Tell me about your kid friendly dog

[moonpie]

The kids have been asking for a dog for a few years and we finally feel like the timing is perfect. We’ve been watching our animal shelter for quite some time and we haven’t seen anything that has been a good match. For various reasons our local rescues also aren’t working out (kids under the age of 8, or breed specific rescues that I don’t think would do well with our family environment).

So, I think our best option is to try to find a breed specific rescue for a breed that would work with our family. We are willing to drive around 15 hours one way to pick up, so our location is pretty wide.

Tell me about your kid friendly dog! Preferably medium sized so it fits in the suv with us, and active enough that it would enjoy hiking, swimming, camping, etc.

[tiki]

We brought home a 6 month old very very mixed breed rescue puppy last year when our daughter was 5. We couldn't even meet the dog before committing (we did get info and some videos from the out-of-state foster home), so it was a total leap of faith that the rescue would match us up with the size and temperament dog we needed.

For being kid-friendly, I think the key was going younger so the dog didn't already have fears or past bad experiences with kids. While I *hated* having to housetrain a puppy, the result has been a dog that I have no concerns about around my own or others' kids. If I had to do it again, I'd stick with a similar size (30 lbs as an adult), go younger than 6 months just to be on the safe side, and have kids do all feedings for the first few weeks so the dog understands that kids are to be respected like adult humans, not put in their place like they're fellow pets.

ETA: Trying to figure out how to give you breed advice since our dog is a mutt. DNA testing says she's a Yorkie-Pomeranian-Pittie-other stuff mix, and IMO her personality is much more like a larger dog than a toy breed. I know many people have negative opinions about bully breeds and some leases and local laws even prohibit them, but in our case I think it was the secret sauce to getting a wonderful family-oriented dog. 

[ny96]

We have a doodle wheaten terrier mix and she has been great with our kids, especially the younger one who was scared of all dogs, including her for a while after we got her. She was a rescue from Tijuana and they said she had been with a family and not on the streets, but our vet was a bit skeptical about that given her health and seeing with her some of the issues they see in street dogs. We were very clear with her from the beginning that our 6 year old was off limits unless he approached her, and she has been pretty gentle with him, as opposed to roughhousing with our 10yo. We asked a lot of questions before we adopted her, and they couldn’t answer a lot of them, we also didn’t get a chance to meet her until the adoption day because they brought her up from Tijuana. I’d say trust your instincts. We paid a non refundable deposit to be given the opportunity to adopt her once we met her and I’m glad we did, but I would have been ok walking away if she was not the dog for us.

[countthestars]

I think this is so tricky because even dogs from the same litter can have such different temperaments. The rescue where we got Piper made you spend some time together with the dog with the whole family there to see how you react with the dog and how the dog reacts with you. Piper ended up being a great fit for our family, although she is bigger than we expected she was going to be, and sheds more than I had hoped. She is a Great Pyrenes, Bulldog, Hound mix, though she looks like a big, stocky hound. She is active but lazy, if that makes sense. She doesn't need multiple long walks a day, but she can keep up with us for a hike or an adventure. I would say that training is the most important thing.

Good luck! I hope you find the right pup for you!

[meowmaps]

I grew up with the sweetest, most loving black labrador retriever. I haven't had a dog since but I'm reminded by how wonderful the breed is because we have a yellow labrador retriever in our neighborhood. When I see that dog she greets me like an old friend and snuggles right up against me. I think they make the best family dogs.

[charlatti]

Do you have any foster-based rescues in your area? Those groups seem to do a great job of matching families with pets because they can see the dog in a home environment.

Not helpful breed info: Our dog is a small beagle mixed with something fluffy [terrier? Yorkie? Who knows) and was about 5 when we got him. He’s fine with dog savvy kids — 4ish is the youngest he’s met. Previous dog was a Lhasa apso and definitely not kid friendly. He figured out how to coexist with our daughter when she was born but it was never easy.

[starburst604]

You can't go wrong with a lab, they really check all your boxes. Our lab is 90 lbs but he's 10 lbs overweight. In stature he's medium, fits well in our SUV and would be in heaven going hiking, camping and swimming. Our Golden is a really good boy too, he's just not as into being active as the lab.

[penguingrrl]

Personalities follow the individual dog, not the breed, in my experience. We have a 6 year old cocker spaniel that we got from a breed-specific rescue at 9 weeks old (they had taken in the pregnant mother) and she has been an amazing family dog. She loves kids, adores my kids (even my son who was newly 5 and pretty wild when we got her) and is amazing. She’s not quite 30 lbs, so a good size, too. She’s the sweetest thing in the world, except to one particular dog who lives around the corner from us whose guts she hates for some unknown reason (and that dog hates our next door neighbor’s lab in the same way; we joke that our block is “Dogs of our Lives” with all the drama).

