best dog breed for small family

DARK-KNIGHT

best dog breed for small family with a 2 year old a 5 year old and a 7 year old..

would like to get a minimum shed dog and a smaller breed to medium breed dog.

any help or advice appreciated

EmzBoBo

Would highly highly highly recommend a Cavalier King Charles!
We always had them at home from the time I was a baby, and they were the most easy going dogs around - nothing any small (or not so small) children did phased them.
You're more likely to find one curled up with someone than getting up to any mischief!
Admittedly, they do shed a bit though, but I wouldn't let that be a deciding factor.

If shedding is a deciding factor though, a few of my friends have Bichon Frise.
They're a small dog, and I don't think they shed?
Not as cuddly as a King Charles though; they're more bone-y.

kylith

While Cavs are gorgeous dogs with lovely personalities, they do tend to be plagued with heart problems.

OP, can you give a bit more information about how much exercise you'd be able to give daily, how much grooming you'd be up to (less shedding = more grooming IME)?

I'm a bit biased, but I've found Greyhounds and lurchers to be very gentle with kids, and big enough not to be sat on by mistake.

Much as I love them, I'd advise you to stay away from most terrier breeds: they can be impatient with small kids.

VonVix

kylith wrote: »

While Cavs are gorgeous dogs with lovely personalities, they do tend to be plagued with heart problems.

OP, can you give a bit more information about how much exercise you'd be able to give daily, how much grooming you'd be up to (less shedding = more grooming IME)?

I'm a bit biased, but I've found Greyhounds and lurchers to be very gentle with kids, and big enough not to be sat on by mistake.

Much as I love them, I'd advise you to stay away from most terrier breeds: they can be impatient with small kids.

You said exactly everything I would have said to the OP. I agree with you 100% in everything here.

Toulouse

+1 for me too, you post screamed Greyhound at me! They curl up small

I'd stay away from both breeds in the second post if it were me, a large proportion of people that I know with them have run into the heartache associated with health problems in those breeds due to poor breeding.

If you're not familiar with greyhounds or lurchers and you're interested in meeting some in a home environment then PM me and I'll give you some info.

Maybe I'm a little biased having being raised with greyhounds but I've never failed to convert any of my friends after they've just met them and spent some time with them.

VonVix

I don't even own any Sighthounds, but I have worked with a LOT of them and have fallen in love every time. The only reason I don't have one is that they're too chilled out for me. :P

infor123

I would go with the Bichon. They are amazing pets, don't shed, we groom ours every 4 months about and he always looks tidy. He loves being played with and is always around kids here, even though we don't have any ourselves. I have lots of nieces and nephews who are always in and out and love him. They range in age from 1 year old to 18. He's so playful and once he has some company he's happy out but also likes to curl up and sleep for himself too.

One_Of_Shanks

Yeah I would 100% echo the post above about a bichon.

Our Millie is a 4 year old maltichon, so a cross between Bichon and Maltese.

We have twin girls aged 2 and she's amazing with them. She'd often go over and give them a quick lick on the hand if they're crying and she bonded with them big them.

Only drawback with a maltichon/bichon/maltese is that they bark a lot if anyone goes by walking their dog or if someone comes to the door but in another way its good security.

I'd highly recommend a maltichon/bichon.

Knine

I think more info is needed such as how much exercise can you give, are you an active family, how much experience have you with dogs.

For example I have kids here but we are very active so the toy breeds mentioned would not be suitable, we also exercise ours with large gundog breeds, so go swimming, hiking, beach a lot. Have a good think about what dog you want especially as the children get older.

I have one of the terrier breeds who are generally fantastic with children & shed minimum but they have other attributes that I always discuss with potential owners.

Another aspect to consider is that you want a healthy family dog who will grow up with your children & not suffer rampant health issues & leave you broke & the children heartbroken.

Then there is reputable breeders, finding one who health tests their breeding dogs & who will give you life time support. I have yet to come across reputable breeders of these fancy crossbreeds as the only reason they breed is to make money. I don't believe in paying money often huge sums for a cross when there are so many in rescue.

Don't rule out a rescue dog either such as the greyhounds mentioned above. A reputable rescue could help set you up with a suitable dog who will make just as good a pet as any pedigree.

Car99

Miniature schnauzer, lovely dogs for kids, little to no shedding . Smart feckers too.

smilerf

Definitely not westies. My fella barks at the sight of anyone even near the house. He'd wake up the children

emmaro

A lot of toy breeds such as maltese are far too small and fragile for young children, and any maltese/bichon mix that's not from a rescue is coming from a not so great breeder.

What about a miniature poodle? They don't shed, but are pretty energetic and active dogs.

