I have a fiance : ) He was upgraded from BF about a month ago, and we're
planning to get married in May. He drives a truck, usually local but often
long distance runs when he's gone for a week or more (like now, actually : (.
He wants to get a dog specifically as a companion on the truck, and right now
we're investigating breeds that would be happy in this sort of environment.
He used to have a basset hound, and really really wants another. The only
caveat is that Bassets don't have a lot of jumping ability and get pretty
heavy, which would mean a lot of lifting - and the F already has a bad back.
He loves Dobermans, and has found himself considering both the min pin and the
German pinscher because of the physical similarity. I suggested a miniature
poodle but that was nixed - good size, adaptable and smart, non shedding, but
still a poodle. His other dog experience includes a boxer, and numerous
hunting dogs his dad owned while he was growing up.
Here's a rough list of "wants":
easy-care coat
agile enough to get into the cab on its own
moderate-low energy level
people-oriented
easily trained
mellow, or able to mellow out after some good exercise
Right now, we're considering purebreds because he wants to be relatively
sure of the size/shape/temperament of the grown dog, and for a specialized
lifestyle it makes more sense to start with a puppy and raise it in the truck.
Any other breed suggestions? Would most breeders hesitate to sell a puppy to a
truck driver? That's one thing we decided right away: whatever breed we do
decide on, we're going to do our research when it comes to choosing a breeder.
The dog would be at home a lot, not just on the truck 24/7, and there isn't any
chance of him giving up the dog because of a new job (in that event, the dog
would just live at home full-time).

Jana