What breed of dog for me? *Thanks for all the help, we have decided*

 How about a Schipperke?  If I ever get a little dog, I'm getting one of those!  An acquaintance has one that has over 88 different titles on her name!  I call her the "mini-German Shepherd (without a tail)"

I don't think a papillon would be too small. It would be on a leash when it's around the horses. Most horse shows only allow dogs on leases and at home if it was out with the horses (I really doubt it would be, I wouldn't want to have to worry about it when I'm riding or feeding the horses) it would be on a lease. We don't have any other livestock, just horses, and our back yard is fenced. It wouldn't go out into the pasture or anything.

eeehhhh.....I don't know about a corgi. I've been around quite a few: my neighbor has one, my friend, my trainer (riding) has 3, and a lot of people I know at shows have one. I've only really like 1 or 2 of them. The rest...not so much. I just didn't seem to get along with them. I got along fine with one of them, but she didn't act much like a corgi. She was more of a spoiled lap dog, type dog.

I don't know if it would be a good match for you but my brother and sister in law take their Scottish Terrier absolutely everywhere with them.  He's very mellow, never barks, just a very calm dog.  And, definately rugged enough to walk and be outside at shows too. 

HorseLover

She was more of a spoiled lap dog, type dog.

From this statement it makes me think...I could be wrong....

Are you sure you don't want a tiny/toy sized dog as an accessory? EX. Paris Hilton's chihuahua...

Because dogs aren't accessories- ever. They aren't meant to sit and look pretty 24/7- if you want that get a stuffed animal.  Again, they don't ever come trained, you're going to have to teach it what to do and what not to do no matter what breed. You're very young- right? So, just make sure your parents have a lot of say in picking this dog (if you get one) too, because they'll probably be the ones footing the bill for vetting, food, etc, at least while you're in school, and they'll be the ones taking care of it (if it's barking, messing in the house, chewing something up) while you're out with the horses. Have you thought about the cost factor that comes with owning a dog? They're a good deal of money!

Honestly, if I were you, I'd wait a good long time. You did post you'll be moving soon, and you do spend a good deal of time with your horses (they're your passion- right?), and you are young (under 18?) so maybe it's just not such a great time to add a puppy right now...not to say you shouldn't ever get a dog, but maybe just now anytime soon.

HorseLover

I'm pretty sure that I do not want a shelter dog. We only have one shelter around here and all of the dogs are gross looking (skinny, bad dull looking coat, and not well taken care of) total mutts. There are absolutly no purebreds at all.

HorseLover

I have nothing against shelter dogs

I think your first statement (above) proves that you are somewhat prejudice against shelter dogs.

Do you hold a higher value for purebreds vs. mutts? Some of the smartest and healthiest dogs are "total mutts".

She's a teenager guys so take that into consideration when responding to how she says things. 

When I was a teen for some reason I only liked small dogs, but it changed as I got older(love Dobies now). I have no experiance with horses or with small breeds so can't really help, but I think a smaller dog would be easier to handle and take care of for 14 year old verses a larger dog. That's my two cents.

I don't have anything against shelter dogs. We HAVE one. We didn't get him from the shelter around here thought and he is probably the best dog we have ever had. Yup, he is a mutt also. But he isn't going to be with us much longer (he's 15-16 years old) and he is more of an outside dog/farm dog. The shelter around here is totally overflowing with dogs, puppies, and cats. They don't take very good care of them. I went there last year when I was looking for a dog and the majority of the dogs were hiding in the corners, growling at me, or jumping up and down the whole time. The kennels weren't clean and and most were just little dog pens with a tarp over them. Most were adult dogs that were mixed bred. I just don't want a shelter dog this time. You can't really predict what a shelter dog will look like or act like when it gets older.

As for the wanting a dog for an accessory thing, no, I don't want a dog for an accessory. I was just saying that the one corgi I met and liked was more of the spoiled dog type. This person thinks of this dog as her child basically. It goes with her absolutly everywhere. I want a compainion type dog. Yes I am under 18 years of age (almost 15 years old); yes, my family is planning on moving to Texas in the next couple of years; and yes, horses are my passion and always will be. I grew up with horses and have always had them, I grew up showing and riding. It's the one thing I love more than anything and will never give up. But that doesn't mean I don't have time for a dog. I'm trying to find a dog that I will enjoy and be able to keep for a while. I have been thinking about this and looking for a dog for me over a year. (My lab that I trained myself and showed in obedience in 4-H was stolen two years ago and we tried looking for her everywhere and she wasn't found). I have really thought about this a hard and for a long time and think that now I'm ready for another dog. I'm wanting more of a smaller dog this time. I'm really thinking a papillon since all the members of my family like the breed and from what I read are nice small dogs with a bigger dog additude. 