ShaShaBear

emmaro wrote: »

A lot of toy breeds such as maltese are far too small and fragile for young children, and any maltese/bichon mix that's not from a rescue is coming from a not so great breeder.

What about a miniature poodle? They don't shed, but are pretty energetic and active dogs.

I've never come across a poodle that would tolerate a 2-year old!

Bells21

Would you consider approaching a rescue who may be able to pair you up with a dog/temperament that's suits your needs? They usually have a very good idea of which individual dog is good/not so tolerant of kids and could pair to your exercise requirements too.

wally1990

Bichion or Maltese

Paullimerick

Maltese are fantastic dogs. People say they too small and fragile is bull in my eyes. I have 4 children and a Maltese and no problems. They are quick to get outta the way. And extremely loyal

CeilingFly

wally1990 wrote: »

Bichion or Maltese

Maltese with small children is not great. Maltese are quite fragile and generally quite active and barky.

As per another poster a Bichon maltese cross would be excellent choice. Generally good temperament, non shed, "cute", easily trained, don't need huge amount of exercise as they are quite active anyway and don't eat a huge amount.

emmaro

Paullimerick wrote: »

Maltese are fantastic dogs. People say they too small and fragile is bull in my eyes. I have 4 children and a Maltese and no problems. They are quick to get outta the way. And extremely loyal

In general they are not suitable for young children, and a lot of reputable breeders will not sell to families with small kids.

Paullimerick

Well I was only giving an opinion as I have one with 4 kids all under 9. Nothing has ever happened her and she is very well breed dog.

wally1990

Bichon Maltese cross is an excellent Choice
Great dog for children

Mooooo

Most dogs would be fine once introduced as pups and trained around the kids early, have a mini jack russel here and she is excellent with smallies, the collie is a bit too energetic but has responded well to down commands from the kids she is only 18 months and the gsd cross is excellent just sits or lies down alongside them but he is 6 now and was always more of an observer. What we found was the existing dog seemed to help with the temperament of the new ones. May take more work when a dog is new and no existing one. If buying try see the dogs parents and their temperaments as well, genetics can have an influence as well

John_Rambo

I'd avoid fashionable "Thoroughbred or purebred" dogs or IKC dogs with papers. (regrettably guilty of that one myself)

I'd avoid any dog if there's nobody at home for more than three or for hours a day.

I'd avoid any dog if you're thinking of an "outdoors" family dog that's left alone outside (or inside). No such thing.

If there's someone at home to be with the dog I'd echo previous posters regarding the sight hounds. Lurchers and greyhounds from shelters.

CeilingFly

Paullimerick wrote: »

Well I was only giving an opinion as I have one with 4 kids all under 9. Nothing has ever happened her and she is very well breed dog.

Maltese are superb and if children are used to dogs, not a major issue. But they are a terrier breed and my own opinion is it would not suit the op. I have both Maltese and Maltese /bichon cross and when kids are about the bichon cross is drawn to them and loves the attention whilst the Maltese is barky and standoff-ish, and that's the terrier breeding. - Or maybe she just takes after me

Bells21

Op, please bear in mind that the breed type will only give you part of an answer as to whether or not the dog is good with children. It will also depend on the temperament of the parent dogs and how well socialized the pup is. Unfortunately there are unscrupulous breeders who ignore these points and churn out pups for profit, who, may not conform to the generalisations of that breed.

undecided

We have a maltichon and ds (3) adores her. She is an absolute pleasure to have in the house. She only 5months but for a pup so easy. Doesnt shed either and doesnt affect asthma sufferers.

wotzgoingon

American pit bull terrier. Excellent with kids and can also ward off dangerous foes

Knine

CeilingFly wrote: »

Maltese are superb and if children are used to dogs, not a major issue. But they are a terrier breed and my own opinion is it would not suit the op.

No they are certainly not a terrier breed. They are not anything like a terrier.

Knine

John_Rambo wrote: »

I'd avoid fashionable "Thoroughbred or purebred" dogs or IKC dogs with papers. (regrettably guilty of that one myself)
.

Seriously? I have 5 dogs with IKC papers. 2 of which I bred myself.

Would you suggest a purebred dog with no papers from a puppy farmer would be a better alternative? Do you have any idea what a reputable breeder is?

John_Rambo

Knine wrote: »

Seriously? I have 5 dogs with IKC papers. 2 of which I bred myself.

Would you suggest a purebred dog with no papers from a puppy farmer would be a better alternative?

Of course not. I said in my post to avoid purebred dogs. Doesn't matter who bred them or how reputable they are.

Go back to my old post and read it again for my suggestions.

