which dogs are best with children?

[topsi]

My DH would like to get a dog for DS 4. I have never lived with dogs and am a bit on the fence about the whole thing. He is looking at breeds like old english bulldog. I would like some thing with short hair.
Any ideas?

I second a well-trained, well socialised ridgeback. I love mine so much I am getting another lol!

Staffies - they're brilliant with kids and don't deserve the bad press they get.

Boxers. Much like another child mind you, but loads of fun and couldn't be any more gentle or loving towards DD.

Staffie! - ours is a year old, has only seen babies/toddlers half a dozen times but has always been excellent with them when friends visit. she sniffs them, tries to lick them (until given a firm 'no') and then just accepts them.

I'm now pregnant and will have no qualms about her being around the baby - she's the dopiest thing going! You can even put your hand in her mouth to take things out and she doesn't do anything!

I wouldn't recommend a rescue staffie as although they always have excellent temperament you never know what effect some poor treatment may have had on them.

My brother has a german short haired pointer who is brilliant with my 1 year old nephew.

My partner came in with a staffie puppy and i was horrified due to the bad press and told him to get rid of it. She is now 5 and i have 3 children aged 2-9. She adores the kids and has never ever fought with another dog. Someone told me make sure she never gets attacked by a dog when she's a puppy or she will always remember it. I took this advice and it worked to the point that sometimes she gets attacked off other dogs and doesnt know what to do and i wish she would defend herself. I have to wade in and rescue her.

I do know friends with staffs who are aggressive to other dogs but this is due to them being attacked. They are not aggresive towards people/kids.

There are also other breeds where i live which are aggresive and have attacked my dog but because there not staffies nothing gets said.

Many Staffies are not staffies they have been cross bread. Due to Chavs putting ridiculos studded harnesses on them and makeing them aggresive they have got a bad name.

You could get a Labrador puppy, make it fight with other dogs and take it out in a studded neck harness and i am in no doubt that would attack another dog

In my opinion, any dog is potentially dangerous and should not be left with children. A cocker spaniel, patterdale and a labrador mauled a child last year but there is no mention of these in the press

I put this on wrong topic, sorry if you havent got one i would say staffy

Beagles are very gentle and excellent with children. I have flat coated retrievers - very very soft but long hair everywhere.

Sorry but i have to say your all wrong the best dogs are Boxers.

The most loveable loyal playful dogs: with thier Blunt faces, steady gaze with a hint of mischief, an undeniable joy of life, and incredible grace, the Boxer is affectionate to children and loves play a steadfast friend and guardian to the whole family.
Low maintenance? The Boxer is a clean canine with a short coat that needs little more than a wipe-down and an occasional bath.
Intelligence? The Boxer scores well in the smarts department.

Altough like many 4 year olds they have there stubborn moments and require excersize.

The breed is less important than the temperament and the work you're prepared to put in. Having said that I'd avoid very worky breeds or dogs.

We have a rescue who was clearly bought as a present for the kids - a cute fluffy GSD pup. Only she grew. And needed training and lots of stimulation. They didn't give this to her and she ended up a very sad dog in rescue by 2.5 years old.

Best bet would be to talk to your local rescues and tell them what youre looking for and how much work you're (realistically) able and willing to put in. Ideally go for a dog who has been in foster with kids, so has been fully assessed.

Good luck!

Another Staffy owner here!
We got Lola when she was 10 weeks old and Ds2 was 18 months.
They are the best of friends! Lola also loves nothing more than snuggling up for a snooze on Dds lap, she is like a big baby, she plays with the children, rolls around on the floor with them and is never rough with them.

I did lots of research before getting her on their suitability with children, and am happy that I have got the most family friendly dog possible. Good with kids, medium sized, short hair etc!

(I still never leave them alone together for the reason if one of them accidently hurt her. I don't think she would ever do anything but you can never be 100% certain.)

Im not a huge fan of getting a rescue dog with young kids. You just dont know there background. I got a rescue adolescent springer spaniel when my daughter was a baby. He was so bouncy and friendly when we took him home. We were walking him on the lead at first. He was unwalkable wven with a harness and a halty. We took him to a huge field to exercise him and in the distance appeared dog. He attacked it quite badly which was awful. He had never been learned basic commands. I suspect he may have been a working dog. The rescue centre never said hes no good with other dogs and i suspect they just wanted the £80 and rid of him. After being dragged around attached to a lead for a year i had to take him back. He would have been much more suited to a family with a huge garden and older kids. I would defiantely go for a puppy if you have young kids and bring them up together.

