I have a 22 month old daughter and she always enjoys watching our neighbors dog. What breed should I get?

Question

What breeds are good for young children. I don't want an agressive dog. I thought maybe a small dog, but I like the Lab.

Answer 1

Here's a good site that helps you to consider whether or not you really want a dog ... I'd have a quick read of that & look at the ten questions
http://www.doginfomat.com/b4ugetadog.htm

If you've read it & are still keen, then why not try this site:
http://www.selectsmart.com/DOG/
It has some good questions in there which could help you when considering a breed & it will provide you with a ranked list of suggestions at the end - suggestions that you can click on to go to a quick summary of the suggested breed.

However, as you like Labradors already - why not just go for one of them? They are generally considered to be very good with children & although I understand that you can occassionally have one who might not be as bideable as the norm, it doesn't affect their sheer good temperment & love of life.

I'd recommend reading the book 'Marley & Me' by John Grogan - a wonderful story of his life with his golden labrador.

There's lots of information out there on the web about Labradors & as they are a popular breed, lots of breeders. My only advice is to try & pick a good one preferably by personal recommendation from someone who owns one of that breeding. If you live in a friendly area then the next time you see someone walking theirs, stop them & ask them about it & where they got it. Most dog owners love to talk about their dogs.

Answer 2

A dog is only as aggressive as the people who train it. Even the so called nefarious pitbulls are good dogs as long as you put the time and effort into training it. For fewer health problems, get a mutt at the humane society. They tend to have less genetically carried problems that "pure breeds" do. It will also be less expensive. Labs are EXTREMELY high energy dogs. This means that you need to spend a lot of time training and exercising your lab. Also, just a side note, more people are bitten by labs than by pitbulls every year. There are no bad dogs, only bad owners. Don't let the breed fool you. If you are getting a puppy, your puppy will reflect the amount of time and energy that you take to train and socialize your dog. A lot of this will depend on how much time you have available to put into your dog. That might be difficult with a two year old child running around, but they could grow up together. Realize that a dog could live 10 to 14 years after you get it. Make sure that everyone in the family realizes that they need to be consistent with how the dog is treated from the moment it comes into the house. My wife and I got a lab/pitbull mix. He is a high energy dog, but he is very smart and well mannered. He needs a lot to chew on and we have to take him out for a lot of walks. He has short hair so no grooming needed. He is more than likely going to get to be about 60 lbs. No matter what kind of dog you get, you are going to want to make sure that you have the time, paitience, and money to spend on the dog. It is no small undertaking. The breed doesn't matter as much as how much time you have to put into it. Make sure you figure out how much that is before you find out you don't have enough.

Answer 3

Being as your child is only 22 months,would suggest you get a pup that isn't the fragile type,as sometimes children play too ruff with the tiny ones,because they don't understand that they may hurt the pup.If you do get a small breed just make sure it is aroung 6 months old,that way the pet can get out of harms way if needed.Most small breeds are all loving little pets with great temperments.The Maltese are a good little pet with children.

Answer 4

look up golden retrievers - they are loyal and laid back