Hi,
I need some help as i would love a dog but our family has restrictions;

My sister is afraid of dogs, but we need a dog to help her,
My dad works away during the week but my mum works between 8:30 and 1:30
My dad wants a small dog
I want a midium sized dog
but the major problem is my mum and sister are asthmatic and so nned a dog with wire hair, or do not shed much,

Please help me as i am in dispear,

Hannah
Aged 14

Hi Hannah

Oh dear what a predicament !!

What about a beagle, or basset hound they are short coated breeds. Or a daschound.

Why dont you try doing a search on www.google.com or www.yahoo.com and type in small dogs short coated breeds and see what you can come up with, then when you have discussed this with your family, and have decided what breed you would like, come back and someone might be able to recommend a breeder to you.

Hope that helps a little :D

Natasha

Hi Hannah

I think it would be helpful if you told us for what purpose your sister needs a dog. That will make a huge difference in the type of advice you get. :)

Hi
(i have just registered thats why i am now psyco_Pets)
my sister needs a dog so she can learn to trust dogs as they will not hurt her, this is because when i was five i was bitten by my grandads dog, it was not his fault i bent down and stroked his ear (he had an ear infection) and bit me, my sister at the time 2 saw all the blood on my face and has been scared since.

I have tried google and yahoo, but ll the dogs shed to much hair, i would love a standard poodle not a toy but my dad says no, something a little smaller.

Thx for suggestions as they are gratefully recieved

Hannah

Could any one tell me how much german shorthaired pointers shed and how often thx again.

Hi Hannah

German short haired pointers, are a short coated breed, but not a medium sized dog, and are full of energy. If your sister is afraid of dogs, would you not be better looking for something less "bouncy".

Regards

Natasha

Hi Hannah and welcome :)

If your mom and sister are allergic, look more into the hair and wire coated breeds. By "Hair" I mean dogs that have hair similar to humans which grows forever unless trimmed. Not "fur" which will shed at a given length.

Just because a dog has short hair does not mean that it will be less likely to be allergy free for your family. Long furry-haired dogs that shed are at least easier to see to clean it up :) Beagles do shed a lot :)

It would be easier for you to find a dog if you knew exactly what your mom and sister are allergic to with dogs ---- the dander or something else.

One thing about the "hair" breeds is that they need grooming on a regular basis 6-8 weeks + daily brushing. Easy to do on a small dog. More time consuming the larger it becomes.

Example of "Haired" breeds -- poodles, schnauzers, Yorkshire terriers, maltese, etc...
A wonderful dog to look into might be a Miniature Wired Haired Dachshund ---small, happy, and wonderful dogs :)

A point to make though .... you are 14 and your life will likely be experiencing some unpredictable changes in the next 10 years--education, living, and employment. A dog can easily live from 10-14 years. Who exactly will be ultimately responsible for the dog's care throughout its entire life?

A dog does have a tendency to bond with the one that is around the most in its early years. It realizes who feeds, trains, and cares for it. Most likely, it will be your mother, since she'll be home more than you. It's something to consider before bringing home that cute adorable puppy. :)

If circumstances makes it impossible for your family to own a dog, please don't give up. You can volunteer at a local shelter, eventually work at a veterinary clinic (I did that from 16-18 years old :) ), and even look into other possibilities.
good luck,
toodles

thx guys this is helping quite a bit, my mum and sis are allergic to the hair they malt as it causes an asthma attack if it gets into the breathing system ( i believe)
My mum wants a dg to but it will be a family dog though.
My mums read your suggestions and she says that is would like a dog with "brains" something from gundog, working group etc...

AND I WORK AT A CATS AND DOG HOME it is very rewarding and its drived me on to get a dog.

How about a whippet? They have very fine coats, are medium size but curl up small, are not overly boisterous.

A little girl that was afraid of the neighbourd excitable dogs, finally made friends with my dogs when picking up the kids from primary school, though this took best part of a year of her Dad and brother fussing them.

Then I heard the nesw that they were getting a whippet puppy. After a year they got another. I used to meat the whole family on walks, and the whippets were a bit more outgoing with the children around, not the aloof picture that I had of them when with their usually elderly owners that I had met before.

Then I heard the nesw that they were getting a whippet puppy. After a year they got another
What a familiar tale :)
Whippets are very collectable 'you cant just have one' LOL as we well know!!

With whippets do you have to get another or can you only have one, thx

Hi Hannah

My advice would be instead of getting a dog of your own take your Mum and Sister to vist as many people with dogs as you can to find out how much a dog is going to affect them, or even better, if you are allowed to take dogs out for a walk take one home for a few hours.

If they can't physcially tolerate a dog in your home then there would be no point in getting a puppy as it would probably only have to be rehomed if it had a bad effect on them.

Christine
PS What does your user-name mean? :)

Hi Hannah
I can't advise you what breed to get but I would like to ask that you make sure you go to a reputable breeder to get your pup. Someone who will be there for you to answer ALL your Q's and help you make the right choice. :)
Nicky
P.S. I agree with Sara (Eoghania) Miniature Wire Haired Dachsies are brilliant! :D

Hello,
By what you've described above i think the best dog for you would be a mininature schnauzer they don't shed hair & are wire coated (if stripped) & soft if clipped they are 14" high so not too small or too big and they are able to be as tough as you like running about all day or are quite happy being a lap dog they are very versatille & cute! They are in high demand at the moment so happy hunting if this is the dog for you.
Bye
Shonagh

Where do you live, there's Discover Dogs in 2 weeks time at Earls Court, London. It may not be suitable for your sister to go along as there are a no. of dogs there but you cd. go and see a few breeds and get information sheets with your dad maybe.

