[rodneybwood]

Hello,

This is my first post to your forum so hello everyone! I was hoping I could ask your expert advice please?

We have 2 young children (4 & 7 years old) and are looking for a family dog to grow up with the kids. We have been recommended all kinds of breeds by friends - Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Border Collies...growing up my family always had Kelpie cross mixtures so I don't have much experience with these other breeds except that whenever I have come across them they are always such friendly, happy dogs.

Our eldest decided that we should get a Rottweiler because this website recommended it as the dog breed that best matches him: dogorcat.info - you upload a photo of yourself and it tells you which dog suits you best!?

What would be your recommendations as a good family pet? And are websites like the above complete rubbish?

Thank you in advance.
Rodney Wood.

[Lunareclipse]

We have a 3 year old and an 11 year old and we got saint bernards because they are super gentle with little people. I may be biased, but I think getting a saint bernard at the shelter or through a rescue would be a great idea. There are two different kinds, though. We've had both kinds. The rough coat has longer hair and sheds a lot, but they are as sweet as can be and the smooth coat has short hair, still sheds, but not as noticably and is sweet as can be. My little person climbs all over our doggies and they don't really care. They'd go off on anyone who'd ever mess with her though.

[CorkyMax]

Golden Retrievers! Saints are good too.

[cigwyllt]

Never had a St Bernard but would recommend a Golden Retriever. We had a rescue bitch which we got when my son was two and a half. He immediately assumed that she was his dog and she agreed! Although he was always backed up by my husband or myself he did actually train her and she would walk to heel without a lead by his side. She also had perfect recall to his voice. She was absolutely wonderful.

I don't know about matching a dog by looks - sounds like it is just a bit of fun.

[bigpawsup]

Labs are great but I would suggest going to your local shelter, pick out a dog (or two) and see how they are with the kids in a meet/greet room.

I'm a huge mutt girl and they have always been good to my family.

[Lunareclipse]

Originally Posted by bigpawsup

Labs are great but I would suggest going to your local shelter, pick out a dog (or two) and see how they are with the kids in a meet/greet room.

I'm a huge mutt girl and they have always been good to my family.

Mutts are great ideas too. We have gotten quite a few at shelters and we found one in our kennel not too long ago. I guess someone didn't want their dog anymore.

[akismaster]

From what I know, Golden Retrievers, Labs and Saint Bernards are great breeds. I'd get you a puppy instead because you'll be able to monitor his growth. When there's kids, I want to teach them how to rear a pup until he becomes a dog. I want to teach them responsibility and I want them to take ownership with the pups.

[cigwyllt]

I have to say my experience has been the complete opposite. Our retriever was 2 years old when she came to live with us and of all the dogs we have had as a family, past and present, she was far more involved with the children than any we have had before or since.

[Lunareclipse]

Originally Posted by akismaster

From what I know, Golden Retrievers, Labs and Saint Bernards are great breeds. I'd get you a puppy instead because you'll be able to monitor his growth. When there's kids, I want to teach them how to rear a pup until he becomes a dog. I want to teach them responsibility and I want them to take ownership with the pups.

You do not have to get a dog as a puppy. Puppy tend to be more hyper and rough with children than older dogs. If you don't want to go through the puppy stage of pottying in the house and chewing and the puppy zoomies then you can adopt a dog that is 2 years old or older that has already been house trained. Older dogs tend to learn quicker because they have a longer attention span. Akimaster is totally wrong telling you to get a puppy if you want your dog to be ok with children. There are tons of dogs in shelters that are already great with children, house trained, and loving family dogs.

Also, dogs are living, breathing beings. They are not training units for your children. You do not use dogs to teach your child responsibility. If you get a dog, it is YOUR dog, not your child's. Most children do not take care of their pets and then the parents ship them off to shelters. So much for teaching children responsibility. There would be less pets in shelters if parents would quit buying them for their children to use as training devices. There are other ways of teaching your children responsibility without buying them a dog. If you own a dog and your child happens to learn from that, then great. But it is inhumane to buy a dog for child that has no interest in taking care of it and spending time with it.

The above rant was not for the original poster. It was for akimaster for providing misinformation. So don't take offense to it.

[nattiej1976]

Your best two ports of call is 1 as the others have said perhaps a shelter, but if you cant find a friend that seems to gel with you and your family, a good breeder is the only other suggestion I would make to you, avoid pet shop dogs and avoid online sellers.

