Good family dog?

[Mara]

YES I am BIG POO phobic!!!

It''s just so funny when a big dog comes out into the field or one of P''s friends and just squeezes out these HUGE POOs!!!! All the small dog owners are goggle-eyed. I guess you get used to it but

...

Funny about the weiners Jorman...Portia thinks she is a big dog too. That is until a real big dog like Rusty the yellow lab puppy comes along and steps on her and then she freaks out!

 

[mrssalvo]

Ibelleve, both your daughter and your lab are just beautiful.

 

[Kaleigh]

IBelieve,
Hi and welcome to PS!!!! Your daughter is adorable and it''s obvious she loves her dog. Thanks for sharing that pic, too cute!!!!

 

[mrssalvo]

since you asked about kids and dogs, here''s a pic of our lab with my daughter when she was a baby..
it''s my first attempt at a collage

 

[jorman]

Thanks for the squeeze visual, Mara! Ewww!
I get embarrassed for Boomer when he''s pooing, so I never watch. But he is poo shy and never does it in public. He prefers the privacy of his own backyard. THANK GOD! I take a bag with me just in case, because the one time I don''t- it will be Pootastic!

Ibelieve- that doggie is darling! What a sweet face and what a pretty little girl!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Mrs. Savlo and Ibelieve, your pictures are wonderful/adorable!!!
P.S. Jorman--I just loved the picture of you and Boomer on the other "no cats allowed" thread--cuties, the both of you!!

cheers--Sharon

 

[Ibelieve]

Thanks guys! I''ve been drooling over pricescope for the last 2 days. I wish I had found it earlier. I''m usually on theknot.com message boards all day, I''m a SAHM. Anyways, I had to register to reply to this post because I was never a dog or cat person really until we got our dog. (I''m a horse person) But seeing how much the kids love her and how safe I feel with her, being home alone with the kids, I would never get rid of her. My son would be heartbroken, they play all day long while my daughter is at school. The only thing I don''t like, is that she sheds like crazy, and doesn''t smell great, even after a bath. I''ve been told it''s just how labs are, so It''s worth it for the spot she fills in our family.

 

[jorman]

Here''s a picture of my nephew and godson with his lab, Simba.
Yes, they are sharing a bone. We couldn''t keep it away from my nephew.
He calls Simba "Sissa" and LOVES this brown dog and this brown dog LOVES him!

 

[jorman]

Thanks, Sharon!
Isn''t Boom Dogga so pretty? He is my handsome man!
Well, my other handsome man!

 

[Ibelieve]

OMG! That is SO cute with the baby chewing on the bone!

My son share''s his waffles with our dog.

 

[vizsla]

i just have to comment i own a beautiful and energetic vizsla.. while i wouldn''t trade her for anything in the world, i would suggest, for a family, a more.... subltle dog, like a lab... although even labs/goldens are very energetic their first couple of years.... that should be noted... BUT my real reason for writing, ESPICALLY if you are considering a lab is please please please please consider a visit to your local animal shelter. they are always packed full of lab and lab mixes that are just as wonderful as a pure breed dog (yes, yes.. i have a pure breed.. but i also got her from the humane society)

also, with a rescue dog typically they are already housebroken! dogs are amazingly loving and will love you just as much when they are 2 or 3 as they would have if you got them as a puppy.

thanks!

 

[longtimelurker]

On the topic of a good kid/family dog--my vet (who''s been my family''s vet for 40 years, said that people don''t want to get Labs & goldens because they''re too common & they want something different. But they''re popular for a REASON.

We have a purebred lab that we adopted when he was 2ish. The lab rescue group does a great job of evaluating the rescue dogs & only placing them in appropriate environments. I.e., we wanted a smaller, yellow female and got a bigger black male, but he has the PERFECT personality for a family with kids, but he would never make it as a hunting dog. He only barks to let you know someone is at the door. And his "job" as he sees it is to say hi to every person who stops by. Oh, and the one thing that makes him run off is if he hears/sees a baby/toddler in the distance (he loves babies).

I prefer to adopt adult dogs/animals, because then you know what you''re getting as far as personality & activity level. There are pros & cons to each--puppy vs adult. But frankly I didn''t want to deal with the housebreaking, chewing, etc of a puppy.

PS He does NOT slobber at all. But he sheds like a fiend. And the tail is especially bad on kids under 5--hits them in the head everytime--but kids figure that out pretty quickly and deflect it.

