We Really Want a Dog

First, keep in mind that ALL dogs can snap or bite if you push the right button and it's impossible to tell what that button might be. That said, a puppy is your best best because it's the closest to a clean slate that you're going to get. Research the best breeds for households with children here: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/children.htm

Also, while Boxers are great with children (we had two) note that they are large (70+ lbs.), clumsy, and fiesty.

HTH

I recommend a Lab. They are notoriously good with kids. We had one growing up and they are extremely friendly to kids. My brother has cerebal paulsey and walks very awkwardly and she never seemed bothered by it. She was even protective of him, like when he walked out of the house and down into a stream next to our house back before we knew he could open up doors. She stayed with him the whole time.

I want to respond in more depth aout this but I'll have tohave my coffee first but I did want to say this....whatever you decide make sure of atleast two things......(wearing gloves) can you put your hands in the dogs food dish while he or she is eating and will that dog go for your hand or just continue to eat? Very important aspect with children in the house. You can teach the kids to never takes the dogs food but you never know if one day they just might go ahead and try. The other is to make sure can tolerate being hugged...especially by a child. Some dogs for some reason feel intimidated when a small child, perhaps one who is at the dogs level hugs him.

Ok let me go make my coffee and talk more later. Have a good day and good luck!

we adopted our dog from a local animal shelter when we lived in MD. The one thing that the person we adopted from saw that callie just laid down in between the girls when the sat down beside her to pet her. My kids can crawl all over callie and she don't care. One other nice thing is hubby and i rough house with callie, but when the kids try to she doesn't. She knows the difference between the grown up's and the kids. One big thing that you must do is try to rub the dogs belly and see how she responds. If she rolls over and just lays there, that would probably be a very good dog. We adopted callie at age 2. I've never had a puppy so i can't give you advice there except i was told that it's like having a newborn all over again. An older puppy 1-2 yrs is much better.

micki

Well first I want to say that when you get a dog it is going to change the way you live life. If your going to get a puppy just realize that it is like having a brand new baby. You are its new mother and need to teach it how to be a good dog. If your going to go for the grown dog. I would recommend really spending some time with it first to see if it wll meld with your family. My family adopted a dog when he was 5 and my girls were 2 and 5. It was the best decision we ever made. And he really is like my third baby. Well good luck in whatever you choose. And just remember if you go to the shelter you are saving that dogs life. Have a great day....oh yeah we adopted a pure bred mutt and he is fabulous

Hi E., Are you sure you want a dog right now? A dog or puppy is like another child and were your son is only 7 weeks you will definelty have your hands full. Although if this is something you really want I would suggest a puppy that way it can grow with your children, just be careful with that because puppies like to nip because there babies to...I would check out animal rescue leagues and shelters, I have adopted 2 dogs from there and they have been great pets. My first dog I adopted was 2-3yrs old and the second was just a puppy. Good Luck with your decision.

Erica--Your idea is great but the timing is wrong. You are asking too much of your children and of a dog (as well as of yourself) at this stage of the game. Wait til your children are old enough to have some self control and to understand that a dog is a living being and not a toy. I work in animal rescue and have seen too many dogs discarded because they were 'vicious' when they were really only protecting themselves from well-meaning children who were too young to understand how to safely relate to a pet. Give it some time. It is also a great idea to visit your local shelter. An adult dog can be more easily assessed for temperament, may be already trained, will have been spayed or neutered, and has its shots. To try to housebreak a puppy with two kids in diapers is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. Your family will so much more enjoy a dog in a few years. Labs are wonderful family dogs, as are golden retrievers.

Hello E., I suggest getting a puppy. That way the puppy and the children grow up together. Which I think makes a major difference. The puppy as it grows will always watch over the kids. I personally have a Golden Retriever! He is the most calm and loveable and gentle dog I have ever had or seen.

