which dog?

CiciBaltimore

the only dog that even bit my children was a staffy so i dont agree. especially getting a staffy from rescue thaat they dont know well. when you have young children is it always bestest to get a pup and then they grow with the children. you can still get one from rescue.

Kaida

Just to point out, short haired dogs still moult, sometimes more than longhaired ones. Lab fur, for instance, is awful, gets everywhere and is prickly.

Staffies are great with kids and other people, but be aware they do have a tendancy to be aggressive to other dogs, so you may have to be careful when walking him/her.

Milford_Cubicle

I have a black Lab, she's coming up 22 weeks now. I'd not recommend a puppy with young children at all, my daughter is 7 although very grown up for her age. She respects the dog and doesn't treat her like a toy, although she does have a thing about scrunchies and will nick them out of my daughter's hair given half the chance! I've lost count of the amount of trousers and t-shirts which have holes in them from her nippy and bitey phase when she was smaller!

My best mate has an almost 4 year old. He is told time and again that if he doesn't want the pup to chase him, then he shouldn't roll on the floor and he shouldn't run away screeching if she licks hims or mouths him gently. What does he do? Rolls on the floor, then runs away screeching when she licks his hair and ears!

You need a sensible, grown up and mature child (not necessarily governed by how old they are though) to have a puppy in the house, plus the time to be able to dedicate to it. I am also an advocate of rescue dogs, especially as they'll be carefully assessed to be placed with the correct people. Get yourself a rescue greyhound! Labs are fabulous with kids although I'd not recommend one until the Lab is around 18 months old and they shed so no good for you

foreign_correspondent

If you are worried about the shedding because you are houseproud, please go into this with your eyes open - your house will never be quite the same again, and shedding is only a small part of this - remember...

your dog has to be walked every day, probably for an hour or more, come rain or shine, and will trail mud into the house, shake excess water off, leaving splashes on your paintwork etc, (can also be hard work walking a dog in rotten weather with a grizzling, cold, little one!)

it will occasionally roll in stinky, vile things - (cat !!!!!! and a dead rotting badger being two my dog has gleefully rolled in recently) - the cat poop was just as I was about to take her home so I cold go to an appointment, of course, I had to chuck her in the bath and wash it all off wearing rubber gloves before I could go - it was not nice trying to get all the 'bits' out of her fur!)

if its a pup, it will chew things (remote controls, shoes and furniture legs are common victims) - an older bored dog will do the same.

Lots of dogs will steal food, so you have to keep edibles out of reach!

pups will also poo, wee and maybe even be sick, almost always when you are really busy, or about to go somewhere - older dogs may also do this sometimes - marking territory, poor housetraining, urine infections etc

Plus, its a big responsibility - You can never leave a small child and a dog unsupervised, as both can be unpredicatable

And, please remember that vet bills, innoculations, speying, fleaing and worming a dog are important costs to consider as well as food,

....and that you have to deal with all this, every day, for potentially the next 15, 16 or 18 years!

hethmar

Basically I really think you should wait a while. Is there a chance you will have more children - it will be hard work with babies, toddlers and a dog. I was brought up with dogs and cant remember ever not having at least one around but my house is always a mess, guests leave with mohair bums most times and the number of stains on carpets from sick/poo/wee plus the doggy smells. As fc says a bit of moulting hair is nothing compared with all the other stuff that comes along with a dog. Then theres the chewing of furniture or fabrics. Are you happy to put up with all this and not get angry or upset? We had one dog returned after 24 hours because it had "messed in the conservatory". These were people who were desperate for a companion dog and happy to put up with "anything" to have one. Hmm .................(I would add a day later the lady of the house was on the phone begging to have another chance with the dog - NO WAY, he had already been placed with a veterinary nurse.

I have two wonderful dogs at the moment - very friendly and docile but when kids bend down to kiss or touch them when we are out, I always say, No, dont do that as you may frighten them. I dont like to say they may bite you! But dogs dont like to be crowded and how do they know what a number of children may do to them, particularly if they are all squealing and jumping about. My boys grew up with dogs but I never left them alone together without supervision. I trusted my sons as they both loved and respected all animals but anything can happen in moments -

zoelouise88

Thanks all for you replys, i was deff thinking about getting a rescued one from a shelter or somewhere.


Hethmar - Thanks for the advice, my oh has a dog that lives with his mum as shes too old for my son and can barely walk now but he adores the dog and knows its not a cuddle toy, hes been round the dog since he was a newborn baby and has been taught not to hurt her or pull her tail/ears etc.

My son loves dogs he always tries going up to them in the street which i dont like as they may bite, which is one of the many reasons i want one for him.

I was brought up with a dog, the dog was there before i was born until i was 14 when it sadly passed away from a tumour. (This dog was a rescue dog which was going to be put down if noone wanted it so my dad brought it my mum as a pressie) After that i always wanted anothe rbut my mum was to upset.

About the maulting im not bothered about it that much, its just when my son was younger at his nans the dog maulted really bad and my son kept choking on the hair, which is why i would prefer a short haired one or one that doesnt mault.

I have thought about it a lot and have considered all the things that come with a dog, i think i may have a look and see what comes up as i dont want to rush in to it and just get any dog.

Oh yes and hehtmar i am in gloucestershire.

hethmar

Have a look at dogpagesforum

smallpackages

i would not recomend that you go looking for a specific breed. have twice gone to the local pound and picked the dog on instinc and this has worked for me. my first was a fluffy bearded collie cross 8 weeks old and she was a darlin no probs with health or temprament. my latest wee pal is the total opposite to look at she is a brindle coated staffy cross and, if it is possible, she has an even better nature. she knows what i am thinkin and vice versa. i had her for a couple of years before having my third child and wasnt sure how she would be with the baby as she had established her place in the home. i needn't have worried as she loved the baby.she lay at the foot of her bed and came to me if the baby cried, she also had to check you out first if you wanted to touch the baby. even now if i pass a pram in the street she "stands" on her back legs to have a peek. i really couldnt have asked for a better dog. so i dont think its about breed just take the family along to the pound and see how the dogs behave with you all. i have always found mongrels to be easier natured. oh an just to let you know some short haired dogs cast more hair than longer haired ones but hairs are easily lifted with rubber gloves or i lint remover. good luck, go with your gut and you wont regret it

smallpackages

the only dog i wouldnt get with a small child is a collie. i know they are lovely and i have owned one but i just wouldnt trust them they need to be working really our collie was the only dog that bit me and my daughter was almost bitten by one too. just my opinion, i like all dogs

Notsosharp

I would vote for an older springer, I have one eleven years old and I don't think I could have wished for a better dog.

They do need an awful lot of exercise though, mine (well I "borrowed" him from my Mum and didn't bring him back) is eleven nearly 12 now and he will still be raring to go after an hours exercise!