Dogs and Small kids?

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#1
When we decide to get a dog, which ones are the best for small children? I know Labs and Greman shorthairs, but I would like to know if there are any others.
 

joce

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#2
Many dogs can be great with small children. I always automatically think labs but threres goldens and basically any other retriver. Out of all my dogs my dobe is the only truly kid friendly dog. I know a lot of people end up getting rid of herding and northern breeds because they are mouthy or nippy.
 

showpug

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#3
It depends on what size of dog you want and how much work you are willing to give to your new family member :D Everyone always assumes that labs and goldens are the best, but keep in mind while these breeds do have impressive temperaments, they are ACTIVE dogs and need a lot of exercise and traing to bring out their full potential. As puppies they can be VERY hyper and a lot of people expect their pup to grow up to be old yeller without any work and are caught off guard when they bring home an out of control, hyper, and at times spastic new puppy...afterall, they are hunting dogs that can flush birds for almost days at a time. If the proper work goes into them they are wonderful and very willing to learn and please you, but you have to take the time and can't assume that breed is what determines a good dog for small children :) Happy hunting :) Labs, Goldens, Pugs, Mastiffs, Saint Bernards, Wolfhounds...there are so many, but these come to mind first.
 
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#4
I don't want one to hyper but than I have to remember that I'm going to have a very hyper toddler soon. Maybe they could wear each other out. Training wouldn't be a problem. I learned from Smkie. I am always home. My house has a very big backyard, plenty of room to romp. It is going to a long time before I get one. So Ihave plenty of time to find the right type for my family. :)
 

GSDFan05

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#5
I agree that labs have great temperaments for kids, but like has already been pointed out, they are VERY exuberent and can be a handful even for an adult, their enthusiasm is good-hearted but you'll have to be careful with small children.

One breed that comes to mind as being very gentle is the greyhound, they're such sweethearts and there are always retired (but not necessarily "old"!) racing hounds that need homes. I work for a vet and we have several clients with them, they are truly golden-hearted dogs.
 

Doberluv

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#6
I always think of Labs too, as I had one while my kids were growing up and she was a rather laid back one....wonderful. But I also had a GSD while my kids were very young, (before the Lab) and he was WONDERFUL also. I think most breeds, if raised with kids and where the dog and the kids are trained to respect and be careful of eachother will be fine. Just socialize, train right and watch them. My Dobe is not too used to kids because he didn't grow up with them. He's a little skeptical. But I know Dobes who were raised with them and they're wonderful, just like my Lab and GSD were...tolerant, protective, companionable, loving, trustworthy, just wonderful. Ya gotta get 'em use to all their friends hanging around too from the get go. Sometimes the protective type dogs may mistake a friend's rough play with hurting their child and may become over protective. A Lab doesn't have strong protective instincts and that is why they often make wonderful dogs for kids.
 

bubbatd

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#7
I had a Golden as a teenager and dearly loved him. Once married my husband wanted a more " motcho" dog...I looked into a GS as I love them... but thought ahead to our future children and didn't want to ever have to decide to give up my 4 legger if it didn't accept a baby. I stuck to a Golden and all 3 were raised with loving goldens. They love babies, children and are more loving and forgiving than Lab....which I love too, but they , I feel, are less tolerant of eye poking, tail pulling and general " kid" stuff. I've never known a Golden owner who second time around chose another breed ( except for those of you who have rescued... bless you ...that's a different story.}
 
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#8
If I had small children I would want a German Shepherd to take care of them. No question. They are so intelligent and responsible and feel like they are supposed to take care of everything and everyone. No matter what other dogs I have, I will always want to have one German Shepherd.
 

bubbatd

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#9
Renee... I may have gone that way had I had the children before the dog....I just knew there would be no problems with a Golden.... I love GS!!!
 

GSDFan05

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#10
When I was a baby we had a GSD/wolf mix that was absolutely the best dog ever. I am NOT recommending you go out and get a wolf hybrid, they're not for everyone, but a GSD is a very loyal companion for a kid, they have less "silly" tendencies than labs (not as much risk of a kid being 'happied' to death), but are true thinking dogs that are great companions for kids.

