Okay dog lovers.got a question. My kids want a dog but we don't have the hugest backyard and we need the dog

Question

to be good with small kids. I just would like a breed list to start looking to see what dog would be the best fit for our family.

Answer 1

Yorkshire terrier
wiener dog
Chihuahua
Pomeranian
Shi-Tzu

Answer 2

Every one here is going to tell the breed of dog they have is the best dog for kids, well a lot of them are wrong. You need to research the many different breeds and make an educated decision on what you think is the best breed for you and your families lifesyle. AKC has a web site with descriptions of all recognized breeds of dog. AKC.org You could also read a few books like Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds, or Idiots Guide to Chosing, Buying and Raising a Dog.

If properly trained and embraced as a beloved member of the family, any breed can make a great pet. With that said, some dogs are seen as more “kid-friendly” than others and, as a result, have become extremely popular among families. According to the AKC, the five most popular breeds in the United States are:

Labrador Retrievers are by far America’s most popular dog—more than 140,000 Lab puppies were registered last year with the AKC—and have a reputation for being playful, hardworking and affectionate toward children. The Lab is easily trained and is highly respected for his prowess at many jobs: as a guide dog for the disabled, a search-and-rescue dog, and for narcotics detection.

Golden Retrievers are sporty, easy to train and strong, but their most outstanding trait is character. They are outgoing and devoted companions to people of all ages, happy and trusting. They make great hunting companions, too.

German Shepherd are noble in appearence and character. This breed's courage, steadfast heart, and keen senses have endeared him to families for generations. Active and outdoorsy, German Shepherds are very fond of children and make wonderful companions.

Beagles love being around people and other animals. They are gentle, happy companions who thrive on affection and attention. They are also clever, quick, and, most of all curious. They need plenty of active exercise.

Dachshund has a lively, upbeat personality—spunky, curious and friendly. Originally bred to hunt badgers, Dachshund’s love to dig, romp and run. They are affectionate, especially with children, and enjoy going for walks and other forms of exercise

You should do your research before you bring any animal into your home. If breed is not an issue you could always adopt a pup (not an adult) from your local pound or shelter. They come spayed or neutered, up to date on vaccinations and you can find all ages, sizes and breeds. As I stated in the beginning any dog can be good with children it is a matter of how the are trained and socialized. Small children should never be left alone with dogs.

Answer 3

DO NOT GET A DACHSHUND!!!!!

They are not a proper dog for small kids who will want to pick them up and haul them all over. If they get a back injury, the vet bills are humongous. So, PLEASE, do both them and yourself a favor, and skip this breed.

DO GO TO YOUR ANIMAL SHELTER. Take the kids. Ask the people there to suggest what mixed breed pup would be a good choice for small children. Take the pup to the area where the family can meet the dog and see how they and it react to each other.

Also, please accept right now that it might be THEIR pet, but it is going to be YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. You will be the one feeding it, cleaning up behind it, teaching it manners, taking it to the vet, etc. Getting one from the shelter will save you money, because it will come complete with shots and spay/neutering....meaning no surprises six months down the line with new unwanted puppies.

Labs are great dogs with kids, and even as big as they are, like being inside. I would avoid golden retrievers as they grow to be huge, lol. My son's is 125 lbs....and growing. A lab mix might just be perfect.

Good luck, and remember, NO DOXIES. Thanks.

Answer 4

It doesn't much matter what kind of dog you get. There are tons of small breed dogs who do well with kids, and wouldn't need a lot of running room. Check into the American Kennel Club website for lists of small dog breeds. (www.akc.org)

A piece of advice... do not "buy your kids a dog." It would be better to refer to your dog as your "family pet," cared for primarily by the adults in the household. It is not fair to the dog, nor is it fair to the kids, to be responsible for a life when they are still learning how to be responsible for themselves. Teach them that responsibility, sure, and let them participate, great! But the guilt of failure, which is practically guaranteed, can be harsh for them, unnecessarily, and certainly isn't good for your pet.

I hope this information helps you to make the best decision for your family! Good luck!

Answer 5

King Charles Cavalier Spaniel
Great with kids. Small. Very relaxed personalities.
The most important thing is to get a pure bred dog so that you have the best chance of getting the characteristics you are looking for.
Research for reputable breeders in your area. Get references.
Remember this is a 10 yr + commitment.
Good luck!

