Ok so we own a west highland terrier. We also have a small child (4) and a cat who is 16. We have been looking at Australian shepherds. We dont want a huge dog but we also dont want another westie or anything as small as a westie. We also wanna rescue. We have a nice size yard and we would be willing to do agility, daily walks…etc. So if anyone has any ideas of a type of dog for us that would be great! Thanks!
An Aussie may not be the dog for you. They like to nip and it’s not because they are mean, it’s their breed. I work at the animal shelter and I can’t tell you have many Aussies we get in because people don’t realize that an Australian shepherds like to nip or herd their children. With one who is 4, I don’t know if an Aussie would be a good idea for you. Maybe..a lab? A lab might be bigger than what you want, but they are great kid dogs. A golden retriever would be another one. Another dog my family had when I was growing up was a boxer who was my best friend and even when I was little, would let me do anything and everything to her.
Tags: west highland terrier, Westie
An Aussie may not be the dog for you. They like to nip and it’s not because they are mean, it’s their breed. I work at the animal shelter and I can’t tell you have many Aussies we get in because people don’t realize that an Australian shepherds like to nip or herd their children. With one who is 4, I don’t know if an Aussie would be a good idea for you. Maybe..a lab? A lab might be bigger than what you want, but they are great kid dogs. A golden retriever would be another one. Another dog my family had when I was growing up was a boxer who was my best friend and even when I was little, would let me do anything and everything to her.
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labradoodles are amazing dogs they are extremely sweet, have a Great disposition, and are great with kids! Mine thinks she is a human and goes everywhere with us she is hypoallergenic and her hair is very low maintenance. another good one is the great dane they might be to big for you but they are incredibly sweet and were bred to watch over and be companions for the royal children. they do require some exercise but hair is also very low maintenance. for a medium size dog you could try a king charles spaniel, so sweet good size for kids but shed a lot. watch dog 101 on animal planet they show you strait out everything health, housing,maintenance,ect… and it is not boring. hope this helps.
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I wouldn’t recommend an Aussie with kids. Never. They can be very, very nippy. Not nippy to be mean, but nippy because it’s part of their breed to want to "herd" things. I would recommend an American Staffordshire Terrier. They are common in shelters and are very, very good dogs. They’re actually known as "nanny dogs" because of their natural love for children, and they aren’t all that big.
Kita, I gave you a thumbs-up, but I do have several mild problems with your post – I would not recommend cocker spaniels to a family with small children (although the other breeds are great), and shelter dogs are actually a best bet because, if they’re adult dogs, their temperaments have already "shown" and they’ve been through extensive tests to make sure they have good personalities. I would trust an adult dog with a "shown" temperament than a puppy with an unclear background any day. The temperament testing happens more at rescues, though.
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Australian shephards are great family dogs, but I wouldn’t recommend them for someone with a child as young as yours. Any herding dogs have a tendancy to herd things… anything. We had an aussie and another mixed aussie growing up, and they were EXTREMELY nippy. My parents ended up getting rid of them because they would always nip at us kids if we weren’t doing what they wanted us to like we were cattle.
Golden Retrievers and Labradors are by far your typical "family dogs". All they want is love, and they do have quite a bit of stamina while they’re young so you would have no problem with them doing agility. Unless they have a history of abuse, they’re two of the most dosile ‘medium-sized’ breeds out there. They can be a bit oaf-ish and clumsy sometimes, but I think your child is old enough now where you wouldn’t have to worry about a dog knocking him around.
I know you you said you don’t want a small small dog, but dogs you REALLY want to stay away from are things like poodles, chows, dachshunds, llasa apso, chihauhaus, and a few others. They have various problems, from being overpossessive to just being known for not liking children. Now, that’s not saying you can’t find an amazing dog of one of these breeds — each dog is an individual. But there are certain traits that are in the breed in general, but don’t show up in each individual dog. Also, stay away from dalmatians. They are amazing dogs if you are willing to give them A LOT of excersise (they’re great at agility), but they do have some aggression in their blood and this will be worse if they’re forced to sit around the house all day — after the 101 dalmations movie came out, people started buying the breed like purses (just for show) and so breeders just wanted money. They didn’t pay attention to temperament and pretty much messed up the breed.
Also, some dogs are shown as extremely aggressive, but actually make the greatest house-pets ever. They’re great with kids, and will also scare off any would-be intruders.
Bulldogs are extremely gentle and playful, and are very good at learning tricks. However, you probably wouldn’t get your agility wishes with this one lol. They do love to go on walks though, as long as you keep them very hydrated and don’t overdo it.
German Shepherds are actually amazing with kids. They can be trained as a guard dog, but will otherwise be great with family and strangers alike. They can run for miles, and would love to do agility.
Boxers are very playful and have a lot of stamina. They are okay watchdogs, but will only become aggressive if they are extremely threatened (i.e. holding them down on the ground on their back, and they dont’ know that you’re just playing). Other than that they’re pretty laid-back and would make a great addition to any family.
If you decide to get a dog from a breeder, rottweilers, dobermans, and cocker spaniels are also great pets if trained right. However, with a child as young as yours, I wouldn’t risk one of these breeds from the shelter unless you’re sure of their past.
If you have any more questions or want details on a certain breed you were thinking of, email me at la.macintyre967@gmail.com anytime
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My parents are breeders, sister is a vet, I’ve had 2 champion show-dogs, and have been working with dogs my entire life
Be wary of any sort of Shepard, they are a bit territorial and nippy by nature (bred to protect their property and herd animals) your daughter is too young to train one/be dominate over a high energy dog, and even if she could, her friends can’t. Golden retrievers are excellent family dogs, what I would recommend for a house with small children running around. I would adopt one that is at least 2 years old from the shelter or a family needing to rehome one, then you’re already past the jumpy/nippy puppy stage. Before getting a dog, take your daughter to meet it, and see how the dog acts. Be wary of a dog that is overly excited, because this is how it will act whenever someone is comes to your house. While you can train one, it would be easier on your daughter and her friends to get one already trained.
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Golden retrievers are the best dogs! They are ALWAYS nice–you can check for yourself. They are kind, gentle, and fun loving. We have 6 little cousins all under the age of 7 and they adore him. His name is Charlie=] We luv him 2 death, but i am sure you’ll hear a lot of other answers the exact opposite of mine. I just hope you’ll consider my answer! =]
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