What breed dog would be most compatible for us?

Question

I have done a lot of research on dog breeds and would like any personal experience that anyone has had. I have a small child (she will be around 2 when we get the dog), I am a stay at home mom. My husband will be traveling a LOT for work soon so I would like a good watch dog. We have a place with a nice size yard, but the dog will be an inside dog. I would like a breed good with kids (most are if raised with them), and a good watch dog the dog doesnt have to be a guard dog, but it would be nice to feel protected. We do not have any other dogs, however we do visit family often with several other dogs on acerage. Any personal experience would be helpful. Thanks for your time!

I have been going to the local shelter every week now. I am still doing research and want to make sure of what I want. I dont believe in just buying a dog because it is "cute" and it ending up in a shelter.

Answer 1

because you have a small child, i will recommend two things. 1) get a dog that does not require TOO much grooming. 2) Get a dog that was bred to be around children.

Now, with that said, i will suggest either a Boxer, a Doberman, or an American Bulldog. I have owned many working breeds and with the criteria mentioned above, these would be best suited for you. Because of the fact that he/she will be an inside dog, all three have short coats so the shedding will not be bad and hair will not be left all over the house to be picked up or swept up daily. Because you have a small child but also want a watch NOT a Guard dog, i recommend these breeds because they are natural protectors. The Doberman is the only dog in the world and in history designed and bred to be a watch/guard dog but with the adaptability and love of children and family still in tow. Boxers are known for their dedication to children as opposed to adults meaning that they prefer teh company of kids instead of adults but still accepting of their owners. Bulldogs just love their owners and are known for spending hours just laying down next to you or with you and sometimes on top of you. They have tendency to drool but its not too bad. With your small child, i recommend you stay away from Rottweilers because they are not the type of dog that likes to be poked and proded as young kids have tendency to be and do. German Shepherds are good but do shed constantly. If you need anymore info or advice, please feel free to contact me.

Answer 2

I see that you have a lot of answers to this question, but I thought I'd throw my two cents in :-)

If you want a dog that will help make you feel safe, then you might consider a black Lab (black is more intimidating), Rottweiler, or German Shepherd. All of these dogs are good with kids when raised around them (never leave a young child and a large dog unsupervised, though). Make sure that you socialize the dog to whichever dogs he or she will be around when he or she gets older. That way the dog will stay friendly with them. You will also want to spay or neuter at an early age to keep them well behaved around other dogs.

If you are OK with a smaller dog, Shetland Sheepdogs (Shelties) make great watchdogs because they bark at any provocation. If you have a home and the dog lives inside, excessive barking shouldn't be too much of a problem. A Pembroke Welsh Corgi is also a very alert dog, and because it's a member of the Herding Group, they tend to make good watchdogs.

If you just want a large dog, and don't care if it looks intimidating or not, Golden Retrievers make great family dogs. Just beware that Retrievers and Labs tend to be very hyper until they mature (2 or 3 years).

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

I'm not going to recommend any specific breed because a lot of it depends on the personality of the dog and mixed breeds are fabulous as well, but I am going to offer some things you should consider.

Because you have a small child, contrary to many of the recommendations on here, I would strongly recommend against most toy breeds. These dogs can be very very fragile and one misstep by a child can leave you with thousands of dollars in medical bills.

I would also recommend against any hounds. Sighthounds will lock onto a target and follow it with no regards to anything else. If a door gets left open, a gate not closed, or if the dog pulls from the child's hand, the dog will be gone and you will have lower than a 50-50 chance of catching your dog again. A scent hound may be similar. Most hounds will disregard traffic, fences, calls, etc to follow their 'prey', even if the target is another person a block over, and then will look up and realize that they are lost.

Any dogs that run instinctively are also not a great option for you. Again, any out that they see can lead dogs like Huskies to 'freedom' and you won't see them again.

Be careful of herding dogs unless you can guarantee that the dog will be on a leash at all times when you leave the house. More than one Sheltie has been killed trying to 'herd' cars. However, the size and protective nature of this dog may actually be a good match for you.


You don't mention the activity level that you are looking for in a dog. This is a major deciding factor, along witht he amount of time you want to care for the dog (meaning brushing, trimming, grooming, etc). A dog that's mostly inside means that a border collie, australian shepherd, kelpie, or similar high activity level dog won't work for you. They need more than to run around in the backyard and then curl up inside. They need at least an hour of dedicated playing and working to be happy.

