| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| HFox |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 06:52:45 AM
Just last week we had to find our dog, Pippi (as in Pippi Longstocking) a new home, after she attacked our eight year old son unprovoked. It was a heart wrenching experience, but we had to come to terms with the fact that she didn't like little children. We had done everything we could to help her flourish in our family, but in the end, she just wasn't happy. All of us were very sad.
We still have our kitten, Shiloh, but we are looking for a new dog. Does anyone have any advice about a good type of dog that would enjoy being part of a family with lots of kids (soon to be four!) and living in a small town area?
We aren't looking for a dog with "papers", per se, just a friendly mut to pal around with us.
Ideas, please? |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Whisperingmeadoworganics |
Posted - Dec 30 2007 : 05:20:04 AM
try dogster too! they have loads of adoptable dogs. Also craigslist. Many shelters and rescues list on these sites. Good luck! |
| Woodswoman |
Posted - Dec 28 2007 : 5:35:58 PM
I'll add my voice to the choir-shelter dogs can be great! When I was ready to adopt, the place around here let me volunteer to walk dogs to get to know them. I ended up adopting Zena-what a great dog she has been! And, because they had prescreened her, I already knew she was great with people, kids, and other dogs, but not so much with cats.
Jennifer |
| YiberryYadeeKarin |
Posted - Dec 24 2007 : 09:37:42 AM
I'm also an advocate of getting pets at animal shelters -- we've had many "rescues" in our family and have always loved them dearly.
I also believe that if you let it, the dog will pick YOU! My best example is seven years ago. My beloved Nahanni died on Thanksgiving (the third of ours to die that year -- the other two were elderly). I checked out the shelters on Friday and Saturday but nobody quite "clicked" and I was kind of looking for a female lab (or cross). On Monday my mother had a call from someone who knew she'd lost her little dog a few weeks earlier (Mom had found her new dog at a shelter that Friday when I'D been looking!) The person who called Mom said someone had found a puppy wandering around on Thanksgiving and it was looking for a home. She said it looked just like a little retriever puppy. So I hopped in my car and drove across town -- this little dog didn't look like a retriever but more like a chow mix or something. I had never been fond of dogs with ears that stood up -- I hate to admit that but it's true! I, who needed a dog in my life after Nahanni's passing, stood there holding that little dog who needed a home and convinced myself it would be okay to have a dog whose ears might stand up... !!! It's been seven years and I LOVE Pumpkin!!! She is one of the sweetest dogs we've ever had -- and I now LOVE dogs who have ears that stand up!
For me the moral to the story is, if you go to the shelter without too many preconceived ideas of what kind of dog you should get (like it HAS to be a certain breed), and just let yourself take a look at different dogs and get to know them and see how they are with your family, you'll find the perfect pet!
Sorry. Long story. But I LOVE my dogs! Karin |
| lisamarie508 |
Posted - Dec 24 2007 : 06:40:58 AM
Our first dog, a pit bull, was a rescue. We took her in when she was six months old. She is almost 11 years old, now. She has been the most loving, patient dog. Has always been great with the kids (who are all grown now) and just loves attention from ANYBODY. She is also very protective of my daughter. All boys who come over to the house get their fingers nipped if they get too close to Felicia. DH loves that!
Then we rescued a Border Collie/lab mix. He was Felicia's dog and he was absolutely wonderful. He looked like a Border Collie but behaved more like a lab. No herding problems and had the patience of a rock. She taught him to pull her down the street on the sled in winter, to play soccer with her in the yard (he was a great goalie), go swimming with her at the local swimming hole and various other "tricks". We lost him to Lupus earlier this year and he was a great loss.
Then my dh got a pure bred Border Collie and boy is he a bundle of energy! He's two and half now and has calmed down considerably, but still has way more energy than me. He is great with young kids too, now that he is not a pup anymore. As a puppy he would try to jump on them and knock them down. He understands now that it hurts them to do that and is very well behaved with youngsters now. Extremely smart dog.
I, too, think your best bet is to go to your local shelter, take your kids with you and try out all the different dogs they have. You'll know right away if the dog likes kids or not and rescued dogs seem to know that they are being rescued and are forever grateful to their new owners. At least that has been my experience.
