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

Paps are my favorite little breed dogs. I cant wait till I get one but that'll be a while. 

Thanks for all the info. I'm really considering a papillon. The more I read and hear about them to more I like them. Everybody in my family likes papillons. I know that they are really attached to people, but I don't really do much besides ride and show my horses. When I am riding my horses the dog would be with my dad (he works from home so he is always at home during the day). At horse shows the dog would be with my dad, mom, or me (when I'm not riding and at night. Most of the time there are several hours between classes that I'm not riding). I would still be caring for the dog, training it, and spending the most time with it.

Just some questions about papillons:

What makes a better pet (male or female?), either way it is going to be spayed or neutered.

How do you tell if it is a quality papillon?

Are there any charateristics you want to avoid when getting a papillon?

First things first, puppyfind is usually a not so great place to find a breeder.

The first place I'd check if I were you is the papillon club of america.  There's a lot of reading on them there and they have a breeder referral list, which is a great place to start looking and talking to people.  They also have a breed rescue with some great looking dogs up for adoption if you want to go that direction.

http://www.papillonclub.org/


Assuming you're in the US.  If not, I know the links to the Canadian and British clubs if you need those.   

Specifically check out papillon information and the links that talk about if the breed is right for you.  It's a great breed, but not for everyone.  How to find a papillon is the link I specifically would look at.

Secondly, papillons can be pretty expensive little dogs.  All small and toy breeds tend to be more expensive to buy.   Many breeders will have pet quality pups that are for sell and it is definitely worth it to get a papillon from a good breeder if you go the breeder route.  Most I see nowadays are not and they look very little like the breed.

As for questions, both males and females are great pets.  My males have been cuddlier than the girls, but both are affectionate.  I prefer the girls, honestly, can't tell you why, though.  One of my girls is hardcore, rough and tumble and the other is very prissy.  Both are so sweet.  They both think more than my boy, though.

They do fine in a home where people work, but they are a breed you have to spend considerable time with. They get VERY attached to their people.  they are also brilliant little dogs.  I can't stress this enough.  They're smart and they figure out things.  They're also sensitive dogs.  They don't take well to a firm hand at all.  They also can bark a bit and some people find them hard to potty train, but I don't have a problem with mine at all. Also, they're active dogs.  Summer is a dog that needs things to do or she goes nuts in the house.  The other two are more playful and you can expend energy that way.  They all enjoy long walks and exercise.  All of mine love people- all sorts of people.  Unlike the shelties everyone is their best friend.   

If you have any breed specific questions I'd be more than happy to answer as best I can.  I've been blessed enough to know a ton of these dogs. 

Papillons are great little dogs.  Bear in mind though:

 - They aren't easy to potty train (few very small breeds are);

 - They aren't "calm" (by that I mean they are generally very active little dogs and need to be given stuff to do);

 - They will get "super attached" to you. 

That's not to say "don't get one" - just to give you a heads up so you can be prepared, because these are all things you mentioned in your requirements. 

DEFINITELY do more research on the breed and on puppy buying before you go ahead, because it really is a case of "buyer beware" when it comes to puppy buying.  There are some very unscrupulous people out there churning out poor quality puppies with genetic health and behavioural problems, lowering the quality of pure bred dogs and crating a lot of heartache for the people who buy their pups....

 

I think a beagle would suit you really good. I don't think a papillon would be best. They are great dogs, but if you're around horses, I don't think that would be the best idea. Whatever you think, just throwing my opinion in. (;

We have decided on a papillon since the dog is mainly just going to be my companion and not really going to be around the horses at all. We found a breeder that is about 4 hours away, so it's not too far, and went this last weekend to look at the puppy she had available. She looked like a good breeder to me. She has been breeding papillons for about 20 years and only has one to two litters a year. She had one puppy available right now, the others were not old enough to go home with any body yet. The puppies have been socialized really well, they have been around people of all ages, cats (they have a house cat that they live with), and other dogs. The breeder also has horses and rides/shows them. The puppy I'm getting is a 14 week old tri-colored male. He has been started on house training already and is doing good. He is super sweet and friendly. We are going to pick him up this weekend. 

