Energetic small dog breeds?

[Puppyluv]

Originally Posted by BullLover

Don't Jacks need an excessive amount of excercise??? My friend had one (she just lost him due to some hip problems) and I swear she would take him out walking about 6 times a day. I don't know. I've never personally owned one, so I'm just wondering. They are pretty energetic little guys.

Don't all dogs get 6 walks a day? Or is Layla just spoiled?

[Prin]

They do get very destructive if you don't exercise them enough. I don't think walking is enough. They have to explore and RUN. My uncle gota jack around the same time as my dad and it didn't last long. She went out maybe 45 minutes total all day and just started ripping and shredding. My dad's gets 4 45 minute walks a day but he's let off leash to run and explore and plays with other dogs too.

A tired dog is a happy dog, but it does take a bit more to tire out a jack...

[Sneaky]

Originally Posted by kayla

I think Chihuahuas and min pins are adorable too, but I have met so many neurotic (and unhousebroken) ones so I've been kinda turned off them. I'm also worried about their fragility...

You see, the problem is, that with such small dogs, is usually people dont train them. They think "oh its so small if it doesnt do what I want I can just pick it up and move it". That kind of attitude results in dogs that dont understand what people want from them, dont "speak" enough english to comprehend whats going on, and end up neurotic, shy, and timid/nervous.
This is exactly what my mother in law is doing to her Yorkie. "oh she pooed on the floor- oh well its so small and easy to clean who cares?" "Why teach her to come and sit when I can just go pick her up?" As a result, the dog is not being taught, and is indeed becomeing neurotic.
Most people like this should not have a small dog. I honestly can say, every single person I have met with a nervous timid neurotic tiny dog, should never have had a dog in the first place.
My Chi is NOT timid, never Nervous, and is hardly neurotic. In fact, every where we go, people cannot believe how wonderful she is, and always comment that shes not nervous like most chis, and not timid at all.
Amazing what quality training does for a dog in their life. I have also met several Chi's who were very well trained and again, did not show any signs of neurotic behaviour.
I dont think you should write off a dog just because of other examples youve seen of untrained dogs. Exactly the reason I keep telling my boyfriend to not write off Dobies or Rotties, because in his experience he has always known them to be "stupid aggressive brainless dogs", because the owners taught them to be that way, and many of you will know, Dobies and Rotties are hardly brainless aggressive dogs, unless taught to be that way, or not taught manners at all.
With proper training and socialization, no dog should be considered "neurotic" or "brainless"- every single dog out there is capable of so much more.
Just my two cents.

[Roxy's_MA]

Originally Posted by sneakypete79

Amazing what quality training does for a dog in their life. I have also met several Chi's who were very well trained and again, did not show any signs of neurotic behaviour.

Like Bruiser from Legally Blonde

[Puppyluv]

Hmm yessss, perhaps people like Paris Hilton can be blamed for the popularizing of chis, min pins, etc as fashion accessories.

[Sneaky]

Also, I just wanted to Mention,
Eskies are a newer breed, but just type in Eskie to google,
and you will get a ton. There is a huge network of rescues across the united states called "Heart Bandits" that you can easily find info on if you are considering a rescue dog.
Also, not sure where you are located, but in BC here, I often seen purebred registered CKC/AKC pups for around 300-450 dollars in the papers.
They seem to be growing very popular.
Keep in mind these dogs are quite stubborn and require good training. They are not considered a "beginners" breed.

[Prin]

You would also want to ask around here how to find a good breeder. There are a lot of bad ones out there and I thought I knew, but I didn't have a clue...

[kayla]

Originally Posted by sneakypete79

You see, the problem is, that with such small dogs, is usually people dont train them.

