Family dog-breed recommendations please

[keepeverybodyhappy]

Hi,
we are looking for a dog to join our family.
We have 2 kids, 4 + 7.
We'd like a dog who's placid, and gentle (our son was bitten a while back and is wary of boisterous/playful dogs) and enjoys company of people.
Can anybody recommend a breed that fits this description?
Thank you

Well I have a Minature Schnauzer and he is just fabulous. Absolutely perfect with kids. Not really that interested so doesn't go bounding round them but when they approach him he is gentle and loveable. My dc are 7 and 3 and in all the time since I had them (had him first) he has never once growled at them or snapped he is 8 so quite young when they came along and quite old now but still as gentle as ever.

Also a very portable kind of dog as he is quite small, bit bigger than a Jack Russell. It is not a big deal taking him anywhere really and he doesn't need tons and tons of exercise (usually gets about an hour a day) and then is worn out for hours.

Honestly I cannot recommend this breed highly enough.

Oh and he doesn't shed either, one of the only breeds that doesn't I believe. Though this does mean he has to be professionally groomed every couple of months.

i think whatever you get, be prepared to spend time every day training it - it will help the dog and you guys settle in together, and a well trained dog is a joy, a badly trained dog is a PITA.
consider walking (collies require a lot of exercise and get naughty if they don't get it), breeding, grooming etc. i think you can often walk dogs from the homes, so you might try that to get a feel for a dog.
also i recommend taking a toy dog for a 'walk' every night for 2 weeks, at about 10pm. the neighbours will think you are a loony, but it lets you see what you think of that last cold walk and consider doing it every day for the next 10 years.

i feel i should explain i have had 2 friends 'give back' dogs they had from rescue centres, and i am sure they weren't prepared for the hard work that comes with a dog. It's important to understand that, because it's not fair on a dog to give him back, like a boden jumper that didn't fit...

A cockapoo is a cross breed, nothing wrong with that at all but it irks me when people say it asif they are buying a breed. They are not recognised by the KC, and have not been around long enough to establish any kind of consistency unyet folk pay hundreds of pounds for them

We have the most adorable, placid, friendly lab you could wish for. We got him at 9 months from Labrador Welfare, he is now 2.5 and a much loved member of our family.

OP there are other things you need to think about when choosing a dog too. The KC has quite a good section where they help you find breeds that will suit you and your family (things like amount of exercise you can provide, amount of grooming/hair you want to put up with etc).

I say quite, as however I ticked the boxes it always gave me a list of terrier breeds and I never got Labrador (why i was doing it when I knew all I wanted was a lab I'm not sure) .

Even seemily random things can help you choose. I wanted a retrieving breed as i wanted well...a dog that would chase balls and bring them back. I also wanted a breed that actively liked water (I live near lots of rivers and wanted to throw balls in the water and get them brought back) .

The recent thread on what breeds people like highlighted that there are LOADS of owners of different breeds on here, all I assume would be happy to answer questions if you started a thread about a specific breed.

I would echo Tortoise - we have a greyhound who is absolutely lovely, gets pulled and cuddled and kissed and its not a problem. You can get small bitches, so it wouldn't have to be huge. Ours is quite big, the only problem is when he wants to get on the sofa with us for a cuddle! He whines a little if there isn't enough space! They don't bark much either, in fact ours never barks, even when hes going demented looking at next doors cat. Ours has his moments in the day when he goes a little mad, usually around bathtime, when DH gets home and when I'm on the phone to my mum he like to chew his squeaky toy . Otherwise he's happy to chill. He likes playing chase in the garden with DS1 (6) - if you run, so does he. Lovely pooch.

Our black lab is the most placid, docile, affectionate, gentle dog ever! She is protective of us, but never barks, is never bothered by other dogs when out. She needs a fair amount of exercise though, but that's par for the course with bigger dogs ... people always comment on how good she is. Don't need to walk her on the lead etc.

Husband spent a lot of time training her. We got her a year before first baby came along...

