Dog breed selector help -- something like a German Shepherd but MUCH smaller?

Question

I needed some help in choosing the right breed dog. ( I have already been searching the web and took several 'which dog breed is right for you?' quizzes, and they weren't much help).

I am in my twenties and have just moved into my first apartment. It has a courtyard and park several blocks away. I am a writer and artist, and do the majority of my work from my home. My apartment is a studio, not big, but still plenty of room for one person and a pet. ( I am single & have no children.)

The type of dog I grew up with was a German shepherd mix (she was technically a mutt, but at least half German shepherd). She was a 'gentle giant', and one of the smartest, sweetest, best dogs I have ever been around. My neighbors (growing up) also had three German shepherds (purebreds) that my sister and I commonly played with as well (and took care of when the neighbors went on vacation or out of town). They were all very intelligent, well-behaved, wonderful dogs. Our shep sadly passed away about a year ago. (She was a rescue and was already considered a senior when we adopted her, so she had a pretty long life).

Now that I am settled in my new apartment, I would really like my own dog. (My landlord allows pets as long as they are quiet/not disruptive). The problem is, since I am living alone (no roommates or siblings to help out), a large dog is really not the best option for me.

*** In an emergency, I need to be able to lift/carry the dog myself, and the most I can lift is about 12-13 lbs. ( I am a petite 105 lbs and have a bad back due to a sports injury when I was younger). ****

*** So what I am looking for is a breed of dog that is SIMILAR to a german shep but much, MUCH smaller. It needs to be obedient, gentle and alert *without* the excessive barking thing. ***

( My mom owns a doxie and a terrier mix, and they bark at EVERYTHING.) So living in an apartment and relatively quiet area, I can NOT have a dog that barks *excessively*.)

My neighbor upstairs has two cats that sit on his porch when the weather is nice. So I would also prefer my dog not lunge at them or attempt to eat them.

** Are there any small breeds similar to sheps (in intelligence, overall temperament, and a sort of 'wolfie' look, with pointy ears) that might be appropriate for me? **

Note: It does NOT have to be a purebred, I just need some specific breed(s)/types in mind when I go to the shelter.

Any specific suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

(P.S. - I have no problem grooming/brushing my dog on a reg basis. As long as he/she is gentle and well-behaved, and small enough for me to handle, this is absolutely no problem.)

thank you
& happy holidays

Answer 1

The only smallish breed that is even close to a GSD in personality is a Shetland Sheep Dog. Its instincts are those of a Collie rather than of a GSD, but if you get one whose ancestry hasn't been ruined by pet-is-all breeders or show-is-all breeders the attitudes & intelligence could suit you: http://www.fci.be/uploaded_files/088g01-en.doc727 But most of them weigh more than you seek: http://dog-breeds.findthebest.com/q/139/836/How-much-does-a-an-Shetland-Sheepdog-dog-breed-weigh



The people who regard a Corgi as a small dog are not thinking - they are HEAVY dogs on very short legs. Basically, only the Toy breeds are in the weight range you state: http://www.fci.be/nomenclature.aspx

As for claiming that a Pyrenean is no more than 14 lbs!!!!



My sister would recommend a Pomeranian. But, being a Toy, they are rather frail.



I have concerns about your situation.

· Firstly, unless you are going to paper-train your pet, you NEED a door that opens straight into a dog-proofed & brat-proofed yard, for toilet-training.

· Secondly. how secure is the courtyard? You might be surprised at how high a small pooch can jump. If your courtyard is an aerial one, a leap over the balcony would be terminal for the pooch.

· If your artwork is physical rather than digital, are you aware of just how much chewing pups love to do? If it is digital art, how well can you protect the cables? My current bỉtch screamed for 3 minutes after she managed to get a 250 volt shock in her mouth - the plastic used for the plugs of extension cords are especially attractive to dogs.

· Have you located a club at which you can train your pet, starting when it is 18-22 weeks old? The dogs your family & neighbours had were selected & trained by someone else - hence their good natures. Do you have an experienced person to help you choose a pooch, and tell you that the one you feel sorry for is the WORST possible choice?



Add

http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/The_GSD/Source/

to your browser, so that you can easily look up all sorts of information about dogs.



King Les - first pup in 1950; GSD breeder & trainer as of 1968

Answer 2

If you want small and doesn't bark then I'd go with a Basenji. When I was little we had a sheep dog, she was very intelligent, didn't bark very often and was well behaved. However she did need to go for a walk everyday to get some exercise. We also had a Springer Spaniel, she was fairly quiet and got along well with the neighbors however she was very territorial towards our other dogs and loved to go swimming. She also needed a lot of grooming and was prone to ear infections because she loved to play in the water, she had her own kiddy pool she'd go outside everyday in and play in even as an old dog. A Miniature Pincher is very intelligent and good natured, but as a small breed dog they start to go blind and lose their hearing after about 7 - 9 years and then they do start barking because they don't understand what's going on as well as they used to. Stay away from Carolina Dogs (The American Dingo) they never stop barking and Coyotes they bark at everything and are scared of anything they don't know. I had a German Shepherd who was an absolute sweet heart, but as you said they do get big and if they have a problem you need to be able to lift one up to take them to the vet.



You could look into a tea cup Australian Shepherd, they're intelligent and do well in apartments. However they do need a daily walk.

Answer 3

Best thing to do is to actually go to a shelter and meet/greet the dogs to find one that is suitable for you with little regard to breed. What you end up liking might surprise you.



If you're looking at purchasing a dog from an ethical breeder, I would recommend either a Papillon or a Pyrenean Shepherd.



Happy Holidays to you as well. Good luck in your search.

Answer 4

There's a few...



There's the Basenji - they don't really tend to bark much, but when they do it's more of a light ''howl''.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basenji



Pembroke Welsh Corgi & Cardigan Welsh Corgi - small little herding dogs, which I suppose relates to the German Shepherd, as they are herding dogs, too - along with the erect ears. They're two seperate breeds but very similar (& are related). They kinda look like extra miniature Collie's, if there ever were such a thing!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pembroke_Welsh_Corgi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardigan_Welsh_Corgi

Answer 5

http://s888.photobucket.com/user/laura2271/media/image-2.jpg.html?filters[user]=110749742&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0

Something like this?

He's only a puppy

He's not miniature he will be the size of a medium legged jack Russell if you take your time to take a dog to a training classes they will be good dogs

You can teach a dog not to bark it's hard but get the right trainer and it will be success

He's a chihuahua but not miniature

Answer 6

Papillons are less yappy than most small dogs. They are also popular with people that like herding dogs. I would check them out or Corgis, but they are bigger and would need a good amount of exercise.