which dog?

bendybob

Hi all looking for a bit of advice,
We are looking to get a puppy in the coming months and I would like to know peoples opinions on the better breed to suit being around children.
Now much as I really love big dogs I think a smaller dog would be much better suited for our home and family.

I have been mainly considering king Charles spaniels and bichon frise. I would be getting the pup from a good breeder.So if you have experience with either dog or any other breed suggestions that would be very helpful.

I am aware of both breeds health concerns and would be taking out pet insurance just incase.

I have previously rescued and it was a disaster so do not wish to go down that road again, not with children in the house.

andreac

I would go with a King charles over the Bichon, just because the Bichon requires a lot more work with its coat etc.

Try contacting the IKC for information on breeders. Also contact the Cavalier club too and they should be able to point you in the right direction in regards to breeders and potential puppies.

getz

bendybob wrote: »

Hi all looking for a bit of advice,
We are looking to get a puppy in the coming months and I would like to know peoples opinions on the better breed to suit being around children.
Now much as I really love big dogs I think a smaller dog would be much better suited for our home and family.

I have been mainly considering king Charles spaniels and bichon frise. I would be getting the pup from a good breeder.So if you have experience with either dog or any other breed suggestions that would be very helpful.

I am aware of both breeds health concerns and would be taking out pet insurance just incase.

I have previously rescued and it was a disaster so do not wish to go down that road again, not with children in the house.

what dog is a minefield,i have had whippets ,staffy-staffy-staffies,and english bullies-bullies-bullies,all good with children,all pedigree dogs can have health problems,but so have humans,

bendybob

getz wrote: »

what dog is a minefield,i have had whippets ,staffy-staffy-staffies,and english bullies-bullies-bullies,all good with children,all pedigree dogs can have health problems,but so have humans,

I understand no dogs guaranteed to have good health or be good with children but we had a lot of problems with our previous dog having a huge prey drive and huge aggression problems with children.

I intend to make sure the pup is well socialised with young and old to combat this and our children are never around a dog unsupervised for their and the dogs safety. These two dogs are my top choice of dog (well I love huskies but one wouldnt suit our house) and I just want to get peoples opinions based on experience of the two.

justaskin likeyakno

King Charles all the way, a lovely dog. You probably already know but just try and get as much information as you can about the line as they can have heart problems. A workmate paid 1500 for a heart op for hers but at least it worked.

wolfpawnat

Personally, I prefer the CKC over the BF. You have clearly done your research and are not choosing dogs on just looks Get the proof from any potential seller of all health checks for the parents and if they have any for the pups, them too. The Cavvy has had a lot of issues recently so make sure to get a reputable breeder. Good luck

getz

justaskin likeyakno wrote: »

King Charles all the way, a lovely dog. You probably already know but just try and get as much information as you can about the line as they can have heart problems. A workmate paid 1500 for a heart op for hers but at least it worked.

they also have a tendency for blindness,a lady has two on the park i live,both are now 8 years old and blind

bendybob

Thanks everyone for the advice.I was leaning towards king charles and that seems to be the consensus here too It wont be for a few months because I think september would be better after the children go back to school so the pup doesnt arrive into the chaos of the summer hols . Ill get onto the IKC and see which breeders the would recommend and go from there.

borderlinemeath

bendybob wrote: »

I understand no dogs guaranteed to have good health or be good with children but we had a lot of problems with our previous dog having a huge prey drive and huge aggression problems with children.

Is this the dog you got from a rescue??
It sounds like a bit of a cowboy operation if they rehomed a dog with aggression issues with children to a home with children. Did you contact them about this? Did they offer to take the dog back?

Most reputable rescues do not rehome to homes with children under a certain age and have the dogs assessed by experienced fosterers before rehoming to ensure there are no issues and if any arise then the adopting family are aware of them. (ie high prey drive)

I intend to make sure the pup is well socialised with young and old to combat this and our children are never around a dog unsupervised for their and the dogs safety. These two dogs are my top choice of dog (well I love huskies but one wouldnt suit our house) and I just want to get peoples opinions based on experience of the two.