There are so many breeds that could be appropriate, almost any dog if you get the right one for your situation will mould well with you, your family and your lifestyle.

Can you share with us a little more about yourselves, what activities do you reguarly do? How long and often will a dog be left home alone? How much grooming are you prepared to do? Is the dog going to live outside mostly, or be inside and part of the family day to day movements? Are you a very active family, or more sedate home bodies? all these sorts of things are really important in assessing what may be some appropriate breeds.

[TobeyToo]

I have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and can tell you he is the most easy going, children loving (and patient) dog I've ever had in my life; my youngest grandson was 3 months when I got him and we've never, ever had any issues!

Susan

Originally Posted by rodneybwood

Hello,

This is my first post to your forum so hello everyone! I was hoping I could ask your expert advice please?

We have 2 young children (4 & 7 years old) and are looking for a family dog to grow up with the kids. We have been recommended all kinds of breeds by friends - Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Border Collies...growing up my family always had Kelpie cross mixtures so I don't have much experience with these other breeds except that whenever I have come across them they are always such friendly, happy dogs.

Our eldest decided that we should get a Rottweiler because this website recommended it as the dog breed that best matches him: dogorcat.info - you upload a photo of yourself and it tells you which dog suits you best!?

What would be your recommendations as a good family pet? And are websites like the above complete rubbish?

Thank you in advance.
Rodney Wood.

[cigwyllt]

My only reserve about a Cav would be that it is essential to make sure that the pup is healthy. Here in the UK they are well known for being prone to heart problems. Aside from that I have only heard good things about them as family pets.

[TobeyToo]

Of course ... that would be a concern for many pups. I think they're beginning to breed-out some of the congenital diseases.

What other pups are you considering?

[rodneybwood]

Thank you so much to everyone who has replied so thoughtfully and kindly.

We will plan a trip to a dog shelter early in the New Year - I suspect (sadly) that Christmas present puppies will start arriving then and we hope we can give one of them a nice home. We hadn't thought of St Bernards or Cavs so we will keep an eye out for them at the dog shelter. And we'll keep an open mind and I'm sure the kids will spot a favourite (or two!).

@nattiej1976
We are an active family - out in the park or for a walk or cycle most days so a dog that needs a decent amount of exercise will be fine for us. And I work mostly from home as well so our dog will only be left alone for perhaps a cinema visit or dinner out. And our new dog will be an inside dog too and we'd prefer not to have to do lots of grooming but understand that any dog will need at least some care and attention in that regard.


Thanks again everyone for all the helpful comments!

All the best, Rodney

[chiclet]

My only advice would be to not rush. Don't go to the pound feeling that you have to take a dog home with you that day. I went a number of times before I found the one that I knew was the right one. If you have any doubts when looking at a dog, do it and yourself a favor and keep looking for the one.

[Fergies_2012]

Hi

I'm also new to this page but i suggest a Greyhound or a lakeland terrier, i have had my Greyhound for 13 years and she's great company and very gentle, i also just rescued a little Greyhound puppy from the forrest where she had been tied to a tree and after a few dinners and bath and a long snooze she was as great as ever, my Lakeland is my little brothers best friend, Ragz it 2 1/2 and my little brother is 11, they are never apart, they are so clever and a great friend, easy to learn comands aswell, they are just fabulous, i highly recomend both these breeds

[Lunareclipse]

Greyhounds are only good with fenced in yards or being on a lead every minute it's outside. Sighthounds are fast when they see something that catches thier interest. But they are couch potatoes inside the house.

[threenorns]

trust me, having been that route, you do NOT want a puppy. put it this way: what would your immediate reaction be if the ClearBlue Easy came up plus signs? yeah - it's like having another newborn then toddler in the house.

go to the shelter, get yourself an older dog - 3yrs plus. the "miracle of birth" is more nostalgia for parents and young kids are usually unimpressed. my own just-turned-4 daughter's comment on seeing the miracle of kittens being born? "that is SO GROSS!!!! it's coming out her BUTT!!!!!!!" then she laughed her head off and told everybody for three days about the cat pooping out kittens.

get an older dog.

saint bernards and newfoundland retrievers are great for lounging on while watching TV; german shepherds and retrievers are lots of fun in the back yard; rottweilers are gentle and protective and have that lovely classic look; staffordshire terriers are fun, too.

[piratekitty]

Med to larger dog, Lab, Golden Retriever. Smaller breed, Havanese.