From what i know of Mini Schnauzers they are a bit quick and terrierish for a person that is nervous of dogs.

I forgot that it would be agood idea to visit a breeder of the breeds you like with Mum and sister.

I sold a pup to an asthmatic lady, she had spent a whole afternoon surrounded by a collection of Elkhounds, and was not affected by their fur at all, or that of wire haired dogs, but the dnader from smooth dogs did affect her, as did cats.

Also by visiting say a whippet breeder and a Min Schnauzer breeder you could ascertain which your sister felt most comfortable around.

I'm very asthmatic and allergic to dogs, but I'm fine with Holly. The only problem I do have is that my skin itches if she rubs against me (but not the palms of my hands when I stroke her).

I was really allergic to my SILs border collie though :(

Fiona
x x x

In reply to Brainless's post about the schnauzers being to terrierish & excitible i must disagree as every mini schnauzer i've met have been very calm & loving.We sold a puppy 4 years ago to a boy of 11 who had been seriously savaged by a Border Collie & was absolutely terrified of dogs but when his mum brought him round to see our dogs (he was very scared) but our dogs helped him overcome his fear & now he could never be without his little 'Ace'.
But it's down to the same thing again if you buy a puppy and don't educate it or the children properly you will end up with an unruly dog in all breeds.
Go and see a reputable breeder of mini schnauzers & judge for yourself before deciding, as all dogs even whippets & dachshund's can be snappy & highly active.My friend breeds wire haired dachshunds & they do have a tendencie for bolting down holes if they see one so hers cannot be let off a lead near any holes.

Exactly so. All the min Snauzers I have ever met have been a little quick in their movements, which is why I suggested a visit to a breeder of several breeds, to assess the alergy reaction, and the comfort factor. My favourites are the Giants, though they need an in charge type of owner to get the best oput of them. Minis are in the Terrier Group in some countries, and definately have more of that about them than the Standards, but of course all individuals are different.

Hi Hannah
I agree with Nicky and Sara,Miniature Wirehaired Dachshunds are brilliant,very intelligent `big dogs `in a little body,full of fun and energy.Their moulting is minimal compared to the gundog breed we own as well.Wishing you good luck with whatever breed you and your family finally choose.
Carole

Doesn't have to be the Miniature type either...the Standard size goes from somewhere like 18 pounds on up to around 45 pounds.
My groomer's brother and sister-in-law now have an 18 month old standard WHD bitch who is a true sweetheart. She's very much like an otter in flexibility, playfulness, and is just so sleek. Reminds me of the creature from "Neverending Story" :D

what about a spanish water dog again they donot shedd hair a medium size dog,good all round dog,there some at discover dogs,but i am afaid to say that i will not be going with mine,her name is gollie beacuse i have a litter of f/c puppies to look after.

K thx guys this is a real help, so my options so far are
miniture wirehaired daushaund, spelt wrong i know,
whippits (can you get one or do you need more than one)
spanish water dog How much do they shed)
and others as my heads blank

my name psyco_pets is called this because when i am older i want to become an animal behavourist, so thats where the name came about. Also i was making a website about pets and probs and my email for it was
psyco_pets@hotmail.com you can contact me on this

Hi Psyco pets,
Whippets do love to curl up together, but seem just as happy as 'only dogs', it's usually the owners who have to have 'just one more'!
I have one Whippet, with a Lurcher and 3 Italian Greyhounds, and my sister has one on her own. Her Whippet is very happy being an only dog, as it means she can do the rounds of everyone's laps without any competition!
Whippets are very inoffensive dogs, gentle and patient, quite sedate around the house (different story if outside and they see a rabbit!) and just love to be cuddled and fussed, so would be a very good breed for someone who is fearful of dogs.
Good Luck, Liz

Do whippets shed at all, and we have two rabbits is that a problem

As long as you don't let the bunnies run, and get a puppy used to them being part of the furnityre I can't see a problem.

All breeds except the kind that have non shedding coats like poodles, and some others, but these are usually long haired breeds who need proffesional grooming.

A whippet wil shed it's coat, but having very little of it, may not be a problem.

the best bet is a visit with a housful of whichever breeds are on your shortlist, and guage the alergic reaction.

the asthmatic lady who had one of my pups (who most definately shed) spent all day at a fellow breeders, and then at my house, and was fine, and has been with her bitch ever since.

Hi
this is an update and a quest for more help!!!!!!!!

My family are thinking now about spanish water dogs and we need to know if anyone has one near the south west that we can visit to check that it is ok for m y mum and sister.
Please help

I would heartily recommend a Poodle. My Dad and I have allergies. Poodles have wool not fur and don't moult. That means they are terrific for allergies. They also have a great temperament and are usually calm and placid. I've had two and they've been great even with people that are nervous of dogs. For example, there's a little girl up the road from me who is really nervous and mine has all the patience in the world with her, he is gentle with her roo, and she has begun to relax more now that she knows he's ok. The only expensive thing about Poodles are the haircuts every 6-8 wks or so, but if they aren't being shown then a puppy trim is fine, and that doesn't cost too much. Lastly they come in three sizes Toy (10 inches or so, at the shoulder) Miniature (Up to 15 inches at the shoulder) and Standard (15-22 inches at the shoulder).

Good luck, hope you find the right dog for you

I would suggest a Grand or Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen. They are such jolly dogs and very very friendly. Just the sort to build the confidence of someone a little nervous of dogs. They have a wire coat which doesn't need loads of grooming just needs a good brush once or twice a day.

Hi
me again :)

i need to know of any owners of spanish water dogs who will be willing to allow us to see them, thank you

bye