What to do?

Question

Ok we got a Chihuahua and I know now that was the wrong decision for our family due to I have a toddler and she can't stop playing with the puppy(6 months old), So I am going to talk it over with my hubby about adopting him to a family or someone without small children. I am wondering if a Husky or Greman Shepard would be better because they are bigger and more durable to handle a child who loves puppies and want to play with them all the time.
We moniter our daughter when she plays with the puppy we have now and we displine her and let her know what she can and can not do with the puppy now and I know she is still young but I am affriad the with the puppy we have now and how small he is and his bones I don't want to take the chance of him getting seriuosly hurt. I know with a bigger dog they are a little more durable and thier bones are not that small but still the same effect can happen. So I am just wondering if a bigger breed of dog would be better with a small child.

And what kind of breed, I already know I don't want a lab because they still act like puppies when they are older.

My daughter is almost three but loves animals and always want to cuddle and play with them.

She doesn't hurt the puppy and she isn't mean to the puppy she just loves to hold and carry him around.

Our chihuahua is very tolerent of our daughter never barks or nips at her or anyone, he just shacks when she comes near and before we got him he was raised with other children. We have had him for three months now.

Answer 1

okay..just because you have a young child does not mean you cant have a dog. i have 5 young children and 2 dogs. we have a husky mix and a greyhound.
personally i would not recomend a husky or husky mix. you think a lab is bad about being a pup..try a husky! they can be very destructive, get seperation anxiety ect. these are working dogs...and they need a job to do. so if you have time to help the dog have something to do..research the breed and find a very good breeder then go for it. i do obedience w/our husky mix daily..go to a 5 acre dog park 2x month.. and 2 walks a day...and he still has tons of energy. he has to be crated everytime i leave my house and when i am in bed at night..he will destroy it.
German Sheperd dogs are pretty good dogs..one of my favorite breeds. they are pretty good w/children and very protective of their homes and families. i have never got the chance to own one of these yet.
i recomend a st. bernanrd or great pyrenese..these dogs are very big...but absolutly great w/children. there are lots of great pyrenese rescues and st bernard rescues out there. and most these dogs are already house trained, obedience trained ect. if you do decide to get a puppy then do not get one from a pet store. pet store pups come from puppy mills and these are horrible places.
also another good breed is a greyhound..ours is wonderful. a very laid back dog..they only need a good run about once a week. and are very good w/children.
whatever breed you do decide to get do your research first...that way you know what you are getting into.

Answer 2

Well, with Chihauhuas, what I'd be more concerned about is the puppy nipping at your child. They have a tendancy to be slightly high strung and will defend themselves if they feel threatened. As for you worrying about the puppy getting hurt... Like you said, you supervise your child with the animal and the chance of a toddler seriously injuring the dog is slim to none. If you had a five or six year old that was being too rough then your chances of injury increase but when you say toddler, I'm assuming 1-2 years of age and their strength just isn't that great, not enough to break bones. Puppies of all breeds are amazingly durable, think about how puppies interact with each other; it's a lot of biting, tumbling and chasing. If you're heart-set on getting another breed of dog, though, I wouldn't recommend a German Shepard since you said you don't want a lab because they still act like puppies when they get older. I have a 10 year old German Shepard who still acts like he's six months old and loves to play around with me still. A Husky also wouldn't be a good idea with a small child considering the fact they will get defensive, just as the Chihuahua might. A Golden Retriever would probably be your best bet or possibly a chocolate Lab. The Chocolate Labradors, as apposed to the black labs, have a tendancy to develope that maturity with age better than Black Labs do. There is always the chance they'll still want to play and be hyper, a lot of it has to do with how they were bred but your chances are reduced. Another consideration is a Doberman puppy. If it's raised with the child, it'll be a very affectionate and loyal companion, not to mention tolerant and you'll find Dobermans age very gracefully. I was raised with a Doby and they're the greatest dogs to have as a playmate when you're a kid and even an adult.

Also, as for the people above who are saying you need to pay attention to your daughter more than the animal... That's dead wrong. Yes, both need lots of attention and love but that doesn't mean you can only have one or the other. Are you going to wait until your daughter is 18 until you have another child? Most likely, no. An animal companion is a great idea for a young child because it offers them the opportunity to grow and learn with their new friend and offers them a type of social interaction they won't get with other children. I've had pets since the age of two and it gave me a wonderful opportunity to learn about responsibility and boundries. My husband and I plan on raising our children the same way and with any luck, that will be very soon!

Answer 3

My suggestion to you is NOT to get a puppy while your child is still a toddler. YOu already have too much to handle and if you think the chihuahua is too much, any puppy will be too much. SInce adopting a dog is very much like having a baby, I think you should consider not having one at least till your toddler gets older and you do not have all the responsibilities that are just too much. A puppy needs training and lots of patience and love, and right now all this needs to be given to your baby. You either should have gotten the pet way before you had the baby so it would be trained already, or just wait a few more years. Find it a real good home where he will get the attention he needs and for now, play with the baby and get him a stuffed dog. A German Shepard puppy requires the same kind of care as a little dog and if it is a puppy you will need to really train him well which takes lots of time and patience. A husky will also needs lots of care...just because they are a larger breed does not make them 'more durable' ---- I think you have plenty of responsibility right now to be taking on a new pet......what if you get a larger dog and you find a reason why you cannot keep this one and you have to find this other dog another home, like the other one, and you just cannot keep this going on......Just find the little dog a home, make sure it is a good home, and find your daughter a medium size dog later on when you will not have any problems. I understand your daughter likes playing with puppies but let her play with stuffed ones until she gets older.

