Dog Decision

estebanrc

Hi,

We are looking to get a dog for our 2 years old son. Currently we are living in an house/apartment. We have a small balcony but there are a lot of green area around.
We are between a Beagle and a Jack Russell..
I would like to know some opinions and also where would be the best place to get a dog.

Thanks in Advance.

FrostyJack

estebanrc wrote: »

Hi,

We are looking to get a dog for our 2 years old son. Currently we are living in an house/apartment. We have a small balcony but there are a lot of green area around.
We are between a Beagle and a Jack Russell..
I would like to know some opinions and also where would be the best place to get a dog.

Thanks in Advance.

Beagles and Jack Russell's are high energy dogs, generally, so need lots of exercise, I doubt the 2 year old would be able to provide this so it would be up to you to provide this. The best place to get a dog is a rescue, there are plenty of them in every county and usually full. Most of these have websites or facebook so you can view the dog before going down. Most responsible rescues will give you specific guidance for what dog is most suitable for you. and your circumstances.

eezipc

Depends where you are. <snip x3>. Please don't pay for for a dog. It's a stupid thing to do. There are plenty of rescue dogs that need a bit of love and attention and are grateful for it.

Dravokivich

2 Jack Rusell's at home with a 3 year old kid. You've got to pay a lot of attention to them. Ours have 2 very different temperments. 1 doesn't like people getting too close unless he allows it, the other is extremely playful and can easily overwhelm a young child.

estebanrc

FrostyJack wrote: »

Beagles and Jack Russell's are high energy dogs, generally, so need lots of exercise, I doubt the 2 year old would be able to provide this so it would be up to you to provide this. The best place to get a dog is a rescue, there are plenty of them in every county and usually full. Most of these have websites or facebook so you can view the dog before going down. Most responsible rescues will give you specific guidance for what dog is most suitable for you. and your circumstances.

Thanks, yes, sorry. I expressed myself wrong. Although it will be for my 2 years old son I would do most of the work, as taking care of the exercise, etc

eezipc wrote: »

Depends where you are. <snip x3>. Please don't pay for for a dog. It's a stupid thing to do. There are plenty of rescue dogs that need a bit of love and attention and are grateful for it.

I'm in South Dublin, As suggested as well in the previous comment, I'll look into rescue centres, I agree that there are a lot of dogs needing to be rescue.

Dravokivich wrote: »

2 Jack Rusell's at home with a 3 year old kid. You've got to pay a lot of attention to them. Ours have 2 very different temperments. 1 doesn't like people getting too close unless he allows it, the other is extremely playful and can easily overwhelm a young child.

Thanks, good to know about the different temperments. How are the dogs with the kid? In general I heard that Jack Russells are great for kids over 6.

andreac

Def do not get a Beagle whatever you do. They would not do well in that environment. Id also be reluctant to get a Jack Russell with a small child.

Dravokivich

estebanrc wrote: »

Thanks, good to know about the different temperments. How are the dogs with the kid? In general I heard that Jack Russells are great for kids over 6.

There's been 3 times in the last 2 years when we've had to intervene with one of the dogs, that dog and my kid generally keep away from each other. The thing is, it can be very hard for a young child to understand them. I wouldn't go with a blanket X type of dog is good for X age kid. The dogs were there when I moved to my folks with him, so It's something we've all had to be vigilant of.

If you're really set on getting something in for a child that's 2 years old, get a cuddly toy.

estebanrc

Dravokivich wrote: »

There's been 3 times in the last 2 years when we've had to intervene with one of the dogs, that dog and my kid generally keep away from each other. The thing is, it can be very hard for a young child to understand them. I wouldn't go with a blanket X type of dog is good for X age kid. The dogs were there when I moved to my folks with him, so It's something we've all had to be vigilant of.

If you're really set on getting something in for a child that's 2 years old, get a cuddly toy.

Thanks, I agree that the comments are generic for each breed but each dog is different. In this case we are planning to have the dog as a puppy so dog and kid will raise together.

andreac

How much time can you spend with the dog? Are you gone to work all day or is someone around most of the time?

Bells21

I would be reluctant to get either of the breeds mentioned for your current situation. Both are high energy and JRT may find it difficult not to chase a small child when they move so quickly etc. Also take into consideration how yappy a dog could be especially if you're living in an apartment. I have a JRT and I would consider him very yappy and it takes a lot of exercise and training to ensure he's not a disturbance to others around.
I would approach a rescue who would be best able to match a dog to your circumstances.

Bandana boy

2 years old is very young to be getting a dog , kids that young will pull ears and tails and a dog could/will react particularly a pup , I would wait another 2-3 years .

Ms Doubtfire1

make sure you NEVER EVER leave child and dog alone together - even a puppy can do damage to a 2 year old toddler.
Re breed? Apartment? Get a sight hound.

