Do you guys know of any dog breeds that are great around infants/kids?

Question

My fiance and I have two new-born twin girls. I'm 22, and we're getting married this summer, mind you. Our lives are great, and we have a pretty big house, so I was just wondering if any of you knew of some great dog breeds that are good around babies and children. They can be big or small, but I'd prefer small, and they need to be great around babies. I'd really appreciate the answers, because we want to adopt a dog. We may not adopt one just yet though, but we do plan on it. Please leave serious answers only! And I'd appreciate details about that type of dog. A best answer will be chosen, so please help out! Thanks in advance!

Okay guys - scratch that - I'm fine with any size!

Okay, well the reason I asked is because my fiance and I were at the pet store a few days ago, just browsing, and we fell in love with this sable and white rough collie, and I didn't know whether collies were good around infants. The thing is, collies seem like they're great with kids, because while we were looking at dogs, he caught my eye. He was in one of these play pens with a little boy. The boy must of been about three! I phoned the pet store the other day to see if they still had that collie, and they said that they did. What're your opinions on collies?

Thanks everyone! You gave great answers! It's hard to pick just one =\

Answer 1

Our family consists of myself, my husband, two boys, ages
3-years-old and 3.5 months old, a 5-year-old chocolate lab, and a 4-year-old tabby cat.

My 3 year old loves his "sister" and vice versa. He has climbed all over her, bounced on her, stuck his hands (and toys) in her mouth, pulled her from her ears to her tail, dragged her around by her collar/ears/tail, dressed her up,etc... and been rewarded with "kisses" every time. Even when he's been too rough (she hates having her ears pulled), she may yelp but will simply get up and walk away. She has never growled or snapped at any of us and is very protective, especially of me when I was pregnant and now of the boys.

Training has had something to do with the way she is but a large part is her natural temperment. Labs are known for being patient, intelligent, and even-tempered. They are very well suited to families with children and I would highly recommend a lab.

When training - a few things to consider (for any breed) -

- touch the dog everywhere and everyday - tug their ears, tail, legs, snout, stick your fingers in their mouth, stick your fingers between their toes - this will get them used to being touched by you and other family members, the vet, etc...and will help when looking for problems but also get them used to the way a child will treat them. Start this asap!

- when the dog is eating, interrupt them. Stick your hand in their bowl. Take the bowl away. Take some food out of the bowl. Pull/push the dog away from the dish when they're eating.
You will find this helpful if they are eating something they shouldn't and need to take it away. It will also be good once your girls are mobile and decide to interrupt the dog's dinner. And they will, no matter how much you supervise them!!!
Dogs can be very territorial over food so break them of it early!

Make sure you socialize him/her with other dogs and people and remember that labs are energetic! They need at least 2 good walks a day, plus some romping time in the yard.

Good luck with your decision, congrats on your little girls, your upcoming marriage and congrats when you get your newest family member.

p.s. we "rescued" our lab from a pet store (it was love at 1st sight for my husband and she was his birthday present)) but you can also find them through breeders and shelters. Breeders can offer you more of a guarantee re: bloodlines, temperment, training, etc...sure they may cost more but in the end it's worth it.

Answer 2

Any dog has the potential to be a good pet.

Just like children, its how you treat and educate your dog that will determine how well it interacts with others.

German Shepards and Labradors are historically the favorites, the most obedient, faithful and loyal with families. They grow to medium sized pets so these seem to fit your needs.

I suggest you begin the relationship by introducing the dog into your family as a puppy that way the girls and the pup can grow together (if not trained, an adult dog is more likely to bite a child when the child tries to pull its face off).

In all honesty though your 'new-born girls' (congratz btw ;) are to young for a pup. Perhaps you could introduce the pup on the girls first birthday ;)

Also you need to be aware that a dog ages 4 times faster than humans (so the experts say). This means when the girls and the pup are 1yo in human years the pup will be 4yo. when the girls are 10yo the pup will be 40 and so on. The end of the dogs life may be not far off.

If you take care of your dog as well as you take care of your children & teach them to interact well together you should have a very happy and satisfying life together.

Whatever you choose...what a lucky little puppy :)

Answer 3

Just how well a particular dog will get along with children depends a lot on how that dog was raised. Dogs need to be introduced to and socialized well with children from an early age in order to get along with them. Nevertheless, there are some dog breeds believed to be just naturally better suited for children. The age of the children, however, is also an important factor.

For small children, you'd generally want to avoid large, boisterous breeds like German Shepherds or Bullmastiffs, though these breeds may be ideal for older children. On the other hand, small or toy dogs can do well with children, particularly older, considerate children, but many will not tolerate the antics of young or ill-behaved children. Not to say that your little ones are going to mistreat the new family pet but children who visit often tend to get aggressive and tease.

