Hi ,
We are thinking of getting a dog but don't know what breed, We have 2 small children and have a nice 3 bed house with big garden, Please can any one help me get the best dog for us, Also we want a dog that we can look after ,ie not to big like a rottie size.

I'm not really biased ;) but a nicely bred Cavalier King Charles Spaniel could possibly be the breed as they are usually good with children & adults have a fairly low maintainace coat, can be usually easily trained & even been known to creep into the hearts of the most "Macho"of men :)

If I was giving a biased opinion I would say a lab :D.  Its a family decision IMO and also you need to think of what amount of exercise,feeding costs,how long the dog would be alone etc.  It is a big decision to make, good luck whatever dog you decide on and most importantly enjoy your dog :).

Michelle :)

Depends do you want to do alot of grooming or not?
Alot of exercising or not?
Hypoalergenic or don't matter?
An active or more laid back breed?
The age of your children?

You really have to ask your self what you want in a dog because you need a dog that will fit your lifestyle not the other way around. That would be easier to narrow down a specific breed :)

I have boston terriers they have min grooming, short haired and shed very little. They pretty much self exercising but still require some. They do snore, flat faces, don't take well in hot weather (but what dog really does). If socialized properly (every dog should be) makes a lovely pet. They can be good little watch dogs, and great house pets, they are an inside dog.

:)

I think each of us with children will recommend their own breeds  :)
as already mentioned, it depends on what else you are looking for besides good with children. You need to take into account size, grooming, exercise needs, traits etc
We have Staffys - known as the nanny dog .
Excellent with children but may be too boisterous for the novice owner :)

There are very few breeds that will not make excellent family pets if treated properly and trained.

Conversely the loveliset soppiest dog can make a poor pet if not trained and allowed to become an animated toy.

You need to decide what kind of dog you like, what characteristics physical and mental you couldn't live with, and which ones you would like.

Going to a dog show near you would help you decide as would a visit to discover dogs later in the year in London.

I would alsways advise asking to visit several breeders with your shosen shortlist of dogs.  Arrange a visit to their home, and also to go for a walk with some of the dogs.  The latter will help you see how they are around other dogs, people traffic etc.

I have been doing this with people interested in my breed, and they have all said it was most useful, even if it meant the bred wasn't right for them.

A breeder may also be able to arrange for you to visit with someone near you with the breed in a similar family to your own, though of course you should not base your decisionon one visit with perhaps an inexperienced pet owner as to hwo maageable the dogs are will depend quite a lot on the abilities of the owner.

As the others do I think my dogs are perfect family dogs, but one mans meat is another mans poison :D

Hi,

A well bred Golden Retriever - A dog for all reasons.
I am biased i'll admit,great family dogs but as  with all dogs will require training to be well behaved and a joy to own.
They are great with children but again as with all dogs you will need to supervise children and dogs together especially younger children.

I have 4 children 13,9,7 and 20 months and expecting 5th baby we have 4 Goldens
that thrive in this family enviroment however you need to be able to devote time to their training ,socialising,exercising (more so when their older not so much under a year because of hip development) and grooming which not necessary everyday but a once - twice  a week should be enough.

Try meeting breeders of some of the breeds your interested in to give you some idea .
Most good breeders are only to happy to show you their dogs because they are passionate about their breed and will point out any pitfalls.

Happy choosing,

Briony:-)

my biased opinon would be to suggest the Scottish Terrier of course, known as 'the big dog on little legs' :-D

However, I haven't owned one but would also be tempted to suggest a Retriever for a family dog too (eg a  golden or lab) as these were the only 'biggish' dogs I wasn't afraid of going up because (generally) they are lovely big softies who I have always found to be good with kids (mindful of course of each individual dogs character and how it is brought up, of course).

Mind you, I would still class these as a 'biggish' dog, particularly as they need a good hour's exercise every day which is why I haven't got one!

Ah, go with the Scottie, you can give them a good hours walk if you want, but they supposedly get enough exercise running around an apartment if that was to be their circumstance!  :-D

Golden Retriever!!  Simply the best and most loving and loyal family dog! :)

i'd have to go with jazzywoo on this one, and have a lab. They're fantastic. I wouldn't be without one. They're like big kids, always happy, a bundle of energy and just so much fun.

i don't know if you've seen this before (see badly done link below!!), but based on your requirements, it'll give you a list of dogs it thinks fulfils them. It'll also give you info on how much to expect in cost of weekly food, how much exercise the dog'll need, average puppy price, any medical problems with a particular breed etc. It also gives a point of contact if you need more info about that particular breed.

http://www.pethealthcare.co.uk/dogs/findperfectdog/fpd_questionnaire.asp

mojo

I think these kind of guides need to be taken with a pinch of salt.  No matter how I answer them trying to get something like my own breed to come up it advises me to have dogs that I would never want to own.

I like the idea of a yokie or same size dog, are small dogs ok with kids and cats? My boys are 5 and 2 and im having one more due in dec.

