What small breed of puppy do you recommend?

[JaegerDePato]

Hello all,
I'm interested in getting a small breed of dog and I really love Basset Hounds, their saggy faces, long ears, etc.. Who can resist?
However I really don't like that hounds tend to run and always have their noses to the ground..
I was also walking a beagle once and she was literally dragging me all over the property following scents and I even lost control of her one time and she got away. (She was caught luckily) But anyway are Basset hounds the same way? They just seem like the lazy stubborn type to me that don't really care about smelling everything and running all over.. But I really want to know others experiences and opinions. Are they easy to walk on a leash? I'm looking for a small breed of dog that is social and well behaved around other people and dogs without being territorial and barking at them.. I would love some breed suggestions as well.
Thanks to all in advance!

Basset Hounds are anything, but small.

My girl is heavy 75lbs.

She loves to wonder around and sniff, but she stays close. Most will not do this. Most will want to sniff the world and then forget where they are at. A basset hound will also pull on the leash or work their way out of a collar. It is better to have a harness for dog walking. I think a pug would be a decent option in your situation.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Any dog will pull if not trained otherwise. I have seen small dogs pull out of their collars and yank leashes out of their owners' hands or unbalance them. No dog comes trained. I recommend OP read the books "Pet Dog" by Richard A. Wolters and "The Art of Raising A Puppy" by the Monks of New Skete BEFORE getting a puppy. Both should be available at her local library.

 

[KaylorFarms]

I'm sorry people treated you the way they did, it's just not fair. They were filling in the gaps with information that they assumed and was far from the truth. I'm sure whatever dog you pick it will be awesome! To me, you sound like a very responsible owner and any dog will be lucky to find a home with you.

(not my photo)

Thank you!

 

[JaegerDePato]

Any dog will pull. Correct.

However, Bassets are incredibly tough to train. Have a tendency for a mind of their own. Some will sit down in the middle of a walk refusing to go further. If they see a rabbit, then they will go bananas and pull. If they get a scent, they completely ignore the owner and pull. They will stop and sniff everything, which makes it less of a walk and more of a stop & sniff fest. Many people are surprised at how heavy they are 50-65lbs is the breed standard.

They can be trained, but it is a whole lot of work and treats. Treats are one of the main motivators for Bassets. Bassets are often mentioned as one of the hardest breeds to train.

Mine doesn't spend much time on a leash. Living rural, I can take her out the sage brush flats and let her roam. She does have a fondness for cow pies and uncharacteristically sticks around and doesn't venture too far.

 

[KaylorFarms]

This is where I got confused, sorry if I misunderstood you.

No you didn't misunderstand. It was my fault, I wasn't thinking of how much I could take her with me shopping during the week, I just meant I don't go out to parks a lot but I should of specified that. I appreciate everyones help here

 

[KaylorFarms]

Any dog will pull. Correct.

However, Bassets are incredibly tough to train. Have a tendency for a mind of their own. Some will sit down in the middle of a walk refusing to go further. If they see a rabbit, then they will go bananas and pull. If they get a scent, they completely ignore the owner and pull. They will stop and sniff everything, which makes it less of a walk and more of a stop & sniff fest. Many people are surprised at how heavy they are 50-65lbs is the breed standard.

They can be trained, but it is a whole lot of work and treats. Treats are one of the main motivators for Bassets. Bassets are often mentioned as one of the hardest breeds to train.

Mine doesn't spend much time on a leash. Living rural, I can take her out the sage brush flats and let her roam. She does have a fondness for cow pies and uncharacteristically sticks around and doesn't venture too far.

Thanks! This was the answer I was looking for

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Any dog will pull. Correct.

However, Bassets are incredibly tough to train. Have a tendency for a mind of their own. Some will sit down in the middle of a walk refusing to go further. If they see a rabbit, then they will go bananas and pull. If they get a scent, they completely ignore the owner and pull. They will stop and sniff everything, which makes it less of a walk and more of a stop & sniff fest. Many people are surprised at how heavy they are 50-65lbs is the breed standard.

They can be trained, but it is a whole lot of work and treats. Treats are one of the main motivators for Bassets. Bassets are often mentioned as one of the hardest breeds to train.

