As others have said, I also prefer getting an adult dog with small kids around (puppies and young dogs will go through temperament changes and you don't want to end up with an aggressive dog). You can get one from a breeder if you want to meet parents, health tests, etc. or you can get one from a rescue's foster home (ex. our rescue just had a 2-4 year old dog living with a 2 year old).

I also would suggest waiting until your youngest is in the 5-7 year range. My parents got a dog when I was born, but by the time I was able to really enjoy having a dog, he was older and less active. I've also wished they had waited to get one until I was older. http://www.pitbull-chat.com/images/smilies/frown.png

This statement explains it all. I don't think you should really be asking what Breed is good with children. Be it large or small, any breed can not be the right fit for your family.

I would wait until the children were older if you want a puppy. Puppies nip, jump, make messes, etc just like your small children would. I'm not you, but that's wayyyyyy to much for this girl to handle.

I would definitely do a reputable shelter with an older temperament tested dog who has exposure with young children. I also suggest reading up on canine behavior and body language so that you will be well prepared. Good luck with your search. I agree with everything Gatorpit said!

One more thing I wanted to add. Be ready if you bring a dog of any age in, to train your kids. Kids(espically young ones) like to poke pinch and hit and I've had a family member who train their dogs but not the kids and When the child repeatedly hit and kicked the dog in the face while it was cornered the dog finally nipped his face to get away. My uncle kicked the crap out of the dog and put the dog down. It was a very well mannered dog and took that abuse for a long time before it snapped and it suffered. It made me so mad because their kids were so mean to their dogs on a daily basis and tge parents just watched and did nothing.
My son has rules with our dogs (and he's always testing them. Kids are much harder to train than most dogs lol) my son can't poke eyes pinch or climb on the dogs among other things. So its always an ongoing battle trying to make sure everyone is behaving themselves while around the other one.

I just wanted to add here, and I'm surprised nobody has brought this up, that if you get a puppy...do you have the time? You have a couple of small children who I'm sure keep you busy and on your toes 24/7, do you also have time to train a puppy? Obedience, potty training, crate training, leash manners, constantly watching him to make sure he doesn't eat something he's not supposed to, etc etc. When I adopted my puppy at 12wks from a shelter this summer, I could NOT imagine having a child along side. That dog kept me so busy day after day after day, for months. If I had a baby alongside, I don't know what I would do.

When I browse Craigslist, the #1 reaason why people are getting rid of their dogs (most of them puppies) is "we just don't have the time to give the dog/puppy the attention it deserves"

I would just hate for you to get a puppy for your kids, and then realize a few months down the road that you are going crazy and have no time for the dog, and then just get rid of it. http://www.pitbull-chat.com/images/smilies/frown.png

I have to completely disagree with the breed suggestion above. FYI there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. I grew up with a Shih Tzu and I got bit by him more times than I can count. I was too rough with him. And he was an aggressive dog. Not that the breed as a whole is. I just do not recommend a small dog around children. They can be more snippy and they are more likely to be injured by the child. My mom has a 4lb poodle and I worry every time my 9 month old daughter is around her. One because that dog can't handle the same degree of roughness that Sasha (28lb Terrier mix) can and could easily be hurt even by a 9 month old. But I also know that dog has nipped at her 3 times. (My mom doesn't know that I know that, my sister informed me about 2 of the times and the other time I was dogsitting the dog) I've requested that they keep the dog and my daughter separated but I've come to find out they haven't. I worry for my daughter being a baby even that little dog could hurt her, but I also worry for the dog.

I recommend a medium sized dog, a sturdy dog. In a home with young children. I also recommend a young adult dog. I'll tell you I don't think my daughter and Sasha would have hit it off so well if Sasha hadn't already been 2 when my daughter was born. She very calm for a dog her age but also she has been through training and she is an adjusted dog and she has a very sound temperment. Our other dog that passed away in May, we had him from the time he was 9 weeks old. He was a purebred. He would have bit her by now. I'm certain of it. I wouldn't have believed it then but now that she is crawling and after Sasha. I'm pretty sure he would not have stood for it. He was sick that was part of it. But he did not have the most stable temperment. He was a great dog, but he could only take so much. I don't think he could have handled her. He was 2 and a half.

I've had a lot of dogs and I love puppies, I absolutely love puppies. But I've noticed you really don't see the dogs true colors until they reach maturity.

If I were you I would get an adult, again if Sasha had been a pup right now I think we would have a very different and not so good dynamic. It wouldn't have worked. But I'd much rather at this point if I were to get a dog for our family right now get an adult and my shelter (well its a rescue) that I adopt from has all the dogs in foster homes, they don't have an actual shelter. I would much rather adopt an adult that has already matured and already displays their true temperment, than risking getting a puppy and the puppy having a bad temperment and risk the safety of my child and my other dog. And risk breaking all of our hearts if the dog didn't work out.

Another suggestion which is what we are going to do next. Find a rescue that has a foster to adopt program. Its a good way to find the right dog for you. They will try to match you with a good fit and if the dog isn't a good fit, no harm no foul. Eventually you will find the right fit.



