A friend of mine is getting a new dog. She lives in an apartment with her boyfriend and her 5 year old daughter. She wants a small indoor dog and has no intention of breeding it or anything.
Now, she has found a purebred Pekingese pup she wants to buy. At first I advised her to go to the humane society and find a nice puppy (and perhaps save the little guys life), but she is adamant about getting a purebred. I have no idea why.
After looking into Pekingese, I found many indications (as I had thought) that they didn’t always do very well with children. I showed this information to her and she still is determined to get this Pekingese puppy. As she just had to get rid of a cat not long ago because it would bite her daughter, I’m afraid the same will happen to this puppy.
Anyone out there have a Pekingese? If so, how are they with children? Any advice given the above information? How about other breeds that might fit her a little better? (I suggested a Pug but she hasn’t seemed to look into it at this point.)
Sounds like she already has her mind made up. I have always heard that small dogs are not as good with children as bigger dogs because they tend to be more high-strung. All those little dogs tend to be little yappers, too, IMHO.
I would also have gotten one from the pound. We adopted 2 cats from the pound, one was 5 months and one was 6 months when we got them. Definately better than getting a tiny kitten, but also better than getting an older cat more set in it’s ways. She probably should have looked at a couple different pounds (we have ASPCA, Humane Society, and Defenders of Animal Rights), checked a couple different dogs, and really thought about this decision.
Also in my humble opinion, mixed breeds are better than pure-breeds any day. Better temperment, less prone to disease and other problems, just better overall…in my opinion.
I hope she will be able to return it if there are problems. It would be a real shame if she had to have it put to sleep because she couldn’t deal with it or because it bit her child or something.
Personally, I wouldn’t have a dog in an apartment, but that’s just me. There really isn’t such a thing as an “indoor dog.” All dogs need to go out and run.
Speaking from the brain of an animal lover, do not get a pet if you’re going to be in an apartment. Dogs (and really any non-caged pet as well as some who are caged) need to be able to run around lots, and if you don’t let a puppy run around and play you will hamper its physical development much as you would hamper a child’s by not letting them exercise. Anyone who disagrees can go lick a razor. BTW, running around on a linoleum floor does not count as exercise for a puppy.
Now from the brain of a person educated on dogs: big dog. Not BIG, but not a little hors d’oeuvre, either. I have a german shepherd, a rottweiler, and a doberman. None of them is over 110 lbs, although the doberman ain’t finished growing yet. They are wonderful family pets and the news hype about them being vicious dogs stems from people (and I use the term loosely) who train them to be such, or neglect them, or other such things also done to humans.
Dogs (and small children), in my experience, are also chick magnets, though I suppose that’s not what you’re going for.
Best of luck with the search. I’ll try to get my dad to let me know which breeds are especially susceptible to various diseases. I know big shepherds are prone to hip dysplasia, but beyond that I haven’t the faintest.
Kinsey - yeah I agree with a lot of what you mention there. Personally I think she is rushing this decision, but so far I haven’t convinced her.
Vestal Blue - I have a list here that says the Corgi can be good as long as the children are respectful. Similar temperment to Shelties (another breed I suggested).
Tell her to buy a Labrador(the kindest most tolerant dog on earth IMHO) puppy. Now I know what you’re saying…
“Hey Labs get to be pretty good sized Sledman. What kind of stupid suggestion is that?”
See this is where the beer, cigarettes and coffee come in to play.
Seriously, though if she is going to get a mini dog,( I use the term dog loosely here) what about Boston Terriers?
I have a friend with 3 small girls that has one of these dogs and Rosie is fine with them. Loves to lick and nibble your ears but that’s about it.
Staffordshire Bull Terriers are great with kids. Don’t be put off by the name - they are not pit bulls, although they, like almost all dogs, need exercise.
Poodles don’t need a lot of exercise, and they don’t shed.
They may hump your leg though…
I think Shelties, like most small dogs (hell, just about any dog), can vary a great deal. My brother had one that was a barker, but not a humper or biter.
I agree, she should really think about this. Those little dogs do have a tendency to be a bit snappy when provoked. But, she will learn the hard way, it sounds like. We had a lot of pets when I was in high school, my favorite dog being my small ??/pug mix dog. She was the sweetest little dog, as was her mother. Our Doberman thought she was a lap dog, never could convince her otherwise.
I recently got another puppy, this one is a toy fox terrier/Jack Russell mix. She is the sweetest puppy, and she loves everyone she’s met so far, of all ages. Very gentle with everyone except her sister, our kitten. They can get a bit rough with each other while playing, but no blood yet.
My family had a standard poodle and she turned our backyard into a swamp. The grass is still recovering 10 years later.
We’ve had two german shepherds so far. One of them was the best dog in the history of time. The other is a scaredy-cat.
We’ve had one rottweiler who loves food. 'Nuff said.
Numerous foster big dogs who left their impressions on the family (and sometimes the wall, in the case of one whose tail was almost completely devoid of hair).
