A Man's Best Friend?

[BabyLove]

What's the friendliest breed with children?

I know Luke would be over the moon if i agreed to us getting a dog, but im really scared & wary of them all around Lovella- Even the small ones! I see everything as danger, especially as i know quite a few that have been loving for years and suddenly attacked. It scares me but i also know they are great to have around children and that Lovella would benefit loads

 

[mummykay]

Iv grown up with rottweilers so I wouldnt flinch at gettin one for me and Jam if I had the time, theyre not everyones cup of tea tho

thing is, its not like the baby would be left alone with just the dog - thats just common sense but there are def bad tempered breeds compared to some

 

[Snuggle]

We have just got a Boxer pup and Boxers are fab with kids. I looked at this

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

 

[ShineyHappyPeople]

Labradors / golden retrievers are excellent family pets but they need quite alot of exercise. My lab loves children to bits and understands that they are more fragile than me, hes so sweet.

I don't want to sound patronising or anything but all I'm saying is that you need to be absolutely certain you want a dog rather than trying it out and finding that its too much hard work aswell as another baby on the way because its not fair on the dog

 

[Manda&Thomas]

you would be right to be worried
IMO no dog is completly "safe" around small children really and i dont think one breed is better then another ive known small and big dogs to turn
its how you train them rather then the breed if you have the time to train then get whatever breed takes your fancy i pursonaly would by anything older then a puppy as you dont know how its trained
if i were you id wait a few yeas till your babies are older and you have time to train it well
xx

 

[hennaly]

A puppy and a baby are extrememly hard work to have at the same time however if you fully understand what you are taking on can be very rewarding, the hardest thing is housetraining as having a pup mess on the floor while a baby around can be very off putting for some people.
Back to the question in hand, there is no particular breed as such that i could say would be best but you need to take into account, size, too small is sometimes worse than too big as there is a risk of small puppies being hurt, terriers are ratters and can have a tendancy to nip, this isnt set in stone but the reality is they do, lots of breeds come with health issues etc.
Do some research and visit a few breeders before you decide and dont let anyone talk you into a particular breed that you are not happy with.
Failing that get St Bernard but be warned it will be used as a naughty stall

 

[lfc_sarah]

I have a labrador and hes boss with Callum

 

[poochielove]

Whippet or a greyhound....but then i am biased plus there loads in the rescue centres so you have to have the hassle of a naughty puppy!

 

[claire2711]

my mum has a lhasa apso and so does james' nan (same dogs as paul o'grady has) and they are so gentle its unreal! they have been great with Riley so far. Just depends if ya get one with a good personality i spose eh

 

[LisaJ1986]

I have a lurcher and a border collie. The border collie is fab and tends to stay away from Angel. The lurcher is more bouncy but she has a severe fit last year and it has done slight damage to her brain. She loves her so much though.

 

[badgergirl]

I've got a staffie and a cross collie. The staffie is absolutely wonderful with Sprog, although she's VERY bouncy, and has to be reminded to be gentle all the time.

The cross collie is more standoffish; generally keeps her distance.

I trust both of them as long as I am around to supervise, but they are never, and never will be, left unsupervised with Sprog, even for a second.

The main problem that I see is that if you're unsure and nervous about the decision, the dog WILL pick up on it, and depending on the dog's temperament it can cause problems. The majority of dogs need you to 'show' that you are 'pack leader' (in terms of vocal commands, body language etc).

If I were you, I'd try spending some more time around dogs, people with dogs, etc, and become comfortable with them before bringing one into your home. Find a size and temperament (not necessarily breed, as cross breeds are wonderful!) that suits you, your home and your family, and go from there.

 

[helsekia]

things dont always work out.we have 2 labs and although i trust them completely,the youngest one is really not getting on with my LO at the minute.its a vicious cycle hes only 2 years old and full of energy and i just dont have the time to do the 2 mile walks he loves and needs anymore (he does get exercised) consequently he is full of bounce and hyper and my LO hates him because of it and so its really difficult to have them both in the same room at the same time.its not dogs as LO loves my older dog cos shes a lazy bum.

 

[Sherlock]

We have just got a Boxer pup and Boxers are fab with kids. I looked at this

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

Boxers also require a large amount of exercise and time spent on them. They are very bouncy energetic dogs and can become become destructive if not got enough to do or wear them out.

Great with kids but needing lots of time and walks. I always felt they were better suited to familes with older children.

 

[Full of hope!]

We have a Bullmastiff She's 3 years old now and brilliant with Jacob BUT we have had her since she was 8 weeks old and we put a lot of time and hard work into training her. I have decided we will never get another dog as we'd never get another one like Tia and we'd never have the time to devote to a puppy again!

Dogs are hard work, tying and expensive so please be sure about your decision to get one, especially as you are expecting baby number two

I agree with the others, there is no particular breed that is 'best with kids' it's how you train them and bring them up

 

[widowwadman]

Whippet or a greyhound....but then i am biased plus there loads in the rescue centres so you have to have the hassle of a naughty puppy!