"Im not a huge fan of getting a rescue dog with young kids. You just dont know there background."

BOLLOCKS! ABSOLUTE AND UTTER BOLLOCKS!

Sorry but I'm really fed up with this damaging and frankly ignorant view. Uneducated opinion like this costs lives.

You may have been dealing with an irresponsible rescue, fifi. I don't deny they exist but they are IME by far in the minority and are quickly picked up on by responsible rescue, I can pronmise you. You may however have made the common mistake of confusing a pound with a rescue - did you know that Battersea, Manchester, Birmingham and Cheshire "Dogs Homes", to name a few, are in fact dog pounds, with no no-kill policy and in some cases limited support for owners?

You may equally have not done your homework about the breed - I'm an experienced owner of over 25 years, a dog fosterer and an independent rescuer and I personally wouldn't recommend a Springer to many people with young children and certainly not to novice owners either. Wouldn't care for one myself, come to that, as I know how demanding they can be.

There aren't many dogs out they who, without the correct training, cannot be taught to behave. Maybe you didn't have the skills to do it or didn't employ a suitable person to help you with the Springer you returned to "rescue".

Whichever it was, or whatever combination of those factors it was, what is certain is that your comments on rescue dogs condemn them to die because people will believe this crap about "you don't know their background", will go and buy a puppy (quite possibly from a backyard breeder, but that's another thread in itself). The rescue dog they might have adopted will therfore remain in the rescue, taking up a space which rescue could have offered to a pound dog or a unwanted family pet... and therefore, whether on the cold concrete pound floor or the private vets' surgery the dog which could have taken that rescue space instead is "put to sleep.". I use quotes because I hate the euphemism - healthy dogs are not sleeping they are dying, being killed in their thousands each year.

MANY of the dogs which come into rescue DO have a history and their background IS known. Many come from people who, like my estranged stepsister, don't want the dog because he gets mud and fur on their cream carpets - there was one such on MN a few months ago too, who made herself equally unpopular, it happens, it isn't a joke made up by sarky rescuers, honestly - some come from families who are splitting up, from people who have lost their homes and cannot take their dog with them to a rented flat, from those who are too poorly to cope or from idiots who suddenly decide that they cannot possibly cope with a dog and a baby/pregnancy/a toddler.

And even then we don't take their word for it! A reputable rescue will assess the dog for themselves, often in an experienced foster home. Then they will assess you, the potential owner and evaluate your suitability not just as a dog owner but as the owner of that particular dog. On top of that they will neuter, vaccinate, microchip, offer lifetime support and advice (some I know even have the dogs back while the owner goes on hols!) and commit to taking him back no matter how far ahead in the future if the owner cannot keep him under a genuine no-kill policy.

Even some rescue dogs which originally came from pounds can be included in this if they have spent a considerable time in a responsible rescue which interacts well with their dogs, particularly if they rope in a fosterer to assess the dog. One such is a Greyhound I know of - came from an Irish pound where he was due to be killed and allegedly dog aggressive and temperemental. He's a long term rescue case, been there for 6 yesrs to my knowledge. He lives in that rescue with a pack of dogs which never numbers less than a dozen and has recently spent some time in foster with a family with 2 boys aged 4 and 6. He's also my pal, a head on my lap as soon as I sit down and adored by my own children. But of course, he's a rescue dog, let's keep our children away because you just don't know the background.

So, I'm sorry that it didn't work out for you. I'm even more sorry for the Springer, who appears to have been failed by the human race, like so many others.

But please don't go around announcing to all and sundry that a person shouldn't adopt a rescue dog because "you just don't know there [sic] background" because it is a fact that this is in very many cases entirely inaccurate and it costs lives.

Apologies for the typos.

To clarify, the Greyhound spoken of above freely mixes 24/7 with a pack of no less than 12 dogs and the foster home he went into had not just 2 young boys but also another Grey and a terrier.

