New Family Dog?

[SarahGarza88]

Hello everyone.
As some of you know. My 6 year old daughter Clara because of her dwarfism is 1‘5“ in 18 pounds. We are all wanting a family pet, preferably a dog.

Which dog breed should we get though? Me and my husband aren’t really wanting to get a tiny sized dog breed, we are more fans of a medium sized breed. Considering Clara‘s height/weight though, we are willing to make some adjustments. Do y’all have any suggestions on which dog we should get?

[barry1010]

Staffies can make great pets but I would not recommend that breed because of Clara's height and weight (17" and 18lbs at 6 years old for those that don't know). A staffie's average weight is 331b and height is around 15".
A smaller and much lighter dog would be more suitable if you are set on having a dog. I think a cat would be a good alternative.

[Tilly2]

331 lb? Check that Barry.

[naomi24]

Neither would I recommend a Staffie. They might not be tall but they're powerful.

[barry1010]

I did check it, Tilly - female 23-35lbs; male 25-38lbs

Oh! I see what I did in previous post, used a 1 instead of an l in lb (331b)

[Khandro]

West Highland terrier like this;
https://ibb.co/JBGh5jS

[Tilly2]

I think your suggestion about a getting a cat is good.

[barry1010]

I've remembered you saying that your daughter gets tired very quickly on walks and you have to carry her. Bear that in mind when choosing a dog - all dogs need walking every day, some breeds need lots of exercise.

[SarahGarza88]

Barry1010, yes I did say that. That’s mainly just because of her height compared to everyone else. It takes her a lot more work to walk the same distance, plus your muscles are developing very slowly

That would probably be the case with every dog huh? Me and my husband both don’t really want a toy sized dog, we are more towards the medium size. But at the same time we don’t want the dog that is chosen to be too much for Clara

[barry1010]

At least Clara could cuddle and pet a cat. Clara weighs the same as an average 7 month old baby and is shorter than a new born. Any dog is going to be a struggle for her

[barry1010]

It shouldn't really be what you want, though - your decision should be based on Clara's ability to interact with a dog safely and develop a bond with it. Clara could be easily knocked over accidentally by even a small dog, she won't be able to walk a dog on a lead and she won't be able to cuddle a medium sized dog on her lap.
Think again.

[SarahGarza88]

None of us are really cat people, besides wouldn’t a cat who is the same issue?

What if we did get a small dog? We were hoping for medium, but we could make some adjustments. Is there a small breed of dog that you think would be safe around Clara?

[naomi24]

Sarah, It's difficult to make a recommendation because there are so many breeds. I've got miniature poodles. They're so affectionate and clingy - they just want to be with us all the time - but they are lively so it depends how lively you can handle. I just googled 'gentle dog breeds'. There are a lot of sites with recommendations. Perhaps have a scroll through those and see what you think?

[barry1010]

I'm not going to recommend any sort of dog because I don't know your situation.
Have either of you owned a dog before? Is somebody at home all day, every day? Have you got a garden? What will you do with the dog if you go on holiday? Are you able to walk the dog at least twice a day?
Is Clara used to dogs? Has she played with friends dogs?
Can you afford the vet bills?

I don't see how you can think a cat would bring the same problems as a dog, unless your idea of a cat is a very large Savannah or Maine Coon.

[KristalBee]

You say your daughter is only 17 inches tall at four years old. The worlds smallest girl who is 5 years old , lives in Yorkshire and is just under 2 feet (63 cm) . Maybe you could contact the parents for support and advice.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2207668/Worlds-smallest-girl-Charlotte-Garside-starts-day-primary-school.html

[barry1010]

Clara is 6, Kristalbee

[KristalBee]

Clara seems to be smaller than the smallest child in the uk.

[barry1010]

Maybe Clara's parents wish to keep her out of the media.

[naomi24]

It doesn't matter how small or tall Sarah's daughter is. She just wants an answer to her question.