we want to get to puppies

[boobesque]

When we move house we would like to get 2 puppies, we have a 6 year old son with cerebral palsy and plan to have more children.

We are looking for dogs that are very mild in temprement and good with children, are there any particular breeds that i should avoid or can all dogs be bought up to be good with kids?

[britta]

you do not say where you live but the best thing to do is go to Discover Dogs which is held at Earls Court in London on 12 and 13 November this year.  Every breed of dog will be on display together with experts on them all.  Not all breeds of dog will be suitable for your circumstances.  It is not always the way they are brought up but what is in their background i.e. what they were originally bred for.  Failing that get a couple of good books, short list a few breeds and contact the Kennel club, 1-5 Clarges Street, London W1Y 8AB for the breed club secretary name of the breed(s) you are interested in.  They should be able to put you in contact with a breeder near your home.  Do not answer a multi breed advert in the newspaper.  

[boobesque]

hi, excellent, we live in Kent and london is easy to get to. I would never get a dog from a paper! also, i wouldnt get e rescue dog, because of our son being disabled it is a risk we couldnt take. i will find out about the discover dogs show! Thanks so much x

[butter1]

where abouts in Kent do you live Boobseque....just curious as I do.

[maggie01]

I personally dont think theres any such thing as a dog thats  good with children.  All the best dogs in the world can turn especially if' children don't let them rest when they want to. If I didn't have a dog already I don't think I would choose to have a dog with small children. That just my opinion.

[boobesque]

in dartford butter, where are you?

[boobesque]

my little boy wouldnt go near the dog, as he cant walk and hasnt learnt to use a wheel chair. We had dogs when we were children and never had a problem with them, even though they were there first lol

[drgnrdr]

Boy 2 at once...Double Trouble...LOL Please check out the web site, Super Puppy, Yahoo search and go to the One that says "Super Puppy Press". Click on "tips and Techniques" and you'll see "Raising 2 at once", it is really important, N. Vollmer, wrote that article it's very informative. Plus don't forget to socialize your dogs, to all kinds of things and other dogs, including around medical equipment and such when they are young. maggie01 is right no dog is 100% reliable around children you should always watch and supervise, children don't understand a warning growl much less a look that says back off, (for that matter some adults don't either that's why they get bit), but you can get your dog to have a quiet place and teach children to let the dog be, try to find one with good parents, they need to be mellow and laid back and their puppies should have that genetic predisposition to be that way also, then you socialize them, allot! That way they would be good for the wonderful  son you have now and the others to come. Don't forget training, by a professional, puppies start with a clean slate, mold them into the dog you want them to be. Good Luck on your search.

[boobesque]

thank you drgnrdr, we used to know when the dogs we had wanted to be left alone!

I am a housewife so supervision isnt a problem, and we have 2 parks close by so they can socialise, hopefully we will be ok, we will teach them from a young age as i did my son lol, thanks for the link i will check it out

[Eels]

I just wanted to add (in response to your comment about never getting a rescue dog) that they're not all ex-neglect or abuse cases, you know!

Often a dog ends up in rescue for reasons totally beyond anyone's control - things like family breakdowns, emigration, simply being unwanted.  They are NOT all unpredictable, many of them DO have a known history, and even those where that is not that case have often spent time in foster care and made amazing progress.  A good rescue will foster dogs in real family homes (often with dog-savvy children) so that they can get a better idea of the dogs' temperament and can initiate any necessary training.  For this reason alone a rescue dog can often be the ideal addition to a family in your position.  Obviously nobody can guarantee a dog, but if you go via a reputable rescue, they will take your situation into account, and match a dog to your needs, from their own experience of it.  They will also provide backup and support when you need it, and your dog will always have somewhere to go back to if the situation changes. 

Not all breeders are so careful to ensure their pups go to the right homes, and some dogs never really get to like children, despite their unbringing.  If I had specific criteria for a dog, as you do, I would immediately get in touch with a rescue to get yourself started - what better than experienced and knowledgeable dog lovers helping you find the right dog, giving you backup when you need it, and a homeless hound gets a family of their own into the bargain!

Try www.dogpages.org.uk

[lurcher]

We have a lurcher we got him from 6wks old he will be one in 2 wks. Our son was just turning 3 when we got him,they love each dearly. Even though the poor dog puts up with so much,my son has learnt to recognise when the dog doesn't wont to be pulled around.We got told that lurcher's are very gently dogs and it is true they don't need a huge amount of excersie but do need an area to have a run and i mean a run they run like lightning.They are not known to bark alot,and just like greyhounds somewhere to curl up and sleep alot.

[boobesque]

Eels thank you, we have a couple of rescue homes near us, so will look into that when we have moved and settled.

Lurcher, my friend is due to get a lurcher puppy in 2 weeks!

thanks all for your help x

[Kimmiebear]

Just to clarify, there are good dogs advertised in the newspapers. My great dane x was a newspaper puppy. You have to check out the owner of the bitch and the stud, and the breeding facility (which you should do anyways) but many of the pups in the paper are from good homes. My great dane is trained as a personal protector and is a great dog that i wouldn't trade for the world. Whenever you pick a dog be careful. Also be careful getting lettermates as they are much harder to train.

[b13thy]

Boobesque, would you not consider rescuing some puppies. It is relatively easy to tell what kind of breed they are not (if you see what i mean) and i have always found that it very fulfilling to rescue puppies that otherwise may be destroyed. All of my animals have been rescued as youngsters and they are all an absolute pleasure. If you do want to go for a breed then labradors are excellent with children (size is a consideration though) and i have always found that staffordshire bull terriers are wonderful with kids (despite their bad press)