Choosing a new dog

Hi,

I looking for help in choosing a pet dog for the family. I have three kids of 1, 3, 5 years old. I'm looking for a puppy, playful, good temperment with strangers and other dogs. We have an average back garden, around 15m X 15m, and will not be left its own much during the day, and we like to go for walks as a family

My own choice is a boxer but want to make sure that I get the right dog for the kids as well!

Breeds being mentioned around the house between family and friends at the moment are Beagle, Lab, Cocker, West Highland are amongst some.

Once we are happy what we want, we will contact the IKC for reputable breeders.

Any help

I have a lab and he's excellent for my 2yr & 4yr olds.
The ISPCA is where our family always got our dogs..something special about rescuing a dog rather than ordering one.

A boxer is a lovely dog and great with kids but they can be a lot of work (mine is!). They also have tremendous energy and need lots of exercise and interaction. If our dog thinks he can get away with it, he'll find mischief, be it raiding a bin or eating something left lying around. Our collie will round up people, our boxer rounds up belongings, if you can't find a runner, glove, brush, soft toy chances are it's in his bed!

They are a beautiful dog and our boy brings us so much joy and entertainment but you'd need the patience of a saint with him sometimes. Do you know a trait of boxers is to open doors? they'll jump up and pull the handle down to let themselves through...unfortunately, I've yet to come across one that will close it behind them!

I agree with Bren1916, it's so nice to rescue an animal or give a home to one that didn't come from a breeder. Both our dogs are pedigree but one was from a rescue centre and the other came from a family who wanted to find a home for him. In the current climate there will be plenty of lovely dogs out there looking for a loving home.

Please, please, please rescue one of those many,many deserted dogs out there.

There are so many kind people in ISPCA, , Paws, ASH and others who are trying to keep the whole system going on a daily basis. They will point you in the right direction as to the temperment suited to children and the personality of the particular dogs.

I spoke to one owner of two boxers recently and he said he just does not have enough energy to keep up with them. To use his words 'they are a beautiful dog but so energetic and mischevious'.

A friend has a red setter which is a beautiful breed but he regularly eats his way through the marine plywood that is used in his kennel despite getting lots of exercise and attention and having another dog for company.

might give some advice.

Hope you find a lovely pet and one nearly as nice as ours and get as many hours of enjoyment from them as we have from ours.

Best of luck.

Having a boxer is like having a small child. We call ours "our boy". Great fun and beautiful but as mischievious as a three year old. Wouldn't swap him for the world

dogtime.com is a great website with information on most breeds and a questionarre that you can fill in where they'll tell you the best type of dog for your needs.

Good luck in getting to know your new four legged friend!

just to second what other posters are saying.... I do a little bit of voluntary work for the animal home. PLEASE consider rescuing a dog from one of the homes near you.

They deserve a good home too. which by the way most of them had a home but was'nt treated right or got thrown out on the side of a road (am i tugging on your heart strings yet?)

we had a westie for 11 years but she got cancer b4 xmas and we had to put her down. she was a fantastic dog and never snapped at anyone ever.
now in the market for 2 new puppies from September onwards and have all agreed on a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel (Blenheim) for my older daughter and a Newfoundland for the younger daughter! i know the Newfie is massive but we have loads of space and water for him to enjoy and yes i know he will eat a lot and poop a lot but not a big deal for us and yes i [broken link removed]know i will end up looking after the two of them as well as the kids !

agreed on the rescue dogs... why buy pedigree unless you intend to breed them. Aslo may be more prone to various ailments as they age. I would say get a dog that fits your lifestyle. For example, beagles are high maintenance, high energy dogs. Have you the time for one? Small yard = small dog in my opinion. On that basis the west highland is a good choice, but I have a soft spot for cockers...

Aside from all that, in my opinion one of the biggest factors in the temperment of a dog is the owner rather than the breed.

At one stage we had 7 dogs in our house! We now have a beagle - great temprement but they are hounds and will wander off to hunt etc if given the chance. I would recommend a rescue dog but avoid pedigree breeds, they tend to have more health / temprement issues. The old chestnut that a dog is for life but many people don't think of this when going on holidays or consider the commitment to exercise / keeping the dog busy and active.

go for a lab.i had one form the age of 3 months old.very good natured,super with kids and very protective.training is a must from an early age.avoid mix breeds.

We had a Springer Spaniel for 16 years. He grew up with the children - gave the children piggy backs and never ever snapped at them or anyone else. He was a huge loss to us when he passed away. My now grown up kids still talk about him with utter joy. We now have a King Charles puppy (3 months old) and she is adoreable. Not too sure if I would like small children around her as she is very excitable. Good luck with your decision and enjoy your new found friend.

We have a Samoyed, he's the friendliest and cuddliest dog ever and they adore small children. On Thursday we are getting another one, this time it's a rescue Samoyed and agree with what's being said, please consider a rescue. With the recession there are so many lovely dogs in need of a loving home.

MaryBM said:

We had a Springer Spaniel for 16 years

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Second this recommendation although do feel that they are meant to be gun dogs so therefore need plenty of exercise. That aspect though can be good for the owners too

I have a lurcher with kids the same age as yours.
She is fantastic with them...totally bombproof.
Needs to run everyday...but not too far.
She can open doors and is a bit of a houdini...but as long as you do what she needs...run,food,water she will stay at home!
The 1 yo kid is the one you need to worry about...they will eat the dog food...stick their finger in the dogs eye...bite the dogs tail...pull the dogs ear...etc.etc...so you need a reliable dog.