Bells21

Bandana boy wrote:

2 years old is very young to be getting a dog , kids that young will pull ears and tails and a dog could/will react particularly a pup , I would wait another 2-3 years .

It's never too young to have a child and dog together providing you put safety first and will actively model how your child should be around a dog. Having child gates in the house and ensuring that they aren't left alone together would also be good practice.

estebanrc

andreac wrote: »

How much time can you spend with the dog? Are you gone to work all day or is someone around most of the time?

I'm working during the day but my wife will be at home most of the time, the dog might be alone sometimes (not at the begging) but it will be rarely. I can spend all the time needed. I had dogs as a kid, I love them and I'm enjoying spending time with them.

Ms Doubtfire1 wrote: »

make sure you NEVER EVER leave child and dog alone together - even a puppy can do damage to a 2 year old toddler.
Re breed? Apartment? Get a sight hound.

No, no planning to leave them alone. the kid just love animals and we think it will be a good Idea to have one at home. I'm open to suggestions about the breed.

Bells21 wrote: »

It's never too young to have a child and dog together providing you put safety first and will actively model how your child should be around a dog. Having child gates in the house and ensuring that they aren't left alone together would also be good practice.

That's the plan, the kid loves dogs (and any kind of animals) so that's a good excuse for us to get one. Not planning to leave each other alone.

Ms Doubtfire1

The reason i suggested a sight hound( Greyhound preferably) is that they require very little exercise, barely shed, are very clean and only require a soft bed to sleep on - preferably 21 hours a day. They are ideal dogs for city and apartments and have a very gentle and laid back manner.

Murt10

Beagles can be a problem when taken for a walk. They won't stay with the owner when off the lead. Once they get a scent they are interested in, they're off, and no amount of calling or pleading will bring them back.

It's in their nature. They are a pack animal. They are bred for following a fox through any barrier that the fox can cross, and to ignore everything else, except their prey.

VonVix

Another important thing to consider, is your living situation stable? Do you own your own home? If not, are you allowed pets? Or are you planning on moving to a new rented accommodation in the near (1, 2, 3 years from now) future? I see it all too many times, when someone has to rehome a young dog because of this factor.

estebanrc

VonVix wrote: »

Another important thing to consider, is your living situation stable? Do you own your own home? If not, are you allowed pets? Or are you planning on moving to a new rented accommodation in the near (1, 2, 3 years from now) future? I see it all too many times, when someone has to rehome a young dog because of this factor.

I'm a home owner. That's why I'm considering getting one. I did rent in the past and I know how painful could it be. Not planning to move in the near future.

njs030

Ms Doubtfire1 wrote: »

The reason i suggested a sight hound( Greyhound preferably) is that they require very little exercise, barely shed, are very clean and only require a soft bed to sleep on - preferably 21 hours a day. They are ideal dogs for city and apartments and have a very gentle and laid back manner.

I was thinking this myself and they are so so gentle with children.

Op whatever dog you get do make sure they have an area that's just for them and away from the child so they can have alone time and a place to escape to won't you? A 2 year old can be very demanding for a dog.

Ms Doubtfire1

notjustsweet wrote: »

Ms Doubtfire1 wrote: »

The reason i suggested a sight hound( Greyhound preferably) is that they require very little exercise, barely shed, are very clean and only require a soft bed to sleep on - preferably 21 hours a day. They are ideal dogs for city and apartments and have a very gentle and laid back manner.

I was thinking this myself and they are so so gentle with children.

Op whatever dog you get do make sure they have an area that's just for them and away from the child so they can have alone time and a place to escape to won't you? A 2 year old can be very demanding for a dog.

- and for parents too.So glad mine are all grown up lol

Chris_Heilong

I have had many dogs over the last 35+ years, Poms, Malamutes, Samoyeds, Labs, Bull terrier, German Shepard and the easiest one to live with was the Yorkshire Terrier. Now maybe its because all my other breeds were mostly working dogs and required a lot of attention but I found the Yorkie is smart, eager to please, does not require much room or exercise so is the perfect Apartment dog IMO. In your situation the downsides would be how young your son is, A dog is a big responsibility not too different from having a young child and if you go with a pup you need to put in a lot of work for the first 6 months in order to toilet train and behaviour train the new member of your family, other downsides of getting a pup are lots of crying at night, going to the toilet all over your house, throwing up food that does not agree with the dogs sensitive stomach, if you are prepared for all that then I wish you luck in your search.

irishthump

Murt10 wrote: »

Beagles can be a problem when taken for a walk. They won't stay with the owner when off the lead. Once they get a scent they are interested in, they're off, and no amount of calling or pleading will bring them back.

It's in their nature. They are a pack animal. They are bred for following a fox through any barrier that the fox can cross, and to ignore everything else, except their prey.