One guide-dog trainee who we did not want to let go. Ever. We have not done one since b/c of the emotinal attachment.
I have a corgi and he is great with little kids. He is a yapper though. I still think the best dog for kids is a golden retriever… but those are NOT small Poodles are definately out… never seen one that I didn’t want to kill.
OOOOO number 99! One more to go!!
Oh, ick, Peke’s are yappy little… dogs. I, too, am a fan of big dogs (I grew up with a German Shepherd and a golden retriever), but they definitely shouldn’t be kept in apartments. Still… a Pekingese?
If she must get a little dog, I recommend Welsh Terriers. My grandmother had two (not at once, and from two different breeders) and both were very sweet, patient, intelligent and non-yappy dogs. Both were wonderful with children, and generally great companions. Mindy in particular-- she’ll sit on your lap, look into your eyes, and softly pat your cheeks with her paws. It’s just the sweetest thing.
Just what I thought, no defenders of the Pekingnese. Lots of good suggestions folks. I’m trying to convince her first not to go run and get this Pekingnese. If I can do that, then maybe I can slow her down so she actually puts some thought into the situation. I still wish she would go down to the Humane Society. You know damn well that the kid doesn’t care about papers and will just fall in love with any puppy she sees.
(By the way, I’m a big dog lover myself having had 2 Newfoundlands in our family from when I was 8 until my sister’s died when I was 30. I have a beagle right now.)
I vote for Dachshunds. I like the black variety myself. I’m not a big fan of small dogs, but my sister had one of these when we were kids, and I can’t imagine a better small pet for children. It was very affectionate and, with the short hair, no major grooming was needed.
Oh yeah, one of the other good things about dachsunds is that they are not usually “yappers” like a lot of other small dogs are. They have more of an easy-going “big dog” temperament, probably because they were bred from hounds.
I have to go in favor of Welsh Corgis. Particularly Pembroke Welsh Corgis. I have one, and it’s the best dog I’ve ever had. Even disposition, obedient, cute, and with a real personality. They are kind of long, low dogs (think sausage on toothpicks) with ears that look like they should be on a dog twice the size. Purebreds are tailless, tails are docked at birth by owners. Cardigan Welsh Corgis still have the tail, and tend to run larger with more proportionate legs. One caveat with Corgis: They were bred to herd cattle. This sounds strange, as a fully grown one stands about mid-calf to me (I’m about 6’0") but it’s true. Cows kick, so successful cow-herding dogs must be short enough for the hoof to pass right over their head. This herding instinct remains strong. My Corgi, named Corky, tries to herd me by getting in my way and putting her nose right at my feet. Corky also loves harassing our cats, and will push any she can get close enough to down with her front legs. The cat’s resultant hissing and scratching don’t faze Corky in the least. Corky will herd anything she can, but horses kind of scare her. (They’re 100 times her size at least, and want to get close enough to smell her, so her backing down and whining is only natural.) Anyway, she is intelligent enough to understand the phrases ‘outside’, ‘food’, ‘Corky treat’, ‘get your ball’ (eventually), ‘bad dog’ (she growls and bristles when she hears this, probably not a good thing), and all the other more standard commands (she has problems with ‘heel’ and ‘come’, mainly from her huge store of energy). Corgis tend to be active, intelligent dogs (as befitting their role as herders) and love to be outside on a long leash, running with wild abandon. Corky, on the other hand, runs around with wild abandon inside. She goes outside more often than I do, sometimes to excrete waste, more often just to run and harass cats, but she still runs inside. She runs a circuit around anything in her way instead of just running around it. She will also jump low things in her path. It’s a thing of wonder to see a dog like that run so fast in circles, especially if part of that circle includes you. This was a long ramble, but you should know what you’re getting into if you buy a Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
Osip, I didn’t mention Corgis. I said she shouldn’t have a dog in an apartment.
Corgis are cute little guys, though.
PurpleBear, I used to have a 100-pound Lab, who thought she was a lap dog, too! I still think she had no idea how big she actually was. We used to joke that she thought she was a Chihuahua (sp?). She was a great dog, VERY good with the kids, would let my kids crawl all over her. She was wonderful. I also had a mostly-beagle when I was little, and a semi-cocker spaniel who was an angel.
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On further thought, this girl (the one thinking about the Pekingese) should go volunteer in a shelter for a couple weeks before getting a dog. She will see how many animals are brought in because the owners couldn’t deal with it. And what happens to those animals when they aren’t adopted.
Why did she get rid of the cat? It bit her young daughter? Did the daughter antagonize the cat somehow? A pet is not a plaything, it is a living thing.
Does she work? Who will walk the dog during the day? Will is be cooped up in an apartment all day? Is she going to get pissed off at the dog when he poops on the floor because it couldn’t go out? Is she going to want to walk it in the rain? At midnight in the rain? At midnight in the rain when it’s cold out?
Is she going to take it to obedience training? It really helps for any kind of dog.
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Poodles are definately out… never seen one that I didn’t want to kill.