What kind of dog is great for kids???

Question

I have two little boys, they are almost 2 and 8. They want a puppy but I am not sure what kind of dog would be best. I want a small to medium sized dog that would be good in the house. One that is short haired and obviously great with kids. Any suggestions??

Answer 1

Boxers are known for being great with children.

Dobermans are wonderful, too. I grew up with one.

No small dogs [chihuahuas, min-pins, miniature poodles, etc] are really recommended [take my word for it!]. They tend to be very snappy and attach themselves to one person.

Any terrier [jack russells, etc] are going to be extremely high-strung and very active.

Border collies are also EXTREMELY active and need hours of exercise a day. They like to herd, and boredom from no exercise can lead to house destruction from any of these active breeds.

Pugs are the only small dogs that I can think of [off the top of my head] that I would trust around kids unless you are a wonderful trainer.

Bassets are sweet, mostly, but they like to bay.

Beagles should not be pets unless you are willing to exercise them for hours a day. They tend to bay a LOT. They are very active.

I would research into the breeds and meet a few before making a decision.

Check out akc.org or go to your local library. Make use of google.

Petfinder.com is a wonderful place to look.

Also, consider visiting your local shelter. 25% of shelter animals are purebred, if you must have a breed.

Good luck.

Answer 2

If you are planning on purchasing a purebred dog please look into the puppys pedigree before making a decision. Anyone who will tell you a lab is a lab is an idiot. There is night and day difference between a "Yellow Labrador" out of the newspaper and a labrador who's breeder has been working to better the breed over a period of years. And to whoever said "Pitbulls are made for killing people" is just plain ignorant. Historically APBTs and other bully breeds were bred to fight other animals. Human aggression is an undesirable trait and one that is 100% intolerable to the responsible owner. While i dont belive the APBT is a great family pet choice for most families, it still bothers me considerably when i read ignorant propaganda & misinformation. Maybe a nice mixed breed in need of a home would be a good choice if your not interested in a pedigreed animal? Good luck in finding the perfect companion for your family.

Answer 3

A Beagle is great with Children as is a Lab and a Golden Retriever. But I will scare you with my first choice, an APBT. They are the greatest. Known as the "Nanny Dog". When my daughter brought my one month old grandson for his first visit she put him on the floor in his carrier. The Pit went over to check him out then laid down and stayed there by him for the hour he was there. She would not leave his side.
Check this site that rates dogs for how good they are with children.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/children.htm

Answer 4

you definantly SHOULD NOT get a dog in those first three answers.those people only wrote that down because their dog seems to work with them.usually medium to large sized dogs are the friendlier ones,because the small ones tend to be snappy and bite.i know that one exception is a beagle,they are quite loud,but very friendly and small enough to not knock down children.if they are toddlers,(which i see you have)you probably shouldnt get a beagle,because they love to jump on you and lick you,and if baby is infront of a glass tabe,and puppy gets excited...ouch.you should probably get a calmer dog,which you can find in dog encyclopedias.they tell the temperment and health issues and everything else you need to know.have fun picking a new dog!

Answer 5

I am biased, but a Labrador Retriever is the dog you are looking for. We have two, both are very even tempered and great with kids! They are nothing but BIG babies and will lavish attention on you. They are also very smart and learn things fast.
We've gotten both @ the shelter, and my biggest concern with anyone getting a dog is to make sure that you are ready for all of their care. Too many are abandoned, and all they want from us is love, a gentle hand and of course PLENTY of food and water! Good luck in your decision!

Answer 6

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel:
It is an eager, affectionate tail-wagger. Lively, outgoing and sportive. These fearless lively little dogs want to please. They are intelligent enough to understand what you want and therefore are usually easy to train and respond well to gentle obedience training. They are said to be naturally well behaved and get along well with other dogs and non-canine pets.

Picture: http://www.cavalierclubofsandiego.com/Blen9weeks.jpg

http://image53.webshots.com/53/9/68/30/481196830xsfSMe_ph.jpg?track_pagetag=/page/photo/pets/dogs&track_action=/Shortcuts/FullSize

The Border Terrier:
The Border Terrier is alert and lively, but mild-mannered. Especially affectionate with children and wants to please, so it is relatively easy to train. A hardy, scruffy little terrier and a bold hunter.

The Papillon:
A gentle and affectionate dog, lively, vivacious and charming. Playful and amusing but can also be calm, patient, gentle and dignified. Steady and silent. Loves to be cuddled but also likes to romp outdoors. It may be very possessive of its owner and resent outsiders. They are steady, obedient and are not yappers. Papillons can be trained to perform small tricks.

Answer 7

You should try puppyfind.com. It will give you an idea of what kind of dog you should get. But the dogs that love children is a Labrador retriever, Golden retriever, or a German Shepperd. That's what I would recommend.

Answer 8

I would say a good dog to get would be maybe a shelter dog, or get one from a breed rescue like a small breed rescue.

Answer 9

i wud have 2 say a weiner dog [dachsund] because i have 2 and if you can get a white with brown and black [pieball] then they really are very pretty dogs [ mine was 1000 $ tho so they arent the cheapest dog in the world]
and if not then a pug { there small an cute wit there flat faces}
or a cheuwawa {no idea how 2 spell it}

Answer 10

may i suggest ,a golden retriever, very good with kids, easy to take care of , live to about 12 years old , and very loyal .
perhaps a pound dog ,save a dog life ......