Recommend Dog Please

Guill

Without any doubt i would recomend cocker spaniels, we have two and with 7 small kids (under 4!) running aroung the dogs are great. They look good and are ver affectionate and highlt intelligant.

funkyjebus

Guill wrote: »

we have two and with 7 small kids (under 4!)

:eek:

Guill

I should probably clarify, only 1 is mine, the rest are nieces, nephews and neighbours kids who come over to play with them. (Op dont forget, regardless of the dog you get always supervise when kids are around them).

shinikins

I'd agree with Guill on Cocker spaniels(i'm a bit biased )

The one thing to bear in mind with them though, is they are highly intelligent dogs, and need a firm hand when training them initially, otherwise they will figure out all sorts of ways to rule the pack!
They might not be suitable for the OP though, as they shed constantly, and need a lot if grooming if left in their natural longhaired state. Even with daily grooming my cocker seems to generate hairballs in record time!, It is great fun watching the cat chase them around though..

Rafloution

I'm going to put a greyhound vote in here. Probably the best dog I will ever own, couch potatoes is an understatement. They are very gentle and love cuddles again they cannot be outside due to their thin coat. Whatever you choose fair play for putting the research in.

Good luck

garancafan

shinikins wrote: »

I'd agree with Guill on Cocker spaniels(i'm a bit biased )......

Even with daily grooming my cocker seems to generate hairballs in record time!, It is great fun watching the cat chase them around though..

The hairballs or the spaniels?

garancafan

Rafloution wrote: »

I'm going to put a greyhound vote in here. Probably the best dog I will ever own, couch potatoes is an understatement. They are very gentle and love cuddles again they cannot be outside due to their thin coat.

I'm fascinated by your vote. May I throw a few questions at you? Is your dog a retired racing dog? Is it prone to putting on weight? Does it have an enormous appetite? How does it react to small furry animals e.g. cats? How is it on "walkies" or are you some sort of high-performance athlete?

Rafloution

garancafan wrote: »

I'm fascinated by your vote. May I throw a few questions at you? Is your dog a retired racing dog? Is it prone to putting on weight? Does it have an enormous appetite? How does it react to small furry animals e.g. cats? How is it on "walkies" or are you some sort of high-performance athlete?

Hi. My dog is a retired dog in the fact that she was never any good in the first place so she was dumped.

Prone to putting on weight no she isn't. We feed her red mills leader supreme which is a standard dog food and we have never had any weight problems with her in two years. We do monitor it when we visit the vet just to make sure she ain't losing any either.

An enormous appetite would be another no we feed her the standard size for her weight and size an she gets on fine. She has a few other treats throughout the week with he kong but she doesn't want I dont think.

My greyhound is not cat friendly and still has the chase for small furry things this can be controlled via a proper harness and lead when walking so it isn't an issue. Because of the speed of a greyhound it is a given that it wouldn't be off the lead unless it's enclosed. My garden is 20 ft by 10th and she gets on fine.
There are lots of greyhounds that are cat friendly and do not mind them in any way. A rescue will let you know if it is cat friendly before anything so you can check this.

Another good thing with retired grey is that they spend most of their lives in crates ready for a race because of this they don't like to go to the toilet where they are sleeping and tend to be very easily house trained.


Lastly before I got my grey I would have never have thought it suitable because of major misconceptions in Ireland/uk regarding this breed I did my research like you and my needs fitted perfectly. They are couch potatoes I walk mine twice a day 20 mins morning and night and she gets a run at weekends in a dog park she runs for 10 minutes and wants to go home.

www.orchardgreygoundsanctuary.com were a great help to us in finding her and also on advice Mary Jane there would be highly recommended.

Sorry for long post I didn't want to sell them short, also from my phone excuse my mistakes.

garancafan

Rafloution wrote: »

Sorry for long post I didn't want to sell them short,

Thanks for the comprehensive and informative reply.

Toulouse

I'll just correct that link

It's http://www.orchardgreyhoundsanctuary.com/

I can highly recommend MJ too! She always welcomes visitors so if you just want to go and see for yourself what the dogs are like then I'd advise you to give her a call.

Having grown up with greyhounds I can tell you that if you get one you'll never look back. Affectionate, good with kids and need less exercise than you'd think. Short walk or quick run and they're fit for the couch

garancafan

Toulouse wrote: »

Short walk or quick run and they're fit for the couch

Sounds like we would be well-matched. Many thanks.

Benito

kylith wrote: »

Completely disagree! I grew up with terriers and I would never recommend them for kids that are not used to them. They are a lot less inclined than something like a Lab to put up with being pulled out of by kids and can be quick to snap.

Much as I love my terriers I don't trust them around kids, or rather, I don't trust kids not to torment them beyond the dog's threshold.

Ooh! Not my experience. I've only had two, a Wheaten and now a Kerry and both were very good with kids both family and kids we met out walking. The kerry can be a bit rough with me but, have never seen being anything more gentle with children. Still, better to err on the side of caution eh?

We have a doggy who is sort of a westie/terrier and she's amazing with kids.
She would be cheeky as hell and try grab unattended food, but not with children - have a child petting her holding something tasty and she'll stay completely still
Full of personality and very sweet.
That said the quote

Though much more amenable to training than other terriers, West Highland White Terriers must still be taught at an early age that they are not the rulers of the world.

definitely applies

User Friendly

adrenalinjunkie wrote: »

Staffie! - Great family dog, love kids ticks all your boxes, shelters are over-run with them. I'd advise a rescue as opposed to a pound with young kids as a rescue will be better equiped to find a good match;) You don't know what you'd be getting from a pound to be honest.

www.egar.org

Whispered wrote: »

+1 for the staffie - fantastic family dog & bred to be good with people. Not very vocal at all and really clowny. They do need to be well socialised, but all breeds do, esp mid - large ones.

adrenalinjunkie wrote: »

Staffies are also known as Nanny dogs for a reason . My aunt has one, her grandkids now refer to her home as 'Lucy's house', Lucy being the Staffie

Yes they can be dog agressive which is why they must be well socialised with other dogs from when they are puppies, puppy socialisation classes are recommended and if they are regularly walked in an area where there are other dogs there should be no problem.

kylith wrote: »

Staffies seem to be almost in a league of their own in that respect. Something like a JRT, Cairn, Westie, Fell terrier though I wouldn't home with small children. I think it's the prey drive; high pitched squealing and running around seems to set a lot of them off.

getz wrote: »

i have had four staffies and i am now on my second english bulldog,and i am often asked by people what is the best dog, and i still say the staffie as its a dog for eveyone,it also has less health problems than most other pedigree dogs.

excellent!!:)

Right then OP............... Staffie it is then:)

Bullseye1

Impossible to get an answer which is not biased. You have those who recommend the breed which they favour and then you will have those who recommend visiting the shelters.

You have named four breeds. Try and get as much information as you can on all four and make an informed decision.

I have never visited a shelter myself and it is a noble thing to adopt a pet which has been left in for whatever reason. If you do visit a shelter get some professional advice on your choices before committing as the one which might interest you may have issues not suited to your requirements.

Best of luck.

Glowing

Greyhound!!!!

cjf

www.dogsindistress.org/forum

You can see all the dogs that are currently in foster! Its great for familys with children who are looking for a pet as you can read all about the dogs and as they are fostered in a family environment the foster family can give a good indication of the type of home they will best suit! There are dogs and pups of all ages, shapes and sizes just waiting patiently for their very own forever family!! I adopted my dog from Dogs in Distress and she was exactly as her foster family told me! Good few medium guys who are good with kids waiting for homes at the moment! Also some very very cute puppies!