Good luck in your search.
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
| HFox |
Posted - Dec 22 2007 : 06:38:12 AM
Thank you for all the wonderful tips. We've been talking to ur vet, and she thinks that a Basset hound would be perfect for us. Now, all we have to do is get the rest of the holidays over with, birth this baby and get our feet under us, and it'll be off to the shelter we go!
I can't wait! |
| abbasgurl |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 6:52:30 PM
Has anyone suggested petfinder.com? Lots of great pets to be found there. You can search by breed, age, sex, and zipcode (to find pets near you). I believe there is also advice about choosing a pet.
Rhonda
I'm a one girl revolution. |
| babysmama |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 6:16:57 PM
I was just going to suggest a basset hound mix when you mentioned a smallish yard. Perfect as they can be "lazy" dogs sometimes and don't often need a whole lot of exercise. Don't be fooled by a dogs size though. Some terriers need plenty of exercise whereas some larger breeds need less than the terriers. All dogs should be walked or get some exercise everyday and in a small yard you can increase their exercise by throwing balls, etc. A puppy will have more energy and need more exercise than a 1 or 2 year old dog, so keep that in mind too.
You can write down a list of what you are looking for and mention small yard, how much time you have to walk a dog, etc. and bring it to a shelter. Most employees will be familiar with the dogs and will be able to help you find the perfect match. There are some awesome dogs at our area shelter that would fit your profile! lol Look online and see if the shelters in your area have websites, those are a wealth of information and often show pictures and personalites of pets up for adoption.
-Elizabeth |
| utahprairiegirl |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 4:16:16 PM
Ditto on shelters! They are a fantastic place to find a wonderful. loving, family pet. Hopefully you can find a shelter with staff that really get to know the dogs in the shelter. You should take time to visit the dog inside and outside and ask them if you the dog has been temperment tested around cats. Its wonderful to "Save a Life" and adopt from a shelter or rescue!
"A stitch in time saves nine" |
| lilyblossom |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 3:43:11 PM
My vote goes to Shilol shepherds, they are otherwise known as gentle giants. Ours are great with the kids and very protective. They always let us know when someone has stepped on our property by getting between us and the visitors.
Donna...transplanted KY farmgirl |
| artbysue |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 3:38:51 PM
My vote for most tolerate, patient dog with small children is the golden retriever. When my kids were little our golden was gold with those kids! :)
artist, equine portraits, animal art, farms, barns, Amish art
www.suesteiner.com www.amish-art.com
www.amulticolored-life.blogspot.com |
| HFox |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 3:36:09 PM
So much great advice as far as breeds that are good with kids. Thank you! Any ideas about one that will do well in a small-ish yard?
I already know we're going to get a shelter dog. But has anyone had any experience with a Basset Hound mix? My moms friend Carly (a farmgirl if ever there was one) had two and they were brilliant with her grandkids.
I have to admit I'm a sucker for those big Basset eyes and floppy ears.... |
| PlumCreekMama |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 2:34:28 PM
My Shih Tzus are great with my kids, especially the ones that grew up with the kids. My beloved Sukey that we lost a few months ago was like a second mother to mine. When they were babies and I had them laying on the floor, she would lay with them and if any of the other dogs came near, she would stand over the baby and growl and chase them away. She didn't even want my mom to hold Tate, she let her, but watched her very closely! My stud dog, Chester, plays with Tate like he's another dog. They roll around on the floor together and Chester grabs his leg, but doesn't bite. Tate loves it. All of them will lick the kids. The Shelties are ambivalent. They like Tate a lot better outside where they have room to run. True, they do try to herd them, but Tate thinks it's fun and they are chasing him. Shelter dogs are great too, sometimes you can find puppies or young dogs. And they do evaluate them to be sure they aren't aggressive to children. There are a lot of options, be sure you take the time to read up on breeds you are interested in to be sure it's what you want beforehand. |
| babysmama |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 12:25:10 PM
I don't think that there is any perfect breed of dog. While one person can swear that such and such is the best dog breed another person could tell you a horror story about the same breed. So it really all comes down to that particular dog. Check out a humane society and ask which dogs they think would make a great family pet. Most humane societies screen dogs and already know which dogs are hyper, calm, good with kids, etc. Puppies aren't always the best bet, as there are many loveable older dogs there as well so I think you need to go to the humane soceity without a set idea in your head and see which dog pulls at your heart strings.
