Dog Breeds - A House Dog for the Clean Freak
Even the most hard-working housefrau may find it difficult to keep on top of daily doggy debris, but given the choice between a pristine but pooch-less dwelling, or a domicile chock full of unconditional love and innumerable hairs, true dog lovers will choose hairy love every time. While honest house-dog owners will admit that their homes may not be immaculate, it is still possible to be a dog owner without being a total slob. This article is written for the pet-friendly home owner who wants to identify a few breeds that make it easier to dwell indoors with doggy.
When considering a furry companion, apart from your husband, you must take into account that some breed characteristics go beyond simple cleanliness issues. Choose a dog that displays traits best aligned with indoor living. The same behavior you might look for in a college roommate may apply to your choice of dog. Are they well-behaved, quiet and intelligent? Or, do they poop on the floor and try to “get it on” with the leg of every visitor? O.K., upon reflection, maybe that was a bad analogy—too real for some of us frat boys. The point is, with a little research and the proper breeder, a horrible co-habitation experience never need happen again.
“Spot” Cleaning
Excluding abnormal personality problems, the main issues for the dog-loving clean freak can be summed up by five “S” words: Shedding, Smell, Sound, Slobber and Sh@#!!t. Let’s tackle each of them one by one.
Shedding: Nobody likes hair all over their things, but unless you get one of those hairless dogs—like the Chinese Crested or Xoloitzquintle, there is the potential that any dog with hair will lose some at one time or another. I mean, even we humans have to clean out the shower drain now and then. Still, there are a handful of dog breeds that lose no more hair than does the typical human, and much less than the average Italian man, making these dogs as close to “shed-less” as the term can be said to mean. Unfortunately, most of these are terriers, which doesn’t give you many options if you dislike dogs prone to dig, a potential drawback. Not that the terrier is a bad choice for a house dog. On the contrary, most were bred to be kept indoors as rodent hunters. A terrier’s size, as well as their protective instincts, are considered plusses. If you find a good breeder and will take the time to train them properly, then by all means choose a terrier such as the Kerry Blue, Wheaton, Schnauzer or Bedlington. If terriers aren’t your cup of tea, two other dog breeds guaranteed not to leave hair on the couch are the Poodle (all sizes), and the Portuguese Water Dog. Both are smart as whips, the Poodle topping most intelligence lists, but if you get a PWD, be sure you have an active lifestyle as it is a fireball that needs lots of exercise. As with anything that has hair, regular brushing also helps to maintain a hair-free environment.
Smell: It’s a known fact that indoor dogs keep fresh for longer if you don’t let them outside too often. That means for minimum smell potential you should pick a medium-sized to small house-dog so that you aren’t being cruel by not letting them out to exercise regularly. Generally, toy breeds are not recommended (See Sh@#!! for the explanation). Also, while there are many wonderful qualities that bitches display, females are more likely to purposely roll in and even eat feces (called Coprophagia). This may be due to a maternal instinct to hide their own odor, and their puppies, from predators in the wild. Early spaying and neutering (around 6 months) can deter this behavior, otherwise, you’ll need to watch each poopie session and be quick to block them prior to bringing them back into the house.
Sound: If a quiet or even silent dog is what tickles your pickle, take a look at the sighthound group. Unless they’ve been raised in a barking environment, they will rarely bark. The Basenji is also barkless, although he does tend to yodel. No seriously, that is how owners describe the noise that they make.
Slobber: A medium or small sized dog is the key to less spittle in the home. With any large dog you’ll get some slobbering. Obviously some are worse than others. Hounds with excess drooping facial skin for instance, and short-nosed breeds like bulldogs and pugs are slobberers because they can’t breath without their mouths open all the time. Sighthounds are also a good pick for slobberless dogs since they tend not to open their mouths for anything but eating.
Sh@#!!t: Proper potty-training and consistent success is the most important factor in keeping your home odor free. Generally, toy breeds are popular house dogs, but they have their own unique cleanliness issues. Just remember, the smaller the dog, the smaller the bladder and the weaker the muscles that keep those bladders from emptying themselves all over the carpet. The icky spot may be smaller, but you probably won’t find them all until the stink happens—something to keep in mind. Also, even though most dogs have the intelligence for potty-training, and it is instinctual for dogs to keep their poopies away from their living quarters, smarts does play a factor in how quickly they learn and how consistently successful your pooch will poo outdoors. While this is not necessarily true for all the breed, there are reports that cocker spaniels and Italian greyhounds aren’t always consistent in their potty habits.
Plusses of the Clean Canine
The argument for house dogs is persuasive. It goes something like this… A pet isn’t truly part of the family unless they are living daily IN the home WITH the family. Outdoor dogs are for farmers and sheepherders, so unless you’re Old MacDonald, you aren’t committed to your canine until they share the living arrangements. Outdoor dogs are simply 2nd rate “pets” who are destined to get divorced from their families as fast as a Hollywood marriage. So, if you want both the clean house and the unconditional love, be smart when choosing your indoor dog.
Author: Jim Littler
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