Lu Tze

Just on the greyhounds, i have met quite a few out walking at this stage, they really are gentle giants. And apparently dont require that much exercise compared to other dogs with much higher endurance. If you were looking for something smaller, whippets are very similar but smaller. We booked time off work before getting a dog, booked at the start of the summer last year for easier toilet training etc. and we were looking for a whippet. Unfortunately there were no recent litters that we could find and the ones in the <snip> at the time were quite a bit older. Ended up getting a labrador, she is lovely, but bundles of energy and very excitable around kids where she is in danger of knocking them over almost constantly.

We've had pet greyhounds for the past 35 years. They are perfect for a family pet. As long as they're fed and have a comfy bed (Couch) they'll just laze around. I've just been looking back on my 30 year olds baby photos and there's a greyhound in most. Snuggled up together on the floor or couch. Exercise can be what you want. They don't need much. They can vary from 50 pound weight to 70 ish. We've had all sizes!

ShaShaBear

John_Rambo wrote: »

Of course not. I said in my post to avoid purebred dogs. Doesn't matter who bred them or how reputable they are.

Go back to my old post and read it again for my suggestions.

When sourcing a lifelong companion to be paired with a child as young as 2, going to a reputable breeder of a purebred pup is actually your safest bet. The pups will have been well-socialized, almost definitely handled by children and possibly also raised around the noises they make, their parents would have received rigorous health-testing that all but ensures that the pups will not end up in pain from a genetic ailment down the line. If you choose a breed whos standard is a calm disposition and gentle temperament, and you view the mother and father (who will have been kept in home surroundings and generally viewed as part of the family), you will get a valuable insight into the probable temperament of the pups, presuming you raise them with care yourself.

All of the above all but ensures a health, happy, gentle pup who will grow into a dog that is safe to have around children. Get a pup from a rescue who is past the socialization window will likely be frightened and startled by the noises a toddler makes and could quickly develop fear and resentment of the child before they've even had a chance to know each other! It's still totally doable, but could be significantly more difficult to handle for someone who is new to dog ownership. Alternatively, the family could adopt an adult dog raised in a foster environment around young children. Their adult temperament is already known, encouraged and rewarded and is likely to continue with basic training and supervision. Again, this would be relevant if you adopted an adult purebred or a cross from the local rescue.

Strawberry HillBilly

+1 for the miniature schnauzer. We got ours as a pup 6 months ago and she is a wonderfully smart, playful and gentle dog. Can verify they are no shed too.

elfy4eva

+1 for greyhounds.

harr

We have a bichon and he is the perfect family dog for us, perfect temperament and is fantastic with the kids plus the advantage he is non-shed .
He does need his coat brushed most days but kids love doing that...keep in mind breed can be hard enough to train and our lad did take a bit longer than other dogs we have had in the past..not a dog to left on own for long periods as they love company..

Knine

John_Rambo wrote: »

Of course not. I said in my post to avoid purebred dogs. Doesn't matter who bred them or how reputable they are.

I breed beautiful purebred dogs many of whom live in homes with very young children. Indeed my own live with a child with a significant disability. Avoid reputable breeders? WTF?

They will also outlive most crossbreeds.

emmaro

John_Rambo wrote: »

Of course not. I said in my post to avoid purebred dogs. Doesn't matter who bred them or how reputable they are.

Go back to my old post and read it again for my suggestions.

Ridiculous advice. Reputable breeders work so hard to better their breed and create healthy dogs.

tk123

Mini schnauzers are the lastest craze - well in our area anyways(!) so a puppy farmers dream. I'd choose a reputable breeder carefully if I was getting one. Bailey would be delighted if I did - there're his favourite lol

dizzyn

I'd pop into the likes of <snip> or the <snip>. They know lots about their dogs and it would be so lovely to rescue a cutie with no home!

Our dog was a stray. We found him sitting in the middle of the road. We still don't know exactly what's in him, there's definitely cairn in the mix though. We got him when my sister was only 3 and he s phenomenal with her. 8 years later and they're still the best of friends.

I think he dogs personality has a lot more to do with it than it's breed. Have a tough size in mind, but don't get too hung up on one particular breed.

You'll love having a dog, best of luck with it!

strandroad

I'd second the sighthounds (lurchers, whippets or greyhounds depending on your space) suggestion. They really are such easy dogs. Don't shed, don't smell, don't pull, are friendly but not hyper, enjoy a walk but won't climb up the walls on rainy days, love to curl up with kids but will calmly walk away from too much attention. Rescues are full of them, in various sizes and ages.

