Need suggestions for a pup

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Outside the beltway
also may be looking for a used side car.
Wife been telling me for years , don't want another dog in the house. Now she she for my BD i can get a pup. But I need one that when grown will fit into a tour pac on the bike , I'll cut out a Custom top or I'll get a side car. Have not decided yet.
 
Non shedding limits it quite a bit.

Portuguese water dog: basically a more primitive poodle. Very smart and needs a fair bit of work to make sure they're on your side. We looked at some of these before we got the schnauzers. They're a bit standoffish to strangers but seemed very loyal to thier owner. They're quite smart and need a fair bit of stimulation to keep them happy. We decided against them at the time because we weren't sure we could give the personal time needed.

Schnauzer (either mini or standard): the mini probably sheds a bit less. Very personable and generally quite good natured. Our smallest is 13lbs and the biggest is 20lbs which is about the whole range for mini males. I haven't had a standard personally, they are closer to 30lbs. The minis tend to have a few health problems more or less specific to them, ours are both on no corn, low wheat (in rare cookies only) dog food or they trend to get back pimples. They're also prone to pancreatitis (one of our has a smidge which we've kept in check by keeping the amount of far in his diet down), cataracts (same dog started getting them at 12), getting fat (both of our are OK there and we've free feed them since they were pups), and a few other things. The standard seem perhaps less over bred and generally have fewer specific issues. The minis are watch dogs, they WILL let you know when someone drives up, walks by, a cat is in the yard, etc.

More here: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dog_breeds_with_little_to_no_shedding

We researched the basenji, can't recommend them for most folks. You need to be with them literally 100% of the time or they can kind of lose it and are really high strung.

The so called *doodles (labradoodles, etc) can be fairly inconsistent and what little I've learned of some of the breeding practices didn't give me a huge amount of confidence in what I was getting. Obviously depends on the breeder some.

I'm also somewhat suspicious of how non shedding some of the dogs on that list are.
 
We have had a miniature poodle and he was a great dog, I must admit. I was never a poodle fan until my wife adapted the little guy. All I had been around were "yippy" dogs and I hate that, but ours wasn't. Great traveler and friendly to everyone. We now have a standard poodle and she is going to be one of the best dogs we have had. Very intelligent, very loving and just plan fun to have around. They do require grooming, which being a deva, she loves it. She is very active though. Still a puppy, of 9 months and just keeps getting better as she matures.
Another great, great breed is an Airedale. I've had three of them and would have another in a minute. Just plan great, loving characters, for sure. Also very intelligent. Some can be pretty hyper although non of ours have been once out of the puppy stage. They need room though and exercise. Very loyal.

But don't over look a "mutt". Visit the local Humane Soc. and see what they have available. Mix breeds can have less health issues and of course less expensive. There are many great ones and you save it for the grave.
 
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I like a dog I don't have to bend over very far to pet. :) I'll echo Paul and say standard poodles are awesome, intelligent dogs. No shedding, but regular grooming is necessary. For something smaller, the miniature schnauzers I've met have been cool little critters. Still, I'm partial to shelter dogs.

If you go the sidecar route, you can have more than one dog. :thumb: Here's my buddy Rick with two of his...he's had as many as three.

Rick and Sidecar Dogs 1 800.jpg

And don't forget the goggles for the dogs. (Actually, they're called "Doggles", and Rick invented them.) :D
 
View attachment 84716View attachment 84717
Kerry Blue Terriers, the National Dog of Ireland! Teddy is a rescue from the KBT Society. They are always on the hunt for rescuers.

Pic #1, as a pup, and #2 as he is today at about 70 lbs. Non-shedding, smart, loyal, needs some running as exercise. We have a lady that takes him with a few other dogs to the dog park twice a week. He flakes out for the rest of the day when he comes home.

Teddy's the third Kerry for us!


 
I have a 7 year old Standard Schnauzer (37 pounds) and a one year old Standard Poodle (55 pounds). The Poodle is still 'puppy hyper' but is maturing into a really great dog. The Schnauzer is quiet and well-behaved.

The Poodle craves attention, and wants to be a lap dog. The Schnauzer is somewhat aloof, and only wants attention on her own terms.

Both are good watchdogs, and both are great in the car, although neither has been on a long trip with us. Short trips are fine, though.

Both require periodic grooming, and neither one sheds.

I can easily recommend either breed as a companion animal.

BTW, both are great shop dogs - so long as I'm not using a router (hurts their ears, I guess).

In the past, we've had several mini-schnauzers, and a mini-poodle. All of those were great pets, but they were also very 'yappy.' The larger sizes are completely different, with totally different personalities than their little versions.
 
