Looking for a puppy

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HueyPilotVN

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 5, 2012
Posts
3,275
Location
Lake Havasu City, AZ
Now that I am settled down in one spot I am looking to get a puppy or two.

I would like a King Charles Cavalier but I am not sure if that is the best fit for me.

I have had Yorkies in the past.  They are easy to care for and do not shed.

I am certainly willing to pay for the dog.  I really do not want to have it sent by plane so I would probably drive to pick it up either in Arizona or California.

I definitely want a small lap dog and not a large dog.

I am open to suggestions on what dog you think is the best as a companion dog.

 
We just got a puppy at Christmas time.....and NO, we weren't buying a puppy for a small child, he was for us.  I'm 63 and my wife is 65.  Anyway, back on topic.  We were looking for a dog that would be a wonderful companion dog, smart, didn't shed, small, and absolutely loved being with his "people".  I'm telling you, we spent weeks looking at different breeds on the internet and reading about their traits and their pros and cons and finally came up with one that neither of us had heard of before.....an American Manchester Terrier Toy.  The Manchesters come in two different varieties.....the Standard...which will be approx. 23-24 lb and stand approx. 16-17 inches at the front shoulder, and the Toy....which will grow to approx. 12 lbs and stand 11-12 inches at the front shoulder.  Both of them are Black and Tan coloring and to my knowledge there is no other color variations.  The toy will have naturally erect ears as it grows out of being a puppy, whereas the Standard will have button ears.  That's the only difference between the two varieties ......ears and size.

We got ours when he was 10 weeks old and he is now just over 7 months.  He is incredibly smart and easily trained (just a slight stubborn streak on a few things, but could be because he's still a pup), and talk about a loyal and loving dog that wants to be with his people....OMG.  If either one of us is sitting, he wants to be close and just absolutely loves being with us.  It is getting very warm here and I've yet to see more than a few hairs (shorthair dog BTW) and almost zero shedding.

You can read about them for yourself, but they have a storied history going all the way back into the 1500's in Europe.  They are beautiful dogs, but sometimes not really easy to find one available.  Since they were cross bred with a Whippet back in the 1800's, they are slim and Faasst, with a big chest.  Back then, they were just called "Black and Tans", and have evolved to the current day Standard and Toy American Manchester Terrier.

Holler at me if you would like some more info on them.  I know there are several breeders out in California, as we were doing basically a nationwide search for a male Toy when we were looking for ours.
 
I have had pure bread poodles most of my life.  The last 3 had health issues the last several years of their lives.  It seams the pure breads are being over in-breaded.  My last two dogs which I currently have, a cock-a-poo and a snoodle, are crossbread dogs I hope to have better luck with.  My 2 cents.
 
whokares2 said:
I have had pure bread poodles most of my life.  The last 3 had health issues the last several years of their lives.  It seams the pure breads are being over in-breaded.  My last two dogs which I currently have, a cock-a-poo and a snoodle, are crossbread dogs I hope to have better luck with.  My 2 cents.

Is a "bread poodle" anything like bread pudding?    ;D
 
We have had miniature poodles, and they're not a bad dog for pets. My wife gave her last one to her cousin, and we got a couple of rescues of various breeds that didn't work out due to agression issues. We got a rescue from Florida when they were clearing out the shelters before the hurricanes. He's a Bischon. He weighs about 15#, and is definitely not a sissy dog like the poodles. He likes to rough house like a lab, but he also craves laying in the chair with us, getting his belly rubbed. He's easy to take care of, and is really laid back. No aggression issues at all, and gets along very well with other dogs. The one drawback with ours is his allergies. Still working with the vet to get that under control. Another dog that we found that we would like is a miniature schnauzer.
 
I would recommend the local Humane Society. From time to time they get most every breed. if not that google: breed rescue near me (replacing breed with the breed of course)

And last suggestion is visit a few vets.  Like all doctors they have magazines in their waiting room.. And since these are Dog (and cat) docs for the most part the magazines will be dog and cat magazines.

I had a partner who wanted a specific breed for her mother's birthday. That last one is how I found it for her.  Took me like five minutes.
 
My vote goes to a larger Papillion even though they do shed some. Thay are beautiful dogs and totally devoted to their family.  Toby is now ten years old and still plays like a puppy. He trained easily, socialized well, and gets along with other dogs and cats as well. He's Tara's dog and will usually be found touching her foot or laying beside her. If Tara is not home, he will be laying against my foot.

