their own pretty well

Shelties would fit in that height range and would be suitable for the energy levels, but of course if you get a nice one with appropriate energy levels you'd be looking at some of the same potential intensity challenges of wild crazy play and running in the house (I let Auggie and Payton chase each other up and down the hall, it drives my dad crazy but I think it's kinda funny.) and potentially jumping the fence. I don't leave my guys outside alone either. Payton could jump the fence at my parent's house if he wanted to, and could jump the front fence and chain link at my house if he wanted to, but since he's not left out alone by himself he doesn't have any inkling to do so. He has however jumped out of an ex-pen if I try to pen him up while I work another dog.
OTOH you then have the hair issue to deal with, which IMO isn't a big deal, but I know some people can't stand dog hair. And they do need some serious grooming twice a year during coat-blowing times, but if you're not picky the way I am (nobody grooms my dogs but me and certainly nobody scissors my dogs but me) you could just have somebody else do it.

Payton barked more than Zinga too. But Sara said "at least he has a nice bark." I'm pretty sure she only thinks that that's because she doesn't live with him.

Lincoln (red Miniature Poodle in siggie) plays tug and rough houses with Charlie. Their favorite game is keep away/chase and then body slam into each other. If she doesn't do what he wants she bites his legs (I'm pretty sure he thinks he's a Border Schnauzer because he plays like a combination of the two playfullest dogs).

Yeah, Cleo (old lady mini poodle) plays tug something fierce, it's kind of terrifying. She'll only get whipped up enough to play every month or so now, but when she does, it is a sight to behold.

I don't personally have a Mini, my Standard roughhouses though. And tugs. From what people on the Poodle forum have posted, the minis who are in houses with multiples seem to wrestle/rough house the same though.

If Rat Terriers are an option but seem too small, maybe a Decker Rat terrier? I think they're a bit more intense than a "typical" rat terrier. Don't know much more about them than that, however.

You need a Siri

My rat terriers, both standard Deckers line, have been *amazing* dogs. It really doesn't get much better for a small, easy going, on/off switch yet tenacious and fun. They retain a guardy behavior but are not yippy. They are confident and primarily healthy. I always think of them as small pit bulls with a less gregarious attitude outside of their family.

I will positively own another some day but I won't likely ever own a "pet" line rat terrier, I have seen a lot of shyness, nervousness, low drive, and quirky touch issues.

My rats were both approx 25-28lb but they can be bigger in some hunting lines.

Hannah is 13 now and still a firecracker, she's the blur trying to get the mal to play.