Need some input

[lookin4caninecompanion]

Go to the shelter and rescue an animal!

I am. lol

I want to know what KIND of dog to get. What would be BEST for my family.

I don't work out of the home, so I'm home all day.

[Roxyluvsme13]

Shelters have all kinds of dogs...so I would suggest just going there, and looking at the small-medium dogs and seeing how they react with all your children.

[lookin4caninecompanion]

Thanks.

So there are no breeds in particular that can be agressive with children, that I should be warned out?

[CagneyDog]

No, any dog can be agressive, there are no breeds as a whole that are aggressive.

I think poodles would be good for your family, what about King charles cavalier spaniels? http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/cavalier...lesspaniel.htm

[lookin4caninecompanion]

No, any dog can be agressive, there are no breeds as a whole that are aggressive.

I think poodles would be good for your family, what about King charles cavalier spaniels? http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/cavalier...lesspaniel.htm

Awww... they're adorable.

*puts King Charles Cavalier Spaniels on my list of potential dogs to look for*

[Roxyluvsme13]

Thanks.

So there are no breeds in particular that can be agressive with children, that I should be warned out?

Well I Really think it would depend on the dog as to whether it would be child aggressive...but since you have a toddler, a toy breed might not be best, due to the fact of how fragile they are...Good Luck

[lookin4caninecompanion]

Thanks everyone!

There is a poodle mix that is up for adoption at a local shelter. He's neutered and just adorable.

Wanna see?

http://www.co.jackson.wi.us/html/ani.../poodlemix.htm

EDIT: Here's the husky that my daughter wants.

http://www.co.jackson.wi.us/html/ani...dogs/husky.htm

[finn's mom]

There may be certain breeds that are better with children than others. But, I think part of the problem with telling you a certain breed, especially if you're going to rescue (which is wonderful!), is that a lot of the dogs will be mixed. So, it wouldn't be really possible to tell you which of the mixes will be better with your toddler and ten year old. I think it's wonderful that you are doing this! I would just suggest going online to petfinder and looking through there and actually going to the shelter yourself and then again with your children once you've narrowed the selection down. Once you've talked to the shelter people about what small/medium dogs they have that are known to be good with children and toddlers, then you can bring your two in to actually meet the dogs and see which dog the connection will be with. If you're dead-set on having a purebred, you can do a bit of research online and find small/medium breeds that are maybe better with kids than others...then see if there are any breed rescues that have a dog you can adopt. Of course, even then, you'd have to make sure that particular dog will like and be liked by your two kids. Are you looking for a puppy that you'll need to train or are you looking for an adult? You already know the size requirement, are you wanting a dog that will be calm or do you want a dog with more energy? Who's going to be walking the dog? Because even a small/medium sized dog can be difficult to walk if they're not properly leash trained or if they're being walked by a small, possibly physically weak child. I don't know the severity of your girl's disabilities, but, it's something to consider when choosing a dog. I'd be willing to help you look online today if you can be a bit more specific. I say today, because I'll be inside for the majority of it. You can send me a private message if you'd like with your zip code (as that's asked for on www.petfinder.com )...and, I can help you look. But, it's an easy site to navigate, so, you can totally do it yourself if you'd rather. Good luck, no matter what you do!

I saw where you mentioned a puppy isn't really what you're looking for...sorry it took me a minute to type all this and i didn't see that response.

[lookin4caninecompanion]

I really have no interest in a pure bred dog. I've had "mutts" in the past, and they did just fine. But all of this was BEFORE I had children. lol
I've looked on petfinder.com
Zip code- 54660 OR 54656
At the Sparta Animal Shelter... The Cocker Spaniel named Joshua, isn't suitable for children the lady at the shelter told me.

http://www.petfinder.org/pet.cgi?act...=0&tmpl=&stat=
My daughter is cognitively disabled, and has seizures.
In other words, she's 10 years old, but functions at the level of a 5-6 year old. She's also ODD and ADHD.

