Which Breed For Me?

Discover which Happy Canines dog breed may be the best for you.

Finding the right dog breed for you is essential to ensure the dog you select is right for your lifestyle. Unfortunately, every year thousands of dogs are euthanised in animal shelters because homes cannot be found for them. Not all, but many of these dogs ended up in pounds because they have “worn out their welcome at home”. In many cases, this is because they were the wrong choice of a pup from the start. Every breed has its qualities and faults, and being informed can help you make the right selection.

Many advertisements for puppies will advertise how “cute and playful” they are, which describes the last 30 million pups born. Rarely does an advertisement state the bad traits of a breed. This can become a real problem if the wrong puppy has been chosen!

This page hopes to provide you with a basic insight into the enjoyable traits of dog breeds as well as the undesirable (which could save you money and heartbreak in the future). For more detailed information, we recommend searching for breeding societies on Google.

View more images of our puppies and grown dogs on the gallery page.

Pure Pugs & 3/4 Pugs

If you want a dog that is going to put a permanent smile on your face, then a pug is perfect. They have their own character, are near impossible to tire and active in an enjoyable way. If you have a beautiful velour lounge suite and you want to keep it that way, then a pug is not for you. They are heavy shedders so be prepared for pug hair all through your house! Pug owners will tell you they would rather get rid of the lounge before they would get rid of the dog! They are unique, and people typically love or hate them. Once you have owned a pug, it usually becomes a favourite breed.

A pug will generally grow between 6 – 10kg (more for males) and has an average life span of 10-14 years. Pure pugs can have breathing issues and snore. Our pugs are selected to try and avoid breathing problems. Pugs do not handle the heat well. If you live in a climate of 35+ degrees, you will need a pond for cooling and plenty of shade or have your pug inside under air conditioning. Pugs are either fawn or black in colour.

3/4 Pugs

A 3/4 pug is generally a jug (Jack Russel x pug) crossed back to a pure pug. They have all of the pug features with a slight snout and are less likely to have breathing problems. 3/4 pugs have an average lifespan of 10-14 years.

Puggles

A puggle is a pug x beagle. They are playful, have a partial pug appearance with a longer snout inherited from the beagle, therefore do not have breathing problems. They are medium-sized growing between 8-15kg. Puggles don’t have the high-energy outlet of the beagle parent and are adaptable to their environment. They are a shedding breed and do not inherently have bad habits. They are the most robust of the pug crosses and tolerate more activity. They generally have a life span of 15 years and usually tan and black in colour. They handle the heat much better than a pure pug.

Pugaliers

A pugalier is a pug x cavalier. The cavalier influence makes these the most placid breed of the pug crosses. They have a lighter frame than other crosses and will take moderate activity. They are a shedding breed and grow to 8-10kg. They have a lifespan of 10-15 years and are generally tan or black (depending on the colour of the pug parent). They have a softer-looking face than their puggle relative due to the softer appearance of the cavalier. They handle the heat much better than a pure pug.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels

A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel or commonly referred to as a cavalier is the easiest going of any breed. They are happy to sit in the corner all day and wag their tail until you get home from work. They will greet any thief into your home, hopeful of obtaining a pat before the thief leaves. They are gentle and ideal for elderly people or timid children (could be boring for active children). They need some degree of coat maintenance, while not high maintenance they do shed and regular brushing can reduce this significantly. They have a life span between 12-15 years and grow to 4-18kg depending on their genetics. Cavaliers come in a variety of colours.

Cavaliers are at a high risk of heart and eye conditions. You must get your cavalier from a breeder that has a strong family line to avoid these conditions.

Beagles

If you have plenty of time to spend with your dog, then a beagle makes a faithful and loveable friend for life. They are playful as puppies until they die of old age and they do not have an aggressive side. They are great dogs if you have three boys and want another player for the backyard football team. They have a high-energy level, and if this cannot be released in positive ways, through plenty of exercise, they can develop bad habits. A bored beagle will bark, dig holes, chew up your furniture and destroy your backyard. If you have a busy lifestyle and a small backyard, then a beagle is not a good choice. If you have plenty of time to spend with them, such as runs in the park, playing fetch or have another dog for them to play with, they are an excellent addition to the family. You will have to be prepared to spend time with them.

Beagles have a short coat and while they do shed is it not heavy. They are a resilient breed, and you won’t be taking them to the vets every month with medical problems. A grown beagle will weight between 10-20kg and can put on weight easily if overfed. They have a lifespan of 15-18 years.

Jack Russells

A Jack Russell is an intelligent and busy breed. They are not naughty but like to be kept active. You need to spend time with them, particularly if you live in a rural area and have chooks or ducks. You need to rear them in that environment from a very young age, or they will gladly have Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch. They are low maintenance, with a short fine coat and do shed. They are a robust breed and generally live to at least 15 years, with some reaching as old as 20! Jack Russells weigh around 6-8kg.

Jugs

A jug is a Jack Russel x pug. They shed less than the pug due to the fine hair of the Jack Russell. They are an adaptable breed that is easy to train. If you have a timid child that is looking for a lapdog or if you have active children that want a dog they can tire out, a jug will fit into either environment. They are not stubborn and can be quite a little character. Jugs inherit the robust genetics of the Jack Russell parent with a finer body appearance. They have a similar weight (6-8kg) and lifespan (15+ years).

