[momof3kids]

Hello! I just wanted to ask if anyone is familiar with dogs, if they can recommend a good breed of dog. Here is the family breakdown-

1) 3 kids (age 4.5 yrs. 2.5 yrs and 4 mo)
2) We live in a suburb
3) Dog will get walked daily-twice a day. I am already established in this as part of a weight loss regimen I am on
4) I am a stay at home mom, so dog will receive lots of attention from myself and children
5) Would prefer to not have large breed like a Lab and such since our house is not overly huge
6) Need a dog that is very good with children.
7) We own three adult cats


Our last dog, a beagle, died of an epileptic seizure a few years ago and I feel I am finally ready to own another dog. That lost hit me so hard-it felt like my child died.

Thanks in advance! -Susan

[NDN]

We love our daschunds. They are gentle with the kids and the cats. They used to go check on my kids when they cried as babies .

If you get one, though, don't let them jump because they are prone to back injuries. I have had to rehab one of them because of a disk rupture that resulted from an attack by a larger dog.

They are hunting dogs by nature, so don't get one if you have other small animals--hamster, etc. I had to tell my kids, "no more birds" after mine killed 2 ducks and a chicken .

[redhedded]

Hey Susan, I do not think any breed is a better than another but that "fit" can very much be based on your/your family personality, lifestyle and living environment. Most dogs reflect what they experience; though I must add that is not always the case. I did have a "crazy" Blue Doberman whom I loved with all of my heart who was not a result of his environment, but his breeding.

I am partial to large dogs - was raised with dogs and have always always had several, until my beloved Great Dane died while we were waiting to be matched. For now, we are dogless but am anxious to, in the future, add another Dane to our family; they are low energy, loving, calm, great with kids, Zen dogs.

May I suggest a dog that is not a full breed or a rescue dog; virtually every single breed has a rescue organization that needs good homes. Many times the dogs have been rescued due to poor care or abuse; sometimes owners just give them away because they are moving, getting a divorce, etc.

Good luck finding the one that is right for your family.

[kiwi]

I tend to lean towards large-breeds being much better around children. (Though there are most assuredly exceptions either way) Any kind of shepard (German, Collie, Australian) I think are the most loyal and protective of kids. If I had my way, I'd get a boxer.

On a smaller scale, shelties (a small version of collie)are awesome! As a child, our sheltie would often try to "herd" me away from danger like the street! what a good dog!

[Casey677]

I have three humane society mutts. One is a brindle pitt/lab mix, one is a boxer/border collie mix, and one completely unknown...... All three are GREAT with kids. We are seriously considering making our pitt/lab into a "Dogs READ" dog (a local program where children with learning disabilities read aloud to a dog to get their confidence up... she has the perfect temperment for it). PLEASE visit your local humane society!

Casey

[Kellster]

We have both a 7.5 lb yorkie and a 65 lb Golden Retriever. Both are wonderful dogs. I agree that for the most part, good breeding is more important than the breed itself. That being said, if you want a great family dog that is small, but not too small, I highly recommend the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. They are the largest of the "toy" breeds and grow to a max. of 20 lbs. They are active, friendly and ADORABLE!

Whatever you choose, I think that it is wonderful for kids to grow up with animals.

Good luck with your decision!

Kelly

[Volfe]

I like big dogs too but...you said not large so...
my office neighbor loves his jack russell
Kinda small, energetic and playful.

Certain purebred smaller dogs are snappish... gotta watch 'em.
I like shelties cept for the brushing.

Benji dogs are great too (ours was lab/beagle/ terrier cross)

Maia

[kiwi]

Also want to add...

I know how cats can be. With some cats, there's no good dog to match with them.

I also strongly second what I red said... environment makes such a difference. Of my tww cats, both are very sweet, cuddle on my feet, don't bite, etc. The oldest, Ember we got from the Humane Society, so her first weeks were basically in a box, alone with strange noises and scents going on beyond her world... she is now quite afraid of new things (the motor to the fridge turning on spooks her sometimes) and it takes her some time to warm up to strangers. The younger, Diego, we got from a family with three rough and tumble boys and as a result, that cat is pretty much immune to any disturbance. Diego, we have taken places and he's met and been fine with big dogs... Despite my love of dogs, I don't think I'll be getting one since my little Ember-baby is so afraid of them.

**edited to add:
-Volfe, we used to shave our ever-so-fluffy sheltie like a lion every summer He loved it!

[chrisandaaron]

I'd suggest a nice medium sized mixed breed. The medium size because they tend to be less high energy and anxious. Lots of rescues and humane societies now have dogs in "foster care," so the "foster dog parents," really get to know these dogs in a family atmosphere. If you call and tell them what you want they should be able to suggest a good match for your family. Sometimes you can also get involved in the "fostering to adopt," and take the dog home on a trial basis to see how it works out. My husband and I fostered 35 dogs over 2 years. Some of them were a challenge, but 50-70% of them would have been suitable for a family like yours. We probably even had more difficult dogs than average because they figured out we were up for it. #1 most important suggestion I have is to take any dog you get to a good obedience class right away. They can usually start at 8-10 weeks old (for Puppy class).

On a second note, my mom has Pugs and they tend to be pretty laid back and generally good with kids.

