whats the best dog to have with children?

Answer 1

Some of the breeds that people recommend for kids are beyond my comprehension!

I'd recommend one of the Sporting breeds for a child. My all-time favorite mid-sized dog for kids is the English (or Welsh) Springer Spaniel. They require some grooming, but don't shed too much, are generally great with kids and easy to train. Females are a little bit easier than males, but either should make a terrific pet. They will need a good thirty minute walk every day.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Pekingese are great too and need less exercise. They are small, sweet and quiet.

Vizslas, Setters, Labs and Goldens are usually great with kids but they're bigger and are very boisterous until they are about two. Labs shed a LOT.

I'd also suggest reading some really good books on training. Try not to do it randomly - there are a lot of bad books out there also! These are some of my favorites and you can get them on Amazon.com
What All Good Dogs Should Know - Volhard
Good Owners, Great Dogs - Brian Kilcommins
Dog Tricks : Eighty-Eight Challenging Activities for Your Dog from World-Class Trainers by Haggerty and Benjamin
Don't Shoot the Dog - Pryor
Training Your Dog: The Step by Step Method - Volhard
Dog Problems - Benjamin
Cesar's Way - Cesar Millan

Also, watch the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel. Cesar Millan is the best trainer I've ever seen on TV.

Whatever breed of puppy you decide on DON'T go to a pet shop or buy one off the internet!!!! You'll pay top dollar for what is usually a poor quality puppy mill dog. And you'll be supporting one of the cruelest industries in the country. The breeding animals are kept in deplorable conditions. They probably haven't been vaccinated against contagious diseases or tested for any health or temperament problems or genetic diseases - that costs money and cuts into their profits. A female is often bred every time she comes into heat. When her poor little body can't take it any more, she is often clubbed in the head and tossed into a dumpster or an open ditch. Most puppy mills ship their pups to pet stores at wholesale prices and many pups die before they even get there. These "breeders" have figured out that they can use the internet to ship a dog directly to the customer and thus make more money by cutting out the middleman. If you buy a dog from out of state, good luck getting your money back if there's something wrong with the pup. These people count on you becoming instantly attached to the poor little guy and being willing to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars at the vet to treat whatever is wrong with him.

Find a good breeder by going to www.akc.org or talking to people at dog shows. You can also find info about the breed clubs on the akc site - they probably have a rescue group where you can get an older dog for less money.

Find a breed rescue organization by going to www.akc.org - you can get an older dog for less money. Be VERY careful about getting a shelter dog with children that young. You are often adopting someone else's problem dog. And people often lie about the dog's temperament, hoping he'll get a new home that can deal with him.

Answer 2

Keep your choice simply by considering:
(1) the size of house/garden you have should guide you on maximum size of dog
(2) How active are you and your family - some small dogs need more exercise than some bigger dogs. Consider how much exercise you are able give your dog.
(3) If you have young children - the choice of dog should be guided by careful selection of personality. There are positives and negatives in pedigree groups and mongrel dogs. If buying a dog from a quality breeder you should be able to see both parents (and observe their temperaments). The puppy should not be the most confident, or the quietest of the litter for a family dog. Nervy dogs can be snappy and over-confident can be difficult to handle. You should be able to select your puppy at around 6 weeks and return to collect after 8 weeks minimum. Do not take a puppy from a litter before then.
(4) Whether you choose a puppy or more mature dog, always ensure that you socialise and train them well using positive reinforcement. Dogs that are subjected to overly strict punishment style training are seldom trustworthy - because they have no trust in the owner.

Good luck in your choice. Dogs really can be a great member of the family.

