First dog

gabycat

Our 18yr old cat passed away 2 weeks ago. My 8yr old ds has asked for a puppy. ( doesn't want another kitten/cat) we have 2 cats in the household. He has been very upset about the death.

I know nothing about dogs, what is a good mid sized dog that likes children . And is easy to train.
Sorry if this offends dog owners, but this will be our first dog , all advise welcome

krlyr

Firstly, do you want a dog? Don't buy a dog for an 8 year old, who may not find it so novel after 6 months. However, if you happen to want a dog, and your DS wanting one is just an extra perk, welcome to the world of dog ownership

I would say do lots of research. If you think you've done enough, do a little more just to be sure!

In answer to your question, there is no one specific breed that will always be good with children. There are certain breeds that are more likely to have the sort of temperament to suit your family, but individual dogs will vary in personality and behaviour anyway.

There are lots of "what breed should I get" quizzes that may be of some help, some more accurate than others. It may help give you a rough idea though
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/findabreed/

Another option is to approach local rescues with no particular breed in mind, and let them suggest individual dogs that they think would be a good match. Make a list of qualities you need (e.g. has to be kid-friendly, of course), that you'd quite like (e.g. dog-friendly, so you don't have to worry about it getting in fights down the local park), that you'd dislike (a heavy shedder, for example) and qualities you absolutely couldn't tolerate (such as separation anxiety, if there will be periods of time the dog is home alone). You may find if you approach with no particular breed in mine, a certain dog, although not suited on paper, happens to click and work with your situation perfectly.

gabycat

We all want a dog, didn't think it was fair to introduce one in to the the household with our old cat who ruled the roost . Wanted to make her last years as good as possible. I'm lucky that I'm here all day so can train and look after the puppy.

ariba10

My daughter introduced a Labrador puppy to her two resident cats.

The cats soon let it know who was in charge.

gabycat

I think a lab may be too big my neighbour has 2 chocolate labs and they are lovely but huge. Spaniel maybe? I know springers need a lot of time. Maybe a cockapoo?

Francesanne

Maybe consider a Cavapoo. Met a beautiful boy called Barney only yesterday and fell in love with his lovely gentle nature & friendly disposition. Perfect for family with children. Average size with beautiful non malting coat.

Person_one

Francesanne wrote: »

Maybe consider a Cavapoo. Met a beautiful boy called Barney only yesterday and fell in love with his lovely gentle nature & friendly disposition. Perfect for family with children. Average size with beautiful non malting coat.

A lot of the poodle crosses have lovely temperaments, but the coat is a big gamble as to whether it will be non-shedding, and its incredibly difficult to find a responsible and ethical breeder of crosses. Most of them are in it to make a fast buck from the trendy names.

If non-shedding is important, there are lots of breeds where its guaranteed, including actual poodles which always get overlooked! The miniature is a nice medium sized dog (despite the name they're the middle size!), very trainable, very intelligent and the daft haircut is optional!

OP, dogs are all individuals. Its sensible to choose a breed where the general characteristics such as size, energy level, grooming requirements etc. fit in with your family but be aware that the biggest influence on how your puppy turns out will be you and your family and the amount of time and effort you put into socialising, exercising and training him or her.

What are you using to do your research? If I were you I'd start buying one of the dog magazines a well as books/internet, they're a good window into the doggy world without being too heavy.

Katiehound

Just remember a non shedding dog will need to be clipped or stripped regularly- so factor in those costs.

Also a puppy, whatever the breed, is a huge amount of work.

Katiehound

Person_one wrote: »

OP, dogs are all individuals. Its sensible to choose a breed where the general characteristics such as size, energy level, grooming requirements etc. fit in with your family but be aware that the biggest influence on how your puppy turns out will be you and your family and the amount of time and effort you put into socialising, exercising and training him or her.

QUOTE]

This is so true. Some people are taken in by the "cute" factor. A dog needs far more input, IMHO, than a cat, cats are after all very independent. Dogs are very people orientated and depend on humans completely.

D&DD

If you are going down the puppy route I'd suggest The Perfect Puppy book by Gwen Bailey. I'm also a first time dog owner and was recommended this book on here and it has been invaluable to us.


I've met many breeds while walking Rosie and some of the ones who look cute are absolute nutters lol I know it's all down to the owners etc but certain breeds do have certain traits which may or may not suit your lifestyle.


Make a shortlist of breeds you like then look for a forum of owners,there usually is a breed specific one and ask copious amounts of questions.I also bought every book on Amazon to do with the breed I wanted and spoke to owners/breeders.


We took DS3 to see a full grown dog so we could also see if the size etc suited our home.


Funnily enough everyone we know suggested a lab/retriever but we knew the size was all wrong,plus the exercise they need,etc etc. We got a breed that suited our lifestyle and she has fitted in perfectly as a result..

Sagz_2

I'd recommend a middle aged (5+) mongrel from a rescue centre, either from a known family background or that has been carefully temperament assessed.

Pups are cute, but are a lot of hard work and there are many things that can go wrong training wise. I know I messed my first pup up, and I'd worked with dogs for 3 years before I got her!

By selecting an older dog you will know how big it will be, it's character will be more obvious and it will help you to learn how dogs work and fit into a family. And you will be giving the dog a much needed home, and freeing up a rescue space for some other little soul who needs it.

I'm sure your cats would appreciate an older dog too, one swipe and the older dog will give them a wide berth - pups tend to keep trying to play and can annoy the heck out of the poor cats!