Breed suggestions please?

[gaddylovesdogs]

I'd check out smaller lab mixes at shelters. Labs are big shedders, but with regular brushing it's not too much of a problem. Up until about the age of two, some labs are pretty hyper and energetic.

[~Tucker&Me~]

You can find your perfect dog in a shelter .

www.petfinder.com

~Tucker

[MK&C]

Standard poodles sound perfect IMO But I agree, check petfinder every other day or so, you are bound to find a perfect adult dog to suit your lifestyle perfectly.

[Georgygirl]

Does anyone have experience with Brittanys or Springers? I had a springer spaniel growing up but I was two when we actually got her so I don't remember her early years very well. I remember she chewed up my princess shoes! lol!

[poodlesmom]

Welcome! It's great that you are doing research - I wish more people would do the same.

You said you were interested in standard poodles. I have 2 and out of all the dogs I have ever had they have been the easiest to train. Farley is 7 yo & is 64 lbs and Chloe is 5 yo and 48 lbs. It is true that they do need regular grooming and my 2 get clipped every 8 wks. If kept in a shorter clip like my 2 (no foo-foo styles here ) it can even be stretched out longer with very little maintenance between and with a little practice you can do it yourself instead of going to a groomer. With this breed (as with any breed with floppy ears) it is important to stay on top of ear cleaning to reduce the possibility of ear infections.

This breed is great with other people & pets. They excel at obedience, agility, rally, etc. They love to retrieve & swim. They can easily keep up with pretty much any activity their human wants to participate in but are just as happy to curl up & snuggle. They are comediens in a curly suit.

I have never had a springer or brittany but have met quite a few over the years in obed. school. Both are gorgeous breeds & quite capable of doing well in obed. or agility. Having said that though out of all the springers I have met I found all except 1 were too hyper for my personal preference but this may have been due to their owners or breeding. I have a friend who had 3 French Brittany furpals which are a smaller version who were total sweethearts. Their personalities were also quite comical.

[Georgygirl]

Thanks poodlesmom! Were the brittanys you met very hyper? I've heard people say that they can be hyper. Also, a few questions about poodles. How much does it usually cost to get a poodle clipped in a short clip? As far as games, do they like to play fetch or frisbee?

[poodlesmom]

The French Brittanys I know aren't what I'd classify hyper. Of course 2 of them are quite aged and both of them do have Cushings Disease I believe and require meds every day. I'm not sure if that is a problem that is common in the breed. The younger guy, Chubby, is quite a comical character and all 3 of them are absolute sweethearts.

When I was initially looking for a groomer when I got Farley I found a wide range of prices, most of them being very high because they were all quoting for doing one of the fancy clips. I found a groomer who understood what I was looking for & he agreed it was a much less time consuming clip. He only charges me $55/dog but I have been taking my dogs to him since I've had them. I recently referred someone else to him and they requested a "Farley clip" so he'd know what they wanted and he quoted them $75. You could invest in some good clippers and do it yourself which is what I plan on doing when the day comes that I can finally retire or at least cut down to part time work.

My 2 absolutely love to play fetch whether it's outside or inside. I can be sitting there watching TV & the next thing I know I have a soft toy or ball dropped in my lap, hear a little woof & see that I have 2 dogs patiently waiting for me to throw it. The game is then on to see which one is the winner in catching it out of midair. Sometimes each brings me a toy & we have 2 games going on at once. They would go on non-stop if my arm didn't give out. Luckily they have learned when I say "enough" that the game is over for now.

[Ratz_n_Jacks]

You might consider a Rat Terrier. They fit in your preferred size range, are smart, not as noisy as hounds, are great with kids and pretty good with other animals (unlike their cousins the Jack Russells, who can be dog-aggressive), and would be great at agility or other types of competition.

Here's a couple of pics of my Rattie, Jake:

[mjb]

I liked the size, looks, and playfulness of many terriers, but I didn't think I was knowledgeable to handle one. Most books say terriers are for more experienced dog owners. What I would read about them seemed to fit our family, though, and many are smaller in size which was what I needed. And they are so adorable looking.
I ended up with a terrier-mix from the pound. I got him as a puppy, and his younger days were challenging. I understood when people called them terrors instead of terriers!! He is an absolutely fantastic dog, though, now 2 years old. He is great. He absolutely loves kids. He adores the cats (but the feeling is not mutual). In fact, he just loves life!! I think that's the part I liked about terriers, their zest for life!!! I would probably not get a puppy again, though. I would get an adult next time around.

[Mordy]

I've found this dog breed selector offers really good results:
http://www.k9country.com/perl/dogBreed.pl