If I were in your situation looking for a dog. I would look for a dog that is between 2-5 years old, I would look for a medium sized sturdy built dog. And from what I've come to know about the breed, I do recommend a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. They are wonderful dogs and very very good with kids. I've never met one that was less than superb with kids. Also don't set your sights on one particular type of dog. There are a lot of wonderful mutts out there. My Sasha she is a mutt and she is the very best dog I've ever had. I've had a lot of purebreds and they are great. But there will never be another Sasha. She is fantastic and everything I've ever wanted in a dog. And I wasn't even looking for another dog when I got her.

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I just want to echo this. Your children will need trained as well. Make sure they know and understand the rules. Our daughter is only a baby but we already have rules in place that even if she can't understand them now, she will learn them. We don't allow pulling of ears and tails, and hitting the dog in the head with a racecar. That was a new one as of 2 nights ago. She took her racecar (one of those big plastic ones for like 6 months and up) and hit Sasha in the head. Thankfully Sasha didn't react and actually just got up and went to another room. And at first we thought it was an accident but Sasha came back and the second time she laughed as she did it. She knew what she was doing. We had to tell her firmly no and we took away the racecar. Sasha is now terrified of one of my daughters toys. Another reason why SUPERVISION is key when owning dogs and having kids.

Also make sure your dog has a safe place to go. Sasha was crate trained, though we rarely use her crate. Usually just when traveling. But we keep it up in our Master Closet (big walk in closet) and we keep the closet door open and the crate door open and she can escape to the crate for some peace and quiet whenever she needs it. Also the crate is a no kid zone, so that is 100 percent hers.

Everyone has some very good ideas and suggestions.

One more thing I wanted to add. Be ready if you bring a dog of any age in, to train your kids. Kids(espically young ones) like to poke pinch and hit and I've had a family member who train their dogs but not the kids and When the child repeatedly hit and kicked the dog in the face while it was cornered the dog finally nipped his face to get away. My uncle kicked the crap out of the dog and put the dog down. It was a very well mannered dog and took that abuse for a long time before it snapped and it suffered. It made me so mad because their kids were so mean to their dogs on a daily basis and tge parents just watched and did nothing.
My son has rules with our dogs (and he's always testing them. Kids are much harder to train than most dogs lol) my son can't poke eyes pinch or climb on the dogs among other things. So its always an ongoing battle trying to make sure everyone is behaving themselves while around the other one. THIS x 100!!!

Six years ago I was in the same position the OP is in. I had 3 y.o. and a 1 y.o. and thought gee, wouldn't it be great if they had a dog to grow up with.

We got a 2 y.o. female boxer from the local Boxer rescue. Zoey was being given up because she'd recently decided to try and become top dog in the household. Unfortunately dogs #1 & #2 were mastiffs. Poor Zoey kept coming out on the losing end. She'd been raised with small children and we were going to be a single dog home so the rescue thought she'd be a perfect fit for us.

However I think there's a difference between kids that have always been raised with dogs and a 3 y.o. that's fascinated by his new pet. While I always supervised there did come a point where the dog had had enough. She snapped at my son's face and he needed six stitches.

To this day I don't blame the dog. It wasn't an attack so much as a "back off kid, you're bothering me" correction. By the time I'd crossed the few feet to them, the dog had already laid back down and was closing her eyes to do back to sleep.

But because I couldn't trust my son to not aggravate the dog again, Zoey went back to the rescue and a new child-free home the next day.

It's only now, six years later, when my son is 9 and old enough to understand how to behave around the dog and to participate in training that we've finally gotten another dog.

I would honestly suggest waiting a few more years. It's better for everyone involved.

I agree let the kids get a little Older I went years without a Dog after I put my old APBT to sleep because of the kids Hunter was 6 at the time we got Marlo but he did not live with me he will in two weeks http://www.pitbull-chat.com/images/smilies/smile.png and now he is 8. as far as breed of dog I really Like a well bred Amstaff, APBT and the stafforshire bull terrier around kids. very tolerant of children. I think most small dogs a to nippy around kids. I am much more comfortable with Hunter playing with Abby because she has proven to be bullet proof you can do anything you want to her with no reaction. Marlo has never bitten anyone or showed any aggression but he will get up and move away from a child that is pulling his ear or tail. Abby will not react at all

Thanks for all the advice. I will have to look into the Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed. Do they get very big? Is there a good breeder anyone knows of around Ohio? I think I will be waiting until my youngest is atleast 3 or 4 to get a dog. From all the advice I think that it would be best to wait till she is older.

Good to hear that you are going to wait a bit. Its never easy having a puppy and young children. And also we have a whole section here about the wonderful Staffordshire Bull Terrier where you can learn about and discuss the breed.

Here is the link to the AKC description of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier (I love this breed)

also it says Males should range between 28 - 38lbs and females should range between 24 - 34 lbs


http://www.akc.org/breeds/staffordshire_bull_terrier/

Just be careful in Ohio. There is a lot of Breed Specific Legislation in that state, and Staffies often fall under those laws http://www.pitbull-chat.com/images/smilies/frown.png