I need help selecting a breed. I am moving away to college and will be living in an apartment with my boyfrien. We want a small dog but we are haveing trouble selecting a breed. We have taken to the miniature schnauzer but it seems hard to get a good specimen at an afordable price. I want a smart easily trainable dog but it seems hard to find a smart small not too hary apartment dog. My boyfriend hates noisy little barby doll dogs and my other choice was the cocker spaniel but he isnt small enough. Can anyone help me fiend a breed that fits my requirements and is afordable?

I would suggest check in a dog shelter. They have wonderful mixes, small enough, but very intelligent and healthy dogs. They are highly affordable, too.

Hi,

I have just joined this forum and noticed your message, have you thought about a Bichon Friese? They are fantastic sociable dogs, do need quite a bit of grooming, but they are easy enough to do yourself, I have one and a poodle and I really enjoy grooming them. They don't shed and have the most amazing personalities!! Have a look on the web and see if one would fit in with your lifestyle. Good luck and hope you find the companion of your dreams.

All the best Lilly pup

minature schnauzers are very loving and smart! Mine was potty trained with a doggy door utilizing a puppy pad on the balcony of my apartment after 3 weeks.

He is VERY active indoors and VERY needy of my attention. He barks when he is scared, so if there is a lot of noise where you will be living this could be a problem....they need at least 30 minutes of exercise every day so they can let out some of their energy....(and even then my Rocky can still be crazy active)

Wonderful dogs overall, but I am counting the days until I get my house to give him more room to run out his energies (he is now 1 year and 6 months old)

Have you considered a short legged terriers? Any of the breeds in that group make good pets, and most don't exceed 20 lbs. I have had one, a mix in fact and she was a good dog. Though shelters are a great option. There are many dogs in need of a home, the three I have are shelter dogs and they are great. Good luck!

it will take you to a pet selection questionaire that you have the chance to enter all your prefrences etc. will give you a list of possible breeds that may be appropriate for your circumstance.

PEDIGREE Get a dog

[QUOTE=Raggs;20566]
But if you get a pure bred dog, it's going to be a lot of money..
DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT get a dog from a pet store. They come from puppy mills and they are riddled with health problems. Also that just contributes to the puppy mills staying open.

I would debate the diffrence in cost from getting a supposed pure breed from a pet store as apposed to a registered breeder. A friend of mine just a few weeks ago bought a black lab from the local pet store and they only paid $50 less than we did from a breeder. Has me baffled really, because they know no history of the parents of the pup and have no guarantee that proper health checks have been done, they couldnt even get the pet shop to confirm if the first vacs had been done. I also question the pups age, pet store said he was 8 weeks but he is tiny, and I mean tiny Have not seen a 8 wo lab this small. (looked to me that he was more like 6 weeks old) but once again pet store could not confirm DOB.

Hi,

i own four cavalier King charles spaniels, and must say that for what you want they sound perfect. I am not sure of the price in America though.

They are not 'barking' dogs. However when you get home they will want to be with you where ever you are. They love laps.

I can also say that owning one is as easy as two. My puppy trained very easily and are eager to please. I don't think you will have a problem with this breed, no barking (unless they have a litter). They will miss you during the day and you will have to commit several minutes strictly to them when you return home. They crave love and give great amounts too.

As a breed standard, they are small, short or long haired, however the longer hair takes more work. Come in four different colors, require little exercise. Loving. Easy to train. loving. good with kids. loving. can have heart or eye problems, make sure the parents have been scored. Did I mention loving?

Penny is shorthaired and requires little to no work on grooming and stays clean! Charlie is long haired and is dirty within minutes. I have posted some pics so you can see size and colour variations. They are smaller than the cocker.

I hope you find the right dog for you! Good luck and Merry Christmas
Amy