 

[partgypsy]

my 2 cents, that mix breed dogs (i.e. mutts) are underrated. Hybrid vigor!

There are so many good dogs out there that need homes, really adopting a puppy or dog is the way to go.

Right now we have Betty, a mostly chow dog. We adopted her as a puppy, she was actually offspring of a wild dog pack! We were really going to just foster care her until we found a home, but she just melted our hearts. I had heard about chows'' reputation, which worried me. Like most dogs, they do need to know who is in charge. She is very loyal, motherly towards Penelope and other children. She is protective, in a good way. She will bark (warn) people coming up on the porch or to the door, and if people come in the house, she subtly positions herself between our daughter and the "stranger." She will just lay there and let Penelope do anything to her, with this sweet patient look on her face. She is also protective of older folks; when we visit Mark''s grandmother who is very frail she will walk alongside her, and sit/lay next to her. Good things about chows: very easy to toliet train, don''t need as much exercise as most large dogs; bad things: the hair!

You may have better success with a puppy which grows up with the kids, and also possibly with a female, though I have known males dogs who have been incredibly sweet as well.

My view is most dogs are good natured, and much bad behavior has to do with bad training or lack of, than the animal itself.
There is a book "good dogs, great dog owners" that has some temperment tests, which will tell you which are the few dogs who should be avoided.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 9/8/2005 1:48:18 PM
Author: Ibelieve
I have a yellow lab, and she is so great with my 2 and 5 year old children. She is huge, over 80lbs.

80 lbs? She''s a miniature lab! My yellow lab weighs between 102 and 110...and he is NOT fat! He''s just...uh...big . He is so long, as well as high! His back goes on forever! He is far bigger than the breed standards say he should be. (My daughter measured him when she was little and had a magazine about Labs!) He is purebred, but adopted through Adopt-A-Dog. I''ll post a photo of him with my daughter sometime...but now it''s time to meet the school bus!

Deb

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 9/8/2005 2:54:05 PM
Author: AGBF

Date: 9/8/2005 1:48:18 PM
Author: Ibelieve
I have a yellow lab, and she is so great with my 2 and 5 year old children. She is huge, over 80lbs.

80 lbs? She''s a miniature lab! My yellow lab weighs between 102 and 110...and he is NOT fat! He''s just...uh...big . He is so long, as well as high! His

Deb

HI:

Part of it has got to be their big noggins--my sisters lab is almost 80 pounds, but I swear alll I ever see is her big ole head

....so cute....

cheers--Sharon

 

[Ibelieve]

I was estimating her at 80 lbs, I didn''t want to over quote it. Maybe she''s more than that, I''ve never weighed her, but she has gained A LOT of weight since we got her, I''m sure she weighs more than I do, She''s tall and wide, really thick and solid. I should have had her weighed when she was at the vet''s last week. When anyone see''s her, all they talk about is how big she is, and both my BIL''s have black labs and they are LESS than half her size. I don''t know why there labs are so much smaller.

 

[aphisiglovessae]

I personally have a pom. He fits everything you're looking for. He's got a GREAT personality and is very loyal and very protective of me. I don't really consider him a watch-dog as much as an alarm system. He barks when he hears strange noises or when a stranger comes over. He also sleeps at the foot of my bed facing the door and growls at my fiance until he indentifies himself. All he has to say is "It's me Rudie" and he stops. He's also good with children. He has lots of energy for playing, but is also a great lap-dog and will chill with you and watch t.v. As for shedding, he does shed, but I shave him to control that. He's little (8 pounds) so he's totally easy to travel with and to cuddle with.

As for a yellow lab, I have a couple of friends who recently bought a puppy. He's got great personality, but he's so full of energy. He won't leave anyone alone! He's not very nice to little dogs, but I don't know how he is with bigger ones. He's in his chewing stage (which I heard lasts a long time for labs) and is soon into the humping stage (yucky). He was really easy to house-break, but their carpet got ruined in the process. I would be concerned having a lab puppy around children because he's injured my girlfriend three times and her husband once. I know he's a puppy and will eventually calm down and grow out of it, but it may take a while. I would suggest, if getting a lab, to get one that is older and well-trained.