[loira]

Is there a reason you wouldn't consider getting a dog from an ethical breeder?

I love tollers, which are the smallest of the retriever breeds. My girl is about 40lbs but she's on the bigger side for a female. They can be really active and definitely need to fulfill that drive to retrieve but they are chill in the house and generally great with kids. My dog knows exactly which toys are my DD's stuffies and which are hers to chew, for example. BUT they are not a well known breed so unlikely there are many rescues for them. If you wanted to learn more, I'd suggest definitely looking them up and familiarizing yourself with them. I would say they are generally more loyal than labs or goldens but also more stubborn, and they are very smart. If you do not train a toller, it will train you.

You could also consider a miniature poodle. They are medium size and I hear they make great family pets. I don't have one but my neighbour does and her kids adore their dog.

[mofongo]

Pugs are very kid/people friendly, but your last sentence knocked them out of contention! Lol, but there is a really big rescue in Houston, Pug Hearts of Houston.

[pinkpeony08]

I learned a ton after our most recent rescue. We had a dog behavior expert to help us make the call to take her back. She said the best things to help find a nice dog is to learn about temperaments of the parents, temperaments of prior litters and have someone who knows what they are doing raise the early days of the litter, then look at trying to maximize exposures and socialization before 12 weeks. There is this window where before 12 weeks, everything they see is just a normal part of the world and helps them learn that thunderstorms, different types of people, etc are a normal part of the world.

I would reach out to a well regarded rescue and see if someone there could help you try to find the right dog for you. Another option would be to reach out to your local humane society and see if they have any leads on puppies fostered through humane society well known contacts.

Our current dog was found for us by the behavior specialist - she’s a mutt (we sent her dna - she’s a mix of husky, Norwegian elk hound, collie). She came from a dog pair living in a hoarder house that has had prior litters - so they knew the parent and prior litter temperaments. Her friend, a humane society employee, fosters a mom and litter once a year and our dog came from this litter. She has her own antics (we joke she didn’t ready a dog handbook), but she’s great and she loves our kids.

Good luck - try to be patient to find the right fit!!

[InBetweenDays]

Our dog is 80lbs so not mid size. But he fits in the suv with the kids and the motto in our house is "there's always room for Leo" because he thinks he's a smaller dog than he is and will squeeze into small places to be near us

He had been abandoned on a fire ant hill as a young puppy with his siblings and we adopted him when he was 8 months (he was transported from Texas to Washington with two of his brothers) so we didn't know for sure what breed he is. But the DNA test said 50% lab, 25% Staffordshire Terrier, 12.5% Sharpei, and 12.5% "working breed". He is fabulous with kids.

ETA he loves hiking and camping. But he'll put himself to bed while camping which is pretty funny. He also LOVES swimming. He runs with me pretty regularly, but is not at all hyper so if we don't get him out to exercise occasionally it isn't an issue.

[chedifuen]

Both my boys are super friendly and good with kids. We have a mid-sized Aussie, he's probably a mix of a mini and a full sized. He's great with the kids and just generally the best dog that ever lived.

We also have a cavalier king charles spaniel and he's the most friendly and sweet dog in existence. He's an absolute doll with all kids and he's small but super sporty.

[jewel]

Our good friends got a yellow lab puppy last year. He was the most chill puppy I’ve ever seen, and has grown to be the most wonderful, kid-friendly dog. He comes with them to school drop off and pick up and tolerates all kinds of shenanigans from the school kids.

We used to have a husky, from a husky rescue. He was advertised as kid and other animal friendly, and ended up being closer to “semi-tolerant.” He had a VERY strong prey/chase instinct and was pretty easily startled/reactive. My in-laws watched him during the day while we worked. Once we had a baby, and he turned into an active toddler, we gave the dog to my in-laws to live there full time. He really wanted to be a good dog, but we couldn’t trust him to be safe around any kids. I’m guessing this was more just his personality and history, than husky-specific, but who knows.

[Jalapeñomel]

This is a dog specific thing not a breed specific, as any breed dog can be wild, aggressive or friendly and kind.

I would reach out to a local rescue, not necessarily a breed specific one, and then go from there.

It may take a while to find the right dog, but patience will pay off.

[honeydew1894]

We are an allergy family so we have only had hybrid mixes. We've had four so far, and the best personalities were Labradoodle, Cavachon, and Cockapoo. Our Maltipoo is friendly with kids, but extremely aggressive toward other dogs.