Can i just say i am not trying to put anyone off getting a resuce dog. It was the shelters fault and probably my own fault and no fault of the dog. If you go to the shelter make sure you know the animals history etc when taking it home with young kids. I am not a novice owner. I have been brought up with dogs 2 German Shepards and a Husky and now have 2 dogd myself. The shelter never gave me any information just sent me home with a springer that was good with kids and other dogs.

I have a labrador and shes brilliant with children. Very placid and laidback etc. I also grew up with labs so am totally biased. My mums current labrador was a rescue dog and hes also lovely with children.

Fifi, you should meet one of our rescue greyhounds. He's done his Silver Kennel Club Good Citizen Course, and will probably do his Gold this year (to be honest, he's much more likely to pass than I am if you see what I mean). Our class tutor is an assessor for Pets as Therapy and has recommended him for it - so we will be doing our assessment shortly. He adores children and people and has made a real bond with one of our nephews, so much so that nephew and dog are entering a fun charity dog show together (junior handler and fancy dress) in a couple of weekends.

We do know his background. The poor sod was a racer but not fast enough so was dumped, he then ended up via rescue in a home, but the people he lived with got fed up with him/the responsibility and wanted him (perfectly healthy) killed by the vet. Fortunately the rescue stepped in (see, that's what rescues do, even though it was four years after he'd been adopted) and he came to us as a foster. We "failed" and he ended up staying. He'll be here for the rest of his life - he's 11 in a couple of weeks and is a total love sponge.

Many rescue dogs have histories that are actually far better known than a dodgy pup from a skanky breeder. Like Val, I'd also endorse the homechecking/support/backup service provided - ideal for any responsible owner. And no breeder can be a substitute for checking out the breed before you'd buy. There are many breeds that I wouldn't have even as a foster placement because of their specialist demands. It is simply not fair to home a springer without understanding what they need in terms of exercise and training.

"Can i just say i am not trying to put anyone off getting a resuce dog. It was the shelters fault and probably my own fault and no fault of the dog. If you go to the shelter make sure you know the animals history etc when taking it home with young kids. I am not a novice owner. I have been brought up with dogs 2 German Shepards and a Husky and now have 2 dogd myself. The shelter never gave me any information just sent me home with a springer that was good with kids and other dogs."

That wasn't what you said though, fifi, you said "Im not a huge fan of getting a rescue dog with young kids. You just dont know there background."

Which is inaccurate and costs lives.

I'd argue too that if you were merely "brought up" with 2 Sheps and a Husky and now have 2 dogs yourself, you were a novice owner when you took on the Springer because as far as I can see you are saying that your parents had 2 Sheps and a Husky when you were a child/youngster and your current 2 dogs have come along after you took on the Springer. (Nice choice, the 2 Sheps, btw :) )

You are entirely right about ensuring that the rescue should arm you with all information necessary on the dog. Whats more they should do so having carried out assessments on him. However it is also your (not just you, Fifi but all potential owners) responsibility to do your homework too and research what you need to know before even stepping over rescue's threshold - and that includes checking out the rescue's policies abd practices and choosing wisely and asking the right questions of them.

Otherwise how can we begin to convert the minority of bad rescues (as opposed to pounds like Battersea, where there is frankly no hope) or clamp down on them if all owners do is slate rescue dogs in general having had a bad experience which they could in many cases have prevented had they done their research.

If you only know what others have told you about rescue and rescue dogs, please folks, chuck a question at someone like me who deals with them, go to one of the forums like DogPages or BigGSD and ask... don't just assume.

When i got mine i was told it was fine with other dogs then mauled one which must have awful for the other lady and her dog. I dont consider many people to go to a rescue centre for a dog to have your experience in dog ownership. My parents had an alsatian x and a collie x when i was little. She then had an 16mnth old rescue German shepherd from a recue place which specialised in German Shepherds. It hadnt been socialised properly and started to guard my mam and ended up biting my dad. My mam was broken hearted as she loved it. She didnt want to have it destroyed so it was taken away by the police who take them up to 18mtnh to try it for police training. It bit a handler and was destroyed. She now has a 9yr old Husky and 7 yr old German Shepherd so i would say i had experience of dogs before getting the springer. I now have an 8 month old Patterdale and 5 year old Staffordshire Bull Terrier who are fantastic. I stand by what i say 'I personally' after a bad experience would not get another rescue dog and not with young children unless i knew 100% the history of the dog. If the springer had of been rehomed to the right family probably with older kids it would have made a fantastic pet as it was a loving dog, a bit hyper like they are but through no fault of its own had been left to its own devices. I know many people with rescue dogs who are lovely and there owners are happy with them. Like i said previously get a rescue dog just make sure its the right one for you as theres heartbreak all around if you have to take them back.

