Dog owners

[hunt3rsean 44]

For any of you that are dog owners....I'm hoping to get some of your opinions. We finally purchased a home and have a decent sized back yard. We have wanted to have a dog for awhile, but because we lived in an apartment I refused to get one. I grew up with a dog and always said I would never own one until I had a place large enough, with a yard, for it to run around in.

So, the time has come that we're ready to purchase a dog. Especially, because my wife is now working from home and has the kids with her. But, mostly because I love dogs and grew up with one. I'd like my kids to also grow up with a dog.

However, I've never had to be the sole owner of a dog and thus have never raised one. I've had some friends say that getting an older(ish) dog since my kids are 5, 2, and 1-month. But, then I have some other folks say that getting a younger dog is the way to go so it can grow with the kids and be used to them.

Those who have owned/currently own. . .what is your opinion? Also, I have my idea of what kind of dog I'd like to get, but what breeds do you feel do best with kids?

[fullblast99 1]

i have a pitbull. works well for me. best family dog i would reccomend would be a jackrussell terrier. i owned 1 , and it loved kids, and had good disposition.

[Tyler Roy 86]

Honestly I think it would be best for your kids to grow up with a puppy. You can teach your kids how to be around dogs and how dogs should be treated but you can teach the dog the same but with your kids. When I was born we had a shar pei and later got a boxer puppy. I grew up with the Boxer and was heart broken when she died. But it was really special and taught me the value of dogs and now appreciate the time I spend with my dogs even more. We had a golden that was a sweetheart and was pretty much a jolly giant, I have an adopted jackrussell boy and he is a madman, loves to run and play but never stops. Golden was so easy going and never hurt a fly. Boxer was the smartest dog I have had to date, lovable and smart....did i mention smart?

[coryroth24 15]

Labs all the way my friend. I have two and their the most mellow, playful dogs I know. If they ever feel bothered by a little one, they just up and walk away with no incident. Hell, they both let our friend's 18 month old kid climb all over them. They're just chill like that.

[stick9 890]

First things first, go to a shelter and adopt a dog. I hope that's the route you were thinking. Shelters have a some great animals in dire need of homes. We got our dog as a puppy from a shelter and have not once regretted it.

Anyway, you should look for dog that fits your lifestyle regardless of the breed. With kids, it would be tough to get attached to an older dog and see it go, plus it may not have the energy to play like the kids want to. With kids that age you should probably look for a younger dog with a higher energy level. Labs are great family dogs, but some can be overly active. Any good shelter will be able to help you pick out the right pooch.

We love our redbone/retriever mix, he's been excellent with my daughter since the day she was born. As a baby I think he was more worried about her than we were.

[Tyler Roy 86]

+1 for adopted dogs.

[donkers 31]

I got my pup from the humane society probably about a month and a half ago. She's been great but you could tell at first there were some trust issues.

[Goonsquad 209]

+1 for adopting dogs...

If you had to go purebred see if you can hook up with a rescue. I am a big fan of border collies and anything mixed with border collies. Definitely not an every dog owner type.


Golden Retrievers and Labs generally have a great temperament and put up with a lot. One thing though you don't want the kids to get too rough with a dog otherwise they will think every dog is the same and something unfortunate may happen.

[hunt3rsean 44]

Appreciate the information. Look forward to others offering their opinions/experiences as well.

I'm definitely not opposed to going through the humane society. I'm also a supporter of getting dogs through them as so many are great dogs under bad circumstances. However, I am hesitant because I do have small children and have zero experience owning a shelter dog. Does the humane society typically have a good record for the history of the dogs they shelter? How good are they at knowing the breed mixes of the dogs they get? it's important to me to have a good handle on the dog that it will not act out towards the kids. I'm assuming that going with a puppy via the humane society may be better as there is less potential negative history and allows both kids/dog to acclimate to each other? In my head that makes sense at least.

I also have been leaning on going with a puppy so that all the young members of the household are used to each other. While it was heartbreaking to lose the dog(s) I grew up with...I definitely appreciated having the time to live with and enjoy them.

I am not looking to add a dog just to have a dog, but an investment for me, my family, and the dog itself. The dogs we had when I was a child were part of the family. I aim to have the same relationship with the dogs I adopt/purchase for my kids.

Again, really appreciate the information/opinions. I like to get as much information as I can for things like this. I'm not a fan of people who purchase an animal without doing the proper research and having to take it back/leave it at a shelter because it doesn't "work out" since they didn't take the time to learn.

Golden Retrievers and Labs generally have a great temperament and put up with a lot. One thing though you don't want the kids to get too rough with a dog otherwise they will think every dog is the same and something unfortunate may happen.

There is definitely a training that happens for both dog and kids. That is for sure.

