Which dog fits this criteria?

[Scoobydoobydoobydoo0987]

Family with 2 small children are thinking of maybe ( still on the fence) of getting a dog. It must be compatible, so here's the criteria. If anyone has any suggestions, please..

1. Good for children
2. Good with cats
3. Not too much exercise is needed ( Alstians need 2 hours walking a day, so big no no)
4. Nothing too yappy
5. Nothing too big that DH couldn't lift, if it was ill and had to pick up and take to the vets ( We like bull mastiff but they are around 90kgs!)
6. protective of family but not a guard dog
7. Nothing prone to medical problems

I wouldn’t get a cockapoo, you have literally no idea what you’ll end up with.
Personally I’d also avoid anything naturally protective, breeds that are naturally protective in the wrong hands very quickly turn into reactive nervous wrecks.

I would steer clear of all these big muscular dogs who were bred for fighting and guarding. You're a first time dog owner, you need a breed that is easily trained, amiable and willing to please. If you're after a medium/large sized breed i would go for a golden retriever, standard poodle or Labrador. They are very energetic as puppies, but all puppies are energetic. I don't think you should rely on any dog to protect you - what are you expecting it to do aside from bark anyway? Attack the intruder? Why would you want a dog who would attack someone who came into your home and how will you train the dog as to which people are intruders and which ones are allowed to be there?

It would be a lot easier to get a decent burglar alarm/clearly visible cctv system or other deterrent rather than expecting a family pet to deal with an intruder. Stick "beware of the dog" signs up.

Not yappy + protective is a tricky combo

Because if it's not barking, what exactly do you want it to do to protect the family?

Plus, I think expecting a dog to do that but be also be friendly and gentle to everyone you want it to be friendly and gentle to is also a tricky combo. What's the difference (to the dog) between an intruder and the gas person, for example? Or someone looking to burgle you and someone looking to read a metre.

Golden retriever ! They are brilliant dogs

Actually goldens need long walks so maybe not a good idea

Why not? Op is researching and asking for advice regarding the type of dog to be the best fit for their family. Sounds like responsible dog ownership.

Op, I agree with not having a guard dog breed. I don't know how old your children are but as they get older they tend to have more friends round to the house, and some parents will be wary. Labs can have deep barks that can deter an opportunist, and they sound perfect for you.

Jesus wept, don't get a Cockapoo if you don't want a yappy dog. Our NDN has got one and it's horrific for yapping. They also need a lot of grooming every 6 weeks, and are very high maintenance dogs. The only plus is the lack of coat shed. I honestly can't get the appeal of them at all - get a cocker spaniel instead if you're up for long walks and never leaving their side. I've got 2 spaniels and they're amazing company but both have quite bad separation anxiety which can be very tying. They also need a lot of off lead exercise and scent work.. mine get at least 90 minutes a day off lead.

I'd look at a labrador but make sure it's from pet stock and not working. We had a black one that was incredibly vocal if anyone was around, and he was very protective of us whilst being fairly low maintenance in terms of exercise/effort. He had an hour long walk every day and was happy just being around company for the rest. They're also really good with kids.

A second vote for Boxer.

Great with children and visitors. Only dogs to have a real sense of humour. Playful, quite clowning, easy going and patient with children and gentle with older people. Can walk for hours or survive very healthy on less.

They have a different sort of intelligence to most dogs. It's more adaptive and less trained in. They know the difference between a welcomed visitor and an intruder. Ours loved one of our neighbours. But on one occasion the neighbour thought it funny to try and hop the fence and sneak up the garden......ours lived with cats.

Other than that EBT or staffie (but make absolutely certain of the pedigree of any staffie) and don't go to gumtree or similar.

If you've never had a dog before then the best to get is a Labrador.. they're very adaptable. A bull mastiff doesn't fit your criteria in the slightest
Why not have a read about the kind of life a dog actually wants and see if you can give it?
A big garden doesn't make a difference to a dog if no one wants to play with him in it. One hours exercise is nothing at all. A dog is awake for 12 hours in a day.

This. There are plenty of great dogs out there that meet your criteria but they're not necessarily pure bred. Also, be open to an older dog (not necessarily much older) as more will be known about its character and temperament, and you won't have to do the challenging tiny puppy stage. There's a saying 'God made puppies look irresistible because otherwise nobody would have them', and there's a whole puppy survival thread on here.

A good rescue will ask you a lot of questions, do a home check and match you to a suitable dog. Everyone wins.

Staffy,aka the nanny dog. Easy to train as wants to please, good with children, does not need miles of walking every day ( ours gets it but he doesn’t like it however our other 2 dogs are high energy breeds so he has no choice 🤣), good guard dog but never aggressive, just puts his body between you and perceived danger. Talks to you ALL the time but never yaps.

