What is the best dog to get for young children??

[Hermione1]

Well i want it for all of us, but we have young children and wondered what breed would be best anyone know??

We are currently looking to get a dog. If anyone else if thinking of doing the same we found that all the Dogs Trust dogs we liked were not available to us as we have a child under 12 and another rescue centre we approached said we could only have a dog with a known history. Checking through various sites many limit their dogs to people without children.We had a similar experience with Cats Protection a few years ago even though we had had several cats from them in the past (and had children when we got at least one of them). Incidentally having cats seems to be a no no with rescue centres too.

I have had two Shih Tzus. The first one was laid back, gentle, loving, would have been fine with children. The second one was that way for the first 3 years then became increasingly cranky. We had to give her away when we had ds as she had taken to biting without warning or being provoked in any way. The vet said that some small dogs do get that way over time in an attempt to become the alpha female. We tried obedience training without success.

My Granny had a Shih Tzu that used to be very snappy to DS

There was no way I would ever leave them in a room together and we went there quite alot so it was a big problem

She was fine with adults but DS she didn't like, also my nephews

The only two Shih Tzus I knew were both biters and ended up having to be put to sleep.

Could I put in a vote for Dalmatians? They are a lovely temperament, rather thick, and full of energy. We rescued ours when ds was 8weeks old and they have grown up together (ds now 9, d dog now 10) . I once found ds putting a pencil up the dog's nose and he didn't even notice! He has been brill with dd's arrival last year as well. There are always tonnes that need rescuing, google dalmatian telegraph for info.
P.S Go for brown spots not black, far nicer!

Have to say that Basset Hounds are great with small children. They are placid and lazy, and tolerant, and LOVE the fact that children drop food all the time. My eldest children learned to walk, by holding on to the dog, and walking with her.

its the "numbers" game really and also whats most important to you. You can only generalise about any breed.
For example a cav king charles is extremely unlikely to bite or snap but highly likely to be hard to toilet train (tell me about that-10mths!) and highly likely to get health problems
a westie is highly likely to bite and have appaling skin problems but will be more independant/less needy
a staffie may or may not be great with kids but is likely to be aggressive with other dogs.
Completely agree though that one of the most important things is a home/family reared well socialised puppy-skips a lot of problems.

Maybe a cross would be best because of the problems with pure breads and interbreading. If your a first time dog owner you might want to think about getting one from a dogs home. As they need a home and you can possibly get one already trained.

Also going to take the flak here but as someone who has to do things to dogs that they dont like (much like small children might accidentally do!) my hit list of breeds to AVOID would be

1)rottweiler
2)border collie
3)German shepherd
4)westie
5)Scottie
6)Corgi
7) Jack russel
8) old english sheepdog

No offence there are lovely dogs of all these breeds Im sure (except perhaps No1 !-sorry!) but statistically these are the dodgy breeds from a snapping point of view-imho

wheres dobermen,however you spell it. i think they should be avoided. i have heard there dangerouse

I love your criteria, miggy (vet=small child, lol) and have personal experience of Scottie - was bitten in face by one, aged 4 (What about Lassie-type collie btw? I've heard they're as bad as Alsatians?)

OTOH on holiday in Spain 2 years ago the next villa, whose owners had 3 children aged c 12-13 down, had a resident Rotweiler and it was a lovely dog - allowed the kids to maul it, never barked (unlike horrid guard-Alsatians across the way), and when its kids came into our garden to play, stood in their garden gazing longingly through the fence.

labrador definitely. They are so gentle, friendly and patient.

I grew up with them and have known loads around children, they love company and can take the pokes and pulls from kids.

Mine is very protective over DS and very gentle with him but still very lively and great fun.

I was bitten on the face by a Lassie-type collie as a child (no lasting damage to glorious visage but it was a shock - we knew the dog very well, god knows what made her do it.)

collie dogs i've known can be very hormonal and get aggresive with lots of things.

Not all though i'm sure

starlover...i agree with every word...and am backed up by this thread!!

labradors are definitely the best bet, we`ve always had on ewhen we were growing up and you can do anything to them( as children often do) and not a mumur but will protect you when the need arises..plus they big enough to have BIG CUDDLES with!!!!

Hi this is just my choice 4 children grow up with bulldog lovely with kids but expensive to buy ..my MIL had a black lab 12 yrs always wonderful with the children and she also had a bichon frise small and fluffy but such a calm temprement and they dont moult both dogs fantastic with kids......

I grew up with a lab, we had him for 16years.

I now have an American Akita who is great with my two children DD 8 and DS 1 she is only 8 months old but knows to what extreme she can play with us all as individuals.

As someone else has said I think alot of how dogs are depend on how you /they have been treat in the past etc...anydog can be placid and on the same hand any dog can turn...

Even though Storn is very good and placid i would never leave her or anyother dog in a room with DS on there own...

Just to update everyone, we didn't get the one were were originally gonna get, because a friend of mine knew someone that wanted a home for her jr, so i had a look at her shes absolutely lovely, she's been brought up with kids and the ex-owners little kid whacked our dog with a plastic sword and the dog didn't do anything. Obciously i am weary of dogs and kids and my instincts were fine we have had her for 1 week today. She settled in so well, she hardly ever barks, she's 4 years old, is not long haired and not short haired abit of both and shes ginger all over with blonde highlights through her back. She's very affectionate. She was a rescue dog so she;'s not a pedigree. And i don't think she is a full jr breed i think she's mixed with something else also.

Rottwielers acording to dh are fine as long as they are not trained, i have looked on sites stating that they make good family pets, but they do get very pretective of their family. I think it doesn't really go on breeds, i am thinking it's probably more to deal with the dogs personality more than anything. thanks for all advice and comments. but we've found our little star her name is tiny.

I actually think she might be a fox terrier because she

looks like this but all ginger

I grow up with jack russels, and they were all fine. I now have a west highland and i find her great with kids. If your buying a pup ask to see the mother and father and what there temperment is like.

she actually looks more like this.

here