Online Parent Support Chat

Moms and Dads, what is a good family dog?

We would love to have a dog for our kids. My oldest is 2 and my youngest....well she has yet to make her arrival :) We would love a larger breed (not too big though). What is your experience with dogs and what would you recommend as a good family dog as well as a trainable watch dog and protective of our children?

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7 comments:

Anonymous said...

im pretty much with the general crowd here...lab, or golden retriever, both are great dogs for kids, but any dog can be good with kids if raised right, i dont recommend pits for just anybody either, it takes a certain kind of person to raise a pit and i woudnt recommend just anyone going out and getting one, especially with kids in the house great danes are gentle giants too... i have a little ankle biting shih tzu, shes a wonderful kids dog, and loves everybody, but shes a little dog....she is a breed that doesnt shed at all though, you have to take hair into account if you are going to have the dog in the house. and non shedding = no allergies :)

we get it d-kat you dont like dogs, no one is asking you to get one, when she wants to know what camera system or breed of cat to get im sure she will be sure to let you know. some people would just rather have a dog then a security system, security isnt the only reason to have a dog.

Anonymous said...

golden retrievers are AMAZING dogs! Soooo loving an loyal and sweet and kind natured and DO NOT turn on you! They are amazing I hope this helps and you love them1!!

Anonymous said...

A Boxer... preferably a female if you want a larger bread, but not too big.
I had two growing up and just got one not too long ago. They're wonderful. They're extremely friendly, playful, well behaved and protective. They don't shed and are very easy to take care of. They do have a lot of energy though, so if you don't have a backyard for them to run around in, I wouldn't suggesting getting one. (Glad you do!)
My boys spend HOURS in the backyard throwing sticks, watering cans (for whatever reason, she LOVES playing with them and has a whole bunch to chew) and watching her run laps in the yard. She hears a car drive by, sees lights, hears someone walking, she stops what she's doing and goes to see what's going on. She's extremely friendly...doesn't bite but she'll certainly lick you to death.
Best Wishes =]

Anonymous said...

I grew up with kids that had golden retrievers and they were all lovey when I went to their homes. My oldest daughters friend has a chocolate lab that wouldn't harm a fly- he's so cute and even tempered.

When I was little we had a pit bull so that's not the best of choices. LOL But he was loving to us.

Edit: I don't actually recommend a pit bull for anyone with kids. Our dad was an extremely faithful self proclaimed dog trainer. I wouldn't get a pit bull in our own home! LOL

Anonymous said...

Labs are really great for being playful, but tend to chew a lot (especially on things the baby has pooped on--something about the smell drives them crazy). They also tend to get overexcited and their tail knocks over the toddlers. Overall, though, they tend to be relatively easy to train when they'll listen to you, and make great pals.
We currently have a German Shepherd, and he's AMAZING. We got him as an adult, but he's fabulous around children (my vet says that's pretty typical of the breed) and is a very social dog. If you can find one that's well trained already, I'd say go with that, because we have been counting our lucky stars ever since we got this guy. They are generally very good family pets and are excellent watch dogs as well. Ours is so good we can literally take him outside off the leash and he still obeys our commands. Our children can take food out of his mouth and he doesn't complain. I strongly recommend finding an adult dog that someone else is getting rid of. Make sure he already has an established rapport with children and doesn't have behavioral issues. With a newborn on the way, you're not going to have much time or patience for training a dog, and you'll be grateful you got one you're not scrubbing up poop and pee with when you need to attend to the baby.

Anonymous said...

Labs and Goldens are great family dogs, but I consider them to be a large breed. A large breed I favor for an all around dog, Greater Swiss Mountain or Bernese; same dog, one just has a longer coat.
Breeds that are smaller than these dogs, but not small-small
Shelties are good and so are Basenjis.
DON'T get an Akita, they are pretty, but are tempermental.

Here is a great site to check out all sorts of breeds; thier sizes and temperment/qualities.

Anonymous said...

Even though you said you were interested in larger dogs....I have to suggest the Bichon Frise. They are the best dogs ever :) They are between small and medium size. Their hair is white, fluffy, and soft. The best part is that they are hypo-allergenic and do not shed one bit! They don't have that "dog smell", which is great. Mine is the nicest thing you could ever meet. She loves anyone and everyone...and loves to play all the time! She also loves to snuggle. Look up a Bichon Frise..you won't regret it!

p.s. In some of the picture they have this humongous hair, which in my opinion looks stupid, so if you don't like the looks...keep in mind you don't have to cut their hair like that.

p.p.s even though they are small....they are great watch dogs. Mine always lets me know if someone is here or if there is something wrong. They are very smart.