[s-one]

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for providing such a great resource for all of us. As I'm researching the forums I find all the info fascinating and quite helpful. Our family is looking to get a dog for the first time. We have a 5 and a 6 year old kid who have been bugging us to get one. So some things we are considering is that it has to be small, family type, friendly and loves to be around little kids. We are also considering allowing it to be an indoor dog where it has a little doggy door and goes outside as it needs (provided proper training). So which breed would be best?

[dansamy]

That depends on your family.. Are you guys active people who like the beach and the park? Or are quiet, bookish evenings at home more your family style? Do you care if the dog sheds mountains of hair? Or is a bath and a towel dry the most you want to do regarding grooming? Do you want a vocal dog who tells you about everything? Or one that will lick the burglars to death while they carry your stuff out of the house? Do you want a tiny dog or a behemoth that outweighs you?

[s-one]

Hi dansamy! Thank you for your response. I should have mentioned more info about us and what we are looking for. We are active and like to do outdoor things. In the evening we are normal not necessarily quiet. We would rather not have the dog that sheds a lot of hair but if a shedding one is best overall for what we are looking for than we can adjust. Normal dog baths and if we need to comb/brush hair we can. Vocal isn't a problem. I'd rather she/he spoke up if needed especially when being protective of the family. We are specifically looked for a medium-small to small dog. Thanks!

[dansamy]

Have you looked at Coker Spaniels? There's two "versions" English and American, and they are fairly similar.

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

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

They are "classic" family pets. They would need grooming though.

[luv4gsds]

Well I do not know what type of life style you have and if you have owned dogs in the past. I don't know if a small breed would be wise to own since you have small children in the home but here are some dogs you can look at and do some research on.

* Boston Terrier

* Beagle

* Bichon Frise

* Cesky Terrier

* Norfolk Terrier

[s-one]

Hi luv4gsds. Thanks for your response. I'll look into those as they will give me a start.

Dansamy: Thanks for the links. I'm reading them now.

[dansamy]

Beagles are adorable. (Well, all puppies are adorable, but I always think of Snoopy when I see a beagle.)

[Jaylie]

I agree on the Beagle and the Cocker....I don't know much about the other breeds mentioned. Beagles are VERY vocal, with a very loud bark. (You ever seen on a movie or something, the fox-chases? That's what beagles sound like.) But, if you say you wouldn't mind, I think a Beagle would be pretty good.

Like luv4gsd's mentioned before, it seems to me that a larger dog would fit your style. This goes against all common sense, but normally large dogs are slower moving, more gentle with kids, and aren't as hyper. A Great Dane sounds great for you...Maybe not as a puppy, but if you got an older rescue, that has passed the puppy stage, it would just lounge around the house, the kids could pull on it's ears, tail and fur, and if you picked it out right, it wouldn't mind a bit. I understand if you wouldn't like to get a Great Dane though...Especially if you have a small house or something.

May I ask why you want a smaller dog?

[s-one]

haha.. I know Snoopy but never realized to figure out what kind of breed he was. I'll also look into Beagles. Thanks

Hi Jaylie! Thanks for responding. We had consider or at least thought we wanted a Golden Retriever because we always hear that they are great family dogs. But then got scared of the idea of larger dog getting provoked by one of the kids for any odd reason. So going with a smaller dog we feel a bit more comfortable. Btw, those movies with the fox chases and the dogs (Beagles) barking kind-of sound wierd. They sound like their are old and sleepy dogs chasing the quick fox.

[Meghan&Pedro]

Beagles are very high energy dogs, and need a lot of physical and mental stimulation. I woudln't recommend them for a first time dog owner.

I have a flat coated retriever - they're great dogs, but still need more exercise than some of the smaller dogs, and they're very HAPPY and BOUNCY dogs and could accidently push the kids over when they're excited. Any of the retrievers are going to be big enough that it would be difficult for the kids to 'help' you walk the dog and work with the dog. You want a positive experience when you
re getting your first dog. Not a dog that mows your kids down when you all come home and he's happy to see you.

How about a cavalier king charles spaniel? Smaller dog, doesn't need a lot of grooming, super sweet laid back, total couch potato at home.

Out of all of the small spaniels they have the best temperaments (not 'wingy' at all like the Cockers can be...)

They're big enough that you don't have to worry too much about the kids hurting the dog by bumping into them or stepping on them (still be cautious, but not as dangerous as having a Papillion or other toy breed), they love to go for walks, but they don't need a 45 minute RUN every day. They're happy with a saunter around the block.