We waited until DC were 5 and 8 before getting a dog as it was very important that they understood that the dog was not a toy.

The rule was always that contact was dog-led. If he comes to you, you can cuddle and play. If he walks away, you don't follow or chase him.

Obviously as DC grew up they understood the nuances and could play chase games etc.

What I'm trying to say is that no dog is bomb proof. Asking for a dog breed that is good with children is only good so far. And a big strong guard dog type could inflict a lot a damage if provoked.

We had a Border Terrier who was a fantastic family dog. Friendly and tolerant (though never really tested) Can walk for miles, but just as happy with a shorter walk. Great personality, although they do shed. Absolutely hopeless as a guard dog though. Would probably have let burglars in if they promised a cuddle!

How old are your children? We have a cockerador she's a cross between a lab amd a cocker spaniel. She's smaller than a lab and a dream with the kids who are 7,9 and 14. I will say you need to be 100percent on board with getting a dog though as the puppy stages are very hard. My girl below has just turned 1 and has really calmed down.

My suggestion would be get in touch with your local rescue, and ask them to match you with a suitable dog. Also spend some time getting to know the dog before you adopt. The perfect dog could be a lurcher or a terrier. It just depends on the individual dog.

I think you are being naive if you imagine you can choose a dog based on a list of requirements. They are all individuals and if you get a puppy there are no guarantees how it will turn out. It really is a combination of nature and nurture and from experience, a complete lottery - you need to adapt to love the dog you get.

It is also totally irresponsible to look for a guarding breed with children in the house. Please get this idea completely out of your head.

You say you can offer an hour a day exercise. Any dog, especially a puppy needs a lot of attention. Do you have time to train and stimulate a dog when you are working from home. A puppy wont sit quietly in a crate for hours while you work, it needs to be trained and played with regularly during the day. Most dogs wont play alone.

If you are still determined to get a dog, word of mouth is the way to go. Find someone with a dog you like and find out who bred it and talk to them. Buying a dog should involve lots of research of the breeder and their prodigy, get to know the character of some of the dogs they have bred and then put your name on the waiting list. My dog is now 10 years old and I am still friends with the breeder and we have followed the lives of our dog's litter mates on social media. All the puppies turned out to be lovely dogs. Make sure you will be able to say the same in 10 years time as it is a very long-term commitment. This is far more important than which breed you choose.

Also... we have a rescue greyhound. He lives in our small house with v little exercise, 2 small kids, doesn't bark, cuddles everyone. Perfect dog really 🙂 He does chase cats but that's dependant on the greyhound you get. I know some don't. There are lots of lovely greyhounds looking for a home.

Female greyhound (or smaller boy). Go to a decent greyhound rehoming kennel and ask about cat safe dogs. Many hounds just don't have a prey drive (that's why they are being rehomed) and will be fine with cats.
There are thousands of greyhounds which are "wastage" in the industry, not the "endangered" line given by Crufts (those are show greyhounds, a different type of the breed).
They don't yap (squeak maybe), need only a little exercise, very loving and loyal, minimal grooming (little fur, that's why they wear jumpers). A very devoted and friendly community of ex-racer owners (just decide if you are pro or anti racing and find your tribe).

*progeny not prodigy!

I was going to say don't get a cockapoo, they're idiotic and can be hard to train. I think a lab or cross. Or a lurcher mix. Forget about the guarding the house and family! That's not a safe family pet.

That was going to be my suggestion. Big dog but light, some definitely can't live with cats but a good rescue place will know the ones that can, can take them for long walks but they don't need much exercise, they are usually very patient and calm in temperament. Again, the rescue places have a good idea which ones will fit with a family and which are better in a quieter home.

Get a show cocker and a burglar alarm 😁

Honestly, I'd drop the requirement for a guard dog. It's not a great idea as a novice owner with small children especially if they are bringing friends round etc. Choose a pet and think of another way of improving your home security.

Only dogs to have a real sense of humour.

clearly you’ve never met a Tibetan terrier.

Would also second the greyhound idea (or a whippet- lovely dogs) but some of them are not ok with cats. If you have an adult cat and get the greyhound/whippet as a pup you should be fine, but they may still want to chase other cats- perhaps not an issue of you live remotely.

The thing is, this type of post annoys me a fair bit because it doesn't take into account the fact that dogs are individuals with their own personalities.
So say you reach a consensus that Cockerpoos tick every box for your designer dog, go along and buy one and discover that in fact your Cockerpoo has tons of energy and, needs walking a lot and chases the cats. What would you do then? Give it back for failing to meet its design brief?
Dogs, need space to develop their own personalities and not be labelled "naughty" because somebody with unrealistic expectations bought them as a puppy.
Why not volunteer as a family at a local rescue. Get to know some older dogs and see if your family could become a good fit for a dog rather than the other way around?

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