Topic: Any dog recommendations ?

[mentallot]

10yo daughter has been pestering us to get a dog for ages. Finally convinced she's serious and will take the responsibility seriously, wondering what sort.

We live in a (listed and please don't damage me!) town centre house, which has a decent garden. Five minutes drive to good parks/countryside walking.

10yo daughter (gentle and caring) and very boisterous 4yo son who doesn't know his own strength.
I've had dogs before, but the rest of the family haven't.

Was thinking rescue, but having looked over a number websites most of the stock appears to be either nervous/aggressive, therefor unsuitable for children, or to have been bred to look as dangerous as possible - not my cup of tea. Sizewise - small to medium I guess. Up to small border collie

Any thoughts or recommendations ?

Thanks :)

[Uncle Joshua]

We have a resue Staffi. People think they are big tough dogs but I have never seen one that was less than fantastic with children.

[jesssands]

We have a rescue staffy and a staffy cross. There is nothing the staffy likes more than play, which kids are really good at. They are robust enough for the toughest kids.
When our son was younger and so was the staffy, him and his mates used to try and wrap him in the duvet, always ended up in a wrestling match where all the kids and the dog would come downstairs gagging for a drink! The Stafford is traditionall called "the nanny dog"
Also, the staffy is happy to walk or run 3 miles if thats what you want to do or he is happy to be a couch potato, they fit it to your lifestyle.
Rescues are choc a block with staffies at the moment, with unscrupulus people breeding them for a quick buck, but supply is outstipping damand, big style.
However, they do have a stong mind of their own and require decent rules and bounderies. My last one was as laid back as they come, the next one was way out of control. I took him training lessons and he has lived here with us for 6 years now, mellowed a lot.
If you think staffy is for you, I would explain to any rescue that you are a 1st time staffy person and have children and try and see if they can find you a laid back one.
I am a dog rescue person, I know of many staffy rescues depending on where you are and whether you can travel. Good homes are always needed  :D

Please get in touch with me if you would like anymore info from me on this subject x   ;D

[gp.girl]

Collies can be very high maintainence, they are active dogs and can have behavial problems if you don't meet their needs. A friend has one and he does long walks, showing, herding, agility/flyball and pet therapy. He's very intelligent, as soppy as anything and loves attention but needs constant challenging to keep him happy.
I'd still look at rescue dogs, there are so many in need of homes. Please don't get a puppy, breeders really need to stop breeding more unwanted animals.
A lot of rescue organisations want people to walk their dogs so you can almost 'try before you adopt'. Plus the dog gets out of the kennel for a afternoon :D
Hope you find the right dog for you.

[manicscousers]

We, too, have a female staffy, brilliant with kids . I have been told males can be more aggressive but don't know if it's true. Maisie is the best tempered dog we have had and our grandsons, 13 and 4, love her to bits  ;D

[cornykev]

A Goldfish.    ::)

[Jeannine]

Pug, tough, playful, doesn't need much grooming, can keep up with the kids, will romp about the garden on walk on leash, small enough to take wherever you want to go but very robust. A big dog heart in a smaller package. Very loyal and loving.

I bred them for many years and thery stood up well to my children.

There is a pug rescue society in the UK.

Other choice, a Boston Terrier, similar to above in  temperment etc wee bit bigger.

Most breeds have their own rescue society if you look online or look on  The Kennel Club site as they used to have a list. Often a dog will be rehoused by a breeder if not suitable for showing and breeding.

 I would start to coose with a blank piece of paper and write down wants and not wants. eg

Short hair or long hair, will it need professional grooming regularly, this can be expensive,if short haired it will conastantly shed,is it a breed that has heredity health problems, if  yes, then you need a breeder whp screens their breeding stock. Excercise, does it need long regular walks or will a romp in the grdena and a few other walks be enough. Is it a dog who is altered in any way at birth, eg tail docking, this matters ver much to some folks. Life expectancy, the bigger the dog, the shorter the life, eg a Great Dane usually doesn't live beyong 9 or 10 whereas a small poodle can live to 18. Does it drool. some breeds are heavy droolers and that can be a big problem, short leg dogs especially if long haired are always messy underneath and the hair matts quickly. Are you beach people, some dogs love the water but some breeds have fur that matts fast if wet and rubbed dry.

The Kennel Club has a list of breeds with descriptions, breed standards and  photographs which should be very useful.

Gradually you can custom design a breed to suit your family.

Good luck.

XX Jeannine

[fitzsie]

If you can't decide then take one of the Selection quizs below. Put in your choices and at least it will narrow the selection a bit, especially if a child is involved.  It's also fun as well !!


http://www.doggiedealer.com/dog_breed_selector.php

http://selectsmart.com/DOG/

[MissBaritone]

I don't recommend a border collie with young children in the house. I have one and he's beautiful but he's very hard work. He needs a lot of exercise and stimulation (I do flyball and agility). They do need very strong leadership and young children really aren't always up to the task. I would recommend something like a cocker spaniel. Very nice friendly dogs and very good natured.