I have 2 step children, one of which lives with us and got an
english bulldog three years ago. our lives consist of saying no, stop, get down, drop it, ALLLLLL DAY LONG. You can't eat because he is all over you, you can't watch a movie, you can't have company over, holidays suck, and this is after $1000 in dog training. I have a one year old baby whose toys are covered in dog phlegm constantly, dried eye drainage is all over the floor and the couch. All I do is pick up bones, hide the dog food, clean and hope to god the dog doesn't ruin another one of her naps AGAIN. My whole family loves dogs but they don't like playing with them or involving them in their daily lives so I am home with a needy whiny pain in my side and I can't enjoy playing with my baby without a dog all over her. my blood pressure is rising just typing this.

YOU WILL LOVE YOUR BOXER MIX DOG! I have an almost 2 year old Boxer purebred and he is amazing. He is my first dog ever and I have absolutely no regrets. He gets along with almost every dog he has ever run into. He is FANTASTIC with my kids who are 9 and 11. We have had him since 8 weeks old. We brought him around dogs and people IMMEDIATELY to socialize him so he wouldn't have fears. He sleeps with me (bottom of my bed) since my hubby works nice the company in my room is nice! He trained very quickly. I have heard from other Boxer owners this is typical. ENJOY!

hello get a boxer puppy. great with children. i have had mine for 11 1/2 years. C.

E.,
I am an animal lover and have 3 dogs, a German Shephard (who is a chicken) and 2 Samoyeds (mother and daughter). You live in Maine, I would tell you to get a Samoyed, they are the best with kids, especially babies and toddlers. Brandi (mamma) was 2 when I had my 4th son, when I brought him home she layed next to him and doted over him. Vixen, her daughter, was only 3 months old when Justin was born; they grew up together. Anyway you can hook up a sled to them and have the kids get pulled around, it is great. My Shepard follows the boys around constantly as well. Actually if they go outside and he is not with them he cries, it is so cute. I also have a kitten (which is my 8 year old's) and ferrets (my daughters) that come home on weekends from college. I keep telling my husband I want an Alpica but zoning won't allow it, lucky for him. LOL So go for it get the kids a dog, but get a puppy, this way it will grow up with the kids and you will know the temperment.
Hugs,
T.

I would recommend one dog over most others, A female (spayed) Labrador Retirever. They are wonderful, wonderful dogs, especially with young children. I cannot say enough about the breed. Ours is yellow and my daughter brought her into our lives later on when the kids were pretty much grown, but when we are out and meet other little kids, my dog is so nice to them. I do have to say it takes about three years to get the dog thru the puppy state. Labs need lots of loving attention. She is not the kind to snap and anyone even if she is eating food. I went to doggie school for about three semesters with our dog, and it was absolutely crucial. it would be great when your child could also go with you to help train the dog, but the ages of your children now would at this point be too young. She is now 6 1/2 yrs. old and is such a wonderful companion. Some labs do have medical issues, especially ear infection problems. That can add up! I do get lazy about walking her, especially in the winter, but it is essential. Having a puppy is like having another small child in the house, only a little easier to train sometimes. Some people swear by crate training. It was not all that successful with us, but maybe because she spend her first three years of life in a pet shop. We were lucky to get her, but if it were me I might tend more to get a lab from a breeder. Once in a while a lab shows up at the humane society, and even though the age may be older than a puppy, usually their personalities are still adaptable to a loving home. Let us know what you decide.

I think there are benefits/disadvantages to getting a puppy or a dog. A puppy is like having a newborn...we got Layla (she is a boxer) when she was 9 weeks old, it was not fun the first few nights. I wanted her to sleep in a crate...Layla would cry all throughout the night, I didn't get ANY sleep. So I caved and let her sleep in bed with us. She was pretty easy to potty train and she has never been a big chewer so no problems there. She also doesn't bark and is not "high energy" as most people think boxers are. She is also under 50lbs (she was the runt of the litter). But my 14 month daughter plays with Layla ALL THE TIME! Recently, she thinks it is funny to pull on her nub (Boxers have their tails cut off shortly after they are born...so her tail is about 3 inches long). Layla takes all of the pulling VERY well. My daughter has even used Layla as a step ladder, Layla lays there and doesn't even move. We also had Layla before we had my daughter so I knew Layla was going to be easy going. But I think with most puppys you can train them to be what you want them to be...YOU have to be dedicated though, training classes are nice but nothing is learned if it is not reinforced.

