I'm thinking of getting a dog,my kids are a six year old and a newborn.what type of dog would be best?

Answer 1

A hot dog, with loads of mustard. At least there wont be piles of **** for the little one to crawl in.

Answer 2

Among others, Thisisthewoo and missa have some very valid points, so not much I can say to add to that.

Congratulations on your newborn!

I can understand you wanting a dog, and growing up with a dog is a great thing to do for many reasons (children have a friend, it teaches them responsibility and kindness etc. etc.). You want the best for your children, of course.

BUT surely with a 6yr old and especially the newborn, your hands are pretty full already. How are you going to find time to train the dog?

Younger dogs and puppies in particular need a LOT of attention. Yes it's worth it when it works out well, but I think you'd be better off waiting until your children are a little bit older.

It's worth noting it's recommended that children under the age of 10 are not left unsupervised with a dog. Even a friendly one.

Children and dogs CAN and DO mix well, but children - even the more sensible ones - are notoriously bad at reading a dog's body language. I'd hate for there to be an accident.

Sorry to put a dampener on your hopes, but I really think you'd be better off waiting.

Answer 3

Depends on other factors not just kids. How much room you have in your house\appt. How much time you have? What you are looking for energetic or calm?

Check out the links below on dogs.

No matter what kind of dog you get I recommend the following:

1. Get a 1 year old or slightly older dog - puppies are more work than kids.

2. Get the dog from either a shelter or get one from a specific rescue. Once you pick a dog type you can find a rescue by going to yahoo and searching with you dog type the word rescue and your state. ex. Golden Retriever Rescue Kentucky.

Do not under any circumstances by a dog from a pet store.

Answer 4

I would suggest that you wait to get the dog. You are very busy right now with a six year old and a newborn. A new dog is going to take allot of time and energy. I have had a Beagle for 14 years and she has always been very good with babies and young children but I would still never leave them in the same room alone just to be careful. Good luck with your search and best wishes on your new addition.

Answer 5

you should try to get a mellow one and with a newborn i wouldn't try to get a puppy because you all ready got your hands full. So try to get a dog that is all ready trained, good with kids, and mellow. You don't want a dog that's going to jump on you when your holding the baby or on the six year old. But go to your local animal shelter and look for one. It don't really mater on the bread of it as long as it's good. Just remember that some dogs need more exercise then others, i don't know if you like going for walks or any thing so like i sad look at the animal shelter.

Good Luck

Answer 6

I think it would be best for you to wait until your baby is older not because of the biting aspect as I have had dogs with my 2 kids from being born without any kind of problems (but I had the dogs first). Babies take up so much time you aren't going to have enough for a new dog as well as it will take a while to settle in it's new home and you will need to spend quite a bit of time training etc. Best leave it a while.

Answer 7

I don't think you can completely narrow it down by breed. I do think a dog is a great thing for a kid to have, but more than breed, etc...temperament and above all, training is most important. A poorly(or un)trained dog of any breed is a bad idea around rambunctious kids or babies. I can't imagine having enough time to devote to training and caring for a puppy while having two young kids. If you really want one now, I would recommend an older dog (not OLD... think 2-3 years, usually they've grown out of their chew-everything-up stage by then) with a calm demeanor and a good reputation around kids, noise, etc...and you would still have to be very careful to have it properly trained and that it's not aggressive. I would also recommend some trips to the local shelter with a careful investigation of the dog's known background and demeanor. I love, love, love dogs and I love training dogs. But they do demand a ton of attention to live happy lives and it's not right to bring a dog into a home where it will be neglected or only noticed long enough to be punished. As long as you keep those things in mind, I really do think it would be great for your 6 year old especially to have a dog in the house. I got my first puppy (a german shepherd/husky mix) for my 7th birthday (although there were no babies in the house) and it taught me a ton about responsibility and love. She was also very protective of me since we grew up together, but my father was careful that she was well-trained enough to never have even nipped anyone as an adult dog. Best of luck to you and your family!

Answer 8

WOW...a six year old, newborn and now you want a dog too? Are you insane?

Having your kids grow up with pets is a great idea as it teaches them responsibility and respect for animals.It also teaches about life and death.
Dogs are a massive commitment on top of what already seems like a lot of hard work. Who would end up training it, walking it in the rain and snow, clean up after it, take it to the vets etc.....I'm guessing that it would be you.
I would advise that you wait until your baby is older before making such a huge commitment so that he/she understands that it is not something to be grabbed at, pulled about etc.
Dogs are not independant creatures who can amuse themselves...they are as demanding of your attention as your children.
Maybe you should think about introducing something a bit smaller to begin with. Your local pet shop will have loads of advice about ideal animals for your kids.
Whatever you decide, it is important that you are willing and able to give your pet the care and attention it deserves.
Good luck with whichever decision you make.

Answer 9

A Lab is always a good choice but keep in mind these are very active puppies and require alot of exercise! With having a newborn it might not be possible for you to spend enough time with the puppy...I would say check out your local shelter for a medium-sized mix that won't require quite so much from you-of course all dogs need attention but young Labs are highly demanding...I've had two! So maybe you can find a nice little mutt....They usually are great with kids too..

Answer 10

NO NO NO to cocker spaniels! They are well known for being short tempered with kids!! Also avoid Chows, as they can be short tempered with little ones too.

Please do some research on your own regarding dog breeds, the American Kennel Club has descriptions of the demeanors of all registered breeds. There are a LOT that are good with kids, but you also need to consider your lifestyle, the size of your home and your yard, etc.

Just keep in mind that right now, your dog and your baby won't know the different between what toys belong to them and which ones dont. i.e your dog my chew up your baby's toys, and you may find the baby putting a dog toy in its mouth... just something to keep in mind.

Labs, Shepherds, Collies, and Hounds are all great options - just pick the size, energy level, hair length, etc that works for you and your whole family.

Answer 11

This question sounds familiar. I guess everyone looking for a dog wants to know the best breed. I prefer a Labrador because they are very, very kind and lovable. Most little dogs don't want to be around children I would not worry too much about the newborn as long as you keep him or her out of reach of the dog. The 6-year-old needs a companion though. Beagles are adorable as well. It is up to you what size you choose, but for me, I would pick a medium sized dog.