After 15 years I had to put my Beagle down last month. I know at some point I will get another dog and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions. Here is what I am looking for: 15" max short haired inside dog. I would prefer for the dog not to shed, but I know that might be pushing it. Any good ideas?
Dachshund. I have a sweetie right now that just loves when the grandkids come over and she gets all the extra love and attention. My last pair lived for 17 years and they were great too. I believe they have a Dachshund rescue in Austin and one in Houston.
We have a dachshund and a Cardigan Welsh Corgi and they're both good dogs. Dachshund is definitely more annoying, though. Pembroke Corgis are also very good dogs.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) and other organizations have a quiz type thing that asks you questions about what you want in and of a dog. It calculates your answers and generates a good sized list of dog breeds that would likely suit your desires. You may be surprised by some of the breeds that do and don't show up. An example of this is the Mastiff. Say you lived in NYC or an urban area in an apartment. Believe it or not, this gentle giant is excellently suited for apartment and large city living. They don't require tons of exercise or activity like a Lab, Beagle or Aussie Shepherd would. Even a Rottie or Shepherd would need exercise much greater than a Mastiff. Try that out and see what comes up. I suggest seeing if there is a rescue service for that pet or any of them in the shelter. EDIT: found one for you: Dog Breed Selector
Good site. It recommended a Cocker Westie for us. Hopefully, though, my kids will get nothing and like it....
Bichon. Small, white, curly hair, very playful, don't shed. Males can get up to 15 - 17 lbs, so you might want a female (smaller).
Chesapeake Bay Retriever, not close to what you are describing but they are great dogs that earn their keep.
Another vote for Boston Terrier. Especially on the shedding front... cleanest dog I've ever had. They're sweet, and although they have a lot of energy, they also understand boundaries pretty well. Not very yappy dogs either.
Another vote for dachshund. We have four and love them. You hardly ever have to give them a bath as they never smell like most dogs. Our two reds shed very little. The wire haired one does some shedding. The worst one is the piebald "cha-weinnie" that we resqued from a divorcing couple. I hate name but she does look mostly doxie but she sheds a lot. I can't believe they paid $300.00 for her. All of ours are resques.
We ended up getting a Beagle. This will be my 3rd Beagle, it is hard to beat justhow good of a dog they are IMO.
i used to have 2 beagles and they didn't listen for ****. Always getting out of yard, couldn't call them back, always digging holes all over yard. One used to get excited and piss all over the house. BTW, my father in law "found" these 2 pups and they ended up at our house for a year.
We have two Boston Terriers and they are very much loved. They are known for farting and I can confirm the rumor. Other than that, no real cons, just pros. No shedding or typical terrier territoriality issues with ours. One is smarter than my wife and the other one is very sweet, but lost a battle of wits with an icemaker. The breed may be a bit of an issue if you live in Texas. Any of the smash faced dogs like a Boston or a Pug, Boxer, Bulldog (or a cheetah for that matter) can have heat issues if you aren't careful (shorter chance for the air to cool the brain while panting is my understanding). Everyone has their favorite brand and the rescue idea is appealing for the notion that you might have a better idea of their personality. Dog papers are overrated. There is a reason we don't marry before the personality is matured. It's certainly less compelling for a dog, but there IS an OLD saying about teaching old dogs new tricks and the saying about grateful older women is ********. The rat terrorist we had was just too territorial. Smart as ****, but was a pocket hercules that would NOT be pushed around. Heard terrible stuff about miniature pinschers. Escape artists. If we hadn't been worried about the beagle's tendency to lock on a possum, cow, cat (whatever) and chase it till kingdom come we would not have crossed them off the list. We take dogs to a ranch in the hill country and live in a heavily forested area (but still with lots of cars) in SA and could see the chase ending up in a stain. in either locale. The last time we did this (7 years ago) I think we got a lot of info out of a book titles something like "So you want a new puppy" or something like that, written by a vet with no dogs in any fights. We found it helpful, but in the end I'm going to vote for nurture slightly over nature. I don't put up with any **** from the dogs and my wife worries about hurting their feelings. They unquestionably like me better.