 

[Shay37]

My llaso is very good with my kids. He didn''t like kids at all before we had ours. Now, he pines for my five-year old who started kindergarten just last week. Since he doesn''t get to play with John, he makes do with torturing the three-year old Jason. They adore each other.

If I wanted a big dog that was protective, I would get a great white pyranees (sp). We raised them on the ranch for birds and sheep. They are great protectors. They also are not owned. They "own" you. You are theirs, and they will protect you with their very lives.

I gave my friend a puppy when she moved out on her own in Dallas. She lived in a small house with a yard, but it was a so-so neighborhood. When the pup was around 6 months old, a friend with an 18-month old baby stopped by to visit. It was hot, so they sat in the backyard. The little girl was running around in a diaper and t-shirt. Maverick kept pace with the baby every step. My friend and her friend got lost in a conversation and realized that the baby was yelling at the dog. He had her by the diaper and was dragging her. My friend scolded the dog, and told him to leave the baby alone. Sure enough he did it again a few minutes later. Well, that was enough for my friend. She went over to get Maverick and put him in the house when she noticed what she had not seen. Maverick had been pulling the baby away from a fire ant mound that she kept trying to inspect. My friend hadn''t even realized it was there.

The last time I went to visit my parents, they had a new girl. She is huge and mostly stays with the sheep. She''s not around children very much, and her name is Dallas. When Jason was just 12 months, they met. It was love at first sight for both of them. Dallas put her face down so that Jason could grab her and pull himself up. He was trying to give her a big sloppy wet kiss. He succeeded and she kissed him right back. (his whole face) I truly love that breed of dog, and when I have a yard that is big enough with a fence, I will have another.

Shay

 

[ursulawrite]

Well, I have to second Matatora''s BostonTerrier vote -- these little dogs are truly, truly wonderful. My girl is fantastic with kids, rarely barks, hardly sheds, loves to learn tricks, and is always up for some fun and games. As any Boston owner will tell you, they''ll fetch that tennis ball until the cows come home. They come in three sizes, the largest being 20-25lbs, so you''ll find some Bostons that are more medium-sized than small.

If I haven''t convinced you, this rough guide to different pedigrees might be useful to read. And you should not rule out mixed breeds. I volunteer for a no-kill shelter and we have had so many wonderful dogs passing through that were phenomenal with kids on the street. The Pit Bulls are always the sweetest and best, but not everyone is brave enough to put misconceptions aside.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/children.htm

 

[jellybean]

Thank you for all your thoughtful responses!

Since we aren''t making this decision "today", I will give the other breeds that everyone has mentioned some thought. I never saw myself as a small dog person, but there are advantages to having a small dog.

We don''t really need a dog as a watchdog since we just got an alarm system, but more as a protector of the kids, if that makes sense. I think just the presence of a dog would scare a lot of people away, which is a good thing.

I know everyone has a horror story with almost every breed. That is why since my kids are still in the hyper stage themselves I want to wait. I think they get so excited around dogs (or "goggies" as my son says) is because we don''t have one and they don''t see one every day.

I have also heard that mixed breeds are generally healthier than purebreeds, so that is probably the route we will go.

As far as labs and goldens being too popular, heck, I don''t care if they''re popular or not. If those kind are the best choice for us, then that''s what we''ll get.

Again, thanks for all your stories and I will keep you updated when we decide to get one.

 

[AGBF]

This is a photo of my daughter and our Lab taken several years ago. I would guess she was then around 8 years old. The dog has always adored her and protected her.

Deb

 

[mrssalvo]

Deb,
that is the sweetest picture. thanks for sharing it. it looks like your daughter adores your dog just as much as he adores her

 

[Kaleigh]

Deb,
That picture is too cute!!!! Thanks for sharing it with us, they must be best pals!!!!

 

[mingagreen]

Oh looking for a dog is so fun!! My first advise would be to look into a dog that was displaced by Katrina, and then I will second the vote for boxers!! We have an eight year old Boxer named Reilly and she is great with our 2 1/2 year old and all other kids. She is very "motherly" and protective. She only weighs about 65 lbs so is a medium dog. We have read stories of how boxers have risked their lives to protect small children. One stood in front of a fire and would not allow a child near it ( the fire) She doesn''t shed much, maybe twice a year she will have a good shed and then it''s very minor, she does drool though!!! Esp when she is nervous. One downside to boxers is the they are "puppies" for a long time, they are easy to train but tend to be hyper for quite a long time!!!
My SIL has 2 poms, and sorry if I offend anyone, they are horrible. They are not trained so I know it isn''t their fault but I do not allow my daughter to go near the one b/c it has snapped at her . They are truely ankle biters. They get borderline ferocious w/ eachother if their mother (my SIL) pays too much attention to anything or anyone other than them AND they killed 3 of my chikens and 5 of hers.........NO GOOD!!! They are cute but am not a fan of small dogs.
Those labradoodles are so cute!!!

