So which is the best dog around children ?

[Heswall]

DH won't have a rat on a lead, his words so it needs to be medium sized. I do not want to be covered in hair so one that doesn't molt too much would be ideal.

Any advice ?

Doesn't need a lead

We have a rottweiler x german shepherd and she is amazing with kids. Greyhounds are amazing dogs but not too good with babies esp if ex racing rescued ones, they not vicious but because theyve never really been around them they are very interested in them. They can also be very nervous.

The hair thing is an issue with a majority of dogs (unless you want to shave them haha) i would probably recommend a lurcher or wippet x

I also say Staffies actually. I know quite a few and they are all absolute softies.

I used to have a staff pup. She was a superstar. She loved the children, spent most her short life cuddled up on my lap. She unfortunately was very poorly when we took her out of the rescue so only lived to be 8 months old.

Another vote for staffies. Lovely size - not too big but definitely a "proper dog", short-haired, great with kids. I would suggest an older rescue though, it is true that they calm down when they get to about 4. Mine is very chilled and will generally be found sleeping or playing with 14mo DS, but the puppy stage (for me) is not fun and I'm not sure I could have done it if I'd had DCs at the time.

Staffy - brilliant with kids, not much shed fur, medium sized and fantastic personalities!

Very loving and extremely loyal.

I love Staffy's

Golden Retriever. Without doubt.

As for a staffie, Rottweilers? WTF? Mental. lol. They are not sensible dogs to have with children, regardless of what you want to believe. You just got them because they are tough and look hard.

Most people do not get staffies and Rotties because they look 'hard'! We had a Rottie and she was adorable, such a softie.

Its the few idiots people who do buy them for those reasons that give these beautiful dogs a bad name.

Staffies are actually the only breed recommended with children by the Kennel Club.

We have a cavalier crossed with a poodle. She's adorable and does look like a very large rat on a lead at the moment, cos she's been shaved, but she looks like a scaled down English sheepdog when she's got her full curl on. She doesn't moult at all and is very placid but playful in bursts.

Charlieks , you are talking out of your arse. I absolutely did not get my rotties to look hard. I knew someone who had one, was a lovely dog, thats how it started. Id get another rottie tomorrow if i had the time to put in for training.

Charlieks do you know anything about dogs?

Any dog will be a vicious dangerous dog if they are brought up that way.

Also golden retrievers are a rubbish suggestion to someone who says they want a dog that doesn't molt much.

Arf @ charliesks.

Bob, the lurcher boy is not mine. He'd have been done ages ago if he was. There was talk a few days ago of him becoming mine. My dad cannot cope with him if his aggression and lack of previously perfect recall continues.

He has had a word with some trainers and will continue working with him for now but he might end up with me. Not sure what they're doing about castrating him. I think he's being done this summer.

We have a cocker spaniel/poodle cross (cockapoo). He doesn't shed much at all (only a bit when you brush him) and is meant to be low-allergy (although this cannot be guaranteed of course).
He has the most fantastic temperament. Just loves to be around people, but is OK about being left for a few hours alone. Placid (for a puppy) but playful too. Medium-size, so not too rat-like, but not as cumbersome as a retriever, but looks as gawjus!
Can't fault him.

I have a Border Terrier, amazing with children, not much molting but a bugger little challenging to train

Yet another vote for Staffies here. My lad adores my children and follows me around like a toddler would. He's great with other dogs, even though he's been attacked regularly by snappy little yappy buggers and big aggro hounds.

They get a bad press, yes but in the 70s we were told that GSDs were devil dogs, weren't we? #rollseyes

Boxers are supposed to be fab around children - they do need a lot of exercise though. I'd love one!

Same dilema here this time last year.
Lots of research, as I wanted them as puppies (I had rescue Great Danes before, DP Staffies and Rotties).

