Looking for a dog to suit a family but it's a minefield- where do I start?

[Abneyandteal19]

We have 3 DC 6, 4 and 2. We have been thinking about a dog for a while- the kids love them and don't seem scared etc. both had dogs growing up (bulldogs) and think we could offer a great home, I'm a SAHM, DH works from home, medium sized home with decent garden, semi rural and close to coast.
My first instinct was to get a rescue dog but this seems totally impossible with children? I've looked at as many as I can find.

I've tried to look at puppies in local area but you hear so many horror stories and we of course don't want to be part of any puppy farming or the like.

Can any recommend a) any particular breeds and b) steps to go about this.

Thank you!

My mum has a snoodle and he is the loveliest dog. My dc are 9 and 6 now but dd was only 1 when my mum got him. He’s great with the children.

There's quite a lot of rescues from abroad that will rehome with kids, my friend recently got a lovely dog from Greece and another friend got hers from Turkey.

Thanks everyone-

Right so definitely not going to the raffles place- got it (also miles from us anyway) absolutely want to go reputable this is the priority.

Interesting that people feel toddler/puppy combo not ideal- feel like I've been in the toddler years forever at this point, youngest is soon to start nursery which would potentially give me some free time with just the dog but I take on board your advice.

Also thanks for the advice on collies- I can imagine them trying to herd toddlers!!
Lab seems to be a good fit so far but take on board your advice about other breeds too. I just wanted to stay away from the 'fancy' type breeds and also having had an English bulldog and seeing the health problems they have has made me wary of these breeds too.

Interesting that some breeders won't home to young children as they are often advertised as family friendly but I'll do more research.

Greyhounds are lovely, chilled out and placid.
They need to have a short zoom around twice a day ( I took mine on the school run), but otherwise don't need much in the way of exercise

We've got a cockapoo, from a breeder (friend of ours). She's small, doesn't moult, is fine with two 30-min walks a day, can be left alone, doesn't chew or bite. Very low maintenance dog! Very lovable though and like a little human in her personality.

@tillyandmilly I did. Horrible dog. And I've done my research on this puppy farm. You clearly haven't, to recommend them

Rescues won’t rehome to someone with a 2 year old (for good reason) so you don’t have much choice but to wait for breeder and puppy. Rightly - your youngest is just too young OP. You’re on a hiding to nothing trying to do this now - the only people who will sell you a pup are puppy farmers. Buyer beware - seriously. Not cos they judge you but cos they’ll sell you a dog that is badly bred and the pain and heartache of that BF1 or you and the dog are avoidable. Find a good breeder and get on a list. Seriously. I can’t tell you the heartache for the whole family from having a badly bred dog that gets diagnosed with hip or elbow problems early on.

Border terrier is a good shout - intelligent, energetic, playful but also reassuringly small since you have young kids. They are scruffy little things - I mean that in an adoring kinda way.

With young children personally I would get a puppy-
Spaniel
Golden retriever
Labrador
Jack Russell
I have had all all of these and they have been fabulous family pets.

Pug

Incredibly kid-friendly breed

Interesting that some breeders won't home to young children as they are often advertised as family friendly but I'll do more research

Family friendly is one thing, but the combination of bitey puppy and rambunctious toddler is quite another. Lots of breeds are known to be excellent with small children once they're 2-3 years old, mature and trained though.

No decent breeder I know of would sell a puppy to someone with a two year old in the house - it's just asking for trouble. Puppies nip and bite and make you bleed. Their teeth are sharp and it hurts. Adults and older children understand this and can cope but you really don't want to be dealing with a bitey, hyper puppy as well a toddler who doesn't fully understand the word "no".

I would also add - you won't want to be toilet training your toddler and house training a puppy at the same time. One will always miss out. If a puppy needs to wee and you don't get them out within a minute or so, they will just pee and poo on your floor. So what it that happens while you're in the middle of cleaning up your toddler who didn't make it to the potty in time?

Labs are utterly fantastic dogs. We got one when my youngest was 4. They all grew up with him and adored him.
He was bombproof and very tolerant too. Lovely family dog.
Only down side is they are quite chewy as pups but that can be managed.

Please consider a rescue who isn't a pup, in which case they are more likely to re-home to you with young kids as the dog will be out of it's baby and toddler years.

We rescued a collie cross when she was around 11 and she was fantastic with my DD (2). Much more patient, tolerant and less excitable than a younger dog. Less demanding all round, but still liked to run and play or chase balls etc for an hour or so a day. We lost her recently at the grand old age of 17!

