what kind of dog is a good family pet?

Question

i have a 3yr old son so has to be friendly/good with children, was thinking of either a labradour or cocker spaniel?

Answer 1

Labrador is friendly, loving, very playful, and is highly regarded for its good nature, easy trainability and intelligence.

The Labrador is good-natured and gentle enough to live with children, though some breed lines have been found to be somewhat hyperactive. They are not the best watchdogs as they are not overly suspicious and might be won over by a friendly gesture of a stranger.

The average life span of the Labrador retriever is 10 to 13 years.


Cocker Spaniel is a cheerful dog that is willing to please. As with other spaniels, the Cocker is energetic and needs regular exercise. If not allowed to exercise, behavioral problems often develop.

The Cocker is well suited for both city or country life, Cocker has natural protective instincts that make him a good watchdog. If raised with children, Cockers can do well.

The Cocker Spaniel has an average life span of 14 to 16 years.

We realize that each dog is unique and may display other characteristics. Hope you find the above information useful.

Answer 2

Hey :o)

Just wanted to say that I would recommend Border Collies. My parents have had them since I was a baby. In my experience they are a really fantastic breed, very friendly, sociable, loyal and more importantly good with children.

I'm older now and my boyfriend and I have a six month old chocolate Labrador puppy. Lily's training is going well and she has bag fulls of energy but she is teething and does have a tendency to bite at hands, arms and anything else she can get at.

She's generally a good natured puppy and I'm convinced it's not done maliciously her teeth are just sore and she just doesn't realise that it's painful for those on the receiving end of her bite.

We have bought her chew toys but she seems to lose interest rather quickly, moving limbs being a much more interesting target :oS

I have been told by a friend that has an older Labrador that they do grow out of it by about 2 years but I thought I should let you know.

The whole biting thing is fairly generic to all breeds of dog, especially as puppies but it can often be deterred with training. We now shout ''ouch'' when Lil bites, and turn away. I have seen a lot of improvement just over the last few weeks and the message seems to be getting through.

Despite this at the moment I would still be extremely nervous having here around children, who can often be a lot more boisterous and playful with puppies.

Good luck with your search either way.

Hope you find the right dog for you :o)

Becks x

Answer 3

hi there !

i have two lovely dogs which are a black labrodor and a Springer spaniel.
from my experience an labrodoor would be the best for your child, because they are so placid yet also playful! nice ones will never bite or growl and put up with anything! like small childeren poking them etc!

on the other hand, the spaniel i have can tend to be aggresive and would bite. this may be becasue she has been rehomed several times, and ther is nothing to say a cocker would be anything like her! although i think what most spaniels have in common is that they are all a little bit mad! my spaniel will run all day and absoloutely loves dog toys! she is very mad!

so yes, theese are two very different types of dog. and to be honest i would go for a loyal loving labrodoor! but then again a spaniel may be more fun and bouncy! and could bond well with your son!

good luck!

Answer 4

As a cocker owner and lover, personally, I'll never own anything else. They're great when you're son is still young as a friend and when they get older, cocker's love to play ball and be just as active. Downside is they need groomed every 6 weeks or so. I know a little about labs, very laid back, also great with children. They do not need groomming appointments like a cocker. I would get to know both breeds, health problems and all very well before choosing. Also see if a breeder will let you spent time with their older guys so you could see if they're energy level is for you

Answer 5

West Highland Terriers are the perfect dogs for children and families. I got my first Westie when I was 4 and she was my Best Friend, I am an only child. We did ever thing together, played dress up she rode in my little playskool car, and we went on all kind of adventures together. She died protecting our house from a six foot rattle snake.

They are also called "hearth dogs" because they will almost be in your fire place and sleep their for hrs. Most Westies weigh less than 25lbs and are all white. How ever the breed does suffer form allergies and some can get quite severe. But don't let that discourage you from finding out more about the breed. This past year we had to put my 2nd Westie down do to age and loss of bodily functions, she was just as protective of me as Cassie was and I still mourn for them, just to let you know how wonderful these little dogs are.

You can go to Westierecue.org and save a life and bring home a new family member.