[Goonsquad 209]

I'm definitely not opposed to going through the humane society. I'm also a supporter of getting dogs through them as so many are great dogs under bad circumstances. However, I am hesitant because I do have small children and have zero experience owning a shelter dog. Does the humane society typically have a good record for the history of the dogs they shelter? How good are they at knowing the breed mixes of the dogs they get? it's important to me to have a good handle on the dog that it will not act out towards the kids. I'm assuming that going with a puppy via the humane society may be better as there is less potential negative history and allows both kids/dog to acclimate to each other? In my head that makes sense at least.

I also have been leaning on going with a puppy so that all the young members of the household are used to each other. While it was heartbreaking to lose the dog(s) I grew up with...I definitely appreciated having the time to live with and enjoy them.

I am not looking to add a dog just to have a dog, but an investment for me, my family, and the dog itself. The dogs we had when I was a child were part of the family. I aim to have the same relationship with the dogs I adopt/purchase for my kids.

Again, really appreciate the information/opinions. I like to get as much information as I can for things like this. I'm not a fan of people who purchase an animal without doing the proper research and having to take it back/leave it at a shelter because it doesn't "work out" since they didn't take the time to learn.

getting a puppy through the humane society might be tough. They are generally good at gauging temperament. The local shelter grades the dogs on how they behave with other dogs, adults and kids. They separate out the kids aspect to let the potential owner know the situation. Some rescues, like the one i got a border collie/rough collie mix from, also do a check on owner prospects. .

If you do go puppy be prepared for the work when the dog is brought to your house as its just like raising a kid but in the long run the attention that you spend catering to its needs is also the best way to bond with the dog and establish a unstanding with it. It will also help out with training the dog about what is appropriate in the house and what is not. For instance housetraining the dog to pee outside by praising it when it does its duty outside goes a loooooooooong way. But like you, i think of my dog in the house as a family member.

[stick9 890]

A quick Google of animal shelters in your area (Beaverton, OR) turned up several results. I went to the Oregon Humane Society's web page and there are lots of candidates, even a great looking pup name Lobo. The adoption fee is $300 and includes spay/neuter, microchip ID, collar and OHS I.D. tag, initial vaccines, courtesy veterinarian exam.

http://www.oregonhumane.org/

Every dog is different, so you'll need to meet them and see how they interact with you and your family. I think you have the right mindset in doing your research first. My wife and I looked scanned petfinder.com for months before visiting the shelter in person. The dog we went to see wasn't right for us, but we found one that was while we were there.

[bolt91 31]

I agree with adopting. The younger the better. Let the kids grow up with the pup and it will become their best friend :)

[hunt3rsean 44]

A quick Google of animal shelters in your area (Beaverton, OR) turned up several results. I went to the Oregon Humane Society's web page and there are lots of candidates, even a great looking pup name Lobo. The adoption fee is $300 and includes spay/neuter, microchip ID, collar and OHS I.D. tag, initial vaccines, courtesy veterinarian exam.

http://www.oregonhumane.org/

Every dog is different, so you'll need to meet them and see how they interact with you and your family. I think you have the right mindset in doing your research first. My wife and I looked scanned petfinder.com for months before visiting the shelter in person. The dog we went to see wasn't right for us, but we found one that was while we were there.

I have looked online for shelters and humane society locations. I just have never had any interaction with shelters before so I was hesitant without hearing from those who have. But a lot of the local ones have had a nice variety of breeds/ages/size. So finding a combination of those variables that best fits our family shouldn't be an issue. Will definitely take the whole family when we decide on seeing a specific dog.

I really appreciate all the information and opinions. It was definitely what I was looking for. I'll keep this post up to date when we make the decision and move forward.

[noodle3872 40]

There are loads of great sites which will help narrow your search for a perfect dog for you. The sites will ask questions about your lifestyle etc and point you in a general direction. We have a 9.5 month old German Shorthair Pointer named Schatzi (sweet heart in German) and a border collie/husky/shepherd rescue named Dexter that is 19 months old. We're out and about a lot so having a dog that had a good energy level was important but temperment is everything. Both dogs are submissive types and love being close to their humans.

[Iceraider53 1]

I'd also recommend adopting, and I'd venture to suggest an adult dog. Getting a puppy in many ways is like having another kid, it requires a lot of time and attention especially to get him/her house broken fairly quickly. When you already have young children in the house this can add a lot of work and stress to life, an adult dog is already going to be house broken. Children can injure puppies unintentionally, or in many cases children play with the dog too aggressively and then adults treat the dog unfairly when he/she acts in self defense. Working with rescue groups over the years a huge number of the pups we've gotten have been of the "my toddler pulled on the dogs ears and the dog growled or nipped at him so I want it gone" variety.

[chk hrd 164]

This sounds stupid but watch alot of the Dog Whisper. People make the mistake of treating a dog like a person and that is not good, it's one of the reasons small dogs bite and act worse more than big dogs. If you watch a few of the shows he really makes sense. We inherrited a 3 year old lab, he is a great dog but didn't behave (no biting just being unruly) when we got him. I used some of the stuff I learned from the show and he behaves like a champ now. You don't need to hit a dog to teach them, just be in charge.

