I truly think your lifestyle would work well for many of the small companion breeds! Do you have a local rescue or shelter nearby? Maybe you can tell them what you said here and see if they have anything that may fit.
Ethical breeders are another great option, but puppies are A LOT of work and can be quite mouthy at times when young. Getting a dog that’s maybe 1+ years old may be a good idea with children. I love it when they’re tiny pups, but don’t mind skipping the “T-Rex” stage personally which some people consider age 6-10 months or so😂
But both ethical breeders and rescues are great options! Good luck deciding on which works best for you and finding the perfect family dog🐾
I would look into papillons and shih tzus. You also mentioned cockers and cavaliers. I’d say cockers are probably higher energy than what you want but a cavalier would probably be a nice fit. The health issues that you’re referring to are primarily found in the unethically bred population of dogs. If you work with an ethical breeder, you can essentially eliminate your chances of ending up with health issues and you’ll be working with someone who will fully disclose the risks for different issues within their lines, allowing you to make an educated decision.
Here’s a video on what to look for in an ethical breeder: [What to Look for in an Ethical Breeder](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTNY2DNkh/)
Obviously, that video is tailored for the US so you’ll want to find your breed parent clubs in Ireland. And, I know for smaller countries, you sometimes have to look outside to neighboring countries to find upcoming litters.
Best of luck!
I think the temperament of OPs kids might factor in here— my daughter would have been fine with a papillon at 6, but my son was just too much. He would have hurt a tiny dog— not intentionally! But just his general way of interacting was a bit intense….
As a groomer. You described a Poodle exactly. Miniature poodles are not too small and not too big. The grooming is an expense (every 4-6 weeks for a long haircut or 6-8 weeks if you pick a low maintenance cut) .they are healthy, lovely dogs!
But for the off-lead bit, whippets or greyhounds *could* be a nice match. 40 mph couch potato, but definitely up for movement and activities. Don't ever trust a sighthound off leash. I will say I'm in the US and I'm seeing a disturbing number of immune issues in UK whippets; I don't know much about Ireland.
P.S. Don't be misled: Italian Greyhounds are NOT little whippets. They are a toy breed and not one I'd recommend for your household.
This sub has not found any reputable doodle breeders. Getting one from a shelter is a great option though!
If you want to know more about ethical breeding, and what we look for when determining a reputable breeder vs a backyard breeder, I’ll attach this subs guide to it below!
https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/s/epXhp8iVCB
We're happy to have references to other databases for health testing in other countries. The downside is internationally, we've found that there's no database to verify it's actually been done. This makes it easier to lie about it.
[Finland ](https://jalostus.kennelliitto.fi/frmEtusivu.aspx?Lang=en)keeps track, but I believe it's voluntary. Their db is impressive. /health testing nerd
Oh I didn’t even realize there’s no databases! That definitely can make things more difficult.
I don’t know enough about health testing in other countries to give any type of recommendations or references there. I just knew that OFA is specific to North America.
Yeah, it's why it's been hard for us to create a guide that better promotes ethical breeders outside the US.
It doesn't help that many breeders in Europe don't prioritize titles. It doesn't mean they're not screening health and temperament, it simply means they're not show dogs.
It makes it challenging to verify that a breeder isn't a puppy mill. Especially given the situation in the UK where a well-known border collie breeder had been a puppy mill for years with a good reputation due to her training program.
The lack of transparency options can make it a difficult process.
On the bigger side- a collie would fit. My female is about 50lbs…. But she’s about as tall as a golden retriever, just much more slight. If that’s not too big they’re great with kids, trainable, and the hair isn’t as bad as you’d think.
If they're not too big, I'd take a look at boxers. A female should be quite a bit smaller than your average lab and the breed is known for being great with kids. They're generally not big barkers, they don't shed a ton, they're cuddly, and they're big enough that your kids can roughhouse with them without hurting them, and in fact they'll more than likely love it. They have some energy, but they've also got an off switch, so once they're worn out, they'll pass out next to you for a couple of hours.
