What is a good breed to have around very young children?

Question

We have a 9 month old and would like to get him a puppy for christmas.

Answer 1

German Sheppards, Beagles

Answer 2

Do not get your 9 month old a puppy.

You need to get a puppy because you and your spouse want one. You are the ones that will be completely responsible for the vaccinations, spaying and neutering, feeding, walking, and training of the dog.

At 9 months old, a baby does not know what hurts a dog, so this maybe a really bad time to get a dog. I would wait until the baby is older.

If you would like, you can email me at [e-mail] and I can help you with finding a dog, if you are really set on it.

I can advise you on breeds that would be good for your family and life style if you are set on a pure bred. Otherwise, rescued dogs are geat pets!!!

Answer 3

No offense, but you don't get a 9 month old child a puppy for Christmas. Lol. Sorry.

Aside from that, my best advice about a breed that is good around children DOES NOT come in puppy form. ADULT dogs are the absolute best when it comes to younger children because there are no surprises about size or temperment. Also, puppies are SO MUCH hard work when it comes to training them and trying to teach them right from wrong, all the while raising your young child.

Please don't buy a "purebred." Please take a peek in the shelters for a doggie. And please please please don't overlook the pit mixes! Unlike what the media tends to portray about the breed, pit bulls WERE NOT bred to be aggressive towards humans. AND because of the nature of what they were bred for, pit bulls have a higher pain tolerance and better patience than most other breeds.

And no matter what breed you decide, ALWAYS SUPERVISE. Most bite fatalities are with young children who were unsupervised. And even more were associated with dogs who lived their life on a chain outside, subject to whatever came along and defenseless to it all.


**edit** and I wholeheartedly agree with the above poster that pit bulls are not meant for everyone. ::sigh::

Another reason why i suggest an adult (over 2 years). There temperments are usually well in place at that age. And with any breed.

Answer 4

Okay, this is a hard one. I'm a firm believer in "For every good dog a family, and for every good family, a dog." That said, it's not time for a puppy yet. Please, hear me out...

At 9 months old, your son is too young to appreciate a dog - or for them to be safe together without constant supervision. Your son doesn't have full control of his motor skills yet. Now, the puppy will be one up on him in that regard - dogs develop faster - but the puppy's still a baby, and so is your son.

You'll have two babies to contend with at once. Neither of them knows much. Each comes from a different culture (more about that in a sec). Both need cleaning up after, teaching, guiding.

Dogs and humans do some things in a similar way, others in very different ways. When you incorporate a dog into your family, you have to teach him to be fluent in "human," as in "this is how we do things around here, this is what's acceptable, this isn't." For instance - if one dog goes too far during play, bites too hard, yanks another's fur, etc. , it's perfectly acceptable (among dogs) to growl, maybe even snap. Maybe even a little nip. Among dogs, this is acceptable behavior.

Not among humans. Your son could easily misjudge his reach, yank on the puppy's fur, hard - ouch! Puppy will probably let out a yip, then snap. If your son was another dog, he'd read the signs and pull back, but he's not, so he won't - and he'll get bitten. And it won't be his fault, or the puppy's.

This is just one example. Basically, you're talking about taking on two babies, neither with bladder control or much in the way of experience or education.

Also, Christmas is one of the few "wrong" times to add a dog to the family. The family schedule isn't anything like normal, there may be decorations (that look very tasty) around... better to give a child a book about dogs, and a leash - and tell him you're going to pick out your new doggy AFTER the holidays, because someone's going to have to be around to take in the new addition, train him, and help him get used to his new family, all hard to do during the holidays.

Your heart's in the right place, and I'm so glad you're thinking about this, but at 9 mos. old, your son's better off with a good baby book about dogs (there are some with textured bits so he can pet the doggy's ears, etc.), visiting friends who have dogs, or a dog park, and learning how to approach a dog safely, etc. Then, when he's old enough to have a little self-control (and help take care of the dog - even a kindergartner can participate in obedience class with you, and help you feed and brush the dog, all important lessons), it'll be time to add someone furry to your family in such a way that it'll be a good experience for all of you. Good luck!

Answer 5

AHHHH! Don't do it!
Puppies for Christmas and a 9 month old spell disaster for the pup. After the cute-ness of the holidays are over most cuddly puppies given to kids are no longer cute and end up in shelters. Bad idea! A stuffed puppy would make a better gift for your little one.