[circa1978]

Mar 9, 2024 7:26:10 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

This is a dog specific thing not a breed specific, as any breed dog can be wild, aggressive or friendly and kind.

 I mostly agree with this but there are some breeds that are a better match for kids than others as a general rule, not always. American Eskimo Dogs are a good example where rescues often don't place them with children without really vetting their temperament. I've had two Eskies and love them but they tend to be better for experienced, adult dog owners. 

[devonpow]

We have a doodle - an old English sheepdog/poodle mix (Sheepadoodle). We had the same issue of shelters not allowing us to get a dog due to younger children and no fenced yard (which…we live in a city. No one has fenced yards). Anyway.

I think she has been amazing with our kids. Very smart, very loving, keeps an eye on everyone but doesn’t overly “herd” the kids. They call old English sheepdogs “nanny dogs” for good reason. No nipping to get attention or here either - they bump you with their heads instead. She’s an absolute love and very calm. She’s about 65 pounds. We got her when our kids were 4 and 9.

[magpie]

I agree that individual personality probably matters more than breed. Right before I got pregnant with our first kid, we adopted a red heeler mix puppy from a rescue. She is 45 pounds and has been the absolutely best dog we could have asked for. She's active and athletic (I still take her running still at age 11!), a great hiking dog and she's smart. She's extremely good with kids of all ages. Our nextdoor neighbor was terrified of dogs when we moved here and now, one year later, he's basically in love with her! I think I credit some of why she is so good with kids to the fact that we did a lot of obedience training with her, especially when she was new. She isn't a perfectly obedient dog, but the training has helped establish a pack order in our household that she understands and respects. I also think we just got lucky. When it's time to get another dog, I plan to adopt another mixed breed, hopefully around 6 moths to 2ish years old. All my dogs have been rescues so far and I've had great luck.

[icedcoffee]

Beagles check all your boxes!! They are seriously the most kid friendly dogs. My kids can do anything to them and if they get annoyed they will just stand up and walk away or go to their safe place (crate). They are so sweet and kind and are always up for camping or hiking. Our older one loves to swim. TBD on the baby since this will be her first summer with us. They are THE perfect size.

And there are a lot to rescue. Beagles are the bomb.

Regardless definitely go through a rescue. Ours knew every dog inside and out. They basically picked ours out for us and they were right. She’s perfect for us.

[midwestmama]

Not usually a medium-sized dog, and maybe not a popular opinion, but our German Shepherd is great with our kids. We got him when DD was 8 and DS was 9. He has never been aggressive towards other kids when my kids' friends come over. German Shepherds are an active breed, so would enjoy camping, hiking, swimming, etc., with their family. They are also protective of their family, and generally have a good sense of people with good intentions v. people with bad intentions.

I would agree with what some others have said, that temperament can depend on other factors besides breed, or may not always be consistent with what is typical for the breed.

ETA:  DD accidentally let our dog out just as the Amazon delivery person arrived yesterday.  Our dog did his big bark because he saw a stranger, but then went up to the driver and gave a friendly greeting.  So either he's a Lab in a German Shepherd body, or he could tell the driver was a good person.

[livinitup]

We got our Chihuahua mix at a local rescue and he is great for our family. At 16 lbs, he is big for his breed (hence he’s a mix) about the same size as our cat. He is a wonderful hiker and jumper (remarkable really), loves being with us and absolutely no bite reactivity. He’s smart and loyal. Great on car rides. He has a big bark for a small dog but can be quieted with attention. He absolutely hates the UPS truck that drives down our street. He will bark at new people but warms quickly. He was 1 or 2 years old when he came to our home. So, house trained and good with kids and the family. He had 2 previous foster homes with good reports.

When we were in the market for a family dog, I was shocked at how many obstacles rescue places put in our way. I get it, volunteers run most places and can be odd. I say to keep trying.

[notsopicky]

I've never had a Lab as a pet, but my dad works with training service dogs, primarily Labs. From what I've been told (and see, when I'm around the dogs from the org), they are pretty remarkable dogs. One thing you might consider is finding a service dog org near you and letting them know your interest if they end up with a "career redirected" dog. Sometimes a SDIT (service dog in training) ends up not being a good fit for the org's specific work, but they are wonderful dogs and super well trained. In those cases, they are adopted out.

[aspentosh]

<--- she ticks all your boxes. 100% AmStaff. She's just under 50lbs, so a pocket pittie, and loves hiking, swimming, going on walks, playing with kids, cuddling, etc.