No dog is supposed to be off the lead unless it’s in a designated dog park so I don’t see the problem there.

Beagles are good with children, they’re energetic but they have a friendly temperament. Once they get daily excercise they’ll do fine even in an apartment.

estebanrc

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

I have had many dogs over the last 35+ years, Poms, Malamutes, Samoyeds, Labs, Bull terrier, German Shepard and the easiest one to live with was the Yorkshire Terrier. Now maybe its because all my other breeds were mostly working dogs and required a lot of attention but I found the Yorkie is smart, eager to please, does not require much room or exercise so is the perfect Apartment dog IMO. In your situation the downsides would be how young your son is, A dog is a big responsibility not too different from having a young child and if you go with a pup you need to put in a lot of work for the first 6 months in order to toilet train and behaviour train the new member of your family, other downsides of getting a pup are lots of crying at night, going to the toilet all over your house, throwing up food that does not agree with the dogs sensitive stomach, if you are prepared for all that then I wish you luck in your search.

Thanks. German Shepard was my first choice as I absolutely loved them, but unfortunately I have a space restriction. Although I can't consider myself an expert I have experience with dogs and I do know how much work could it be. I had dogs all my life, and I'm more than ready for all that. And also the exercise is not a problem, the apartment is a medium size but there are a lot of green are less than a block from it and I'm also ready to take the dog out as much as he needs it.

irishthump

I’m all for rescuing a dog but you have to be careful where children are concerned. If you get a crossbreed it’s very hard to gauge the dog’s temperament. Also you probably won’t be able to get a pup.

Goat the dote

I don’t have an apartment but I have a cockapoo and she’s great, non shed, great temperament with my boisterous asd son, and good recall out on walks

irishthump

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

I have had many dogs over the last 35+ years, Poms, Malamutes, Samoyeds, Labs, Bull terrier, German Shepard and the easiest one to live with was the Yorkshire Terrier. Now maybe its because all my other breeds were mostly working dogs and required a lot of attention but I found the Yorkie is smart, eager to please, does not require much room or exercise so is the perfect Apartment dog IMO. In your situation the downsides would be how young your son is, A dog is a big responsibility not too different from having a young child and if you go with a pup you need to put in a lot of work for the first 6 months in order to toilet train and behaviour train the new member of your family, other downsides of getting a pup are lots of crying at night, going to the toilet all over your house, throwing up food that does not agree with the dogs sensitive stomach, if you are prepared for all that then I wish you luck in your search.

Good points but since you have a small child a pup would be a better option. You’d have no idea how an older dog may react with the child especially if it’s a rescue. It’s far easier to socialize a pup.

Ardent

Get a Bichon Frise. They have a wonderful temperament, great with kids and suitable for apartment living. I know all this first hand experience.

Only downside is they suffer from separation anxiety. Big time.

Ms Doubtfire1

irishthump wrote: »

I’m all for rescuing a dog but you have to be careful where children are concerned. If you get a crossbreed it’s very hard to gauge the dog’s temperament. Also you probably won’t be able to get a pup.

lol.sorry - OT but have you been on any rescue pages lately? They are overrun with pups. Especially after Ballinasloe fair

andreac

irishthump wrote: »

No dog is supposed to be off the lead unless it’s in a designated dog park so I don’t see the problem there.

Beagles are good with children, they’re energetic but they have a friendly temperament. Once they get daily excercise they’ll do fine even in an apartment.

That's not true. Dogs can be off lead in public once they are under control. Unless there are certain bye laws in place for parks/beaches etc.

irishthump

andreac wrote: »

That's not true. Dogs can be off lead in public once they are under control. Unless there are certain bye laws in place for parks/beaches etc.

Not in South Dublin anyway. Check the local bye laws. NO dog is supposed to be off a lead unless in a designated dog park.

irishthump

Ms Doubtfire1 wrote: »

lol.sorry - OT but have you been on any rescue pages lately? They are overrun with pups. Especially after Ballinasloe fair

I know that but in my experience with dog rescue agencies they always push the older dogs which they struggle to home. Understandable I suppose....

andreac

irishthump wrote: »

Not in South Dublin anyway. Check the local bye laws. NO dog is supposed to be off a lead unless in a designated dog park.

Have you a link to that info? Are you trying to say that every road and area in the Southside of Dublin, your dog has to be on a lead? I doubt it. Im from Dublin and haven't seen that. Yes certain parks etc, but not every "area" in South Dublin.

Scotty #

irishthump wrote: »

Not in South Dublin anyway. Check the local bye laws. NO dog is supposed to be off a lead unless in a designated dog park.

Same in Co. Louth. If a dog is not on private property then it must be on a leash.

irishthump

andreac wrote: »

Have you a link to that info? Are you trying to say that every road and area in the Southside of Dublin, your dog has to be on a lead? I doubt it. Im from Dublin and haven't seen that. Yes certain parks etc, but not every "area" in South Dublin.

