uhhggg little dogs :barf: I hate 'em, always have. I think they're useless and not much fun. That said, I have one, it was a christmas present from my husband (we're so in tune with each other)
Anyway, our first dog, Chester is a Lab, one of the coolest dogs in the world
Codi, our second blah dog is a Rat Terrier (the great christmas gift). High energy, but he hates going on runs with me, and he can't retreive worth beans (that's why I love my Lab). My suggestion, don't get one. They're annoying. And if this hasn't been brought up yet (sorry, didn't read the whole thread), they're needy. Most small dogs are, not just the prissy ones. They whine and wimper for no good reason. He seems to have ADD/neurotic tendencies. Believe me, it isn't pleasant
And so far, we haven't figured how to curb this behavior. But my next method will be arriving shortly
Chihuahuas I think are fairly useless too. I live with my grandma when I was finishing college and she had a mini/toy chihuahua. All that dog did was follow my grandma around the house, eat and poop on the floor. I realize, that fit my grandma well. She needed company and so did the dog. So, match made in heaven.
Someone mentioned all the time, effort and research going into choosing a new pet, very smart. My husband did the same thing (he's never had pets, even growing up). I on the other hand, had cats and dogs all my life. But it's important to know what you're getting. Also check out the dog parks and whatnot in the area. If you're living in apt or condos, a little land can be hard to find. (One of the reasons we moved into a house, just to get our Lab)
So know where to go to take your dog out for some fun. Walks in the 'hood are fine, but sometimes a dog just has to go wild on some land.
My In-Laws have a mini schnauzer, again, not my style, but it works for them. She's not too big, but certainly not "mini". Maybe 14lbs. She's a pretty decent dog. Her maintenance is a little more ince her hair is longer.
Anyway, good luck finding the right one.