I've heard of this theory before and was just talking to someone this morning about it, but I still don't know... I grew up with a lot of dogs, my stepmother showed Irish Wolfhounds and rescued dobies and various other mutts. All the dogs were exceptionally well trained, except... our chi/min pin cross. It took him about two years to be fully toilet trained, and even then he'd have the occasional accident. He managed to learn how to sit, but that was about the extent of it. Now I was pretty young and don't remember what methods my stepmother was using to train him, maybe she wasn't putting enough effort into it, but all the other dogs were so well trained, even a small breed mutt we rescued. I don't think she would have not trained him just because he was small.. That being said he wasn't nervous at all and did have a great personality!

My aunt had a chi, who was apparently well trained, but nervous of most people, especially kids.

Sneakypete, it's nice to hear that you have a chi who is not neurotic. Did you get yours from a good breeder? I'm wondering how much of the neurotic behaviors are due to bad bredding as well as bad training..

I will look up "eskies" now. Before I was looking for "eskimos" before and kept getting info on this crazy group of peoples who live in snow houses!

[Roxy's_MA]

If you like the northern type dogs, don't forget to check out the Shiba Inu

[kayla]

Originally Posted by Roxy's_MA

If you like the northern type dogs, don't forget to check out the Shiba Inu

I glanced at it before but thought it looked like a big dog but I just check the average weight and it's only 17-23 lbs! It's proportions make it look so big in the photographs! I guess I have another one to look up now

[kayla]

Oooh I just remembered mini poodles. They seem like they have less of the aggression traits that most of the other terrier breeds I have been looking at have. Can't believe I forgot about them! There also seem to be quite a few of them on petfinder for adoption, so I should be able to find one in a rescue pretty easily

[Sneaky]

Originally Posted by kayla

Sneakypete, it's nice to hear that you have a chi who is not neurotic. Did you get yours from a good breeder? I'm wondering how much of the neurotic behaviors are due to bad bredding as well as bad training..

Actually no. My mother in law bought her from a very bad backyard breeder, and the mother in laws sister believes Muffin to be the offspring of either a brother to sister or father to daughter breeding.

[SnowDancer]

Kayla - When Googling the Eskimo, type in American Eskimo - not Eskimo or Eskie. They are a form of Spitz - used to dance in circuses. As Sneaky pointed out, they are not a dog for beginners. They are stubborn - and very smart. When reading the Eskimo profile, it should point out that Eskies can be aggressive - I have noticed this more and more since we adopted our guy at 13 weeks in July 2004. It is funny but after I found out about the aggressive trait, which had not been stressed in the research I had done, I read on an Eskie forum of many, many others who had also adopted Eskies without ever having heard of this. So I think perhaps as the dogs have become more popular over the past year, and due to the abandonment of so many, particularly in the US where there are many Eskies, web sites have been updated. They are growing in popularity in Canada - actually Western Canada - say Calgary area has quite a few - and are gaining in popularity now in the Toronto area. My little devil helped this along by being such a little con artist at training class - was the star pupil - with everyone stating they wanted such a well behaved, easily trainable dog.???? Although having had Alpha Dachshunds - trust me - harder but easier (couch potatoes who understand rain) - and super brilliant, I have been able to cope. My biggest problem is that my Eskie is the first real puppy I have ever had. Youngest before him was 6 months. This did make for some rough times. Although he slept for 6 hours every night even at 13 weeks - holding it I do not know - guess he loves to sleep. During day though, no such restraint. If we do get a second dog - unlikely - will get once that is at least 2 1/2. Good to do research now though - and then we you get a house you will be ready to look for a dog - and also we might better know impact of the Canine Flu. I am worried.

[Prin]

Originally Posted by kayla

Oooh I just remembered mini poodles. They seem like they have less of the aggression traits that most of the other terrier breeds I have been looking at have. Can't believe I forgot about them! There also seem to be quite a few of them on petfinder for adoption, so I should be able to find one in a rescue pretty easily

I don't know about mini poodles.. Keep in mind, this is just from personal experience and I am not trying to bash the breed, and they are probably (or certainly) not all like the ones I have met, but all of the ones I have met are either barky and fearful or quiet and really dominant... One jumped on the sofa and bit Boo in the face without any reason at all. I don't know... Compared to the Jacks I know, I would certainly choose the Jacks.

