Dog owners

[alicecooper]

I wouldn't get a terrier to be honest. Well...maybe a westie at a push, but deffo not a Jack Russell. They can be nice but they're strong willed and can be nippy. Most terriers can be a bit nippy to be honest. There's always exceptions to the rule of course, and I know some people will say "my terrier isn't nippy", but the majority of terriers are.

Myself I have a papillon cross lhasa apso. She is the nicest dog to be around my children that I've ever encountered. Generally speaking, papillons are nice with kids, but they can be easily hurt by rough children accidentally, as they are so small and delicate. BUT cross with a lhasa apso means that my Fluffy is more robust. She's still small (the size of my 6 month old son), don't get me wrong, but not as delicate as a purebred papillon.

She's forever wanting to play, which is great for kids. And she's very gentle with the children, even Nathan who has accidentally pulled her face fur several times! She has never ever retaliated. She seems to understand that he's only a baby and he doesn't mean it.

I don't think it would necessarily matter though if you got a cross or a purebred dog, just make sure you research the breed(s) carefully before you get one.

Also I disagree with getting an older rescue dog. Yes it's awful that many dogs are in kennels unwanted, but you have to think about your kids first. If you get a pup, it will be raised with your children. It will get to know them, get used to them from a young age, and feel part of the family.

If you get an older rescue dog, it won't be used to your kids or how they behave (children can be unpredictable), and if it has had a bad life previously it could be more prone to aggression.

Food for thought there.

 

[VikkiD]

we have a boxer so not a small dog and she is great with lo he climbs over her all day and as recently wanted to start walking her she is the softest dog an I know some people think boxers are nuts she is very clever and as never destroyed anything

 

[WelshOneEmma]

I wouldn't get a terrier to be honest. Well...maybe a westie at a push, but deffo not a Jack Russell. They can be nice but they're strong willed and can be nippy. Most terriers can be a bit nippy to be honest. There's always exceptions to the rule of course, and I know some people will say "my terrier isn't nippy", but the majority of terriers are.

Myself I have a papillon cross lhasa apso. She is the nicest dog to be around my children that I've ever encountered. Generally speaking, papillons are nice with kids, but they can be easily hurt by rough children accidentally, as they are so small and delicate. BUT cross with a lhasa apso means that my Fluffy is more robust. She's still small (the size of my 6 month old son), don't get me wrong, but not as delicate as a purebred papillon.

She's forever wanting to play, which is great for kids. And she's very gentle with the children, even Nathan who has accidentally pulled her face fur several times! She has never ever retaliated. She seems to understand that he's only a baby and he doesn't mean it.

I don't think it would necessarily matter though if you got a cross or a purebred dog, just make sure you research the breed(s) carefully before you get one.

Also I disagree with getting an older rescue dog. Yes it's awful that many dogs are in kennels unwanted, but you have to think about your kids first. If you get a pup, it will be raised with your children. It will get to know them, get used to them from a young age, and feel part of the family.

If you get an older rescue dog, it won't be used to your kids or how they behave (children can be unpredictable), and if it has had a bad life previously it could be more prone to aggression.

Food for thought there.

Which is why I said there are a lot in rescue who ARE used to kids. Rescues are full of all sorts of dogs (including puppies) these days and a lot are not aggressive, are used to children (and if you want to go down the 'they don't know your kids yet' well neither does a puppy, and puppies nip which young kids don't understand isn't biting) and have not had bad lives.

 

[alicecooper]

I wouldn't get a terrier to be honest. Well...maybe a westie at a push, but deffo not a Jack Russell. They can be nice but they're strong willed and can be nippy. Most terriers can be a bit nippy to be honest. There's always exceptions to the rule of course, and I know some people will say "my terrier isn't nippy", but the majority of terriers are.

Myself I have a papillon cross lhasa apso. She is the nicest dog to be around my children that I've ever encountered. Generally speaking, papillons are nice with kids, but they can be easily hurt by rough children accidentally, as they are so small and delicate. BUT cross with a lhasa apso means that my Fluffy is more robust. She's still small (the size of my 6 month old son), don't get me wrong, but not as delicate as a purebred papillon.

