O/T Best dog for kids

[baker]

I have two little boys. One is three and one is 15 weeks. We have a 6 year old Beagle named Ozzy and he really just hasn't taken to the boys like I thought he was going to. He is never mean or anything, he just seems to be annoyed, especially by the three year old (go figure). My wife and I were looking for another dog for the kids to grow up with. We were thinking Lab, German Shepard, Golden Retriever, Mutt. My vote was for the German Shepard.

Thoughts?

[Guinness42]

We have (2) Labradoodles. These are a mix breed of Labs & Poodles. We did alot of research prior to buying them (for the same reasons you are looking). They are smart and very kid friendly.

There are alot of websites that will tell you about the temperment of different breeds. It's a pain looking through all of the different sites but it's worth the time when you find the right breed for your family.

Good luck to you.

[LongnHard]

Beagle huh? I love my beagle but they are an interesting bread to say the least. Check out AKC (American Kennel Club) on line. They can tell you about the different breads and what their +/_ are. Good luck.

[jimbop99]

Growing up, my family always had dogs. I love purebreeds but if you're looking for a nice family pet I'd suggest a nice mutt. Save some poor animal from a doomed life in a shelter or get a German Shepard. They are supposed to be great with kids. Good luck.

[taf1968]

Can hardly go wrong with labs or golden retrievers. I had a golden growing up and have been around a number of them for many years. Great dogs. Smart, gentle with kids and very well behaved.

[Capt_Lou]

Boxers, my boxer was the best dog that I ever had.

We got him when my daughter was almost a year old and let them grow up together. She could fall him and he would never raise a fuss at all, he would always stay right next to her in the back yard making sure that no one messes with her.

[unimoose]

Originally Posted by tlou5831

Boxers, my boxer was the best dog that I ever had.

We got him when my daughter was almost a year old and let them grow up together. She could fall him and he would never raise a fuss at all, he would always stay right next to her in the back yard making sure that no one messes with her.

I have to agree 100% on the boxer! We got a boxer about 2 years ago and while my kids are older we had an experience within the first couple of weeks of getting her that sold me on the breed forever. We were at a cookout. This little girl who was probably under 5 was intrigued by the puppy. So much so that she would routinely hug it and try to pick it up. Usually this involved wrapping her arm around the pups midsection with the child's face in her butt and lifting her back legs off the ground. The puppy never reacted to the girl. I was sure she would nip or something after having enough of this but she never did.

Also, I'm not sure what your living arrangement is but females only get to be about 60lbs and they are a shorter haired dog so they tend to shed less. One word of warning, they ARE lap dogs!

[bodyhard]

Rotties no doubt, all my kids grew up around them, they are great with children even though they get a bad rap. I had 3 of them and not once did I ever had a problem with them around my 5 children.

[tomdana]

These are great with kids. I always remember the dog bite log we kept in residency for Pima County in Tucson, it was chow, chow, chow, dobie, chow, chow, boxer, chow chow chow. It was amazing how many kids got bit by the family chow. I hope I don't offend any dog officianodos though this stands out as significant.

I had a Golden growing up that I gave away to a family with a retarded child when I went away to college. I kept in touch for a while and the child had sleep apnea and my dog would sleep in his room and bark when he stopped breathing alerting him and his parents. It was amazing though the biggest news was when my old pupper pulled him out of the pool when he had fallen in and was drowning. My dog pulled him out by the neck and people who could see thought she was initally attacking him though quickly realized she had thwarted a drowning. It was truly amazing and took away any remorse in my having to give her up when I moved away.

[ed819]

The Boxer has my vote also. They have a great temper are very energetic and will play for hours.
They look intimidating but they are nothing but babies. We got our first one when my daughter was five and never had any problems no matter how rough my daughter got with her.