My brother had a cockapoo! Really sweet and fun dog. Unfortunately passed away very young due to Lymphoma at 3 years old :( Not all are, but it's more common in them according to the vet
I truly think your lifestyle would work well for many of the small companion breeds! Do you have a local rescue or shelter nearby? Maybe you can tell them what you said here and see if they have anything that may fit. Ethical breeders are another great option, but puppies are A LOT of work and can be quite mouthy at times when young. Getting a dog that’s maybe 1+ years old may be a good idea with children. I love it when they’re tiny pups, but don’t mind skipping the “T-Rex” stage personally which some people consider age 6-10 months or so😂 But both ethical breeders and rescues are great options! Good luck deciding on which works best for you and finding the perfect family dog🐾
Yup! This post immediately makes me think mini poodle or bichon
I would look into papillons and shih tzus. You also mentioned cockers and cavaliers. I’d say cockers are probably higher energy than what you want but a cavalier would probably be a nice fit. The health issues that you’re referring to are primarily found in the unethically bred population of dogs. If you work with an ethical breeder, you can essentially eliminate your chances of ending up with health issues and you’ll be working with someone who will fully disclose the risks for different issues within their lines, allowing you to make an educated decision. Here’s a video on what to look for in an ethical breeder: [What to Look for in an Ethical Breeder](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTNY2DNkh/) Obviously, that video is tailored for the US so you’ll want to find your breed parent clubs in Ireland. And, I know for smaller countries, you sometimes have to look outside to neighboring countries to find upcoming litters. Best of luck!
I think the temperament of OPs kids might factor in here— my daughter would have been fine with a papillon at 6, but my son was just too much. He would have hurt a tiny dog— not intentionally! But just his general way of interacting was a bit intense….
As a groomer. You described a Poodle exactly. Miniature poodles are not too small and not too big. The grooming is an expense (every 4-6 weeks for a long haircut or 6-8 weeks if you pick a low maintenance cut) .they are healthy, lovely dogs!
But for the off-lead bit, whippets or greyhounds *could* be a nice match. 40 mph couch potato, but definitely up for movement and activities. Don't ever trust a sighthound off leash. I will say I'm in the US and I'm seeing a disturbing number of immune issues in UK whippets; I don't know much about Ireland. P.S. Don't be misled: Italian Greyhounds are NOT little whippets. They are a toy breed and not one I'd recommend for your household.
I really feel like a good match would be a papillon
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This sub has not found any reputable doodle breeders. Getting one from a shelter is a great option though! If you want to know more about ethical breeding, and what we look for when determining a reputable breeder vs a backyard breeder, I’ll attach this subs guide to it below! https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/s/epXhp8iVCB
^ OFA testing is specific to North America though, so that part can be adjusted depending on country.
We're happy to have references to other databases for health testing in other countries. The downside is internationally, we've found that there's no database to verify it's actually been done. This makes it easier to lie about it.
[Finland ](https://jalostus.kennelliitto.fi/frmEtusivu.aspx?Lang=en)keeps track, but I believe it's voluntary. Their db is impressive. /health testing nerd
Oh I didn’t even realize there’s no databases! That definitely can make things more difficult. I don’t know enough about health testing in other countries to give any type of recommendations or references there. I just knew that OFA is specific to North America.
Yeah, it's why it's been hard for us to create a guide that better promotes ethical breeders outside the US. It doesn't help that many breeders in Europe don't prioritize titles. It doesn't mean they're not screening health and temperament, it simply means they're not show dogs. It makes it challenging to verify that a breeder isn't a puppy mill. Especially given the situation in the UK where a well-known border collie breeder had been a puppy mill for years with a good reputation due to her training program. The lack of transparency options can make it a difficult process.
That’s awful! But thank you for taking the time to explain this to me, I really appreciate it. I truly had no idea.
On the bigger side- a collie would fit. My female is about 50lbs…. But she’s about as tall as a golden retriever, just much more slight. If that’s not too big they’re great with kids, trainable, and the hair isn’t as bad as you’d think.
If they're not too big, I'd take a look at boxers. A female should be quite a bit smaller than your average lab and the breed is known for being great with kids. They're generally not big barkers, they don't shed a ton, they're cuddly, and they're big enough that your kids can roughhouse with them without hurting them, and in fact they'll more than likely love it. They have some energy, but they've also got an off switch, so once they're worn out, they'll pass out next to you for a couple of hours.
A chug for life
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My brother had a cockapoo! Really sweet and fun dog. Unfortunately passed away very young due to Lymphoma at 3 years old :( Not all are, but it's more common in them according to the vet