Answer 3

A black Labrador Retriver. They are sweet, calm, and love to play. I have one, if you'd like some information on them , here it is, I am not trying to force u to get one, but If you read this, how can you not?
Temperament
True Labrador Retriever temperament is as much a hallmark of the breed as the "otter" tail. The ideal disposition is one of a kindly, outgoing, tractable nature; eager to please and non-aggressive towards man or animal. The Labrador has much that appeals to people; his gentle ways, intelligence and adaptability make him an ideal dog. Aggressiveness towards humans or other animals, or any evidence of shyness in an adult should be severely penalized.
Coat
The coat is a distinctive feature of the Labrador Retriever. It should be short, straight and very dense, giving a fairly hard feeling to the hand. The Labrador should have a soft, weather-resistant undercoat that provides protection from water, cold and all types of ground cover. A slight wave down the back is permissible. Woolly coats, soft silky coats, and sparse slick coats are not typical of the breed, and should be severely penalized.

Labrador Retriever Breed Standard
Sporting Group

General Appearance
The Labrador Retriever is a strongly built, medium-sized, short-coupled, dog possessing a sound, athletic, well-balanced conformation that enables it to function as a retrieving gun dog; the substance and soundness to hunt waterfowl or upland game for long hours under difficult conditions; the character and quality to win in the show ring; and the temperament to be a family companion. Physical features and mental characteristics should denote a dog bred to perform as an efficient Retriever of game with a stable temperament suitable for a variety of pursuits beyond the hunting environment
They love little kids more than anything.

Answer 4

we've had a jack russel for years and hes grown up with the kids-its going to have to be a puppy though because an older one may or may not take to them when a pup definately will-thet have a wonderful temperament and ours has suffered many times at the hands of the kids and never got nasty-not even once-i agree with the answer about labs/retreivers but the jacks tend to live longer and spare you the heartbreak if the child isnt old enough to understand.they also have a n advantage on the walking on a lead thing as theyre not really strong enough to pull too hard to injure your child.theyre always ready to play and are fiercely loyal to the family they live with and will always let you know when something or someone isnt right.ive had dogs since i was a kid and can honestly say that our jack russel weve got now has been the best dog an owner could hope for and i cant really imagine life without him.you choose what you thinks best but i can only speak from personal experience and for me,and all our family it has to be a jack russel!!!!

Answer 5

I grew up with a lab and would recommend them to anybody.

Great with kids, big enough not to be scared of the kids (they do get scared) and not so big as to scare the kids either (kids get scared too).

Nice and easy to look after; very smart; clean dogs; love to have fun and give sooooooo much love back its unreal.

Pups can be a lot of work initially, especially if you have young kids too. Consider an older dog; 1-3 years old.

There are lots of great dogs in rescue homes because their owners split; died or moved.

Give a friendly dog a second chance if you can.


JJ

Answer 6

I completely agree with Robin M. I have a pit and she is wonderful with children. Look at any of the breed sites, including the AKC site, and they all list the American Pit Bull Terrior as one of the best breeds with children. They are patient, kind, and protective of their people. They have a high pain threshold and that makes them more adapt at handling pulled ears, tails, and any other body part a child may feel like pulling. Wonderful dogs, great with the family, and if properly socialized and trained, as with any dog, they live quite happily with other animals. I have a Rat Terrior and a cat that live peacefully with my pitt.

Answer 7

An American Pit Bull Terrier. They have a bad rep from having bad owners. I own 5 of them and they are excellent with children. They can take the tugging a child might put it through. Look into this breed. There are some great books about them, make sure its an american and not mixed. Happy puppy hunting.

Answer 8

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Answer 9

Its got to be without doubt a staffordshire bull terrier with children they are like kids themselves but just watch them around aggressive dogs they may run away but if another dog bites it they will tear it apart they have something like 300 pounds a square inch of bite pressure ive had 2 n can vouch for them they are so soppy

Answer 10

I have 4 new zealand huntaway dogs, they are brilliant!!! I also have a 4 year old daughter and 2 y.o niece who both love pulling them around. They are labrador sized and black and tan markings (like a Doberman colour). They do require a good walk/run each day. NZ Huntaways have fantastic natures, my daughter drags them around by their leads, dresses them up, pretends to 'doctor' them with a doctors play kit and they love the attention. Most Huntaways are very cheap to buy they can be located either on Farmers weekly and farmers guardian website in sales. Good luck finding the right dog!!