Dog companion for 9-yr-old

[quicksilver1322]

Hi! We’re looking to get a dog as a companion for our 9-year-old son (though honestly this dog is probably as much for my husband as my son lol). We’re probably looking for a dog that doesn’t exist, so appreciate the help and reality check. Thank you!

Introduction

(1) Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?

• No, but it’s been 20+ years. My husband had dogs growing up (Australian shepherds) and through college (blue heeler), all through breeders; my family had a spaniel mix (rescue) when I was in college.

(2) Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a reputable breeder?

• We’re open to either.

(3) Describe your ideal dog.

• Trainable, playful, friendly, smart, minimal shedding, minimal barking/not yappy, good with kids, moderate energy (not crazy energetic but also not a couch potato), 30 lbs max

(4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?

• Blue heelers because of their personality and intelligence, and because my husband previously had one. Corgis because they seem cute and friendly; maybe a Westie for the same reasons. Perhaps a spaniel since my family had one and it was well-behaved and loyal.

(5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?

• Basic behavior, fetch, sit, roll over.

(6) Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?

• No.

Care Commitments

(7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?

• 4-5 hours a day.

(8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?

• Around 2 hours. Walks, playing in the yard and at the park; we’re open to finding a dog park.

(9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?

• Weekly brushing. We’d likely pay a professional for other routine grooming.

Personal Preferences

(10) What size dog are you looking for?

• 30 lbs max (a small dog, but not a toy size)

(11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?

• Minimal barking and slobber, low shedding.

(12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?

• Fairly important, mainly because it speaks to the dog’s trainability and obedience. We want to make sure the dog wouldn’t take off on our kid.

Dog Personality and Behavior

(13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?

• Somewhat snuggly, but also we would probably try to keep it off the furniture most of the time (off the couch, and sleeping in its own bed near us at night)

(14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?

• Eager to please

(15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?

• Alert but not aggressive; no/minimal barking. If our son’s friends visited, we wouldn’t want the dog intimidating them. There are many other people walking their dogs in our neighborhood, so we wouldn’t want our dog barking whenever they go past our house, or have to pull our dog away when we’re on walks.

(16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?

• No

(17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?

• Excessive barking (our neighbors are close), destructive behavior (tearing up stuff, digging holes, etc)

Lifestyle

(18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?

• During the week, it would be around 3 days of 7-8 hours (hybrid work schedule). We would probably leave the dog in the backyard (with a dog house) during warmer weather, and could hire a dog walker on those days if necessary.

(19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?

• My husband and son will likely be the main carers for the dog, their preferences are already captured in the answers.

(20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?

• No

(21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

• Yes, our 9-yr-old son

(22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?

• No

(23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?

• Seattle; no bans.

(24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?

• summers: upper 70s, winters: upper 40s

Additional Information and Questions

(25) Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant.

• Hypoallergenic would be nice but it isn’t a dealbreaker.
• We have a fully fenced backyard, but it’s Seattle-large, which means it’s small anywhere else in the country (about 40 x 50ft); we also have a side yard (10 x 40ft) that connects with the back yard.
• I’ve heard some dogs are more apt to have medical issues, we’d prefer to avoid those breeds for emotional and financial reasons.

(26) Feel free to ask any questions below.

• No questions

 

[klpotte3]

@quicksilver1322 Are you and your husband ready to take care of the dog without any help from your son?

Kids get busy, they get sick, they're not able to take care of a dog themselves. The dog would be your responsibility and then anything your son does is just a nice bonus. A 9 year old cannot make a 15 year commitment, nor can they pay for the dog, nor may they be able to walk the dog by themselves, so you'd be getting a dog for yourself.

Heelers are not for you at all. They're very intense working dogs. They will try to herd kids, they will nip, they're very prone to reactivity, and they can be quite vocal. These dogs need a LOT of exercise and mental stimulation and a job.

Corgis are the same. They're intense working dogs that are vocal and nippy and prone to reactivity. They're also very high energy and need a job.

I don't have experience with Westies so I won't comment on them.

Strongly consider whether you want a dog for yourself. If you do, look at the small companion breeds such as cavaliers and shih Tzus. Terriers are small but most of them are also very barky, nippy, and can be quite high energy, so they're not an ideal match for you.

Also, if you get a puppy you will need to take time off of work. Young puppies need to go outside every hour (even at night and when you need to work) and can't be left alone for a full working day until they're somewhere around a year old (but this does vary by breed and individual).

Depending on where in Seattle you are, I would not leave a dog outside alone. Raccoons, coyotes, eagles, etc are all risks. Dog theft is also a real risk.

 

[bolevi]

@klpotte3 Echoing about the corgis and heelers.

Herding dogs are barkers, and they require a lot of training their first year of life in order to grow into well adjusted adults. They're prone to shyness and reactivity if not properly raised.

The "easiest" herding breed is probably a Rough/Smooth Collie, but having just raised one, I'll still say puppyhood was no walk in the park. And they're still generally known for being vocal.

 

[tdselector]

@quicksilver1322 Please don't get a heeler. Especially if you want your kid to walk the dog. These are intense, high energy dogs who are prone to neurotic behavior and nipping, especially if not given enough mental stimulation or exercise or both. Frankly, stay away from any herding type breed. If you want medium energy and relatively calm family life...this ain't it.

I don't immediately see why a spaniel or a westie couldn't work for you. Or perhaps a schnauzer? Those are great dogs who should be a good fit for any allergy concerns.