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quote:I've found threads for a lot of dog breeds and breed types here, but I see nothing for the little guys: Bichons, Chihuahuas, Shih Tzus, Maltese, Yorkies, etc. Can I get some pics/stories/info here? I don't love when people opt to get small dogs because they don't, you know, plan to leave the house very often. I own a Chihuahua and live in Canada and, well, she's not well suited to the climate 4-5 months out of the year. I kind of think it's cruel to have a dog that's not well suited to being outside even for small bits of time. However, that's just me and my hangups. Expect some housebreaking regression has days get colder, and generally I find smaller dogs more challenging to housebreak in general. Havanese are one of my favourite small dog breeds. They're sturdy, not typically as neurotic and reactive as other small breeds, and can turn off & on the energy reserves fairly readily. I also don't much care for people intentionally breeding small dog mixes (or mixes in general). Normally it's just an excuse to charge $$$ in exchange for a dog that's poorly bred, sans health testing and without a reliable estimate as to its adult temperament. The few Bichons I've met seem pretty sturdy and resilient. Chis are sensitive and anxious. Poms and Paps are likely more energy than you're looking for. Pugs are a heinous genetic mess, so I would avoid. I'd avoid short coated dogs due to climate concerns. Dogs with hair will need to be groomed and trimmed regularly, so factor that cost of upkeep into your figures while you budget for your pup. How small/large are you thinking? There's a big difference between a 3 pound Chi and a 15 pound scruffy terrier mix.
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Nov 17, 2015 22:23
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pookel posted:Also, my 8-year-old is autistic and would probably do best with a dog who is warm, patient and friendly. (He is a good kid and knows how to treat animals gently, it isn't that - it's just that he doesn't quite know how to approach them, and might have a hard time getting close to a more standoffish dog.) I would speak to some people very, very well versed in the breed(s) you're looking at. Small dogs aren't renowned for being warm, patient and/or friendly. Many may be, but that strikes me as something you'll want people to weigh in on who are intimately familiar with the breeds, warts and all. I'm not a small dog lover, so, well, beyond chihuahuas = barks and shivers my knowledge is a bit weak.
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Nov 17, 2015 22:44
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They're not particularly cheap, from what I understand. No idea if they're rare. I've met a dozen or so over the years.
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Nov 18, 2015 17:35
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They're pretty cool dogs. Some are pains in the butts, others are sensitive and sweet. Unfortunately, almost every single Cav will have a heart murmur by 5 years old and most will die of heart problems. They're not a terribly healthy breed.
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Nov 19, 2015 01:50
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Ferryll posted:
I think a lot of people consider Paps low-allergen because they normally don't have much in the way of undercoat. Good write up! E: My 11 year old Chi, Megatron. She was a mess when she initially came to me. Now she's a pretty good dog. Super sensitive, which I think is her biggest drawback. Super food motivated, however, so can do just about anything. 
a life less fucked around with this message at 18:31 on Nov 19, 2015 |
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Nov 19, 2015 18:24
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pookel posted:At the risk of getting crucified .... I think you already know that this isn't a great idea. And "look healthy in pictures" means about bupkis in real life. A lot of these types of places offer some sort of health guarantee until the pup is 6/12 months old, but fail to mention that most serious diseases don't make themselves known until a dog is mature. Also a lot of the time the guarantee hinges on you returning the dog that you surely have grown to love to the breeder for a new puppy. I think a lot of unscrupulous breeders understand that many people, if not most people, won't give a dog back and won't likely have to make good on their promise as a result. I imagine that the extent of the health testing that the breeding dogs have received is "vet looked at them and said they were okay", which doesn't cut it as far as responsible breeding goes. They're breeding mixes for money. Most of the time they're not going to be doing things that actively increase their costs. I also think that a lot of commercial/for profit type breeders neglect the temperament of their dogs, and neglect any socialization of the pups. I see a lot of dogs with poor temperaments (anxious, fearful, aggressive) being bred. It's no skin off the breeders' backs since they don't actually really need to interact with these dogs a great deal. They also don't likely go out of their way to expose the puppies to new experiences when young during critical stages in puppy development. They don't put any thought into the temperament of the individual puppies and the suitability of their respective homes -- they let the purchaser pick whichever puppy they want, normally based on appearance and sex more than anything else. So, uhm, what questions should you ask? I'd be looking for health certifications, temperament testing, them actually doing something with their dogs other than breeding them (showing them, therapy work, etc.). I'd want to know what the breeder does to match puppies with families, and why the breeder is pairing the two dogs she did to produce a litter. I predict that the breeder won't have satisfactory answers for questions like these, and may try to bullshit you by saying that the parents are very sweet and the puppies are ergo guaranteed to be very sweet and yay sweetness. a life less fucked around with this message at 18:12 on Nov 20, 2015 |
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Nov 20, 2015 16:42
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pookel posted:True, but I'm actually dreaming about getting like a 2-year-old shelter dog, so ... I've known some really loving awesome, sprightly Yorkies too. I tend to like the maniac dogs, myself. So, again, it really depends on the dog and the owner. Look through private rescues, Petfinder.com etc too, if you're not having much luck looking at local shelters.
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Nov 24, 2015 21:13
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pookel posted:So I've been doing a bit of research and it looks like both shih tzus and lhasa apsos are normally under 20 lbs. Milo is, like I said, 28 lbs. The shelter people also told me that the owners who surrendered him lied about his age (said he was 3 but he was 18 months according to vet records) and also left him in the crate most of the day. What are the odds that he's just fat from sitting in the crate all day/getting overfed? Or is he likely to be just big for his breeds - or maybe he isn't really a straight shih tzu/lhasa mix? He's definitely chubby, but he's big, too, I think. When he jumped in my lap, he really felt like a solid medium-szed dog, not a little lap dog like the bichons I've been around. Even in that photo you posted you can tell he's pretty chunky despite not being able to see much. I think there's a very good chance he seems over breed standard 'cause he's fattiefat. But I also wouldn't get too tied up in breed standards, especially when your potential dog is a mixed breed and whose previous owners may not exactly have been stellar dog owners.
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Dec 7, 2015 20:26
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| # ¿ May 2, 2024 22:13 |
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The Light Eternal posted:That's ridiculous. I have gotten into multiple arguments with people who want to breed their pets because they're "cute". I can't believe a rescue would risk causing more dogs to need their services to save $30 on a neuter surgery. There are some adverse health effects associated with pediatric spays & neuters. It's not a bad idea if people actually follow through or abstain from breeding (intentionally or accidentally) but... I'm not sure I have a lot of faith in that.
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Apr 18, 2016 18:44
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