She's forever wanting to play, which is great for kids. And she's very gentle with the children, even Nathan who has accidentally pulled her face fur several times! She has never ever retaliated. She seems to understand that he's only a baby and he doesn't mean it.

I don't think it would necessarily matter though if you got a cross or a purebred dog, just make sure you research the breed(s) carefully before you get one.

Also I disagree with getting an older rescue dog. Yes it's awful that many dogs are in kennels unwanted, but you have to think about your kids first. If you get a pup, it will be raised with your children. It will get to know them, get used to them from a young age, and feel part of the family.

If you get an older rescue dog, it won't be used to your kids or how they behave (children can be unpredictable), and if it has had a bad life previously it could be more prone to aggression.

Food for thought there.

Which is why I said there are a lot in rescue who ARE used to kids. Rescues are full of all sorts of dogs (including puppies) these days and a lot are not aggressive, are used to children (and if you want to go down the 'they don't know your kids yet' well neither does a puppy, and puppies nip which young kids don't understand isn't biting) and have not had bad lives.

A puppy nip isn't like an aggressive bite from a larger dog. It might hurt but it's not like a puppy is going to be able to kill anybody.
(I do realise the OP is not looking for a large dog, but you get what I mean).

Anyway yes rescue dogs CAN be used to kids, but I think the point I'm getting at is that many have had tumultuous backgrounds and might be more unpredictable.

 

[WelshOneEmma]

I wouldn't get a terrier to be honest. Well...maybe a westie at a push, but deffo not a Jack Russell. They can be nice but they're strong willed and can be nippy. Most terriers can be a bit nippy to be honest. There's always exceptions to the rule of course, and I know some people will say "my terrier isn't nippy", but the majority of terriers are.

Myself I have a papillon cross lhasa apso. She is the nicest dog to be around my children that I've ever encountered. Generally speaking, papillons are nice with kids, but they can be easily hurt by rough children accidentally, as they are so small and delicate. BUT cross with a lhasa apso means that my Fluffy is more robust. She's still small (the size of my 6 month old son), don't get me wrong, but not as delicate as a purebred papillon.

She's forever wanting to play, which is great for kids. And she's very gentle with the children, even Nathan who has accidentally pulled her face fur several times! She has never ever retaliated. She seems to understand that he's only a baby and he doesn't mean it.

I don't think it would necessarily matter though if you got a cross or a purebred dog, just make sure you research the breed(s) carefully before you get one.

Also I disagree with getting an older rescue dog. Yes it's awful that many dogs are in kennels unwanted, but you have to think about your kids first. If you get a pup, it will be raised with your children. It will get to know them, get used to them from a young age, and feel part of the family.

If you get an older rescue dog, it won't be used to your kids or how they behave (children can be unpredictable), and if it has had a bad life previously it could be more prone to aggression.

Food for thought there.

Which is why I said there are a lot in rescue who ARE used to kids. Rescues are full of all sorts of dogs (including puppies) these days and a lot are not aggressive, are used to children (and if you want to go down the 'they don't know your kids yet' well neither does a puppy, and puppies nip which young kids don't understand isn't biting) and have not had bad lives.

A puppy nip isn't like an aggressive bite from a larger dog. It might hurt but it's not like a puppy is going to be able to kill anybody.
(I do realise the OP is not looking for a large dog, but you get what I mean).

Anyway yes rescue dogs CAN be used to kids, but I think the point I'm getting at is that many have had tumultuous backgrounds and might be more unpredictable.

But the point I am making is that things have changed and these days there are a lot more dogs in rescue that haven't had these backgrounds. So many are going in to rescue these days due to families losing their homes and not being able to take them to new accommodation.

I have had a puppy and yes its not the same as a full on bite from a grown dog but they hurt and can cause damage to a small child despite the size of the dog.

I just personally think its wrong to buy a dog (especially a puppy) if you intend to leave it alone during the day, you are going to leave it unattended in a garden during the day and one is being specifically bred for you when there are so many in rescue.