Goodness, whatever dog you get is fine, but PLEASE don't put a sidecar on your motorcycle. You get the worst of both worlds that is car and motorcycle, just say NO to side cars! :D
 
Goodness, whatever dog you get is fine, but PLEASE don't put a sidecar on your motorcycle. You get the worst of both worlds that is car and motorcycle, just say NO to side cars! :D

Ha! My friend Rick would disagree with you on that. Sort of a long story, but...

Rick's a Vietnam vet, and former Albuquerque Police Department officer. He's also a firearms instructor and 6th or 7th degree black belt in whatever discipline of karate he adheres to. And a lifelong motorcycle enthusiast. We were good friends back in the late 1980s. Among other things, he was a commercial hot air balloon pilot, and I was his Crew Chief. He was well-adjusted and everything was going great until about 20 years ago, when he was hit by lightning. It messed him up something fierce. I'd moved away and lost contact with him during those years, but by his account, he was a drooling mess who had trouble with life's basic necessities - including walking - for several years. Once he got rehabbed and able to take care of himself, he started having PTSD issues for the first time in his life. All of the stuff from Vietnam that had been bottled up came out. The problems would manifest themselves in the form of panic attacks. Eventually, he discovered that his dog Riley could sense the onset of an attack before it'd happen, and somehow warn him so he could take preventative measures. He took the dog with him everywhere, but was bummed that he could no longer ride his Harley, because the dog couldn't come along. Then a friend suggested a sidecar, and the rest, as they say, is history. Riley has since passed on, but not before teaching two other dogs how to sense the attacks. And with therapy and drugs, Rick has also gotten the PTSD under much better control, so he no longer feels the need to always have the dogs with him. Still, the dogs love riding in the sidecar, so he still takes them cruising when he can.

So for Rick, the Harley and sidecar is actually the best of both worlds. ;)
 
Side car objections are a bit wrong. A great friend and bike driver, Bear Campbell (https://www.facebook.com/wildbearoso?fref=ts) does his Yurl...sorry...can't spell the darn thing, but I can drive it!
He's had his side car bike for many years and is an amazing ambassador during Christmas, in fact year 'round with it. Please don't smash side car drivers unless you can prove without a doubt they harm society...my guys rock!!
Hauled teddy bears and thousands of presents for him during Christmas over the years driving a Wing to help out. Side car drivers are amazing...we'll have words otherwise.
 
I have no doubt that some guys like sidecars, good for them, but once you strap a side car to a motorcycle it is no longer a motorcycle, period. If you like what you have created by disabling all the great things about a motorcycle, then bully for you, but it is not a motorcycle anymore, just as long as Dave is aware of this fact. It would be like cutting the wings off a Spitfire fighter and then driving it around on the road, yes it makes the same noises yes you can go open cockpit and feel the thrill of that supercharged Merlin engine starting up, but that is no longer a Spitfire.

IMHO, YMMV :D
 
Ha! My friend Rick would disagree with you on that. Sort of a long story, but...

Rick's a Vietnam vet, and former Albuquerque Police Department officer. He's also a firearms instructor and 6th or 7th degree black belt in whatever discipline of karate he adheres to. And a lifelong motorcycle enthusiast. We were good friends back in the late 1980s. Among other things, he was a commercial hot air balloon pilot, and I was his Crew Chief. He was well-adjusted and everything was going great until about 20 years ago, when he was hit by lightning. It messed him up something fierce. I'd moved away and lost contact with him during those years, but by his account, he was a drooling mess who had trouble with life's basic necessities - including walking - for several years. Once he got rehabbed and able to take care of himself, he started having PTSD issues for the first time in his life. All of the stuff from Vietnam that had been bottled up came out. The problems would manifest themselves in the form of panic attacks. Eventually, he discovered that his dog Riley could sense the onset of an attack before it'd happen, and somehow warn him so he could take preventative measures. He took the dog with him everywhere, but was bummed that he could no longer ride his Harley, because the dog couldn't come along. Then a friend suggested a sidecar, and the rest, as they say, is history. Riley has since passed on, but not before teaching two other dogs how to sense the attacks. And with therapy and drugs, Rick has also gotten the PTSD under much better control, so he no longer feels the need to always have the dogs with him. Still, the dogs love riding in the sidecar, so he still takes them cruising when he can.

So for Rick, the Harley and sidecar is actually the best of both worlds. ;)

What a amazing great story proof again dogs are better than cats. :D Thanks Vaughn that's a great story.
 
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