Choosing a dog with small child in the house advice

novicecyclist

I am thinking of getting a dog for me and my child who is 4. I work full time so would be out of house from about 8-330ish most days and until 430 a couple of days a week. I teach so have holidays off at the moment who knows what the future will bring though lol:D There is a doggy daycare I could use a few days a week near where i work and am looking into this, also i have family nearby who could walk the dog during the day.

I want to get a dog my child can grow up with and have as a companion. I grew up with dogs and can remember what i was like at that age so naturally little one wont be left alone with the dog as that would not be fair on the dog. For a few months i have been talking to my little one on how to behave around dogs not taking toys squeezing living daylights out of them, how to pet them nicely, jumping on them roaring etc but kids are kids so need to be watched.

Ideally this dog would be an indoor family dog sleeping on our landing when toilet trained. I am thinking of crate training did this before it worked a treat. I am not looking for a guard dog but a dog that barked to alert to presence of visitor would be good.

Since there is just the two of us I cannot get out first thing in morning to walk my dog for 40 minutes but would be able to get up early and play with dog and toilet the dog in my medium sized back garden. I could easily walk dog in afternoon and evening time. I also would like to do obedience classes and perhaps agility with the dog.

So I love shaggy dogs and have been looking at low shed dogs that are great with kids.

I am interested in and have read a lot over the last few months on Irish softcoated wheaten terriers, Tibetan Terriers, havenese, bichon mixes, and labradoodle. I have wanted since I was a kid an old English sheepdog but dont think/know if they are practical in my situation, when i win the lotto eh!:)

I don't want to go down rescue route this time have had 4 dogs during my life from rescue so please dont advise me on rescue dogs. Since I was a kid I have had a cairn/westie mix, mongrel with possible springer in him, 3 westies, and a high legged terrier heinz 57.


I would love any advice on the above dogs. I want getting a dog to be a positive experience for my little one and am willing to put the work in. I am especially interested in the wheaten terrier and labradoodle as I like what I have read about their temperament.

Sorry this is long.

Thank you in advance

ABajaninCork

Well Labradoodles are HUGE if crossed with a standard poodle. One of my abiding memories of my grooming classes was to be told I was going to groom one. I was confronted with a dog the size of a small pony! Apparently, my face was a picture....Mind you, he was the nicest, most-sweet tempered dog I've ever done. He was great with kids, according to his owner.

How about adding a Shih Tzu to the mix? They're hardy little dogs, great with kids too and just LOVE to play. I have one who's the star of the road we live in. The kids tend to rush him when he goes out. Dog thinks he's a pop star! I always say Shih Tzu never grow up. I recommended the breed to a friend of mine in London who was looking for a small dog for her granddaughter. She got one and is totally converted to the breed.

Best of luck in looking for your new friend. Research your breeder carefully. Get advice from the IKC or Breed Clubs. Be prepared to wait for the right dog, and be prepared to travel to get one.

mymo

I have a Tibetan and a Lhasa here both are great with kids, both good guard dogs, but both suffer a bit of separation anxiety. They like to be with their people, both breeds are similar that way, don't do we'll alone, but with the dog walker and doggy day car you should be fine.

Tibetans are low shed, bit nuts, high maintenance unless kept clipped every 3 months or so.(still need a brushing few times a week)

The Lhasa doesn't shed, but needs clipping more often, cheeky little character, and a real pet, would cuddle all day. Also needs brushing often, and since she's lower to ground, gets dirty faster.

Both breeds need grooming from day one, a good breeder will show you the tools and how to, start straight away, do it daily. You don't want a dog that hates the brush and scissors. I highly recommend learning a bit of grooming, even tips on keeping face and ears(and rear) trimmed.

Personally I'd have a house full of Tibetans if I had the time, money and energy, they are amazing, but one word of warning.
They are smart, but will only work with a light hand and playful manner, they don't respond well to rough training or shouting, once they know what you want they will play along while they want, but once they have enough that's it!
Lhasa came second and was very easy train, followed everything the TT did, also eased his serious separation anxiety.

I'd try and get a pup in the early summer, so you have time to settle them in and begin training, set a routine, before you go back to work.
Do go through the breed club, get hip scores and eye certs, avoid online ads, I had to wait almost a year for a litter that was available.

mirekb

I had both a wheaten and a Tibetan growing up and would recommend either of them! Tibetans can be whip smart, and bags of character, so very interactive with children. I lean towards the wheatens though because ours was a big softy, the kind of dog a child could lie on the floor with and cuddle.

novicecyclist

Thank you for all the positive feedback. i will take my time been looking and reading for a few months already just waiting for my dog. I really appreciate it keep it coming:)