Beg your pardon.... Dun Laoghaire Rathbone County Council area. Check the local bye laws on their site.

irishthump

Scotty # wrote: »

Same in Co. Louth. If a dog is not on private property then it must be on a leash.

Yeah it varies. But good to see Louth is the same!

AndrewJRenko

irishthump wrote: »

Not in South Dublin anyway. Check the local bye laws. NO dog is supposed to be off a lead unless in a designated dog park.

Not true;

From http://www.sdcc.ie/services/environmental-health/animal-control/dogs

Leashes:
a) All dogs must be kept under effectual control when in any public place i.e. street, road, park etc.
b) Certain breeds must always be leashed, muzzled and accompanied by a person over the age of 16 years when in a public place. These include: American Pit Bull Terrier, Bull Mastiff, Doberman Pinscher, English Bull Terrier, German Shepherd, Japanese Akita, Japanese Tosa, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rottweiler, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and every other strain or cross of the above mentioned breeds.
c) All dogs must be leashed when in Council owned parks.
d) It is an offence not to have the owner’s identity on a dog collar, tag or badge.

The requirement for leashing applies to certain breeds and certain places (council parks).

AndrewJRenko

irishthump wrote: »

Beg your pardon.... Dun Laoghaire Rathbone County Council area. Check the local bye laws on their site.

Not true either - my bolding for emphasis

From http://www.dlrcoco.ie/en/environment/animal-control/dogs

Keeping Your Pet Under Control
Dogs must be kept under effectual control at all times. All dogs must be accompanied and, either kept on a lead or trained to heel, remain next to the person walking the dog at all times. If your dog is not kept under effectual control or is out alone, the Dog Warden can issue you a fine of €100.

irishthump

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Not true;

From http://www.sdcc.ie/services/environmental-health/animal-control/dogs



The requirement for leashing applies to certain breeds and certain places (council parks).

Ok. Directly contrary to pamphlet they give you when you apply for your Dog Licence, but I guess that’s the Council for you.....

Anyone care to define Effectual Control?

DBB

Effectual control is a sort of working definition and potentially open to subjectivity, but essentially as long as a dog is not allowed to bug anyone, and the owner is seen to have good control (recall, heel), in other words, if your dog does nothing to draw the attention of the dog warden, then it's under effectual control.

With mod hat on now, can I ask that we leave the discussion on bye-laws to one side now because it's pulling the thread way off-topic. If people wish to discuss the various elements of dog control legislation, please feel free to start a new thread.
Thanks,
DBB

xckjoo

+1 recommendation for a sight hound. They really are the laziest. Despite their size they don't need much space.

I'd also suggest fostering before making the final decision. Talk to your local rescue and see if you can foster for a few months to be sure all will work well before doing a full adoption.

cocker5

OP to bed honest I wouldn’t recommend a dog for a 2 year old child it’s too stressful and risky IMO, different if the dog was there before the child arrived..

personally I’d wait until your child is at least 5, easier on everyone all round.

Small kids / babies and dogs often don’t mix , only time I ever seen it a success was where the parents were big dog lovers, had to dog before the baby, dog was 5/6 when baby arrived.. worked with dog and baby from day one ..

2 year old pulling, pinching, screeching and new dog = stress = potiential god trouble

Just my opinion good luck with your decision!

Snugglebunnies

I agree with the sighthound recommendation. They're very laid back and low maintenance. Ring around a few rescues and see what their homing policies are though. Some won't home dogs with very young children. Where I work in most circumstances children must be at least 7.

ShaShaBear

I definitely would not recommend getting any breed of dog as a puppy for a 2-year old. They are hyper, chew on and play with everything, can be absolute plagues constantly looking for attention and can make a lot of frightening noises. Puppies are a bit of a nightmare too

Generally, without a lot of experience, perseverance and space for safe separation, the only way toddlers and dogs work is if the dog was there before the baby came along and the dog is used to the runnings of the house first or if an adult dog familiar with children is adopted.

Puppies bite. A lot. All day, every day. For months. And their teeth are fecking sharp! One nip from a puppy, even only resulting in a graze, is enough to leave a 2-year old 100% terrified of your new family member, to the point of exerting aggression to keep the dog away from them. Then there's the hygiene issue. Toilet training a puppy can take anywhere from months to a year in some cases and in the meantime, especially with no garden, you are going to have wee and poo on your floors. Can you guarantee your toddler won't find it before you do? I'll give you a hint, toddlers are almost as good at getting into things they shouldn't as beagles

If a dog is the way to go, and you are willing to consider something 1+ years old, I would definitely go for a sighthound. Laid back, lazy, affectionate and generally very good with children once you maintain supervision.