Answer 6

First of all, remember that the dog will be YOURS, not your childs. Your child can not and will not take care of it.

Secondly, congratulations on deciding to get a new FAMILY MEMBER :) That's right, family member, including a life time commitment :)

We have a Golden Retriever, he is WONDERFUL. I have 2 young children as well, and he is gentle with them. However, Goldens do shed and they grow to be BIG, so they need to be trained to be gentle.

If you are looking for a small dog, Bichon Frise's can be a wonderful choice, they are very happy go lucky dogs.

Remember, don't buy a dog from a pet store, it is likely a poorly bred dog that will cost you a fortune in vet bills in the future. It's always best to get a dog from a reputable breeder, that breeds AKC (American Kennel Club) or CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) registered dogs, because that means that the breeder cares enough about the breed to take the short amount of time it takes to register the dogs. Yes, the initial cost of a well bred dog is generally higher than a mixed breed, but take it from someone who has had a bad experience with a poorly bred dog...you will likely end up spending way more in vet bills than you'll pay for the dog initially.
Also, good breeders offer health guarantees for their dogs of at least 1 1/2 years.

Another option is to get a rescue dog from the SPCA, however their health is not guaranteed so you have to be prepared for the possible vet costs when going with that option.

Answer 7

The breed shouldn't matter. I have pugs, and every pug I've ever known has been good with kids. BUT, I'm sure there is always an exception. Don't worry so much about certain breeds, because every dog, regardless of breed, is different. But, I wouldn't recommend a large dog if your children are little. Even the gentlest dog can knock over a child and really scare them.

Answer 8

I would say a springer spaniel but they're kind of hyper so might not be the best for young kids. Have you thought of adopting a shelter dog? an older dog might be better because they're not as hyper or likely to cause accidents. If you want a puppy then I'd go for a springer or golden retriever, they're smart dogs so it'll be easier to train and it's also fairly easy to find a litter of puppies. do what you feel best about though.

Answer 9

Labs and goldens are good but note that these dogs because of their popularity are severely inbred which can lead to unstable behavior. Small dogs tend to have insecurity issues with the wrong owner and much more apt to nip. I am tired of the ignorant belittling pits. I would not recommend them to everyone, you have to have a strong personality and alot of patience but one thing you will hear from every successfull pit owner is that they are great with kids. Why? because they have a high pain threshold- yanking on ears, climbing on them, pulling of the tale, etc. doesn't even make them flinch whereas with other breeds child behavior will cause them to at least nip. They are very family devoted dogs and people- it is not in their genetic makeup to bite people period, they have to be trained or abused to that point this is grounded in fact from the days of fighting, a dog that turned on it's owner would never have the chance to pass on it's genetic traits. Anyway, if you don't possess the personality to own a pit (no knock on you, most don't and this is where the poor rep comes from) then I would definatly suggest a Brittany Spaniel. Strong genes, little to no aggression, great loving family dog, but remember like most dogs plenty of exercise. Good luck and remember a dog is an animal, not a child, seems obvious but I see alot of posts that seem to contradict this.

Answer 10

the best bet is to wait until your child is around 3-4 years old. golden retrievers are great with children but remember, you have to house break and have lots of time for the puppy and having a two year old child and a 2 year old puppy is really like having two kids and it can be tough because you have to have enough time with both. can you imaging running around after both of them all day long? puppies need a lot of attention and training and you need to be able to do that and look after your child but if you really want a puppy now, i say golden retrievers. german shepards are good dogs with children but they arent accepted on some insurance plans. make sure you have fenced in back yard and enoug time to groom the dog too, brushing, trimming nails (teeth yes they need dental care too) and plenty of exercise and one thing i have learned is dont expent them to just go outside and do it them selves they want company when they get exercise, frisby throwing, ball retrieving, etc.

Answer 11

Well I think the smaller the children and the smaller the animal it is bad! When the grow up, they hold the puppy not very well. It can hurt the puppy. I don't think you should get a dog, because toddlers pull the dog's tail all the time. I think if you get a dog get one that grows fast, yet has no tail. I have seen some dogs that are born without a tail, and they are precious!