They also don't have as many health problems as some of the other medium sized small dogs. I would narrow your search to a few breeds, and then talk to some breeders and let them help you decide if it truly is a good dog for you, and your lifestyle.

Meghan

[s-one]

Hi Meghan. Thank you! Good suggestions. I'll also look up a cavalier king charles spaniel. Very good points.

[briteday]

I vote against both the cocker and the beagle, having had one of each. The cocker had amazing digging abilities and the beagle was food oriented enough to tear the cabinet door off in the kitchen to get to food while we were out. And every beagle I've seen at the shelter is 3 times the normal size.

I would think more along the lines of visiting the shelter and seeing if you can find a dog already housebroken, etc that meets your needs. I have seen some great lab crosses that were on the small side, about 30 pounds, cute as a bug. All lab, but without the size and tail that can clear a coffee table. I've also seen some great little cairn terrier type dogs, and small (especially female) shepherd crosses.

I would avoid the herding breeds with children since they tend to herd, sometimes nip, to herd the children out of instinct. And don't even consider a border collie or aussie shepherd as a first dog. Way too much dog for a 1st timer. I would tend to avoid the giant breeds because you are an active family. Larger breeds aren't always the most active dogs. And larger breeds tend to have shorter lifespans, a little hard on young children. The large breeds can also easily knock children over and be too much to handle taking to the soccer game in the van.

Remember that whatever dog you get that one of the best investments is a 6-8 week obedience class, a crate, quality food (check the food section of the forum), and realistic expectations.

[animalcraker]

Originally Posted by Meghan&Pedro

They also don't have as many health problems as some of the other medium sized small dogs. I would narrow your search to a few breeds, and then talk to some breeders and let them help you decide if it truly is a good dog for you, and your lifestyle.

LMAO!! Cavaliers are extreemely prone to quite a few devastating health problems, they're practicaly concived with them. With all of the potential(practicaly gaurenteed) health problems it's extreemely important that you do ALL your research for a good breeder, it's not unheard of for you to spend 3 years to finally get a puppy. If are going to consdier them keep in mind that they are NOT CHEAP even for a pet quality puppy. The average cost for a pet would be $1200-$2000, anything considerably less then that would be a huge red flag. While grooming is fairly minimal it is an absolute must that they be groomed every day. They tend not to be fully aware of their surroundings and can easily follow a butterfly into on comming traffic. They are also not a breed that can be left alone or be the only dog, as quoted from the CKCSCUSA website "Cavalier puppies do not thrive when left all day without human companionship or the company of another animal".

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club of USA
The CKCSCUSA is the best place to start research on the Cavalier. It the oldest breed club for the cavalier, founded in 1954, and has no affilitation with the AKC. If you'd like some more first hand info on the breed feel free to message me.

[dansamy]

I do agree about avoiding herding breeds. Just because one poster had a digging machine for a cocker spaniel, that's not a valid reason to rule out the breed. For the food-oriented beagles, proper crate training and puppy-proofing will prevent his access to food in excess of his daily needs. I think a CKCS might be a bit too small. A lab mix from the shelter is a good option if you can find one small enough to suit your needs. With the ages of your children, I would not go with any toy or mini breeds. Stay in the 15-30 pound range. Small enough to play with the kids, but big enough to withstand the children' rambunctiousness.

[Jen D]

I love Cockers and had one that was great with my young daughter at the time. I also have ran into many that have not been good with kids. Boston Terriers, Pugs, and if you are active I think a Beagle would be great. Another good idea would be get a dog breed book they will give you lots of info on what you are getting into. Good luck

[borzoimom]

What about a miniture schnauzer? Energy enough for the kids, without being over bearing, basically healthy, the coat wont shed much, but easily be trimmed like every 6 weeks.. Uh will alert, and play ball as long as the kids throw it.. lol.

[lozachops]

My family dog (ive moved out now) is an ENGLISH cocker spaniel (see my avatar) and she is a great dog. She has a great little personality and is very polite. JUst like from lady and the tramp hehe. She loves excersise and the beach, she also loves snuggling on the lounge. She doesnt shed much at all, in fact my border collie sheds so much more, I hardly ever see hair from the cocker. I think they are a great breed for a family. For the record we never had a problem with her digging ever. She does love swimming in the pool in our garden though hehe.

[Ginny01OT]

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel or female WEst Highland White terrier (WEstie)--they don't shed

[lozachops]

My sister in laws Cavalier King Charles shed so much they were vacuming twice a day! Could be something to do with the heat here maybe?

[Ginny01OT]

(I meant the Westie doesn't shed)