Dogs are nice to get because they are usually already trained and they are older and not a puppy anymore. Although sometimes there will be an adjustment phase dogs go through, when they are older usually they have been with families before and you never know what they were treated like. I think it is absolutely wonderful to adopt from shelters or rescue groups. Those are the lives that you will save!! So many people want pure breds and puppies.

I have many friends that have dogs, some adopted older from shelter, some adopted puppies from shelters, some bought from breeders and some bought from pet stores. NEVER buy from a pet store!!! Regardless though, they all love their dogs as if they were their children. I couldn't imagine my life without Layla just as I couldn't imagine my life without my daughter. I will say this as I tell my husband this, a dog's love is truly unconditional and we as humans have a lot to learn from them.

Whatever decision you make, I wish you the best.

If you are still interested and have not found one yet, I have a litter of shih-tzu puppies that I am trying desperately to find good homes for! Let me know. They are really cute!!

I have a wonderful female yellow lab. She was around 2 when we had our first child. She is now 7 and is a dream. I would probably opt for a puppy, but you never know. I have a friend who only gets dogs from the pound. She has found a wonderful dog there and her kids are 4 and 2. It is a huge commitment. My dog is like one of my children. Do a lot of research and talking with people. Good luck and have fun!

When my youngest son was 10 weeks old, and my oldest was 3 1/2 years, we got a puppy. I have to say that this was a crazy time, it was kind of like having another child until we got him trained to go outside to use the bathroom (which took a long time). Then he chewed up everything in the house especially my older sons toys. On the bright side, even though it was a lot of work on top of having a small baby at home, I would do it again in a heart beat. Now the dog let's the baby (now 14 months) crawl all over him, he wrestles with my older son. You can do anything to the dog and he just takes it. I think that it's a perk of getting the dog so young (just 6 weeks). Growing up with the kids is really helping him to be as friendly and easygoing with people as he is. By the way my dog is a beagle, shepard, great dane mix (strange I know but he is smaller than a lab). I hope that this helps!

Hello we recently bought a boxer pup! He is a wonderful dog beautiful and very good listener. Sweet as can be great with the kids gentle as ever!! Good luck

Hi,
I have 2 kids 13 and 3. We got a dog when my son was just 2 months old. We got a Golden Retriever. I bought him from a breeder for about $1000. I wanted a Golden becuase they seem mellow and are good with kids. Well with a preteen and an infant I realized what a mistake that was. Dogs are just like kids, you have to play with them, train them, think of the poop or pee in your kitchen while you are trying to train them, they need attention. I didn't realize how much work it would be. Sadly the dog was not getting enough attention and I felt bad dor her, but with the new baby and my older daughter I just didn't have time for the dog. We found a very nice family for her and gave her to them. A few years later we tried it again with a Pug. Again it's been hard the puppy requires a lot of work and training but the kids are older and can help more with the responsibilities. But if I could do it again I would never get a puppy. I would adopt a grown up dog that's already trained. But with kids this is hard because you just don't know the dogs backround. My daughter got bit by a neighbors dog just a few months ago, we thought he was the sweetest dog, but my kid got to close and the dog got nervous and bit her in the face. Luckily she was ok but it was scary and with kids I would never get a dog that could fit a child's face/ leg whatever into it's mouth I would go with a small dog. There are some breeds that are good with kids. I don't mean to babble here. Just wanted to pass on some experiences. Bottom line a puppy/dog is like having another baby. Are you ready for that?

Hi E.. I have two children a 2 1/2 year old son and a 1 1/2 year old daughter. I also have two dogs, a 4 year old female english setter and a 5 year old male english setter. I absolutely love the english setter breed. My mother also has two of them. I would choose to get a female puppy! The only problem with a grown dog is that you dont know the dogs history. Anyone can tell you that the dog will be great with children, but you wont know untill you buy the dog and bring it home. With a puppy, you can train it your way and you will know the whole history. I agree with one of the other girls who said dont buy a dog from a pet store. I have a friend that breeds dogs, and he said that the pet store dogs are the rejects from the litters. NEVER buy one from the pet store. Always buy your dog/puppy from a breeder with great references, and always ask to see the mother and father of the puppy/dog you are interested in. Bring your children with you pick out the pet, let them have a trial run. Oh, the reason I would go with a female instead of male, males pee on everything! They always feel the need to mark everything!! Plus I feel that male dogs are more teritorial, possesive and agressive. The difference between my dogs m/f is huge! I would highly recomend the english setter breed. Also, definatly do research, there are tons of web sites about all of this stuff. Well good luck! Keep us posted on what you decide to do.

