What is the best dog breed for families with young children?

[leonie]

One word: BOXERS!!!

We have had two in the last 14 years, our first was a male and our current is a female.

They are the funniest dogs on earth. Very friendly, energetic and great with kids.

They are clean and do not shed very much.

They are wonderful athletes. My female dog and I take 3 to 4 mile walks/jogs every morning. She is a wonderful personal trainer for me!

I have four children and our Boxers have been there from the beginning. I’ve never had a dog bite, growl or any anti-social behavior from them. My 5 yr old routinely lies on top of our Boxer.

Good luck!

I grew up with Boxers. They were fun and very friendly. But, they like to jump. They are very strong and athletic–but, also very active!! And, very friendly. Plus, they are very cute puppies.

How about a boxer/lab mix?

 

[Cran]

Unfortunately, a mix gets from time to time the worst, not the best, from the parents

You never know what dog you buy - so much depends on personality and upbringing even for dogs, not only for children .
If it is of utmost importance that certain characteristics will be found in the puppy, I’d rather go for race, not mix. No guarantee, but a tiny bit more secure nontheless.

But if the dog is already grown up, it really doesn’t matter…

 

[drawnhome]

I say go for a Lab. They are the most gentle, patient animals. We had a lab for years and years, and first got her when we had four children, one of whom was a baby. Our boys learned to walk holding on and pulling up on the dog, slept on top of her, etc. The cat would eat the dog’s food and she would sweetly sit there and wait for the cat to finish.

Our dog saved our son from a snake out in the backyard, barking her head off and circling our son so he couldn’t get near the snake, and another time alerted me when my son broke through a rotten board on the fence and went into the neighbor’s yard. She stood between me and any stranger, same with the kids. She was never vicious, just strong and stood there unmovable until it was determined that the person was friendly. I really miss my dog, can you tell?

 

[Brenda_V]

Oh poodles! Neerly forgot about them They are indeed very friendly, sensible, easy to train and no shedding at all… and you don’t have to go with that poodle-look if you don’t like it, the hair can be left naturally if desired (just more elbow grease while brushing them).

My only caveat to a poodle is that you do need to either be on top of brushing him/her or be willing to get him/her groomed at least every four months or so and you don’t have to go with the “poodle” cut, I just have my groomer give him what is called the “puppy cut”, in otherwords, she cuts all his fur off down to just above the skin, in the winter, right before Christmas, I have this done and then he gets to wear a coat 'cuz I keep our house at 68 during the day.

My parents had miniature poodle, poodle mixes when I was growing up and I have had the same as an adult. My current is a male and my only complaint about him is he is a “revenge pee’er”, he won’t pee in the house unless he thinks he is going with me somewhere and he doesn’t get to go (it is too hot in the summers but most of the year he can go with me to run my errands as I do live in the high desert so it is never too cold like it would be in ND or some of the other northern States).

For this breed though, I would definitely stay away from anything smaller than a miniature and for a family I would see about getting a standard, they are so gentle.

Ok, this hits in my field, veterinarian, so I’ll give some quick advice.

Don’t start with the question of, “What breed”? but rather the question of, “What kind”?

1. Do you want a very active, smart into it dog or more of a buddy; a quiet dog?

1a. How much? ($$) Shelters have very nice mixed breed dogs for very little.

1. Big dog or little dog?
2. A yard dog or house dog or both?
3. Maintenance free or don’t mind (or actually likes) maintaining the dog? (I convinced my wife to give up her romantic image of the sheepdog as the coat takes constant maintenance).

I copied this URL with only a little searching. Animal Planet has a “dog selector” to help you enter characteristics and see what breed you get.

Dog Selector

Great advise . Of course it is coming from an expert, someone who has probably seen dogs being adopted by a family and then having to be given up because they didn’t do he research our OP is doing.

I am going to second the Labradors as good family dogs even though my preference is poodles (between growing up with them and my own allergies, confirmed recently when I had to watch a friends pug while she was in the hospital, I have to go vacuum really well today to get rid of his dander so my allergies can settle down to “normal”).

Brenda V.

 

[cockatoo]

We have been trying to decide which dog breed would suit our family but we can’t seem to make up our minds - please help!

We have a very large, fenced yard and would like an indoor-outdoor dog who can join in walks/jogs, keep up with our rambunctious, energetic kids, yet be gentle/non-aggressive with them. A dog who gives a warning bark would be useful but we cannot stand “yappy” dogs. “Snappy” dogs are also out…as much as we will be supervising play between our three young children and the dog, there will inevitably be a tail pulled or a paw accidently trod on and we just can’t have a dog that will retaliate with a snap.

We are pretty much open as to small/medium/large and shorthair/long hair etc.

Any suggestions?

