dogs under 30 pounds
What breed/mixed breed is best for us?
I work full time and have a 16 year old son. I don’t really want a puppy because, other than coming home for lunch, the dog will be home alone from 8-3:30 every weekday.
We live in an apartment. We have no size restrictions, but there are breed restrictions-the typical pit bull/rottweiler ones. But I would like a dog that doesn’t bark a lot and would be content in an apartment with two or three walks a day. I also live in northern Minnesota, so it can get cold outside.
I have experience with dogs-I have owned labs, a border collie and a pomeranian. I love all of those breeds, but a border collie probably wouldn’t be happy with us. I am open to any breed, but a dog under 20 pounds would be easier to find a place to rent if i ever move from here.
We also have a cat.
Thanks!
First of all, I would certainly recommend adopting an adult dog from a breed rescue. Mixes can be excellent pets, but my personal view is that I like to know what to expect of the size, temperament, and look of the dog that I’m getting. And adopting an adult dog is more likely to mean that your new companion is house-trained, not teething, and you don’t have to worry about the extra expense of four rounds of puppy shots.
My breed recommendation to you is a Longhaired Dachshund (“tweenie” or standard size, not miniature). These dogs do have their energetic outbursts, but for the great majority of the time they are very calm and subdued. Two or three walks would be more than enough for these dogs. Mine is generally content with a romp around the yard for 15 minutes. (Note: yards are NOT a necessity. These are great apartment dogs.) And they do have a longer coat, which would be great for cold weather, but it is not so long or profuse that it requires intense grooming. I generally brush my boy out once or twice a week with a comb and slicker brush, sometimes more if I just want to have that extra bonding experience with him.
The “tweenie” size would probably best for you. This would be around 15-20 lbs. My dog is a full standard sized dog, and a large one at that–last time he was weighed he was over 30 lbs (usually they are 20-30). But the nice thing about Dachshunds is that no one ever expects them to be so large, so whenever you move elsewhere and you need to put down what kind of dog you have, you can just say “Dachshund” and most people think of little lap dogs, and I highly doubt they would pull out a scale!
I don’t recommend miniatures, as they tend to be much more yappy and nervous dogs. Not to mention the cold would probably not suit them as well.
As for cats, I’ve never had a problem with my dog and cats. The first time he met one he just waddled over to say hello, got a scratch in the face, and decided to keep his distance. The second cat he met was dog-friendly, and they got along well. I don’t have a cat myself, but I’m confident that if I did there would be no problem.
So, if I were you, I would simply get on Petfinder and search for dogs in my area, or Google “Dachshund rescue in Minnesota”. Good luck in your search!
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