Top Dogs for Empty Nesters

Figure on a thorough once-a-week brushing.

The Trendsetters: Havanese

The adorable Havanese, the national dog of Cuba and a relative of the Maltese and Bichon Frise, seem to be especially popular these days. One of the brightest of the smaller breeds, they're easy-to-please, often content to settle on the back of a sofa or peer out the window and watch the neighborhood goings-on. These tiny dogs also respond well to training and aren't yappy like some other small breeds, so they are good road trip companions.

A few things to consider: They can be difficult to house train (have wee-wee pads ready) and their fluffy coat needs to be brushed daily.

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The Smarty Pants: Miniature Poodles

We tend to think of Poodles as pampered show dogs, but as owners know, they're a lot more than a just a pretty face. For one thing, these dogs are smart — really smart. Like their bigger cousins, Miniature Poodles learn quickly and are one of the most trainable of all breeds. “They're wonderful for owners who want to keep mentally stimulated and have a dog that's engaged in their life,” says Natalie Marks, medical director and veterinarian at Blum Animal Hospital in Chicago. Because they crave companionship, they're a great choice for those who have a lot of time to spend with their pup.

Poodles also have the advantage of being the lightest-shedding, most hypoallergenic of all coated breeds. (They need grooming every 4 to 6 weeks.)

They do have their quirks. Because they like routines, they can get flustered by big changes in schedules or lots of activity in the home.

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The Sensitive Souls: Greyhounds

Though many of us envision Greyhounds zipping around a racetrack, they're actually quite calm, gentle and affectionate. They'll need a fenced-in space to stretch their long legs, but surprisingly, don't usually want or need hours of exercise. In fact, the breed has been dubbed the “40 miles-per-hour couch potato” for a reason. These comfort-lovers will often just want to snuggle (don't tell them they're not a lap dog).

Their short coat doesn't require a lot of grooming, says Marks, “and they don't have a lot of those purebred diseases that afflict some other breeds, such as hip dysplasia or respiratory issues.” With the last Greyhound racetrack closing in Florida in 2020, there will be a lot of these sweet creatures available for adoption through rescue groups.

Note that they might not do well in tense, noisy environments.

Mixed Breeds

"I'll be honest, these are my all-time favorite dogs,” says Joanne Yohannan, senior vice president of operations at the North Shore Animal League America, in Port Washington, New York. For one thing, they tend to be healthier than purebred dogs, who often suffer from hereditary diseases as a result of inbreeding. Many believe they have better dispositions to boot.

That said, “Mixed breed dogs, particularly when they're younger, can be more of a wild card,” says Klein. If you get them as puppies, it's not always easy to predict what you'll end up with in terms of size, activity level and temperament.

Rescues

It also can be wonderful to give a home to a stray, abandoned or surrendered dog of uncertain breeding through shelters and rescue groups. “Adoption not only moves an animal from vulnerability to safety,” says Julia Umansky, director of admissions and matchmaking at the ASPCA Adoption Center in New York City, “it creates space at the shelter and moves more resources and attention to the remaining animals.” Visit ASPCA, The Shelter Pet Project or RescueGroups.org to find your new best friend.

Older Dogs

And while, yes, puppies are adorable, adopting an older pooch has its advantages. “Puppies are usually going to be a lot more work than an adult dog — socializing, house-breaking,” says Nick Hof, owner of Paws Look Listen dog training in Cincinnati. “Adult dogs are generally more well-mannered and don't require as much supervision and training in the beginning to prevent problematic behaviors as they get older.”

Some shelters have started offering adoption discounts for older people looking for older canines. North Shore Animal League America, for example, has a “Seniors for Seniors” program for those 60 and up. If you adopt an animal who's at least 4 years old, there's a flat adoption fee of $l50 that covers everything, including vaccinations and spay and neutering, as well as $15 twice-a-year grooming for the life of your pet.

Foster Pups

And if you don't want a long-term commitment, you could think about becoming a foster parent, says North Shore's Yohannan: “You get the benefit of helping these animals and the companionship at the same time.”