Best kids age for a puppy

[Marmaladesarnie]

Im thinking about a puppy for my family, trying to consider everything really carefully to make sure it’s the right choice for us.

Would likely get a miniature Schnauzer - because I’ve grown up having them as family dogs and the kids are used to interacting with my mums Schnauzer.

DH works from home, we holiday in our own caravan in the uk, we have lots of family support if ever needed.

kids are 5 & 3, is this too young?
Im not expecting them to clean up after the pup or anything just want them to respect boundaries etc

Would be looking for a pup from a reputable breeder because no rescues in our area will consider a family without a resident dog.

Personally, minimum age for me would be school age. Once kids are at school that gives you chance to dedicate time to the puppy and a quieter house so they don't end up over stimulated nightmares.

I would say 3 and 5 is fine, provided the DC can be trusted to be sensible around the puppy (and you can keep an eye on them), and you have enough time to make sure your dog is trained and exercised.

We got our first puppy when our youngest DC was not quite a year old. Everything went swimmingly apart from one chewed up toy and a dog whose training was, er, patchy - I could have done with an extra half an hour in the day to put in the time in recall and lead manners. She was a fab pet, though, and the DC have all grown up into massive dog lovers.

Personally I think it’s a bit young. I’d say when they are old enough for two things

1. most important, have the impulse control to do as they are told around the dog, not pick it up, fuss it when it’s asleep, hug it round the neck etc, and be able to do this without you literally watching them 24/7. I’m not saying that you should ever leave them unsupervised but in the real world you might at some point need to pee, or check your phone.

2. be able to leave the kids for a bit! This is something people don’t think about but let’s not pretend the kids are going to be super enthusiastic about going for a walk when it’s 2 degrees, 20 mile an hour winds and raining. It’s much easier for you to take the dogs out and leave the kids.

It was 7 for us (plus an 11 year old).
I could pop out and take the dog for a walk and DS could fend off the land shark

It’s not so much the walking for leaving them IMO, you can put that off till the other parent can stay in with kids if you need to.

It’s the housetraining - you need to be able to rush outside and then hang about there for indefinite amounts of time and trust that your children won’t be doing anything they shouldn’t.

and... they need to ge old enough to actually understand that puppies do bite and it hurts.

My DC were 14 and 12. We weren't in a position until then but it's been great having them to help out and share the jobs/responsibilities.
Thinking about it, I'd have possibly done it a few years earlier but it's been great to focus on the DC's early years (holidays, school events, clubs) & then focus on the dog.
It's been great & we wouldn't be without him.....❤️

I got my first dog when DD was 3, but it really depends on your children. I knew DD wasn’t the type to bother the dog too much and would listen if I said she was being too loud or hands on with him. Of course she gave him loads of attention and cuddles but she knew there was a limit.

We got our puppy when our boy was five. The dog was great but Mr 5 has selective hearing and it was hard to get him to be not annoy the dog (play too rough, annoy him when he's asleep) I think it depends on the children more than the dog!

Obviously it's up to you, but I read that children should be at least 8 before introducing a puppy. Something to do with kids really lacking in impulse control before then, I mean at 8 they're not on an adult level obviously but supposedly it's better.

We waited until 11 cos that seemed to be the age rescue centres imposed.

I think 8 would have been ok.

For me, my dog picks up and chews anything on the floor so i think id wait until the stage of children playing with toys on the floor had passed for my own sanity. But some people are better at tidying or have different house set ups .

My youngest is 7 and we got our pup 5 months ago — I've found it mostly fine, though not perfect. Eg he'll run around and get her overexcited even when asked not to, and so she's rougher with him than anyone else as she thinks he wants to play in an exuberant puppy style.

As for play, biting is normal, so I would go in expecting that. Personally I wouldn't like a 3 year old around a bitey puppy, but I know some people are able to succefully children and dogs apart.

She chews stuff so all the lovely toddler and young child toys we used to have out would have been at risk. Not so much of a problem if you plan on keeping the dog out of certain rooms.

When the kids are at school full time.

Successfully *keep children and dogs apart

Mine were 4 & 6 when we got our mini schnauzer puppy. Neither of them had experience of dogs in the house but tbf they were so good when puppy arrived- really followed my instructions etc. I had done a lot of work prepping them.

It was hard though and I did have the puppy blues in spite of MASSES of prep reading and watching videos!

I was home with the pup and DC in afternoons and DH was at work (had childminder looking after him in the mornings while DC were at school/Playschool and I was at work) and it was challenging balancing kids and pup. I’d have to bring pup on micro training walks outside the kitchen window and did lots of 3 minute training sessions. I felt guilty not being able to give DC all the attention they were used to.

And because the puppy LOVED his little humans I spent an awful lot of time lifting the kids to the kitchen table or barricading them on the couch to stop the pup jumping up on them. It was mental TBH. I shudder to think of it!

But…. the mega intense phase began to pass after 2-3 weeks. I treated for paws on the floor and calm lying down a lot- more so than anything else almost. And the kids loved helping with the socialisation checklist by dressing up😂

And we now have a gorgeous (so gorgeous) gentle boy who is a dream around children, around everyone really and whom the kids adore so incredibly much (as do I). He has enriched our lives so much that I don’t regret it for a second. Yes, we could have waited till DD2 was a little older, but that would have been another year or two without this fantastic addition to our family!