Mine doesn't spend much time on a leash. Living rural, I can take her out the sage brush flats and let her roam. She does have a fondness for cow pies and uncharacteristically sticks around and doesn't venture too far.

Many breeds have individuals who are "incredibly tough to train." I don't know why you are determined to discourage OP from considering this particular breed. As a professional trainer with over 20 years of experience, I would only discourage her from getting a wolf hybrid. ANY other breed of dog is going to have assets as well as challenges. And yes, I had Bassets in my classes and found them only as difficult to train as their owners. Just like any other breed or mutt that came through my class. One of my favorites was a half-Bass, half Rottweiler named Danny da Vito. I gave his owners a tongue-in-cheek certificate declaring him to be a unique specimen, the original Squattie Rottie. He was a perfect gentleman, very laid back, delightfully socialized and with a great sense of humor. He passed my class with flying colors.

 

[KaylorFarms]

he rescue dogs that you disdain are generally the products of people like yourself who neglect their puppies and then dump them.

But I expect you'll get a Bassett anyhow because you want one. Poor pup.

i hate thinking of a merry little sheltie with such an irresponsible owner!

Where in this thread does it say I neglect or dump my dogs? The three other dogs belong to my parents who take care of them and keep up on them, I just want a dog to call my own. We only had one rescue dog many years ago that ran away once, we got her back. Ran away a second time, we never found her. We don't dump our dogs! Totally unkind for you to say these things that aren't true.

 

[KaylorFarms]

will sit on your lap all day....sounds like you'd be better off with a small stuffed toy?

We live in a throw away society. Relationships, animals--if we're no longer happy with it we throw it away. "Next??"

I don't mean this in a disrespectful way at ALL but, what? really? Can you please point out where I said "I throw away dogs I'm not happy with," and that I want a dog that will just sit in my lap all day long? Why did you make up these things that are so totally untrue? I'm not trying to be rude but are you trying to make me look like a bad person? That I go around buying puppies and then dump them when I get tired of them? So totally unfair!

 

[wyoDreamer]

Here are my experiences with various Dog Breeds, since you now said you may get a larger breed:
Siberian Husky - trained her to walk on leash without pulling, but used her for skijoring also. She was quiet, most of the time, and loved to kill small fuzzy animals. Shedding is a constant. My best friend for 9 years. She would bark if needed, but was fine with stopping when I told her to. Smart as a whip - we had to build a special latch for the yard gate that she couldn't figure out how to open herself - then she discovered that she could break the welds in the fence and let herself out that way.

Irish Setter - bought from a breeder who raises them for hunting. Very energetic, needed to RUN every day. We could put him on a leash and walk for hours and he would still be ready to run. He was a clown, very sweet personality, non-aggressive (I heard that dog growl once in 9 years). We trained him well enough for us, but if he got a scent - he would forget to listen... He was still a puppy at 2 years old.

English Setter - lover boy, high energy, not a mean bone in his body. Loves to bark, will bark at a scent on the wind. This one is a traveler, he will stick around until he gets far enough away to sneak off - I believe that is how he ended up in the local dog pound. Wants to be on your lap being loved, but at 65 pounds is too big for my lap. Smart dogs and trainable. Needs regular grooming.

Basset Hound - the one I knew was hard headed, independent, and a couch potato. He was friendly to people and liked attention. Not a mean dog, not a stupid dog, but was not a very trainable dog - he like to make up his own mind, thank you very much. He liked to escape the fenced yard to walk himself around town. They are surprisingly large, and heavy.

King Charles Cavalier Spaniel - a friend had 3, loved those dogs. Hers liked to bark when ever anyone stopped by, but they were nice, friendly dogs. Hers liked to jump up on people. One was a rescue, one was from a pet store (puppy mill) and one was from a backyard breeder. Big personalities in a small package.

Pug - I love Pugs. I personally am a big dog person, but, if I ever had to live in an apartment or house in town with small yard, I would get me a Pug. My favorite poster was a picture of a Pug and said "Proof that GOD has a sense of humor". The ones I have met were all small black dogs but with great big personality. Love bugs every one. Trainable and always looking to please - or looking for treats.