Good luck with your new addition!
Chris

[redhedded]

Oh know several people who have had a Jack Russell, super super bright, need to be engaged "working" dogs. If not given lots and lots and lots of exercise, they are extremely destructive and prone to neurosis.

I second the Boxer suggestion, loveable and calm with reasonable exercise; have had several friends, with children, who have them.

What about a Greyhound? They are loving, low key, need reasonable exercise and (sometime a bit nervous; you might be too if always so pressured in a high stakes, high stress job like theirs); I have known several people for whom they made terrific family pets. All rescued post career.

[kiwi]

Red- Everyone I've known who has a greyhound says they're downright lazy dogs They'll just find a good spot on the couch and lounge for 80% of the day.

Aren't Whippets (sp?) similar to greyhounds but smaller?

[DianeS]

As someone else said, even within an individual breed, each individual animal will have their own personality. So you you probably want to get a *specific dog* with the right personality, rather than a *specific breed* and hoping your dog grows to have the personality that most of the breed does.

That said, we can help you with some generalities:
With small children, you probably don't want a puppy. It's VERY hard to housetrain a puppy and toilet train a child at the same time, or any time within a year of each other. It does tend to regress the toilet-trained child to see a dog pee in the living room, or give a not-toilet-trained child a new novel idea. You also want one old enough that you already know its responses to rough treatment - either unknowing like ear pulling, or accidental like your young walkers tripping over it. So you probably want to shop for a dog at least 6 months old, maybe older.

You will also want to consider whether you want a herding breed of dog or not. Herding breeds are known for their "good deeds" like herding children away from streets, but also for their "bad deeds" like not allowing an older child to cross the street when she needs to! They often tend to nip at the children's heels, and can leave scratches. Think carefully whether this is behavior you want or not.

You'll want to think about your children's activity level, roughness (not always bad, even just fun roughhousing), stability in walking, obedience level (like if you say not to pick up the dog), and so on. Those answers will tell you the sturdiness of the type of dog to look for. Small breed dogs are good for smaller houses, but they also have skinnier bones. Even a 30-lb child can break a small-breed dog's leg by accidentally stepping on it, or dropping the dog from a height as little as 2 or 3 feet. Larger dogs are simply sturdier and can handle rougher treatment.

A good dog rescue group can tell you the specifics of any animal in their program. Whether it was raised with children and how it reacts to them now, whether it ignores cats or chases them, whether it is an active animal or a couch potato, etc. They'll know the fence height required by each dog, as well as whether it will dig under a fence or not. They'll know whether 2 leash walks a day will be enough, or if the dog requires 4, or whether it would prefer 2 leash RUNS per day, or if it needs free run time in a fenced yard. That sort of thing. A good rescue group will also let you bring your children in and spend a fair amount of time interacting with the particular dogs that they believe would fit well in your family, home, and routine.

I volunteer for a rescue group, and we answer questions like this on a regular basis. It's simply what we do. In fact, if you happen to live in Colorado, we have an American Pit Bull Terrier that might be exactly what you're looking for. Only 40 lbs, sturdy, loves cats and kids. That's one breed for you to consider, assuming you have a GOOD rescue for them nearby.

Good luck on your search!

[redhedded]

I once had a trainer tell me that as a very general rule, certainly not always applicable, the larger the dog, the more calm. In some cases, such as giant breeds; they need less exercise than ANY dog. Working and hunting dogs need the most.

Kiwi, Whippets/Italian Greyhounds are like Greyhounds, beautiful, sleek and supposed to be great house pets; though I have never owned one. We were going to do rescue for Italian Greyhounds after our beloved Husa died, (instead we fostered for Dane rescue). The only downside, I think, to Whippets and IG is they are big big diggers. Though I have never owned one, I love Bassett Hounds.

[Leigh131313]

Well....I feel the need to add my two cents..

I have a dachshound.....His name is Oscar...but I call him Satan. VERY smart dogs, very stubborn dogs.....he drives me nuts. He's cute as a button, but his stubborness is more than I can tolerate at times. He is definitely my husband's dog! lol

As for the Jack Russels...i know two people who have them, and both of them have experienced problems...Same as my lil weiner dog, they are just TOO smart.....They get bored, and so they get destructive (and these two dogs get TONS of attention...its never enough)

I say get a nice docile dumb mutt!! They are the BEST!! lol

Don't let thist post fool you...I LOVE my dogs but they CAN be a handful!! lol

Leigh

[momof3kids]

Thank you-thank you-thank you!!!


I know I specified no larger breeds(but that was my husband's request). After reading the 12 replies thus far-my husband sheepishly admitted he was wrong and wants to reconsider!!

I grew up with medium/larger dogs(Springer Spaniel, beagle husky mix) etc so I am partial to them.

Our only concern with a rescue dog/pound dog is how an adult dog would do with cats and what if there was abuse or whatnot from the previous owner and it was taken out on the kids. Although, as someone said-if they are living with a foster family, they would be an excellent gage!

I sincerely appreciate all the replies and keep them coming! We want to be sure of our decision and that is why we are researching thoroughly so there is no impulse decisions being made.

Thanks so much again!! This has been fantastic! -Susan