So now I'm buying all the stuff I will need for my new puppy and have a few questions. What kind of shampoo do you use on a papillon puppy? Would you use regular puppy shampoo or a whitening shampoo?  Also what brand of dog food would be best to feed him? We were thinking Pro Plan Small Breed maybe? Would an 18" L x 12" W x  14" H crate be big enough for a papillon? What kind of crate is better: a wire crate or like a plastic carrier type crate? Thanks for the help.  

 I think one or two litters a year could be quite a lot.... would depend how many dogs the woman has.  A bitch only has two seasons a year....

It's good that the pup has been well socialised because the best opportunity you have for this is fast slipping away.  Has the pup been vaccinated?  And has he been out and about and met other people/dogs/animals while OUT (not on his home turf)?  I knew a lady who made this mistake with a retriever puppy, who turned out to be a Jekyll and Hyde character.... sweet at home, but VERY fearful and reactive when out, because the only socialisation that happened was at home.  For example, the pup might be fine with the house cat, but chase OTHER cats, or he might be OK with the dogs he lives with but aggressive towards others. 

I can't help you on the shampoo question.  I RARELY bathe my dogs.  My thinking is, brush them well, wash the bedding frequently and feed a good quality diet and you shouldn't need to bathe them very often at all...

HorseLover

Also what brand of dog food would be best to feed him?

Feed whatever the breeder does at first to help the pup settle in and avoid tummy upsets.  Worry about changing it later.

HorseLover

Would an 18" L x 12" W x  14" H crate be big enough for a papillon?

I'm trying to visualise this size in my head and I think it is probably too big.... it only needs to be big enough for the dog to sit up, turn around, lay down and stretch out.  I prefer the wire ones, but thats just me and I have larger dogs.  Is he used to a crate?

She has three female dogs and one male, so she only breed two of them once a year, sometimes less.

She said that the pup has been around a lot of different people and pets. She has taken him places to socialise him and get him used to stuff. He has been vaccinated and vet checked already and is AKC registered. He seemed happy to see me and my mom, and he wasn't fearful at all when we went to look at him. He was super friendly. He is used to a crate and sleeps in one at night right now. He has been in the wire kind of crate and the plastic kind.

She sounds pretty good from these initial descriptions.

What about the buying agreement? Will she take back the pup at any time, no matter what, if things go wrong? IMO, that's a common sign of a responsible breeder . Is there a mandatory spay/neuter clause (for dogs to be used as pets, which is another good sign). ?

She breeds 2 of her females every year?  To the same male?  That's not something I would be happy with to be honest.... Here comes the most important question: WHY does she breed?  Why does she choose those particular pairings?  THAT is what would seal the deal for me as to whether this is a responsible breeder.
 

 Really? Is having three breeding dogs and only producing a maximum of two litters a year (assuming one per female) too much? Honestly, that sounds fine to me. My parent's border collie breeder had three females and two males and produced two litters per year, and they were very responsible (ABC working collies). I agree you do have to be overly careful with toy breeders, though.....

 But WHY is each female picked and are they ALWAYS bred to that male?

It's more than just about trying to be fair to the females physically.  Its about improving the breed, or at the VERY least doing no harm.  Each female should be paired with a male who compliments her.  Not "ooh your coat looks glossy today dahling" - but his virtues should balance out her faults and vice versa.  I'm doubting that the male is the best match for all three females and I would be concerned if the same pairing was happening several times. 

Ah yes, I understand what you're saying - I was confused and thought it was a purely "numbers" reason. 

Its about improving the breed, or at the VERY least doing no harm.  Each female should be paired with a male who compliments her.

Yes indeed.

WHY does she breed?  Why does she choose those particular pairings?  THAT is what would seal the deal for me as to whether this is a responsible breeder.

(Yes indeed)^2 ! I am feeling mathematical today :)

She breeds some for show and some for pets. She doesn't always breed two a year, some years she only breeds one. The male has a show record and two of the females do. I'm not sure that she ALWAYS breeds to their male, but he is the father of my pup. The other female is still pretty young and has never been bred before. I saw the parents last weekend when we looked at the pup and they both looked nice and had good temperments. They were both around 5-7 pounds. Yes, we do have to sign a neuter contract (we were planning on neutering him anyways) since he is pet quality, not show.

 Here is a picture of Louie (the pup):

http://.i41.photobucket.com/albums/e274/western_pleasure_girl/1louie.jpg