i am looking for a small house dog. something not weighing over like 7 lbs, somthing toy or teacup. i was wondering what is the best breed around children. one that doesn't really shead. any and all suggestions are apprecaited!
oh and if you own a small dog like i am looking for could you give me some pros and cons of owning one?
2007-01-24 14:59:25 · 16 answers · asked by Miranda V 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
toy poodles are perfect!! i have two of them. they are extremely sweet-natured, under 10 lbs., don't shed, very smart, love kids(i have alot of neices & nephews ages 2-14)
my poodles are very sweet & lovable around kids, not nippy or protective at all; not only that but they are very healthy; haven't had any problems w/ either one of them, had both of them since they were 6 weeks old (they're now 6 & 3)
as far as kids hurting them, just supervise & raise your kids to know how to be sweet & loving towards animals
2007-01-24 15:08:16 · answer #1 · answered by chamae 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Most toys and teacups are not very good with small children. We have 2 toy poodles and neither of them would really be safe with small children living with them. They tend to be rather nippy and protective.
I got my love of poodles from growing up with one but he was a miniature, around 20 pounds I think.
Personally, I think the best kind of dog for children is a lab. They are kind and gentle and almost as smart as a poodle. They do shed a lot but personally, I'd sooner hair around knowing my kids are safe.
2007-01-24 23:10:24 · answer #2 · answered by birdie_001 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Start shopping around your local shelters. You'll find one.
If you are adamant about a pure bred, then poodles are pretty good, as long as you work with them from little, and establish pack order with the kids around. They can get nippy when they are coddled and spoiled and treated like cats.
Even toy and teacups are just .02% different in their DNA than a Grey Wolf, so they need to be handled like they are part of a pack, because that is how they think. People tend to really pamper their small dogs, and this creates TONS of behavior problems.
2007-01-24 23:07:19 · answer #3 · answered by GSDJunkie 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Min Pins are very free-spirited, and I personally love those dogs. But because they are soooo small and fragile and have the attitudes of a big dog, Im afraid my 3 year old would hurt them accidentally. So be sure to keep that in mind, if you have little ones at home...
I opted for a big puppy, so my daughter can play rough with it, so I dont have to worry so much...:)
As some other poster says "just train a small dog to be gentle with kids, ect" or something like that. That isnt the reason I suggested getting a bigger pup, it's the children you have to watch out for, not the dog.....accidents happen even when your looking! And just a simple push off the couch, can send a smaller boned, fraile boned pup/dog into the hospital for surgery. Now, it's up to you if you want to risk that..
2007-01-24 23:06:05 · answer #4 · answered by Kimberlynne 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
DO NOT BUY ANY DOG MARKETED AS A TOY OR A TEACUP ANYTHING!!!
Toy and Teacup are just terms to market dogs that are smaller than breed standards. These types of dogs are prone to more health issues than dogs that are within breed standards. Pomeranian and Yorkies are two breeds with standards state that they are below 7 pounds. Both are good with children. For more information on these two and other breeds, please go to:
http://www.akc.org/breeds/toy_group.cfm
2007-01-24 23:12:07 · answer #5 · answered by Katslookup - a Fostering Fool! 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Many small dogs can be aggressive eventhough their small size won't do much harm, they can still scratch, be very excited, and also sometimes bite depending on their temperment.
I've always thought chiauaua's (spelling?) are good dogs, I've owned 3 but they do have aggresive behaviors but are very loving and do not shed that much.
I'd really suggest a bigger dog though or a medium size dog because the rough play from the smaller children won't affect it as much as it would a smaller dog.
2007-01-24 23:55:16 · answer #6 · answered by aliciamarie88 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should do some research on small dogs. They are very fragile and not good at all if you have children in the house. It wouldn't take much at all for the dog to get hurt real bad. What if the kids are playing and don't see her and she gets stepped on or kicked?
My dog is not that small, he is about 10 lbs and he gets stepped on once in a while. It's very easy to do.
2007-01-24 23:11:58 · answer #7 · answered by Fish Lover 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I have two large dogs now, but have owned small dogs in the past. Any breed can be taught to be obedient and gentle around children, and it will help if the children were part of the household first (this way the dog can be taught that they are "under" the children in the pack). In terms of shedding, however, you have two choices. You get a dog that sheds, or you get a dog that needs grooming. Dogs (like people) grow and/or replace hair throughout their lifetimes. So if you have a dog that doesn't shed (like a mini Schnauzer or a Westie) it will need to be groomed regularly. A dog that doesn't need grooming (short-haired Chihuahua or miniature Dachshund) will shed, even if it is just a small amount.
2007-01-24 23:06:17 · answer #8 · answered by Blue Lisa 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
We had a dauschund and I would not recommend that. They tend to be a little territorial and snappy as they get older. We own pugs now which is a little bigger than what you asked for but they are amazing with children. I have never seen one that wasn't. One thing to consider with small toy breeds, they are more delicate too. Their bones are thinner and so children really need to be careful, something that younger kids have trouble with.
Good Luck
2007-01-24 23:10:18 · answer #9 · answered by micheletmoore 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
There is no such thing as a teacup, but anyway, if you have small children I wouldn't recommend a toy breed at all.
2007-01-24 23:06:36 · answer #10 · answered by Pam 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