Does anyone have any experience with Welch Terriers? We are looking to get a dog for our family (my husband and I and our 5 yr. old daughter) and several online dog breed selectors have recommended a Welch Terrier. I have found a local breeder and am trying to determine if this adorable breed would be good for our family…. Our last dog, a lab mix that we got from a shelter was a very anxious, needy dog. Although we adored her, she could be very difficult and had low tolerance for my daughter. I work from home so the dog won’t be home alone often, but we do take day trips on weekends and need to feel comfortable leaving the dog at home when it’s not be possible to bring him/her along. I’m looking for a dog around 20 lbs. that has a cheerful, easy disposition that is great with kids/strangers. Most importantly, I‘d prefer a dog that does not tend to be anxious/high strung or bark excessively. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
Every terrier I've ever had contact with was a hyperactive constant barker.
Most toy or small dogs are.
Larger dogs are more laid back in general.
no matter what breed, a dog has its own personality.... too.
Terriers, and the small terriers, can be hyper/active/yappy dogs.
Other small breeds as well.
my opinion, print this question out and take it to a shelter. they will find you a dog that meets all your qualifications. you may pay a fee of $100 or so, but it will be microchipped, neutered/spayed and up to date on shots. a pretty good bargain if you're considering spending HUNDREDS on a purebred puppy who will need all these things done eventually. don't judge a breed by one dog. don't even worry about breed. the people at the shelters work with the dogs, walk them, feed them, play with them - they can find the dog you're looking for. i made a list of the characteristics i wanted, and ended up with an english pointer mix. i NEVER would have guessed by the breed- she's a great dog for us! good luck!
As I have given years of my life as a shelter volunteer I admit to a bias but it is also proven that mixed breed dogs tend to have fewer problems medically. If you want a dog why not check out your local shelter. You can find one that is full grown so size won't be an issue (many times breeders incorrectly guess the size a dog will grow to be) and if you have a good shelter the dog may already be socialized for children or other animals. I've had wonderful luck with all my rescue animals numbering over 20 cats and dogs over the years. I grew up with mutts from the shelter and some pure bred pups that were found there too. I will continue to open my heart and home to mutts for as long as I live. You may be surprised to learn many shelters have pure bred dogs too. It’s worth the trip to see if you can offer a forever home to one in need and if not then you aren’t out anything but your time.
p.s dogs are what they are trained to be. If you teach a dog just as you would a child regardless of what breed you pick they will be exactly what your family needs. Good luck!
Terriers are very high energy dogs. I'm not a fan of purebreds either. The best kind of a dog is a mutt -- healthwise and usually behaviorwise (if that's a word).
Really, any kind of dog can be a good dog if you train it right and exercise it correctly. With a terrier, you will need to enroll in training classes, and expect to take at least a couple of long walks every day. They really need it or they get destructive.
the high strung anxious barking dog can happen with any breed mixed or pure. Its all in the temperament of the dog and in different settings. I got a 2 year old german long hair pointer who never growled or barked at anyone until we got her and she became protective of the kids. She will bark at anyone who walks through the door but quickly becomes their best friend. Then we got a mini schnauzer puppy who was dominating at the breeders house and has continued the domination and has gotten a tad better since he got neutered but still has to be shown that he isn't the pack leader quite a bit. However, he is awesome with the kids. Acts just like them. We take them dogs and kids to the dog park and the schnauzer is running with them, sleeping with them letting them lay all over him pull his ears, hair you name it the poor dog has been through and never ever tries to bite them. He just turned one and besides running around the house with the kids continuously he doesnt get a lot of other exercise. As long as he has his balls and toys to chew on he isn't destructive but does tend to dig. He's a good little dog.
I am Welsh, welch is grape juice LOL.
I lived in Wales for 32 years, and Welsh terriers are very cute and playful, great family dogs, can be nippy though like all terriers, and most small dog breeds for some reason, they are not shy and nervous like a yorkie or a jack russell though - all the ones I knew were sweet.
Terriers are high energy dogs. They (as with any dogs) especially need a vigorous walk every day. Without walks...backyard does NOT count...terriers get destructive and vocal. Terriers also need a good challenge, or they will be frustrated. There is a reason terriers are great movie dogs. They love to learn and have mental challenge. They most definitely need obedience classes. Terriers like to dig and and are escape artists. You will need secure fencing. They can jump low fencing, or climb also. Welsh Terriers are vocal dogs. You might check out this article:
We had one and ended up having to put it down for biting multiple people. When my son was 2 he attacked my moms dog over a cheerio my son had dropped. It was a sad situation, but because he was a known biter we had to make a tough decision.
Ours was not hyper (as others were mentioning) He was a pretty mellow dog. Im just not sure how much I would trust them with a young child.
I personally would look in to a Cavalier King Charles for a family with children and wanting a smaller dog. They are super sweet timid dogs.
Terrier as a breed group are very high energy (aka need a lot of exercise), and some are somewhat snappish/less tolerant of little people. Ask the breeder about the dog breed, and take one of those online quizzes (and be honest about your answers) to see if the Welsh Terrier is for you. Here is one of the quizzes: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/search.htm; but if you google "selecting a dog breed quiz" you'll find more (and taking more than 1 quiz might be helpful).
