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 ?

Is there no such thing as a mongrel these days? Where did all these new breeds come from? Are they breeds or mongrels with fancy made up names?

I have just seen an advert on our work notice board for a 'pughuahua' !

They aren't new breeds they are fancy mongerals, given fancy names to justify irresponsible breeding.

Mine.

But you can't have him

Ask a rescue for advice. They will find a dog that suits you and your family. Ours is a cross-breed so a one-off. Seems to have the perfect temperament for children who love him to death.

I have the perfect dog.

She's a cross from Battersea, so we're not sure what she is, but looks like a whippet x staffie, so she has the pretty face of a whippet and lovely Staffie nature. She's very short haired, and barely moults; she is either asleep or flat out, and has good recall. She loves people, but not too fussed about other dogs. She doesn't even eat much!

I love her- soppy

Agree staffies are fab with kids - they adore being man-handled. All the ones I know love being a pillow/wrestle partner/climbing frame etc.

I'm sure a few breeds are worth considering, I'm personally more of a cross-breed, dogs home person as I object to spending a fortune on a dog, which may have undesirable physical problems from being pure-bred, when there are so many fab characters which need a home. A staffy cross would be a great candidate if you are like-minded. :)

I'd say Cavaliers are good with kids too - my parents have always had them. However, their current pair are less good, as they are not used to small children (all the previous dogs grew up with us kids, this pair haven't, as we've all left home! so when I take DS home now, the pups are really unsure of him). Previous ones were all bomb proof and gorgeous too!

I have not heard good things about Cockers though - we were looking into getting a cocker before DC2 became a more realistic prospect, and several people we spoke to said they had to get rid of vicious Cockers. One woman in a pet shop told us her cocker had removed part of her grandchild's face, so the dog was PTS - it had previously been a placid, normal family pet, so they had no idea what had turned it.

Whippets are great too - aunt and uncle had several whippets and grey hounds, and they were the best dogs. the whippets were so cuddly, despite being predominantly angles.

I want a dog so much now!

This is unrelated but has just made me think of this thread - next doors teeny weeny very cute tiny (did I say it was small?) minature Yorkshire Terrier has just snuck through the fence. cue shrieks of terror from the neighbour who thought his rat was going to end up as my SBTs lunch. My dog just lifted its head off the grass, gave it a little piggy grunt and rolled over to show the rat her lady bits (she loves showing off her minge, the tart). Think they are best mates now

Hairylemon

I was looking at westies, then I read high prey driven, hard bite. So that was a no from me - 2 dc's & a cat. We got lots of books from the library, went on walks where people had dogs & asked lots of questions.

We've got a rescue cav now, who is great with the DD's (9 & 5) &, I think, afraid of the cats miaow.

DH didn't want a yappy dog, I didn't want anything aggressive, which ruled out all terriers. My Dh is also happy to walk her, complete with her pink collar & lead

Staffy.....nuff said.

What is the obsession with staffies on this site? And lurchers, whippets and greyhounds? From rescue?

They are lufferly, clam. That's all. It has nothing to do with the fact that many posters work in rescues with those types of dogs and might be slightly biased, oh no, its not that

We have a French Bulldog, she has a lovely temperament with our children & cat. She loves to play football, then collapse in a heap and snore her head off. Although some people may be put off by the loud snoring (both awake & asleep) and wind!

Everyone is obsessed with staffs because 1) they are ace 2) they get a lot of bad press due to the way they look and the type of people who have them as status dogs. 3) because of 2 there are literally hundreds in rescues needing homes 4) they are ace 5) they are contrary to info in the press, amazing with kids if brought up correctly 6) they are ace.
Greyhounds are used as racing dogs when younger but when their racing days are over they are abandoned like waste paper by many owners. They make amazingly gentle loving laid back pets and are quite happy as couch potatoes. again they are Often overlooked in rescues due to their size and people thinking they need loads of walking
Lurchers I can't comment on cos I dont know enough, but the ones I have met have been lovely, if a little deaf when it comes to recall.
Re rescues, there are so many unscrupulous breeders in the uk who are purely in it for the money that breeding is a huge welfare issue, rescues are full to bursting with unwanted pets, why buy a puppy (which will drive you to distraction and crap/piss/chew all over your house) when you could have a lovely housetrained adult dog from a rescue for a fraction of the cost?