Absolutely agree. My bloke's parents had a greyhound who was absolutely brilliant with our little nephew and actually guarded him/came to fetch a human if she heard the little one stir the tiniest bit (and she had good ears). Sadly she died a few months back. They now got another rescue greyhound quite recently, who again is fantastically patient and happy with kids. Our nephew is a toddler now and much more active, but the dog can't be fazed at all. Obviously a dog and a child should only be together under close supervision, but if any dog I'd probably go for a greyhound.

 

[Sherlock]

Spaniel breeds are generally good. The Cavalier King Charles has a great reputation with children. But its not the sort of dog most people go for. Although one person here had a bad experience with one. But thats the only time I've heard of it.

TBH I'd steer away from any terrier breed (can be snappy and protective of things) any large breed that will require large amounts of exercise and also any guarding breed (especically if you are going to be the main person spending time with it) if you've not got experience with that sort of dog.

After both my dogs died within 2 months of each other we got a Whippet when I was 34 weeks pregnant. 6 months old so we skipped the puppy stage and he's brilliant with Galen. Very soft natured and all Galen wants to do is prod and poke and pull at him. And all Eric does in return is want to lick him. He does need walks but being a Whippet is great with lead walks by the side of pushchair and also then a couple of good runs round the field each day. Whippets like short bursts of speed so a 10 minute run round an open field is as good as an hour walking other breeds. In the house they are fairly quiet and can cope if they don't get a free run during the day (but not every day) and will make do with a garden. But they can be senstive and don't take well to being yelled at or if you get cross with them.

FWIW please make sure you will have time and energy for a dog/puppy especially with small children. Dogs are time consuming and require training and walks. I am always so saddened when I read of people looking to rehome their dog because they don't have time for it anymore. Even on the crappiest days when its pouring down and cold my dogs still get a good walk and time outside. Eric the whippet gets let out first thing in the morning regardless, fed, walked, settles for the morning, goes out for a short wander around lunch, then a decent walk in the afternoon and again a run out in the field if we have time in the evening. On weekends he comes with us on walks elsewhere. We only ever leave him for 6 hours maximum. Rehoming our dogs is never an option. We always research the breeds we like and are considering and visit a few breeders and make up our minds after a lot of thought. Because of this we have never gotten the 'wrong' breed for our lifestyle and have never had problems. And we have kept everything including cross breeds, labradors, poodle, dachshunds, whippets, Dobermans and a Gordon Setter. Working sheepdogs, labs and terriers are also part of my life. I even had a Foxhound puppy to walk for 6 months on occasion.

Dogs are a real tie and also expensive. Vets bills, kennels if you go away and so on. Please give serious consideration if you will have the time and commitment for one along with your family. Also be aware that many pedigree breeds often have some kind of heriditary problems due to the line breeding done in the past. This can cause problems years after buying the dog and may not be apparent when a dog is young.

 

[Full of hope!]

Dogs are a real tie and also expensive. Vets bills, kennels if you go away and so on. Please give serious consideration if you will have the time and commitment for one along with your family. Also be aware that many pedigree breeds often have some kind of heriditary problems due to the line breeding done in the past. This can cause problems years after buying the dog and may not be apparent when a dog is young.

I'll second that! Our poor Tia ruptured both of her cruciate ligaments in her knees and needed two lots of surgery costing £2500 EACH! She also has hip/elbow dysplasia and arthritis in her elbows and requires long term medication which costs in excess of £50 a month and she's only 3 years old! Luckily she is insured and always has been. Our insurance costs us £27 a month but it's worth every penny.

 

[mrs_tommo22]

First of all - hey sherry i ve not spoke to you for a while how are you and that gorgeous boy of yours?

I got a rescue ex racing Greyhound a few months ago and she is the most wonderful loving dog i could of hoped for. She is house trained, dont need a huge amount of excercise and isnt all time consuming as greyhound are notorios for being the laziest dogs about - they will sleep allday of you let them and only need about 40 mins a day of excercise - short bursts of sprinting and they are knackered!

She is fantastic with my children and in return trusted and treated like a family member, shes a princess and snuggle will also tell you how taken her hubby was with Mia!

If you get a rescue dog they are also commonly spayed and vaccinated when you get them so that saves a huge amount of money.

She is by far the best breed i have ever owned and im so taken i am looking for another one.

 

[Sarah&Braydon]

we have a cavalier king charles and she is absolutly brill with Braydon

 

[Snuggle]

We have just got a Boxer pup and Boxers are fab with kids. I looked at this

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

Boxers also require a large amount of exercise and time spent on them. They are very bouncy energetic dogs and can become become destructive if not got enough to do or wear them out.

Great with kids but needing lots of time and walks. I always felt they were better suited to familes with older children.

Our Boxer suits the family very well, she is of course very playful and energetic and spends most of the day running up and down the livingroom with my one year old tiring each other out. I am at home all day so she is not short of attention and when hubby gets in from work we go walk the dog as a family and have a run around the field. I agree with Sherlock though, this breed needs plenty of stimulation and if they dont get it they will get very bored and get destructive. If you dont have much time and patience, dont get a Boxer