DBB

A gentle reminder folks, recommending individual rescues on thread is not permitted. Recommendations by pm only.
Thanks,
DBB

John_Rambo

emmaro wrote: »

Ridiculous advice. Reputable breeders work so hard to better their breed and create healthy dogs.

That may be the truth, but the dogs are still from a smaller gene pool, more likely to have problems diseases etc... Professional puppy breeder/farmer, amateur backyard puppy breeder, whatever way you want to describe yourselves. I still think you're better off with a crossbreed like a lurcher. Good Advice.

Another valid reason. Thousands of perfectly healthy unwanted dogs being destroyed every year. Thousands more perfectly healthy unwanted dogs in shelters all over the country. We need to breed less of them, not more.

emmaro

John_Rambo wrote: »

That may be the truth, but the dogs are still from a smaller gene pool, more likely to have problems diseases etc... Professional puppy breeder/farmer, amateur backyard puppy breeder, whatever way you want to describe yourselves. I still think you're better off with a crossbreed like a lurcher. Good Advice.

Puppy farms and backyard breeders are not the place to go for a puppy, I agree with this. Reputable show breeders on the other hand do research and put so much time and effort in to breeding so that there won't be health problems.

I have a cross breed and a pure bred dog. The pure bred never had any health issues until he was 15 and most dogs I know that came from reputable show breeders lived/are living very healthy lives.

It's the puppy farms and back yard breeders that are creating the health issues and number of dogs in pounds/rescues.

John_Rambo

emmaro wrote: »

Puppy farms and backyard breeders are not the place to go for a puppy, I agree with this. Reputable show breeders on the other hand do research and put so much time and effort in to breeding so that there won't be health problems.

I have a cross breed and a pure bred dog. The pure bred never had any health issues until he was 15 and most dogs I know that came from reputable show breeders lived/are living very healthy lives.

It's the puppy farms and back yard breeders that are creating the health issues and number of dogs in pounds/rescues.

I disagree. Dogs bred for the show ring are often bred for looks and looks only. Often to the detriment of the dogs health. Show dog breeders follow forced evolved fashions by selective breeding.

Look at the square German Shepard of the 1950's and compare that with the sloped back joke that the show breed is now.

kylith

One thing I would definitely, definitely avoid is anything with a cutesy name. If a pup is advertised as a maltichon, a cavapoo, a corgweiler, whatever; they are going to be badly bred, backyard breeder's dogs. Reputable breeders will not breed crosses with fashionable names, which means that a breeder who has them is, de facto, a dodgy breeder doing it for profit.

In rescue these dogs are described as what they are a Bichon cross, or a spaniel cross, or a mongrel. More than a few people have adopted a pomsky and shortly had a fortune to pay in vet's bills, children who are upset because their puppy is deathly ill, and often a dog which is not what they were told it would be*. If you want a designer breed, go to a rescue - all sorts of mongrels in there.

* I know people who believe that a husky/pom cross will stay pom sized XD

kylith

emmaro wrote: »

Puppy farms and backyard breeders are not the place to go for a puppy, I agree with this. Reputable show breeders on the other hand do research and put so much time and effort in to breeding so that there won't be health problems.

I have a cross breed and a pure bred dog. The pure bred never had any health issues until he was 15 and most dogs I know that came from reputable show breeders lived/are living very healthy lives.

It's the puppy farms and back yard breeders that are creating the health issues and number of dogs in pounds/rescues.

They both are. BYBs don't give a sht about health so they don't test for anything which leads to dogs with cancers and dysplasia, but their not-giving-a-sht about the show ring also leads to things like French Bulldogs with open nostrils and pugs with longer snouts.

All breeders are fcking up dogs, and it won't stop until BYBs are shut down and a reputable SPCA gets involved with the Kennel Clubs and makes them put their foot down on breeds which are born into suffering.

NinetyTwoTeam

There really is no 'best breed's for a small family. Breeds can have tendencies towards certain characteristics but every dog has it's own individual personality.

As a former SPCA worker it always makes me groan when people approach getting a dog like getting a smartphone or TV and wanting a certain 'brand'. It just doesn't work that way with dogs, you really just need to meet some dogs rather than think you can just order one and it will come with certain features built in.
Those who came in to adopt with a certain breed in mind usually had odd notions about why that dog was so desirable. And usually were upset that we didn't have any pugs or whatever they wanted.

I won't harp on about why you shouldn't buy from breeders or pet shops. But having helped with many successful adoptions I would suggest just checking out what some shelters have with an open mind, if you see one that catches your eye, than inquire about their suitability with kids (many shelters will tell you if they know this or not right on their FB page where they post animals) and THEN research the breed. Take your time and without fail you will eventually find a dog your family falls in love with, possibly a breed you never considered at all! And for a fraction of the price of a breeder, usually with vaccination/microchip/neutering included. Often they will know the dogs history, sometimes not if the dog was stray. And you get the warm fuzzy feeling of having saved a homeless dog of course.