Pumpkinseeds

Golden retrievers are traditionally very popular as family dogs. Neighbours of ours have one and he is fabulous, they have a gang of kids of various ages and she used to do child minding from the house. He's very placid. I'd almost be tempted myself although I don't think my moggies would be happy about it:)

ABajaninCork

I was initially nervous about letting the Shih Tzu loose with my elderly, crotchety cat. I needn't have worried. After two days of sulking, the cat decided to let the dog know who was boss quick smart!!

mymo

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

Golden retrievers are traditionally very popular as family dogs. Neighbours of ours have one and he is fabulous, they have a gang of kids of various ages and she used to do child minding from the house. He's very placid. I'd almost be tempted myself although I don't think my moggies would be happy about it:)

I too have cats, oldest was here 8 or 9 years before dogs, within a day he was like a new cat, playing with the pup (who was and still is nuts), 4.5 years later the newest addition is a kitten whose favourite play thing is the dogs!

Pumpkinseeds

We've been thinking about it for a while and getting a dog is something we will do at some point. It would have to be a puppy as 1 of our 2 cats has actually tried to face off with dogs in the past. He's very territorial and still seems aggrieved that we took on another cat a couple of years ago.

Another factor is that we'll need to replace our fence with a wall, its old and a dog would make short work of it before long. He only has to see a dog walk past the house and he's onto the cofee table growling out the window. Sadly it just isn't the right time for us to get a dog and it wouldn't be fair to the dog at this point.

Nolimits12

ABajaninCork wrote: »

How about adding a Shih Tzu to the mix? They're hardy little dogs, great with kids too and just LOVE to play. I have one who's the star of the road we live in. The kids tend to rush him when he goes out. Dog thinks he's a pop star! I always say Shih Tzu never grow up. I recommended the breed to a friend of mine in London who was looking for a small dog for her granddaughter. She got one and is totally converted to the breed.

Have a shih tzu too. He's 7 and he has still not aged a bit! Wonderful dog and he loves playing with kids too. Kids living in my estate adore him too. He was not raised with kids at all, but still he doesnt mind when they pull at him.

Hes a divil with slippers it is very hard to find a pair of slippers in my house as he tends to grab them and run off. He can also be seen running around the garden with his food bowl or a stray sock that has fallen from the clothes line. But saying all this, when Im studying or busy or cooking he will just lie down somewhere quietly. He tends to sleep a lot too during the day.

They really are a lovely dog and hes definitely great at alerting us to intruders. Pity about him wagging his tail and looking for attention as soon as he sees the person.

Oh also, I love hiking a lot and these dogs are amazing little mountain dogs. They really do have some stamina in them. Hes climbed carrauntoohil and all and came down wanting to play fetch afterwards.

novicecyclist

Thanks for that Nolimits12 good to know

I had looked at shih tzu but kinda overlooked them while finding out more about the other dogs mentioned above. Off ti reread up about them too:)

keelanj69

Would you consider a Papillon? I have two. They are alert, very playful and only need a nice walk.everyday. Very curious, smart and gentle too. One of them sheds like crazy but the bitch doesnt at all.

Tisserand

I would recommend a Maltese. I don't have children but he loves my little nieces. My little fella is so placid and loving, is not a fussy eater and loves walking. He wasn't house trained when I got him but he just learned so quickly, and he was almost four when I got him. I got him from a reputable breeder and I could pm her details even if you just wanted to ring her to discuss. (I have no vested interested here!).

ameee

Whatever breed you decide on you should try make sure the pup has been raised around children , my poor dog had never seen a child and lived in a shed when we took him as a pup and as good as he is with our children he can get quite anxious when they are playing loudly he isn't very relaxed anyway as he is half collie and half terrier. We wouldn't be without him but i would be very careful now that Any dog i get would be well socialized in its first few weeks. Good luck finding your pup :-)

boomerang

I know it won't be your own cup of tea, but it's worth mentioning that greyhounds make fantastic pets with kids, IMO. Really tolerant, placid, sweet dogs that accept a lot of hugging and kissing and bone lazy! A nice solid dog too, so no worries about them getting hurt inadvertently by a child. They are so clean in the house, cuddly and need very little exercise. They also usually walk very nicely on the lead and mix really well with other dogs. I think they're an ideal dog for a busy young family. They make a useless watchdog, though! Maybe for your next rescue dog sometime down the road, consider a grey. Some people consider it a bizarre choice of dog but after loving collies and sheps all my life I have my first greyhound I'm absolutely potty about her. She makes me laugh every day. Very intelligent, learns really quickly as she's very foody, quick on the uptake and loves to play. She loves to catch tennis balls!

jimf

boomerang wrote: »

