Which dog should I buy?

Question

Im thinking of buying a dog, I have 2 children so it needs to be child friendly any ideas?

Answer 1

Golden Retrievers are wonderful. I currently have a german shepherd and he is a great dog also. But actually, any little puppy that "picks up/comes to " your kids and is gentle and playful will be fine. Whatever you get, have the kids give it lots of love and it will love them right back.

Answer 2

There are many factors that need to go into consideration when choosing a dog:

1) if you live in a house or apartment (if a apt. you may nit have enough room for a bigger dog like a lab)
2) Do you have yard ? (if not, you may want a samll dog)
3) How much time you can spend with it (training & exercising it) a day?

If you don't have that much time, you may not want to get a puppy, but, an older dog.

My suggestion is that you go to your local animal shelter and talk to them & look at the dogs their. The people that work their are not looking to make a sal (like a store) so they will be able to spend alot of time with you & figuering out which dog suits you & your kids the best. Also, they will only suggest dogs that they think are the most compatable b/c they do not wnat to take a risk that you will take the dog back ( & cause further stress on the dog).

The other reason to get one at a shelter is that there are plently of dogs out there looking for homes that could be euthanized if it doesn't find one ( unless it's a no kill shelter). Also, the cost of adoption is a heck of a lot cheaper than buying one at the store.

Also, make sure you bring your kids with you when you pick out the dog, so that you know that they get along with it & vice versa. You may wnat to call up before hand, as well, to find out what you need to bring (paperwork wise) so that if you do find your perfect dog, you can adopt it right away & not have to worry about someoen else adopting it before you can.

Answer 3

Go to your local humane society. They screen all the dogs before they adopt them out so they will know if they will be good with your children or not. There are a lot of great pets at the shelters that need good homes. Not all pets are there because of behavioral problems, sometimes owners move or there's a death or something that causes them to turn ownership over to the humane society. A dog that is past the puppy years sounds like it would be better for you also because you have two children and I'm sure you don't have a lot of time to potty train a puppy.

Answer 4

Would you consider a rescue instead of buying from a pet shop? Most pet shop puppies are from back yard breeders and puppy mills. By adopting an animal, you'll be saving a life! But if you've decided to buy a dog/ puppy for whatever reason, please buy from a reputable breeder.

You can drop in your local dog rescue and tell them your criteria, such as age, size, male/ female, good with kids, temeperament, energy levels etc.

There are breeds that are more child friendly, but it's not guaranteed that every dog in that breed is good with kids, there are always exceptions. It depends on the individual dog, and that's another reason to adopt instead of buying from a pet shop.

Some factors to consider:
1. size of the dog, are your children scared of big dogs? Amount of exercise, grooming you are willing to give your dog. What about shedding? Allergies?

2. Energy level, this is probably just as important as the size. I've seen great danes, rotties, and german shepherds that are such couch potatoes, while shitzus, corgi, poodles, beagles just can't seem to stop moving and may accidentally bump into your child and throw him/ her over totally by accident.

3. Age. I wouldn't recommend buying a puppy as they have the tendency to nip and bite. Not anything aggressive, just playful nips but it's part of growing up. Puppies also require much much more energy and more training. Puppies cannot hold their bladder for more than 3-4 hours, if even that. You have to take them out at night to relieve themselves as well. You have to housetrain them, and crate train them. Most puppies also whine/ cry at night from separation with their mother. (separation anxiety)

I guess what i"m trying to say is, puppies are a LOT of work, make sure you do your research before buying that cute puppy in the shop window. There are WAY too many sweet dogs/ puppies homeless in a shelter, and had to be put to sleep.

But always, never leave your children unsupervised with your dog no matter how friendly.

Answer 5

I recommend a pug. I have one named Alfie and he's great. He's a year old now and he's grown from a little tiny ball with a curled up tail to the most playful friendly thing I've ever seen. Pugs are highly recommended for kids and mine doesn't have any sort of temperament that would make him snap or growl. He only lives to play, even when my terrier snaps at him, he backs off and tries to play again- like he can't even comprehend a dog wanting to do anything else, and contrary to some reports, he was extremely easy to train. definitely one of the best dogs I've had.

Answer 6

For a family dog you are going to hear lab lab lab all day long.

I say go for a smaller dog first that was your children will not be overly scared of a big dog.

Go with a small terrier breed.

Best dog I had when I was a kid was an Elkhound (I know it is huge) If you want the big dog. I used to ride him like a horse and he never got mad.

Answer 7

It doesn't matter what you breed you buy unless you have your heart set on something specific. We looked for months at the pound and at the pet store. After looking at the same dog three weeks in a row finally on our last trip I just knew that he was the one. He is a Shih-Tzu Yorkie mix and is a wonderful, fun, loyal little boy. He is now 9 months old and is good with my three kids - ages 10, 12 and 17--loves to play and cuddle both.
Search until you FEEL something--then you'll know that is YOUR dog!

Answer 8

had both a labador alsation cross and an enlish sprinner spanal both playful nice quite dogs.

spannel are more livley and playful all their lives(can be a bit daft at times).
labadors and alsations quited down with age.

the lab/alstion i had from since i was born died age 12 but by brother was born when the dog was 9. The dog would walk away from him as my brother would try to rid his back. He got artritus and couldnt walk at the end of his life.

the spainal was got after the lab/ashtion died they are best buds to this day shes now 14 and my brother 17 she still act like a puppy and full of energy.

Answer 9

Labs are good dogs, only sometimes they can be real headcases. (Read Marley and Me) Personally I would suggest a Wheaton Terrier- Good size, kind, Gentle, Smart. With this dog you get the activeness of a Terrier and the love of a Retriever. Great first dog for a family. Which ever dog you choose make sure it suits your needs.

Answer 10

If you want a big dog i would a lab is the best for children. But the best little dog for children are Boston terriers. That's just what i heard.