If we're championing our own breeds, I'll get my oar in and suggest... spaniels! :D  I have both cockers and springers, and ofcourse I'm biased, but they are lovely dogs, love being part of the family, are great with kids and other pets, and the cockers particularly are a great size, not too big, not too small.  However, if I were you, I would be inclined to wait a while until after you've given birth to your next imminent arrival!  Sounds like you're going to have your hands full with your new baby and your young family, and it wouldn't be fair on either of you (your family or the dog) to bring a new member in under those circumstances.  Not sure when your intentions were for getting a dog, but just thought I would add that in!  Anyway, whatever you decide, as its already been suggested here, make sure you do a lot of research into any breed you're interested in, including excercise and grooming etc, and pick one that is right for you! :)  Good luck.

just as another note, if you were to get a yorkie, as with all dogs with kids, I would recommend supervision!  Particularly as yorkies have little bones that can break easily!  One of my neighbours has a yorkie-she says it's a little dog with a big attitude-it's more nuts than the boxers that live around us!  Sweet little dog though-when it wants to be!  A little character! :D

i agree brainless-when i did that it suggested rottweilers....irish wolfhounds...which are all lovely dogs, but i wouldn't want one! I changed every option possible, and not once did it recommend a lab!!

I personally wish Labs were not top of the best family dog list, they are far too exuberant for someone thinking of getting a dog, they Are full of fun and would barge any child over to get a morsal of dropped food and some show types can be as big as a Rottweiler. They are not content with a short walk and need lots of training and will find plenty of things to do whilst their owners are at work, like ripping up the lino or the settee. There is an excess of 45,000 Labs bred each year because they are considered 'everyones ideal dog' not true....

IMO a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is far more suitable as a family dog, or as a bigger dog a Golden Retriever which tend to be a little more sensible than a Lab.

I would love a Yorkie, my family always had them growing up, but I do remember that one in particular my sister had (still my favourite dog ever, other than my own scottie of course!) was a right little monster - Yorkies are totally unaware of their small size and will take on the biggest dog they meet and are one of the most fearless terriers imo!!  I loved him to bits because he was my sister's dog, but other children were terrified of him because he'd bear his teeth and growl and although he was playing, you were never quite sure if he actually meant it - and having known (and known of) many previously and now (including one that lives with a Rottweiler and the Yorkie is definately the boss), I would just point out that they are usually very bold little dogs!  Not that I am 'dissing' them in anyway, I love Yorkies and would possibly get one as my next dog.

However, from reading your post and seeing you are leaning towards terriers and would like a small friendly family dog, (and I know one that gets on brilliantly with cats) I would definately say that you have all the makings of being a future Westie owner! 

Could not agree more. If Labradors were so ideal then the rescues would not be so full of them. They can moult for England, dig the biggest holes in the lawn, jump the highest fences and without plenty of training will take you for a walk.

Best wishes, John

I'll recommend a Cesky terrier who are great with children especially when raised with them and are small in size. They are quite a rare and new breed but they're popularity is building. I wouldn't recommend a westie. Although a great breed, they aren't suited to very young children ( under 7 years) and its a common misconception that they are, though there are exceptions in every breed.

Good luck on finding your new family member :-)

Really?  I'm not doubting you, just that every Westie i have known has been great with even very young children (excluding the one we took in when my uncle died when i was about 7, who consequently, unfortunately ended up at Battersea).  Mind you, saying that, a lot of people say that about the Scottie, and the breeder of my puppy was most put out by this, as she had a 3 and a 5 year old who got on great with her Scottie, and in fact the 3 year old won a third in junior handling with her recently.

So it just goes to show how its swings and roundabouts and no one can predict the ideal dog, and how you cannot tar the character of one dog with others of its breed.

I say get the Yorkie if that's what you want, and put the effort into training it, and more importantly into training your children!

When choosing a family dog we couldnt agree on a breed. Then we thought about all the homeless dogs in the pound and reckoned we didnt need a pedigree, just a good natured dog.Pound hounds come in all sizes and coat types, all ages too. Some have issues like being afraid of being alone, some just need a good home. Dogs Trust can match you with a dog and help you afterwards  if need be. Please consider the Pound Hound aka Pedigree Tripe Hound.

Puppylove,

Where did you get the information that Westies are not suitable for families.

I have westies and have yet to come across one that is not suitable for families We have a large labrador also and they all are fine.  I personally don't think any puppy is suitable to children under the age of 7 unless the family are 110 % sure they have the time to devote to a puppy AND that their children are well enough behaved to cope with a puppy and treat it with respect and understanding.

My family have had westies since I was a child and I do now as an adult. Even my grandmother has always had one.  My friends whether show or not have had westies for years upon years and none have had problem with aggressive westies.

Can you explain why you think this??

I think the exception in every breed is that you find the odd one aggressive NOT the odd one OK.