Breed Suitable To Be Owned By Child

[dee136]

Just been looking at rescue sites to see what's out there and found a dog that belonged to someone I used to know. Very sad but I'm surprised he lasted with them so long, the dog is now 10yrs old. I knew her up until 6yrs ago and the dog was always locked outside, jumped all over me and on one occasion ripped a jacket I was wearing. Hope he finds a good home but not what I'm looking for for the young kids.

Rescue sites are so sad there is just so many homeless animals out there. Seems its always responsible people adopting from shelters that are left to clean up the mess of the people who want cute pet shop pups. If we all go to a pound the boys are going to want one each!

[Perry's Mum]

I agree with the people who suggested Koolies - they do vary in temperament but that is not a bad thing. If they are in Victoria there are several breeders there and Koolie Rescue is based in Echuca. PM me if you need contact details. Koolie Rescue assess all their rescues as to suitability for future homes - some go to working homes - ex rescues are now working on sheep farms, cattle stations dairy farms and goat farms, some have become assistance dogs, some are much loved family pets, and several are bomb sniffer dogs with the Army.

I think Koolies are generally highly suited to being with families, especially country boys - they are loyal, protective dogs who will look after and want to be part of their pack.

Edited June 29, 2010 by Perry's Mum

[Amika]

As a kid growing up my grandfather had a corgi, he would come every where with us and was quite knock around loved swimming and keeping up with our horses. Lovely dog but at the end of the day he would come inside and sleep by the back door in the laundry as he didn't like to be left outside.

But maybe a corgi? would be ok in the situation

--Lhok

We had a Corgi as well when we were kids and she was an awesome kids dog!! Rough and tumble, in to anything we were in to, loved ball games be they small tennis balls or footballs, swimming and also going out on our horse rides. All the neighborhood kids loved playing with her. Nice compact size dog to take anywhere, never a hassle.......but.... even though she wasn't meant to, she slept on the foot of my bed. LOL Corgi....what a great suggestion

[Monah]

i received an email tonight of a really lovely male afghan, young, he is not tall enough to show already great with kids as he has some in the family, had training and was headed for delta as he has a great temperament, is an inside dog though.

If anyone knows anyone who may like him (and he is GORGEOUS) PM me and I'll pass on the email. his name is Armani and he is cream.

[mumof3]

Being country people I doubt they will go to a responsible breeder. I think a jack, kelpie, cattle dog, aust terrier or foxie would be a good fit, a typical farm dog. Being common breeds I'm hoping they can find a young adult at the pound so they avoid byb and the puppy stage, which I think might be a good idea for them.

Hunting breeds can also carry a bit of credibility for country people. There are many great pet choices amongst the gun dogs, for example. For my own much younger family, I've just acquired a beautiful Brittany puppy. Some of the breeds and cross breeds used for pig hunting in the bush can also make excellent kids pets, and such animals are also often found in shelters. We've had what we guessed to be a mastif boxer cross, who was an absolute delight, simillarly, the Bull Arab breed can be excellent. Lovely dopey dogs who are not excitable unless you happen to be a pig, then they get excited. These may be too large, though, for your friend.

Also, don't write country people off as not going to a responsible breeder. I'm as country as you get, 500km from a city, a big W etc. I very carefully purchased my puppy from an excellent registered breeder. Country people can often have a good understanding of the necessity for correct, sound confirmation, and a great distaste for poor animal husbandry.

[dee136]

I can quite easily see them with a cross breed but I think size would be an issue when it comes to pig dogs.

Also, not writing all country people off as people who wouldn't go to breeders, I'm writing my sister in law off.

Very generalised comment here, but having lived in the country I have noticed Of the people I know, a lot have taken the time selecting breeders and lines and spent the money for working dogs but I have noticed in GENERAL, pets, particularly children's pets, are sometimes likely to be from the bloke down the road whose mongrel bitch had pups, or from the uneducated bloke who breeds a few litters a year. Often these people take excellent care of the animals so people don't see buying from them as being a bad thing, they are not quite in the league of puppy farmers.

ETA: To some people dogs are another tool on the farm and pets are not valued as anything other than another mouth to feed. Papered dogs cost a lot compared to a free pup from a friend. Paying that much for a pet is often not viable financially, or may seem ridiculous.

Edited June 29, 2010 by dee136

[RealityBites]

We have 5 kids, 3 boys two girls, the eldest is 12, the youngest is 1 year. We have a doberman and I am looking at getting a deerhound. The dobe is great with the kids, loves playing and chasing them around but respectful of them too. We did a fair bit of formal training with him as a youngster tho. The older kids can walk him by themselves altho I don't usually let them He has an easy care coat with minimal shedding. Teddy's are not safe from him however! :D

[K9Nev]

I think a German Shepherd would be most suitable for 4 boy's. Someone mentioned being sexist on one of the posts and with that in mind seriously, boys don't really want a girly (as in small dainty) dog if they are animal lovers. Boys by nature all like the thought of having a better or bigger dog than the next kid, and a good GSD would fit the bill perfectly IMO. Starting off with a puppy though, not an adult Shepherd, and raising it with the boys would be one of the best playmates in a dog that 4 boys could have. The GSD has the stability, nerve and stamina to keep up with all the childhood games thrown at it plus the benefits of being intelligent and trainable. Kids and drivey dogs both supplement their own necessities in life and make a great combination I think

Cheers

Nev

[lanabanana]

So nice to hear that 3 boys are going to get a new buddy to play with.