A few breeds that many believe to be good with children include Beagles, Bearded Collies, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Boston Terriers, Bulldogs, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Newfoundlands, Pugs, Samoyeds, Siberian Huskies, Springer Spaniels and, of course, the all-time family favorites, Golden Retrievers and Black Labs.

Keep in mind, though, that just because a particular breed is believed to be good with children, there are no guarantees. All dogs need to be well socialized and trained.

Answer 4

Most type of spaniels are great around kids especially the King Charles Cavalier.. Most of these types are non aggressive have a very high tolerance to children.My boss has had Cavaliers with his grandchildren. Even from puppies the kids could climb all over them, pull their tails, just about any thing. All of them were very protective of the kids and you could always rely on them to be on guard around strangers, water, heaters etc.
These dogs were not trained to protect it just came naturally. I even saw one get between the wood heater and a 2 year old child so she couldnt hurt herself. Also when they had a new born the dog would not leave the side of the bassinet, car carrier or cot when the baby was in it.
U could guarantee wherever the kids were (ages infant to 12 ) the dog would be there.
Cavaliears are quite small spaniels so they make a great house dog.
Generally most types of spaniels or spaniel crosses are perfect for the family
cheers

Answer 5

I would suggest a Lab, then a Retriever or Border Collie

All three have been known to be great around children

I have known lab cross/ or Heinz 57s to be awesome around children

For some reason I cringe at any dog that was recently adopted allowed be around babies...you never know what the dog has gone through

Training a new puppy and having small children at the same time
is a chore in itself...like another baby and they don't grow up for 2 years.

You are lucky to have space and some lucky dog/puppy is waiting for you somewhere

Good Luck

Answer 6

In my opinion, around children, you can never go wrong with a good hunting breed. Examples are the some of the more popular breeds such as Golden Retrievers and Labradors.
I've never met any of the above breeds who weren't loyal and excellent with little ones.
Try adopting a mutt with a lab or retriever mix in it. Mutts are great as well and don't usually have the temperment problems you can have with some purebreeds.
A good site for you to check out is: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/ They even have a little test you can take where you put in what you are looking for in a dog and then they will give you suggestions.
Also they have breed profiles that tell a little history and information about that breed.
Good luck on finding the perfect dog for you!
P.S. Congratulations on your sweet little girls as well!

Answer 7

Most dogs if raised with kids would do good with kids. I would probably not go with a really large dog, I got a German Shepard when my daughter was small, he did well but the problem is most large dogs don't realize their size. I still have him and he loves kids, he is 5yrs now, and I raise shelties. Shelties are good when raised with kids also. Any dog you go with you should train buy light tugging on feet and ears because kids will do that, and be sure you do it while they eat as well because kids do like to tease dogs. Get a good training book, The Dog Whisperer is Great for dog training also, read alot about the breeds you consider.

Answer 8

I like Shih Tzus. They are small and affectionate. Their whole goal in life is to make their owners happy. They are also very loyal and love children. Some other plusses are that they do not shed and you can usually leave their food out and they won't over eat.

However, there are also some minuses. First, they require a lot of grooming. If you are keeping the fur long, you must brush its fur daily. You also must make sure that their face and hygenic areas are kept clean and trimmed. They are prone to eye problems, and other health issues. (However, all breeds have some types of issues.)

If you are interested in the breed, check out the website for the American Shih Tzu Club for more information.

www.shihtzu.org

Answer 9

Male dogs will get at least 30 inches tall at the shoulders and weigh at least 120 lbs. A female will be slightly smaller . They have a very good disposition . They dont bark much and only get aggresive when circumstances require it . When you train them you MUST establish the Alpha role . They are prone to hip displacia and heart disease and they are not a long living breed . Averaging around 10 years . They require lots of exercize and need to be taken on long daily walks . They are easy to groom and are average shedders . You should search for reputable breeders and do your homework . Hope this helps .

Answer 10

Well, small dogs are not good around kids/babies. They tend to be agressive, and selfish, I guess thats how you'd put it. If you want a medium sized dog, try a West Highland Terrier, Begal, Cocker Spaniels, Bull Terrier. If you want a big dog, try: German Shepard, St. Benard (really sweet), Greyhound, Labrador Retriever, Rotwhiler, Boarder Collie (or something like Lassey), and a Golden Retriever (SUPER SWEET). I have two Malteses, a Yorkshire Terrier, and a yorkie chihuahua. Those are all small dogs.