We settled on a Cocker Spaniel, and a Hungarian Visla. Both are brilliant with my 3 DD's. The Visla is now a BIG dog, but soft as, and very obedient. Plus his hair is about 1cm all over and hardly sheds. Now my darling little cocker spaniel is a dream around the kids, is the sweetest, most loving creature in the world...but he is an escapologist! Cue large new fences. He sheds, and was constantly filithy during the winter; but we now take the clippers to him, and it's become more manageable.

Now 11 months old, and I'm very pleased with our choices of breed.

I would have gone for rescue dogs, but not until the kids are older; as you can never be 100% about their past experiances/socialisation etc.

So one extreme to the other idratherbeknitting size wise.
I do like the look of a cockerpoo and hubby would like either a Visla or a Weimaraner (spelt completely incorrectly no doubt).

See, I would say do get a breed that's originally a working dog - a gundog or hound - because they tend to love their people, love having a job to do, and are super-trainable and clever. They do need lots of exercise but also, in my experience, are quick to learn that they sometimes have to wait around for you quietly and sensibly so fit in to family life. My Brittany is as close to bombproof with kids/cats/dogs as a dog can get.

Have just spoken to a weimarania breeder who says it'll eat my cat so I've gone off that one, cockerpoo is looking like a favourite but are there assured breeders for these designer dogs on the basis that they can't belong to the kennel club can they ?

cant go wrong with a staffie IMO and IME. Great with kids, minimal moulting, not too smelly (except their eggy farts) and not too loud either (apart from their snoring and hu-hu-hu-hu-humphing and piggy noises they make).

Mine has a great sense of humour (we play hide and seek with her ), and isnt 'mental' . IME Staffs are as happy running about for miles as they are curled up on the sofa with the kids.

Ignore people talking out of their arse would be my best advice though . Maybe have a mooch about some rescue centres and have a chat with the staff?

Have you tried a Visla breeder? Ours is very respectful of my aged cat, and is terrified by the chickens! (Cocker chases both), they look very like Wiemaraners (sp), but have a different temperement.

Ours is a grandson of Yogi, the one who won crufts some years back. We went for a 'pet and show' breeder rather than a 'worker' breeder, as I found them a bit sniffy about just wanting a pet.

Ours, but you can't have him

He's a golden retriever/staffy/allsorts mix, a rescue pup. Thanks to the Staffy bit of him, he doesn't moult, is calm and friendly with kids and dogs, and loves being part of the family.

He's also very good looking biased

I think it depends on the ages of your DC and a realistic assessment of what your life will be like with your dog. If you aren't a sporty, outdoor family now, then getting a dog won't make you one, and it's best to admit this and go for a dog that is happy with short walks such as a greyhound. If you already are a busy outdoor family, perhaps with slightly older children, and you can imagine yourselves doing things like Cani X, geocaching, orienteering then this should drive your choice of dog towards something like a spaniel or a pointer that will flourish with loads of exercise.

Please, please be realistic about who is going to walk the dog day in day out, even in the middle of winter when it is p*ssing down and freezing cold and dark.

Staffies can make fantastic family pets. I did my Gold award class with one and he was superb, and also did agility in a local club. Certainly not "mental". More broadly, it's much more to do with the personality of the individual dog though, and that's where a good rescue will be able to match you well.

A reputable rescue such as Dogs Trust will be happy and able to match you to a good dog provided you have a well thought through picture of what you will be doing with it.

Even if you have a very short haired breed (we have greyhounds) hair is an issue. It gets everywhere (think of it as a condiment) along with mud, especially in the winter. Even the best dog gets sick, or has accidents or gets a cut on them and bleeds everywhere. If perfect housekeeping is really important, then maybe rethink.

Well said, Scuttle

I would definitely second the individual dog bit - finding a dog from rescue (especially if it has been fostered) gives you much more chance of finding the temperament you would like.

I wouldn't have chosen a retriever/staffy cross, particularly, but he's just right for us. The rescue and fosterer knew what they were doing.

Eli, he does look gorgeous!