My family and I know about the cost factors of owning a dog. The cost factors of owning a horse are a lot more than that and we own 3. The purchase price is higher than a dog (our horses cost around $5,000-$10,000, except the pony), the feed cost more and you need a lot more, hay is pretty expensive right now ($5-$7 a bale and 1 bale last 2 days), supplements run about $30 a bucket and you need about 1-2 buckets, depending, a month, it cost a lot to haul a horse trailer to shows with the fuel prices (ends up costing about $200 total to go to a weekend show that is 3 hours away), getting the horses' hooves trimmed and shod every 4-6 weeks isn't cheap ($30- for a trim, $60- for a trim and shoes put on), and so many other expenses are there too. I'm pretty sure we can handle the cost of a small house dog.

Thanks again to everybody for the help. I really appreciate the help while chosing a dog.

HorseLover

What does everyone think of a papillon for me? I really like how they look and from what I've read they are mellow, happy dogs. What is their temperment like? Are they easy to train? Thanks again. 

 
Papillons have been breed to be companion dogs, so they do make wonderful pet dogs.  That being said much like a hound has an innate desire to follow its quarry a papillon wants to be with its person.  They are dependent and often very velcro dogs who would often never choose to be parted from their person if at all possible.  Spending hours sitting on the side lines while you work your horse, waiting hours for you to come home from school, or sitting in a lonely hotel room while you are out to dinner is not their cup of tea. 

Papillons can also be verbally gifted if left to their own devises.

Not saying you shouldn't get one but make sure you really do your research and see if you have the time for a papillon.  Not just today, but a year down the lane when your heading off to college.  I also would suggest going with a dog at least a year in age.  A few months of summer are not long enough to train a puppy, and that is considering if you had the extreme luck of bumbling across a reputable breeder that just so happened to have a pup waiting for you in time to get one for summer.

I would recommend checking out this rescue pap site.  Has a lot of great info on paps along with many paps in need of loving homes-

Thanks for the info. It helps a lot. I really do like the papillons, but I want a dog that isn't super attached to me. I would like it to do fine if I was gone for several hours. But I would still like it to be a smaller (but hardy, I've read that papillons are kind of fragile?) and a lap dog/ companion dog. I know there probably isn't a dog perfect for me, but I want to get as close as possible and I'm not sure if a papillon would work. I don't want an unhappy dog if I'm busy riding or showing my horse for several hours. I also don't want a dog that has a ton of energy, either kind of mellow or a normal energy amount would be desired.

 I haven't read all the posts in this thread but I noticed you were asking about mini-aussies.  I've only known one so far, but I can say I would NOT recommend it for around horses.  This dog is off the charts crazy and hyper and runs around at any movement barking her crazy head off.  She bounces about 5 feet in the air constantly and is just plain insane.  All the bad of the aussie breed and none of the good.  I don't know if they'd all be like her but she was a purebred from a rescue and the "breeder" *cough* claimed she bred for that temperment because she does agility and wants dogs that are all GOGOGO!  Good grief! I guess that's why she ended up in rescue, how many homes can there be for GOGOGO dogs?

Have you talked to horse people about this?  When I was working quarter horses, everyone I knew had big dogs, GSDs, etc.  I never saw any with small dogs, even if the dogs are okay, I'd be worried the horse might not see it well down there close to the ground and their feet and could kick or step on it.  And if the dog's not going to be around the horses, then, what's the point?  You know?

Being a shelter dog mom and a shelter volunteer, I won't even comment on that part of the post.     Oh wait, yes I will, you don't know what you'll be missing.

ETA: Actually, I just remembered something.  I went trail riding in AK on vacation and the trail guide had a pit bull mix rescue that came along.  She was probably about 50 lbs., they'd found her near starving and heartworm positive and nursed her back to health.  She was very horse savvy and they said it didn't take a bunch of training to get her that way and going along on trail rides gave her the exercise she needed.  When they were loading up, etc., she just laid down and watched them.  If you want one that is not super attached like a papillion, I really think a terrier or terrier mix is a good bet, they are not super duper lovey dovey and attached, come in small packages and have great sturdy temperaments.  Also, if you find an adult, you'll know the size and temperament up front (no surprises) and can see how much inherent horse sense it has going into the situation.  I still think the horse people are better sources than dog people who don't have horses.  What kind of dogs do your horse friends have? 

