Hello Everyone,
We are thinking of buying a puppy but are undecided on what breed,we are thinking of terriers,we don't have the room for a big dog,this is the situation:
i'm at home all day apart from doing the weekly shop and school run,our children are 13 years,10 years and 9 years,we want a pup that will require not much in the way of grooming(a daily brush etc)that will be easy to train(probably down to the owner)that will not require a 10 mile walk to tire it out,i enjoy walking but my husband can't walk that far due to a motorbike accident.Any suggestions please

I have 2 westies and they are hardy little dogs and great fun to be with. They don't shed much hair and go to the groomers every 8 weeks for a trim ( unless you want to try it yourself). They don't take up much room either and happily sit in boot of the car when we go out. Good luck in your search!!

i Loove PUGS! Low on excercise and cute! Small too! They require some face cleaning inbetween there face fat or whatever lol.

Everyone will have their own opinion of the perfect dog...but you must do the research to find which breed suits you.Terriers can be very highly motivated so although small they can need plenty of exercise.I know many people recommend cavaliers as good family pets.
I own 2 shiba inus (aswell as 3 medium sized elkhounds)I love them to pieces and thnk they are the perfect dog!.They are a small dog with a big personality....however they are not a breed for everyone.
I would suggest you have a look through the net at all the different breeds and read up on anything that appeals.Once you think you have found the one for you contact the breed club and speak to people within the breed to REALLY find out what they are like to live with.
Archer

How about a Cavalier? I know they have a long coat, but 5 or 10 minutes a day is sufficient to keep them tidy. They are happy to walk for 10 miles or none at all, and you can't beat them for cuddling! They are very keen on company, but if you are home most of the time that would be ok. Go to shows and talk to people about their dogs, and get hold of a few books to read.

Have to agree with Bailey on this one Westies are great!!
John.

When we were looking we bought a book of all the different breeds, and it listed all the traits good and bad, exercise and grooming requirements, though it is not guranteed that the dog will be like its description in temperament its a good way to get a short list. We have got a Parsons Russell Terrier shes now 8 Months, she is quite hardwork she needs a good two walks a day and plenty of mental stimualtion, and always wants company but thats just her. Terriers do tend to be fairly wilful adn have huge personalities to make up for there size.

As a first time puppy owner (had rescues) would advise a reputable breeder, ours was accredited KC they will tell you all about the family, the breed, the environment it grew up in and are always on the other end of the phone.

Then the next thing is to get addicted to Champ Dogs, loads of useful advice and information to search on.

Westies were a dog we looked at, and have grown up with cousins Cavalier King Charles as they used to breed them ,both fantastic breeds but you can't beat my little parsons!!

Nice to see you doing research before you buy, i'm sure what ever you get will work out just fine.

Be careful do you have any other animals??
My sister has a Patterdale terrier which is her eldest sons (13yo) dog.
The dog is not yet 12 months old and was given to him two months ago.
It is a 'cat hater' and my sister's cat had to have part of his tail amputated. :(

I second the cavalier, I don't own one myself but I've met many of them through grooming and kennel work, they are fabulous little dogs - great with kids too, from the ones I have seen.  Very sweet little dogs :)  If you're worried about grooming you can always get them clipped off regularly, I know some people object to it in long haired dogs (I used to) but they look okay :)

" I know some people object to it in long haired dogs (I used to) but they look okay  "

You're right, some would definitely disagree that a clipped off Cavalier looks OK!! :)
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>I know some people object to it in long haired dogs (I used to) but they look okay

They look awful!!!

I have just got a westie. I have a small house so it fits in nicely. They are intelligent so fairly easy to train, they can manage little or lots of exercise but are high energy dogs so need a lot of play and stimulation. As Bailey said they dont shed much hair. There are questionaires on the internet you can take to find out what breed would suit you - cannot remember any links but you should find them easily. Do lots of homework on the breeds. People seem to suggest cavaliers, when I was doing research this breed was recommended as an ideal first dog.