Looking for a family Dog with 8 month old baby

[frankee]

Hi Guys,

I have an 8 month old son and my DH and I would love to get a family dog so they can grow up together. I noticed some of you have a dog and I was wondering if anyone knows what type of dog is great to have with kids???

We needa little guarding instinct for our property but i dont want a dangerous dog for my son. Could anyone shed some light on what kind of dogs they have and if they are great for kids and guarding??????Thanks

[Phteven]

We got a little mutt from the pound recently. So far she's great, very patient with the boys and barks at anyone who moves on the other side of her fence.
You could get a rescue dog from PetRescue - find your new best friend! or any of the other organisations listed in this thread.
Most of the bully breeds are great with kids and will bark a warning.

[Ginger]

we have a golden retriever and she is absolutely fantastic with our ds. they are best of friends.
check out some pics of them together in my gallery if you have the chance.

[Muppity]

I can only suggest getting an older dog.

You probably don't have enough time to train a young pup at the moment and they remain pups for several years whereas a well chosen older dog would tend to be more tolerant of toddlers and what they do.

Good luck with your choice - having a family pet is a wonderful thing.

[lilcosmo]

Firstly - well done for doing your research

I would highly recommend a Golden Retriever! Fantastic family pet, very gentle, loving, smart, protective of their home and they have a pretty good bark on them too. They do need a bit of exercise and maintenance, but so does any dog.

Just a couple of points about dogs (apologies if I'm covering things you are perfectly aware of):

All pups are boisterous. They bite, they have very sharp little teeth and they chew things up... a lot!

Obedience school - It should be compulsary for all dogs! Waaaay too many pets end up in shelters for bad behaviour. This is the best way for you to ensure a happy 'relationship' between your family and your new furry friend.

A small dog doesn't necessarily mean a more appropriate dog for kids... often they are the snappiest!

Only buy from a shelter, pet shop or registered breeder. Often the ads in the paper (which sound cheap and too good to be true) are from 'backyard' breeders who keep their animals in awful conditions (not always, but often). The only way to stop these people doing it is by not buying pups from them.

Shop around, don't settle for the first dog you see (Its so hard when they look at you with those eyes!) Do your research and make sure you are 100% happy with your choice.

Good luck with your search!

[Phteven]

I can only suggest getting an older dog.

You probably don't have enough time to train a young pup at the moment and they remain pups for several years whereas a well chosen older dog would tend to be more tolerant of toddlers and what they do.

I totally agree. Puppies are a lot of work - all that chewing and peeing.
Lots of rescue dogs are in homes with children so you know that they're good with them.

You also need to think about your lifestyle and home. Do you have a large or small garden? Are your fences high or low and how secure are they? Are you very active or not very active? Do you want to spend time grooming? How much can you budget each week for food?
All of these things will influence what kind of dog suits you.

[lilcosmo]

You also need to think about your lifestyle and home. Do you have a large or small garden? Are your fences high or low and how secure are they? Are you very active or not very active? Do you want to spend time grooming? How much can you budget each week for food?
All of these things will influence what kind of dog suits you.

Excellent point Dachlostar!

[Aphrael]

I have a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and he's wonderful with my girls. He was a yr old when my DD was born and have had no problems with him. I've also never sent him to dog obedience classes and he's very well trained as we've spent the time to make him aware of what is acceptable behaviour (I was turned off obedience school when my friend took her german shepherd there and the trainer tried picking up this dog by his hind legs pfft), I dont think he's a very good guard dog as he'll go to anyone but I think his breed and the bark is enough to deter anyone coming onto our property.

I also second buying the dog from a shelter or registered breeder and good luck with your decision

Cheers,

Beck

[krysalyss]

There are some breeds that are very well known to be good family dogs but you always need to take their individual histories into account. Some good breeds tend to be cav/king charles spaniels, whippets, greyhounds, retrievers. Little dogs are more fragile then big dogs (think kids jumping on their back) but then a big dog can do more damage if it bites. Big dogs also cost more to keep in food and preventative medicine. Older dogs can have histories that may affect their behaviour but puppies do bite, chew and jump. Most dogs will show some tendency towards guarding but will often dissuade intruders just by their presence. If I had kids I wouldn't pick a dog with strong guarding tendencies as this tends to spill over into other things like balls, food etc.
Dach brought up some good points. If you like a particular breed do some research as many have problems you need to look for (eg. retrievers with hip/elbow problems, skin probs etc). Grooming and activity levels are also important. Breeds like greyhounds are known as runners but their required activity is no more than any other dog. Working dogs on the other hand need a lot of exercise as do many terriers. Some dogs like foxies are notorious escape artists so think about your fencing. The size of your yard is of little importance. You can have acreage and your dog will still hang around the house looking for company. They rarely exercise themselves so you need to consider more how willing you are to commit to exercising them. Check out your local dog parks as that gives them socialisation as well as a great opportunity to run around like a nutcase.
Buy from a good shelter with staff experienced in rehoming. You will get a lot better advice for your situation than if you buy from a pet shop.
Hope this helps!

[LuluHB]

TBH I think you should wait for at least a year before getting a dog so that your DS starts to get an understanding of boundaries. Dogs deserve respect and its not fair to bring a puppy or dog into a home where there is a baby that will potentially make life fairly unpleasant for it. (Obviously a completely different story if you already had a dog before the baby was born). My folks have a couple of little dogs - maltese/****zu crosses and my girls have been slowly introduced to them and they (more so than the dogs) are always under very strict supervision and control. Both girls are being taught that if the dog doesn't want to be with them then to leave it alone, not chase it, not pester it etc.

That said, labradors would be one of the best breeds to have around kids. I disagree with getting dogs from pet shops as a pp said. They are really no better than out of the paper and there are a lot of pet shops that are supplied by "puppy farms", which are just dreadful.

The RSPCA in Perth is great for matching appropriate dogs with families (in fact you have to go through some sort of testing procedure, which is great. Otherwise, there is a group called the Canine Association here and I assume there will be something equivalent in whatever state you're in. They are a fantastic source of information, are unbiased as to breeds and can recommend reputable breeders.

We will be getting a dog (probably a labrador) for our kids in another 3 or 4 years time when the girls are at an age where they can actively be involved in the dog's care and it won't be so stressful trying to deal with babies - both the human and furry kind.