Answer 4

Your pup should be fine...as long as you keep doing what you are doing in monitering the the child when she plays with the pup. How old is you kid...I have a 16 month old and he loves the pups and plays with them quite well....If you still think the small pup could be a problem then you might get him a new home....I have a German Shepard and he is great with my son...he is very tolerant with him....that is because we got the GSD when my sone was about 3 months old so he has always had to deal....My GSD is also very protective of my son know....So that breed is not a bad choice either....but you will still have to watch the kid and dog until the pup is just a little bigger....I had no problems though...

And don't listen to the people who say kids and dogs are not good at the same time....that is not true...they will have a great bond and a pup who has to put up with kids all his life will be more tolerant of them when he is older....

Answer 5

My son was a toddler when I got our first puppy he was a lab/ chow mix not a big dog but not a small one either. I think every child needs to grow up with a pet I did when I was small .

If it was me personally I would probably keep the dog a little longer. What I did with our son is I would sit right there with him and the puppy and let him play and when he got to aggresive with the dog I would slap his hands and say no you are being mean to puppy. It took awhile but he finally understand and then they was fine. Actually kids and puppies growing up together is a good thing they will become the best of friends. My puppy followed my toddler every where especially if he was eating a cookie lol didnt need to vaccum then :o).

Seriously though I would not go with a German Shepard they can get a little aggresive sometimes, now a Husky . I have a Siberian Huskay and got her when she was a year old and my son was 3 years old and she was so great with my son. There isnt a mean bone in her body . And if Michael pulled her tail or ears without me seeing she would just leave the room .
So my kiddo grew up with two puppys actually .
but like I said I had to sit with my child and teach him right from wrong and slap hands or swat his behind to teach him that is not allowed to be mean to animals of any kind and he did learn .

Good Luck and your child will love your pet once they learn the rules of having a pet that you have to be nice to the doggie


Additional Information

I agree with the others on here that say get your child a dog , just because you are getting your toddler a dog does not make you a bad parent or you need to spend more time with your kid I have no idea why in the heck they would say something like that. When my son was born I had a beagle but sad to say they did not grow up together he got out and got hit by a car, but the one dog I was telling you about on here they did grow up together. I think a child having a dog or pet is wonderful. It teaches them to love and respect animals and when she gets a little older you can hand off some of the dog responsiblity to her like feeding the dog, giving it water, or sitting down to brush the dog, it makes her feel important that she can help out , my son loved the fact he could take care of "his dog" :o). Dont listen to these folks on here about you not being a good parent that is bs .

Answer 6

I have both dogs.... chihuahua and husky....both are great with kids. my chuhauhua is very VERY protective of my children. He grew up with my kids starting at 5 weeks old. There is not a thing wrong with your toddler to play with the puppy, they are actually bonding. they are going to need this interation to make a bond, a connection. Toddlers can be a little too aggressive towards puppies, but sometimes thats not always a bad thing. You will learn the temperment of the puppy. For example.... my chiahuahua LOVES attention, you can play aggresively with him.... but if he snaps at the kids, ( which he never leaves a mark)... they KNOW hes done playing and wants to be left alone. Because of the interation he has gotten with the kids ( growing up with them)..... he is tolerant of other children's 'rough play'.

Good luck!

Answer 7

I would just try spending your time with your daughter for now, and forget the dog for a while. No matter the animal, she will want to play with it, and a Husky or German Shepherd could actually make the situation worse, as they are more likely to snap back, if she harms or threatens them in any way. Larger dogs will see her as a member of their pack, and will want to show dominance over her. It is very difficult to bring a new dog into a home with a child that is unable to leave the dog alone. Since she and the animal will be approximately the same size, the dog will see her as a threat in some situations.
I wish you good luck in finding a healthy, happy home for your dog, if you choose to give it up. Try your vets office, as they may know of a family who is looking for a new pet, and they will be able to provide the references you need to know your dog is going to a great home!

Added to respond to comments below:

Please, dear God, don't recommend they get a Pyrenees or a Newfoundland. This woman is ready to give her dog away because the kid won't leave it alone. She doesn't need another dog, she needs parental classes. Get your child to respond correctly to the dog you already have, or get rid of it. It's that simple. To go out and replace it with another dog, which of course will bring the same problems she has now, makes NO sense.
As for those who think this is bashing people who have dogs and children in general, it is NOT. I have a child, and 4 dogs. In this particular instance, this woman is not interested in training her child, she is interested in the easiest way to get rid of this dog so that she may replace it with one "more durable". If there wasn't any thought before this poor dog was purchased, why do you think it will be okay for the next one she brings into the home for 6 months??!!!

Answer 8

Who is 6 months, the dog or the kid? If it's the kid, I would wait until the kid is 6 years old before you burden yourself with the dog. If you get a large dog, they ALL act like puppies until they are older, not just labs. Big dogs mature slowly.

How about adopting an older dog that has had experience with kids. There are many rescues out there who will KNOW exactly how the dogs are with kids.

Answer 9

I hate to say this because I know you won't want to hear it, but you are speaking of two different creatures who both need your attention and love in order to grow up happy and healthy. Don't you think you would be better off just giving your new daughter ALL of your attention and waiting on getting a dog until later, maybe 3, 4, or 5 years? Your daughter is the one who really needs all of your attention and if you are giving her what she needs then you will be doing a disservice to any pup you bring into the house because the dog won't be getting anywhere near the attention that it deserves.

Answer 10

Picking a dog by breed alone won't help you. You need to find a dog that is physically and emotionally compatible with your lifestyle. We suggest going to your local shelter / pound with your child, and introduce her to some of the dogs there. Find one that is gentle with your child (and vice versa). An older dog with more established behaviors might be better suited to your child than a puppy (which can be unpredictable).