Hi,

We have a 2 1/2 year old and baby on the way. We are waiting a while before getting a dog but would like suggestions on what breeds are suitable for a young family of children under 5 yrs old. We have been told that poodles, miniature schnauzers and pugs are good dogs. We would prefer a non-shedding type and preferably small to medium size. Does anyone have any other suggestions or can confirm that these dogs are indeed good with young children?

congratulations!

i would recommend that you get a staffordshire bull terrier. This breed make excellent family pets in general. Excellent temperament with children and are extremley affectionate.

They are very strong dogs however, so it is vital that you train them well and get them under your control. you could maybe think about getting a rescue dog, that you don not have to train, as this in its self is hard work and doing it with two kids, is no joke. also the advantage of this is that you can see in an older dog what their temperament is like and whether they are good with chidren.

A SBT would be a friend to your children not just their pet. they will also be your third child!

While I would agree that a Staffy is brilliant with children , they may be a bit of a handful for the novice Staffy owner with two small children . With a rescue you would want to know the dogs complete history .
Having said that I brought home my very first staffy when my eldest son was just one year old and I never had any problems ;)
I never had to worry about him being too rough or biting - he was an angel ( the dog not the child :D ).
But they are strong little dogs and you would need one with a nice temperament towards other dogs .

congrats
we have a mini schnauzer and our youngest was 16 months when we got him.he is the most gentle affectionate little man i have ever met.he knows not to jump at the children and when we have had enough of his playing he will go lay down.he doesnt mouth,and very rarely barks.i would definitly get a mini with children
best of luck
mel:)

Hi,

In your situation I would recomend maybe a Cavalier, a French Bulldog, a Staffie, a mini schauzer or a toy poodle. Make sure you check very carefully the parentage as there are bad temparements in all breeds if you go to the wrong places.

Speak to breeders and owners of these dogs and ask for all the bad points about the breed as well as the good points and ask them to be honest. Also ask about the sex of the dog, in some breeds it makes a difference in the temperament and trainability.

I am glad you are waiting, it's not a good idea to cope with a new baby and a puppy at the same time, you are being very sensible!! :)

manda
x

Boston terriers are known to be good with children also. I got my first one when my children were 6 and 3. Like any dog you do not leave children and puppies/dogs unattended. Both have to learn how to play with eachother right and to respect each other. Bichon's, lhasp apso are non shedding.

ttfn :)

Rather than recommend a particular breed I would suggest that you start looking at the different breeds and try to find one that you like and will fit in with your lifestyle and personality, once you have a shortlist then try to find breeders who will allow you to visit and assess the character of the breed and the practical aspects of owning and training one. There are so many different ones that you're bound to find the right one for you.

It took years of research to finally decide that my Bedlington is the perfect dog for me, but as they can live 16 years its important to get it right. Good luck in your search, half of the fun is the anticipation :D

Dill - we are looking into having a bedlington too - I'd be  very interested to know what made you choose a beddie in particular and  what you think of the beddie temperament.

I too would recommend a staffy but in this case with very young children not a rescue as you will never be 100% sure of its background and whilst the breed is known to be the nanny dog as with any breed there can be an exception to the rule, and personally I would not take that risk with young children.
If you do decide on a staffy go to a reputable breeder who will of bred their dogs for soundness in body and mind :-)
A puppy will be brought up with your children and the bond will be amazing :-)

my Border Terrier LOVES children and she is so gentle with them. She just sits there and lets them play with her. In fact we know of two children who have overcome a serious fear of dogs after spending time with our girl.

Cairn Terriers are small dogs that are great with kids. They are healthy, robust, full of fun and nonshedding.

Stacey

i have 3 children 6, 4 And 11 weeks. We have a cavalier king charles who is just fantastic with the children and easy to look after. This breed do shed but it isnt excessive - i vaccum once a day which is more than sufficient.
I personally prefer gundogs and working dogs but at this point in my life i couldnt offer the exercise or time an active breed would need. It's a good compromise as i love dogs and wouldn't want to be without one.

Well I would recommend a Bichon Frise.  They are small, easy to fit in the car, non-moulting, extremely friendly happy little dogs.  We have had ours since my daughter was 3 and he has been brilliant with her.  He gets on with every dog he meets and hasn't got a nasty bone in his body, he is perfect :-) Also they don't need lots of exercise.  The only drawback that I can think of is that they need to go to the groomers about every 10-12 weeks but thats a small price to pay for such a perfect companion.

Goodness you must do well with your grooming Anna!  I see Bichons in the parlour every 6 weeks because they matt more than poodles! 
Well done. :)

Well we have had poodles in the past and I find that my Bichon doesn't need to be clipped as much as they did for some reason.  I suppose it depends on just how you have them cut in the first place which I usually have my dog quite short so its usually about the 10 - 12 week mark before he needs grooming again. :-)

Ah yes, that would explain it.  I won't clip Bichons, I scissor them 2" long so that they look like Bichons.  Each to their own.:) 

Well I think my dog groomer does an excellent job on him and he ALWAYS comes out looking like a Bichon:rolleyes:

Well I would recommend a Bichon Frise.  They are small, easy to fit in the car, non-moulting, extremely friendly happy little dogs.  We have had ours since my daughter was 3 and he has been brilliant with her.  He gets on with every dog he meets and hasn't got a nasty bone in his body, he is perfect :-) Also they don't need lots of exercise.  The only drawback that I can think of is that they need to go to the groomers about every 10-12 weeks but thats a small price to pay for such a perfect companion :-)

Oops sorry for posting twice - it said there was an error and the post couldnt be posted the first time.

Shar-pei?  Yorkie perhaps?

get a staff pup. train it well socilise it well and you will have a mint dog. go for a bitch. we have 3 kids and 1 on the way. ages 8 +6+3. we have a bitch 17 months a pup 12week's (male). and a xbreed 14years old. they all get on great. staffs are superb with kids, our youngest uses our female as a pillow. get a staff you won't regret it. all the best steve.