Answer 6

Well. I'd say not to get a small dog since they are usually more likely to nip, and are also at risk of being accidentally roughed up or injured by children. Most reputable breeders won't sell a small breed to someone with small children (usually under 8 years old).

Another thing to keep in mind if you don't have a large backyard, is that it doesn't really matter, as long as you are going to walk it. There's always off leash dog parks too for a good run. Most dogs should do fine with a small yard and regular walks.

If you're not used to owning a dog, I would definately recommend a rescue from a shelter or rescue organization. You are pretty much guaranteed to get a dog that has already been tested with other dogs, cats, and children. Has been socialized, trained, and housebroken. This will make it so much easier. Most people want a puppy, but they are an exhausting amount of work even for seasoned dog owners, and once they are out of the cute puppy stage, they usually end up in a pound because people can't handle them and their behaviour problems.

That doesn't mean you need an "older" dog per say, but a dog that is say 1 year old, would be good. You can google rescues in your area, and check on petfinder as well. There are so many to choose from. You can find any breed whether mixed or purebred especially if you are willing to travel.

The next thing you should think about is if you have to worry about allergies, or if shedding is an issue. You may not have allergies in your immediate family, but what about people you have as house guests for holiday dinnners or longer? There are lots of breeds that are less alllergenic than others.

Shedding is another nuisance that you may choose not to deal with. Most of the non allergenic-type dogs do not shed. There are even dogs that have no hair at all, such as the American Hairless Terrier. They have no hair, very little dander, can't get fleas, don't need grooming, don't shed, and are very intelligent dogs. They are the least allergenic breed of dog that there is, but no breed is 100% nonallergenic to everyone.

What else, oh, you shoud also think about what characteristics you'd like the dog to have. Different breeds have very different temperaments, and exercize needs. You may want a hyper dog to tire the children out, or you may want a calmer lap dog. You may want a friendly or not so friendly looking dog.

These are the types of questions you should answer as a family, and then narrowing down the list of breeds that you should check out would be much easier, and you'd be much happier with the dog you end up choosing if you take these issues into consideration rather than choosing based on cuteness.

I guess a few general breeds I could mention are: labs, they are notoriously good family pets. They are good with kids, and friendly. Great Danes, interestingly are fairly lazy dogs that don't like too much exercize so would be good if you have a smaller yard, and don't plan on going on long walks. Terriers as a broad category are known for being rather hyper and usually barkers, that is of course a generalization, but in my experience it does seem to be true (I've got 3), so that's something to keep in mind.

Oh, and one more very important point that you should take into consideration, and do some research of your own into is where you buy the pup from. It is always best to go with a rescue shelter as I mentioned before, they are often prescreened and trained, and you will know exactly what you are getting.

If you choose not to go with a shelter, the next best option is a reputable breeder. This would be a breeder who breeds for breed conformation and is CURRENTLY showing her breeding "stock" in order to determine that they are infact dogs of breeding quality. These breeders will not breed for money. They do cost a fair bit, but usually less than you'd pay in a pet store, and this is not to make money, but to recoop some of the cost of showing, training, and raising the dogs, and their pups.

These breeders will also do all the proper health testing on their dogs to make sure that any genetic disorders common to that breed to not exist in the dogs they are breeding. They will also ask you very thorough questions, and make you fill out an application, since they will care where their pup is going to.

That said, the last thing you want to do is buy a dog from a byb, which is a back yard breeder or a petstore. All pet store dogs come from byb's or puppymills. Byb's are just a mill on a smaller scale. They don't do health testing, they breed their dogs over and over again until they cannot produce anymore offspring and then sell them off. This is a horrible life for a dog, and they do this solely for the money. They will sell the pup in a first come first served fashion, showing no care where their pup goes or what becomes of them.

Petstores will tell you that the dogs all come from "local breeders" byb's and millers are local breeders. They buy them in bulk for cheap from these places, and often the dogs will end up sick, with genetic defects, behavioural problems, and sometimes die shortly after being brought home. The petstores at most will give you a "replacement" pup. Petstores, bybs, and millers are the reason for the ridiculous number of dogs that get put down every year, and for all the unwanted dogs in shelters. They are the result of irresponsible and unhealthy breeding and selling of dogs for profit.

So, that should give you a good overview of what to look for in a dog and where to look for a dog. I probably gave you more info that you were looking for, but I thought that the extra info couldn't help.