I have a 10 year old daughter who is right into animals and she is also a bit of a roughouser. While we have never had a purebred my daughter has grown up with a staffy/lab, a staffy/boxer, a lab/somethingorother and most recently a foxy/shih tzu. All were/are excellent with my daughter and loved her to pieces. The first mix was beautifully patient and tolerant, the second wa shighly energetic and very protective of her, the other two are both quite high energy and are very gentle with my girl.

I would personally recommend adption from a shelter as I am sure there will be some gorgeous mix down there who will match the family perfetly.

I think any dog going to that home sounds very very lucky.

If you are after a purebred, I always have to get a vote in for the Staffy. Just such awesome little dogs. I grew up with staffies, among other breeds (and even though I have never had my own pure staff, they are the reason I tend to lean towards staff crosses when getting a mix). They are just so eager to please. They would love nothing more than running round with 3 boys. They can get a little excited but if they are exercised regularly this keeps them a bit more even. I have never met a staff I didn't like. They are always happy. And they have pretty good trainability because they wanna make you happy.

As much as I am not usually a JRT fan, I think they would be a good match too.

Good luck in helping them choose the right dog!

[dee136]

Thanks for all the replies. They will not be getting a dog for a while as due to separation my SIL is renting atm and wants to wait until she buys to get a dog. I will post when they eventually decide what they are after.

Also, thought I would add that the youngest boy(3yr old) is gaining confidence around dogs bigger than grans jr, he is now giving very gentle hugs to my husky. So size is possibly not such an issue now, especially if they end up with a pup that will grow as the younger 2 boys do.

[mr.mister]

Like someone else mentioned, rather than concentrating on a particular breed it may be a good idea to go to a rescue and have a look at dogs there?

[poodlefan]

I would personally recommend adption from a shelter as I am sure there will be some gorgeous mix down there who will match the family perfetly.

I would never recommend that a family with young children adopt a dog directly from a pound or shelter. A responsible, knowledgeable foster carer from a rescue that does extensive temperament testing is the way to go.

A child's safety needs to be guarded by obtaining as much information about a dog BEFORE it enters the family. That can only be done by adopting a dog that has been observed for some time in, and in a home environment if possible.

Edited July 5, 2010 by poodlefan

[lanabanana]

I would personally recommend adption from a shelter as I am sure there will be some gorgeous mix down there who will match the family perfetly.

I would never recommend that a family with young children adopt a dog directly from a pound or shelter. A responsible, knowledgeable foster carer from a rescue that does extensive temperament testing is the way to go.

A child's safety needs to be guarded by obtaining as much information about a dog BEFORE it enters the family. That can only be done by adopting a dog that has been observed for some time in, and in a home environment if possible.

So, you think a puppy adopted from a shelter is going to kill 3 boys? LOL

I used shelter as where I come from, most "shelters" test the dogs before rehoming, as opposed to pounds who don't.

[Greytmate]

I would personally recommend adption from a shelter as I am sure there will be some gorgeous mix down there who will match the family perfetly.

I would never recommend that a family with young children adopt a dog directly from a pound or shelter. A responsible, knowledgeable foster carer from a rescue that does extensive temperament testing is the way to go.

A child's safety needs to be guarded by obtaining as much information about a dog BEFORE it enters the family. That can only be done by adopting a dog that has been observed for some time in, and in a home environment if possible.

This is true.

Also, it seems that these people have a pretty free and easy approach to training and supervision of the dog with the kids. There would be some great dogs in care that would fit right in. But to take a random dog and expect it to be the stereotypical 'child's playmate on the farm' and they could end up with no end of trouble.

There is no breed of dog where every individual will suit being owned by children. If they are suitable to own a dog, the right dog can be obtained by either going to a responsible breeder that carefully matches pups with owners, or by getting an adult dog that has been in foster care with a reliable organisation.

Dee136, I would probably be discouraging hugs between a three year old and an adult dog of any size. It isn't about being gentle, it is about how a dog would interpret and possibly react to a hug from such a small person, combined with the close proximity of the toddler's face.

[poodlefan]

I would personally recommend adption from a shelter as I am sure there will be some gorgeous mix down there who will match the family perfetly.

I would never recommend that a family with young children adopt a dog directly from a pound or shelter. A responsible, knowledgeable foster carer from a rescue that does extensive temperament testing is the way to go.

A child's safety needs to be guarded by obtaining as much information about a dog BEFORE it enters the family. That can only be done by adopting a dog that has been observed for some time in, and in a home environment if possible.

