What would be a good dog for a small 1 bedroom house with a small yard?

Any of a wide variety of dogs would work for you. The only real constraint you have is that you aren't there for a long stretch every day, so you should steer clear of dogs that are particularly attached to people, as you might have real trouble with separation anxiety. You probably also want to avoid really smart type A dogs like border collies, because they get bored more quickly and will find things around the house to entertain themselves. So you want an independent dog, but one that is content to lie around if you're not there. And you might want to avoid dogs that have been bred at least in part to be guard dogs, because these tend to be territorial and become barky if they hear anyone nearby - like your neighbors - if you want to leave him outdoors in good weather, on a dog run or cable tie or in that fenced area.

The only real problem I see is that, to raise a young puppy, you really need to be able to come home for lunch, because they really shouldn't be left for 9 hours at a stretch. That leaves you plenty of options, though.

Right now, the shelters and breed rescue societies in many areas are full of much loved socialized and trained family dogs that people had to give up due to foreclosure, moving into a place that doesn't allow dogs, moving back with family members and can't take the dog, etc. I'd say your best bet is to see if you and one of these dogs 'click.'

One thing you didn't mention is climate. You might want to steer clear of dogs that have quite a short coat if you live in a cold climate, though they can wear coats for walks; obviously the reverse holds for long haired breeds (no huskies or samoyeds) and dogs with pushed in noses if you live in Arizona or Louisiana.

How far do you want to walk your dog every day? That's probably the main consideration, because many breeds need quite a lot of exercise, whereas others don't need much at all. If you're willing to walk 45 minutes a day or more, you might love a greyhound. They're very sweet dogs, are happy to lie around ALL day, not destroying your house, as long as they get a long walk, and have very little separation anxiety. If you train them, you can take advantage of that big yard for a good run when you're home, too, if you're not really up for a walk some days. And, of course, being retired racing dogs, they're already grown up and healthy.

A lot depends, too, on what YOU like in a dog. I'm fond of really smart dogs, because I like to talk to them and have them understand, but I'm around all day. I'm also fond of smaller dogs, but I don't want to worry that my dog is too small when meeting any other dog, and where I live is the land of big dogs (Boulder) - so I got a Corgi, a small but sturdy cattle herding breed. You might think that big dogs are just the thing, or you might be more fond of smaller ones, like me.

You'll also want to consider how much grooming you're willing to do, and if anyone who's likely to come by often is allergic to dogs. Also, how much cuddling you like.

Whether you get a big or small dog, you are likely, eventually, to want to fence off the whole yard, unless you get a real couch potato like a pug or a really small dog like a yorkie, and even pugs like to be able to explore.

I'm assuming, despite the outdoor dog run you describe, that the dog will live indoors with you for the most part. If that's the case, you could do a lot worse than the classic black or yellow lab. There's a reason they're so popular. If you want to walk him quite a lot, at least an hour every day, or throw tennis balls in addition to the walk, go for a youngish one; if not, a slightly more mature one might be a great starter dog, say 5 or 6 or a bit older. That way, if you ever do end up getting a puppy, your well trained, mellow but playful, mature dog can do much of the work raising, and entertaining, the new pup! You'd really need to be home more to raise a pup without a steadying older dog (I know, I already said that.)

I'm assuming by 'big yard' you mean something at least 75 feet long? 'Big yard' could mean a lot of different things, depending on your area. If it's smaller, you might want to check out the local dog parks before you get a retriever who's really into retrieving. Also, it sounds like you're single now, but you might not be forever, and you might get anklebiters one day; it might not be a bad idea to pick a breed that's reasonably good with small kids, and socialize him to kids once you get him, just to avoid a hard decision down the road.

There are a LOT of dog breed selector guides on the Web; just google 'dog breed selector' and you'll have a couple of dozen to choose from. Try those, and you'll learn a lot about the tradeoffs of different breeds relative to your preferences.

It depends on the dog. I have 4 dogs in the house with 2 house rabbits. 1 is a small Dachshund mix who loves to lay around with my bunnies. My mom's dog on the other hand is a whole different story he is a Maltese mix and the only thing he wants to do is either hump the rabbits or chase them. Granted my dog was brought up around the rabbits and hers wasn't. But my other dogs were 5 and 8 when I got the rabbits and they pretty much ignore them or try to eat their food. I would do the introduction thing some shelters will help you pick a dog that fits with your lifestyle rabbit included.

I would recomend a tibetian spaniel. I have one of these dogs and they are great. You might have to brush them evey once and a while so they dont get mats but otherwise they are fairly easy dogs. They have great temperment and very few helth problems. You should get one from a breeder and contact the AKC (American Kennel Club) if you are looking for a breeder. You can email me too if you have more questions about the breed. I have found a good breeder in Colorado. Thats where i got my Tibetian Spaniel.

These dogs arent Yippity. They do bark if sombody is at your door but thats what they were bred for.

I hope you consider a Tibetian Spaniel. They are great!

The yard doesn't matter...the question is are you going to walk the dog daily no matter what? Do you have kids? work normal hours or lots of overtime? What type of lifestyle do you have? I can make a professional rec' if you give me more answers. Please email me and I will ask you all the pertinent questions and then I can even help you locate a dog from rescue or at a shelter IF you need the help.

Cost? Income? Time?

Any small to medium sized dog would be good. I'd stay away from herding breeds though, unless you plan on giving the dog a LOT of exercise. There are a lot of dog breed finders online. They have different questions you answer and find several breeds for you.

I have pretty long hair, I like them but I actually think I would have them cut short in about some two years

For me, short. you see, hair like jared leto's look too effortless and sometimes even oily. Shortcuts are more fun to enjoy with and some sttles look far better on them.

A boxer!!! They are awesome and if you walk daily it is the perfect companion...more info on this sitehttp://www.dogbreedinfo.com/boxer.htm

i think english bulldog they don't need a lot of space or exercise their very friendly are good with kids and other animals like cats,ferrets,reptiles etc.the only down side is they can be hard to train and they can get a lot of health problems.

i think a little dog that loves hugging and staying with people so i say a yorkie or poodle or pug or chihuahua