For young children and other pets, newfoundlands are by far the best. If you want a puppy you need to get them from a breeder who has parents and puppies tested for hip dysplasia and torn acl’s since it is genetic. Also it is best to get them as adults if you can, they are messy little monsters as pups, but they calm down a lot when they grow up. They are high maitnence, they need to be brushed weekly and they drool a lot, I can pull my newfs tail and ears without her doing anything, many are therapy dogs for hospitals and nursing homes, some are water rescue dogs, adults need a lot of food to eat despite their size.

If you are from the US they are not a problem in that whole house insurance thing like with huskies(including saymoyeds), pitbulls, german shepards, great danes and others.

 

[MommyZ]

My parents’ dog is what they think is part Bernese Mountain Dog- they got her at a shelter, so aren’t positive and are basing it off the coloring. She is such a great dog. I still have younger bro and sis at home and she’s good with my kids when we come over. She’s playful, not jumpy, hardly ever barks. My dad says that if they had to get another dog, they would go with another Bernese. This was after a bad experience with a lab.

My mom grew up with German Shepherds. Her dad trained them so well that the kids could move their food dishes while the dogs were eating and the dogs wouldn’t do anything.

My husband grew up with a Golden Retriever who adopted their family. She was really gentle with them. He wants to get a dog soon for our family and we’ll probably stick with a mix of some kind. My aunt put in a good word for boxers.

 

[kage_ar]

For all around temprement and health, a mixed breed is the best.

On reason for popular mixes - like the Labradoodle, Labs are gentle and loyal bug NOT the smartest dogs on earth. Poodles are smarter than half the people you know, so, mix the two and you get the best of both worlds.

Something mixed with Golden Retriever will be gentle and smart.

Most pure bred dogs have genetic issues, labs are disposed to bad hips for example.

Please use a rescue or shelter, there are so many wonderful dogs out there who NEED a home.

 

[MrS]

Unfortunately, a mix gets from time to time the worst, not the best, from the parents

…

What the offspring will most often get from the parents is the dominate gene qualities.

Thus, a dominant gene in temperment (say gentleness) will prevail if the mate’s temperment (say agressive) is not dominate.

Mix breeds more often produce great “all-around” dogs. Further, most of the pedigreed breeds today are actually nothing more than the results of mix-breeding anyway.

Your choice should also be compatible with the one in the famly who least wants to care for the dog.

 

[JenniferMoon]

I have a lifetime of experience with dogs. I grew up with a cocker spaniel show dog, my dad raised german shorthaired pointers, we had a cock-a-poo for a while before he got hit by a car (my sister accidentally let him out and he ran into the road). As an adult I had a golden retriever and currently we have a weimaraner.

I agree with the posters who said bernese mountain dog, golden retriever, and lab. All are great dogs!

I would not recommend a weimaraner unless you are looking for extremely high energy, needy, wants to be the center of attention, and doesn’t respect little one’s space. He knocks people over without any concern. He loves purely on his own terms and if he doesn’t get to hunt outside he WILL hunt indoors in the fridge and garbage cans.

 

[kevinsgirl]

[SIGN]DACHSHUNDS RULE!!![/SIGN]

We have two…I’ll have to hunt up some pictures to post…

They are fun, easy to care for, energetic without being hyper, and stay cute when they’re fully grown.

 

[Truly_Beloved]

KEESHOND!!!

akc.org/breeds/keeshond/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keeshond

No one will know what kind of dog it is (ours have stopped traffic when out for a walk), and they have never been used to hunt or kill anything, so they are the sweetest things ever.

Please don’t be afraid of the long hair if you live in a hot climate. Their coats protect them from heat and cold. Their hair is also very clean, only needing a bath once or twice a year if they haven’t been rolling around in the mud.

They are fairly sturdy animals, so young children are not likely to do any damage. My family used to do Keeshond Rescue, and we were never, I mean never, bitten by any of the dogs (even the ones who had been severely abused).

Admittedly, I am a wee bit biased.

 

[newf]

For young children and other pets, newfoundlands are by far the best. If you want a puppy you need to get them from a breeder who has parents and puppies tested for hip dysplasia and torn acl’s since it is genetic. Also it is best to get them as adults if you can, they are messy little monsters as pups, but they calm down a lot when they grow up. They are high maitnence, they need to be brushed weekly and they drool a lot, I can pull my newfs tail and ears without her doing anything, many are therapy dogs for hospitals and nursing homes, some are water rescue dogs, adults need a lot of food to eat despite their size…

A poster after my own heart! Of course, I’m a newfoundland owner, too. In fact, I have a 5 month old puppy as we speak. He weighs 57 lbs. and eats 6 cups of food/day. It will increase at the end of the month.

