What type of dog is good with a 4 year old?

Question

My husband and I are looking for a small, under 45 lbs., short haired, dog for our little girl. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Terriers in general particularly those with wire coats are more active while a hound or spaniel will be less active (although you may consider a sight hound active). Some toys are very nice and calm if your little girl is careful and not a child that would be to rough with a dog, than there are toys that you could consider. It really depends on what YOU want also.

I always tell people that the best dogs for them when it comes to whether the dog spit up on the sofa or had an accident on the Persian rug, is the one that has that expression that makes its owner love him no matter what. Those dogs, are he ones that never get tossed in the garage, those dogs are the ones with the best homes. So, it is just as important that you choose the dog breed that you are attracted to and will love. Dogs live a long time and are something that individuals who are going to care for them should choose. As far as children, they grow and they change and you will be caring for the dog not your child.

You can get a much better idea what direction you would like to go in by starting with reading the AKC descriptions of breeds, and/or going to a local dog show and spending the whole day watching the breeds you are interested in. The links below are for the breed descriptions and a list of shows all over the country.

Answer 2

For a 4 year old a stuffed dog would be perfect.
Now if you want a dog becasue you have the time to care for feed and walk and clean up after and train a dog then by all means get one that you like. A 4 year is not going to be a good owner for any dog.
If you are looking for ap et look at some of the rescues they do tempermant tesing on the dogs and they will be able to point you ro dogs that are ok around smaller children. Look at local humane societies or shelters or rescues.
Ask about grooming requirements and how much exercise the dog needs. Make sure it is a dog that will fit in with your lifestyle. If you are a couch potato family who likes to sit around do not look at very active breeds as they would make you crazy becasue they would have to much energy. If they do not get the exercise they need you tend to get behavior problems.

Answer 3

I would advise against getting a dog from an animal shelter for a child as you can never be sure of its background and up-bringing.

Your best bet is to speak to local breeders who can advise you on what breed of dog would most suit your family. Perhaps meet the parents of puppies to assess temperaments etc

Personally I would go for a Lab, retriever, king Charles spaniel all of these are well known for their soft nature.
I have a 11 month old Staffordshire bull terrier and a 8 year old son, Staffy's are renown for their love of kids but I must admit she can be a bit on the boisterous side at times. So probably not advisable for a 4 year old child

Any type of dog can bite but its how they are brought up, what the parents temperaments are like etc.

Good luck

Answer 4

A Bichon Frise is a great dog. Good personality. friendly..about 20lbs at most. Does not have short hair, but can be clipped monthly to have a short coat.

Easy to train, and a all around child friendly dog.

Please stay away from the terriers. These dogs are best owned by people who are experienced with them...they have a high prey drive.

Answer 5

Welsh Corgis are known for being very well-tempered, yet smaller-sized dogs. When you have children, smaller dogs usually are not the way to go because they are generally less patient due to their small size. Welsh Corgis, however, are not like this. They're around 30-40 lbs, yet have the attitude of a larger dog.


Also, I see some people have been telling you to avoid getting a pup because it will not get along with a 4-yr-old. That's crazy talk! Puppies are the way to go. They love little kids and if they have bad habits (like nipping, or growling) it's easy to break them of them. Puppies are easy to control and train. A dog who has not been raised with children will never warm up to small children...it's just a fact. Definitely go with a puppy. It will love your daughter, and your daughter will love it.

Answer 6

Check out the AKC (American Kennel Club) for descriptions of dog breeds. I grew up with a Boston Terrier...they are about 25 lbs in weight and are short haired, light maintenance. The only issue they seem to have is flatulence! But really, like I said, I grew up with one, and he was like my brother. I think it would be worthwhile for you to look into this breed.

This page from the AKC is very useful:
http://www.akc.org/future_dog_owner/find_breed.cfm

Hope this helps!

Answer 7

rat terriers are excellent dogs to have around small children. We have a 3 year old daughter and a 4 month old rat terrier, a female. They get along well.

Pomeranians are NOT a good option.

Answer 8

I would recommend a breed that is known for being gentle. Golden retrievers and labrador retrievers are the best. They have a very good temperment especially with smaller children. I would not recommend a smaller dog because they are more likely to nip at a small child that does not understand how to be gentle with animals.

Answer 9

I own a beagle and they're usually very good with small children. At most a male will grow to 30 pounds, but they usually stay somewhere around 20. Beagles actually need very little grooming.

Answer 10

A cocker spaniel lab mix. They wigh about 30 pounds and are very sweet around children. I have a set of twin cousins and they are always at my house and wherever they are Lucky is right there and when they sleep she is sleeping right beside them . She is vey protective and will not let anyone get near them if she does not know them.