[OneO]

Im Real partial myself to Border Collies and Aussies . Smart , loyal , protective and real family dogs

I have two Borders and a Akita/Shepard mix . Mutts are also great , no Over breeding Problems ( Hips Displaysia (sp) , blindness, inbreding wierdness )

WWW.PETFINDER.COM , ive gotten all my dogs from rescue and got 3 GREAT animals . i gave myself 3 great dogs and saved 3 animals who would have been put down . its a win-win all the way around.

petfinder can help you find any breed , anywhere . breeders , humane society , private sales it has em all . check it out .

[domineaux]

Yellow lab

I got one that kids pull his tail, bite his ear and do just about any hateful thing a kid will do and he just puts up with them.

Never heard him growl, snarl or snap at anyone.

He was an expensive dog, but all his relatives are seeing eye and helpers for people with disabilities.

Marvelous disposition and even protects children. I've seen him get between small children and the lake and wouldn't let the kid around him. He knew what he was doing... a very smart and conscientious dog.

[OHIOSTEVE]

contact old superman and ask about the dogs he raises...so good with kids their nick name is "the nanny dog" if I am not mistaken. They are staffordshire bull terriers ( or staffy bulls) . My brother has one and had her mother. he has had a lot of different types of dogs and claims these are the best he has ever seen with kids. His sleeps with is kids every night. Before anyone goes off on baby killers etc, read up before you make the post please.

[biguglykidjoe]

We have 2 Jack Russell terriers and I really love those dogs. They are a smaller breed, but very loving and fun. My daughters love them very much and they are a very intelligent breed. I grew up with bigger breeds like Labs, Boxers and few mutts. You can't go wrong with any of these, but I have always been told to stay away from Dalmations.

[OHIOSTEVE]

Originally Posted by biguglykidjoe

We have 2 Jack Russell terriers and I really love those dogs. They are a smaller breed, but very loving and fun. My daughters love them very much and they are a very intelligent breed. I grew up with bigger breeds like Labs, Boxers and few mutts. You can't go wrong with any of these, but I have always been told to stay away from Dalmations.

I have had jack russells for over 23 years and do not really recommend them for a kids dog. They are not very tolerant of abuse ( in general). And as you said they are extremely intelligent and not always in a good way...they can fins more trouble than any three dogs combined it seems lol! And you are correct about the dalmations. There are exceptions to everything and I am sure someone will post about the one they have or had that was freat but I have read they are the #1 most likely dog to snap ...bite you....go back to playing like nothing happened.

[dewasiuk]

My grandma's german shepard was like an average dog, would growl if you pulled his tail or bugged him when he was eating. But he did follow you around if you went away from the house near the woods to protect you. My cousin has a golden retriever and she is the most behaved, friendly, and smartest dog I have ever been around.

[biguglykidjoe]

Originally Posted by OHIOSTEVE

I have had jack russells for over 23 years and do not really recommend them for a kids dog. They are not very tolerant of abuse ( in general). And as you said they are extremely intelligent and not always in a good way...they can fins more trouble than any three dogs combined it seems lol! And you are correct about the dalmations. There are exceptions to everything and I am sure someone will post about the one they have or had that was freat but I have read they are the #1 most likely dog to snap ...bite you....go back to playing like nothing happened.

I didn't think about the abuse part. My girls are 7 and 11, so they know not to abuse them and to treat them with respect. I could see where a smaller kid could get rough with one while not really meaning to be.

[biguglykidjoe]

I was a deputy for about three years and we had to go to the hospital and make a report every time someone came in with a dog bite. I would say 90% of the cases were Cocker Spaniels and Chows. Just thought I would add that.

[surlycurmudgeon]

I'm a fan of Huskies and German Shepherds. Grew up with them, have some of my own.

[Wooly_Ace]

I'm really surprised about your beagle not getting along with your children. I have a Beagle/Boxer mix and he is awesome, especially with kids. I don't have any kids myself, but all of my neighbors have kids and they love Booser. He doesn't mind them pulling on him or tugging his ears or tail. He just runs and plays with them. He actually gets along with everyone. I wouldn't trade him for anything.