So, you think a puppy adopted from a shelter is going to kill 3 boys? LOL

I used shelter as where I come from, most "shelters" test the dogs before rehoming, as opposed to pounds who don't.

Nice qualification after the fact there LB.

You didn't specify whether you were talking about a puppy or a dog .

You gave a recommendation to a person with no knowledge of how the local pound operates where they come from.

The devil is always in the detail and as at least one DOLer has found out the hard way, even pups from rescue can grow into unsuitable dogs for youngsters to own.

Better safe than sorry where child safety is concerned.

[Dory the Doted One]

Well I might be biassed...but Dory! KIDDING. Cos ya can't have her.

Dory was a rescue dog from a fostered situation. I have to say she was EVERYTHING I was told she was, only better! I was given her warts and all history and it was very accurate. I am more than pleased with the process that I went through and the information that was given.

Now the bits that weren't included where these....(and only because who could know!)....

Great with cows, horses, cats, ducks, chooks, alpacas and babies. I found these out by exposing her to them, she's a really cool farm dog. Keeps in sight, comes when calls and ignores most of the residents...cept the rabbits.

Not so great with lizards, snakes, ferrets or rabbits. Or old ladies with speech impediments, short and round in stature and unsteady gaits....but she's working on it.

I highly recommend a young dog that has been in a foster home where it has been assessed.

Dory is great with kids of all ages, loves to play but knows how to moderate it for the level that kids can handle. She is biddable and socialable and with I have to sadly admit, not a lot of formal training. (Because I've been there done that, and so long as she walks on a lead well and doesn't jump all over people, comes when she is called...I'm all good).

I would be picky about the foster you got your dog from though. I'd make sure that they come with a good reputation, ask you plenty of questions, does a home check...gives you the third degree and can tell you a lot of the dogs quirky personality aspects. I'd also make it real clear what it is you want and are looking for.

When I was looking for a dog I had a list and it was thus...

Is overall a great dog with a few quirky faults (ie...probably wouldn't pass come Animal Welfare groups Temp tests, because of a few easily managed and modified behaviours)

Can take anywhere.

Medium, easy to care for coat.

Don't mind if she is a little shy or has separation issues.

Non barker (don't like barky dogs).

Affectionate.

I got that in spades with Dory.

Anyway....I blather on....

Check out the Rescue Groups. They have loads of GREAT kid loving, fun loving, biddable poochies that would be very loyal and LOADS of fun.

I had pedigress for years. My first mutley was a staff x bully high energy. And now Dory. I still love my pedigrees, but I love my Red Dog Scruff Mutt just as much.

[K9Nev]

I would personally recommend adption from a shelter as I am sure there will be some gorgeous mix down there who will match the family perfetly.

I would never recommend that a family with young children adopt a dog directly from a pound or shelter. A responsible, knowledgeable foster carer from a rescue that does extensive temperament testing is the way to go.

A child's safety needs to be guarded by obtaining as much information about a dog BEFORE it enters the family. That can only be done by adopting a dog that has been observed for some time in, and in a home environment if possible.

I agree with this post, very useful information

Cheers

Nev

[K9Nev]

I would personally recommend adption from a shelter as I am sure there will be some gorgeous mix down there who will match the family perfetly.

I would never recommend that a family with young children adopt a dog directly from a pound or shelter. A responsible, knowledgeable foster carer from a rescue that does extensive temperament testing is the way to go.

A child's safety needs to be guarded by obtaining as much information about a dog BEFORE it enters the family. That can only be done by adopting a dog that has been observed for some time in, and in a home environment if possible.

So, you think a puppy adopted from a shelter is going to kill 3 boys? LOL

I used shelter as where I come from, most "shelters" test the dogs before rehoming, as opposed to pounds who don't.

Technically speaking, a shelter pup of unkown parentage will provide the largest range of uncertainties how the pup will turn out as an adult and would be the aquisition I would avoid the most in the OP's situation. Breeding dogs to result in specific traits is quite a science in it's own rights that even the highly experienced often get wrong. The likelyhood of a shelter pup although not impossible, to turn out a particular way as an adult is probably the most unreliable prediction that anyone could make IMHO.

Cheers

Nev

[Dory the Doted One]

But would not a young adult that has been in a foster situation and been assessed by someone who has spent time testing and checking the DOG (not Pup), be a good compromise?

Even within breeds you can have diverging temperaments, pedigree increases your odds that you will get a more standardised temperament.

I observed in one Rottie litter quite diverging temperaments. One was dead from the neck up with no personality at all. One had a very well balanced temperament and one was a total psycho. Of the three the Psycho had quite a good bit of socialising, but was a real meance. Hated everyone and everything. Could pat him one minute and the next he'd try to rip your arm off. The other two were very manageable, cept I couldn't do the dog with no personality. Where was the challenge?

[Dory the Doted One]

Edited as computer spat out double post.

Edited July 5, 2010 by Dory the Doted One