Labs are actually very good dogs. However, some anxious/needy due to their strong attachment to their family.
Dogs within a litter can differ in their temperament, so in addition to the narrowing the breed itself to one breed, you will want to test the individual dog(s) you're thinking about buying for it's temperament; here is a good article on that: http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_Temperament.php) to see how it reacts.
Ask your breeder about what happens if the dog doesn't end up fitting into your family. Good breeders want to know as much about you and how you will care for the dog as you should be asking them.... For a good breeder, it's like you're adopting one of their furry kids. ;)
A pug would probably meet your needs better. My experiences with terriers in general is that they are high energy, high-strung and will bark quite a bit. Some can be aggressive. It's always helpful to look at what a dog was original bred to to do and it can give some insight into their personality and behavior. Terriers were bred to rid farms of rats and other vermin. This requires a very tenacious, "go get 'em", fearless attitude and also a tendency to dig like crazy ("Terrier" comes from "terra", meaning "earth"). They are very intelligent but if they are not trained well and are not exercised enough, they can drive you nuts.
Pugs tend to be more stable and laid-back - they are more strictly companion dogs but are bigger and more sturdy than most toy breeds. They are very sweet and friendly and have awesome personalities, and are not hyper or yappy at all. They do tend to shed, and snore, but most pug owners will tell you they are totally worth it. I have 2 pugs, so I am a little biased, but it really sounds like they might be a better fit for you. I would agree with some others on here that suggested visiting a shelter and considering one of the dogs there (pure or mixed) that might meet your requirements and needs a good home.
terriers are energetic, bark, and can be high strung. We have 2 mini schnauzers and they are awesome with our boys although did not grow up with kids they bark only when people come to the door I have nothing but good things to say about them.
We have a cocker spaniel that is really good with our little (1 and 3 yr old) kids. She puts up with everything from being layed on to having her tail pulled. She just walks away. She's really good with other dogs and good with people. We worked with her since she was a little thing and she doesn't bark. She a super happy wiggly thing when she greets people. Cocker spaniels from what I've experienced are great kid dogs. I was given one when I was 10 and she was the sweetest thing.
On a side note, I had a terrier when I was young too and though I loved him he required a lot of exercise or he'd get devious and destructive. And though he wasn't snappy, I've heard others can be.
Good luck with your search.
My brother has one. He is the cutest little thing compared to my monster. lol. He is good dog as far as the children are concerned. The kids are 5 and 7 and they have had the dog for a few years. I know he need to go to the groomer a lot. He is no hyper like some are saying. However, he can not be left alone in the house unsupervised. He will knock over the garbage or pee on a bed, or eat a remote control, he must not like being alone :( So in the warmer months they tie him outside when they leave the house and when it's colder he has to be in a cage. They also take him with them whenever possible.
good luck.. i have a lab mix.. she is great.. but a barker.. she is wonderful with the kids.. which is a plus... i hope this new dog is great with the kids.. and works well with the family.
My experience with every terrier our extended family has had (from purebreds to mutt terriers) is that they are snappy, high energy, ocd dogs!
They're great because they have hair and don't shed. But are very high maintenance (need lots of attention) and they seem to have low tolerance for kids.
Lab retriever's ae the #1 breed in the country because of their amazing temperament. But, boy do the shed! We have an amazing lab who is my 3 year old daughters best friend, he has the patience and tolerance of Jobe. he also was a barker - so we got a humane bark collar (it doesn't shock - it sprays cirtonella - they don't like the sound or the smell - so they don't bark with it on). The king charles cavalier seems to be a really sweet tempered smaller dog. I don't know much about the breed but several friends have them and my 3 year old has been welcome to cuddle with them without getting bitten (can't say that about my cousins terriers). A labradoodle would be a great option, you get the ones bred with toy poodles dad/lab mom vs standard size poodles, so the dogs are more around the 20/30lb weight.
Good luck!
I have met one I think and she was a great little dog. Reading online it looks like they can be a little harder to train and the coat will require some care or grooming. I would suggest if you haven't already talking to the breeder that is local and also going out to meet their dogs, probably without your daughter to start so she doesn't get too excited. That way you can meet the actually dogs, see how they behave and really talk to the breeder about training, disposition of their lines, any health issues, etc. Also is you haven't already research the breed online with akc or the breed club's website to learn about frequent health issues and behavioral problems for the breed and if there are any tests that should have been done on the parents. Some dogs OFA or PennHip to check hips. Other tests include ones for CERF or more specific ones for eyes, elbow check, thyroid, heart, etc. I don't know which ones should be done for the welch terrier, but even if no tests are recommended see if it recommended to check for certain things within the lines.
Other breeds to consider Tibetan terrier (not a true terrier, my mom has a couple and they are great with kids, there can be eye problems the parents should have been tested for, also the coat either needs brushing or clipping), Havanese is very similar, but a little smaller. Boston terrier, Cavalier King Charles( might be a little smaller than you are looking and do have a slew of possible health issues, but one of the nicest breeds I have even met), bichon (lots of grooming), puli (probably a little bigger than you are looking), beagle (lots of variation, some are quiet and they are great little dogs). If you think you might be interested in a mix again talk to rescue groups where the dogs have been in homes for fostering, so you know what they can really be like.
Good luck on your search for your new family member!