But I do agree this is more dog dependent than breed specific. We fostered over 20 pit mixes before COVID and all of them went to families with kids. BUT that doesn't mean all the possible pit mixes our rescue had would have been good fits. So finding a rescue that works with you would be huge so you can see their temperaments. A good rescue will not rush to get a dog into your house, but rather find the perfect dog for your family.

FWIW, my sister's chihuahua has bitten MANY people, I was attached by a cocker spaniel when I was in elementary school, and my H was attacked by a lab mix. So really, you gotta look at the DOG vs the BREED.

[nicolewi]

I had golden retrievers growing up, and I truly do believe they are absolutely fantastic, sweet family, dogs, in most cases, but they are also very prone to different cancers. We have an Australian Labradoodle now, and those are supposed to be good family dogs. Ours is great. They are very popular in my area.

I tried really hard to do the right things in getting a dog, but I found it to be very difficult. I was personally leery of doing a rescue because I wanted to know about the background and early life of the dog. I also needed a (hopefully) less allergenic dog.

Knowing what I know now, I would research a breed or mix of breeds in advance. I would personally choose breeds that are known to fit your needs. Yes, you could have a super sweet, chill border collie, but your odds are much greater of a border collies that is super energetic and require tons of interaction that isn’t practical for a family, for example.

I would either go through a reputable breeder, or a very good rescue that does a lot of screening and provides you with a lot of information on the dog you will be getting. There are some rescues I would trust and some I would not. If you go through a breeder, I would find out a lot about what they do with the puppies prior to pick up; and how they’re handled, where they are capped, if they start on any early training. The one thing I wish our dog had had was a lot more handling when she was very small and still with the breeder; she is not great for the groomer.

Some possibilities:
Golden retriever
Lab
Doodle mixes—lots of dislikes on here, but I have and know many awesome doodles
Wheaten terrier
Portuguese water dog (needs a lot of activity and loves to swim)
Samoyed (gorgeous but blow out that coat a couple times a year with massive shedding)

[pugz]

Mar 8, 2024 19:33:20 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Pugs are very kid/people friendly, but your last sentence knocked them out of contention! Lol, but there is a really big rescue in Houston, Pug Hearts of Houston.

haha I was about to comment pug too. And to be fair mine does like running and being active but she also likes to sleep. But she can only run and be active if it is under 70 degrees and no humidity. 

[isabel]

Mar 9, 2024 17:08:15 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

Beagles check all your boxes!! They are seriously the most kid friendly dogs. My kids can do anything to them and if they get annoyed they will just stand up and walk away or go to their safe place (crate). They are so sweet and kind and are always up for camping or hiking. Our older one loves to swim. TBD on the baby since this will be her first summer with us. They are THE perfect size.

And there are a lot to rescue. Beagles are the bomb.

Regardless definitely go through a rescue. Ours knew every dog inside and out. They basically picked ours out for us and they were right. She’s perfect for us.

Biased, but ditto. We had two beagles and then one who lived into the infant phase of our lives. She was wonderful with them. So patient and sweet. We just got a new beagle mix puppy and so far she's been incredibly sweet and chill with both of them. Our previous beagles did really long hikes and even 14ers with us. Like a PPer said, they were active, but lazy. They could get up and go, go, go, but were also perfectly content with one walk a day and were lazy as could be otherwise. I suspect this one will be similar. She can zoom around the yard like crazy, but if she's not doing that, she's curled up in her dog bed.

The only drawback for me is they really can't be off leash. They're too scent-driven.

[redpenmama]

Mar 8, 2024 19:33:20 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Pugs are very kid/people friendly, but your last sentence knocked them out of contention! Lol, but there is a really big rescue in Houston, Pug Hearts of Houston.

Haha...I was going to suggest a pug too until that last sentence. They are not hikers. But they're great with kids—I've had a pug since I was 10 years old.

Labs came to mind as well. My brother had two and they were both great with my kids. 

[redheadbaker]

All dogs are individuals. Your best bet is to make a list of your preferences:
- activity level
- what level of grooming you're willing to deal with (like, can you afford to pay for grooming every two to three months for a long-haired dog? or do you prefer something with short hair that just needs nails clipped every once in a while)
- size
- cuddliness -- do you mind a lap dog, or do you prefer one who isn't Velcroed to your side?

And take that to a shelter or rescue and ask them for recommendations.

Our pit bull mix (in his younger years) would have ticked all those boxes. 

[hermione]

We adopted a Career Changed Dog through Leader Dogs for the Blind. He's a black lab. He failed out because loves squirrels and people too much. When we went on the wait list I said I wanted a male or female over 1 year of age - that way they'd have had a year's worth of top notch training. Quincy is the best pet ever!