what dog is good for small children?

Question

I have an almost 3 year old son and a 16 mth old daughter and I would like to get them a puppy. My kids' babysitter has a dog and they love playing with her. I know that they would love to have a dog. But I don't know what kind would be good for small children.
Wanted to try to get them one by Christmas and am unsure where I will be living...weather it be an apartment or house...

Answer 1

pit bulls are really good with children, they are very tough and wont be as sensitive to kids rough play such as a labrador. i have two pit bulls now and I'm due to have a baby in April, and my dogs are so great with children already. if you get a puppy from a breeder make sure that both parents are well behaved dogs, and try and make sure that the dogs arent blood-related. this can cause strange acting or aggressive pups as a result. whatever you do dont get a toy breed! they have no tolerance for kids! and remember no matter what the breed never ever leave your dog and baby unattended together. every breed has the potential to harm or kill your baby, dont chance it just because buddy the yellow lab has never done anything before, be responsible.

Answer 2

You need to wait until you are settled before getting a dog. For one thing if you are renting you will need to find a place that will permit a dog and you will need to find out what if any restrictions they have such as size limits.

It's also a very bad idea to bring a dog into the house (even if you were settled) during the holiday season. What you could do is spend the time now researching breeds. http://www.k9country.com/perl/dogBreed.pl This breed selector, while far from perfect, is a good place to start IF you answer the questions honestly.

For Christmas you can have the bowls, leashes, training books, crates, grooming tools, collars, etc. wrapped and under the tree. You could also have pictures of the breed you've chosen (if you know what it will be).

With children that young you are better off getting an adult dog. Just make sure the breeder or shelter knows that you have small children so that the dog you get will be one who has been well- socialized to young kids.

Answer 3

I am glad your kids love dogs. :) My very best friend when I was a kid had 4 legs and a tail that wagged every time she saw me. I told her every secret and she never told on me. But with so much unsettled right now are you sure this is the best time to get a dog? Landlords can be pretty down on pets and pet deposits can be pretty high. Moving with a pet is never easy and nether is moving with kids. Trying to housebreak a pup then re housebreak it because when they are little changes can throw them off their training may be asking a lot of yourself. Then there is the cost of vet bills these days. I now own a $1000 cat just because he got sick at night and had to go to animal emergency. That doesn't even count shots and neutering,

If you are sure this is the right time for a dog the best kind may be one as much like the one they love at the babysttter's as possible. The 3 yr old at least can give you an idea if she wants a dog just like that one or just wants a doggie.

Generally I suggest people with small children get a gentle medium size short or medium haired adult dog something like a golden retriever or a lab and preferably a mixed breed with that type characteristics either from a good shelter or a person you know well. The reasoning here is that a shelter has the animals checked for health, they are probably already spayed or neutered, Yopu will be saving the dog's life, you get to interact with the dog whetther at shelter visit or at your friend's and be sure how it will react to your children. Retriever types tend to be gentle with kids and protective too. Adult dogs can take more of a child's enthusiasm and over excitement and over hugging than a puppy can and are able to be more independent. A pup who is accidently hugged too tight or allowed to chew on a toy may be injured or may nip to defend itself just as it would nip a litter mate who played too rough. An adult dog is more inclined to just walk away or give a warning bark and less likly to get hurt pr swallow pieces of a toy.

Answer 4

Well, I was beat by a couple of other people but I want to second, or third, an APBT, "the Nanny Dog" is so great with children.
If I may, can I relate my experience with my Pit. A year ago when my daughter brought over my one month old grandson for the first time she sat him on the floor, in his carrier, and the Pit went over and checked him out then she laid down next to him on the floor and did not leave his side for the next hour.
Now that my grandson is a year old when they come over the Pit goes and puts her head in his hands and lets him play and pull on her ears. All she does is lick his toes.
She loves everyone. It makes no matter who I let into the house she loves them. She does not know what stranger means.
She gets along with and plays with my other three dogs.
Before all the media hype of recent years the Pit was the most popular family dog in the country.

Now that I convinced you that the APBT is the best dog lets go for another breed.
Beagle. Snoopy. They sleep on top of their dog house. Smaller then a Pit and also love everyone. They are clowns and will do things to make you laugh. Here is a shot of my Snoopy, he didn't have a house to sleep on so he did the best he could. Yes that is my bed.

http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa19/rcordellft2/?action=view¤t=Snoopyinpillows.jpg

Answer 5

If you are not sure of your living situation and with the ages of your children a stuffed dog would be the best for them.
If your living situation is not stable it is never a good time to bring a dog into the home. If the new apartment or even rental house does not allow pets you would need to be getting rid of the pet.
Also your children are far to young to be allowed to play with a dog any dog unsupervied ever. Dogs and kid must be supervised anytime they are together. For the safety of both the dog and kids.
Also with children that young you may not have the time needed to work with and train a puppy.

Answer 6

first of all, please, in case you get a small dogs, show your 2-year-previous the thank you to be properly mannered around the dogs. way too many dogs finally end up in shelters because of the fact human beings the two do not show their infants the thank you to act in the direction of the dogs or they depart them unsupervised with the dogs and then the toddler, doing what infants do it quite is come across and examine out their environment, pulls on the dogs tail or pokes the dogs in the attention or pulls the dogs fur or by probability journeys and falls on the dogs and then the dogs gets dissatisfied...yeah, not notably. So please, show your toddler to be high-quality to the puppy and in no way depart the two one among them unsupervised. i'm not asserting something against you or your 2-year-previous or something i'm in basic terms asserting i've got seen it ensue way too many cases :( 2d, with a toddler that youthful i does not get a dogs below like 15-20lbs. one this is equipped extra stable so this is much less breakable. A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel may well be a solid decision as they easily have the temperament of a Golden Retriever in a small dogs physique. Bichon Frise's, Havanese, Shih Tzu, Boston Terriers, Pugs...they might all additionally be stable options :) yet I easily does not decide for a Yorkie, they're too fragile and that they have an inclination to not be very tolerant of toddler coping with :/

Answer 7

Get an older dog. Puppies are cute and all, but your kids need a lot of mothering, you don't need to be mothering a puppy too. Puppies also have needle sharp claws and teeth that aren't very kid friendly. Make sure you have your housing stabilized. My now nine year old Border Collie was put into rescue when he was two because the family lived where they couldn't keep him anymore. The young boy was devastated! There are many worthy two year old and above dogs who need homes and would be good matches for your family. Check out http://www.petfinder.com/

Answer 8

i dont know the exact name right now but go to iams.com and search. i think that you should get a dog that loves to run,exercise,easy to train, and dosnt shed hair. a dog can be mighty hard to handle with the age of your children.

Answer 9

You shouldn't get your kids a small breed because kids aren't very gentle with dogs. Golden Retrievers and Labs are known to be really gentle to the kids. They're retriever type dogs and so they never bite their owners and are always up for playing fetch and other things. So retriever types are really good.
Stay away from teriers because they get restless and might have a short temper.
Stay away from Bull Dogs because they were bread to kill things.
Some hounds, like the beagle are really good with kids.

Answer 10

Pitbulls!! They are very good with children of all ages. I have two of my oun! I think you should really consider it, I would say it would be a better deal than a toy dog...
but if your not sure about how much space you will have, maybe think about a smaller breed, stafordshires are like a smaller version of a pitbull.