If you have an aversion to shedding, dogs like labs, dalmations, and most double coated dogs (shelties, poms, huskies, keeshond, etc) will not be good for you. If you don't want to spend money at the groomers, long haired and dense coated dogs will not be great for you. This means lhasas, pekinese, the double coated dogs again, possibly poodles, setters, etc.

A Jack Rusell or Beagle may also be a good bet for you. They tend to let you know when someone is around, they are protective of their people, but are generally friendly dogs that are well-behaved and trainable. They also come up at resuce fairly frequently. However, a Jack Russell is a quite active dog and will need walks and attention quite a bit.

And of course, get any unaltered dog fixed as soon as is safe for the dog.

I'm going to link to some rescue sites, some dog prep sites, and some reputable breeder sites for you. You sound like you are being very responsible and thoughtful about this, so I congratulate you on that. Good luck in your search!! : )

Answer 4

My parents have 2 golden retrievers and they are excellent with my 10 month old daughter (has been since birth). They are protective of the house although they're bark is worse then they're bite. The male always stands between his owners and strangers.

Although I understand the reasons for getting a dog from a shelter, you are probably better off to get a puppy so that it can grow with your child, instead of having to worry that an adult dog might turn on your child (when I was young a "great family dog" that my parents got from a shelter attacked me)

Answer 5

I personally have Rottweilers. I love them. Mine are therapy dogs and are around children all the time and are so gentle and love them! But also, I have spent a lot of time and dedication to their training.

I would recommend Boxers. They are known to be great with kids. Often choosing to be with a child over an adult. I had a friend that grew up with a boxer and it was her best friend. Plus they don't have a tail to knock the child down. lol.

Good job on doing the research. Just be sure to find a dog that will be gentle around your toddler.

When I was 6 I got a lhasa, and that was great, but not what i was looking for. She wasn't into learning new tricks or anything like that. She just wanted to do her own thing and play when SHE wanted to play. She is now 11 and is the same way! But, she is a good dog. Though, she does get snappy. I am more afraid of her than my Rottweilers. When my rotties havn't EVER raised a lip to me. Though, I have seen her teeth plenty. But, then agian, i was younger and wanted to teach her tricks and dress her up. So hey, i wouldn't like me either.

Good luck. Best wishes.

Answer 6

Two breeds come to mind, for a larger dog, a Yellow Female Lab would be perfect. Very gentle with children and protective but still a very sociable with other animals. Protective and vocal when a stranger comes around but not aggressive. For a smaller dog, I would suggest a Shiatsu, very mild tempered, but will make a lot of noise in case of an intruder. Good Luck

Answer 7

Look no further, the breed you are looking for is a Boxer! They are sweet, funny, extremely gentle with children, they love attention and are very playful. They will thrive when included as a full member of your family. Boxer are not agressive by nature but are good guard dogs. They don't really like extreme heat or cold and are not the type of dog to leave outside. Best of all, very low maintenance, no shedding and clean. I would opt for a female, their nuturing instinct is remarkable and they tend to be smaller in size.

Answer 8

The breed does not remember in any respect on your difficulty when you consider which you stated you observed Sasha from the pound ( yay rescue canine ) you will in all probability decide to get yet another domestic dog from the pound yet whilst they show you how to which ones is in all probability necessary to adoption is for Sasha to work together with the domestic dog before you undertake some centers try this some do no longer if the pound does not you are able to ask in case you are able to hold your canine in only to ascertain if she likes that domestic dog for sure its no longer purely going to be love on the commencing up sight for the canine, they do no longer comprehend the domestic dog would be going residing house with you...yet with any luck you are able to work together those canine As to your canine character many times the character of a Lab or Golden Retriever consistent with probability even a small breed such as you pronounced the King Charles Spaniel all of it concerns on character rather desire I helped and stable luck Jess

Answer 9

I agree with the others. Go to a shelter and let the dog pick you. Save a life. Just check how it is with your daughter. I wouldn't get a really big dog. A small to medium sized dog will be best.

Answer 10

Just get a small sized dog from the humane society or the pound.

You don't need to get any certain breed, just make sure it has a good temperment.

Full bred dogs are usually inbred anyway.