My Son Wants A Puppy? I Need Help Picking A Breed.?
October 1, 2009 by admin
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
My son is 6 and we are getting him a puppy. We already have a smaller (35 pounds) female siberian husky, she is 8 years old. He would like a smaller dog, but foremost we need a dog that is very friendly and not aggressive. We’d like a dog that is easy to train and isn’t yippy or doesn’t bark a lot. Any suggestions? I’d like to get a golden retriever, but I know he wants a smaller dog. I’ve also thought about Papillons and elkhounds. Help!
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How about an english bulldog, they are very docile and have a friendly nature that would be great with kids. They are very loyal and some won’t ever leave the house without it’s owner. They love to please their owner so training won’t be difficult. My only problem would be they can be destructive as puppies and some have health problems.
Papillons and elkhounds bark….A LOT! Elkhounds have that yippy high pitch bark that you don’t want.
how about a beagle? they have good dispositions with children. You would be surprised how many small dogs will bite a child. There are books that will give you the information as to what dogs are aggressive and what dogs aren’t. i only know the large breeds that are aggressive so I cannot answer your question. I have a large breed who is instinctively aggressive so I have to be careful because of this. She cannot help it cos it is hereditary. She has even bitten me before. On your computer; you can find the names of dogs that are good with children and the names of dogs that aren’t good with children. Because some are instinctively aggressive and just can’t help it. Also, for example, the dalmation isn’t a wise choice for children they say because they say that 12% of them are deaf and won’t follow orders. But remember back in the days when the movie 101 Dalmations came out (not the recent one but the animated one that came out in the 60’s) and all the children were adopting dalmation dogs and a lot of kids got bit and stuff on acct of that. Oh, another dog that is small and not good with children (I remember reading about it) is the Scottish Terrier. They can be very aggressive with children. Well, good luck and I hope you find the right puppy for your little boy.
I suggest a Mini Schnoodle. My boyfriend and I just raised a litter of these pups and they are wonderful puppies! It’s a mix of the Schnauzer and the Poodle. The poodle is a very smart brred of dog to begin with and then you mix it with the schnauzer and they are extremely obedient and smart. They can pick up on routines. (Like they know when you are leaving when you put on your coat, things like that.) It makes them very easy to train because they are smart and they always want to please their owner. We actually have the mom and dad too and they are Schnoodles also. They are both wonderful dogs. They only get about 2 to 2 1/2 feet tall. (Knee high on me) and approximately 20-30 pounds at the most.
This is true, Beagles are great family dogs and are small is size but they take a very long time to train. They are very very smart but stubborn. If you are willing to be extremely consistent with a dog in training, a beagle could be the perfect dog for your son. Look up http://www.beaglesavvy.com and decide. Have you considered taking him to the animal shelter to pick one out? That way you can “try before you buy” and help save one of these animals http://www.truveo.com/STOP-Animal-Cruelt…
Most breeds of Collie, Australian Shepherds, and Blue Heelers are all generally intelligent and friendly. They are also a fair amount smaller than a Siberian Husky, but they haven’t crossed the line into small yappy breeds. Keep in mind though, that there are variations within any breed and much of the dogs temperament (very friendly/ aggressive) is entirely based on how it’s raised. I actually find that some of the smartest dogs are mutts with Collie and Shepherd mixes.
Good luck.
We have a three and a half year old chocolate Laborador Retriever and she is the best dog I could ask for with my two small children. I never ever worry about her being in the room with the kids alone if I have to say, run to the bathroom or something. They aren’t the smallest of dogs, but not huge either. She is very smart and was fairly easy to train. The only negative thing I can think of is to have Plenty of chew toys especially the first year or two- labs Love to chew!
How about a toy or miniature poodle? They are very smart and easy to train. But, if you don’t want to deal with the grooming needs, I think a papillon is a great choice. As for the barking thing, there aren’t really specific breeds that always bark a lot. Each individual is different. Some dogs that were bred to be guard dogs can be kind of yappy but with some training it should be fine.
Smaller dogs are not good for children. They can’t handle loud voices, being picked up all the time, being fallen on, and having kids right up in their face. They hate it. And, unlike most larger dogs, they won’t tolerate it. They will snap and be fearful of children. I’m not saying your son is bad, but from a small dog’s perspective it looks like a crazy person out to hurt them!
I would reccomend getting a larger, more child-friendly dog. A boxer is a great choice. So is a lab and a golden retriever, plus many more.
If you aren’t sure, here’s a breed test: dogbreedinfo.com/search.htm
Hope I helped!
if i were you i wouldn’t go with any terrier dogs, they can be yippy when they have food, and they might fight with the dog you have already.

you should try a dashund or a beagle if you are looking for a small dog that is very friendly.
but really you should still consider a lab.
my family has a black lab, and we also have a jack russel terrier.
labs are loyal, friendly, and playful, plus they come in a variety of colors, and they are good guard dogs.
hope i helped.
hmm a beagle would be a good dog for your situation. also i’d go with a pug. to some people they are unnatractive dogs but they are sweet and they know how to love. a yorkshire terrier would be sweet also. the thing is though that they need to be pottytrained faster than many dogs and their hair grows very long so unless you want them to be tidy, try grooming.
i know you said a smaller dog, but Australian sheep dogs are REALLY smart…i luuuvvvv <3 them!!! and they dont like to bark alot so its good. ummmm….i also have a miniature greyhound – super adorable, not to loud or big…..ultimately i think you’ll have to make the choice on what type of dog is right for you.
good luck!!! <3
Miniature Australian Shepards are really nice, and they only get to be about 20-25 pounds. Also, sometimes you can find a mutt that is sweet and smart–they are usually the ones that need good homes, too.
I bought my son a shih tzu when he was was eight. He has been one of the best dogs we’ve ever had and adores my son. Also a great watch dog, he hears everything also he doesn’t shed which is a plus.
try a mini dachshund. cute little guys. They love to play, love to snuggle and just love to be anywhere there owner is. so a plus on the snuggling because he can nap when your little guy naps. Papillons are awesome dogs too.
Get one that fits YOUR lifestyle.
Try the breed selector quiz and see what breed(s) show up that are right for you. http://animal.discovery.com/breedselecto…
look up dog breeds you can see lots of dogs there. oh and look on craigslist thats where i found my little puppy and hes great.
beagle.
cant EVER go wrong if ya give a kid a beagle.
Elkhounds aren’t small dogs. The average Elkhound is about 48 to 55 lb.
umm how about a Jack Russell