Hi
I'm considering getting a puppy for my family but it would mainly be my six year old sons pet.  This would be our first dog and we do not want a very big breed, I have been considering the possibility of getting a beagle, but have received contradictory views on the breed, any thoughts? Breed recommendations welcome!!

The best people to talk to would be Beagle owners :) Have you thought about going to a dog show that has Beagles showing? You could get to meet breeders and owners and see what they say? :)

I grew up with a beagle who lived healthily until he was 17 :) He was a super family dog, very lovable and fun - BUT the garden had to be totally secure, not just fences but wire dug down a few feet to stop him escaping. He would make a run for it at any opportunity and could never be let off the lead outside of the house/garden :)

As Mel says, take lots of advice from experienced owners to make sure that they are a suitable breed for your family :)

Daisy

i would recommend a staffordshire bull terrier to anyone with kids they are great pets and adore kids,  beagles are nice to though

Personally speaking I think a Cavalier is an ideal family pet, affectionate, not too small, likes exercise, good with kids etc.

I would recommend a staffie also have one and they are brillant around children

> a staffie also have one and they are brillant around children<

Yes but what about around other dogs?? I presume the child will be helping mum walk the dog? I cant think of anything worse when you have a dog and it's aggressive around other dogs,personally i couldnt handle it.
Lots of long off leash walks are a huge part of me and my dogs lives,if i had a dog that i couldnt let off the lead or had to watch like a hawk around other dogs,it wouldnt be enjoyable at all :(  I've met too many staffies practically on a daily basis that would love to rip my dogs heads off,their owners dont look too happy,they are usually irate and stressed on the other end of the leash,i honestly cant see how anyone could enjoy having an anti-social dog
Now i know not ALL staffies are dog aggressive,but i've met more mad ones than i have friendly :( They are definately not a dog i would reccomend to first time dog owners.

You cant go past cavaliers for great allround family pets,i think they were born to be part of a family with kids and they're not dog aggressive :)

I think that statement re staffies will cause a bit of a problem ;) There are LOADS of very nice natured staffies, we have one living not too far from us that is with loads of children everyday.

Have to say I have met dogs of most breeds that can be nasty ranging from Great Danes down to Chihuahuas. It seems to have a lot to do with the breeding as well as how the dog is treated when it is in its home

I wouldn't like to be too judgemental about any particular breed :) There are breeds I prefer over others and I definitely prefer larger dogs but thats about as far as I would go :)

I adore my beagle. She has a lovely nature both with dogs and kids.  Dont think she knows how to growl.  She doesnt shed large amounts of hair and should be on a chocolate box.  They can be ratbags for coming back although because mine runs with a pack of dallies she always returns.  She is easy to handle although I am assuming you dont want your son to walk her.  They do like to dig so you have to be prepared for that but I have a very secure garden so she hasnt been able to dig her way out.  Would certainly recomend one.

Point noted melodysk :)

I know staffs are big woosy lovebugs with their humans,but there's more to be considered when choosing a breed :)

I am a staffy owner (three of) and I have kids (four of), but I must say I AGREE with you, staffies are probably not a good dog for a first time owner! This is not because they are aggressive towards other dogs IMO, but they do need an experienced home as their needs are pretty unique and not for the novice! There is a lot to learn about any breed that you decide to go with in the end, just do your homework before you decide. There are far too many dog in rescue (especially Staffies) because their inexperienced owners cannot cope with their exuberant behaviour :(

Well said Kerrie,Ditto :)

You said it much better than i ever could :D

There are far too many staffs in rescue,most, probaly got there because they fell into the arms of inexperienced owners :(

i think that cross breads are a brilliant first time dog, most are reasonable in size and re homing centres are full of all sorts of cross breads. both my dogs are cross breads one being a terrier cross and the other i think is impossible to define aparticular bread that he is closest to both are really loving and manageable
charlene

Crossbreeds are fantastic if you enjoy a gamble! You never know what you're going to get!
:)

I would actually agree with frodo on this one- although being the owner of two staffys i wouldnt recommend themfor an inexperienced owner

In their defence though, Staffies are still the best dogs for families :P

IMHO :D

yeah they are great little dogs with kids :)

Wev'e got a Beagle, but not really suitable for first time owners. They can't be let off thier lead ( hard work. ) I would suggest a Cavalier as well!!

I had Cavaliers when my children were 11 & 13 but I found it a bit of a nightmare when younger children visited - because they look like cuddly toys they were forever wanting to pick them up. They were OK with other dogs if all were off lead, but not keen otherwise. They were also very very noisy in the car, barking furiously every time they saw another dog, or when the car stopped. I must say though that this was in 1982, so there were no puppy socialisation classes then, and of course no Champdogs to help!! I'm merely pointing out that there are no guarantees with any dog. It's a really good idea to go to some shows, or to Discover Dogs, and talk to breeders and owners - and above all be prepared to wait for the right dog for you and your family.