Jugaliers

A jugalier is a jug x cavalier. We started this cross because of people interested in a pup with the jug appearance but less active. As a trial, we crossed one of our jugs back to our cavalier, and the jugalier has turned out to be very popular. The pups are short-coated with a similar appearance to the jug. They are adaptable for people living in units (due to the cavalier influence). They grow to 8kg and have an estimated lifespan of 15 years (because this is a new breed, we can only provide an estimation).

Beagliers

A beaglier is a beagle x cavalier. This breed is popular because they have the beagle appearance and playful nature with the cavalier influence, which tones down the activity level. They do not require as much activity as a pure beagle, but they will still need to have time spent with them. There is a large variation in weight which can be between 8-25kg (this can’t be predetermined; it depends on the ‘potluck’ of genetics on the day). They have a lifespan of 12-18 years. There are many pictures of puppy and adult beagliers on our gallery page.

3/4 Cavaliers

A 3/4 cavalier is a beaglier x purebred cavalier. We started this cross because of people interested in the beaglier appearance but wanted a dog less active. Other people liked the cavalier but wanted something more active. We started this cross as a trial, and they have become extremely popular. The puppies can throw either way (cavalier or beaglier) in coat texture, and we can usually determine this by around 5 weeks. They have a similar weight range and lifespan to the parent that they have thrown to.

Cavoodles

A cavoodle is a cavalier x poodle. This is a first-generation cross and is the only cross that should be done. Be aware that some breeders breed second-generation cavoodles whereby they cross a cavoodle with a cavoodle. This should not be done! A cavoodle is a terminal breed, and they should be desexed and not bred on with. The qualities of a cavoodle are that they inherit the hypoallergenic non-shedding properties of their poodle parent. This is the reason why they have become popular and so expensive because they are the dog of choice for families who have children with allergies. When breeders do second-generation cavoodles there is a 1:4 probability that the puppy could throw to the cavalier, in which case it will shed. You will not know until the puppy is 6-8 months and begins to lose its puppy coat.

We have people who contact us saying “my friend brought a cavoodle and it sheds, why would this be happening?”. The answer is simple. It is a second-generation cavoodle. You may be lucky enough to be in the 3:4 probability which has thrown to the poodle or cavoodle, but you will not know until long after you have parted with your money.

As far as temperament goes, they are a very adaptable dog. The cavalier influence slows down the active poodle trait. Cavoodles require a lot of coat maintenance so be prepared for home grooming or regular trips to a groomer. They come in a variety of colours and sizes. They can range from toy to standard depending on the size of the parents. They have a lifespan of about 10-14 years.

Schnauzers

A Schnauzer is a very even-tempered dog settling into almost any environment. They are non-shedding and hypoallergenic and require coat maintenance. They vary in size from mini, standard or giant. Our schnauzers are mini schnauzers. They have a weight range of approximately 7-13 kg and a lifespan of 10-15 years. A schnauzer is a breed that you rarely see in animal shelters which indicates that most people who get a schnauzer keep them for life. They are an easy-going and adaptable dog.

Schnoodles

A schnoodle is a schnauzer x poodle. They are very much like their schnauzer parent and inherit the non-shedding hypoallergenic qualities from both parents. They are an adaptable dog, and their size varies according to the category of the parents. A poodle can be toy, miniature or standard, and the schnauzer can be mini, standard or giant. There can be a considerable variation in the size of the grown dog. Our schnoodles are bred from either our toy or mini poodle with a weight range of 7-12 kg. They have a lifespan of 10-15 years. They are limited in colouring, ranging predominantly from salt and pepper, black and silver (like a schnauzer), straight black or brindle.

Cocker Spaniels

A cocker spaniel, in our opinion, is the most underrated breed of all. They have a lovable, affectionate and playful nature. Their nature is similar to a beagle without the bad habits that come with a lack of activity. They are shedders and require grooming. When we clip our dogs, we always leave the cocker spaniels until last. The reason is by the time we get near the end of clipping our dogs, we don’t want to be stuck with one who wants to dance to get away from the clippers. We want the job to be easy, and the cocker spaniels get left until last because they lay back and say “wake me up when you are finished”. They are a beautiful breed and are easy to train. They will grow to an average of 10-15 kg and have a lifespan of 15-18 years.

Cockaliers

A cockalier is a cocker spaniel x cavalier. These puppies tend to throw to the cocker spaniel in appearance. They have a medium-long coat and will require grooming. Their temperament generally throws more to the cocker spaniel, and they are more outgoing than their cavalier parent. They have a weight range of approximately 8-13 kg and a lifespan of 13-18 years.

Maremmas

A maremma is commonly referred to as a sheepdog, but they do not actually work sheep. They are a protective stock dog, and they will adapt to protect whatever they are reared with. Many breeders will tell you that these dogs are not suitable as family pets, but this is not the case. We have sold many as family pets, and they have been wonderful dogs. However, they are not suitable as your first dog. You have to have dog sense to adequately train a maremma. If you go to our maremma link there is more information regarding this breed and pictures of many puppies who have adapted to residential family life. They will grow from 25-40 kg and have a lifespan of 15-20 years