Best friendly medium sized non-too-hairy and undemanding dog ?

We want a dog. It would be required to be left alone for several hours a day through the week.
Preferably, it wont seek to destroy rabbits and other critters at all costs as it will be regularly walked in park land

Would like it to be a happy + soppy old soul, thats loves its belly rubbed and to kip beside its owner. Happy to meet strangers but not over-excitable

Ideally a small to medium compact size, shorter coat with minimal shedding

Happy to run alongside during jogs and/or cycling in the hills. But not demanding of several hours of rigorous exercise per day.

Our shortlist changes regularly as once we research the breed there’s usually a charateristic or two that doesnt really sit well with the above.

Not a fan of springers as I find them a bit scatty, nor labs as they tend to grow a bit large for my taste. Plus they have massive bum holes.

Previsouly considered but no longer at top of list are:

various J.Russels
Manchester Terrier
Mini Schnauzer
French Bulldog
Border Terrier

Am currently interested in knowing more about:

Spinone
Boston Terrier
Greyhound
Whippet
Miniature bull terrier

There are bunches more i’ve forgotten about but really im just keen to know if any owners out there had similar criteria and found the perfect match?
Furrier breeds are growing on me but i’ve traditonally always preferred a face/muzzle that I can read an expression from.

I’m aware that im probably being too particular, but it’s worth a shot!

Have you thought about one of these. Seems to fit your spec:

I think Whippets are awesome and would consider one if we were getting another (B(order)T owner) – not sure how they’d be on an all-dayer.

Spinone – they’re a bit big aren’t they?

Boston Terrier – know a few of them, all great dogs but I’m not keen on anything bred with that kind of face.

Greyhound – certainly not a jog-along by the bike dog…I don’t think so anyway, but could be wrong.

Miniature Bull Terrier – no idea…didn’t even know they existed. 😀

Sounds like a cockapoo might be the closest match. They don’t have to have hair over their eyes and they do have expressive faces.

My sprocker basically meets all of your criteria but he does shed a bit.

Schnauzers are grumpy, not happy.

Poodle, in medium, don’t shed, friendly and nuts..

Just get a cat

Meet Louis the Fell Terrier.
Can take as much exercise as you can throw at him, but a quick 20 mins will do him at a push. Doesn’t moult or steal kids’ sarnies. The gentlest dog I’ve ever had!

Get a greyhound.
The laziest animal ever invented.
Will lie and sleep the whole day through if allowed.
Will run for miles if encouraged.

Also…. Tiny bumholes 😯

CAT!

Aren’t Whippet’s sight hounds – thus a tendency to want to chase rabbits is part of their DNA?
Did meet a lovely Irish Terrier at the weekend and my son’s gf has a couple of soft coated Wheaten Terriers.

Disclaimer – I’ve never owned one but my wife is keen to replace our Cat with a Whippet and so I’ve had to learn, in theory, about dogs…

French bull terrier’s are popular in Brighton and may tick your boxes too…

Spinone is a lovely dog, and I miss mine, he passed away about a year ago. Happy to run, happy to be left alone, happy to be played with.
But, he was a slobbery dog, and he would shake his head and throw dribble all over the house, usually mixed with mud, I don’t miss constantly cleaning that up.
He could be trusted completely, I felt he was a bit aloof and indifferent.
They don’t live for very long, and he hated being carried.
I would maybe look at a segugio next time.

Brazilian Labrador?

Guaranteed to frighten the bejeebus out of burglarists 😈

Our two dogs are pretty low maintenance and can be left for hours on their own. Plus they both fit in a small box.

Jeff and George by Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr

West Highland Terrier?

Awwwww. Look at his big slobbery face. Wuff!

They do need exercising but boxers are the best dogs. Especially if you get a dim one. Friend of mine has a very stupid white boxer and I always want to just steal him, he’s awesome. 90% drool, though.

French bull terrier’s are popular in Brighton and may tick your boxes too…

Please don’t encourage the “breeders” by getting one of these. Read up on them.
They have all sorts of health problems, breathing, dry eyes, etc, and often can’t be born naturally due to the size of their head.
They’re not alone in being bred for their freakiness, but sadly they’re becoming too popular for their own good.

kelpie

Hers mine as a trail dog

We’ve a lurcher, which is cool but the non running dog (whippet) part of Barney is a collie, and he’s a bit collie-ish, too damn smart for his own good.

In terms of the dogs you listed I encounter a lovely Spinone, he’s just so great, super friendly, super smart looking, can apparently go all day in their comedic trotting manner. I totally love this dog but every time I see him he’s absolutely covered in mud, I think they love rivers/marshes/big puddles even more than springers.

Edit Oh yeah, Spinone is definitely a big rather than medium dog.

Super popular in my Herts locale are Cockapoos, they just seem like such perfect dogs, just happy and scatty.

Friend has a French bulldog – incredibly cute and characterful, hates trains, cost £2k

How about dogs in tights? You don’t see their bum holes and the tights would help with the minimal shedding.