I was given a cavalier when I was 9 she was my best friend untill I was 17. She was great with kids and if handled correctly they train incredibly easily

We have got a beagle and he is lovely now that we have found out what makes him tick. They are lovely affectionate dogs and my pup, although e tries to rough play with me is very gentle to both my sisters babies. You have to find what makes them stop bad behaivior as they have a naughty streak and every one is different. A friends beagle stops missbehaing when she makes a growling noise, the lady who bred him shows hers a water pistol, both of these have no effect on my boy, he stops when you make a hissing sound. They do have a stubborn streak at times, but will do absolutely anything for food. My baby is so affectionate and they easily adapt to you lifestyle, they can go for hours or by couch potatoes. If you chose to have a beagle, check out the kennel club for breed traits, and contact some breeders through them to ask questions. They will be honest with you. Hope this helps.xx

I may be a little biased, but I think a Sheltie would make a great pet for a first time dog owner, especially a young child  They're small enough to be walked by a young child and not drag them around....They're the most tolerant breed I've ever met when it comes to being layed on, tugged on, etc....They require some grooming, which is good to teach a young child responsibility....They're playful at times and good to play fetch with, but when they're not playing they're mellow and just like to lay around with their owners....They're not stubborn or difficult dogs to keep...They're quite easy to train, and do everything they can to please their owners...They're absolutely in love with their own family, and usually won't stray far if off leash....They're great with other dogs and have no aggression problems....I personally think a novice dog owner couldn't go wrong with a Sheltie.

I'm not biased(much have friends with some delightful shelties)but shelties as great little dogs & nearly all the ones I know have an affinity for children & although they do need grooming they don't need any expert knowledge to keep them looking nice

Paws up now one of my friends has promised me that if she ever breeds a B&W he/she will be mine(preferably he) she has been saying that for over 20 years tho':D

I agree a Sheltie would be a good dog for families, bf and i have one (Leo, he's 1) - although he has ridiculous amounts of fur and needs grooming he seems great at cleaning himself, hes great with kids even my 1 year old baby cousin who feels the need to chase him round the house laughing at him, he loves to play, he loves to walk and this may just be Leo but he is addicted to football you can play a proper game with him, he dribbles, tackles , marks and goes in goal you really do have to see this to believe it but if your son likes football it could be a playmate for him.

Having said that my nana had a cavalier when i was a baby / growing up and he was great and we had a mixed breed from the RSPCA and she was also great, we had her when she was a pup but she did have quite a few problems so might not be the best for the first time dog owner.

If you are interested in Shelties let me know PM me or email me (should be in my profile) and i can let you know the names of some breeders or anything else you want to know

i'm totally with the previous posters - shelties are great; happy but not excitable, fun, not nervous, biddable and wants to please, easy to train [usually 'gets it' after being told once or twice - ok maybe 3 times!], child friendly, laid back, likes to just chill out after some excercise, not too big - just need the grooming but that is just like having a cuddle/stroke every day and bonds owner and dog.
oh and easy to house train - my pup was clean in the house after 8 days! and learnt not to go on the flowerbeds after 2 afternoons!

I'll join the sheltie brigade :) Clean little dogs with big dog stamina and robustness, must be high on the most biddable & most trainable list, very pretty to look at, good fun & playful but not hyper. They love their people and are dog friendly. Grooming isn't really a big chore as long as you don't let it get away from you. The only thing I'd say against them is that they can be inclined to be vocal and tend to be reserved with strangers. But starting as a pup you can control the barking easily enough while their tendency to vocalise and their reserve with strangers makes them good little guard dogs. They aren't my main breed but I wouldn't be without a pair, and I'm pused to think of a better smallish breed for first time owners and familys

Re: the barking

Leo isnt too bad he knows not to do it and annoy the neighbours - although one night when he was barking someone was trying to break into my car and someone did manage to get into the neighbours car!! so it wasnt a bad thing that he did want to be vocal that night.

He's a great little guard dog - he comes to the office with us and lets us know if there is a delivery or someone he doesnt know coming - mind you when they do try to stroke him he backs away which isnt necessarily a bad thing when you hear of people trying to poison dogs etc.

He can be a little hyper but in a nice way but then again he is only 1 - with the training they are very intelligent and if you have one from a puppy you can almost mould them to be how you want them to be - if that sounds odd what i mean is that oh and i both had our grand paents dogs living with our parents when the grandparents died and they were so quiet / didnt know what you did witha  toy etc and we knew we wanted a playful dog..... so when we got him we just got him lots of toys and after a few days of showing him what to do with them, hes loved them ever since! particularily football which i mentioned before and im talking a full size hard football here he loves it more than anything

(actually might put some video clips online as it has to be seen to be believed so if you want to see what he does pm me lol)