First Time Dog Owner…ckcs, Papillions, Or Igs?
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
I am a soon to be first time dog owner (have had family dogs in past but none of my own) and have narrowed down my breed preferences to Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Papillions, and Italian Greyhounds. Any advice or personal experience with these breeds that could help me decide would be appreciated.
Here are the specifics to my situation:
* Live in townhouse with plenty of yard
* Exercise need is not an issue
* Have never trained a dog before
Thanks.
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I have not personally had the pleasure of being owned by any of the breeds you are considering. However, I know a bit about all of them and think you’ve narrowed it down to a great final list.
My sister has a Papillion and they visited with her a year or so ago. They were here for about 10 days. I fell in love with her and want one of my own. My hubby always said he didn’t like small dogs until he met my sis’ Papillion. She wasn’t afraid of anything while she was here, and she was a perfect little lady and so very friendly. She came right in and introduced herself to our Doberman who is 10x her weight (literally). She got along great with all 3 of our dogs. She even would come and greet my hubby and I in the morning by jumping up into our bed (that’s about 4′ high) to say good morning. She slept on the back of our couch just like she was a kitty cat. She was very quiet while she was here too. The only thing that wasn’t great was when my Doberman would bark it scared her a bit and made her jump, but I think in time she would have gotten used to it. She was young when they visited, maybe a year old, and I was impressed with how steady and reliable she was….a lot of dogs at that age are still a bit wild & crazy.
I do agree that grooming with the Papillions could be an issue if you’re not into doing that or having it done often. However, I’ve found that grooming time with my dogs is bonding time and we both enjoy it. If you get in the habit of doing it then it’s not a big deal. For me it’s actually relaxing.
Good luck, I’m sure that you’ll find the pup that’s just right for you.
For a first timer I suggest Italian Greyhounds, if for no other reason than the grooming. It can be hard to keep Paps and Cavs mat free.
Cavaliers are great dogs but have many health problems and you need to do your homework prior to talking to breeders.See written proof of health testing on parents and grandparents for heart checks.Ask about syringomyelia,are the dogs mri’d,does the breeder even know what it is?What cavalier clubs do they belong to and for how long?What champ or performance titles have they gotten on their dogs.
IG’s have less problems
Out of those breeds for a first timer i;d go with ckcs. personally i find them to have the best personalities as well as they are eager to please which translates into easy to train. also i have seen one too many small frail dogs like papilions and the it. greyhounds jump off a couch or fall from the owners arms and break a leg!
Your Cavs and papillons have quite a bit of hair and will shed or need a professional groomer. The Cav is a very lovely dog, quite easy to train and biddable. They also have a great sense of fun.
Italian greyhounds can be timid but don’t need a great deal of space and are ideal for a townhouse situation. They too are quite easy to train though they are a sight hound.
Sorry, I’m just dying with laughter at the IGs are ideal first time dogs and are easy to train. And that IGs have less health issues.
IGs can be incredibly difficult to train because they are sighthounds and companion dogs on top of that. A food motivated IG may decide to let you teach it to sit. Maybe even lay. But usually they are far more interested in playing, running around insanely, or laying under the covers.
Igs are incredibly breakable and have LOADS of heritable diseases. They also demand a TON of time. This is NOT ideal for a 1st time owner. IGs often think they can fly and the first year of their life, it’s a crap shoot as to whether or not they will break their leg – or legs.
Yes, grooming is easier. But, they certainly do shed. You just can’t really see the hair and its much less than similarly coated breeds.
They also need a sweater on for most of the year. My IG can’t handle anything below about 70 or above about 85 without having issues.
They can be incredibly difficult to potty train. It takes someone with a ton of patience and a home that he doesn’t mind having LOTS of accidents in. Some can NEVER be left alone (even taking a shower without crating is out) or they will squat the second they get the urge. This is the #1 reason these dogs are dumped at shelters and given to rescue.
The good thing is that they don’t have a small dog inferiority complex. They aren’t typically yappy, but can be good watch dogs. They often love other dogs, but can get scared easily.
These are 3 VERY different breeds. I urge you to visit the breed parent club sites for each of these breeds and contact a RESPONSIBLE breeder in your area after doing your homework. Talk to them about your work hours, the amount of time you are willing to put in, your desires, what you have, what you don’t have, etc. They’ll be honest with you about whether or not the breed will work with you.
And, as always, ONLY use a rescue group or a good breeder. So many dogs are being overbred by BYBs and puppy millers that horrible genetic diseases are surfacing more and more. With IGs, it’s weak patellas, eye issues, alopecia, bad teeth, and a few other things. The best way to avoid it is to buy an older dog who can be mostly cleared of these things (like a rescue), or to get a puppy from a responsible breeder.
Here’s some tips: http://www.dogplay.com/GettingDog/where.…
Good luck in your search!
Which type of dog is a personal preference, but the greyhounds are very fragile when they are small due to their bone structure, yet if you do not mind the extra care, they are very cute dogs. Also as long as you are a first time dog owner, there is a very interesting site called: http://kimjim777.googlepages.com/kimjim7… which along with some really cute photos, also has a very interesting article toward the bottom of the page explaining some very interesting tips about things NOT to feed your dog. You will be surprised of the common human table foods that can be quite dangerous for your pet.
Grooming would be your only issue with a cav as far as i know, My best friend is the chairperson for the CKCS rescue in texas. She gets her dogs groomed about twice a month which can get expensive, I’m sure paps would be about the same. FYI they shed A LOT!!! I have dobermans which have short hair and I feel like I have hair all over me everytime I leave her house. I became friends with her when I started babysitting her dogs. They’re the best! They are super sweet looove sponges, they’re low to moderately active and love to lay around. All of hers tend to put weight on easily so she make sure to walk them for at least 45 mins a day. Two of hers came from “good breeders” but, had hip dysplasia. So please be very careful in selecting a breeder for any breed you choose. Google the breed name + club and the breed club should come up in the search. Contact breeders in your area from their referral page. You can often get a retired show dog or a young adult prospect that didn’t work out from show breeders and this would be my first choice, they’re mature, no potty training, and no chewing!!! Your other option could be to contact a breed rescue group, usually on the breed club website, or go to petfinder.com.
Good luck,
my vote would be the Cav, but that’s only because of my experience with them, personally I couldn’t handle the hair!
Everyone will have their own opinion on a certain dog that they like better. I would suggest seeing each of them and deciding on a puppy that you like for it’s personality rather than its breed. It’s your decision. Just make sure you pick one that pleases you best.
Why must it be a purebred? Are you?
The dog that is perfect for a first time owner is the Cavalier. They are highly intelligent and naturally well mannered. I have 4 and everyone else that has one has said that they are the easiest dog they have ever had. And i’ve met about 50 Cavaliers in my dog career.
Papillons are one of the most intelligent dogs out there — and I believe the only toy breed in the top ten as far as ranking goes. They do require extra grooming, but they are attentive and easy to train.