...kids? We've got two kids under three and want to get a dog next summer. We've got a house with an enclosed but smallish backyard. The dog will live inside. We're familiar with Dachshunds and Beagles, but want to consider anything that's not too big and doesn't shed too much.

Well I have a Bichon and he's great for apartment living. I have had him now about 1 1/2 months and still have yet to see any hair lying anywhere. I just love it! They are a small breed of dog and intelligent. Bichons are all white, which at first I really did'nt want (a white dog) but it has'nt been a problem.
Bunch up different dog breeds on the web and you'll get a lot of info on them.
Poodles are supposed to be non-shedding dogs also. I read somewhere that Havanese dogs are also non-shedding.

Beagles! Beagles are the most loving dogs, you can pull their tails and they won't bite! They love kids, but need lots of attention. You can't leave them sitting in a yard all day or they will bark out of boredom

Most small dogs, need and want a lot of excersise. A bull dog is a good choice, they are really laid back and will bark and protect property. I like the bigger breeds for kids. Goldens, top the list, but when I had young ones we had GSDs. They are so very loyal, and love to herd the kids away from danger. Okay, so I am old, my youngest, will be 20 in May!!

It is very hard to say what type of dog will like kids or not, as all dogs are different! But in my experiance, the larger breeds do much better. My kds have been raised by Rottis, shepards, Labs, Bloodhounds and St. Bernards. The best thing to do is find a dog, and do an intro with the kids to see how they get along. Shelters are a great place to do this as most of them are pretty good at determining whether a dog is good with kids or not. They will also aloow you to meet the dog, and let the kids meet as well.

With such small children, smaller breeds can be difficult, as they are more fragile, and can be nippy. With a smaller dog, most small childre want to pick them up all the time, and if dropped can suffer serious damage.

Just make sure that your children and whatever dog you chose are constatly supervised at all times. Good Luck in your search!