Then regardless of breed you need to choose your breeder very carefully. Ensure that the litter is socialised with children BEFORE he's ready to go to your home. Pups learn so much from the breeders home environment then one that has their pups properly socialised with children of all ages is a must.

bendybob

Yes it was. He had no history of aggression as far as we were aware, he was under a year when we took him. He had lots of behavioral issues from the day we got him but we were happy to try work through them and take him to classes and train him.

We got him before we had children and we arnt the types to dump a dog because we had a baby. He had shown aggression to children before we had our own and we had been to a behaviorist to seek help.

We never called the rescue as we had no intention of giving up on a dog we had rescued,problematic as he was we loved him.

We managed for years to work around it as in fencing off half the garden so they were kept seperate. Bringing the dog in when the children were in school, at clubs, and in bed. It was very far from ideal but we managed. Im sure the dog seeing the kids come in and him go out didnt help his attitude towards them but his dislike of them drove us to that point.

If he so much as heard kids he would get very anxious and growl from the day we got him.

He had a happy life walked everyday and lots of play and attention his health ment he had to be put down in the end as although he was ment to be a lab he turned out to be a cross of collie and some tiny dog and as a result had a big body on tiny legs which destroyed his spine. To be fair to him this source of pain was probably a cause of his bad moods in the first place.

Mo60

From your posts OP, you are obviously trying to do the best in doing your homework before making your decision. So good luck whatever decision you make.

I have 2 Bichons, who I rehomed together, whose personalities are as different as chalk and cheese. So even the same breed can be very different. They are both very good with children though, but as a previous poster said they take a lot of looking after regarding their coat.

iopener

have you thought about mini schnazuer, great dog no sheading at all, good with kids,a four legged house alarm will bark if anyone about but is not aggresive all bark no bite.great company.but their coat needs regular maintenance.

macadam

iopener wrote: »

have you thought about mini schnazuer, great dog no sheading at all, good with kids,a four legged house alarm will bark if anyone about but is not aggresive all bark no bite.great company.but their coat needs regular maintenance.

I have booked a miniature schnauzer born last week, they seem like the best of both worlds and any owners I spoke to have nothing but praise for them especially during house training etc.
Ive had mongrels, GSD, Rotties, Ess, they all need grooming but the mini Schnauzer only needs grooming twice a year.
They also have a fault with there eyes so I picked a litter that the Dam and Sire both have eye certs, choose your pup wisely if not happy with the breeder walk away.

Pumpkinseeds

I love the larger breed dogs, I think golden retrievers are reputed to be great family dogs. We always had Collie X's so I'm not familliar with the nature of the smaller breeds. The thing about a puppy is they'll tend to chew everything and be boisterous and playful so that's something to bear in mind with a pup, if you have very young children, as well as toilet training.

All things considered I think it's the personality of the dog rather than the breed that determines their suitability as a family pet.

Concerned mother

I had the same concerns as yourself 3 years ago as i have a child and i have children visiting my house.
I ended up buying a bichon f because of the breed's temperament . I am delighted with my decision, this breed is great with children and great security.
His coat is not an issue, if u have any type of dog around your house you need to keep them washed and clean. They do not shed either.

Patrick2010

Can recommend springer spaniels as pets, great with adults and children, very affectionate. Have one for 15 years now.

ShaShaBear

No matter what breed you go for, you need to be fully prepared for:

Accidents in the house.
Crying in the night (for a while).
Very, very, very early mornings for toilet breaks.
Things with chew marks that shouldn't have chew marks.
And quite a few good nips.

And most of all, make sure you train your children how to behave around the dog. I find in a lot of cases, it's kids up in a poor dog's face, trying to lift them, pulling on their ears, slapping them thinking it's a petting motion, throwing toys "at" them to play fetch and general high pitched screaming which startles them that causes dogs to become wary of, and even aggressive towards, children. They take it upon themselves to punish the dog, hold treats above the dog's head (and then wonder why they get bitten when the dog tries to take them), and try to pull things out of the dog's mouth. Even with the most patient and serene of dogs, children can be the real handful. Be prepared and aware of this, regardless of the decision you make.