Other dogs I would recommend; Jack Russel Terriers, Shelities, and any sm-med mutts. I have a 14month old son and we have a Jack and a Shelitie and both are wonderful with him epically the Jack, when he takes his naps she sleeps with him and comes to get me when he wakes up or is getting into something that he is not suppose to.

Answer 6

Basic Training of the Puppy - Read here https://tr.im/gPKax

The new puppy is certainly one of the most adorable and cuddly creatures that has ever been created. It is the most natural thing in the world to shower it with love and affection. However, at the same time it is important to realize that if you want to have a well trained adult dog, you need to begin the training process right away. The dog, like its related ancestor, the wolf, is a pack animal. One of the features of a pack is that it has a single dominant leader. Your new puppy is going to want that leader to be you, but if you do not assume that role from the very beginning, the puppy’s instincts will push him to become the leader.

The most important thing to remember about training the puppy during its first six months of life is that it must see you as the leader of the family pack. The essential thing is gaining the trust and the respect of the puppy from the beginning. You will not do this by allowing the puppy to do whatever it wants to do whenever it wants to do it. On the other hand, a certain amount of patience is required. Most people err in their early training by going to extremes one way or the other. Although you need to begin the basic training process at once, you can not expect your dog to do too much at first. Basic obedience training is fine and should include simple commands like sit, stay, and come. Remember that trying to teach the dog advanced obedience techniques when it is a puppy is much like trying to teach a five year old child algebra.

It is also important to restrain from cruel or abusive treatment of the puppy. You can not beat obedience into your dog, and it certainly is not going to engender feeling of respect and trust. House breaking is an area where this usually becomes a problem because of the anger that is triggered when the puppy fails and creates a mess inside the home. Although this issue must be addressed without anger, it most be addressed. If you allow the puppy to eliminate inside the house, it will continue to do so as an adult dog. The same thing is true of other destructive or dangerous behavior such as chewing and biting. Do not expect the puppy to grow out of it. You are going to need to train the puppy out of it, but you should do so firmly but with a sense of play and fun using positive reinforcement and lots of love and praise for good behavior.

Answer 7

We had a labrador ( cross between lab and doberman, actualy) and it was the sweetest dog ever. Very good with kids, never snapped and he turned 14 years of age.

Labs and retrievers are usually very god with kids. Terriers tend to be jaleous, as they want to have all the attention and will try to be the boss at all times. Stick with a lab, I recon.

Before you get a dog from some fancy breeding station: Go to an animal shelter. So many sweet dogs end up there, all in need of a lovng home. The people working there usually know the animal very well, and will be able to advise you based on your family situation.

Answer 8

Most breeds make good family pets if they are well bred dogs who have been bred with temperament as the first consideration. Only you can decide which breed suits you.
Do you want a big dog or a small dog?
Do you want a long coated or a short coated breed?
Are you bothered by constant moulting?
Do you want an energetic dog to walk for miles or one that is happy with a short walk once a day?
If you can, why not go to Discover Dogs at the NEC in March, practically every breed will be represented & you can talk direct to knowledgeable owners.

Answer 9

Yep you've got the right idea. My dad has been a dog trainer for 15 years, and i know what dogs are good as famiely pets. Labradors are great, probably the best familey pet and the best dog to have with children.

Cocker Spaniels are just as nice, but do behave a bit more lively.

I would reccomend a Labrador, either Golden Lab, or Black Lab.

Good Luck on whatever you choose

-Cameron xx

Answer 10

The question isn't what kind of dog is a good breed...The question is "what kind of "leader of the pack" are you going to be? YOU must appear to be the leader of the family to the dog no matter what the breed. Any dog needs to see you as leader of he/she will be a bad dog. The dog with no leader tries to fill in as leader. That is where the trouble starts because a dog is overwhelmed by attempting to being leader in a human enviornment.
Watch National Geographic's Dog Whisperer starring Cesar Millan. IT is only 30 minutes and you will learn a great deal and probably rescue a dog from the local animal shelter and be happy. A mix breed tends to be more healthy because pure breeds have sometimes passed on ressesive genes which can cause all kinds of problems.