A dog that does not shed

[karen israel]

Hi HowieDawn...I don't think that using the word elderly was meant as an insult. Believe me, I'm nearing 1/2 a century and don't think 72 is old. But I don't jog and run like I used to and compete in strenuous activities so it was meant as being more subdued, I'm sure. Tell your grandma not to take offense..these youngsters,, you know how they are......

[Pam]

Loved your story Adore My Dogs!! I was in the pet store yesterday buying cat food and there were two pugs in the store trying on sweaters for the winter. One was a male and one was a female. I asked their owners if they were related and they said no, they just met in the store. So cute! They looked so cute in their sweaters and we were teasing about how there was no private "fitting room" in the store! They were absolutely adorable and seemed to love the whole process!!

[AdoreMyDogs]

She really does like to be dressed up. And in the first 7 years of her life she was not able to be truly happy, not able to be a clown, and had no one around to show off her silliness to. She was locked in a laundry room very long hours. Now that she's with me I think she has 7 years of being silly and making us laugh all built up in her and that's why she's so funny. She's just overflowing with good humor and charm.

[Pam]

Adore.....Did you have any problems getting your pug adjusted to "life outside the laundry room?" I am so glad that you have given her such a loving home and that the second half of her life will be filled with lots of love. I just love these happy ending stories!!!

[HowieDawn]

Oh no, I never took offense in the "elderly" part. I was just trying to express my feelings towards her.

[Margrete]

Miniature Schnauzers do not shed but do need to be groomed - with good brushing you can go for 8 weeks - otherwise 6 is the norm. My husband and I have our 5th Miniature Schnauzer puppy now - and not one of them has had a problem with shedding. He is allergic so that is important to us. We also have a little neighbor boy down the street with severe allergies whuch often lead to asthma attacks and he can play and pet our dogs with out a problem. I live in California and looked in the yellow pages for pet rescue agencies where you could get a full grown dog. Check under both "dogs" and "animals" in your yellow pages to see if they have listings for small breed or pure breed animal rescue services. There is also a Schnauzer Rescue site on the Web. Unfortunately I no longer have it due to a computer virus which wiped out a lot of information. Could try and find it again if you are interested. Good luck in your search!

[Margrete]

Found the Schnauzer Rescue site on the web that I mentioned. It is WW.Schnauzerrescue.com -then just click on any of the photos on the left of the screen. Good luck!

[ownerof3dogs]

Another breed I've found that doesn't shed very much is the Tibetan terrier

[HowieDawn]

Oh Margrete, that site is wonderful. A schnauzer is what my grandmother really wants.

[Jill]

No one has mentioned a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. They are a medium size dog, about knee height. My mother has one and she is wonderful. They have excellent temperments, and are not high sturng at all. They are a fairly new breed introduced some time durring the seventies I believe (dont quote me on that). They have a lovely golden coat that vurtually needs no brushing. They do need to be shaved about once every three months or their coat gets very long and will need to be brushed. They do not shed AT ALL!

[HowieDawn]

for some odd reason she is dead set against terriors. And she said that she wants a small dog.

[RachelJ]

If she wants a purebred dog, the Bichon Frise would be perfect for her. Small, non shedding, and generally a delightful little dog. I always say that the Bichon will be my next dog, but when the time comes, it will probably whatever dog is there when I go into the shelter. Your grandmother had a poodle mix before and you might be able to find another at a shelter or rescue site. Just look for the curly coated dog. That is your best gage in determining if a dog will be "non shedding". Margarete is correct about Schnauzers as well.

[Sophies Daddy]

If she is dead set against terriers, she really has few choices. The only small "non-shedding" dogs that I know of that are not terriers are poodles and bichons. There may be a few other breeds, but they will be curly-haired as well. Those people who state any other dogs consider "minimal shedding" as "non-shedding." There is a big difference. Curly-haired dogs, however, require a lot of care and grooming because they don't lose their hair and it tends to mat and tangle without careful attention to their coats, as would our hair if we didn't take care of it. If she gets a curly dog, I recommend that she keep it cut short if she doesn't want to take care of it.