[Tallgntlmn]

I would agree with the Boxer and the lab. Those are great dogs. But I have to put my childhood dog on the list just out of respect for her. My doberman was the greatest dog ever. She lived for almost 14 years when a slip on a wet garage floor hurt her front shoulder too bad to heal. She was protective, loyal, fun to play with, took a TON of abuse from me, extremely smart, and loved pizza. She never would do anything aggressive. Well, maybe one thing. She loved my dad's chair and if you tried to shove her out of it when he wasn't around, she would give you a warning as if to say "this is my chair when dad is not around and don't you forget it." We got her when she was a puppy so she was used to us her whole life.

Now don't take the word abuse in the wrong context. When I say that, I mean grabbing her nose, tackling her in the yard when she's running, trying to pull her tail or grab her paws. She would bite me when I would do some of those things to her but it was never aggressive and she knew when to back off. I want another one so bad but an apartment is not the place for one of those dogs. They are full of energy and that would just be terribly unfair to one.

[dogguy]

Some members here are recommending retrievers (i.e. labs, goldens). Last summer, I just lost my 11 year old golden retriever to cancer. I raised him from when he was an 8 week old pup. Are they good with children??? Well, they can be. It depends on the temperament of the dog, as not all goldens are cut from the same cloth. There are different blood lines out there. And contrary to popular belief, goldens do need a level of basic obedience training (i.e. sit, no jumping on people, down, etc) or they can be troublesome. If you would like to research the breed, send me a PM and I can refer you to a few sites that are really informative for that breed.

[ed819]

IMO there are no bad dog?s just bad owners. I believe it is all in how you raise your pet. The Staffordshire?s and the Rotties both have bad reputations and yet they both have been suggested in this thread. I get so pissed when someone labels a dog as mean or aggressive just because of their breed, it is so unfair to the animal

I would suggest looking at the lifespan and the care needed for the different breeds, then deciding on how much time and $ you are willing to invest. I only know the boxer well enough to give my opinion on these issues. Their life span is 10-12 yrs but I have known them to live to 14. They are prone to hip dysplasia and heart worms. They are people dogs and always want to be near you. My two are lying at my feet as I type
Good Luck!!!

[kpole]

Boxers are great, We got one when my daughter was 8 . Cami (boxer) was full of energy and never got angry no matter how hard my daughter or the other kids would play with her. I also think all dogs are great but I love boxer's

[phikappa]

We have two Cockers and they're just the most loving, sweetest, and playful dogs I've ever known. They're great with our kids. However, there's a lot to consider when buying a dog. The size of your house/yard is a big factor (as it was for us). Also, things like allergies should be considered and the type of hair the dog has. Cockers don't shed much, so this was a good choice for us. As you can see, everyone has their favorites, which means that it's tough to go wrong when choosing a dog. They'll basically send back double the love you give it.

Good luck.

[TuffGirl]

GOLDEN RETRIEVER HANDS DOWN!

[Clif]

I have had a ton of dogs in my life, if you?re looking to have something in the house you might find a lab sheds a bit much. The best dog I have ever owned (small dog) has been a Sheltie, I have had 4 now, there one of the smartest dogs I have ever owned (by far), all 4 house broke in side a week. I love the fact that they keep that puppy look into adulthood; if you don?t mind a small dog that the best way to go. I have 3 kids and they adore them. Favorite large dog, Pyrenees, used to guard goat herds but also a great family dog, again shedding is an issue. good luck.

[Gorilladf]

Golden Retriever.

Do NOT get a Husky unless you are prepared for it!!

[GSCampbell]

I have a hairy 12-pound weiner.

Actually I do - she is a mini daschund whom we have had since she was a puppy 14 years ago. Three kids later and she is still going strong. She has been great with the kids all along. Tha said I would not necessarily recommend the breed because she is the exception I think.

[ironwill2008]

I've owned dogs all my life. And as an outside technician for the telephone company for 30 years, and been around all breeds, up close and personal, I would be hard-pressed to name a breed NOT to get. Some breeds have gotten bad raps in the press, but I firmly believe it's not the breed, but the owner. Just my 2c. By the way, as I said, I've been around lots of dogs, while working, and never met a mean Rottweiler or Pit Bull. Ever.