@CaddieDawg

Please consider a rescue who isn't a pup, in which case they are more likely to re-home to you with young kids as the dog will be out of it's baby and toddler years.

We rescued a collie cross when she was around 11 and she was fantastic with my DD (2). Much more patient, tolerant and less excitable than a younger dog. Less demanding all round, but still liked to run and play or chase balls etc for an hour or so a day. We lost her recently at the grand old age of 17!

I don't know any rescues who would rehome to a family with a 2yo in the house.

I'd give it a couple of years till your youngest is at school and you have more time to give a puppy and the household over all is a bit less chaotic which makes training a puppy well a million times harder.
Then when the time is right you have to wait for a rescue puppy. They will very rarely be on rescue websites as they will go to people who have registered interest, or go on their SM and be reserved very quickly. Those suitable for small children go very fast.
But the right dogs do come up for those with patience. I foster lurcher puppies for a rescue, and one of mine went to a family with 7 year old twins with ASD this year as she and they were perfect together - we assess every dog and family individually to match their needs together

100% team "wait until the youngest is older".

It is one of the reasons dogs get signed over to rescue - when an owner has a toddler and dog in the same house, they couldn't rescue so they bought from a disreputable breeder, and is totally overwhelmed. The toddler has been growled at/nipped and is now terrified of the puppy, and they're at their wits end, the dog goes into rescue and by that point has missed out on key training due to chaotic home and now can't be homed to another family with young kids as they're a handful. This happens over and over and over.

Labrador!

Agree with waiting until children older. We are 8 months in with a lovely Labrador. So grateful that children are older - early teens, as they're able to help with training, and tolerant/understand nipping and know how to discourage it. Even then, it's sometimes been hard for them, particularly in early days. Dog is a brilliant family project though - and we have no regrets.

Battersea rehome some puppies to kids any age. The pups often don't make the website so would be worth a call/chat with them :).

And St Giles rescue in Somerset rehomed my boy to me (at 12 weeks) when my little girl was 6 months.

He's a staffy cross lab and the most loving dog ever.

I absolutely adore our lab and would recommend them to anyone. He’s gentle, fun, clever and so loving. The only concern I’d have for you is your 2 year old. Labs are big dogs, ours weighs the same as our 12 year old! And although he’d never intentionally hurt anyone, he’s accidentally managed to knock over an adult before just by brushing past them while playing with another dog.

I would get a KC Staffordshire bull terrier puppy but I would wait till youngest is at school

As puppy's are little land sharks and that first few months with biting is quite intense and often it's the kids who get it.

Family wise you won't get a better temperament dog with kids than the staffy but you will need to but effort into training and socialising it as they aren't always the best with other dogs.

@Wellington17

And St Giles rescue in Somerset rehomed my boy to me (at 12 weeks) when my little girl was 6 months.

He's a staffy cross lab and the most loving dog ever.

I'm glad it worked for you but IMO that rescue was highly, highly irresponsible.

Sorry - my post keep posting before I'm finished!

I also agree with many posters above that it'll be very difficult training a pup with (assuming) little first hand experience of dogs. I struggled with one child and a pup and am very experienced.

If you're dead set though, another option could be looking at rehoming a failed or retired guide dog. Not sure what their policies on kids are though... They would come very well trained, but there may be quite a waiting list.

I had dogs before children, and due to DDogs passing away had two puppies Golden Retriever and GSD 13 months apart before my youngest started school. Yes, it was hard work and I would agree with PP to wait a couple of years, if you have never had a dog or your only experience was having a DDog as a family pet when your parents did all the work. It was not so bad for me as I was used to it.

We rescued before children and I have rescued since (currently have 3 rescues) , but I would always prefer a puppy from a good breeder with young DC as you know the history. My Golden Retriever was amazing with the children, especially my youngest, I used to find them asleep together up in the afternoons and all the children adored, he lived to be nearly 14 and they still talk about him.

You need to unpick what you are looking for, is hair a problem for you? (my Golden shed a lot!), How much time do you have for walking? Will you want to go back to work part time? Some breeds are worse for separation anxiety for example.

A vet local to me recommends a Bichon Frise to novice owners, moderate exercise needs and non shedding, I have a Bichon cross who can be very needy and probably wouldn’t do well if she was left often, she is so gentle and affectionate.

I would hang out at your local park a bit and chat to dog owners, they are usually only too happy to talk about their dogs and you might well get a recommendation for a good breeder.