Looking at getting a puppy.

[Emmav2020]

Recommendations please as we are looking at getting a family dog.

looking at the following:
small
not yappy
doesn't malt
good with kids - we have a 3 year old who is dog obsessed and a teenager.

Please notes, i grew up with Bernese mountains dogs and leonbergers so im used to the bigger breeds but this time im after a small dog.

Thanks

I have 2 pugs - my black one doesn’t malt, beige one does, they bark occasionally when the postman comes for example - they both love kids, are very intelligent, funny and stubborn and having had collies all my life before this - they are great all rounders (for me and my family 😀). Always check their noses etc if you get a puppy make sure nostrils are a good size etc to support breathing.

We have a cavapoo and a 2 year old daughter who he’s amazing with. Was easy to train, doesn’t malt and he’s an all round well-behaved, very loving dog!

I’d recommend a miniature poodle, we have one and he’s gorgeous (he looks like a teddy bear) and meets all of your criteria. However getting a puppy was seriously hard work and we would never do it again (he’s 3 1/2 now)!

Maltese are not generally recommended for kids as young as 3 I believe. They are so small that they are easily hurt by accident.

As well, they can nip. I have one who is absolutely beautiful, almost 6yo, but he does nip occasionally - no problem to us as my DC are older teens, but perhaps more difficult and a bit more hazardous with a 3yo.

I think a Lhasa apso would be a perfect fit. Our Basil is small, not yappy, doesn’t shed and loves loves loves children - he has the patience of a saint with them. He was difficult to toilet train - Lhasa’s are stubborn - but once he got the hang of it he has been brilliant and has a bladder of iron!! We have a cocker spaniel too, equally good with children and not yappy, but he does shed and he is more medium than small, but could be a good fit x our Jude needs a lot of walking - at least twice a day for an hour a time, and lovely long walks on the weekends x

Yes to all of this. Raising my dog from a pup into a happy adult dog with no issues was a full time job. I can’t imagine how I would have stood outside in the garden for up to an hour waiting for a wee so that we got toilet training down or working on avoiding separation anxiety, making sure the dog isn’t going to be afraid of fireworks etc practicing loose lead walking and settling, enrichment as well as having a three year old at the same time.

a house is not a home without a dog! We have two Jack Russell’s - one is brilliant with young kids and just loves to play but the other one is the complete opposite! We’ve had dobermans and collies over the years and never had any problems with kids so I think it depends setting ground rules for the children and setting boundaries for them and the puppy. But having a dog with children is such a pleasure and it teaches them so much!

Go to a rescue and see which dog interacts well/tolerates your 3 year old :)

Jack Russell’s are heavy shedders

I would wait until your youngest child is at school, a 3 year old and a puppy is a disaster waiting to happen

I don’t have a recommendation for a dog that exactly fits your brief - we have a 3yr old golden retriever who is AMAZING. But I have to hoover daily, ideally twice a day.

But please invest in professional training from day 1 with young children at home it genuinely will be the best thing you ever do for your family and the dog.

We were ‘mental’ because my DS had just turned 1 when we bought our lovely boy home. He had 4 weeks with us at home (and an 8 week puppy is like an 8 week baby, think waking in the night and constant attention) and then at 12 weeks once his injections were completed was sent to a 2 week board & train programme - myself and my partner had both had dogs growing up but never trained one personally and it wasn’t something that we were willing to risk messing up. We got daily updates and then an intense half day session with the trainer when he returned and honestly I’d spend the money 10 times over.

We get comments daily that he’s the most obedient dog and he’s so loving and gentle. He may well have just been ‘made like this’ but to know that we didn’t have to do the really hard puppy stage whilst still getting all of the benefits was worth it 100% for us. We have now have another DS 6 months who pulls his tail, climbs on him (now it’s to train DS not to do these things!), he doesn’t bat an eyelid and keeps watch over him while he’s sleeping or playing and joins in with older DS (now 4) with his games and will happily have a handcuff attached to him or a mask put on him, as well as playing with all his friends when they visit.

We have 3 Miniature Dachshunds and a 3 year old child. 2 are short haired and 1 is long haired. They're fab together. All have completely different personalities. They don't take much walking however 2 have done Helvellyn and Scafell Pike. They aren't yappy, very healthy, and put up with a lot from the 3yo. The two short haired ones do moult a bit but they don't lose much and doesn't last long. I barely notice it. Highly recommend them 🥰

I find king Charles cavaliers the best with small children. I have a 2 year old and a 6 month old and he's brilliant. The only downside is his snoring 😂

I have Tibetan Spaniels and they’re brilliant. Very similar to cavaliers but don’t have the health issues, and they generally live incredibly long healthy lives. I have an 8 year old daughter who’s been with them since she was tiny and they’re all great together.

just make sure you do lots of research, check everything you need to know, look for a reputable breeder, find the breed club on Facebook/internet and speak to them about finding a pup and if they’ll fit your lifestyle. The Kennel Club website also has a puppy finder tool as well. Please don’t just buy the first one you see, choose carefully, and be ok with walking away if something feels off because on the long run it’ll save you a ton of money and heartbreak.

Would you not consider a rescue? You have a list of requirements which you would be able to test in an older dog.

Whatever you get, consider your lifestyle versus the characteristics on the breed - don't get a collie if you wont be able to give it lots of stimulation and excersise. Equally don't get a frenchie if you like to go on long hikes at the weekend.

I would recommend joining some Facebook groups once you've narrowed down your choices so you can see what owners are saying.

I have a miniature schnauzer, very friendly and amazing around toddlers - even though she's never been round them much. Very loving and intelligent.

I really like corgis. I think they’re cute and lovely personalities from what I have heard. We’ve always had big dogs and they’re a lot of hassle.

Unlikely to be given a rescue with a 3 yo at home.

I would wait another 2 years. I think 3 year olds are still too unpredictable to have a puppy. Wait until they're older and more mature and can be taught reliably how to interact with the dog.

Small dogs do tend to yap. How about a Cavalier King Charles spaniel?

Norfolk/Norwich terriers are fantastic family pets and do not moult, but they can be hard to find.

Bishon frise!

I grew up with a Lhasa apso and can 100% recommend them, very placid dogs who enjoy a walk but don’t need them every day. ‘Lap dog’ as I’d call them, they like a cuddle.
(Also had bigger dogs, Jack Russell’s, Westie’s, schnauzers, shih tzu’s) As a mum myself now we have a frenchie and a pug. Please do not get a frenchie without real research, they are cute yes but very difficult. Speaking to our vet they are notoriously hard to toilet train and suffer badly with separation (ours barks a lot of he can see or hear people but not get to us). I will say he is completely besotted with my children though (3 and under 1)
our pug however is amazing, very easy going with kids as sometimes they get pulled about, good on a lead and not barky. So IMO a Lhasa or pug (Boston terriers are good too), Lhasa’s do require grooming though.

This. No rescue would let us have a dog as we had a pre-schooler (many seem to say only older teenager as well). We went puppy route, never again. They are harder work than toddlers.

Totally agree with this.

our pug

Yappy and nippy in my experience!