Good Luck.

Answer 7

short hair, since they will most likely be indoors, small to med size, since you have small yard,
go to www.puppyfind.com, they have all the breeds. you tell it what you need in a dog and they match you with the breeds that fit your criteria... then go look foor one. they also sell them on that site, breeders listings. we have a mutt we adopted, shes the best dog ever, but shes HUGE!!! mutts are great, too.

Answer 8

How about a small to medium sized mixed breed from your local animal shelter or Humane Society?

Answer 9

do no longer permit your toddlers play in the backyard. bypass to the park to play. i'm assuming that persons who do no longer care sufficient to %. up their canines poop out a backyard the place young toddlers play in all probability do no longer care sufficient to maintain their canines on coronary heart pc virus prevention. Their canines in all probability have worms and in the event that they do no longer seem to be choosing up their canines poop then the total backyard is contaminated with worms. in the journey that your toddlers play in the airborne dirt and dirt they are in threat of contracting worms. i think of the those that share your backyard are thoughtless. i think of they should income that they can't use the shared backyard for his or her canines. I certainly have on no account rented so i do no longer understand lots approximately renters rights yet i'm helpful there are some regulations preserving you from having to share a backyard with canines and their feces. regrettably i do no longer understand the place you will discover that techniques. in step with threat commence which comprise your close by police station-see in the event that they are able to get you started in the extraordinary direction. good success.

Answer 10

Go to the local animal shelter or the adoption days at your local Petco or Petsmart, usually on weekends. Look at the dogs. Find a dog that begs YOUR family to take it home. The good thing about the rescue leagues is that they are usually willing to take the dog back if you find it just does not work for you. In fact, sometimes they insist that you do this, if the dog is not a good match for you. They also may help you in choosing the best type of animal for you, as they have experience with many breeds, and can usually tell you something about the particular dogs they have up for adoption. I, personally, am partial to mixed breed dogs. It seems that a mixed dog often has the better attributes of the breeds it has combined. It is its very own individual. They don't ususally cost as much, and if you do your research, you will find out that many breeders who simply breed for the money, and sometimes don't breed for the health of the offspring. Look up "puppy mills" online, if you want a real lesson in dogs.
If your kids are small, you may want to avoid larger breed dogs, as they seem to end up often jumping on kids or knocking them over, especially for first-time dog owners. That is not always the case, but for first-time dog owners with small children, a smaller dog, possibly medium-size is probably a better choice. Some people we know had a lovely Black Lab when their son was small. The dog got relegated to the back-yard. Then she knocked the little boy over with her chain. Dog Pound. Then they got a lovely Yellow Lab. Back yard. It was such a nice dog, but it did not get the attention it needed.
Also, if you are going to get a dog, please DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT if you plan on keeping it outside most of the time, as dogs are pack animals. They thrive on being with a pack - which, in the family situation, is actually your family. As its pack, it will want to spend time with you, follow you around even if you are busy, sleep on or next to someone's bed, play, go for rides, go for walks. These are the things dogs love and need. In return they give you love, affection, and devotion (actually more than some people will give you). Dogs isolated to the outside, away from their family end up to be unhappy animals with bad manners. They will dig, bark, jump fences, and generally make nuisances of themselves. Even with the best of guidance dogs may chew on things if they are lonely; or get into the trash can, especially if they are young and have not learned everything, yet. If you really have the time to spend teaching a dog (it is actually like another child) and training a dog, it will be rewarding. If you don't have the time to spend training it, reading about how to train it, etc., it will be a source of aggravation. Regarding smaller dogs, remember, they still need the same training that a large dog needs. This is basic to all dogs, smaller dogs just don't have the mass to knock a child down as easilly, but they can do other things that could be equally bothersome. Some things to remember: Dogs house-train easier if you begin by crate-training them. Dogs need shots and need to be spayed or neutered. When you go on vacation, you either need to take your dog along with you, or you need to have a trusted friend or family member who can watch it for you, or a reputable kennel that the dog gets used to. If you want to go away for the weekend with the kids, you have to consider the dog. These probably sound like things to discourage someone from getting a dog. We have two dogs (and cats, too). We love our dogs. I feel safer with our dogs around, but they give us much more than a sense of security. They give love and devotion. Dogs are fun to have around, but you do need to be prepared to spend time with them: for 10 years, or so.