[Dogastrophe]

(properly bred) Miniature poodles can be best described as being standard poodles in a smaller form but maintaining the characteristics of the standard, that is energetic and very intelligent. Whereas, the Toy Poodles are more or less a different "breed" than the standard and mini (rank lower on the trainability scale). Those that are not properly trained, socialized, etc, tend to be the extremely yappy, fearful, agressive, etc. ones.

[Prin]

How big are mini poodles then? It seems I am definitely thinking of toys...

[Dogastrophe]

From Dog Breed Info site:

Mini's:

Height: 11-15 inches
Weight: 15-17 pounds


Toy:

Height: up to 10 inches
Weight: 6-9 pounds

[Prin]

Ya, I'm thinking about toys. I guess it also really depends on a breeds "target market" too.. The minis would get less buyers who are looking to get a hypoallergenic tea cup.

[J.Y.'s Mom]

I have a Bichon Frise. They are excellant dogs, lot's of energy, love to play, cute as a button, and very smart. They don't shed, but the trade off is extra grooming work, by a groomer unless you are really talented. I get J.Y. done around every 6 weeks, but I'm a little fussy and like him fresh :-) You could probably get away with every 2 months.
He is 17 lbs, and tall for a Bichon, I think the average weight for the breed is around 13 lbs. He loves to play, and he's not fussy, he'll take whoever wants to play with him, big and small. I don't think he knows he's small, hasn't figured it out yet!
He's been around cats, and pretty much ignores them, unless they wander uninvited into our backyard.
The only thing that may deter you is he is always under foot, turn around, there he is, and apparently this is a trait of the breed, they pretty much stick to you. If you don't mind that, they are a great small breed.

[SnowDancer]

J.Y.'s Mom - For 20 years I have walked with one eye glued to the ground for fear of stepping on my little big guys. So am always first to notice untied shoe laces. I have told my husband about this for the last time. He tripped last week - blamed me! But would feel awful for stepping on a poor little dog.

[Beaglemom]

Bichons are really cute little dogs. But, in this case, I would be a little hesitant in getting one as a playmate for a 70lb dog who is not quite grown out of his puppy stage. We had a maltese poodle x who weighed 12lbs and stood 10" tall. She was a feisty little thing who loved to play, but she did get caught under a golden retriever once while playing. In my opinion, they are not robust enough to handle rough housing from a larger breed. Unless the larger dog is more careful, the bichon could get injured.

Snowdancer, I know what you mean. I too always look down to make sure I'm not going to step on a tail, toes, a sleeping dog or playful kitty!

[StaceyB]

The ottawa citizen has an ad for a 1 yr old jack/whippet to give away.

[Prin]

That would be a fun doggy. (Too much fun for the previous owner :sad: )

[StaceyB]

What a mix eh, she wanted a high energy.

[kayla]

Wow, now that would definitely be able to keep up with kayla!

[Dukieboy]

Boston Terrier is my suggestion. They are high energy, well at least my Wizard is and they are spunky. They aren't barky but they do tend to be growly.

[kayla]

Originally Posted by Dukieboy

Boston Terrier is my suggestion. They are high energy, well at least my Wizard is and they are spunky. They aren't barky but they do tend to be growly.

Actually I'm fostering a min pin at the moment who I might end up keeping. She is extremely high energy and can easily keep up with Kayla! Here is a pic of them playing on the couch.

[kayla]

Got Kayla's ear!

[kayla]

In between their non-stop playing they do eventually take naps, which is a bonus to my sanity! I have discovered min pins are very fun dogs. I'm not sure if she is pure bred or not, definitley not true to breed as most are 8-10 pounds and she is 12.5 at 6 months, which means she will be about 18lbs full grown according to a weight chart I checked out. She's extremely cute and rambunctious either way!

[Beaglemom]

She is absolutely adorable! It's a shame how many min pins end up being given to shelters. Congratulations on your new family member!