I do not recommend the schnauzer simply because they are such a pain to train. They are very headstrong dogs and rarely listen to their owners. We can spot schnauzer owners a mile away: they seem to always be hunched over. I like to say that this is because they are always chasing their rotten dogs, arms outspread, yelling "Get over here you little s**t!"

While schnauzers do not have a seasonal shed, they do shed year round. It is less than most dogs, but the hair is still there. All dogs shed a bit, just like people, but the seasonal shed is what most people talk about.

Are you sure that your grandmother really wants a dog? This thread has gone on so long that it doesn't seem that she is really interested. I wouldn't recommend forcing a dog on anyone that truly doesn't want one on their own. Not all people are dog people and those that are not will quickly get frustrated with a dog. There is a lot of work and patience necessary. Please don't create a rescue dog because you feel she needs a companion. Ask her if she really wants a dog at all. People who say that they don't want a dog that sheds invariably are also saying that they don't want a dog that drags dirt into their house, that doesn't ever mess the carpet, doesn't occasionally get into the trash, doesn't chew on anything inappropriate, doesn't get sick, doesn't dig up their garden, doesn't leave land mines in the yard, etc. In other words, it is the easiest way to eliminate a dog as a potential pet.

How about a fish or a cat? We all love our dogs or we wouldn't be on this forum. We should also love them enough to make sure that they have a healthy, loving home.



[This message has been edited by Sophies Daddy (edited December 10, 2000).]

[Margrete]

You are right about Miniature Schnauzers bein headstrong but not one of our five has been a "pain to train"!! They are really smart and love to please their owners. Maybe the ones you've encountered had owners who weren't willing to put in the time and effort it takes to teach a dog to obey. We train every day and one of the things our first trainer taught us was that you never stop training your dog - they love it - particularly the praise!!

[HowieDawn]

"If she gets a curly dog, I recommend that she keep it cut short if she doesn't want to take care of it." Just because someone wants a dog that does not shed, DOES NOT mean that they do not want to take care of it. This forum would not be here if she and I were not concerned!

"Are you sure that your grandmother really wants a dog? This thread has gone on so long that it doesn't seem that she is really interested."

(posted by me on November 13, 2000) "I will keep all of the breeds in mind. I wanted to start looking early. She doesn't want to get one until the weather gets a little nicer."

What on earth made you decide to say "This thread has gone on so long that it doesn't seem that she is really interested."
The reason why this has gone on so long is because my grandmother wants to make sure that she gets the right dog to make both the dog and her happy. Do you just wake up one day, decide to buy a car and then buy the first one that you lay your eyes on???? No, you shop around, test drive some, and see what you want. My grandmother wants to make sure she gets what she wants.

"I wouldn't recommend forcing a dog on anyone that truly doesn't want one on their own."

Didn't your mother teach you that if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all? Who said anything about "FORCING" a dog on my grandmother? nobody is forcing anything.

"Not all people are dog people"

So out of this forum, of me trying to help someone decide what they want and by learning the characteristics out of a dog...you automatically have decided that my grandmother is not one of the "dog poeople"

"Please don't create a rescue dog because you feel she needs a companion."

(on this comment i am keeping my mouth shut because "i cannot think of anything nice to say")

"Ask her if she really wants a dog at all."

If she didn't want a dog, then i would not have posted this topic

"People who say that they don't want a dog that sheds invariably are also saying that they don't want a dog that drags dirt into their house"

the dog will go for walks and help her dig in her flowerbed and all of that other good stuff, so of course it will get dirty

"that doesn't ever mess the carpet doesn't occasionally get into the trash, doesn't chew on anything inappropriate, doesn't get sick, doesn't dig up their garden, doesn't leave land mines in the yard, etc."

She has children and they have children and some of them have children, these things DO NOT bother her.

"In other words, it is the easiest way to eliminate a dog as a potential pet."

In other words, like i said before, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all

"How about a fish or a cat?"

I feel four letter words comming on

"We all love our dogs or we wouldn't be on this forum. We should also love them enough to make sure that they have a healthy, loving home."

So what you are saying is... just because this forum has gone on so long you believe that my grandmother would not supply a healthy loving home? I don't understand why you even put up a post. There was no reason to write all of the rude comments that you did!