I'd say find a good lab breeder and get a black bitch puppy... then put the work in with the house training and behaviour.

consider greyhound/ whippet - loads in rescue and they make lovely family pets

or any rescue dog - explain to the rescue centre what you want

if you decide on a breed, go to the breed club website and track down their local rescue person - they may have a dog needing rehoming or at least recommend a good breeder.

insist on seeing bitch and puppies together if you are buying a puppy - and any documentation from health testing that is relevant to that breed.

if you want certain characteristics, the only sure way to get them is from a pure bred dog.

I'd say Staffy too but that may be because of the one sitting on my lap giving me kisses to try and distract me from typing!
We got ours at 8 weeks old, introduced immediately to my parents old collie cross and then brought home a labradoodle when he was 6 months old.

Now he's happy to meet other dogs, no sign of fear/aggression or anything. He really is a big baby as he doesn't like going out in the rain!

sorry but have to disagree with the flatcoat retrievers. my aunt and uncle insist one having pedigree ones. the last one was a nightmare and never settled down. i love animals but when this dog passed away i didnt feel sad and have never felt that way aobut anyones pet. they have another one now who is more pleasant but i still find she never settles down - they seem to need constant attention. my sister had one too which killed a kitten and was v bad tempered.

we had a rescue greyhound who was a big soppy wimp - tha cats bu;lied her even! they are low maintenance pets - dont need huge walks etc but they can snap when they are nervous.

the nicest family dog we have had was a pointer but yes, they are massive! other than that the two collie crosses we have had were the calmest but still wanted to run around with the kids iyswim

I would echo those who have said regardless of breed, ensure it is well trained and, if it is an active breed, find it something to do. Also, if you decide to buy from a breeder, ensure it is a reputable breeder. The Kennel Club keeps a list. A lot of problems with traditionally docile breeds, stems from bad breeding. Sungirltan, maybe this was the case with your aunt & uncle's dog.

If you are thinking of a rescue dog, ensure the rescue centres are reliable and trustworthy. Check out breed rescues (when you decide on a breed). You can find details of these on the Kennel Club website. Also, I would second the vote for Many Tears. We recently got a dog from there and they are very keen to ensure that dog and family "fit". I am sure they will point you in the right direction.

Just a suggestion, but a good starting point might be to make a an honest list of what you want from a family dog, how active you are as a family, your time commitments, etc. This should guide you as to the best breed for you.

Good Luck!

agree with everyone who has suggested a staffy!

fabulous dogs. and yes, they can be dog-aggressive but many (including mine) are not. mine doesn't particularly like other dogs - but he will just try and get away.......usually running to me to 'save' him. he is very soppy and is great with children. typical of the breed in fact.

and i have a talker, though he rarely barks.

Lurcher, I had an ancient one form the dog warden kennels. She was the sweetest, laziest dog ever. Took up quite a bit of space and shedded lots of hair but was brilliant with the kids and very quiet. All the ones Ive met seem to have had similar temperaments and there not all huge. Plus rescues are full of them :)

Another vote for staffies here. My brother has always had 3 over the years and they have always been brilliant with all our LOs.
Will agree though they don't always get on with other dogs.

I love these threads, as everyone generally recommends the breed of dog that is lying under their kitchen table.

And so shall I :o

We have a Maltese Terrier/Cavalier King Charles, and she is the sweetest, most docile dog I have ever met. Truly, everyone who meets her just falls in love with her, she is so lovely.

What size of dog are you looking for? And how much time to exersize a dog do you have? I think they are crucial points. Our Daphne is quite a lazybones and is happy with an hour or so walks a day. If you don't have lots of time and energy then you should avoid dogs like Springer Spaniels or Collies as then do need much more exersize.

I think the best thing is not to get too hung up on breeds and instead visit a few local rescues and tell them about your circumstances and what you can offer in terms of time, exercise etc. A good rescue will be able to match you with a suitable dog for your family. It might be worth checking dogs that have been in foster homes with rescues as the assessment will often be more comprehensive than when a dog has been in kennels.