 

[vizsla]

collies are great too. "herders" by nature, and great with kids... they tend to stick by the “flock”. if the dog is aware of his space they will keep the kids inside the same boundaries. our neighbor has a collie and it just adored having a “job” while the kids played in the yard.

 

[partgypsy]

Collies also seem to be great family dogs. My husband''s family has gone through a series of collies; I would not worry about them having aggression problems. They do like to herd, and get anxious if one group of people are separated from another group. but that can be good, because they are always checking out where people are. One dog Shadow, would do door checks to make sure everyone was where they were supposed to be, even during the night. However there''s the hair (again). They require alot of grooming.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 9/8/2005 9:58:59 AM
Author: PaulaW
I can't speak highly enough about Boxers. I've had them all of my life and they are the best dogs.

I don't have a dog, but was thinking of getting one and IF I do ever get one, it'd be a boxer. I'm actually kind of afraid of dogs - not a serious phobia, but REALLY uncomfortable around them, but the boxer my SIL has is a wonderful dog. He's very gentle around my boys (ages 3 and nearly 5) and is sweet with me. He also smells really clean!

Since you have little ones too, I just wanted to second PaulaW's suggestion since I agree w/her

 

[sjz]

For a big dog, I''d have to vote for a lab or a german shepard. They are both such easy going and gentle breeds to have around kids. And so intelligent!

If you decide to go with the smaller dog route...I''ll have to cast my vote for my personal favorite, the mini schnauzer. Ours is so sweet and friendly, but she''s also a good watch dog. NO stranger ever sets foot on our property without us knowing it...lol! She also doesn''t shed. There are only two downsides to this breed...they are very loving dogs and need lots of affection and human contact. The other downside is that they need to be trimmed up pretty often. While they don''t shed, they can get pretty wooly looking after a couple of months, so you have to know in advance that you are going to have to commit to learning how to groom the dog yourself, or take it to the groomers every 2 to 3 months to have a haircut. Unless you like wooly looking dogs, of course...

I''ve also heard that a schnauzer/poodle mix makes a good pet. They are known as "schnoodles", which is kind of a cute name all by itsself!

Standard schnauzers are also wonderful dogs, just in a bit bigger package.

 

[platinumrock]

I grew up with large dogs (white Lab and Rottweiller), and I never saw the appeal with small dogs. I always wanted something I could hug and squeeze, like a big teddy bear, while feeling protected at the same time. Right now my husband and I have a yellow Lab, and he''s the perfect family companion. I have to agree that Labs are hyper and full of energy when they are puppies, especially the field types. They need owners who are committed to training them, socializing them, and giving them plenty of exercise to release all that energy. Oh, and they need lots of space. And they LOVE being with you. And make sure you control what they eat, because they get fat easily. Labs are not for everyone, and if you cannot provide all of these things, you are better off with lower maintenance dogs. It breaks my heart how often Lab puppies (4 months and up) end up at shelters because their owners were unprepared and underinformed of their needs.

Someone at PetSmart once told me, "If you don''t kill them in the first two years, they will be the best dog you will ever have". I had to agree, because now that our yellow Lab is over a year, he is the best doggy ever. But he sure did test our patience when he was a little puppy. With a lot of patience, persistence and training, we are now able to leave him home when we are at work and feel secure that he takes care of the apartment. We leave him water, the fan and A/C, his toys/bones and the "Animal Channel". When we get home, our place is exactly as we left it.

Labs are extremely intellegent, focused, adaptable, playful, loving, loyal and protective creatures. There''s no limit to what you can train your Lab to do. I can''t say enough about their temperament....my nieces and nephews have their way with mine, and he is a trooper.

We have never had such a human-like pet...sometimes we forget he''s a dog.

 

[mrssalvo]

oh platinumrock. that is the sweetest picture of your sleeping puppy. make me want another