This dog will grow to be about 140lbs. My last newf was a therapy dog and he weighed 150lbs. He truly was a gentle giant.

It’s also good to note that newfs are water rescue dogs. My puppy runs in my pool every single time I turn my head. I can hardly remember what he looks like dry…

 

[cockatoo]

A poster after my own heart! Of course, I’m a newfoundland owner, too. In fact, I have a 5 month old puppy as we speak. He weighs 57 lbs. and eats 6 cups of food/day. It will increase at the end of the month.

This dog will grow to be about 140lbs. My last newf was a therapy dog and he weighed 150lbs. He truly was a gentle giant.

It’s also good to note that newfs are water rescue dogs. My puppy runs in my pool every single time I turn my head. I can hardly remember what he looks like dry…

My newf is a 10 year old landseer about 114 pounds but has been up to 130. The sad thing is she is afraid of water . I remember my mom complaining about how much our newf ate as a puppy, that and her craziness as a pup was about the only problems we had.

 

[AHapka]

As some of the posters have pointed out, it can depend to a certain extent on the dog itself. Sometimes a particular dog from any breed just isn’t good with a child. With any dog, you need to mindful to teach your children how to handle them too. Getting a tail yanked on here or there won’t bother most dogs if they are properly socialized. Getting it done all day might drive any dog nuts.

I personally think most any dog, properly trained, can handle children just fine.

Personally, we have had no problem with our American Cocker Spaniel. My in-laws have them too and have had no problems.

Here is a web page with some breed selection details: pedigree.com/dogsandpuppies/adult+dogs/things+to+consider/facts+about+dogs/PersonalitiesBelongingtoBreed.asp?CSID=475&zjxj=01700004W66759W459W0

http://forums.catholic-questions.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=428&d=1161570688

 

[Linnyo]

definately a labrador retriever. They have enough energy to be fun. they are like puppies for the first 3 years, easy to train, gentle, loyal etc,etc,etc. They do woof now and then but not excessively and it is a deep bark unlike a yap. I think they are just the best family dog. If anyone has allergies or if you can’t stand a hairy house, you could get a labradoodle. the are labs crossed with poodles. The idea is that the won’t moult becuase of the poodle genes and they have the gentle, friendly temperament of a lab. They are like big shaggy dogs and cute in a scruffy kind of way.

Only negative of labradors is that they love to chew, Our lab likes to sleep in a crate and cries if she can’t. We tried taking the crate away and she ate my windowsills so the crate is back to stay I’m afraid.

 

[Jennifer_J]

Pugs–they are the largest of the toy breeds, sturdy, not yippy or yappy, are funny and even tempered. Our little pug is good with the children, large enough not to get hurt by them, but small enough for them to control and “help” train her/command her.

We tried the humane society route and ended up with a puppy with problems (he was a lab/coon hound mix). While I love the HS and what they do, it can be the luck of the draw there. Both pure breeds and mixed breeds have their problems and pluses. You have to research find the best solution for your family.

Jennifer

 

[Firefox]

Large, fenced yard? Beagle! Mine won’t bite unless you torment them. The little guys love to run. Be aware, they howl. They don’t have yappy voices, since they were bred with unusually deep voices. They seem pretty good with little kids, but you might research some more.

Or, you could go Puggle. Pug/Beagle mix might be good.

 

[Teakafrog]

Boxers! Sweet, lovable, playful, good with kids, very clean–most potty train themselves. We raised Boxers when I was a kid. I would love to get one for my kids, but my silly husband came home with a coon hound.

 

[Jennifer_G]

Golden Retrievers and Labs. Some breeds of Labradors tend to be hyper if not properly trained. An Australian Sheperd isn’t a bad idea if you want your dog to herd your kids.

 

[puzzleannie]

the best dog I have ever known was my dad’s lab-shepherd mix, found as a pup, hurt by the side of the road as he returned from a camping trip. he had the courage of a shepherd, and the guard instincts, and the herding instincts of the lab (and he loved retrieving anything from the water, including my nephew on one occasion). He did get alert and anxious when anyone picked up the baby and held it over his head where he could not see it, but he never growled except and strangers. My mom painted pictures, based on photos, of the dog with several of the grandchildren, which are family treasures. while he was still a pup he did chew- a lot - and bit an electric cord and got a shock. my brother did AR, and the dog recovered completely except for a chunk missing from his tongue. He loved ice cream and a favorite expedition for grandkids was to take the dog to the corner icecream stand, where he devoured his own “doggy cone” (which the owner put on the menu in his honor).

I had a lifelong fear of dogs, from being bitten at age 3 by a schnauzer, but this dog removed that fear. He never barked except in actual times of danger or threat, or to alert an adult when a child was in trouble.