What are good kid dogs?

Question

We are looking to get my daughter a dog but, needs to be really good with kids. My husband wants a lab but, I was thinking something a bit smaller than a lab. Got any ideas?

Answer 1

You need to consider a lot of other factors like: how often are you prepared to groom, how long are you prepared to walk every day, how large is your house/yard, etc.

I don't know how old your daughter is, but you need to be prepared to do a lot of the work if she is anywhere below 12. I'm assuming you're getting a puppy, as those appeal the most to children. Puppies require LOTS of work. Housebreaking, which I'm sure you will agree is one of the most essential parts of puppy training, requires almost constant attention (taking the puppy out every hour on the hour) for at least two weeks (but realistically about a month). You also need to be prepared to fund vaccinations, spaying/neutering, obedience classes and yearly trips to the vet for booster shots.

Having said that, beagles are really great with kids; they tend to be more sensitive towards the "smaller" size of children and are more gentle (ie, they won't run over and jump up on your child's shoulders like say, a Dalmatian might.) However, they must be walked for at least half an hour every day and brushed weekly. They are quite small and make excellent family dogs.

Answer 2

how old is your kid? if you're worried a big dog like a lab will bowl her over, well, she'll grow and labs really are the 'great american family dog' lol.

i assume your husband doesn't want a 'lap' dog, so you should go with something in between as far as size goes.

i'd avoid all terriers because they're prone to nipping because they're so hyper active - i work at a vet clinic and have been bitten by more terriers than i care to count.

schnauzers are a good medium sized dog, but they're not cutsie so your husband might be okay with it. there's the french bull dog - basically a slightly oversized boston terrier - but if you don't like snorting then dont get that. there's a shetland sheepdog or a sheltie, but they're hairy and require grooming. there's also the spaniel family, but quite a few of them require some grooming.

honestly though, i would go with a lab simply because it won't be hard to train it not to play too rough and they have the best personalities.

if you want to research more breeds you can try this website. it has all the AKC registered breeds, gives a pic, health and attitude stats, and their history.

http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselectorindex.do

Answer 3

A lot of depends on your daughter's age and temperament. Another consideration is whether you want a puppy or an adult dog. Are you set on a purebred, or would you take a mixed-breed?

Something else to keep in mind ... your "daughter's dog" will actually be YOUR dog ... you'll be the one taking care of it. Better make sure it's something YOU like so you don't end up resenting it. Some dogs have lots of energy and need a ton of exercise. Some require daily brushing and regular professional grooming. All dogs need some training. And all that's gonna fall on YOU, Mom.

Please do some research before you decide. Here are a few websites to get you started:

http://www.akc.org (for breed profiles and links to breed clubs)

http://canismajor.com (for tons of dog-related info)

Shelters and rescues are great places to look for your dog. The people working there will work hard to place the right dog with you, should you choose to do that. Good Luck in your search.

Answer 4

how small is smaller?
Beagles are really good dogs, but they will bark really loud sometimes(it's the hunting instincts).
We have a Boston Terrier puppy and he's really great with the kids, but sometimes gets a little too excited, and it's been hard to potty train.
Labs are very sweet, but they are large and you have to keep that in mind as a puppy and work on keeping him from jumping. I've never seen a mean lab, and all of the ones I've known are great with kids. Hope that helps

Answer 5

You want the "Nanny Dog", an American Pit bull Terrier. They are the greatest dog there is with children. When my daughter brought over my one month old grandson and sat him on the floor in his carrier the Pit went over to check him out then she laid down by his side and stayed there for the next hour. Now when they come over he plays with her, pulling her ears and all she does is lick him. They are the greatest family dog there is. My older Pit is 55 lbs, not real big.
For a smaller dog you might want to think about a Beagle. The are very loving and go to about 25 lbs. Some people say the are noisy and bark a lot, not true. My beagle is the last one to bark, well bay, the other three bark first. The Beagle is the last to join in. Plus he is the clown and does some pretty funny things. Foe example:

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

Answer 6

Labs will destroy your house - they're VERY high energy dogs.
What about adopting a retired Greyhound? They're great with kids, they adapt to your lifestyle pretty easily and most of them have gone to prison for obedience training. They love to run and play outside, but will be more than happy to do nothing but sleep on the couch while inside. They're very loving and friendly. They are a larger dog, but they don't have much hair so shedding isn't really an issue.
These dogs fit in so well with your family, you'll wonder why you ever considered any other kind of dog.
They do have an adoption process, greyhounds have to be leashed or fenced while outside because they're very fast. They can never be tethered because they'll break their necks if they start running at high speeds.
Here's a good website to check out greyhounds - it also has lots of links.
www.teamgreyhound.com

once you go grey, you'll NEVER go back!

Answer 7

Golden Retrievers, GSDs and Labs are normally fabulous with kids. If you're looking for something smaller Beagles and Basset Hounds are usually good with kids. Most of the setters (Irish, Red and White, English, Gordon) are very laid back and make great companions for kids.
Actually, most gundogs or hounds would be a wise choice as most of them are very placid, tolerant dogs, that make superb pets.

Answer 8

The staffordshire bull terrier breed standard specifically mentions how good it is with kids:

Temperament
From the past history of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the modern dog draws its character of indomitable courage, high intelligence, and tenacity. This, coupled with its affection for its friends, and children in particular, its off-duty quietness and trustworthy stability, makes it a foremost all-purpose dog.



But like any dog, it's more how the dog is raised, what kind of parents it had, and how the child is taught to respect dogs.

Answer 9

You cannot always go by breeds. You have to know a specific dog's temperament.

Have you all considered looking in a shelter? You can take the entire family to the shelter and get to know each dog that you're interested in. You'd be surprised at some of the great dogs that you'll find there.

Answer 10

We had a yellow lab. As my children were babies, he never bit them once... well maybe he snatched a few crackers from their hands when they were toddling around...oh, and his "otter tail" would knock them over when he wagged it! He was the BEST! He just passed away at age 13 on 9-9-07, he was like my 8 & 9 year old children's older brother! Get a lab! It's soooo rewarding.