Like Toni W below, I have a German Sheperd female, then I also have a Sheperd mix male. I got the male from the pound, he was about 1, and I got the purebred as a puppy. THey were both 1 and 2 when I had my baby Gina 2 years ago... and they are both WONDERFUL with her. I began by letting them smell her head when she was a baby, they reside in the kitchen basically... so I'd go in there wiht baby in her blanket and let them sniff her head, all the time, so they'd get used to her, her smell, etc. Now that she's an active toddler, they're great with her, they play tag with her, she runs from them laughing and they "chase" her and when she stops they lick her face (ick, but at least they're friendly towards her!) she even climbs on them, tries to ride them... and they both will put up with absolutely anything she dishes out.. and she's rough! Neither has ever snapped at her or anything. I've had Sheperds all my life, and I see they're fantastic with kids, so I'd reccomend that breed or a mix of sheperd. Also, like someone else said ( dont' remember who) labs are great with kids. I don't have one myself but my mother in law does, and her dog's great with Gina, just a little accidentally rough sometimes, cause he gets so excited to see her!

i think you should definately get a puppy to begin with because then it growms up with your children & they can tolerate it more...you have to go for dogs that are meant to be around children...we have a boxer & we got him @ 8 weeks old...obviously its a little bit hard in the beginning with training but my son was extremely wild with him: they wrestle & my son tried to ride him, pull his ears the whole nine yards but they LOVE kids so they are not going to bite them...i also got a boxer bc i wanted a dog that looked fierce im home a lot alone bc my husband is a firefighter... but he really is all bark & no bite...just make sure you do your research most important...some dogs just dont mesh with children while others were simply born to be with them...good luck :D

E., do not get a dog right now. Based on your post it is not the best thing for your family and will only create havoc in your lives. Dogs can be great for children to grow up with but the timing is not right for you. For one reason, you have a new baby who needs all your time and attention and you have a toddler who is still adjusting to the change of a new baby in the house. Dogs do not adjust to our lives, we have to adjust to theirs. They need as much attention as a child does whether they are puppies or older dogs and once you make a commitment, that dog is part of your family. Think about the added expenses of dog food, vet bills, neccessities. Think of the time commitment in walking him everyday and if you get a puppy there is housebreaking and obedience training which will take time. The dog may chew up your furniture and pee/poop on your rugs. You will be tied to the house because you have to be home to walk and feed the dog. Also safety is a huge issue, dogs and babies just don't mix and you really don't want to risk your child being bitten or worse. Do yourself a favor, enjoy your babies while they are babies and don't add this extra stress to your marriage. A dog can be a wonderful addition to a family later when you are ready. Good luck to you.

Hi E.,

A good local Humane Society usually knows their dogs well enough and as a bonus, they come with their shots and they are spayed or neutered! I recommend a female as they usually grow up a bit faster and are easier to train. Boy dogs also can get into some nasty peeing habits that aren't as prevalent as girls. You may want to ask for a dog that's a year or two or five old which has an established history with kids.
Some families split up and leave lonely wonderful dogs behind. Ask your local shelter to keep an eye out for the perfect dog!
A.

I have a 1 year old little girl and a 5 year old boxer. We began to teach our daughter how to be nice to our dog and not to climb on and hurt her once she started moving around, at about 5 - 6 mos old. I think you would be able to do the same with your daughter, teach her that's it's not OK to climb on the dog and how to be nice to it. There's many dogs out there that need a good home. Just make sure you do your homework and know the dogs history. Just know, that if you get a puppy, it's like having another baby in the house. ** Go with your gut, it's usually right!!!!