(Obviously, judging from my username, I may be biased.... ;) )
 

caseyolee

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#11
My Border Collies are wonderful w/ kids. They love them to death and would protect them if necessary. I have never had a problem w/ dogs over 5-6 months biting/nipping children/people either. As long as they learn at an early age that biting/nipping is a no no, they should turn out fine. They aren't the breed for everyone though. They require A LOT of physical and mental stimulation. They always need something to do.

There are different lines of BC's also. They have the more "pet/show" lines and then they have the real herding lines. My first BC I bought from a show breeder. He didn't have a full white collar and his front legs turned out a bit. (No biggie for me) He turned out to be one of the best working dogs I have.

Just remember to read up on a breed before you get one....have fun choosing one. There are a TON out there!
 
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#12
Grammy, it's hard for someone who's never lived with a German Shepherd to really understand what makes them 'tick.' First and foremost, a good Shepherd is just that - a Shepherd, a caretaker, a creature who takes responsibility very seriously and places the safety and well-being of its charge above all else - no matter what. I don't know about some of the show lines now - you know how I feel about working lines vs. show lines, lol! Even Charley, as much as he loves Shiva and as beautiful as he thinks she is, wants only working lines Filas now ;)
 
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#13
The best dog for small children is large enough not to be easily squashed (cocker spaniel size or larger) and small enough not to easily hurt or kill the child or his/her playmates in the event of a misunderstanding (Lab-sized or smaller). I'd go to a good shelter and tell the personnel I needed a young, submissive, friendly dog who tolerates a lot of handling and wouldn't grow to the size of an elephant, and is not from one of the breeds that regards fighting as a game. I realize this disqualifies many big dogs who were great childhood pets, but I believe a size limit is a good idea. For one thing, it's hard to tell a child he/she can't walk her pet, and there is no way a child walking one of the larger dogs has any control over the dog. It also disqualifies one of my favorite types, the terriers, which love to fight and are terrific pets except that that zest for battle will involve a little kid in dangerous situations.
 
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#14
It depends on the kids and the dog, their personalities. Generally terrier breeds are snappy at times. However, we've had Colby since I was really little, and she was wonderful (still is :)). We hadn't planned on getting a terrier or terrier mix because they do tend to be snappy at times, but Colby is great with little kids. She allows anyone to stick their hand in her food bowl while she's eating, take a toy away from her.....she's simply wonderful. Her goal is not to bite someone, her goal is to kiss someone :). My nephew absolutely loves playing with her and feeding her.

May, my Lab, is also great with kids. You could literally play tug-o-war with her ears and she'd just sit there wagging her tail. Tippy is also very tolerant. You can easily take things away from her, grab her ears, and she won't do anything except for give you a look that says, "What're you doing?" I remember one time, we were walking the dogs and she spotted a little boy. Loving little kids, she started running after him, trying to play with him. She terrified that poor kid! He ran to his dad screeching.
 
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#15
Oh, yes, size does matter. My girls are medium-large in size. Little kids and breeds like Chihuahuas do not mix. My girls weigh between 50-65 lbs..
 
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#16
One other thing - It's not neccessary to get a big guard breed to have that extra peace of mind about your child's safety. Any dog will discourage evil just by its presence and any good dog will protect his/her child. My childhood dog was a Bearded Collie, weighed about 35 lbs. She'd have killed anyone who hurt me, including family.
 

GSDFan05

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#17
I agree that you don't want a dominant dog, but also don't go for the most submissive one that you find, either, some dogs will bite out of fear just because they get so terrified at times. I also agree about it not being completely necessary to get a guarding breed if you don't want a GSD, mastiff, etc etc, my parents' usually laid back retriever mix has shown amazing protectiveness in certain situations.
 
S

Stanna

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#18
My personal bias for children are newfoundlands, I think they are great with kids. (and gsd's, cause that's what i had, but that's super duper subjective to my personal experience)

Other than my personal preferences, I'd agree with most here and go with that medium sized do. I would also rescue an adult who's temperament you already know.
 

showpug

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#19
I agree, a newfie would be awesome...get your grooming tools ready :) They are outstanding and VERY gentle and loving dogs. They are life savers too, that is always a plus ;)
 
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#20
I definately say rescue no matter what breed. They are already evaluated and you know the personality you're getting. A puppy is soooo much work and you don't know what you're getting. Better yet, a big ole loveable mutt from a rescue group. They're usually the best and don't have the breed genetics issues! (such as seizures, thyroid, cancer, etc.)
 

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