It is worth contacting rescue kennels. A good one will take care to match you with an appropriate dog. Whereabouts in the country are you based and I might be able to help point you in the right direction

[Fayzie]

I have a jack russel/miniature daschund cross who is the perfect wee dog for my 18 month old daughter.  The dog is 7 years old and never bothers with my daughter pulling tails or "patting" her a bit hard.  My daughter has grown up knowing when she is getting too rough and loves it when the dog pulls her around with her squeeky toys, they are best friends and many a time fall asleep on the couch together. She still gets all the love and attention when my daughter is sleeping and although they have a bad reputation with being nippy that has never been a problem as we taught her from an early age not to bite or snatch. 

[mentallot]

Collies can be very high maintainence, they are active dogs and can have behavial problems if you don't meet their needs. A friend has one and he does long walks, showing, herding, agility/flyball and pet therapy. He's very intelligent, as soppy as anything and loves attention but needs constant challenging to keep him happy.
I'd still look at rescue dogs, there are so many in need of homes. Please don't get a puppy, breeders really need to stop breeding more unwanted animals.
A lot of rescue organisations want people to walk their dogs so you can almost 'try before you adopt'. Plus the dog gets out of the kennel for a afternoon :D
Hope you find the right dog for you.

re colllie: Have had a collie in the past and they are indeed crazy hard work - wouldn't go there again unless I could commit 2-3 hours every day
re puppy: no worries - not in scope in any way :)
Thanks for the input

[hartshay]

I see that a cocker has been mentioned.   If you do choose one of these ..or any of the gundogs, especially spaniels  DON'T get a working bred one unless you want to spend a lot of time and energy with a a super-active pocket rocket.   In recent years the working bred ones have become very popular with the shooting folk which has meant that many dogs have gone to pet homes and because people are unable to manage them they end up in rescues.  Dont get me wrong (I have had many over the years) and  they are fantastic dogs ..great with children ...but their activity levels make collies seem sluggish.  If you do go for a show bred cocker they will still be active and friendly and still need lots of attention but at least a couple of walks a day will keep them very happy.....

[gardentg44]

great danes make beautiful dogs for children.this is our 3rd one in the last 25 years.they don't need as much excersise as most small dogs too.

[gardentg44]

forgot to add.all our danes have been rasied with my grandchildren ages bettwen 3 and 13 years .and my children before them.the worlds largest lapdog.we also have a jack russell.  i do not trust around my grandkids.smaller is not better.

[Obelixx]

We have a rescue dog who looks a lot like a Tibetan terrier except her coat is like sheep's wool.  We've had her 4 years and she's been perfect - fun, cuddly, playful, loving and easy to train.   10 days ago we went to a training session - cos she enjoys the games - and came home with another rescue.

This one is a two year old labrador but is a puppy in his head.  He was given, with a Bichon, to an old man to help cure his depression but the old man stayed down and so this labrador has never been outside except for a small courtyard, never been on walkies, been trained, had a collar or lead or toilet training.  He is the soppiest, cuddliest, over grown lap dog and is responding well to training and care.

Getting a dog of any size or age is a commitment that needs time and care to teach it its manners and give it a good life, not to mention all the food bills and vet's fees for annual jabs, micro chip and so on.   Go for personality, not looks, and remember that mongrels are often brighter and less prone to genetic problems than pure breeds.  Places like the RSPCA will be happy to advise you on the suitability of any dog in their rescue centres.

[sunloving]

I discovered when i got my fab dog Jake that the RSPCA only have the dogs involved in cases in thier kennels in blackpool many of which are severely damaged and they farm out the others to the local boarding kennels.

I phoned my local one and asked them to keep an eye out for a young medium sized dog and call me when one came in. Three days later i met my lovely Jake. There was a 10 day wait to make double sure he wasnt anyones and then he was mine. A lovely mostly welsh collie. we've had a ball for the last 9 years.

If you get a mongrel they will live a lot longer than a breed and have far less congenital problems so i recommend a medium mongrel from your local boarding kennels.

Good luck and happy wag filled times ahead!
x sunloving

[mentallot]

Thanks to all for taking the time to advise. I think proactive is the thing here so I will register with the local places and wait to see what comes up.

Thanks again  :) :)

[mentallot]

Went to the rescue centre on Saturday, twice, and then collected on Sunday. Two(ish) year old tan & white terrier cross, absolutely fab disposition. And as it turns out housetrained :)
Needs to learn a few manners around food but otherwise seems ideal

Seems to like the allotment as well - even better !

[MissBaritone]

congratulations and well done on taking a rescue on

[Squash64]

Congratulations - any chance of a photo?