Dog for our daughter

[Sephrenia]

She's six and we were thinking of getting her a dog of her own. Obviously we would be doing most of the care and training at this point but we would be involving her as much as possible. She wants a small-medium sized dog but not toy and has to be child tolerant and I know far more about large-giant breeds than anything smaller. She is good with dogs and knows how to train and handle them given we have three large breed dogs. So anyone have any breed recommendations?

[icklechick]

Small-medium Heinz 57 rescue :)

[chumba wumba]

Poodle

rune

[Lillypup]

Bichon? I have two and they are very sturdy little dogs and range in size depending whether you get a boy or a girl, lovely temperaments but need a good deal of grooming and clipping and bathing every 4-6 weeks.

[Sephrenia]

A bichon sounds pretty good intelligent and trainable and poodles are pretty similar. Might have to look into both. We already looked at the local shelters and theres no dogs that are suitable.

[Groeny]

Tibetan Terrier ( not really a terrier ! ) - Norweigan Buhund - Shetland Sheepdog - Polish Lowland - Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen or Basset Fauve de Bretagne - German Spitz Mittle ( larger size ) or Japanese Spitz - Swedish Valhund - Cocker spaniel ( American and English )in fact there 's LOADS of different breeds to choose from !- why not take her along to Crufts at the beginning of March and have a look at all the recognised breeds at Discover Dogs - this way you'll get to handle the breeds you like and ask loads of questions from folk experienced in the breeds.


Yvonne

[bobdog]

Miniature Schnauzer, I have two, they're great with kids, other dogs and don't shed! They are also quite solid little dogs and happily play with the larger breeds.

[chumba wumba]

Can I add, my daughter was 8 when she got her first dog and you do have to be aware that however committed the child is there are things you will have to do, which could make the dog more yours than hers except in name. Her second dog she had when she was 12 and was more her dog in the early years.Both dogs went to uni with her and one died aged 16, the other is still here aged 15. Bothe wsd's and did agility, obedience, flyball with her.

You do need to think that it might end up with you though.

rune

[chumba wumba]

Just read your intro---lovely dogs!

Bear in mind also that leaving small and large dogs together unattended is not a good idea. Even the nicest dogs can tread on them! I have known too many people who have said their dogs were fine together and come back to an accident or even what looks like the result of a normal dog disagreement----but because of the size difference it can be fatal.

rune

[smokeybear]

Ckcs

[cenydd]

you do have to be aware that however committed the child is there are things you will have to do, which could make the dog more yours than hers except in name.


I agree - you have to be aware that the dog will be your responsibility, and yours alone. Having said that, involving your daughter as far as possible, and fostering that sense of responsibility in her as far as you can, is a great idea (as long as she is aware that, although it's 'her' dog, there are decisions and responsibilities that adults have to take in the best interests of the dog, even if she isn't happy with them). I would also mention that no matter how 'child tolerant' a dog may be, it is also your responsibility to 'train' the child in the way that she behaves with the dog. I'm sure that you have thought of these things, but I thought they were worth emphasising.

As for breeds, although I'm no great expert, from my own experience if it were me I would certainly be considering a staffie or staffie cross.

[cenydd]

Bear in mind also that leaving small and large dogs together unattended is not a good idea.

Likewise any dogs and small children!

[chumba wumba]

You should have been at the young kennel club camps we ran (G)!

rune

[D fer Dog]

GSD or a Samoyed, I've had both when I was younger GSD when I was born & grew up with her & the Sam at 8, which got me into training etc.

Both great dogs in my opinion, even with grooming.

[Kerriebaby]

Rough Collie. I was 6 when Sheena came into our lives

[Sassy Lassy]

GSD or a Samoyed, I've had both when I was younger GSD when I was born & grew up with her & the Sam at 8, which got me into training etc.

Both great dogs in my opinion, even with grooming.

I would not be recommending a GSD as a dog for a child to call her own. The sheer power of a full grown GSD is too much for most inexperienced adults. A child wouldnt stand a chance of walking one down the local park. Not to mention the time it would take to exercise and train a working breed. It would definately all be down to the parents.

[Xena Daisy]

discover dogs sounds like a great idea, personally i would go for a whippet!
i think they have great personalities and might be easier for a youngster to control than a stockier breed perhaps?
or maybe a soft coated wheaton terrier, the ones i have known were fantastic with children?

[smokeybear]

I agree that a GSD would be too strong for a child anyway the parents own one already!

[Sephrenia]

Ah so many choices. We can't get to discover dogs this year or we would be there having a look at them all. We were thinking maybe a mini schnauzer or a ckcs as long as we could get a healthy dog as I understand they're not a very healthy breed. She can handle our fully leash trained GSD only in enclosed areas and closely supervised obviously but I would never get her one. She has grown up with dogs and knows how to handle and train them but we would be training the dog before we let her walk it. I would like to point out that as much as I trust my dogs none of them are ever left alone with the children I have heard way too many stories about well trained dogs turning on children to even contemplate that and they're all crated when we're not in the house and at night so very little chance of squashing happening hopefully.