I know it won't be your own cup of tea, but it's worth mentioning that greyhounds make fantastic pets with kids, IMO. Really tolerant, placid, sweet dogs that accept a lot of hugging and kissing and bone lazy! A nice solid dog too, so no worries about them getting hurt inadvertently by a child. They are so clean in the house, cuddly and need very little exercise. They also usually walk very nicely on the lead and mix really well with other dogs. I think they're an ideal dog for a busy young family. They make a useless watchdog, though! Maybe for your next rescue dog sometime down the road, consider a grey. Some people consider it a bizarre choice of dog but after loving collies and sheps all my life I have my first greyhound I'm absolutely potty about her. She makes me laugh every day. Very intelligent, learns really quickly as she's very foody, quick on the uptake and loves to play. She loves to catch tennis balls!

i could not agree more with you one of my fondest memories of my childhood was spending my whole summer holidays with my fathers bitch who had just given birth to a litter of eleven pups such wonderful animals and great pets ever so tolerant they have to be i spent every waking hour in the kennel with them i can still remember the way the mother rotated the pups at suckling from top to bottom so each had her undivided attention all i can say is if you want a dog with a brilliant temperment you could not ask for better its such a pity the way they are discarded by some owners when their money making days are over oh by the way i think i was about 8/9 at the time

eisenberg1

novicecyclist wrote: »

I am thinking of getting a dog for me and my child who is 4. I work full time so would be out of house from about 8-330ish most days and until 430 a couple of days a week. I teach so have holidays off at the moment who knows what the future will bring though lol:D There is a doggy daycare I could use a few days a week near where i work and am looking into this, also i have family nearby who could walk the dog during the day.



Hi, just wondering how this panned out for you?
I have a wheaten and they are a terrific dog, non shed, and VERY friendly (too much so for his own good). He is great with ALL dogs and people. I get him clipped twice a year, and a regular brushing( which he does not like), they are also a low odour dog, but I do have to careful what I feed him, as he can be a bit "windy". A good family dog, but you need to watch them with small kids, nearly all Wheatens tend be a jumpers, and could send a kid, or indeed an adult, flying. On lead he is pretty good, but is, pound for pound, one of the strongest dogs I have come across....so be prepared for a good tug if he gets distracted. Not much of a guard dog:D, hard to believe Kerry Blues were bred from wheatens......but his bark would scare you.

Good call from someone earlier there re the greyhound, but for a small handy dog, very good with kids, but will bark at intruders....a Mini Schnauzer, non shed, no smell, eats hardly anything..leaves even less behind him













!:)

9

sadie06

Old post I see, but I'd love to hear what you did in the end also. We were looking to tick a lot of the boxes you were, and narrowed it down to a soft coated wheaten terrier and a miniature schnauzer.

We went with the schnauzer in the end for the very reason the above poster just mentioned. SCWT's are completely adorable, but they could easily hurt a small child such is their strength and enthusiasm (my 10 year old son got knocked over during a goofy 'hello' recently) and this energy lasts into adulthood. Lovely breed though.

Our schnauzer is completely adorable, very portable, non-shed, and hugely loyal and affectionate. He is only 6 months old, so too early to say whether he'll be much of a guard dog.

aonb

+1 for Greyhounds. I love greyhounds too - my uncle used to breed them - the gentlest kindest dogs imaginable. Us kids used to arrive every week, and roar in to a where the bitches with their litters of puppies lived. Fall on top of the puppies for hours, and the bitches wouldnt bat an eyelid!
Boomerang, Im surprised that you say they make useless watchdogs - my uncles lot, both bitches and dogs were always so protective of him especially, and also of the home place...

eisenberg1

sadie06 wrote: »

Old post I see, but I'd love to hear what you did in the end also. We were looking to tick a lot of the boxes you were, and narrowed it down to a soft coated wheaten terrier and a miniature schnauzer.

We went with the schnauzer in the end for the very reason the above poster just mentioned. SCWT's are completely adorable, but they could easily hurt a small child such is their strength and enthusiasm (my 10 year old son got knocked over during a goofy 'hello' recently) and this energy lasts into adulthood. Lovely breed though.

Our schnauzer is completely adorable, very portable, non-shed, and hugely loyal and affectionate. He is only 6 months old, so too early to say whether he'll be much of a guard dog.

You have never seen anything as sad as the face of a wheaten that has just been bullied out his bed by a mini schnauzer:D

I would say the breed is somewhat a non issue unless its a particularly nasty breed (rare).
I have a few dogs here, one German Shepherd would take your arm off and the other Shepherd would sew it back on..........
Depends on the individual dog.
Well bred for starters (some breeds have lines you can check, going back decades) and any health checks and such verified for both parents. Check out known health issues for the particular breed you choose. Some pedigree breeds are prone to painful/expensive/debilitating illness. Then choose carefully.......and enjoy.
When you get a good dog, you get more from the dog than the dog ever gets from you...............................