Ernie
 
Petfinder.com.
We got our current rescue dog from them.  Vet checked, microchipped, shots and they flew him from Houston to Portland for us.  This guy is the sweatest, most loving dog we have ever had.
Houston in the past has had more strays than most other parts of the country, so getting a rescue from there is a good thing.
 
xrated said:
Is a "bread poodle" anything like bread pudding?    ;D

Not sure about poodles, but here's an in-bread cat.
 

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I cannot give specifics on King Charles, other than they seem like wonderful dogs, at least that is my impression. The key for a selecting a dog is to read the breed(s) physical characteristics, personality traits, health issues and daily requirements which can be found at AKC website, breed specific websites such as a national breed organization or club.  You have already identified and important criteria, size so that is a start, but you will need to know the aforementioned criteria to determine if the dog you are considering will fit into your lifestyle.  Especially important is the daily activity level the dog requires and are you able to provide that.  Since you are on this forum, so an RV'er, I would also find out if the dog is prone to barking,  since a nuisance barking can be problematic in RV parks.  Also since you are looking for a puppy, I cannot overstate the importance of finding a top quality breeder which can make or break a good long lasting experience with your dog. Best of luck in your search.
 
I know nothing about them, but there is a King Charles breader just down the road from my house....on the opposite side of the country though.

I don't have a dog, haven't for many years.  Would like to though if my situation was different...  still, some thoughts

You've already pointed to a couple of my would-be requirements.... small, and not shedding

look for a dog with hair and not fur.  I don't know if those are technically correct terms, but it's what I've been told.

My other requirements would be not too yappy, and a breed known to be easily trained to come when called

I've know I think three different people that have had shih tzu dogs. (had to look up the spelling for that one!).  In every case they have ticked all the boxes.....small, I'm told they don't shed, they are not yappy at all, have been great around kids, and from what I have observed and been told by the owners they are very well mannered and behaved, and make very good house dogs. 

they remind me in every way of the pound mutt my family had growing up.  It was a little bigger than a shih tzu, but otherwise I have never seen a dog as well behaved as she was.  We moved around a lot, and she always seemed to know where the property lines were and would never leave the yard.  never had to leash her except when it was a requirement, she was an alert guard dog too.  When she was very old and mostly blind she started 'loosing it' and would wander off some...  The only other times I ever saw here leave the yard unescorted by one of us, was one time chasing a doberman out of the yard...she ran just over the line...maybe another time or two for similar reasons...  I was told that my parents got her just as they were about to take her back to be euthanized.  I've often wondered if she knew.
 
I recommend a pug but only if you like fur in and on everything.  And a constant companion,including in the bathroom. 

Seriously, they make wonderful companions if you don't mind those things.

Good luck in your search!
 
My youngest son had Maltese and our neice had Shih Tzu's. Personally, I wouldn't have a dog if those were my only choices. They all yapped a lot, despite early training. They bred their dogs together, and from the offspring that are still in the family, that seemed to make things worse. One is so bad, the owner, as a last resort, tried a shock collar. That was just a waste of money. Our son got off easy, he let his ex-wife keep all three Maltese after the divorce.
 
One thing I forgot to mention about the Manchester Terrier breed.  Ours is somewhat of a dangerous dog!  If I'm holding him and you decide to come up and pet him, he's going to practically beat me to death with his wagging tail, and you will run the risk of being licked to death!  ;D
 
Both of my pals are rescues. I have a Miniature Dachshund and a Heinz 57 mutt. Rescues are the best.
 
kdbgoat said:
My youngest son had Maltese and our neice had Shih Tzu's. Personally, I wouldn't have a dog if those were my only choices. They all yapped a lot, despite early training. They bred their dogs together, and from the offspring that are still in the family, that seemed to make things worse. One is so bad, the owner, as a last resort, tried a shock collar. That was just a waste of money. Our son got off easy, he let his ex-wife keep all three Maltese after the divorce.

interesting... guess it's not an across the breed thing then, or else I just wasn't with them enough to see their true colors!  The shih tzus I've been around have not been yappy at all....barely ever heard them bark.
 
Suggest you check out  Best Friends Animal Shelter, they have lots of dogs all shapes and sizes.
There main shelter is in Kanab Utah  https://bestfriends.org/
Good luck
 
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