We adopted a three year old terrier mix at the humane society last year and she just LOVED my kids. She slept with them, followed them around, etc. We had to bring her back though because she was not adjusting to our other dog and was getting getting aggressive towards her. She would have been perfect for a home with kids and without other dogs.
We have a 100 lb. German Shepherd/St. Bernard mix. She is a big dog and we had her two years before we had children. She is great with the kids and lets them climb on her, poke her, etc. She really is a gentle giant, yet quite leery of other people so we do have to keep her chained when in the yard.
My best advice is go to the pound and look around. Sometimes the best dogs are the plainest of dogs but make excellent friends. We have had black labs, Great Pyrenees, Aulstralian Shepherds, Pointers, etc. and they were all great dogs so don't be picky when it comes to breeds - you are sure to find a perfect one for your family.
-Elizabeth |
| nubidane |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 11:56:11 AM
Jonni
You know I have to jump in here. I LOVE Great Danes. They are truly gentle giants & while there are exceptions to every breed, I have to 2nd Jonni's advice about herding breeds. We have 2 Aussies & while one is very sociable, one is not, & they both LOVE to corner any moving objects. Then there is my Black Mouth Cur, but that is another story. But my Danes..AHH every one a big gentle giant whose size may intimidate strangers, but truly loves its family.
(plus they have very kissable snoots)
Whatever you decide, shelters have many pets in need of a great home, & if you do decide on a breed, you may consider breed rescue; just make sure it is one that is truly qualified & will be honest about each dog. If they say they are all great, watch out.
GOOD LUCK!! (pick a Dane) |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 11:22:52 AM
I think Golden's are great, too--they always seem to have such wisdom in their eyes! The two boys I babysat growing up had "Christie", a big beautiful golden. She was already 7 when they were born, but she was a true trooper!!! Sounds like your Daisy, Diane was a joy.
I love big dogs, but say, our 115 lb german shepherd (in my opionion) is TOO much dog for smaller children, and has a tendency to mow little kids down on her way to "do her job" (i.e, follow my husband everywhere) and our beagle is afraid of kids. Just ask my our friends 3 year old, Vincent!
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
| peggysue |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 11:05:27 AM
there are many rescue organizations out there, every dog i have ever owned was a rescue.. and i've loved everyone of them
Life is too short to be narrow minded. |
| AmyEllen |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 11:02:42 AM
I do agree in general that large dogs can be a bit better around kids however...... My Miniature Schnauzers are awesome with kids. If you have visited my blog and the Schauzer page and seen Anne Shirely down at the bottom..... What is cut out of the pic is my son Elijah, Anne is just despretly waiting for him to throw the stick he is holding so she can fetch it.
So it is not always neccesarily the breed, but the particular dog in the breed. Our best dog ever was a wolf hybrid. The often mistaken belief is that they are hard animals to have and not good with families, NONSENSE. This dog was awesome. She would sit still for hours letting my child with Downs investigate her teeth eyes ears, etc......
Yes I let him fiddle with her after pulling him away a thousand times, and getting the same whats wrong with you look from the dog, I sat and watched it never bothered her, she also would let Andrew hold onto her tail and walk around the house Andrew learned to walk better with her help. One of most favorite pics is a pic of her asleep on the couch with my son Andrew asleep too with his head on her hip.
I also agree with the animal shelter as a place to look, there you can often find a good animal who needs a good home. It is sad that so many end up there, and that often makes me doubt myself about breeding Schnauzers at all.
Hugs
Amy
http://lifenkansas.blogspot.com/
|
| Lainey |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 10:43:30 AM
Diane, your Daisy sounds amazing. What a great and protective girl she was, sorry to hear about her passing.