😆 @ Brazilian labrador!

Brazilian labrador!

NOT to be confused with a Labrador with a Brazilian.
That would only make the bumhole problem much worse. 😯

A Staffy would meet all your requirements, shame they have a much maligned, much undeserved, reputation.

The correct answer is, of course, to go to a rescue centre and see what they have.

Pop down your local dog sanctuary and see what they got. Way cheaper than going down the pedigree pup route and if you get a good cross breed far less likely to have issues common to a lot of pedigree breeds. Look for a dog that has a good dollop of terrier as they’re bred to jog all day. Avoid collies as they need a lot of stimulation. As said above whippets/greyhounds etc are sight hounds, they’ll go after the rabbits like you won’t believe (also applies to spaniels, pointers and the like). Also they aren’t bred for long rides, more explosive bursts of energy. I used to have a ridgeback/greyhound cross (ridgehound?) that was superb. Current dog is a lab/shepherd cross, also superb. Maybe something with Beagle in it? Maybe you want to have a pedigree, but still worth checking out the local dogs home..

Loads of great responses, thanks so much. These will really help narrow our focus down a little more.

Alas, Mrs Slim has a cat alergy so that rules out cat dogs.

Yes, I wouldn’t go for a Frenchie any longer after learning of the c-section nature of most litters, that just completely wrong.
Hence liking Boston’s, similar look, a bit more sprightly with (potentially) fewer of the health issues.

I think a tenadancy to chase critters is perhaps less of a concern for me, forever cleaning drool and muddy coats more so. Spinone’s sound great characters but Mrs Slim would have to commit to clean up duty – that would drive me nuts.

small bummed whippets sound cool. That Fell Terrier looks brill too, Mrs Slim would adore him. And the Kelpie! Great vid!

IHN – i’ve previously owned Staffies and know the breed well. Am seriously tempted to go down that path again but I know deep down the other half prefers a furrier ‘Sprocket’ type breed. She’s open minded though.

We’ve been to several rehoming centres and are not ruling that out as an option.

If getting a whippet, go for a rescue one.

This is both for the dog’s and your house’s benefit. They can be mental as puppies.

Kenyan Poodle? Loves kids.

You need a Charley:

DSC_0511 by Evil Goat[/url], on Flickr

DSC_0509 by Evil Goat[/url], on Flickr

(he’s the one on the left).

Chilled all night, run all day or snoozes if you stay in. Hardly ever needs to go on the lead. Short hair, well behaved, immensely intelligent, great with kids, fine with other dogs.

Good luck finding one. (he’s a rescue)

Alternatively get a springer and embrace the mental:

Courtesy of Mrs t. by Evil Goat[/url], on Flickr

Our whippet is nearly 3 – had her from a pup.

Will take as much or as little exercise as you can provide.

Lazy around the house – sleeps a lot – similar to a cat!

Does like to chase rabbits/hares/squirrels.

Doesn’t really smell of very much unless she’s been rolling where foxes have been. Never needs a bath.

Good at stealing food. Doesn’t really shed hair.

But this my first dog so can’t compare to anything else.

supersessions – Carley is just about my minds-eyes ideal dog!

Eddie Fiola – can I ask for a little more of your Kelpie experience? Is it a particularly energetic breed requiring constant stimulation? Or happy to chill?
Great looking dog, i’ve looked at Aussie cattle dogs before but shy’d away from the amount of exercise required to keep them fit and stimulated

The mongrel I’ve adopted has a fair bit of (Spanish) greyhound in him, at least according to the experts. Despite being a puppy he’s not that bad – doesn’t destroy too much, will steal food from your hand if you’re not careful, and likes sleeping. On the sofa, particularly.

Northwind – Member

They do need exercising but boxers are the best dogs.

Boxer +1, although they are probably at the upper end of medium-sized.

Or a rescue mongrel that will cover all your requirement & probably have less tendency for the expensive vet bills that pedigree dogs tend to end up with; like supersessions fine looking mutt.

Bengal retriever?

I’ve never known a bigger cuddle monkey than our staffie cross.

Due to their misrepresentation in the media, your local rescue centre will have plenty to choose from.

However, the more a dog loves company, the less well suited they are to long periods along. Also, if you’re out all day, a rescue centre might not rehome to you unless you get a dog walker to break up the time.

If rabbit chasing is a concern, I’d avoid anything with terrier in the name.

African sprint hound,much faster than a Whippet

If rabbit chasing is a concern, I’d avoid anything with terrier in the name.

or the Fuddhound.

Although, they are vewwy, vewwy, quiet.

repetition, but I thought staffie when I read the “specs”

A Staffy would meet all your requirements, shame they have a much maligned, much undeserved, reputation.

The correct answer is, of course, to go to a rescue centre and see what they have.

Usually, lots of staffs! bzzt. repetition again.

Louisiana Terrier? Loves the woods…