what is the best dog for a family?

Question

I have 3 children and a 3 yr old beagle. She is great with the kids
and since we have had her we havent had problems with pests.
We want a companion for her but we want a dog that is protective
of the home (ours right now is very passive) but still friendly with
the family. A dog that doesnt shed much either. Our beagle sheds and adding another would be a crazy mess!
Any ideas would be appreciated.

Answer 1

A DOG THAT DOES NOT SHED. I write in capts so that all the people that gave you answers of dogs that shed get the point. If u don't know Labs shed, Retrievers Shed.

Schnauzer, Poodle, Lake Land Terror, Silky, Yorkie, Wheaten,

All dogs that don't shed, and don't have as annoying bark as a beagle

Answer 2

Now we know everything you want, so let's consider the dog's needs when it becomes part of your family. Are you sure the beagle needs a companion, or do you just want another dog? Doesn't matter, just so you know the motivation behind adding another pet. Practically any dog that is raised as an integral part of your family will develop protective tendencies as it matures. Be careful, too protective can be a problem. Very few breeds "don't shed", and this is part of being a dog. A daily brushing helps, and perhaps your children could take this responsibility. Poodles and Schnauzers are among the breeds that shed very little hair, but they require regular grooming which is an added expense. You might let the adult size of the dog be your best guide and select one that will be a good "fit" for your family.

Answer 3

A rottwieler. That was there original purpose for being bred: a large protective dog, that was good, and playfull with kids; most people don't believe that because of the bad rep that they have gotten, but don't believe the hype, if you are willing to pay that little extra cash to get a purebreed rotti from a person that knows what they are doing and can tell you the animals history, that would be the way to go, trust me, they are loyal, and totally selfless, it would love you and you kids, and the little beagle too as they are usually very social dogs. but if you can't afford all of that (which is very understandable as neither can i), a shelter dog would be great. I volunteer at a shelter, and all of those dogs are great, loving, and good with people and other dogs. You can ask the workers (or volunteers) whether or not a particular one that you are looking at would be good with your kids and they would be able to tell you, and if you want to test it out, you could take your kids to the shelter with you, that way you could see how they all interact, hey, you could even take the beagle! Just take the time to look into whatever decision that you make. Out of my five dogs, (2shih tzus, a lab/chow, chow/hybrid, and a little mutt) my two most loyal and protective have been my Chow/ coyote hybrid, and my little mutt. I have also noticed that my shih tzu's are very...well...big hearted. i thought that they were passive too, until one day, when i was walking them, and very large dog came charging towards me, and my teenie 20 something pound shih tzu got between me and the other dog growling as if he would actually be able to do something if that dog was meaning me harm. So don't judge your dog so quickly, she might be more protective than you think.

Answer 4

Having small children you want to be very care full with small dogs because they high strung and don't put up with a lot torture from the tots. how ever and dog you get will do better with the beagle and the kids if you get a pup and raise it like it is where it belongs, as part of the family. And i agree that for the purpose of a second pet without the urge to breed a good place to start looking is the pound or animal shelters. They usually have puppies that will be more loyal than even your spouse. I personally got a pit bull, I know what your thinking but a pit raised with a family from a puppy ant treated right as long as it is not a product of blue blood (Inbreeding) will be very loyal and protective. The drawback with a pit is if you have company or your kids are playing with friends you need to separate the pit from the strangers.

Answer 5

Cairn Terriers are great little dogs that are a great family dog. They do not shed, although they are long haired (I have one so I can attest that he does not shed). They are GREAT watch dogs in that they will alert you when someone is in the yard or at the door, however they are not agressive dogs (ie they are not a GUARD dog). They are good with other dogs IF they are introduced to other animals when they are a puppy. My dog doesn't know a stranger or a stranger dog, my parents Cairn on the other hand was sheltered from other animals and thus is agressive to other dogs other than my Cairn (which took some work). I've posted a link below from teh Cairn Terrier foundation that explains the breed in detail.

Answer 6

I like the idea of a pet from the shelter. Also, do you brush your Beagle much? They're such short haired dogs? Seems like you get more dead hair falling off than actual shedding. You might "test run" having another dog around and do some pet sitting in your house. I thought my dog wanted a companion too, but she was having NO PART of that when I let a friend leave her dog with us over the weekend.

Answer 7

A dog that is 'protective' of your home and family might invite some problems you didn't even think of; If a neighbors child has a spat with one of your children that dog will "protect" your child by biting or attacking the neighbors child.
Your Beagle needs to have a bath at least once a week. Comb his coat with an ordinary comb. Combing will pull out the loose hair and also invigorate his scalp.
Your Dog Loves your family, all they want is to be loved. They don't need another dog to keep them company.

Answer 8

your best place to find this dog is going to be your local humane society. all dogs shed but some less than others. also a premium food and regular grooming will help reduce hair. the staff at the shelter are trained to know what questions to ask and know the dogs there well and should be able to find you the perfect pet. plus you will be saving a life. and with 3 kids the cost is minimal since the dog will come already spayed or neutered and currant on vaccines. but before commiting to another dog, make sure you have the time and finances to commit to that dog. good luck.

Answer 9

Get the book "The Right Dog For You". It only covers AKC dogs, but it will give you a great overview of each dog, their temperament, how they interact with other animals, with children, if they are a 'one master' dog, etc. Keep in mind, just like us, each dog is unique, so there are never any promises about how a dog will react. If you go with another pure bred dog, research your breeders. Most breeders will work with you if the pup you pick somehow doesn't work out with your situation.

Answer 10

I would suggest a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel........They are a medium breed dog,very family orientated and excellent with kids. They also like to bark at unfriendly visitors but not to the extreme that u can't stand the noise. They do however require regular grooming as their hair grows rather than sheds.