During my time in the shelter the breed most often surrendered by owners due to biting kids were cocker spaniels, golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers and poodles. The first 3 there are often considered the standard family dogs! But tbh it's usually the kids pulling at the dog or petting it while it was eating or had a bone that caused it. In our shelter we would use a rubber hand to test the temperament of the dog and touch it while eating or playing with a bone, if it growled, bared teeth or bit the hand it didn't go onto the adoption floor.

I would also advise making things easier for yourself and don't go for a very young pup, shelters often have dogs that are young enough to still have plenty of years in them but are house-trained.

My favourite breed is border collie, they are extremely sweet and sensitive, probably the most popular breed in shelters in Ireland due to farmers being jerks, and you might hear nonsense that they will try to 'herd' children but in my experience they make great family pets and are usually very hardy/healthy, medium shedding, don't bark much unless someone unfamiliar comes to the house, love to play fetch, most would let their ear get pulled off before they'd snap. But they do need a lot of exercise and interaction and I wouldn't get a really young pup because they chew everything, I got my current collie at 9 months, she was fully house-trained but she still chewed stuff for about 3 months, now she doesn't do it at all.

Don't write off terriers either, there are a gazillion different types and within each breed I've seen some great with kids and some not. My friend has a miniature Schnauzer who is great with his kids.

Knine

John_Rambo wrote: »

I disagree. Dogs bred for the show ring are often bred for looks and looks only. Often to the detriment of the dogs health. Show dog breeders follow forced evolved fashions by selective breeding.

Look at the square German Shepard of the 1950's and compare that with the sloped back joke that the show breed is now.

No sorry you are wrong. How many show dogs have you bred? Dogs bred for the show ring are bred to be fit for function & have the correct temperament for their breed. If no reputable breeders bred their dogs then what would happen some of the critically endangered breeds? Some of these being native Irish Breeds. What about guide dogs, assistance dogs, drug, Cadaver, search & rescue, working sheep dogs, gundogs & terriers? I'm sorry but in most cases your rescues & crossbreeds won't measure up to the breed attributes needed for these jobs.

Yes there is still work to be done but let me finish off by saying that I watched breed judging last week for the GSD & the winners were lovely dogs with good hocks & no humped backs. So improvements are being made. How many shows have you attended? Oh by the way I am an FCI group 7 judge & I can assure you that when judging I only award very sound dogs that are capable of a days work. Many of the breeds I judge having both field & show awards.

tk123

NinetyTwoTeam wrote: »

And you get the warm fuzzy feeling

Yeah you get that with a new pup as well, seeing photos and videos of their parents before the pups were born and being able to look them up online etc, going to see the puppies and choosing one and then more photos/vids from when you choose them and in the weeks before you collect them. Knowing you have the support of the breeder is fantastic too and knowing that if something should ever happen and god forbid you can't keep your dog the breeder will take them back...rather then a crappy breeder who provides no backup and helps fill pounds.
Having one or both of the parents there and the pups surroundings/how they interact with their siblings are a great gauge of how the pup will be when it's older too - having one 'problem child' this was extremely important for me.

dizzyn

DBB wrote: »

A gentle reminder folks, recommending individual rescues on thread is not permitted. Recommendations by pm only.
Thanks,
DBB

Oops so sorry about that!!

ShaShaBear

NinetyTwoTeam wrote: »

My favourite breed is border collie, they are extremely sweet and sensitive, probably the most popular breed in shelters in Ireland due to farmers being jerks, and you might hear nonsense that they will try to 'herd' children but in my experience they make great family pets and are usually very hardy/healthy, medium shedding, don't bark much unless someone unfamiliar comes to the house, love to play fetch, most would let their ear get pulled off before they'd snap. But they do need a lot of exercise and interaction and I wouldn't get a really young pup because they chew everything, I got my current collie at 9 months, she was fully house-trained but she still chewed stuff for about 3 months, now she doesn't do it at all.

I would never, ever, EVER recommend a collie for a house with a child as young as 2, and that's coming from someone who HAS a collie with a child as young as 2. They are canine Einsteins on crack, need 24/7 constant mental stimulation, shed monstrously (I could actually attach a rather hilarious photo of the dog I made out of my old boys loose hair after a groom), and they most certainly do like to "herd" children. They are not patient dogs, not by a long shot. And they are extremely noise-sensitive. Not, by any means, the breed I would suggest a first-timer to get around children.