We have had show dogs, rescue dogs and dogs we found on the street. If you are not going to breed or show then get some type of rescue dog. It can be from a shelter, a person giving them away. Every shelter/found dog we have had have been great...even the deadly, dangerous pit bull (who was probably the most gentle dog I've had).

Good luck

[badger_14 601]

+10 to adopting. All of the dogs my family has owned during my life were rescues. There are also breed-specific rescues you could look into. The shelters here are very, very careful about evaluating their animals for adoption. The Animal Rescue League here puts signs up on the dog's kennels with a scale for things like 'active'/'not so active', 'good with kids' (or not), 'good with other dogs' (or not). Their aim is to place a dog in a suitable environment - they won't put a dog that doesn't do well with say, cats or small children, in a home with a cat and small children. They don't want the dog to come back or worse, be abandoned or dumped by a family that can't handle him/her. Breed is generally less important than temperament (of family and dog alike), although I wouldn't recommend necessarily getting a small dog with small children - kids can be rough and could hurt a small breed dog without meaning to. I am a bit biased toward large dogs, though, since that's what I've grown up with. (we adopted a 2 year old giant schnauzer/labrador mix when I was about 2 years old, and everyone warned my mother she would devour me while my parents slept, but she was a sweetheart and we had her until she was sixteen with no problems.)

[Davetronz 109]

Re breed: Beagle owner here... probably not something I'd ever do again... We'll leave it at that!

[Chadd 916]

We've always had one or more dogs while I was growing up, most have turned out pretty good too. My favorite was our Australian Shepherd, though they can be a bit energetic for a lot of people and smarter than some owners as well. Much like the Border Collies Goon mentioned. My wife used to be on the BoD of a local shelter and still volunteers there on weekends, so both of our current dogs came from shelters and both were less than a year old when we got them. They have very different personalities, but both are excellent dogs. Jack needs love and attention like he needs air and Simon gives love to everyone he meets, even if they aren't thrilled with that.

The key really is to meet the dog(s) you are thinking about getting and spend some time with them. It's really the only way you'll know if they will fit with your family. I will throw out the idea of adopting a greyhound too. What happens to them after their racing careers is uncivilized and borders on criminal in many cases.

[chk hrd 164]

If you don't adopt and want to buy from a breeder or pet store PLEASE do alot of homework on the breed and breeder. There are alot of disgusting puppy mills out there that should be closed and the owners beat with a stick. Alot of so called "breeders" inter breed thier animals and produce puppys that have or will have health issues and are low quality (if you want to show or breed). Research the breeds alot to make sure they are compatable for your family, Dalmations can be good dogs but have alot of health issues and need space, bulldogs can have breathing issues and can't have pups naturally, Jack Russel's are as cute as you get but are a handful, it goes on and on. One of the bennefits of a mixed breed dog is they are pretty healthy over thier lifespan since.

Start researching Vets to. A good vet is better than having a goo personal doctor. Go and talk to them before you get a dog. Many of them help in placing homeless animals. Last and most important, if you are not going to breed make sure to spay or nueter. Many shelter will make It is mandatory and it will save you alot of other headaches down the road.

[tarmogoyf 2]

I'd say +1 on adopting, and as for breed, I have a chocolate lab now and he's the best dog I've ever had.

[SirJW 207]

Go Rescue.

Please don't make him/her live outside.

Crate Train.

Just because you have a yard doesn't mean the dog wont need to be walked. If all the stimulation he/she gets is from the yard it will be a very unhappy dog.

I used to say the same thing no dog til yard but I've had dogs now for 15 years in an Apt and they get walked more than most dogs with yards and are very happy.

[BenderHockey 127]

German Shepherd. Great with kids, loyal, smart, protective, loving, smart.

[Chadd 916]

German Shepherd. Great with kids, loyal, smart, protective, loving, smart.

Great dogs, we always had a german shepherd when I was growing up. They also have the added bonus of scaring the hell out of anyone thinking of messing with your kids or house.

[bigdmac 12]

Both my wife and I had a dog growing up so it was pretty much a no brainer when we got a house and had kids. We rescued our first one when my oldest son was 5 (now 19) and the dog was about 4 weeks old. All three of my kids got to grow up with it and loved it, I'd definitely get a young dog so your family can do the same. Now the dog we rescued was from the Yukon and it was actually a puppy from two race/sled dogs so it LOVED being outside, to the point where it wouldn't want to come in at night or during the day. It was a great dog and wouldn't hurt a fly and loved playing outside the kids so it was a really good choice for us.

We recently had to put it down so we rescued a six month old great dane/pitbull mix. It just turned a year old now and its once again another great dog. Very loving, great with kids and it's good to be a little rough with because of its size. It's one now and is about 5'1 on two feet and just weighed in at 115 lbs. I always liked really big dogs for kids because I always found that the kids could play with them a little better and the kids seemed to like the size of them and how they could interact with a big dog. We love it and it was a great choice!