When I was a small boy my parents got my older brother and me a Boston Terrier 'cause they heard that they were good with kids. We could not have asked for a better pet. Sport was affectionate and even tempered. He would only bark when someone unknown came onto the property. I can’t say that he was a representative of the breed simply because I’ve only known one of them. But I know I’d get another one.
We are twins parted at birth, Gazoo. The dog of my youth was a beagle/bassett mix who was a total love. Calm, funny, loyal–I still miss him.
Must say The Woofer In My Life now is slightly large (black lab/shephard mix) but she purely adores kids. She isn’t so much convinced she’s a lapdog as knows we’re a pack.
(She’s curled up under the computer desk, snoozing with her head on my foot.)
As far as suggestions: Corgis are great, and so are most poodles. They have a bad rep due to bad owners and some inbreeding. They’re actually nice dogs, and don’t shed too badly. (FWIW, Dobies and Rotties have undeserved repuations too; hostile owners make hostile dogs.)
Some pointless advice for your friend: the best lesson an animal can give a child is responsiblity, love and awareness that other living things have feelings. My mom’s dog–a toy Manchester; great breed!–nipped me a few times. When I’d go whining, she’d ask me what I did to provoke the dog. It was a great lesson: once I shaped up the dog loved me.
I really wish your friend would visit the pound. Her daughter could learn compassion, and get unqualified, undying love in return.
Complete dog nut,
Veb
When I was REALLY little, my family had a great dane as a pet. She was the best tempered dog and was appropriate to have kids around. Some great danes are a little hyper when they’re young, but that’s the same with dalmations.
The only other really good dog I remember having was a labrador retriever. Females tend to be smarter in this breed, but they are generally well-behaved and a good house pet.
I vote for Cairn Terrier. (For those of you who don’t know what that is, it’s Toto from Wizard of Oz.) We had one when I was growing up. Had her from when I was 2 until I was…19. She was a wonderful little dog. Cared about me, let me play with her without getting snippy, and was VERY well tempered and intelligent. I hope I can get another one someday.
Greyhounds - best described as 45 mph couch potatoes. They are probably not the best breed for apartment living but I understand that they are good family dogs.
A smaller dog would be better in an apartment. I have two dachshunds [traditional black/tan and a tricolor piebald] and I adore these loveable DOG dogs. They are active and playful when ready to have fun. They collapse like deflated balloons when ready to cuddle up to you and sleep - we call them velcro dogs. They are generally friendly, but they will let us know when “something is not right”. One of the dogs is very serene and the other is very hyper-puppy. I have heard that dachshunds do get snippy - let sleeping dogs lie… - probably not the best with kids under three. Five year olds might know/learn how to treat dogs appropriately.
Suggestions:
> do some research on personality trends, ie: beagles are high energy, fun loving dogs; labs are a family’s best friend, but you should recognize that each dog has its own personality.
> get your dog as a young puppy and start training right away.
> if you want a purebred: buy from a reputable breeder and not a pet store which usually get their stock from puppy mills. Breeders usually have more contact with the dogs and socialize them earlier. This doesn’t guarantee that you’ll have a calm dog… Price is usually half of what you’ll pay at a pet store.
a second option is to find a dog thru a rescue ring, although this will take a much longer time. Many of these dogs have been abused and need special re-socialization into families [there are foster homes for these dogs]. Others are older dogs whose owners have moved to retirement homes or died. The rescue ring will make sure that the dog is healthy, with all shots, neutered and a “good fit” with your family. Delta Airlines will airship dogs just about anywhere. There is even an organization which will cover the transportation costs of a rescued dachshund. Dachshunds are around $175 thru a rescue ring - they are online with photos.
Both of these options usually contain a clause in the contract that you will be able [or must] to return the dog
to them and no one else in case there is a mismatch.
How small is small? I’m thinking an adult is a better choice. Peke’s aren’t bad, per se. They can be yappy, or snappy. Any kid that was repeatedly bitten by a cat probably shouldn’t have an animal. Cats aren’t usually biters, unless they are teased or harrassed. I figure the dog will go the same way. A five year old can’t really help with it, and living in an apartment just add more difficulty. Good luck!
Kinsey, I’m glad to hear we weren’t the only ones with a huge dog that didn’t know she was huge. Hey Girl <no, we didn’t name her, she came with the name> loved to hop up in the recliner with my Dad <5’11", 140lbs> and sit next to him. She was far more likely to lick you to death than to bite you.
Back to the OP, I really hope you can get her to listen to reason, or at least to go down to the pound and talk with the people who work there, or better yet, do some volunteer time. She’ll change her mind, I’d bet. Good luck!
Well, it looks like the Corgies are getting lots of votes. I’ll send her a link to a site with info and pictures so she can take a look. Hopefully just sending her all these possible choices will get her thinking about the decision a little more.
I found out late yesterday that one reason she is in a hurry is that her daughter is away with relatives right now and she wants to surprise her with the puppy. I wasn’t happy to hear that, this is a living thing, not a bicycle!
I also got on the soapbox a little about the responsibility and time it will take. Hell, it’s like adding a furry kid to the mix. And I mentioned the possibility that she could run into the same problems with the dog if it was her kid that provoked the cat to bite. We’ll see if she took any of my advice to heart.
Thanks for all your help! I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Even though it looks like you’ve made up your mind, let me throw in a couple of pennies.
Don’t get a dachshund. My family has had wiener dogs all my life, and personally, I think they’re fabulous dogs. However, its very, very rare to see one that gets along with strangers, especially children.
Connor-
It’s not me making the decision, but thanks. Actually I’ve met some nasty dachshunds myself, and personally I’d be worried about stepping on a dog that small.
Ours may have been the exception, but he was very affectionate with strangers, including children- to the point of hopping into our guests’ laps, if given the opportunity.
Now, he did have some “guard dog” tendencies. He might initially bark at a stranger’s approach, but once you let it be known that the person was welcome, he would cozy right up to them.
Of course, each individual dog has its own personality. We may have been lucky.
Let me throw in my $.02 behind Boston Terriers. They are intelligent, funny, energetic, eager-to-please dogs that are not easily provoked, don’t need a whole lot of exercise, and will respond to obedience training very readily.
I had a Corgi (Pembroke) growing up, as well as a whippet, both of which were great dogs, but neither one of 'em could hold a candle to Pluggy. She was a really great companion, didn’t bark unless something was actually going on, and was perfectly content to either chase a ball for a few minutes or stare at the wall when it was all quiet.
Second on the notion that a Pekinese is probably not the best idea for a family pet, especially if she wants to “surprise” the little one with it. (Which in itself is a pretty lousy idea.) If you can’t argue your friend off getting a Pekinese, at least try to get her to slow down and think it through before she rushes off to buy one.
Well, damn it, she went and got the puppy. She just brought in here. Cute little thing. I hope it goes well for all of them!
I vote for a Sheltie! I used to have a Blue-Eyed Merle. And just like the song says “…there’s no companion like a Blue-eyed merle…” Max was a barker but only when provoked or startled. He’d bark a lot when we wrestled but that doesn’t count. Amazingly intelligent, but HE couldn’t catch to save his life. His brother could though. They are fiercely loyal, to a fault. He would sometimes get snobby and ignore everybody except me. I found him to be very protective of my kids, they grew up around him. Funny thing though, he didn’t like my ex.
I found them to be a great breed. I will get another someday. They aren’t that big, they are very trainable and they have a personality.
Good Luck!