BCMixs

I haven't read all the posts in this thread but I noticed you were asking about mini-aussies.  I've only known one so far, but I can say I would NOT recommend it for around horses.  This dog is off the charts crazy and hyper and runs around at any movement barking her crazy head off.  She bounces about 5 feet in the air constantly and is just plain insane.

I would not recommend an Aussie (or mini -- which to be honest, I don't recognize as a breed) for you either. They are very intelligent working dogs, who need lots of physical and mental exercise. Without work or consistent training, Aussies will find ways to amuse themselves, which could be herding horses or chewing a hole in the flap of your $4,500 Tad Coffin saddle.

I have my 1 year-old Aussie who is training in obedience and agility and she does an additional 1.5 hours of fetch a day on top of whatever practice we are doing. With that level of physical and mental excersise she is able to be mellow and lay around in my office the rest of the day, but as soon as I am out of my chair she is raring to go for whatever is next (which I love, I call her my partner in crime).

If I am sitting around, she will lay quietly at my feet, but she absolutely must have exercise and metal stimulation. She would also hate to be away from my side for a substantial portion of the day, and sheds a lot year-round, with a full blow-out in spring and fall.

Luna is also pushy with people and bossy with other dogs. If allowed, she will herd my other dogs around the house and yard -- behavior we do not allow because it is rude. She has to have consistent training and boundaries, and is not an "easy" dog (according to my agility instructor who has an Aussie herself and competes at the International level).

Luna is from all conformation lines, but her temperament is more consistent with the working line Aussies. There are some Aussie who are more mellow. In general, however, they are a lot of dog in a smallish package. They need owners who have the desire to shape/train that into a great house pet and companion. They can be wonderful family dogs, but only if their needs are being met.

If you are primarily looking for a companion dog, try taking a breed selector quiz online and then research the breeds that appeal to you to find a good match. Keep us posted, there is nothing more fun than picking out the right dog for you!

Thanks for the info about Aussies. They definately don't sound right for me. I have just seen a lot of people at horse shows with aussies (usually mini's) and one of our family friends raises mini/toy aussies.

 I've though about terriers, but the digging and yapping kind of drove me away. I haven't been around terriers much, but I did dogsit my sister's Westie. I liked him, but he definately didn't want to be inside, he wanted to play outside and go go go. She had him for an apartment dog, but he wasn't happy living in an apartment. So she gave him to my aunt that lives on a several hundred acre cattle ranch. He's happy out there, but he is always doing something (it seems like he never stops going) and kept outside 24/7. Are all terriers like this?

I just want the dog to be good around horses by not barking at it or trying to chase it. I've seen some yappy dogs at horse shows that won't stop barking at the horses or they try to chase them. It makes everybody around upset. I don't want a dog like that. I've heard that any dog can be good around horses if you introduce it to them as a puppy? If so that would make everything a lot easier.  

 I will take some of the breed selector quizes and see what I get. That's a great idea. Thanks

ETA: I took several dog breed tests and they all came out different. Some dogs were in all of them, but they were in different orders. Some that were in all or most of them were (top 10 results) : Bichon Frise, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Papillon, American Eskimo Dog, English Toy Spaniel, and Toy Poddle. I don't really like english toy spaniels or toy poodles much.  

http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselectorindex.do

that's a really good dog selector. My 'top' dog is a corgi - which my dog is a mix of.

Just remember, any dog you get will have to be trained. Dog bark - it's what they do! You'll have to train him not to, just like you'll have to train him not to herd horses and such. Never forget that your dog is an ANIMAL, and animals don't know the difference between right and wrong.

Honestly, the most frequent small purebreds I see with horse people are corgis and JRTs.  Most horse people I know have mutts of all kinds.  I never had a dog while I was showing horses, but a lot of my friends/acquaintances/trainers did, and they were almost all mutts, but I saw a lot of corgis and JRTs with people at shows.

Side note - erica, I took that quiz, and the results were kinda surprising, kinda not.  The 2nd best match for me is a Lab (98% match), which of course, Harry is mostly.  The best match for me on this quiz, at 99% is a Vizsla.  That was surprising, but pretty cool, since I think they rock!