thinking of a new addition?!

[twinmummy24]

hello all,
sorry if there is already a post on this subject,
we are a family of four, 4 year old twins who absolutely love animals, at present we have 2 rabbits, a hamster and a male cat who is about a year old. we are thinking of adding a dog into the mix, we are an active outdoorsy family so have no problem with walking etc.
we live in a terraced house with a smallish garden, there is always someone in to be with a new dog, the girls start school in september so i will be free in the days to do long walks etc!
just wondering if anyone had suggestions for what type of dog to consider? our cat was a rescue cat so wouldn't mind going down that route but at the local centre they only ever seem to have rottweilers, bull dogs etc which i am not sure about? maybe just being ignorant
have also been told to avoid jack russels and terriers as they are not good with cats and can be nippy?

thanks in advance for any advice

[DooinMeCleanin]

Yes you are just being ignorant. Rotties, Bull Dogs etc can make great family pets. So can JRT's in certain circumstances, although on the whole they are more snappy than the bull breeds, you do get some soft JRTs who love kids. I had one of my own who was great with the kids and scared of cats. I fostered one for a few days who absolutely adored children and was completely indifferent to the cat.

As you already have pets in place you should contact the rescue and tell them what pets you have and wait for them to find you the perfect companion, who might be a toy poodle or a huge GSD. All dogs are different and the key is finding the right dog for your family. Breed is irrelevant.

[foolserrand]

We have two rescue rotties. Can't speak highly enough for the breed. Ds is 2.3 and he can do anything he wants to them. With supervision. They are stupid, clumsy and don't seem to realise how big they are. I probably won't get another for a long while though, because of the ignorance surrounding the breed. Only one of ds's little friends will come to play :(

[Gonzo33]

My friend has had Rotties all his life and his dogs are the softest dogs I have ever met. I also have friends with SBT's and their two are fab with the kids.

[chickchickchicken]

agree with dooin - the individual dog is much more important than the actual breed. when i had young children in the house it was crucial to know dog's temperament so i approached a few rescues places and was guided by them on the most suitable dog. all of ours - collie x and jrts - are great with kids, two are great with chickens, cats and small furries. ironically the one we had from a puppy cannot be trusted with cats and chickens. he is great with kids but his prey drive is very strong and he would chase a small animal

whereabouts are you? maybe someone could recommend a reputable rescue?

(i also know some lovely sbts and rotties who are big softies. i know a lab who is nasty and has bitten other dogs. so you really cant tell temperament by breed alone. i do however think the breed and age of dog is a consideration when planning what exercise you will be giving the dog)

[2T2T]

i keep hearing great things about staffies too. i had assumed they were all all child eating savages but have read up so many good things bout them. What about trying your local Dogs Trust for starters and Battersea Dogs Home have rescue centres all over the place. Good luck

[Tchootnika]

Fairly good idea to ask what breed... and you should certainly find out as much as possible about whatever breed you have...
but as DoinMeCleanin says, you are being a bit ignorant about bullbreeds: they are not any more aggressive than other breeds, make superb family dogs. Staffs are known to be fairly easy to train (they're very, very loving and really like to please their owners).
If you've already got other animals, it's probably best to get a puppy, who'll grow up with them, so be far less likely to see them as prey.
Sadly (as you probably know), there are masses of bullbreeds of all ages all over the country who need homes. Please don't dismiss them.
There are a lot of web sites, literature, forums, etc. on different breeds - well worth checking out, and why not chat to owners around your way? Most dog owners love telling people about their dogs...

[DooinMeCleanin]

I would strongly advise against a puppy if there already pets in the home. Bringing a dog up with small furries does not guarantee the prey drive won't be there when the puppy ages.

[Elibean]

Aren't Staffies known as the 'Nanny Dog' because they are so good with kids?

[Tchootnika]

Elibean - yes, Staffs have reputation for being great with kids - but as with other dogs, there needs to be supervision when small children are around, etc.
DoinMeCleanin - no, it doesn't guarantee anything at all, IMO it may be an advantage with training in this area, though, as you're effectively starting at square one. Sorry if above post looked like suggestion that harmonious relationship would be a given.

[oxocube]

Don't forget twinmum, you don't have to go to your nearest rescue centre. I now have a 16 month dog I bought as a pup, but the dog we had before was from a rescue centre about 60kms away as there was no dog suitable at our nearest place. We needed a dog which was good with kids and cats. We just kept looking and registered with lots of rescues until we found a dog that was right for us and we were right for him (a two year old mongrel with a lot of lab, bit of pointer and probably lots more!)

[MintyB]

Have you considered taking on a retired racing greyhound? Everyone assumes they'd be a handful but this is a myth. They are incredibly low maintenance. They need 2 x 20 minute walks a day or one longer one. They are gentle and placid and adore affection as they've usually had little of this as a race dog. We have one called Badger (as well as another dog - belgian shepherd) a cat and a 19 month old toddler who adores the greyhound and learned to walk by hanging onto his tail! When they're not walking they're sleeping - very lazy. Suprisingly, they are recommended by vets/pro's as ideal for small houses/flats/young families and elderly couples. The only downside is that they are not the most intelligent breed bless them, and they are total food thieves.
Most racers are retired at 5/6 years old yet they can live for 12/13. Many are dumped or even worse - and giving our Badger a home has been so rewarding. We've recently registered him as a "Pets as Therapy" dog he's so gentle. I have worked at rescue shelters and owned/fostered a variety of breeds, including staffs (yes - they're lovely, but heavy and easily knock little ones over - even though they're trying to be friends!) I would recommend the greyhound first. Google the retired greyhound trust to learn more :-) xxx

[DooinMeCleanin]

I doubt a retired racer would be any good with the rabbits, they're trained to chase and fast enough to catch them. A failed racer might work, We are getting one on Thurs who is good with small furries, but she is already homed, we're just having her for a few weeks while the people taking her grieve for the dog they just lost

They gorgeous dogs though and definitely worth a look, just stay away from the trained racers.

[twinmummy24]

i did say in my OP that i was ignorant about certain breeds so was just after further information and peoples experiences of different types of dog, although i have done lots of research about different breeds i felt it would be a good idea to ask about other peoples experiences.
i am fully aware that individual dogs will have different temprements and as such we should choose one to fit with our family based on character rather than breed.
maybe i should of clarified that the dogs at our local centre have for the most part been given up because of their aggressive nature and would therefore not be an appropriate addition to our family.
we live in the north east and have looked at rescue centres in about a 50 mile radius so may have to widen the search area.
thanks for the puppy advice, i think that a young dog rather than puppy may be a good idea.
love the idea of a greyhound although not sure we have the room

[DooinMeCleanin]

North East, you should have said! I likes you now

SOS and Greyhounds Galore are excellent rescues. I have personal experience with both rescues, infact we are fostering a grey for GG on Thurs and my Dad has just rehomed a poppet of a Whippet off SOS. And there is barely a staffy in sight, unfortunately, as I would love to foster one. Brilliant family dogs they are.

I likes Brin

They have lots more than is shown on here, so definitely ring them or check out their forum

[Tchootnika]

DoinMeCleanin have you seen Staffy Rescues Club on FB? They are ALWAYS looking for fostercarers...

[DooinMeCleanin]

No but I will definately check it out. Staffies are my most favourite dog of all time, ever. It's the grin. How you can resist that grin?

[Tchootnika]

I know... the smile, the chatty "hrmph" as they cuddle you off the sofa, the fabby sense of humour...
the list goes on...