best dogs?

Question

what are the best dogs for a household with kids? My kids are less than 5 years old, any ideas? Im looking for answers aside from a golden retriever and lab. I like small child friendly dogs. Any help would be appreciated!!!

Answer 1

I understand you want a small dog,but I have a weimaraner and not only is he the cutest dog (and you should see the puppies),but they are really great with children,very protective and very family friendly,they are like another member of the family.Their hair is short and they are easily house trained because they are very smart.The only warning I can give you is that they will be like another child,they don't like to be left out, they will want to be part of your daily activities,they also will follow you constantly but I like that about them and they need lots of activity and a big yard,because they are a hunting dogs. You can research web sites,that say which are the best dogs for families with kids and they will also tell you what is the kind of dog you choose like.You should also buy from good breeder,specially with weimaraners be very careful about the breeder.

Answer 2

People who have suggested YORKIE obviously don't know that Yorkies and children do NOT mix. Especially when the children are younger than 5. Young children will tug ears, pull fur, poke face etc. Also, when the Yorkie is a puppy, how do you think the child will handle the puppy? With great care or by throwing him down on the floor?
Also people who have said a certain breed does not shed are totally wrong. All dogs shed to some degree. When you pet a dog or brush a dogs fur, what comes out on your hand/clothes or the brush? FUR! When the fur comes out, that is shedding. The lowest shedding dog is the Poodle.

I would love to recommend a Pug as they are excellent with children, don't need to much exercise and make good apartment dogs. They also get along well with other non-canine pets. The 3 main problems when getting a Pug: a. they have a lot of health problems, b. they do tend to become over weight very easily, c. due to their small size, they aren't a child's pet.

Another breed you should consider is the Beagle. They are really good with children, they love people of all ages and they are very active. They are fairly good with other dogs but due to their hounding instict, they aren't good with non-canine pets unless thoroughly socialized with them at a young age. They are a bit hard to train, they hate being alone and they shed a fair bit. They must not be let off the leash when in a public place as if he smells a scent, he will trace it. They are medium in size and have a lot of health problems (some are heart disease, dwarfism, back problems etc.).

A few other breeds you should think about:

Dalmatian
Border Collie
Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever
Collie
Schanuzer - miniature and standard
Irish Setter
Boxer
Newfoundland
Saint Bernard
Samoyed
German Shepherd Dog

Answer 3

It's really best to wait until your kids are at least 6 years old before introducing a dog into the family. Very young children just aren't good with dogs, especially puppies, since puppies are very fragile and don't like to be tugged at and poked.

But for once your kids are a little older, I'll name off a few smallish dogs that tend to be good for families. Bichon frises are small, non-shedding dogs that need a lot of grooming, but are good with kids. Pugs are small dogs that shed a lot and are riddled with health problems, but also tend to be good with kids. The havanese is a small dog that doesn't shed, has a happy-go-lucky attitude, and are pretty good with children. The American Eskimo dog comes in three sizes (toy, miniature, and standard), tends to have few health problems, and does quite well with kids. Lastly, the border terrier is a small frisky dog that can do well with kids when raised with them.

Definitely put some research into the breeds I mentioned, you may find that one of them suits your lifestyle. And when you do get a dog, always remember to NEVER leave them with a child unsupervised. Dogs and kids should always be supervised, since accidents most often happen when the adult's back is turned, even if the dog happens to be very good with kids.

You could also try an animal shelter, but make sure you know that the dog is excellent with kids. Don't take chances on a dog with an unknown history.

Answer 4

Over the years we've had many dogs including a terrier, husky, samoyed, collie and now have a cattle dog and an alaskan malamute. While the cattle dog is very loyal and a great guard dog our whole family agrees that we will only have malamutes from now on. We brought that mal into a home of two adults, 1 child, 1 cat and 1 six year old cattle dog and the mal has made herself at home and part of the family without incident and is greatly loved by all. She is best friends with both cat and dog and the three of them cuddle together, play together and even share food. She loves to cuddle and loves a good tug of war, loves to be near the family, loves to go on walks exploring and loves a feed. She's a valued member of the family and we'd be lost without her.

Answer 5

Definetly a samoyed. They are medium sized, can range from 19-23 inches at the shoulder, and weigh 35-65 pounds. They are perfect for playing with children, and are very considerate of a small child's size. My 4 month old puppy samoyed is already in love with all tiny kids, and tries to invite everyone we walk by to play. They are big enough that they won't be hurt if a child accidently falls on it, but small enough and agile enough that they won't step on or knock over your kid if they are well trained. They have a low bite potential. They do need to go to obedience training however, because they can be stubborn, although they pick up new words and commands extremely fast. I knew someone who tried to tally up all the words her samoyed knew, and lost track around 400. Good Luck!!!!

Here is the AKC page for samoyeds:
http://www.akc.org/breeds/samoyed/index.cfm

Answer 6

My yorkie is extremely friendly and thinks all people are the greatest thing on earth. He loves little kids and adults alike. However, I don't know if this is a yorkie trait or he's just easy going. I do love that yorkies don't shed, but they do need brushed regularly. Check the temperment of any puppy's parents if possible to get an idea what the dog may be like.

Answer 7

Something with some brains!! Intelligent dogs are sooo much easier to train, especially with children around. I'm a lab fan myself, but if this isnt the go for you make sure you research the dogs intelligence level and bad habits, eg. digging seems to be a favourite of beagles, etc.

Answer 8

Small dogs really arent the best for small children I have learned..they are easily hurt and they tend to be nervous because of this. The best dog I had around my kids was a Boxer..they have the energy and the patience for kids and they arent too large.

Answer 9

Carin Terrier's are wonderful small family dogs. To be honest any dog would be good with children if they grew up with them. I would suggest looking on www.petfinder.com for dogs in your area. They will tell you whether they lived with kids or are good with kids. This way you can find a dog who may already be housetrained, and what not. Plus, you save a dog from being homeless!!

Answer 10

A lot of small dog breeds are notorious for being...bratty. The best dogs, in my opinion, are mutts. They tend to have better temperments and are most of the time free of the chronic health problems of purebreds. I prefer large dogs myself, such as boxers and dobermans. They are very well tempered [extremely unlike the aggressive dobies they show in movies] and great with kids. Whatever you decide to get, DON'T buy from a pet store. Adopt. Pet stores get their animals from shady places like puppy mills, and many of them are riddled with severe health problems [unfortunately I've seen this a lot].

Beagles are noisy and energetic, but they are good with children. Pugs are patient and very well tempered. I would suggest against some breeds like the miniature poodle, chihuahua, jack russel, and min pin unless you raise it with the children and from a puppy stage.

A lot of dogs can be fine with children if you start in the puppy stage and get it used to the children; constantly tug [gently!] on ears and tail and paws yourself [not to harm, just to get them used to touch everywhere on their bodies]. Those seems to be problem areas with a lot of dogs.

Another tip: Sit with your pup while she is eating and periodically touch her while she eats, touch her bowl, take it away, etc. A lot of dogs can become food aggressive, but if you start at an early age and show that you have dominance over her in the food area and that you are the one with the power to take it or give it to her, she will learn to be fine with children if they decide to play with her while she eats. Do the same thing with her if she has a special place like a bed, do it with toys and bones. Don't let her get protective; it can lead to aggression.

I would suggest, as others did, to wait until your children are old enough to understand about the dog. Teach them not to do anything that might annoy the dog.