The good thing about a rescue dog is that if you do find its unsuitable you can bring it back.

I would not be in favour of beagle, westie and defintely not a cocker with small kids. I would rule out any terrier breed. I think a big dog is best, labs are lively but they are great to play with kids. They can knock the smallies over but they both get used to it. My sis has a fantastic lab/GSd cross rescue who is fab with her smallies.
My cousin is a small animal vet and I asked her which dog she fears most and she says cockers...as there is a strain out there bred for showing that are completely nuts.

I will go against the advice for a rescue dog. You have no idea about its temperament. You have no idea about its parentage. It matters. It is often not possible to tell what breed a rescue dog is. You have no idea how it was treated as a pup. Get a dog from someone where you can see at least one of the parents. You have small children. Get something that you can leave them alone with in clear conscience.

I have a springer, I know owner of the mother (and grandmother!). He's a lovely dog doesn't bark (being a gundog, I guess?) and as gentle as you like with the children (my son was a year and daughter four when we got him).

Boxers have to be the most stupid dogs on god's earth. Really, really daft. (My sister's got one - the training school gave her her money back...). They are lovable, though, and once they have their exercise in the morning are content to mooch around all day (my sisters is, anyway).

Sue Ellen said:

Second this recommendation although do feel that they are meant to be gun dogs so therefore need plenty of exercise. That aspect though can be good for the owners too

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+1 for the Springer Spaniel. Very friendly, intelligent & playful dog.

Regarding exercise, where do you intend walking it. They are not meant to walk by your side as retrievers do. They walk out in front of you, rising game for you to shoot. For every yard you walk they walk six. Mine is a problem if you walk him in a housing estate off the lead. His hunting instincts take over and he goes hunting cats. He can't help it, it's in his nature.

Take them to a park or fields and they are in their element.


Murt

I'd recommend getting a collie type breed. We had a when I was a youngster a border collie-jack russel mix (mongrel) and he was a scream. V loyal to family but also made great friends to the kids when on holidays down in ole Wexford. Everyone knew him the minx. Loved the beach but was prone to playing with stones and broke a few teeth, the trickster. He was my dog and still miss him yrs and yrs on.

Family now (though it's the parents now) have a border collie (also a mongrel), very intelligent is this lass. She watches tv - knows every ad that has a dog/animal in it from the music alone (no I'm not joking) and even the likes of Pet Resue programs and any program featuring dogs/cats/fish/birds etc. Unbelievable but lovable too and a scream in her own right too.
She loves her creature comforts (cushions and her own soft furnishings etc - such a girl!) and is v friendly to children too. Her compulision to hide bonio's and treats give us endless fun even when she's looking for more. She was easy to house train compared to the first lad.

She even knows Sunday and extra walkie trips to beach/St.Annes are in order compared to average day. Strange that. She can understand the word cat and goes on a mad search for one if you say cat - it's gas. Chasing squirrels is a particular pastime for her though.
She is bigger than the first dog (medium ish) but is also a part of the family - probably more so than the first in a way.

Collies are great dogs are as Labs and Cockers and will give you endless fun. But they aren't the type to like being left alone for too long - a few hrs or day/night out if no other choice would be the max. They do tend to pine and once left the run of the house (when out of the puppy stage of fretting bags and stuff in sight when bored) will go mad with excitment when you return.

While it is great to opt for a rescue, just a word of caution. We got a rescue & if I was to do it again, I would see if I could get the dog for some "home visits" before deciding. Our dog was only about 5 months when we got her, so young and yet so much baggage!! She had a tendency to snap & growl - not good traits in a family dog. We don't know what she went through in her first 5 months which has left this in her. It's taken alot of work & she is 99% now, but you still have to be very careful if she is abit under the weather.

If I had been in a position to do a few home visits, I reckon we would have spotted this in her sooner and I may not have opted to take her. I do understand that all dogs have the potential to bite, but some, often due to bad owners, are more prone to it than others.

sam h said:

If I had been in a position to do a few home visits, I reckon we would have spotted this in her sooner and I may not have opted to take her. I do understand that all dogs have the potential to bite, but some, often due to bad owners, are more prone to it than others.

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Absolutely agree.
Many of the rescue centres foster dogs out to families and these people can give you a good steer on the dog in question.
My dog is a rescue dog, as was my last dog.
I visited the current dog in the centre with a gang of kids a number of times. I reiterated to the lady at the centre that temperment was my no 1 priority and she guided me towards the dog I choose. Our dog is not a looker but has worked out really really well.

If you have concerns about a rescue dogs temperment I wouldn't hesitate to bring them back.
Also many/most abandoned dogs are abandoned because they misbehaved...chewing, digging etc because they are not stimulated enough or exercised enough. Also many are abandoned because of relationship breakdown or death of an elderly owner.

I don't know if being a pedigree gives all that much of a guarantee of temperment. Especially with all the puppy farming types selling pedigree dogs.

The brother of my sister's dog was put down because of behaviour....nothing to do with the fact he was chained up all day of course!!