Border Terrier? You know about this breed? How about Cock-A Poos?

[cklewis]

My DH just divulged to me that he's getting me/us a dog for Christmas. :grin Our dear doggie passed last January, and I've missed her terribly.

Thankfully, the secret came out, and I'm glad. I need to be in on this decision! He had Jack Russell's at the top of his list, and I quickly crossed that off when I discovered they are NOT good with children.

Everything I've found, based on our criteria, is that a Border Terrier (http://clubs.akc.org/btcoa/) is our best choice. They are one of the few terriers that love children, they are small (which is my DH's requirement), and they are not heavy on the grooming requirements. They are also not over-popular, so they haven't been overbred and haven't suffered as much as other breeds. Others that are on our list were the Short-Haired Wheaten Terrier and the Glen of Imaal Terrier (rarest of the Irish "peasant" terriers, so I haven't found many in the US).

I have to admit that my heart is still in some kind of retriever mix like our Cricket. :heart DH doesn't want a dog that big. Sigh. . . . I just love their personalities.

I'm researching cock-a-poos too. Any opinions on those? There was one at the pet store the other day. :heart

We want to wait until at least after Thanksgiving and even more ideally when Christmas vacation starts because then we'll be home for several weeks.

C

[ArmsOfLove]

we had a cock a poo when I was younger and he was an amazing dog :tu Don't know if that was just him or if it was a breed thing :grin

[ServingGod]

When we were looking into dogs we had Border Terrier on our list as well. They are good dogs. Cock-a-poos have the potential to be, but they are also very popular and over bred, and there have been lots of issues with genetics and neurosis. We actually went with a Rat terrier. Ours will reach about 10-12 lbs at maturity. We decided on a rattie for so many reasons. #1 size, and grooming...I wash her in the sink. #2 they are amazing with children. #3 They are terrier's but not terrors, kwim? ;) #4 they are not a popular breed...a very well kept secret. This little girl just follows the dc around, sleeps with them, plays with them, is VERY forgiving of any tugs or mishaps. When I was interrogating...er...I mean questioning breeders and owners, I asked them what the drawbacks to the breed are. They all pretty much said the same thing...they are like potato chips, you cant just have one! :giggle They have such a great temperment and personality that they are addicting. So, uh...there is my not so subtle plug for my favorite breed. There are a couple photos of her on my blog http://www.xanga.com/OrthodoxPilgrim Bottom of the page...that was when she was 4mo.

[ServingGod]

Here is the Rat Terrier club site. http://www.ratterrierclub.com/ I dont know if you are doing online quizzes but rattie's usually arent on there because they are only a UKC breed, the AKC is starting to recognize them....but the AKC moves at the rate of a glacier.

[Sanveann]

To be honest, I am not wild about people breeding more mixed breeds (and giving them cutesie names). Btw, despite what some breeders claim, cockapoos DO shed and they DO bother people's allergies ... we just babysat one!

Good call on no Jack Russells! I have to say that they are the No. 1 small dog my rescue group sees in shelters, because they are just a handful and a half. And they are too feisty and just don't put up with any guff from anyone, kids especially.

Also, check out the Border Terrier Club of America Web page for more info on the breed: http://clubs.akc.org/btcoa/ (I've heard good things about Wheatens, btw, though I don't know any personally.)

Another dog to consider would be a bichon frise. They are a nice size, are good with children and shed minimally.

Whatever breed you choose, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE go to a good breeder. Not Joe Bob who has a lab and his neighbor has a lab, and they decided to have puppies and make a quick buck. You can find advice on seeking a good breeder here: http://www.phouka.com/puppy/bdr_frames.html

And especially don't get a dog from a pet store ... I know there have been so many times I wanted to snatch a puppy away from that awful place, but I have to remind myself that buying a puppy there just sends a message to some puppy mill or backyard breeder somewhere that there's a demand for the dogs he's breeding. I always think about the pups' poor mamas, having litter after litter and having their tiny pups taken away at 4 or 5 weeks old.

Edited because I'm a dork and didn't read your post thoroughly :)