Farmgirl Sister #25
http://countrygirldreams.blogspot.com/ |
| DaisyFarm |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 10:34:28 AM
From personal experience, I don't think there's any better family dog than a golden retriever. We had to put our beloved Daisy (namesake of our farm) down in August due to cancer at 14. We got her when the girls were a little older and having never been around babies, she had a sixth sense. Once last summer there was a little guy here, barely walking, and he grabbed her ears to help pull himself up the stairs. Daisy never flinched. Then just weeks before she died, I had a woman here with another little gal that was just crawling. She turned her back on the baby and the baby began crawling towards the creek. Daisy struggled, but she pulled herself off the porch and ran down in the field and firmly planted herself on the baby's legs. No way that baby was going anywhere! She was an amazing dog and I would have another female retriever in a second.
Right now we have a 4 yr old golden lab/retriever cross who is a real clown. She's a great dog, loved to death, and a very much spoiled only child!
Di
Farmgirl Sister #73
|
| Lainey |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 10:19:31 AM
We also have two chow mix females that we adopted from our local shelter. They are loving and lively girls but might be a bit too hyper for a smaller child. Both of them were litter mates and we got them when they were just puppies. One of them has canine Lupus and has to be on medication. I agree with everyone there are a lot of sweet dogs to be found at shelters or at animal rescue organizations. I wish you luck Laura on getting the right one for you and your family.
Farmgirl Sister #25
http://countrygirldreams.blogspot.com/ |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 10:01:35 AM
Like I said, everydog is different, but not all small dogs are good for kids--especially children who are just learning "gentle" and "not too rough"...Poodles, chihauha's have a tendency to be one person dogs, and from my experience, are snappers. Pugs, indeed, are a nicer small breed, as are Boston Terriers.
Believe me, if you're looking for a puppy, there are (unfortunately) plenty of them at a shelter!
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
| Jeanna |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 09:40:46 AM
Shelters are a great option, but I really believe getting a pup and letting it grow up around children makes a big difference. I also think smaller dogs are great for children. But then you still have to check out the breed. We have a pug and she loves children and is very lovable. I run an in home daycare so I have to be real carful about pets and I couldn't be happier.
Jeanna
Farmgirl Sister #41
If both of our troubles were hung on a line--You would take yours and I would take mine. |
| catscharm74 |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 09:07:46 AM
Shelter or animal rescue organization, based on the type of dog you would like, they can pair you up with the right personality. I had a friend get a rescued Boxer and they helped with the adoption fees. The dog was already spayed, cleaned, heeld, housebroken and fit their active lifestyle with kids.
Best of luck and thank you for considering sharing your home with a furry friend!!!
Cheers,
Heather |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 08:47:32 AM
Yep, I'm for the shelter--after working in one for 2 years, there are so many wonderful pets there, and they love to be loved. There were very few that I recall that didn't love children, they were simply unwanted due to ignorance.
I grew up with a fancy schmancy papered Miniature Schnauzer who was the meanest dog on the planet, and I'm not exagerating. I personally have 4 dogs, all are different breeds (2 full bloods and 2 mixed), all are shelter dogs. My best dog is our pitbull mix. He essentially looks like a long haired pit bull and he is the most patient and loving dog ever--crazy about kids, and lets them do anything to him.
The only thing I wouldn't suggest would be herders--if you'd child runs around alot, it's their job to stop em. Now, every dog is different and there are exceptions to the rule, but frequently, I've heard from friends or relatives who fall in love with cattle dogs that they're great farmdogs, but not great house/kid dogs.
Wishing you much luck in your search. Our house wouldn't be a home without our dogs.
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
| Lainey |
Posted - Dec 13 2007 : 08:27:24 AM
Laura,
I guess each dog's personality varies, even within breeds, but the most gentle dog I've ever had or been around is the golden retriever. My golden is an 'attention junkie' or so my husband calls her. She craves all the petting she can get, but also is just content to sit near by. When we take her out for walks she loves meeting children. She's very gentle and seems to know that she has to be very careful with smaller kids. She's patient and will let anyone pet her as long as they want. I think being gentle and loyal is typical of that breed, but I'm sure there are exceptions.
Farmgirl Sister #25
http://countrygirldreams.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
