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.