There may be certain breeds that are better with children than others. But, I think part of the problem with telling you a certain breed, especially if you're going to rescue (which is wonderful!), is that a lot of the dogs will be mixed. So, it wouldn't be really possible to tell you which of the mixes will be better with your toddler and ten year old. I think it's wonderful that you are doing this! I would just suggest going online to petfinder and looking through there and actually going to the shelter yourself and then again with your children once you've narrowed the selection down. Once you've talked to the shelter people about what small/medium dogs they have that are known to be good with children and toddlers, then you can bring your two in to actually meet the dogs and see which dog the connection will be with. If you're dead-set on having a purebred, you can do a bit of research online and find small/medium breeds that are maybe better with kids than others...then see if there are any breed rescues that have a dog you can adopt. Of course, even then, you'd have to make sure that particular dog will like and be liked by your two kids. Are you looking for a puppy that you'll need to train or are you looking for an adult? You already know the size requirement, are you wanting a dog that will be calm or do you want a dog with more energy? Who's going to be walking the dog? Because even a small/medium sized dog can be difficult to walk if they're not properly leash trained or if they're being walked by a small, possibly physically weak child. I don't know the severity of your girl's disabilities, but, it's something to consider when choosing a dog. I'd be willing to help you look online today if you can be a bit more specific. I say today, because I'll be inside for the majority of it. You can send me a private message if you'd like with your zip code (as that's asked for on www.petfinder.com )...and, I can help you look. But, it's an easy site to navigate, so, you can totally do it yourself if you'd rather. Good luck, no matter what you do!

I saw where you mentioned a puppy isn't really what you're looking for...sorry it took me a minute to type all this and i didn't see that response.

[Uabassoon]

I think your best bet is to just take your children down to the shelter and have them meet all the dogs that fir your description until you find the right one. Every dog is different, is also depends on how they were socialized as puppies. I wouldn't suggest a toy breed because as stated above they are very fragile which might not be good idea if you have a toddler. You could easily find a nice mixed breed to fit your specifications. Also don't forget to look at dogs that are out of that puppy stage. Adult dogs are a lot more mellow than puppies which might be a good fit for your household.

[lookin4caninecompanion]

I think your best bet is to just take your children down to the shelter and have them meet all the dogs that fir your description until you find the right one. Every dog is different, is also depends on how they were socialized as puppies. I would suggest a toy breed because as stated above they are very fragile which might not be good idea if you have a toddler. You could easily find a nice mixed breed to fit your specifications. Also don't forget to look at dogs that are out of that puppy stage. Adult dogs are a lot more mellow than puppies which might be a good fit for your household.

That's basically what I'm looking for. A dog anywhere from 5 months to 5 year of age. THey have to be neutered so a puppy wouldn't fit our criteria. Besides there are adult dogs out there getting put to sleep because no one wants a "grown" dog, just a "cute little puppy".

[Uabassoon]

That's basically what I'm looking for. A dog anywhere from 5 months to 5 year of age. THey have to be neutered so a puppy wouldn't fit our criteria. Besides there are adult dogs out there getting put to sleep because no one wants a "grown" dog, just a "cute little puppy".

That's great that you are looking to adopt an older dog! A few months ago my girlfriend and I adopted Payson, a 3 year old Jack Russell terrier mix who is just the sweetest dog I've ever met. We went to several shelters and met many different dogs before we met him and just knew that he was the perfect dog for us.

[wolf_Q]

Have you tried www.petfinder.com ? Just put in dog, small size and your state and it will bring up a bunch of different dogs.

[lookin4caninecompanion]

Have you tried www.petfinder.com ? Just put in dog, small size and your state and it will bring up a bunch of different dogs.

lol yep. Did that already. All of them nearest don't have any small to medium sized dogs. All large.

Can a lab mix be considered a medium dog? I think he's lab/terrier mix.

[Christiansmommy]

The only medium size dog I had as a child was a miniture poodle. We also had standards and toys. Standards can be as small as 40 lbs...but males can be on the larger size. Now I have a giant breed, and that is not what you are looking for,so I won't even elaborate on Swissies, lol

As far as the poodles were, when I was growing up...they were raised with me and my brother since they were pups, so there were no issues. Getting a TOY poodle from a shelter, that may not have been raised with children, could be snippy with them. The miniture and standards have very loving personalities...standards in particular. They don't shed too, which is nice. Very easy to train too. Quick learners. Anyway, you may see a mix at a shelter or full bred...but reguardless, they are very nice tempermented dogs that I have had the experience of knowing and living with...I can't vouche for other breeds...but I do agree with going to the shelter and seeing which dog picks you and your kids...and which seems hesitant of young children, you would stay away from...good luck.