another good option is a "cockapoo" cocker spaniel and poodle = seems to take the best of both breeds.

Oh, I love that pic Kathy!

She's a very good girl, cock-a-poos are nice dogs too, I had one when I was little.

Thanks for your input, pixie! I was looking at this breed as it is listed on the site I posted earlier in the thread regarding allergies. You make a great point about vet bills. This is initially why DH was hesitant to get a dog, because they are expensive, even without factoring in vet bills which are inevitable. I don’t know what made him come around, but he’s been talking about it more frequently lately.

wench, fortunately I’m never really alone, as my mom and uncle live literally two minutes away, so I’m not really worried about emergencies situations where I’d have to lift the dog so much as I am worried about taking the dog for a walk by myself, and then it darts off and takes me with him! If we had a fenced in yard, this would be ideal as I wouldn’t have to go far without DH, but we don’t!

Kathy, I hadn’t considered a cocker spaniel, but I’ll definitely look into the breed, as well as a “cockapoo”… especially since your dog is so good with your children and the temperament has been consistent with your previous dogs.

Thanks again for all your advice ladies, I really appreciate it.

I had cocker spaniels growing up. We had 6 throughout my child hood. I loved them soooo much. Ours did piddle when they got excited, but I think that is pretty normal for most dogs. They were lap dogs, for sure. Just loved being loved:)

The only health issues we had with them was cataracts when they were in their older years. And they loved us as kids, and our friends. I dont think I ever remember one of them nipping or biting any of us.

We currently have a chihuahua. I know they have a reputation for being yappy hyper crazy little dogs. But our little man is such a doll. He was a rescue dog. Our old neighbors actually saw him running down a major street in Corona, CA with a bijon frese (sp?). They spent 2 hours trying to catch them both. When they finally found them we went through the whole process, and rescued him. He has been such a good dog. NEVER barks!! The very few times he does is when my husband was playing with him. Wrestling around, and he would jump because it scared him to hear himself. LOL!

He is so good with the girls. He has nipped my youngest Emma, only as a warning because she was literally squeezing him to death. He is very protective of all of us.

He handles being alone for hours at a time. When we first got him we crate trained him, and have a potty schedule we still stick to almost 3 years later.

I would say the cons would be: you have to really be on top of their teeth. They decay pretty quickly. EVen with the best of care.

Thanks, mom2dolls. I'm definitely going to look into cocker spaniels tonight. As for chihuahuas, I think the are very cute. But, like you said, they do have a reputation. Plus, I'm not too sure how DH would feel walking one.

yes, little dogs are very prone to gum disease. we have been very lucky, my maltese has never had dental issues. she has only ever been fed hard, dry dog food and has only had her teeth professionally cleaned twice. in the beginning i was good with brushing them, not so much now. my dog is also an omega, low man in the totem pole. she has always done the submissive pee thing. i just tell people to ignore her when they come in the house.

Bella, you are being very smart in researching breeds and asking others' opinions. Just be very honest about what you and DH want in a dog and what you won't tolerate. That said, much of the behavior you don't like is training related. Crate train your dog, take him/her to basic obedience classes and remember he/she is a dog, not a toy or substitute child.

I've worked in dog rescue of one sort or another for years and most of the time when people want to get rid of a dog it is because of behavior issues they didn't deal with from the start. Nipping, jumping up on people, chewing up furniture/rugs/etc, dominance displays such as "humping" and the like are all things that you as the owner are responsible for teaching the dog not to do. A good basic obedience class will help with all of that.

Since you are looking for a smaller dog or even a toy size one, please, remember it is a dog. He/she may only weigh a few pounds, but the drives, instincts, and behaviors are same ones a Great Dane or St. Bernard would have. Just because you could put him/her in your pocket is no reason to tolerate any of the aforementioned bad behaviors.

Shelters and rescue groups are great sources for finding just the right dog for you and DH. Ask lots of questions, find out what the downside of every breed you are interested in is. Take your time and don't be rushed because this can be a 10-15 year commitment or even longer in some cases.

Before you decide on a dog, you might want to look into interviewing a vet. Find one close to you, if possible, but be sure you like the way they deal with animals and how they treat you. Ask about their schooling, their fees and charges, who takes emergency call for them. Just like you would if you were selecting a doctor for yourself or a family member.
Enjoy your search and, of course, pictures are required.

I have a Cocker now... She is the sweetest, happiest, most good natured dog I have had. I also have two kids and they love to play rough with her and she loves it. She sometimes will go to the kids trying to initiate play! She obeys pretty well but we have had accidents inside the house. She also sheds. A lot.

I also had a Schnauzer. I loved him dearly. I chose the fatty puppy that kept lying down eating, while the rest of the litter was playing and pulling at my pants. The chilled fatty prived to be a great dog, incredibly smart and loyal. he was house trained in no time, to the point that I used to take him with me almost everywhere. He was a nervous dog, but he never nipped at anyone. Buy he did get stressed often. Oh and he shed as well.

My parents chose a Schnauzer puppy almost at the same time I did, and theirs had a mean streak. They would ley him out into the yard for hours at a time, and he would hold it in, only to come inside and go in the carpet or wall corners. He would growl often and he nipped at my kids several times.

So you can have several dogs of the same breed and they will have different temperaments. You just have to pay attention to them and see who you click with. Good luck!

Well Bella I'm all for rescues--except for me. I've gone that route and went through total hell. As a result I will only get a puppy from a litter. The two dogs I have now I have from puppy hood. Catherine my yorkshire/shih-tzu mix we chose her because she chose my DH. And Bartholomew (full blooded shih-tzu)we got because he chose my son. This 'choosing' is a real phenomenon I don't understand it but it seems to be the 'right' dog picks you even if it's the runt of the litter and you wouldn't have pick him/her at all. Loyalty starts there perhaps. In regards to barking--that is a trainable thing. Catherine rarely barks, Bart barked for a QUITE a bit until around 6 mos when he finally 'got' it that barking is not acceptable.

Of course my post is colored with experience that was extraordinary and shouldn't be used to dissuade you from looking at rescues but I would consider smaller rescues that have just a few dogs; the 'home grown' folks. Why? No rhyme or reason just because of my experience. Doesn't mean their better or worse. I just want you both to have the very best dog and since this is your first, the best experience all around is called for and sometimes that experience cost more upfront than later in the backend (hiring trainer, many vet bills, carpet cleaning, lost sleep at night).

Many dogs in rescue were well loved but alot have behavioral issues that will not go away no matter how much you love them. In regards to dogs LOVE does not cure their ills. Patience, knowledge, understanding and kind firmness do lessen and oftentimes eliminates the issue but not without dedication and commitment.

Good luck on your search. You will find THE dog with time and diligence.