I have a Basset Hound, sheds A Lot of hair, but my 15 month old daughter adores him. He is a medium size dog, very strong and stubborn but he is so good with her it really is the cutest thing! The most placid (lazy) dog I have ever met

Get a newfoundland!! No im joking, lovely as they are (my parents have one. DD & i adore him) they take a lot of hard work as they grow very very quick & are big dogs. The molt a lot too but then again what dog doesnt? Unless you plot on shaving the dog a lot lol!

I like retreievers. They're gorgeous dogs. But all of that aside ANY dog can turn into a dog that bites. It doesnt have to be just how YOU bring them up, its down to how your kids, other kids, other people treat him/her. You need to educate yourselves and other friends, family with kids too as to how to be around a pet whether its a dog or a hamster.

Would second the advice below - if you are getting a rescue dog, do your research on breeds, but by guided by what the rescue say about the temprament of the dog and how you feel about it. There are always dogs (as I know to my cost) who do not conform to breed stereotypes. Find one that you and the rescue think would be best suited to your lifestyle.

My old Jack Russell (14)is the most patient,good natured dog I have ever met.
She puts up with no end of abuse(don't worry,not major stuff,just being dressed up,chased around,fiddled about with etc)
She is like dd2's other mum & I adore & respect her for it.
We have a rescue greyhound too & she is veeerrry laid back with the kids,but dd2 much prefers playing with the JRT!!

I've got two 'whatthefuckadoodles " . They are poodle and something ,litter brothers and resuced as pups. They are lovely with children and don't shed or need much exercise BUT

• bark at everything
• cost a fortune to groom
• Aren't really manly enough for my DS

BC we had a rescue Doberman . She was majestic but very much a one person ( me)
She often growled at my DH if he made a sudden move toward me . I had to give her away when I was pregnant ,she was ok with children but in my heart of heart I couldn't fully trust her .

Our dog loves children. Well he loves pretty much everyone really Especially if they have treats or sticks. He looks like a lab puppy, but is actually some sort of Spaniel cross (the vet this week thought perhaps with a terrier of some sort, but then they also totally disbelieved the spaniel bit). He doesn't shed much, but has the ability to lose mud very fast all over everything! Dogs just are a bit messy really - our sitting room currently has 13 bits of rawhide he has stripped off a chew strewn about.

Apart from a bit of a manic puppydom at times he has been (and still is) a very easy dog. But then he does have a very cushy life really

Definitely backing the Staffie. Amazing dog. We're picking our puppy in June (staffie of course) :)

OP I would say it depends a lot on how good your children are with dogs! Nothing worse than someone getting a ?child-proof? dog and allowing their children to poke it and pull it about mercilessly just because it has a ?great temperament? :(. It?s not fair on any breed of dog to be molested by children, but I suppose what?s molestation to one dog is playtime to another. You will hear lots of people say their breed of choice is ideal with kids but it?s not that simple. For example, my brother had a Golden Retriever (high on the list of ?family friendly? dogs), bought from a reputable breeder as a pup, and he admits the dog was not particularly friendly, and that my 2nd hand Rottweiler, who was found as a stray, is one of the friendliest dogs he?s met (and he was one of those ignorant types who thought Rotties were ?dangerous?). I?d suggest going to a rescue centre as they will be better suited to match your needs and temperaments to the dog?s.

I have an Otterhound who is the most beautiful dog around children. She was at Crufts this year, not competing, but at Discover Dogs so that people could meet this endangered breed. It seems to be a thing with the breed that they instinctively know what to do with elderly, frail, disabled or young children. She ADORES children, and when they come over to pet her, she lies down so she's not too big for them and will just lie there whilst they pet her. She met a 16 month old little boy who poked her in the eye and she just lay there wanting more strokes and pats. I trust her much more around children than my basset or my mum's lab; actually more than any other breed of dog I've had before. Best thing is she hardly moults, as ALL dogs DO moult! She'll happily be a couch potato all day, yet will walk for as far and long as you want to; and will be happy with a short walk as well. The best thing was a young girl in a wheelchair wanted to pet her, so she walked over and sat by her just letting this girl stroke her.