We have two labs and both are fantastic with our 19 month DD. The older one was here before DD and the other one after, but both are great.

But please please don't underestimate the strain that having a dog will put on you. Don't get me wrong, they are wonderful animals and most are very loving. But they are really really hard work. When DH and I got our oldest dog as a puppy, the strain nearly split us up! That was before we had our DD. We never anticipated the amount of work invovled.

I have to say that DD was much easier as a baby than our dog was as a puppy! But of course the dog tends to grow up quicker so becomes a bit easier . But you have to be 100% committed to getting a dog, otherwise it just won't work.

Good luck!

Going back to the original request if your DH wants your DS to be actively involved in the care of your dog as a vet I would feel your DS is still a little young (many people will disagree with me).
I waited until DD was 6.5 to get a dog, she has been able to come to training and actively participate. She understands about poop scooping and can and does do it. She can control him on a lead (he is a 10kg dog) with adult present. She is better at recall than DH.
DD is an only child and by waiting a little longer she has a really close relationship with the mobile mop and calls him her brother.
Finally I would write a list looking at what size etc of dog you wanted to narrow down what kind of dog you want. Then go and meet several of that breed be it at rescues or breeders to make sure it is what you think it is.
Even as a vet choice this time round took 2 years and finding just the right dog took another 6 months.

I posted on here a while ago asking about greyhounds and children, and got some fabulous advice. We've had our rescue greyhound a few months now and he's perfect - calm, friendly, affectionate and fantastic with our boys.

I can't advise on other breeds, but would urge you to consider an older dog. Ours was kennel trained, clean, used to other dogs and car travel due to his age and breed. Puppies are wonderful but can be hardwork!

My sister had a rescue greyhound and she was the most adorable, sweetest dog ever! The only problem with her was she was an accomplished escape artist, though the only place she ever ran to was to my house. Even when I'd moved house and Trixie had never visited me at the new house, she still somehow managed to trace me and I found her scratching at my front door!

I too love Staffies, and have never met a bad one ever, They are very gentle dogs imo.

I used to have an English Bull Terrier and she was the softest, friendliest little lady, but extrememly lazy!

At the mo I have a very boisterous border terrier/JRT x and although he's as loveable as anything, he is quite stubborn at times, and does seem to require quite a bit of training. I think of all the dogs I've ever owned he is by far the hardest work, but so so worth it!

Just wanted to say that the kennel club does also say that Cavalier King charles spaniels and labradors (and maybe others too) are 'good with children' (not just staffies as per an earlier post that I have just read - can't remember who now!)
I have a cavalier KC spaniel cross and she is fantastic with my kids and all other kids - loves them more than adults!

Staffy.

Also agree with Fifi25.
I take on rescue puppies but i would never, ever take on another adult rescue dog as long as i live.

You never truly know a rescue's background.
Their owners might have lied in order to get them that rescue place and avoid them being PTS.

I dont agree with breeding pedigrees given the numbers of dogs killed, but I have to wholeheartedly agree Fifi, you don't know their background and i would never risk it again.

Bollocks Spanky!

I foster - have done on and off for years, my current boy, who I admit is going nowhere, is a GSD. Before I took him he had been in the rescue for 18 months - do you think the rescue didn't know what he was like after a year and a half? Or that they hadn't assessed his suitability to a home with teenaged children, regardless of the fact that he had come from such a home? As it happens I had to jump through hoops to get him!

Of course people lie to get rescue to take their dogs. That's why a reputable rescue will ASSESS their dogs before rehoming, training and/or rehabilitating as necessary. You don't honestly think we all just take an owner's word for it and rehome the dog next day to the first willing taker do you?

Do you know what though, the lie I hear most frequently is that the dog is at fault because he does something which, when he is assessed in rescue, there is no sign of him doing! In anotherwords, often the owners lie because the real reason they want rid is because of the fur/the muddy paws/the cost of feeding him vs a new TV... but they aren't going to admit that, they'd rather blame the poor bloody dog.